Corin woke up with a kick to his ribs. Groans surrounded him as the people around him received similar wake-up signals.
   "Come on!" Quinly's voice said above him. "It's a new day! Just think of what you could accomplish. More chores!"
   Corin threw his pillow at the source of the voice, though judging by the colorful sound produced when it landed, he missed.
   He grudgingly opened one eye to see Quinly's smirking face peering down at him "I hope that wasn't meant for me!" He said, chuckling.
   Corin sat up and rubbed his eyes, wishing the blurriness would clear up faster. As soon as he stood up, he was attacked by aches and pains from all over his body. As it had proved for several days now, straw was not sufficient enough to be called a bed.
   At least I have a bed, he thought. The orphanage hadn't even provided that much.
   Most of the other occupants of the room had left for their assignment of the month. Quinly was waiting by his patch of straw next to Corin's. They had left the orphanage at the same time, and even before that, they had been close friends, though the handlers had often referred to them as "partners in crime".
   They both had known that they were destined for the servants' ward, and would have run away before their seventeenth birthday, the age when all orphans were shipped out to some dull job elsewhere in the kingdom. But after the famine in the last winter, they both knew that the castle was their best bet of staying alive.
   At least Corin's eighteenth birthday wasn't far off. Then he would be free to do whatever he wanted.
   They walked into the kitchen and sought out Opis, the head servant, for their task. A small women with dark hair and dark eyes, she had a loud voice, and all the younger servants feared her disapproval. Even the older ones had a healthy fear of her.
   She was busy yelling at a group of sweepers, complaining that they kept missing spots. Corin and Quinly stood to the edge were they waited nervously for her to decide the sweepers had been thoroughly been scoured. Her expression didn't change as she looked up at them, and even though both the boys were over a foot taller than her, they both stood a little straighter on instinct.
   She focused her glare on Quinly first. "Kitchen" She turned her gaze on Corin. He felt like fidgeting, but didn't dare. "Prince Brine's quarters."
   Quinly started. "But..."
   Opis had already walked away.
   Corin looked at his friend apologetically. "Sorry. Duty calls."
   They both kept it hidden, but they were both disappointed that they hadn't been placed together.
   Corin gave Quinly a sloppy salute. "Have fun washing dishes."
   Quinly laughed. "Have fun cleaning His Majesty's room. I hear the guy's a jerk."
   Corin chuckled and headed out of the kitchen. He knew where he was going. He had been in charge of cleaning the king's room a couple months ago, though the king was so busy, Corin never saw him. The prince, however, was well known in the servants ranks as selfish, spoiled, and too handsome for his own good. At least he wasn't assigned as the manservant. Cleaning the quarters was much better than spending twelve hours a day with Prince Brine.

   Corin let himself fall into his straw, completely and utterly exhausted.
   Quinly sat down on his patch. "Rough day, huh?"
   Corin groaned and sat up. "I think I see why we don't like him. It's like he deliberately makes his room as messy as possible."
   Quinly smiled. "Look on the bright side. Only ten more days to go, then you get to leave."
   Corin's mind drifted to thoughts of the world outside the castle wall. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he left, but anything was better than this.