Rarity Gets Enslaved

by MagicS

Dress For Success

Despite the assurance that I wouldn’t be doing much actual maid work the next morning I still found myself folding sheets and cleaning around the place. At least it wasn’t too messy and the Duke apparently had not hosted any parties in a long while. That still didn’t make me feel any better as I packed the last bit of newly cleaned linens away in the closet. My magic was made for creating, not cleaning, and I was getting tired of using it so exhaustively throughout this large manor. Can it even be called a manor when it’s built right inside a castle? It’s certainly large enough to be one. The only downside to the Duke’s and all the other nobles residence’s here was that they had no outside area of their own. No yard or place for a pond or garden. Of course even if they did they’d likely all look the same and it would be just one more thing for me to get aggravated over at the boringness of it all.

I still hadn’t seen Duke Terluff’s wife either. I wonder if she was away somewhere or if she had some other business to take care of. She certainly wasn’t with him at the party either. I’d definitely like to meet the woman who he seemed to so genuinely love.

Now, although I had finished up with all the sheets and dusting off the furniture and sweeping the floor there was one last item on my cleaning schedule that I was absolutely dreading. I stared at it in horror last night when I saw it on the previous attendant’s list of duties that had been left behind in his room.

“Oh dear Celestia! This is disgusting!”

Clean out the drains.

Yes I unfortunately found myself cleaning and unclogging every shower drain in Duke Terluff’s home. It was horrific. Trolls have quite a bit of fur on them and it’s rather shaggy and rough. This translated to lots of clogs in drains and huge disgusting balls of hair I kept pulling up and throwing in a trash bag one after another.

I almost threw up more than once. I didn’t even want to look in the mirror to see how green my face was. At least there was a lot of cleaning supplies-and ones that were well labeled-and more than enough air-freshener to keep the bathrooms and showers smelling good enough.

I had a little trouble at times with things since the trolls are quite a bit larger than ponies like me. Everything is scaled up and I look like a foal sitting in one of their chairs.

Finally finishing up with that disgusting bathroom work I went back into the main living room and took a short break. Duke Terluff was still in his office and hadn’t given me anything specific to do yet so I figured since I had done what was on my cleaning list I could take the opportunity to relax. As I lied there on one of the large couches facing the empty fireplace I remembered that I really needed to find a time to ask him about his odd design choices in here. Even the couch I was on was a deep velvet red that was unlike what I had seen in Tulepule’s suite and around the rest of the castle. It reminded me a bit of my favorite couch back home, the thought made it more comfortable although it couldn’t substitute for the real thing.

My relaxation was unfortunately interrupted by the Duke loudly throwing open his door, walking out into the central room and then over to the entryway to the living room. I noticed he was carrying a satchel bag and he was clearly looking for me.

I hopped off the couch and went over to greet him.

“Hello, Duke Terluff. I take it you need me for something?”

“Yes. Consider it your first official piece of work for me.” He said while thrusting the bag towards my face. “I have an appointment coming up with someone that I can’t miss but these need looking over as soon as possible. I require you to take the papers in this bag to an associate and get him to sign off on the documents. Then bring them back here immediately. No lollygagging either, I want to see how seriously you take this.”

It was obvious that asking about his decorative sense would have to wait.

“Of course, I’ll have it done with no problem.” I said while taking the bag in my magic and affixing the strap around me.

“Good, here are directions to my associate. And my personal seal is also in that bag in case anyone tries to stop you. Just show that to them and that’ll be the end of that.” He foisted over a small piece of paper with directions on it to me that I also took. And at least he was caring enough to make sure I didn’t get in any trouble.

He was probably more concerned about his documents though.

“I’ll be back in a flash.” I gave him a confident smile and a swish of my hair while I walked towards the door, hearing that small chuckle he seemed fond of giving behind me.

---

The directions were very detailed and this part of the castle was rather open and straightforward in the first place. Not just a labyrinth of halls and corridors. It was brighter as well and I saw more trolls walking about on business of their own. Despite a few stares and mean looks none of them tried stopping me or bothering me about what I was doing. A slave on an errand up here must not be the most surprising thing to see.

My thoughts drifted towards the bag I was carrying and what was inside it. It was likely something that had absolutely nothing to do with me but I couldn’t help to be curious you know? After all it was something important enough to require immediate attention. But I wasn’t about to start rifling through it, I at least have enough sense and self-control to not do that.

Curiosity killed the cat after all.

Sweetie Belle had better be taking good care of Opal.

Oh dear, what if Sweetie Belle tries cooking while I’m gone? I hadn’t even thought about that. Oh please let someone with sense be around to stop her.

