Vallorith

"Wake up."

The Prisoner woke up, and looked around. The cell was small and dark. Everything was very blurry.

"You were shaking. You must have had a nightmare. Are you okay?" the second prisoner said. She was a young Earth Pony mare, with an orange coat and red mane. She wore a metal collar on her neck. It was chained to the wall.

The awoken prisoner nodded.

"You were asleep for a long time. Not even the storm could wake you up. I am Apple Bloom. What's your name?" the Earth Pony said.

The awoken prisoner had trouble with speaking, but after a while, finally answered.

"Sweetie Belle."

"Nice to meet you. I wish we could meet in better circumstances," Apple Bloom answered.

There was short silence, as the Prisoner looked around the cell once more. The Earth Pony mare looked about her age, maybe between eighteen and twenty. She didn't have a cutie mark. "Where are we?" Sweetie asked.

"You don't remember? We are on a cavian pirate ship. Damn rats attacked my ship, stole my goods and threw me into this cell. You were here already, and were asleep the whole time."

Sweetie's head hurt. She didn't remember encountering the Cavians. Last thing she remembered was boarding a merchant ship sailing to Vallorith. This, and the nightmare…

"Any idea where they are taking us?" Sweetie asked.

"I don't know, but I don't think we should wait to find out. I heard that Unicorns are good at magic. Can you help us get out of here?"

Sweetie Belle attempted to charge her horn, but was unable to do it. She couldn't muster the arcane energy to even get her horn to glow. Her magic was completely drained.

Apple Bloom reached behind her ear with her hoof. Small crystal fell on the floor. She pushed this crystal towards Sweetie Belle.

"Here, have this one. I managed to keep them from taking it," she said, and gave the crystal to Sweetie Belle.

The unicorn looked carefully at the crystal. Then she took a bite. The fragile crystal broke into powder, and released some magical energy. Sweetie Belle felt the magical energy of the crystal being transferred to her. She charged her horn, and a green aura illuminated the cell. Sweetie Belle tried to get her collar off, but was unable to.

"It was worth a try," Apple Bloom said. In the distance, she heard a door being opened. "Guards are coming. Don't let them see you doing magic or they will drain you again, or worse."

The two prisoners sat in silence. Sweetie Belle looked behind the bars. Three creatures walked by the cell. They were quadrupedal, slightly shorter than a Pony, and looked a bit like fat rats. Two of them were wearing simple chainmail armor, and had rugged and dirty fur. The third one was wearing a better version of the armor. He had black eyes and well groomed, smooth, brown fur. He had a strange amulet on his neck, and had a sword that glowed in faint yellow light. He looked at Sweetie Belle and smiled.

He looked at the other guards. “Abre la celda,” he said in a foreign language. One of the guards took out the keys and opened the cell.

The Cavian commander looked back at Sweetie. "You will come with us", he said to the Unicorn. One of the guards walked into the cell and unchained Sweetie. He said something in his language, and Sweetie guessed he ordered her to come with them. She decided that following them will be the best course of action.

Sweetie Belle walked with the guards. She looked at other cells. There were many Earth Ponies imprisoned, as well as some Hippogriffs and a few Minotaurs. Eventually, Sweetie Belle and the guards reached the deck. Weather was calm and sunny. The Unicorn was led to the captain's office.

The captain of the ship was an old Cavian. He looked at Sweetie Belle, then at the commander. They spoke a bit in their language. The commander looked at Sweetie Belle and pointed at a chair.

"Sit down, we will talk."

Sweetie sat down. She looked at two portraits that were hung on the wall. One of them showed a red Abyssinian with a crown. He was grinning widely and was holding a purple sword surrounded with red aura. Second portrait showed a Cavian with a crown. Her fur was curly, and she had bright red eyes. She looked serious, as if she was judging Sweetie Belle. The unicorn noticed that her fur color was almost the same as the fur of the Cavian commander.

Commander sat on the opposite side, next to the captain, and started talking to Sweetie.

"Greetings. What's your name?"

"Who are you, pirate?" Sweetie asked.

"I am not a pirate! I am Prince Lucas de Vincatrava, son of Queen Vinca of Cavians. Who are you?"

"Why was I chained to a wall?"

"Haven't your mother taught you some manners? It is not polite to answer a question with a question. Again, who are you?"

"My name is Sweetie Belle," she answered. She looked at the few guards that stood by her side. She probably shouldn't antagonize them.

"It is not common for a unicorn to visit these lands. What is your business here?"

"I wanted to visit a friend," Sweetie lied.

"Weren't you ordered to come here? Or maybe, something told you to travel?"

It did, Sweetie thought. For the past year or so, she has had nightmares. Something was telling her to travel to Vallorith. She finally got enough money to leave her home and traveled, not sure what she would find.

Commander noticed that Sweetie hesitated in her answer. He smiled.

