Defiance

Vémundr was busy grooming his feathers before his daughter gave a gentle tap with her talons on his bathroom door. As his work came to a gentle end, he shook off the last of the water and finally greeted her.

"Freya?" She mimicked the ponies as she failed to leave a mark in the floor.

"Father." He paused as she continued to stare at the floor. "The council called, they asked you to come in. They said the mines were at risk."

The temptation to screech rose, then finally died in his throat as he opened the door and saw his blonde maned daughter. Even looking ragged after a night in the mines hadn't made him reach that apex of feral rage level. Freya clawed the floor again before looking at him with her lovely green eyes.

"Silly Celestial guard." He chuckled. "Don't worry sweetheart, they're just rattling their shoes because a griffon owns the copper mines" She smiled sweetly. "Daddy will take care of everything."

Freya trotted off as Vémundr brought his claw to his beak. With a flick, his amulet started to dial the mayor and, after a moment, connected with her.

"Mayor Mare." She answered.

"We have a serious problem."

"Vémundr?"

"They're trying to make a move on the mines." He let that hang for a moment. "And even Freya is worried. I think they're going to push in whatever we..."

"Flim and Flam are dead." The mayor stated, silencing him.

"And you know they're dead, not just mucking around in Canterlot like last time." He paused. "Or you asked Nolan to..."

"Nolan wasn't involved. Atleast I don't think so."

"So it's far worse than I thought. Damn. I thought my daughter was just being overly dramatic."

"It's worse. I've started seeing her again." Vém felt his blood chill. "And three rifthunters were found with wounds typical of throwing weapons in the badlands."

"Is it...."

"Yeah it is. She's come back."

"We can't tell Nolan." He finally said. "He'll know we lied the last time and who knows what he'll do?"

"Vém." The Mayor whispered.

"Yeah?"

"She came for you first."

The amulet disconnected as he glanced at the door as it slowly opened. Reaching for his war hammer, he was relieved to see Freya poking her beak around the door. Replacing the weapon without her noticing, she gently nodded in respect before speaking.

"Father, there is someone here to see you. She...." He suddenly noticed the silver blade at her throat. "She wants to speak."

A ginger haired girl forced the griffon into the room by her neck. Cloaked in a flag that Vémundr didn't know along with a large amount of knives, she threw his sweetheart to the ground and put the point of the knife at Freya's throat. Instinct made him reach for his war hammer before the alien girl gently shook her head.

"Hello you old bird." The girl muttered.

"Please don't hurt her." He said after a moment. "I know I hurt you, but please don't hurt her."

The girl smiled.

"Nolan."

"I can't..." The blade drew a thin line of blood from Freya's throat. "I CAN'T! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! IF HE FINDS YOU BEFORE THE PLAN IS COMPLETED, THE GUARDS WILL JUST DESTROY YOU BOTH AND LEAVE US..." Vémundr's voice died in this maw. "Defenseless."

"Explain." She said quietly with a cold look on her face as Vémundr ran a claw over his beak before saying:

"The rifts. The shield." The ginger haired girl made a continue gesture before the older griffon finally said:

"Do you know what the Kazari is?"

The girl's mouth fell open.