Connor woke slowly at first for his vision was in a blur and were ever he was it was dark which made it all the worse. Connor felt sore and groggy and his head was throbbing he rubbed his eyes with his hooves and shook his head slightly but his head ached as he did so.
His vision slowly came to him and once he could see his hoof in front of his own face he looked around the room.
It was a dark cobble stone cell with the only light coming from the candle outside of his cell he was curled up slightly on the floor and to his left was a pile of hay that had a rug placed over it, there was a small dingy tray in front of him which had mold covered bread and a pitcher of black water.
He sat up as the blood rushed from his head making his head ace even more so.
“You’re awake!” Connor jumped slightly as someone called from behind him.
He turned around and came face to face with Shade the bat pony from the Dragon who was sitting on a small bench he failed to notice before.
“I was shocked when I saw a group of ponies walking down her dragging you along they seemed a bit shady and they tossed you in” She explained.
“Well how did YOU end up here?” Connor asked turning his body around to face her.
“Somepony leaked and they raided the bar rounded up most of us they dragged them off some were and tossed me in here whatever here is”
“So you don’t know earthier…” Connor looked back up to the cell door.
He walked up to the iron bar door and looked out as far as he could.
To his left it was a long cobble hall with torches placed every so often in front of other cells that went fairly far down until it broke into a turn section going left and right. Connor looked to his right and saw the same thing a hall way of cells that ended in a turn section.
He started to pull his head back when he heard voices echoing in the tunnels and he could see shadows dancing on the walls.
“Get back!” He whispered as he craned his neck to see who was coming as Shade backed up into the corner melting into the darkness.
Connor saw the Mayor who was now plump and clean and was talking with two other strange creatures the Mayor acknowledged as griffins.
“…Knowing how he two griffins rely on the slave trade I have two unique items that could get you a good ransom…” Connor backed away from the door and sat in light.
“Here we are the other one is in there as well take a look” The Mayor stopped in front of the cell door unlocking it for the griffions.
The two walked in looking over him.
“Where is the other, Ah, there you are” The one to the left said with a deep gruff voice who had a grey color and white wing tips and under belly.
He walked to the corner were shade was hiding and dragged her out next to him.
“How much for the both of’em” The second one was a mix of brown and black color with a high voice than the other.
“Well…I say four hundred for the stallion and two for the mare, I’m sure you could have fun with her” He smiled harshly to Shade.
“With that gash on his face I say he is worth only three” The grey one looked to The Mayor.
Connor waited until the other looked back.
“Yea the mare can stay at two but…” Connor brought his hoof down on the second one, but his hoof only made it an inch close to the back of his head before he was pulled back with the force of a dozen horses into the wall.
“Oh feisty, he would do well as a worker, fine we’ll go Three hundred fifty” Said the grey one.
“You have a deal”
Connors mind started to blur and the cell became fuzzy then blackness.
======================
Connor woke again with haste as he looked around.
Both of his hind legs were chained to a wood floor, he was in a slave cart with Shade and a stripped pony.
“What happened?” He asked.
“You’re on your way to be a slave for the griffins you dolt” The stripped pony snapped.
He looked up to Shade he looked solemn as the cart rocked back and forth.
“You ok?” He asked.
“I-I’m fine” She stuttered.
He looked back to the iron bard door.
They were moving along a worn dirt path through open ground in unfamiliar territory.
Connor sat back down and looked up to shade.
“We are going to do this…I promise we will make it back” He looked into her sad eyes.
She looked up at him in silence before looking back to the floor.
===============
“CELESTIA” Twilight ran full fledged into the court room interrupting her conversation with another stallion.
“Twilight I told you not to interrupt my court unless it’s an emergency!” She scolded her.
“This IS a emergency, LOOK!” Twilight hoofed the news paper to her mentor.
“Please excuse me” She told the stallion.
“Not a worry princess” He nodded.
Celestia walked past Twilight and looked down at the news paper and gasped in shock.
“AN UNKNOWN ROBBERY ATTEMPT” It read.
A older stallion was caught the other day in a attempt to rob the little funds from the lower ward mayor. To the only witness and victim we had a interview with the mayor himself.
“I was in my office at the time when this stallion came walking asking about the crisis we have been facing lately and as soon as my back was turned he attacked me by hitting me with a candle hilt knocking me to floor as he was asking me where the money was”
“Luckily I had an appointment at the same time with another young stallion who walked right in and being the brave stallion he was restrained him, I had the local guard come in and take him away to the Undermax prison”
He had also told the authorities about a guild of bandits who he worked for who were huddled up the local Inn which was raided and the leader taken away with him.
Celestia looked away from the news paper to Twilight.
“I went to the Undermax and he was sold off to slavers” Twilight panted.
Celestia’s jaw dropped.
“What are we going to do!?” Twilight was starting to panic.
“There is nothing I can do he’s a slave now I can’t budge into that he is on own” Celestia dropped the paper.
