"Come now, Havel, we haven't much sunlight left," said a young mare. Her fur was a glistening black, with her wings being large and full of feathers. Her horn also seemed to glint in the dying sunlight. She was beauty in the raw, elegance in its purist, she was the love of Havelock.

"I'm coming, Daayan, stone armor isn't exactly light," Said a grey stallion. His fur seemed dull, along with his mane, short and messy, yet his features were strong and his eyes beared a gentle brown.

"Come on, it's getting dark," said Daayan, helping Havel along with his seemingly impossible load. She took the long hammer strapped across his back in her hooves, struggling with it greatly. Havel chuckled at her attempts, as she stumbled into a bush, dropping her load. She glared at Havel playfully.

"Oh, ha, ha, I'm just trying to help, Havel, but what you carry is far too heavy for me,"

"Oh, now I thought you liked what I carried with me," said Havel.

Daayan blushed, turning her face away at the implicit message. She leaned in on Havel, planting a loving kiss on his lips. They savored the moment, leaning slightly deeper with the passing seconds. They broke the kiss, staring into each others eyes with a burning passion.

"Come on, we'll need to rest early tonight," she said, her voice soft and sultry.

Daayan used her magic to lift the hammer, lessening her struggle with the carved weapon. They trotted through the forest together, coming across soft damp grass, and smooth river stones coated thickly in cushioning moss. Off to their left was the river itself, casting a soothing luminous touch on the hearts of the travelers. Their travels finally stopped, at a large pond radiating an enchanting blue aura, with an old stone in the center. The stone caved deeply, making a bowl shaped bed, softened with a sheet of moss. Daayan flew into the center of this bed, nestling herself comfortably within it. Havel's horn radiated with golden magic, allowing him to tread across the water without breaking its surface. His armor glowed the same golden aura, separating into many pieces, slipping off his body and into the pond. He climbed into the stone bed after Daayan, holding his body over her.

Daayan kissed him deeply, snaking her tongue inside his mouth. She moaned sensually, licking his nose and whispering, "Make love to me..."

Havel obeyed, moving his hardened member down to her nethers, massaging the puffy lips with the tip of his manhood. He pressed his way inside of her, stretching her inner walls. She gasped, the feeling of her love exploring her inner-most depths engulfing her with ecstasy.

"Ah! Yes! Faster! Gah! Go faster! Ahhhhh! Havel!"

Havel was at his fastest, kissing Daayan's neck furiously.

"Please..." she begged, "Please!"

Awake. Havel rubbed his eyes wearily, looking down at a book he was reading, a journal belonging to his father. He nosed through a couple pages, looking at diagrams, notes and stories. He laid his head back down on the soft grass, imagining the new day he would soon encounter.

"Hmm, some bandits, an outlaw or two, maybe an actual vam-pony," he muttered casually, "yeah, they're fun to fight..."

"Ah, well, sorry to disappoint, but you'll only find my camp up ahead," said a voice. Havel knew the voice as well as his own.

"Gizmo," he said, raising himself up to see better.

"Vaclav Havelock the Mountain, you testing your luck again? Cause sleeping in the middle of the forest isn't exactly the best idea,"

Havel smiled, shrugging carelessly and lying back down to rest again.

"Name one thing that can stand hoof to hoof with me, I've felled even dragons, Gizmo, and you've even seen it," said Havel.

"Right, but then again, you had a lot of help from your father," said Gizmo, gesturing to the book.

Havel looked back down at it, a smile creeping on his face. Pride.

"I swear, if any of this gets published, he'll be named the new Starswirl," said Havel.

"I believe it," said Gizmo, "most that stuff I've never seen from anypony else but you, and the rest I've never seen,"

Havel smirked, everything said was true, his magic was undeniably powerful, and his skill with his hammer only grew by the rank as the months passed by. A bitter wind chilled the two, bringing a deep shiver down their spines.

"Brrr, let's not stay here, I got a fire and some food up ahead," said Gizmo.

"You bring Goliath?" asked Havel.

"Yeah, yeah, she'll be happy to see you, now let's go," Gizmo said, grabbing Havel and pulling him along.

He allowed himself to be pulled by his old friend, following him through the chilling sunrise.

"How's she been?" Havel asked.

"Eh, a little moody recently, but mostly jittery, it's a bit worrisome," Gizmo replied.

"Really? Huh, any new prototypes?"

"Yeah, I've learned how to take the magic that makes a timberwolf and use it to make silverwolves,"

"Oh, nice, nice,"

"Oh yeah, soon as Celestia hears about those I'll have more business than I can handle, I might make workers to help me..."

Havel went and grabbed his friend by the shoulder, "Is that why you're here? To make some business?"

"Yeah, market crashed in the Griffin Kingdom, they're trying to clean it up but I just said forget it,"

Gizmo looked forward, seeing a fire blaze some distance away.

"We're almost there, I got some carrot and potato stew, couple of spices mixed in with it," he said.

Havel felt his stomach growl, "You actually cooked it correctly, right? Right...?"