Because my mind was elsewhere I almost ran straight into a troll as I rounded the next corner. If he was a high ranking noble that could’ve ended very poorly.

“Please excuse me!” I apologized profusely to him as I walked around his large frame. My poor pride, to think I’m constantly debasing myself like this!

“Feh, slave.” The troll spat out and walked on by.

I blew a raspberry at his back.

I almost blew a raspberry at his back but such a thing would be unladylike. Either way I frowned at his rudeness and tilted up my nose at him. Just because you’re nobility or royalty doesn’t mean you should act or talk in such an uncouth way to others. In fact I would say you should hold yourself to a higher standard and be as polite and helpful as possible. Blueblood!

I now found myself in a large but narrow room, the ceiling was made out of vaulted glass that kept out the sound of the rain pounding on it. I had no idea it was even raining outside until I saw this. To my right and left were seemingly endless rows of doors. The room was made of three levels and as far as I could see the doors stretched all the way through it on each and every level.

As I glanced back at the directions I was given this was certainly the right place. Now the only thing I needed to do was find the right room, and thankfully the Duke had written the exact floor and room number down for me as well.

“3-18.” I mumbled aloud to myself. And a quick look assured me that all the even number doors were on the right, now it was just a matter of taking the stairs on up.

On the second level the doors were spread further apart from each other and on the third level even more so. Seems the third floor was for the largest and likely most important rooms. I had to walk down the balcony quite a ways before I made it to my stop, even here right below the glass ceiling the heavy rain made no noise. But it was quite pretty to look at.

Now the question was do I knock or simply enter.

Well I was here on official business from Duke Terluff and these clearly were not private residences so I merely opened the door the same as if I was entering a store back in Ponyville. There was a large desk right in front of the entrance but no one sat behind it. In fact as I looked about the room I didn’t see anyone or hear anything. There was another door at the end of a hall behind the desk but that could lead anywhere.

Did I speak up? I have been told repeatedly to not speak unless spoken to but again considering I was on business from the Duke I doubt anyone would get too upset.

“Hello? Anyone?” I called out but there was no answer. Frowning, there was nothing more I could do but try that backdoor. I couldn’t just drop off these documents, they needed to be signed and returned per the Duke’s orders. And this was definitely the right room.

I walked past the desk and down the hall to the door, this time I did knock on it.

“Enter.” A gruff voice called out from inside.

So I did as I was told and pulled open the door. Only to find myself in a rather unfortunate situation.

The white-streaked troll from the party sat behind a messy desk, outside of his tuxedo he didn’t look like a noble at all. His harsh eyes rose from his paperwork to look questionably at me. The rest of the room was full of overflowing file cabinets and mounds of folders and papers stacked up on the floor, I had no idea what he did but it was obvious that White-streak was a very busy troll.

“A slave.” It was not a question but a statement White-streak made as he said it and stood up out of his chair. “What brings you here?”

I didn’t show any shock or worry to him as I walked towards his desk despite the uneasy feeling he gave me. No troll would see such weakness from me anymore. When he stood up I noticed he was wearing simple tan jean pants and a large open coat that showed off much more of his marred fur. With clothes like those he seemed even more out of place among the high-ranking trolls of this castle. Was he even nobility at all?

“I have some documents from Duke Terluff for you. He says it’s urgent that you look over and sign them.” I told him as I pulled the papers from my bag and set them on the neatest portion of his desk that I could find.

He glared at me. “Hm. Urgent is it? Those Dukes think everything they do is more urgent than the rest of my work. Of anyone elses work.” He picked up the papers all the same though but kept his eyes on me. “I don’t recall seeing you before. A new lackey for Terluff?”

You have indeed seen me before. Is what I really wanted to say but felt it was better to not antagonize him. Luckily I was able to stop my eyes from narrowing in disdain at him too.

“Yes, I have just recently been brought in by him to replace his previous attendant.”

“Hope you enjoy busy work.” His voice had none of the playful teasing or sarcasm that Duke Terluff’s did. White-streak was pure spite and barely restrained malice.

Hah. I’ve gotten good at reading trolls moods and faces.

He started flipping through the pages, eyes scanning over them quickly. I had no idea what was written on them but he seemed to only be skimming the documents.

Suddenly a short barking laugh broke out from him. “Hahaha, really now?” He said as he stopped on one page with a nasty smile on his face. “Good. I needed some excellent news like this. I hope these fools never learn.” He reached a hand to a drawer beneath his desk and opened it, fumbling around inside it before pulling out a large rubber stamp and ink pad. “Haven’t had an enjoyable hunt in ages, but more abolitionists will be a fun change.” With a lick of his lips he stamped the page he was looking at and put the documents back in order.

