Changeling Empire Life (RP thread, sign up) [V.3]

Blue put the one bowl on a bed stand to the nearest pony "Here you go." she said and smiled as she gave the pony his soup, after which she returned for another bowl.

The day had started out normally in the small, unnamed village. But unfortunately for its inhabitants, the local diamond dogs had a different day in mind.

About a hundred prisoners were now sitting in a row by the side of the dirt path, surrounded by the flaming ruins of their beloved homes, in chains. The dogs growled something guttural to each other, and began to whip them. It didn't take long for them to learn which bark meant "go forward" and which meant "stop".

They traveled for hours. No food. No rest. No water. No talking. Just the sound of clanking chains and the sting of the lash.

Their next destination was no reassurance, no relief. Some collapsed on the ground at the trading tent, where they stood outside as one of the dogs entered and began growling at a changeling covered in scars. After some bickering, they shook, paw and hoof, as the dogs left the prisoners and carried away several large bags of precious gems and tools.

Black Heart, as the changeling was called, grinned cruelly as he looked over the filthy eks. One hundred eks, seventy healthy and strong enough for heavy labor, twenty young and healthy for training, and ten pretty and docile. Filthy eks, he didn't see what those perverted aristocrats were thinking, buying eks for their looks. The only good ek was a dead ek, or at least a chained ek with a whip on his back and a pick in his mouth, if you asked him. But he wasn't paid to think, he was paid to move the livestock. So move he did.

"All right, you lousy bunch of eks. Yeah, that's right. I can talk your filthy degenerate language. You there, shut up! Or you'll be feeling the whip even more than the others. Now I don't want any trouble. You're gonna march, day or night, no talking, no stopping. You drink when I say to and eat when I say to and rest when I say to, and I won't be saying to much. Got it? Now move your flanks! NOW!"

He snapped his whip, driving them, herding them onwards, through the endless, burning desert.

Chrysteel points at two of the pegasi, a mare and a stallion. she also points at moonlight. She then points to two of the unicorns, both of which are a mare and a filly. The filly she selected is about 9 years of age. "You 5 will come with me. I have a place for you. You will say nothing and not do a thing until I say you can. Is this understood. Failure to do so will, either, result in your return here or worse. Now lets go I have much to do and you will be helping me today."

Chrysteel looks to the caretaker of the slaves and says, "They will do. Next time, I would like to see all of the new ones no matter their age. So long as they are in decent condition. I will take them to see my caretaker, Shallow heart, and have them assessed for their condition. Then I will be assigning them tasks. You are dismissed caretaker."

Chrysteel looks to all of them and says, "You 5 are now mine. Behave and I will be kind. Misbehave and you will feel it."

@blue

Shallow Heart gives Blue a worried look. "I'm sorry, you can't. If a pony harms a changeling, the owner is responsible but the pony is still punished."

@midnight

The caretaker bows respectfully and returns to his duties.

The five new slaves all nod to Chrysteel in silence and get to their hooves. They group together and move a bit closer, stopping by her and waiting to follow here where-ever she goes.

@blue

"No, it's only death if your crime is...that bad. But it's usually lashings..."
Shallow hugs Blue warmly and rubs her back. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe."

The ponies had lost all sense of direction and time. All they knew was the pain of the lash, and the beating of their hearts, their burning lungs, aching legs, the sweat running down their bodies. One of the older mares had stumbled, but they couldn't stop. She dragged for some ways before all four of her legs fractured, leaving her a screaming and bloodied mess. They galloped on. Black Heart put her out of her misery, not out of the kindness of his black heart, but to keep her body from slowing the rest down. They didn't even have time to bury her or mourn her, just a carcass on the side of the road...

They galloped on, herded like animals by the whip. This time it was a colt, barely two years old. He used to like playing in the meadows and picking flowers. Now he was an unburied carcass on the side of the road, with an arrow-hole in the skull. They galloped on.

They didn't know how long this Tartarus lasted. It might have been weeks, it might have been mere hours. Soon they reached an outpost, and a burly changeling in a military uniform stepped out, wrinkling his nose at their exhausted forms as he spat on their faces.

"This the best ya got, Black Heart? Look at 'em! Half o' 'em couldn't run another three days without water."

"Aw come on now, sir, ain't ya heard? Them pretty 'uns an' young 'uns are real tradeable these days 'round the Hive."

"And you keep your mouth shut, maggot. 'Course I know what's goin' on in business. Could'a picked a better bunch. How many gems you get 'em for?"

"Half an ounce each. Half for three with the foals."

"Tch. Try harder next time. But they'll have to do."

He stepped up to one of the stallions, who looked him defiantly in the eye. Half a second later, the stallion was moaning on the floor, blood pouring out of his mouth.

"Now you listen here, eks. All of you. You filthy vermin want to live? You want food? Rest? Water? Then you better listen to every bucking word I say. Insubordination will be met with hooves and whips. Any ek slowing us down will be put down. Understood? No stopping, no resting, no talking, no looking around unless I tell you to. Now get moving! Next to the wagon! Move! MOVE!"

They moved. They were forced to hitch themselves and each other to the heavy yokes, then the whip cracked again across their backs, and the Tartarus resumed.

Chrysteel begins to lead them out but sees Asterian in his cage. She goes over to his cage and examines him. She says, "Caretaker! I will take this one as well. He looks strong and able." Chrysteel waits for the caretaker to respond. She smiles a little differently then what Asterian saw when she first entered, but that changes once the caretaker responds.