The Reluctant Gladiator

Genevieve awakened just as morning began to break. Her eyelids flickered open, and all she could see was darkness. A lack of light in her chamber made it difficult for her to tell whether it was the morning or night. She squirmed as the straw-filled mattress pressed up against her backside.  She pushed herself off the bed and winced at the least movement. They hurt, and her shoulders were sore, fr