Chapter 4

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Flying was the quickest way for a Pegasus to get anywhere. But even a young, fit pony, like myself could get tired.

My wings burned, and my breath was coming in quick wheezing bursts. Even the sweat I had cleared myself of before had returned in force. Risenbrook qualified as a town, but that by no means made it small. I admitted defeat when I was most of the way to the Paladin’s Keep. A slight detour to my house relieved the saddlebag from my back. I placed my training sword there as well, but kept my sheath and barding.

I had sat there a while, gasping for air, in the alley between our house and the neighbor’s. When I had taken flight again, the sun was noticeably sinking, midday already far behind. It would still be some time before it set completely, but I wasn’t going to let those moments slip by wasted.

The upper ring of houses belonged to the “nobles” of our town. They were spaced apart, with enough room to fit an entire home between them. The Paladin’s Keep was among those houses, its turreted walls mimicked that of the stonework you could find from the Earth ponies. At least, so I had been told. And I never believed everything I heard.

A plan had formulated in my mind as I flew. I hated it, as a rule, but there were no other reasonable options I could think of. My wings led me down to the majestic double doors where two Paladins had been posted, and always were posted. Not necessarily the same two, but always two. In fact, I was sincerely hoping they were not the two ponies from when I had first been there. My plan hinged on them not remembering me, which sounded far dumber the more I thought about it.

But there was no time to second guess myself. As I swooped in above them, their majestic armor glinted while they followed my descent with probing stares. They made no move to draw their swords, which was promising, and the stallion on the left stepped forward just as my hooves touched the clouds.

He had a dusty brown mane flowing out behind his helmet like Lieutenant Windhelm’s did. And though it was almost indiscernible under his layers of barding, I was pretty sure his coat was yellow, sort of like the sun behind a cloud. Which was exactly how difficult it was to tell what he was thinking.

“You’re a long way from the training circle, soldier,” he said, his voice rough, but not unpleasant.

Here goes nothing, I thought, trying to catch my breath. Goddess I already hate myself.

“I kn- I’m sorry, sir,” I said, mentally suppressing the floodgates of sarcasm from bursting forth. “It’s just, I was sick when they let everypony else visit the Keep, so I didn’t get to go. And now my training ends soon, so I thought m-maybe I could see it in case I don’t make it.”

My voice sounded so pathetic I sickened myself. Part of me wanted them to call me out on my terrible theatrics just so I could stop the self-torture. But then we would be short any real weapons and I knew Roanheart would still insist on going. Far be it for him to let a little thing like self-preservation get in the way of helping ponies.

“Is that so?” Dusty-mane asked, strolling down the steps toward me.

My legs locked up as he came close. Oh Goddess, am I actually scared? Of course I am. Who knows what the Paladins do to ponies who betray them.

He studied me through the slits in his helmet until I was forced to look away, hanging my head.

Say something, I thought. Something a pathetic, trembling filly would say. But all I could think of was, “bite me,” and I kept that to myself.

The stallion cleared his throat, and I chanced a look at him again. He was smiling.

“Stormdive,” he called back to the other sentry. “Keep an eye on the gate for me. No pony deserves to miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity, wouldn’t you agree?”

The dark-maned stallion muttered something incomprehensible.

“What was that?”

Stormdive put a hoof to his half-helm. “Of course, sir, as you say sir.”

Sir? I looked over the stallion’s barding again, and instantly found the white braided rope denoting him as a Captain. Had I really been so anxious that I missed it earlier? Next I would be missing a sword swinging at my throat, and then where would I be? Dead, that’s where.

“Come along, soldier,” the Captain said, trotting back up the steps to the gate.

I shook myself and followed his lead, almost forgetting to look timid in the process. What had I been so worried about? Stallions were a pushover for mares in distress.

“Oh, and Stormdive,” the Captain said once I reached him. “Under no circumstances do you leave your post, understood?”

“Yes sir,” he muttered.

“Unless another mare soldier comes along of course,” the Captain laughed. “Then fetch me right away.”

With that, he push open the gate and went inside, still chuckling to himself as he went.

Stormdive just stood there, leering at me.

Now I’m worried again.

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The main Hall of the Paladins’ Keep was about as interesting as a history lesson, or a soldier’s medal collection. It was filled on both sides by larger-than-life cloud statues of past generals and commanders of merit. Vast paintings hung between them, depicting battles of epic proportions. Most of which probably never happened.

But the Hall’s décor was not what held my interest. I had seen it before, after all. What was new, was the multitude of Paladins cantering through the Keep. I had always been under the assumption that they were few and far between. Only the elite of the elite were recruited into their ranks. But then, in the Main Hall alone, were at least a dozen Paladins going about their business.