“There, you can take this back to Terluff and tell him I’ll get started immediately.” White-streak was grinning at me as he handed the papers to me.

It was unsettling to put it lightly.

“Thank you.” I took the documents back with my magic and put them in the bag. I wanted to spend no more time with this troll if I could avoid it. I don’t know what his business was or what he was talking about but it didn’t sound pleasant at all. I nodded to White-streak and turned to exit his office.

“Enjoy the rest of your life here too by the way.” He called out as I was closing the door.

I do not like that troll.

---

My way back to Duke Terluff’s home was even less eventful than when I was on the way to White-streak’s office. Perhaps it was an off-season for most but there were hardly any trolls wandering about and moving through the castle. I saw plenty of guards at their posts and slaves on cleaning duty that I gave a sympathetic eye to but for the most part this castle always seemed relatively empty for its gigantic size.

As I made my way up the stairs to the Duke’s home I could hear muffled noises through his front door. It sounded like some sort of argument was going on in there. I could make out Duke Terluff’s voice and he seemed particularly agitated. Well there was nothing I could do about this.

I quietly opened up the door and lightly stepped inside, not wanting to get caught up in whatever was going on. But unfortunately it was happening right in the central room around the table I had first sat at and spoken with the Duke so there was no avoiding it or making myself unseen.

The Duke was yelling at another troll who I had never seen before. This one had a smaller frame but was still certainly male, he wore glasses and had a somewhat mousy and peevish look about him. Even if he wasn’t cowering before the Duke at the moment I don’t think he’s the type of troll that would ever have intimidated me. Also of note was that the Duke’s wife was here as well, I unfortunately did not know her name even though I most certainly should have asked about it, she stood away from the two by a set of double-doors on the opposite side of the room to the living room with a dismayed look on her face.

Her eyes turned to me as I slowly and quietly walked into the central room from the entryway, the Duke and other troll not taking notice of me yet as the argument continued. The both of us now watched them.

“I have asked this job of you because I heard you were the best, but what do I find? Boringness! Laziness! Derivative, unoriginal work!” Duke Terluff yelled at the other troll. He then turned and picked something off the table.

A dress.

“How? I ask you how can my wife shine and stand out in the crowd when she is wearing the same thing as everyone else? I wanted something new and exciting for her and yet all I received was a slight alteration of the maiden’s traditional gown!” He waved the dress in the tailor’s face. “Can you only make one thing? Is it impossible for you to do anything else you ignoramus?!”

As I looked closer my eyes were able to pick out that the dress the Duke was thoroughly unsatisfied with was almost a carbon copy of the dresses I had seen the female trolls wearing at the party.

“There is no true beauty in this thing! This tired outfit! I wanted something special and unique that could make my wife the unparalleled pearl of Tulepule’s next stupid ball, not to even mention the Grand Festival!”

While I did not agree with how mean he was being to the tailor I did indeed find myself agreeing with and silently nodding along with the Duke’s complaints. I understood where his passion was coming from.

The tailor hesitantly reached a hand forward to examine the dress. “P-Perhaps if I change the embroidery from gold to silver...”

Duke Terluff’s eyes lit on fire. “Grrrr! Get out! Get out you incompetent dredge!” He threw the dress to the ground while he started pushing the beleaguered tailor down the hall to the front door. “The only work you’ll ever see from me after this is when I need a new glove to smack you across the face with!”

I averted my eyes but heard the loud slam as the tailor was thrown out of the Duke’s home.

This was something of an awkward situation for me to be in now.

Heavy footsteps came to my ears and I looked to see the Duke’s wife leaving through the door she was by with a look of dismay on her face. I wasn’t sure if she was upset due to the dress or her husband’s outburst but I doubt she was happy with either.

The Duke also then came back and roughly pulled out a chair from the center table, sitting down in it and putting his head in his hands.

As I stood there, completely unnoticed by the Duke, I got a very presumptuous idea in my head.

“Duke Terluff, if I could be so bold.” I said while taking a step towards him.

His head shot up, surprised that I was there and even more so that I was talking to him while he was clearly upset. The look on his face made me slightly nervous. I had clearly overstepped my bounds.

“What?” He said simply. No playfulness was in his voice at this point. “If you got the papers signed just leave them and return to your quarters.”

“It isn’t that.” My eyes glanced between him and the dress on the floor. “It’s just… I was wondering if perhaps I could make a dress for your wife?”

His eyes widened in sheer befuddlement and confusion.

