Mark of Baen

Baen sat in silence in the Canterlot guest room.  It had been many hours since the conversation concerning Vida’s possible motives and he hadn’t received any word yet from the princesses or any of the guards.  So at the moment, the barbarian was sitting in his chamber passing the time by bouncing a ball against the far wall then catching it, then repeating the process.  His stare was flat and even as the dull thuds of the ball met his ear.  However a thud accompanied by a noise of pain broke him from his trance of boredom.

“Huh?”

A day guard stallion was rubbing his nose, “Baen, the princesses wish to speak with you now.”

The stallion picked up the ball and chucked it at the bed Baen had been sitting on.

Baen was soon on all four hooves and trotting quickly toward the throne room.  After a few more turns down the vast network of halls, he appeared in the throne room to behold two very deep in thought monarchs.

“Princesses?”

Celestia jumped slightly but smiled at Baen’s presence, “Ah, good, you’re here.”

Luna collected herself, “Sir Baen, after much deliberation, my sister and I have come to a decision.”

Celestia tapped her front hoof a tad in mild discomfort, “And in light of a recent development, this decision was truly the only option we have.”

Baen cocked an eyebrow, “Recent development?”

Luna nodded, “To the far south, a scout reported that a castle seemingly rose out of the ground itself.  My sister deduced that this castle, Vida, and the journal theft are indeed connected.”

“Which is why Baen that I ask you to brace yourself,” she collected herself as well, “for what I am about to ask of you is a heavy burden indeed.”

Baen nodded with a steeled look, “Speak and I shall listen.”

Celestia gave a small smile but returned to her stoic look, “Baen, I, Princess Celestia of Equestria ask of you to undertake a quest of the most arduous nature,” she stood to her full height, “go out into Equestria, find The Six Sacred Swords of The Round before Vida and then go bring her to justice,” on the last words she spread her wings wide.

Baen stood in silence, utterly taken by surprise.  He had not expected such a request, though he knew of Celestia’s requests before thanks to Twilight’s stories, but this….

“I realize that you most likely do not wish for such a responsibility,” Celestia stated before standing before him, “But you must understand, you are the only pony who lives and breathes who has dealt with this….Vida.”

“Also,” Luna added as she stood at her sister’s side, “your combat experience will make you a formidable foe to whatever creatures might lay in wait out there.”

Baen mulled it over for only a moment before answering, “Very well.”

The lunar and solar monarch blinked once before smiling in a grateful manner.

“Thank you my friend,” Celestia stated with a sigh of utter relief, “But there is just a few things you must know.”

Both alicorns led Baen to their observation balcony.  The three stood in silence before Luna broke the silence.

“As you know,” Luna began, “The swords locations are currently residing within the journal that is now in the possession of the one called Vida.  So you must understand, finding them will be no easy task.”

“That is not all,” Celestia continued, “Lancelot informed me in one of his old letters that each sword had a test laid out for them.  Tests to see if a pony was worthy to so much as possess just one of them, as you can imagine, nopony who has ventured to even so much as find a whiff of one of the swords has never returned.”

Baen nodded, “High stakes,” he mumbled.

Luna glanced at her friend and smiled encouragingly, “But fear not, Sir Baen, for there is a silver lining amongst these grave tidings!”

Baen looked to Celestia who cleared her throat, “Before Starswirl the Bearded moved to Canterlot, he originally did his research in the only other city that had a strong magical presence.”

Baen blinked in surprise, “The Crystal Empire?”

Luna nodded and looked to the distance, “Precisely, my sister told me that before Starswirl’s passing, he confided in her that he had kept a duplicate of the locations in scrolls deep within the bowels of the palace,” Luna became visibly conflicted, “though, we have our doubts that they might all still be intact.”

Baen nodded in finality, “Then it is to the North I must go.”

Celestia magically stopped him, “One moment Baen, there is still the matter of the other thing you must know.”

Baen raised an eyebrow as Celestia placed her hoof on his shoulder, “You mustn’t let Twilight or any of the other elements know of this quest.  Even after your departure, it must be kept a secret.”

Baen tilted his head, “But why?  Twilight and her friends could prove valuable assets in battle.  They have proven that multiple times before.”

Luna stared at him with a great focus, “But ask yourself this,” she gestured to Baen, “Would you honestly be able to defend them from Vida and whatever she might have?  And as we have seen, Old Magic is quite powerful.”

Baen shuffled and looked to the ground, “That is true….”

Celestia gently eased his head up, “It’s not that we do not trust you, far from it, we believe you could put up quite a fight.  It’s just…”

“It’s a manner of them getting through the quest alive and the possible threat of losing them,” Baen gave a half smile, “I understand completely.”