“Not quite like you remember it, eh?” the Captain said, before I could find the words myself.

Crud. I shrunk back toward the gate door. “What gave me away?” As if I didn’t already know.

The Captain gave me a reassuring smile. “You might find it hard to believe, but you’re quite well known around here. We have several young Paladins who go to watch you fight each week.”

They do? I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be flattered or creeped out. “Why didn’t you just turn me away then? Why let me inside?”

He fell back on his haunches, pulling off his helmet with his forehooves. Underneath was an aging stallion old enough to be my father. Though he was all smiles, I could see a sadness about his eyes.

“We all have to get our fun somehow,” he said, chuckling. “Now I’ll have a story to tell of the day the great Dawnfire groveled before me.”

Uh-huh. “If that’s what you refer to me as around here, then maybe the Paladins aren’t worth my time after all,” I said. I meant it as a joke, but ended up scowling. Something about the whole Keep just felt wrong.

“You might be right to think that way,” he said.

Apparently fun and good times were over.

The Captain sighed, looking back at me where I still “hugged” my only exit out of there. “Maybe you haven’t caught on yet, but you’re guaranteed Paladin material, filly.”

I’m not actually a filly, you old coot. Was what I would have said, had I not been genuinely surprised, and also reconsidering Wildehelm’s antics. “Seriously?”

He didn’t answer that, if he had even heard me at all. “But take my advice,” he continued. “Whatever you’re here for, forget it. Get out while you still can, go home and forget about the Paladins. You will be better off for it.”

It was the best advice anypony could have given me right then. If only I had the brains to accept it when I should have.

Instead, I decided to use that honest pony charm of mine. Mostly because I had no other choice.

“Between you and me,” I said, trotting up beside him in case one of the dozen other soldiers were listening. “I’m already leaving the Paladins. It’s sort of why I’m here.”

It was his turn to be surprised. He studied me again, just like he had outside without saying a word.

I shivered. Definitely creepy.

“I suppose you’re prepared to tell me what that reason is then?” He asked.

I nodded, before realizing he expected an answer right then. Sometimes I felt like an idiot. Not that I was going to admit that to anypony.

“I kind of need a sword,” I muttered. “They aren’t exactly handing out the real thing to trainees.”

“May I ask for what?” he said.

“No,” I said, holding my breath. Can’t something be easy today, just for once?

“And you’re betting on me not to report you?” he said, staring at the reflection in his helmet.

Report me and I’ll break every bone in your fragile old body. “Well you did let me in here,” I reasoned. “So I’d say it’s a fair bet.”

He shoved his helmet back on and got to his hooves. “Follow me,” he said.

I quickly matched his pace, trying to act like I belonged there. Though, my acting skills were definitely not in my good graces at the time.

As he led me down the hall, my heart hammered a little harder in my chest. I was going to see the armory… or possibly the yet unconfirmed dungeon. He hadn’t exactly said where he was taking me. But what really concerned me was the obsessive amount of activity that continued even beyond the Main Hall. Ponies rushed everywhere, most in full armored barding, others carrying large sacks of material, and a few of whom I was sure were in training just a moon ago. Those Paladins I was sure to keep my head down as they went by, but I couldn’t help peeking at the room that expanded before me.

It was massive. The ceiling was so far up I had to tilt my neck just to see it. Wide arches swept across the upper parts of the room, many of which were occupied by at least one Pegasus or more. Thin slits in the walls acted as windows, filtering in natural light than glittered on the cloud-work and the largest banner of our town crest I had ever seen. It hung on the far wall, trimmed in bright blue, with a painted replica of the rain mill in the background, thunderclouds and all. Embroidered over it was a Pegasus wing crossed with a menacing spear.

I shut my mouth, which had become unhinged, and cast my attention to the grand staircase that dominated the latter part of the room, beneath the crest. Each step was slightly smaller than the previous and connected to a flowing bannister that lead to another floor. I could just see the tops of the three gigantic doors beyond it.

But instead of heading for any of them, the Captain turned left, leading me through a normal-sized doorway cut into the side wall.

My heart stopped. I had never seen a more beautiful sight in all my life. Swords, lances, maces, axes, and everything in-between adorned every inch of the walls. Granted the room was not that large, but in that moment I really didn’t care.

I stood there gaping yet again, until the Captain elbowed me out of my daydream.

“Not sure about you, filly,” he said. “But I really don’t need the retribution for taking you in here.”

May my enemies feel the retribution of my mighty sword, the Goddess take any pony who dares interrupt me now.

My hooves led me around the perimeter of the room, weaving around the occasional pony who got in my way. I wanted to run my hoof over each one, feeling the cold steel. Sadly, it was not the time to do so. Instead, I stopped at the short swords, doing my best to judge which would be about the right size.