“You? What do you know about designing and making clothes?” The tone of his voice clearly expressed skepticism and doubt of my abilities.

But now it was my time to shine.

“Well.” I said simply and with my usual air of confidence and regality as I trotted over to the mistreated dress and picking it up with my magic, looking it over bit by bit, checking out every fold and stitch of it, feeling the material with my hooves. “I can tell that the silk this dress is made out of is of an exemplary quality, the stitching and needlework as well is superb, the technical skill put into the dress is second to none. It’s just that the finished product itself is… so boring.”

“Yes!” The Duke exclaimed as he suddenly rose from the table, greatly surprising me and knocking over his chair. “Exactly! Everything here is so boring and unoriginal. So tired! So plain! My fellow trolls wouldn’t know new and exciting if it came up and hit them in the face!”

Now this was an exciting reaction.

“I’ve noticed.” I said with a grimace on my face as I thought of all the repetitive art, fashion, and interior decorating I’ve seen in this castle.

“Bah! You think you have it bad do you?” He said while dismissively waving his hand in the air. “I’ve lived here my entire life! How do you think I feel? Tradition, conformity, and fear have destroyed my people’s creativity and ability to think for themselves. It’s a hard truth I’ve had to learn. Surely one with such keen eyes as your own has seen how I style my home? The randomness? The tackiness of it all? It’s on purpose so I at least have the privacy of my own home to retreat to when the boring sameness of the rest of the castle gets to be too much.”

Well now that did finally explain some things.

“At one point we were truly great, how do you think we constructed such a magnificent castle and all the art inside it after all? But now we’re an empty shell. A shadow of our former selves.” The Duke sadly shook his head and picked his chair back up, sitting in it with a deep sigh.

I didn’t really know what to say at this point. I didn’t want to be disingenuous and say things like how I’m sure the trolls can still be creative and amazing and stuff like that when for the most part my feelings towards Duke Terluff and the rest of the trolls were quite negative. And I had no idea about their past history so how could I comment on that either?

Luckily I didn’t have to be the one to start the conversation again.

Duke Terluff’s head turned to look at me again. “Can you truly make a dress for my wife?”

I flashed my most winning of smiles.

“Duke Terluff. Not only can I make a dress for your wife but it will make her shine like the sun and sparkle like diamonds. And I assure you that is no simple bragging on my part. All eyes at the next ball will be drawn to your wife. I promise you that.”

Yes, this was me in my element.

“Very well.” Duke Terluff rose from his chair, giving me a hard and serious look. “I’ll allow you to make a dress for my wife, can you make it in time for Tulepule’s next ball?”

“When is it?” I asked.

He held up three fingers. “In three days.”

I scoffed. Holding a hoof up to my mouth and giggling. “Duke Terluff, please. That is more than enough time for me.”

“Heh.” He chuckled in amusement. “I hope so. Regardless, I’ll give you access to any material and tools you require. Anything you need to make this dress you shall have.”

“Thank you.” An excited smile broke out on my face, for sure there was a fire burning behind my eyes. Yes. I would make the most fabulous dress these trolls had seen. For the first time since coming to this castle I felt truly alive again. My spark had been reignited in me. “First of all may I please see your wife? I’ll be needing to take her measurements.”

---

Mrs. Terluff turned out to be quite nice and very appreciative of my offer to make her a dress for the ball. Her fur was of a lighter shade of brown than I had seen on most trolls, in the end I decided on a lilac colored silk for her dress. Duke Terluff brought me to an empty office on the bottom floor of the room where White-streak’s office was as well, it seemed that quite a few of the rooms in here were vacant. For the first day I merely set things up and got the necessary supplies to make the unparalleled dress I spoke of. Sewing needles, a sewing machine, all the possible fabric I would need, a desk, mannequins, paper and pencils for sketches, before long I had turned that little office into an almost passable studio. I continue to impress myself.

And now came the main event.

Everything was ready for me to work my magic. It felt so good being at this point and filled with inspiration for the first time since even well before I was rudely enslaved and brought here. Now I could truly be “Rarity”.

I wasn’t used to creating a dress with these proportions in this style but I was happy to accept the challenge. No. I loved the challenge. If it was harder to create then it would only be more beautiful when it was finished.

It was wonderful to be caught up in the zone again. So focused, so devoted to this one act of creation. My Cutie Mark was not about creating clothes but it was my outlet that allowed me to shine beautiful radiance upon this world. And shine I did and shall continue to. I remembered what I was thinking about back on the boat, how the sea almost inspired me to create a sea-themed dress but it just wasn’t quite enough to start the fire in me. But now that inspiration was all there.