Celestia nodded once more but with relief and a relaxed posture, “I’m glad you understand.  When can you depart?”

“Immediately.”

Luna looked on but flinched when a scroll bopped her on the head.  She looked down and unfurled it.  Quickly scanning the scroll’s contents, she gaped.

“Sister….I believe that you should look at this.”

Celestia magiced the scroll over and examined it.  The color drained from her face.

“Baen….I am going to teleport you back to Ponyville.  When you arrive, get on the first train to the empire and ensure you avoid anypony, especially Twilight now of all times,” she wound the scroll back up.

“Wait….why?”

*

Twilight was nervously pacing around her library as her friends voiced their support and attempted to calm her down.

“C’mon Twi, it’s not so bad,” Applejack said, “He….really ties the room together.”

Rarity wailed in sadness, “Oh my poor Spikey Wikey!”

Fluttershy nodded and gave the fashionista a pat on the back, “I know, it’s just terrible.”

Before them stood Spike, with a look of horror plastered on his face, however, he was completely made of stone, dressed in blue suspenders, and a red pointed hat.

Rarity sobbed, “Those suspenders and hat clash horribly!”

Twilight cast an even glance at Rarity who shrunk under it slightly, “And…being turned to stone only adds salt to the wound.”

Pinkie tried her best to stand Spike up straight, but the posture and stance he was in just caused him to fall over.

Twilight sat down, “I hope the princess has a solution to this.”

A pop was heard as a scroll landed before the purple princess.  Twilight immediately opened it and read it, and then her look went from one of distress to one of bemusement.

“Celestia says that Spike has contracted an extremely rare and lost magical affliction known as…,” she read the term slowly, “Lawn Gnomitis….it seems to afflict those of the younger age.  It’s like the chicken pox, but it can be cured by using magic.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, “Sounds made up to me.”

Twilight looked at the pegasus in shock, “Are you calling our own princess a liar Rainbow?”

Rainbow waved her hooves wildly as all eyes fixed on her, “No no no, I’m just saying whoever named that sickness either had no brain,” she twirled her front hoof beside one of her ears, “Or they are completely bonkers.”

All the mares nodded in agreement.  Outside however, they didn’t notice a flash of sun colored light near the train station.

*

Baen’s eye spun in his head for a moment before he righted himself and approached the teller’s counter.

“When’s the first train to The Crystal Empire?”

The Teller blinked for a moment at the barbarian’s hasty arrival but checked the schedule.

“Oh I’m sorry,” he stated, “But you just missed the last one.”

“But the time is…”

“Six in the evening,” he stated flatly, “you must understand sir, The Crystal Empire though a popular spot to travel to has a shortage of trains.”

Baen grumbled, “When’s the earliest one then?”

The Teller consulted his books once more, “Tomorrow morning, eight.”

Baen nodded and tapped the counter, “Put me down for a seat,” he placed the bits needed.

The Teller complied.  As this transaction took place, Baen was not aware of two pairs of eyes watching him from nearby.

*

As perpetrations were made, Vida sat upon a throne of jade, each armrest ending with a finely carved snake head.  Vida was currently gazing into an emerald sphere which projected the focus of her attention, Baen.

“Oh my lovely,” she cooed as she dragged her hoof along the smooth surface, “Are you going to pay me a visit?”

The far doors opened as a lone figure stepped in.

“My lady,” Mulberry reported, “the cleaning of The West Wing is complete.”

Vida clapped her front hooves together happily, “Excellent!  Since you all worked so hard, tonight we feast!”

Mulberry brightened, “T…thank you my lady!”

Vida shook her head as the sphere locked itself on the top of her chairs back, “You miss understand Mulberry, we feast, but not at the moment,” she gently traced a hoof along the bat pony’s spine causing his wings to snap to attention, “you still have much more wings of the castle to clean.”

Mulberry nodded with a blush and lidded look as he followed his lady’s every move, “Of course….I’ll inform the dogs.”

Vida nodded, satisfied.  But as she ventured from her throne room, she sensed something.  Yes, her enchantment was strong as it always was, but that stallion Mulberry….perhaps it was because she had only awoken a few days prior and her power had yet to return to its full peak.  Or maybe Mulberry had a strong will.  Regardless as to what it was, she sensed his consciousness which should be in a state of blissful ignorance, mildly active and aware.

“Hm…curious.”

When the door shut behind her, Mulberry stood in silence, savoring whatever lingering scent there was of her in the air.  But then his brain gave a sharp throb.  He clutched his forehead on reflex and shook his head.  The green on the edges of his eye flickering before becoming solid again, shrugging, he ventured to order the dogs.