"Yes, Havel," Gizmo said with annoyance, "you have no faith in my cooking, do you?"

"Frankly, no," Havel replied.

They reached the camp site, a simple tent, a cart, and a campfire stood next to a rock in the field.

"Goliath, stop posing as a rock and come greet me," Havel commanded.

The rock split and vanished in a show of blue light, revealing a slender, mechanical looking, bipedal figure.

"Damn, she looks intimidating as Luna," Gizmo muttered.

Glistening azure armor plates shone in the light of the rising sun, and between those plates Havel could see gears turning and grinding, like a clockwork. Goliath bowed to Havel respectfully, speaking to him in a series of high hissing noises.

"It's nice to see you too, Goliath," Havel said.

Gizmo sighed, "How is it that you understand everything she says?"

"Dunno," Havel said, "it's like I just feel what she's saying, I don't actually interpret,"

"I dunno," Gizmo said, "let's get something to eat,"

"Agreed, I'm famished," Havel said.

The two sipped the stew Gizmo made appreciatively. It was surprisingly good, but Havel passed it off as an effect from not eating for some days now. They drained the cauldron of stew, packing it in Gizmo's cart and making their way west.

"How much have you learned about Goliath?" Havel asked.

"Next to nothing," Gizmo replied, "she's the most complex golem I've ever laid eyes on, and speaking modestly, I'm the best enchanter of this age when it comes to golems,"

"Hm, guess you just gotta look harder," Havel said.

They traveled for a while, with Goliath pulling the cart effortlessly behind the two stallions. They looked forward from where they were, finding a huge city on the side of a mountain.

"Hey... Hey! I think that's Canterlot!" Gizmo exclaimed.

Havel chuckled, "I've been there a few times, back when I was just a mercenary,"

"Care to elaborate on those days?"

"Later,"

They continued forward, skipping lunch and marching through the afternoon without rest. Goliath and Havel showed no signs of fatigue, however, Gizmo was quick to become hoof-sore and complain.

"Can we stop? We skipped lunch for Celestia's sake!" he whined.

"Suck it up, back in my mercenary days we got one meal for every one hundred miles," Havel replied.

"Oh, now you talk about those days..."

Their trip continued, with Gizmo finally resting in the cart while Goliath pulled him along. It was about sunset when they arrived at the gates, entering quietly and setting off towards the castle.

"The princesses gave me a room in the castle, I'm sure I can get you one too," Gizmo said.

Havel nodded, then kept trotting through the shadows towards Canterlot Castle. He made his way to the gates, then stopped in front of a guard. Gizmo came by and got the guard to let them in, allowing them to explore the inside of the wondrous castle.

"Damn, this place seems bigger," Havel said.

"I don't know, it's huge either way!" Gizmo exclaimed with glee.

"Enjoy what you see" they heard.

The two turned, finding Princess Celestia standing there with a great smile on her face.

"I see that you've made it safely here, Gizmo," she said.

Gizmo bowed and said, "Yes indeed, your majesty, and I've brought a very old and good friend with me,"

Celestia looked at Havel, then smiled wholeheartedly, "You are friends with Gizmo?"

Havel nodded.

"Hm, stallion of few words are you?" she chuckled, "Do you need anything at all? I'd be happy to give you a room as well,"

"That's actually what I wanted to ask you, princess," Gizmo said, "Havel's a good pony, he can offer lot's of talent, both gentle and rough,"

"Is that so?" Celestia said, her voice slightly sultry, "Interesting to hear. My maids will show you to your rooms,"

The two were led off to a separate wing of the castle.

"I'm going to kill you," Havel said.

"What? Why? I didn't do anything," Gizmo replied.

"Didn't do anything? Then what was that about 'both gentle and rough'?"

"Well, you can do a wide range of stuff,"

"I realize, but didn't you hear Tia's voice?"

"A little flirty, so? That just means you may have game, with a princess too!"

"It's almost the heat season, Gizmo,"

Gizmo stopped in his tracks, "Oohh...." he gasped, finally putting two and two together, "Well, have fun, Havel,"

The two had their rooms opposite of each other, while Goliath poked her head through a nearby window.

"Sweet dreams, Goliath, don't break anything," Gizmo said, going into his room.

Havel turned to enter his room, when Goliath hissed something out to him. Havel turned to her, disbelief on his face.

"What?" he asked.

She hissed her message again, clarifying for the pony.

"He should be dead, Goliath, someone his age..."

The golem hissed in disagreement, revealing more details to Havel.

"Go to bed, Goliath, this is too much for one day," Havel said.

He went into his room, cleaning his armor of blood and semen from earlier today. He wondered on the message given to him by Goliath. Was his old friend truly still alive? Havel had known him since he was a little colt, and even then, he was nearing death.

Havel sighed, "I don't know, I'll just have to set out and find him,"

He began to drift off, being overwhelmed with relaxation and comfort. Asleep.

Author's Note

My first mature story. Content in this chapter is rather subtle.