Survival Through Resignation

As soon as Zaka came in her mouth, Applejack picked herself up and turned around. The fifth slave for the duke to inspect was walking up with the fourth disappearing behind a curtain. She slid her husband's cock into her pussy and went all the way down. She'd been fingering herself and thinking of Bitch while she blew him, so she was sufficiently wet to accept his mass.

"These slaves are giving you the strangest head," said Zaka, turning to the duke. "Do their superiors not take them into their bed? They could all use a decent amount of retraining, else you'll be out of luck when your balls need draining."

The duke waved his hand, brushing off the comment. "There's more to life than just having sex. These girls were picked to run my farming complex. They do the work and I reap the reward, and then a great many more slaves I can afford."

Zaka folded his arms. "But can you derive pleasure from a slave so inept? Unskilled as they are, it's a wonder you've slept. Their skills are unsuitable for keeping your bed warm. How do you expect to fare in a storm?"

"These walls are made from a strong, sturdy brick. Aside from looking nice, they're also quite thick. The four tallest towers are strapped with a rod. At the top of each one, an antenna quite broad. Any lightning that should rain from above runs down a wire, and into the ground is shoved."

"What do you do when it starts to turn cold? Will you shiver and shake like you're suddenly old?"

"Milord, I respect that you care for my health, but should I need heating, I can use my wealth. There are ceramic radiators all over this place, from the room that is yours to the pits of disgrace."

"Is that where you send slaves that cannot behave? A warm, cozy room, not cold as the grave?"

"You give too little credit; it is not a kind shelter. In those cells, they will sweat in the swelter. Coming from that to the sting of the snow, the correct way to act is what they will know."

Applejack had come to expect this from Zaka and his ilk by now. While she had never been locked in the reflective heat chambers in the dungeon of Zaka's own castle, Bitch had been several times and described it as one of the most horrifying experiences a slave can experience. It was a very damaging process that left the body intact, and made every touch hurt. Even a kiss would be agonizing. In rare cases, it could even fry the mind of the pony trapped inside.

As soon as he came inside of her, she turned around again and sucked him clean. Master, Ah need ta go check on your kids. May Ah be excused?"

With Zaka's nod of approval, he waved another slave over to take her place. With a guard escorting her she made her way up the stairs to the chamber of the sun. In truth, she knew that Bitch could handle most of the problems that could arise, but with Jericho being so fresh from her womb, he needed his mother to feed him. He didn't need feeding at the moment, but it was an honest excuse for her to come up here and stay for a while.

"How was the party?"

"Dreadful," sighed Applejack. "Ah hate these events. They're never any good, and all that Zaka wants ta talk about is sex, slaves, and sex slaves. Honestly, Ah think the duke brought up a good point about how the slaves should be makin' money for their captors, rather than just bein' used for sex."

Bitch looked up at her and placed a hand on Applejack's thigh. "I know you enjoyed the farm life, but being a royal wife is not too bad, either. Aside from the perpetual pregnancy, you're a sex slave that's only used by one being against your will, and you have two slaves of your own that you can use however you wish. If you demanded that I grow carrots and sell them for profit, you could be doing the same thing the duke is."

"Yeah, but Ah wouldn't be earning the money, you would. And any money Ah took from you would go straight ta Zaka. Ah wouldn't see any of it."

"Yeah," sighed Bitch. "By the way, don't actually do that. I have no idea how to grow or sell carrots."

Applejack shook her head. "It's easy once ya know what you're doin'. But Nah, Ah ain't gonna do that to ya. Ah need ya here with the kids even more. Besides, If Ah was gonna make money with ya, Ah'd find a way that you enjoy that Ah could help with."

Bitch placed her cheek against Applejack's thigh and gently rubbed her face against it. "I know you would, love." She sighed. "If only life were so kind as to allow that..."

They sat in silence for a moment, watching the older children play their board game.

"Why did you want to stop in Appleford?" asked Bitch after a few minutes. "I realize that it was named after you, but other than that, what did you want to see about it?"

Applejack smiled. "Ah used ta live there. Did ya see that barn?"

"I did."

"It may not be the same one, but Ah built three of them right in that very spot. That was a long time ago, though."

"Three of them?"

"The first one was eaten by parasprites, one was so damaged in a storm that it had ta be demolished and rebuilt, and the last one we crashed a wagon into at a family reunion. The sheds, or at least the plot they're sittin' on, used ta be my house, and all a' them trees in the orchard were tended to regularly by yours truly. We also sold our crop, just like the duke's doing with it now."

"So, you like what he's done with the place?"

Applejack shook her head. "Granted, he's usin' the land smarter than what Zaka would do, but Ah can't really stand in favour of slave labour."

"And how much are you paying me?" joked Bitch.

The question managed to draw a chuckle out of Applejack as she brushed her mane. "Ah'm serious, though. Ah would work most of the land myself, and ask if ya wanted ta help."

"I would. I think you'd be fair. Even if not, I know you'd give me somewhere to sleep."

They shared a hug, which turned into an embrace, with Bitch moving to sit in Applejack's lap. As awful as their situations were, they had each other, at least.