============
The cart came to halt Connor woke up to the sound of a lot of commotion outside as he looked through the bared door.
They were outdoors somewhere and there was a mass of griffin walking back and forth talking to each other some with following stripped ponies like the one with him, as he heard one say…
“…This war has been wonderful for me they bring at least a hundred prisoners a day and I have been making a fortune…”It said walking past the cart.
Connor nudged Shade to wake her, but she had stayed awake for the trip as she slowly looked up to him making him feel sorry for her.
“Everything is going to be ok, if we are separated I will come for you” He said softly.
“Let’s go” The grey slaver grabbed all of their chains and dragged them from the cart but the stripped pony would not budge.
Connor looked back to him.
“I said let’s go!” He yanked the chain he still stayed.
The griffin climbed up into the cart and grabbed him by the neck and threw him from the cart but he did not get up.
“Tough guy then” He walked up to the pony but Connor walked into his way.
“Move or your next” He sneered but Connor was unfazed.
“Well then looks like you would like a good beating then” He raised his fist but the second slaver stopped him.
“Don’t want to ruin the price further than it is already on it, I will take care of the zebra” He said.
“Fine” He said while pulling out to cuffs and clamping it on Shades and is neck.
“Let’s go” He yanked the two as Connor looked back to the zebra that was being harshly beat by the slaver.
Outside it was like a large convention there were fifteen large stands with different ponies and zebras that were locked up in chains being sold off like an auction.
The slaver walked up to a small table were a very old looking griffin sat writing something down on some parchment in front of him.
“I got two more for you” The grey slaver said gruffly.
“Well I see that…well let’s find a place for you two shall we hmm…ah we have room on seven” He wheezed.
The slavers pulled them along to a large platform were Connor painfully watched as a family of seven zebras were sold in three different pairs. Mother with one of her daughters, the father with one of his son's and two twin sisters were sold off to three different owners
“Next!” Someone yelled.
The slaver pulled him and Shade up to the platform and locked the chain to a large pole in the center of the platform.
“Any takers for ‘em!” The auction griffin shouted
“four hundred for the stallion!” One yelled
“Six for both” Shouted another one.
“Seven hundred for the mare” Called out a third.
“One thousand for the lot of ‘em” called out a fourth
“Any other bids last chance, last chance” The auctioneer said.
“Two thousand for both” Came a loud regal voice.
All the griffins fell silent and looked behind them and created a line opening up to were a very large griffin sat on a small chariot being pulled by two armored guards, he wore a long black cape and a diamond filled crown that looked as expensive as Canterlot.
The crown was large enough to fit him and only him it had diamonds all round the sides and a very large one in the center, the frame was solid gold and the spikes came up into sharp curls.
He was a solid black in color and his left eye had a large pink scar over it both eyes were a brown like color and had had long sharpened talons.
“S-s-sold to are wonderful king Iron-claw!” The auctioneer looked terrified.
“Bring them over” his voice was hollow and cold.
The slaver quickly unhooked them from the pole and dragged them over to him.
“The stallion is very strong and the mare has good stamina…if you know what I mean” The slaver gave a nervous chuckled.
“You think I can’t see that, you are questing my abilities, you think I can’t decide things myself?” He looked down at the slaver very darkly.
“N-N-No no no that’s not what I meant I-I- just…”He stammered.
“Jugged me that’s what you did…hang him for is incompetence” Two guards ran from behind the chariot and garbbed him as he started to plea for his life.
“Any others who what to question your fair king?...None good let him serve as a point to you all, let’s go”
One of the guards hooked the chain to the back of the king’s chariot and they set off down a cobble stone path.
“I have a feeling we will get along just fine all you need to do is follow five simple rules” He looked over his shoulder.
“One never talk back to a overseer or anyone above you”
“Two follow any orders given to you by your master”
“Three you work along other slaves and only work until the day is finished”
“Four never harm another griffin under any circumstances”
“And five the most important never try to escape from your master” He turned his head back to Connor and looked him in the eye.
“Any rule broken has its own punishment the worse the diffidence the more sever of a punishment, as long as you follow your rules then we will be just fine together” He turned back to face onward.
Connor looked back to the auction were the slaver was now hanging from a tree branch by his neck and the guards had flew back behind them.
“Face front” One barked at him.
Connor looked back to the griffins back and moved a little closer to shade.
“I’m sorry”
She looked at him in a confused manor.
“This is my fault I should have been more carful you are here because of me if I was not so clumsy he would have never saw my memories and found you out” Connor explained.
“You told them!?” She glared at him.
“No I was unconscious the whole time until the prison but I could have done it more discreetly”
Her face relaxed and she looked to the ground.
“It’s ok” She whispered.
“I’ll protect you we will make it trust me” he looked down at her.
“Faith I…”
“Stop talking!” The guard ordered.
They looked at each other and continued on to…somewhere.