At the hemline I wove a pattern of dolphins jumping from the waves.

At the wrists I inlaid a series of deep amethysts in an overlapping scale pattern like the scales of a purple sea serpent.

At the neckline and collar I put fluffy mauve-colored feathers reminiscent of the down and wings of seabirds.

And right at the center of the neckline a single brilliant light blue sapphire to draw the eyes.

I sewed a lighter, almost transparent, wave-pattern throughout the rest of the dress, creating a wearable lilac ocean.

Yes. This was good. This was Rarity.

The island kingdom made a sea-themed dress absolutely perfect. I had created fashion once more. True art. True beauty. I didn’t even hesitate in thinking about how when Mrs. Terluff wore it it would draw all the attention of the ball to her. It would fit her perfectly and look magnificent. Both dress and troll would bring out the fullest potential in each other, I was certain of it.

“You look tired.”

I shrieked in a very unladylike manner and fell right off the stool I was sitting on.

“Ohhh...” Rubbing my flank I looked up to see Duke Terluff holding back a chuckle as he looked at me. With a frown I stood back up and dusted myself off. “I suppose I was a bit absorbed in my work. I didn’t even hear you enter.”

“Actually that’s rather reassuring to me. Clearly this is something you take seriously and have been putting a lot of effort into.” Duke Terluff said as he walked around my desk. “Do you even know what time it is?”

No, I did not. Only now did I realize how heavy my eyelids felt.

“Time to rest I do say.” I said. “There’s still another day until the party, correct?”

“You’ve been working too hard, the ball is tonight. It’s very early in the morning though so you should have plenty of time to rest for it.”

“So I will be accompanying you and your wife then?” I was not entirely surprised since I had seen other slaves accompanying their masters previously but I wasn’t sure if Duke Terluff would care to bring me. And I have to note that despite using the word I really loathe the association that Duke Terluff is my master.

“Of course, you’re my personal attendant after all. And not only will I be showing off my wife but you as well.” He said with a grin.

I raised an eyebrow at that. “You’ll tell the other trolls there that I was the one who made the dress?”

“But of course!” He exclaimed grandly and clapped an almost painful hand onto my back. “Credit where credit is due and all that but also I’m going to love to see the looks on their faces when they learn such a stunning dress was made by the slave that is the new right hand of Duke Terluff.”

“Well I’m glad your intentions are noble and selfless.” I said with enough sarcasm to fill a lake and shrugged his hand off.

“Hah! I’m glad I brought you to work for me, you’re just as amusing as I thought you would be.”

I ran a hoof through my mane to try and straighten it out. “You trolls certainly hold a lot of parties though.”

He snorted in annoyance. “Duke Tulepule thinks that just because he doesn’t have anything to do that no one else is busy either. But of course it would look bad if we didn’t all show up to every single party he threw. It’s annoying.”

“I can see how the noble life might get a little tiring in that way.” I was just placating him. I could never get tired of that life.

“Saving face and keeping up appearances is obnoxious.” He shook his head. “Enough of all this for now, come back to my home and rest. I think I know you well enough to know you’ll want to be in top form for the ball.”

Now it was my turn to chuckle. “I’d say you’ve a good understanding of me, yes.”

The ball approached and I was incredibly excited to have my dress and hard work shown off. It would almost be as rewarding as making it in the first place and finally having that creative passion again. And I would get to bask in the glory as well. I wouldn’t have to wait on any trolls with a tray of food balanced on my back, I wouldn’t have to clean up afterwards, I wouldn’t have to worry about speaking without first being spoken to. Finally these trolls would see the talent they’ve all been wasting, finally they might show some respect to a lowly slave and perhaps just maybe I could start to turn my time here around.

Comments

[StarzGecko]

Can’t wait to see trolls being trolls

[Fetch]

If Rarity does happen to be in the same room as the Troll King, I'm thinking she'd say something like this to him:

Your Majesty, I was sent here to find out about your kingdom and bring that knowledge back to Equestria.
Instead, I have been enslaved.
I should have you know that, if I do not return to Equestria by the end of the month, that Princess Twilight Sparkle will come here to get me.
Once she sees that you are a land of slavers, she will free ALL of your slaves, lock you Trolls inside of this castle, and then go and tell Princess Celestia, the Dragon Lord, and all the other rulers of Equestria's allies to come show their displeasure with slavers.

[terrycloth]

9534503
Aside from the bit where they're immune to magic, and if she doesn't know that ahead of time she'd be in trouble if she attacked.

(If she does know it's pretty easy to work around, she's great with lifting heavy objects.)