“Hey what are you doing here?”

I froze up, which I realized was not the appropriate reaction of somepony who is not guilty of trespassing.

A lettuce-green stallion trotted up next to me, an ugly sneer across his face. He wore no barding, but a scar across his cheek suggested he had seen a battle somewhere. Or, possibly, he was extremely reckless during a training duel.

“Who are you?” he demanded. “And why are you wearing that armor.”

“She’s with me, soldier,” the Captain’s gruff voice sounded a second before he appeared beside me.

“C-captain Suncloud,” he stammered. “But, she? She’s a she?” He looked at me again with big eyes.

Yes, I’m a she, moron. How quickly they went from tough to stupid amazed me.

The Captain took another step forward. “You best be about your business. I have everything under control here.”

The Paladin saluted. “Yes sir, of course.”

He galloped away before I could think of an appropriate name for him. Something with cabbage, probably.

“We should hurry,” Suncloud said. “If he doesn’t report to his superior he will at least be telling another Paladin. Word spreads quickly in this Keep.”

I gripped the sword in front me with my mouth and lifted it of its rack. I grunted, the weight so immense I almost dropped it. I quickly returned the blade and looked about for something smaller.

“Why are you helping me anyway?” I asked, picking up another sword that caught my eye. Its cross-guard was engraved to look like spread wings.

“I don’t really know,” he said, laughing to himself. “I suppose you remind me a bit of myself when I was young.”

Young and stupid, I thought. It was quickly becoming my favorite word. Probably because everything could be described as such.

“So?” he asked, nodding at the next sword I had just picked up.

It was still a bit heavy, but I figured it could work for Roanheart. I placed it on the floor. “It will do,” I said, before flying up to the next level of blades.

“Then what are you doing now?” He hissed.

I blinked at him. “Getting another sword?”

He stamped a hoof. “You said a sword, one, not two!”

“Well, I need two. That one’s for a friend,” I said. Duh.

“No,” Suncloud said, picking up the weapon and placing it back on the rack. “I will not give a sword away to somepony who isn’t here. We’re going to need these, and I can’t risk giving a blade to somepony it might not suit.”

Need them? I wondered. What does that- then it dawned on me. (No pun intended.) They were preparing for war. But when, and against who? The Earth ponies?

“Will you pick a bucking sword!” Captain Suncloud flew up beside me. “Try this one,” he said, placing a hoof over a thin, mid-length blade with a naked grip. Its cross-guard was adorned with wings like the previous.

I clamped down on the hilt, lifting up and giving it a test swing. The weight was about perfect, but the balance was off compared to what I was used to. Steel also tasted a lot less pleasant than the rich bite of wood.

“Sheath it, and let’s go,” he said, already gliding toward the door.

I obeyed, but the fit was not great. It stuck out of the sheath a good hoof-length and did not fill its width. Goddess we’re going to die.

We trotted out of the room unhindered, but I could have sworn I heard the green pony’s voice as we left.

I didn’t get to admire the keep again for more than a passing moment, as the Captain did not slow down until we reached the gate out in the main hall. Even then, he opened it immediately and waited for me to catch up.

I hurried as best I could, my new toy rattling in its sheath.

The door slammed behind us, and Stormdive cast me a bored glance as we passed him. Funny, that I remembered his name. Must have been the adrenaline.

Captain Suncloud fell on his flank and let out a long wheeze. “That’s enough excitement for this week,” he said, smiling like our previous conversation had never happened.

If only that was all I was going to have, I thought. I checked on the sun, the real thing, not the pony, and found it was just beginning to dip behind the tallest houses.

“I best get going,” I told them. The sooner I got to put the keep behind me, the better.

Suncloud snorted. I swear they all did it, every single stallion. “Foals these days, don’t even give you the proper gratitude,” he said.

Oh, please. “Yeah, thanks, or whatever,” I said, lifting off once again. I needed to rest, and I wasn’t going to get much of that anytime soon. That or food for that matter. Wait, I almost forgot.

“Hey Captain!” I shouted back to him where he stood post. “Do the Paladins have a dungeon?”

Even at the distance I heard his laugh. “Thank the Goddess you didn’t find out today!”

Dungeon confirmed.

“And Dawnfire!” he called.

“Yeah?” I asked, still hovering on aching wings.

“Be careful.”

Right. I saluted the old pony, and turned away, my stomach growling. There was still one last thing I had to do before I left for good: see my family.

Author's Note

I'm publishing this a little later than I had wanted to, so I apologize to the seldom few of you who are actually keeping up with the story.

Even though time flies by for me from week to week, I will to keep the updates going as best I can. As always, any legitimate feedback is welcome, and I wish every one of you a wonderful week. Cheers.