My task is to wash this wretch of dust, dirt, and clotted blood.

  My hands are shaking!

  Kwiryn said this would last three days. And I am almost certain I am walking up to tend to a corpse.

  I walk with a prepared bucket of water and a sponge. There is no one left in the yard; everyone has dispersed. I slowly approach the warrior, who is kneeling motionless in front of the massive wooden post. I am afraid to get any closer. What I see right now is already making me gag. The problem is, I can't afford half-measures.

  If I don't do this, I'll end up in his place!

  I step closer. I can clearly see the lines where streams of blood flowed. I stop half a meter away from him and strain my eyes, just to make sure he is still alive.

  He's breathing!

  I feel relief and growing anxiety at the same time. It's incredible that he endured almost two hours of non-stop torture. Unfortunately, since he is still breathing, he'll have to go through it all over again.

  I feel like something is stuck in my throat. I can't even swallow my saliva. I slowly set the bucket down and soak the sponge in cold water. I wasn't given anything better. I stand before him now. I freeze my hand with the sponge right in front of his body.

  Maybe I should wake him up before I start?

  I realize after a moment that it makes no sense. I don't have time to overthink everything. I have a task to complete.

  I slowly press the wet sponge to his back. I get terrified when he suddenly flinches and shrinks away from the touch.

  I'm such an idiot!

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  It didn't occur to me that he might still be bracing for the next blow. Now without fear, only with slight pity, I approach from the front.

  "I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm Malvira. I came to wash you."

  I'm not entirely sure my words are even reaching him. I can't even see his facial features; his whole face is under a layer of dirt, blood, and a filthy blindfold over his eyes.

  Suddenly, shivers run down my body. I reach out a trembling hand and pull the fabric from his face. He opens his eyes.

  He's looking straight at me! What now?!

  He sees me shaking and panicking, frozen in place. He tries to say something, but his mouth is still gagged. He blinks a few times, and only then do I catch on to what he means. I slowly pull out the wet rag he's been holding in his mouth this whole time.

  "Thank you..." I hear a very quiet, hoarse voice. "Don't worry about me."

  "I have to wash you."

  I hear him exhale loudly. I think he understood what I meant. Now he doesn't even look at me, just stays silent with his head bowed.

  I don't want to be here a minute longer!

  I get back to why I even came here in the first place. I soak the sponge and, at first, slowly and gently wipe his back. This time he doesn't flinch, enduring my every movement in silence. I rub him with the sponge more boldly. From beneath the layer of dirt, his skin emerges, and I see all the scars that adorn his body. Something is bothering me.

  I don't believe it...! I don't see any fresh wounds anywhere!

  "My wounds have already healed."

  "That's impossible! I saw him torturing you! I saw blood spraying everywhere!"

  "And now you see only scars."

  "That... I... I don't understand..."

  I can't comprehend how a man who was brutally tortured can be so calm.

  "It's just how I am." I feel as if he heard my thoughts. "It's not my first time."

  My jaw drops. What I just heard is as inhuman as this entire day. I quickly return to my task, my head spinning. I finish. Wordlessly, I gather all the things and turn to go back to my master.

  "Thank you."

  I pretend I don't hear him and just quicken my pace. I am terrified.

  This can't be happening for real...!