"Your Alicorns told you to do this?"

"How did you know?"

"As the Kaiser said, Where there is an Event, there was a Prophecy. Where there is a Prophecy, there will be a Hero," the prince said."I have an offer for you. My mother and her friends are looking for talented creatures to help in their plan. You look like you might be able to help us. You will be greatly rewarded."

"What is your plan?"

"For now, I can tell you that we are reclaiming our rightful place on Sivmusi."

"And if I refuse?" Sweetie replied. She wasn't going to trust shady creatures that held her prisoner.

"You can always go back to your cell. Maybe we will find someone willing to buy you on the market in Pi Polis."

Sweetie heard sailors shouting something on the deck. One of them entered the office, saluted the prince and captain, and said something. Sweetie did not understand a word, but evidently something was wrong. Prince ordered something to the captain, then looked at the Unicorn.

"We have company. Will you help us?"

Sweetie noticed that the guard who held the keys to prison was going with the prince. "Yes, I will help you."

"Good. Let's go." Said the prince. Captain noticed that the prisoner was going with them, and seemed to want to protest, but didn't say anything.

The group left the office. A ship was getting close. Cavian soldiers were taking position. Some had crossbows, others were armed with halberds. Prince Lucas had a sword that glowed a yellow aura. He shouted some commands to the soldiers.

"You help us against the Minotaurs, and you get your freedom," he said. "I think this belongs to you."

He gave the Unicorn a dagger with a blue handle. It was her dagger, the one she got from her sister when she left Canterlot. Sweetie Belle held it into her aura. She decided to wait and see what happens.

The Cavian soldiers started shooting bolts from their crossbows. They were answered by arrows from the other ship. Sweetie hid behind a crate, and looked for the guard with the key. She carefully walked towards him, and levitated the keys out. Nocreature noticed. Every Cavian was too focused on the enemy ship. Sweetie Belle managed to go back under the deck without being detected.

She carefully walked the corridor. She noticed a guard patrolling the area. She levitated her dagger. With a quick slash, the guard fell. She smiled. Her sister taught her how to defend herself with a dagger. She probably wouldn't approve of her becoming a mercenary. Something was telling her to do this.

Sweetie walked the corridor, until she reached Apple Bloom's cell. She opened it, and unchained her.

"What is happening?" asked the Earth Pony.

"Minotaurs are about to attack the ship. We're going out of here."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom opened other cells, and released the prisoners. They heard shouts on the deck, it seemed that the fighting had started.

The two Ponies went back to the deck. They saw Minotaur soldiers fighting against the Cavians. The Minotaurs were large and strong, but it seemed that Cavians were able to put on a fight. Sweetie Belle saw some spells being casted. She looked, and saw Prince Lucas casting them with his enchanted sword.

Apple Bloom charged forward and kicked one of Cavian soldiers off board. Two others saw it, and attacked her. She dodged the halberd, and kicked another warrior across the deck. Sweetie Belle levitated her dagger and stabbed the third warrior.

She looked at her Earth Pony companion. Apple Bloom didn't look very imposing, but she was very strong, easily throwing another Cavian off board. Sweetie Belle remembered that Earth Ponies have magically-increased strength. This will be useful, she thought.

Sweetie Belle looked towards the Cavian prince. She charged. The Cavian looked at her and smiled.

"You've made a terrible mistake. We will meet again!" he shouted, and touched the amulet on his neck. He disappeared in a flash of light.

The fight was over soon, with the Minotaurs defeating the Cavians. The freed prisoners were celebrating. The Cavian captain and his warriors were disarmed, and led to the cells.

Sweetie Belle got down to the storage area. She got her saddlebag, as well as simple Unicorn clothes. She dressed up. While it wasn't uncommon for Ponies to walk around naked, other creatures had different views on clothing.

Sweetie walked out of the storage. She started levitating the purses of fallen Cavian warriors, and taking it into her saddlebag. She was interrupted by a large, blue Minotaur.

"You have fought well. I am a knight in the service of Duke Taureau III of Frankania. What's your name?"

"Sweetie Belle."

"Thank you for your help in defeating these rats. Shame we didn't capture their prince. We are going to get the ship back to Kranou. You should consider joining a mercenary company. The Duke will pay you well," the Minotaur said, and went back to his ship.

Apple Bloom got to Sweetie Belle. She was dressed up in a trader outfit, and had a pink bowtie on her head.

"Thank you for getting me out. Here, have this," Apple Bloom reached into her saddlebag, and took a jar of glittering, rainbow-like substance.

"What is this?"

"Zap Apple Jam. Best one in Towerlands. Good thing that the Cavians didn't break the jars. Looks like I'm going to get them to Sir Mantu anyway. What do you plan to do now?"

Sweetie Belle thought about this. "Let's look around the ship," she said. The ship started sailing in the direction of Vallorith.