From the Coast to the Castle

Many moons. Many moons of sailing. Nothing. Bernhard thought to himself while leaning over the railing. The crew was worn, not well seasoned as the Emperor told us, they didn't even look like sailors at all! With a little bit of prodding the only real sailors are the Captain and the one winged pegasus at the wheel. Everyone else seemed to have been drafted; farmers, cooks, mercenaries, even a couple of families. Perhaps this wasn't a mission after all, maybe it was just an exile in disguise? Or maybe we were the first refuges escaping a war before it even happens? No Emperor Henry wouldn't let all these able body ponies leave, not any of the ones fit for war anyway.

Bernhard pondered over these questions but his thoughts would have to wait. Ulrich landed swiftly on the main deck, still wearing his armor. The iron wings on his back glistening in the sunlight while the real wings spread out in a stretch under the tight leather. He only said one word.

"Land."

With that one word Ulrich launched himself into the air and flew away beckoning us to follow. Excited, Bernhard directed all the other unicorns to use their magic to conjure up a wind to help the ship catch up to the speeding knight. The sailing was hard and the unicorns were dead tired, but they made it. They made it to Equestria.

Princess Celestia awoke up from her sleep. She can sense something, a new force of magic that has never been seen in Equestria before. Luna came rushing into her chambers.

"Sister, I know you can feel it too."

"Yes Luna, this unknown presence is shocking, do you have any idea of what it is?"

"For safety we should send out some guards to see if they are hostile."

"How about an emissary?"

"But Prince Blueblood is till courting the Saddle Arabians and Shining Armor is still out with Princess Cadence and the new baby alicorn.

"This is an opportunity to test and see how Princess Twilight can fair diplomatically in terms of friendship, after all friendship between nations is just like a friendship between fellow ponies, one must make contact first. After all what is more friendly than sending a Princess of Friendship?"

Twilight Sparkle sat with her friends, all six of their flanks glowing from the table map waiting for a friendship problem to be solved.
"This is weird, it almost looks like it's moving."

"Why would the map send us all the way out to the San Palomino Desert?" Rainbow Dash was hovering, annoyed at the map, "Who could possibly have a friendship problem way out there?"

"Well whatever it is," Fluttershy meekly put in, "hopefully it won't be to dangerous,"

"Maybe we can throw them a party! Those always-!"

"Pinkie I don't think a party in the desert is the best way to sole their problem," Applejack interrupted, "besides if Twilight is right about them moving, we need to find out which direction they are going."

"Twilight!" Spike comes rushing in, "It's a note from Princess Celestia."

Dear Twilight,

Princess Luna and I have sensed a presence West of the San Palomino Desert, we have thought in our better judgement that a Princess should be greeting the new arrivals in the name of Friendship. Considering how well things have ended with the Yaks, we've decided the Mane six should greet these travelers from afar. We have pinpointed their location close to the coast past the desert, please use extreme cation, I wouldn't want any of your friends to get hurt.

From,

Princess Celestia

"These new ponies must be very powerful," Spikes knees started to shake, "if Celestia can sense them all the way from Canterlot,"

"Oh Spike," Twilight comforted the shaking dragon, "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna can sense everypony in Equestria. Alright girls this letter just makes our mission official, we need to find whoever is out there."

"Let's go Ulrich we are wasting time." After packing all of his equipment, Bernhard flew himself to shore, the aurora from his magic glistening off the waves while Ulrich flew silently behind him, both landing gracefully on the beach. While the ship sailed down the coast the two brothers they made their way inland, it didn't take long to notice that the soft grass soon turned into a sprawling empty desert.

"Onward!" Bernhard taking the first step watched his hoof sink halfway into the sand, "The first step of a new frontier." Ulrich shook his head and hovered slowly behind him. Silence. A full moon of walking and not one word from Ulrich. Stopping to camp Bernhard decided to ask his brother something he always wanted to ask.

"Say Ulrich, why were you always gone?"

The sudden question made the knight jolt a second, not wanting to relive the past.

"I remember you for brief spots, but it seemed like you were always away. Why?"

"...," Ulrich kept to his thoughts. Thought about that fateful night, the night he lost everything.

There in the forest surrounding his village an army marched. Soldiers battered and beaten in a previous battle now marched on their village hoping to plunder and regain any dignity that was lost to them. While they marched a storm was falling on the forest, a small band of stallions watched them atop a hill. Waiting. Not yet. Not yet. NOW! The unicorns rained fire upon the weary soldiers, screams of the burning made it's way all the way down the marching line. In the confusion the Earth ponies atop the hill charged and rammed into the flank of the marching line. Chaos ensued, many of the tired soldiers simply dumped their colors and fled while the few who held were cut down. After the whole ordeal over half of the would be pillagers laid in the mud dead or dying. Shouts of joy spread throughout the small band, "Victory!" they cried and went back to camp. Celebrating their victory they drank the night away, during the cheering and laughing one pegasus sat down tiredly. Something was wrong, things were a little blurry. A scream? Looking up from the fire he saw not his friends, but bloodthirsty Imperial soldiers wanting revenge. AMBUSH!? He quickly grabbed a sword and shield and swung into the fray of this renegade platoon. One down. Then two. Three. The Pegasus kept slashing until there were almost no foes to slash. Almost. His last victim stood stunned, looking into the blood stained pegasus's eyes. No mercy. The Pegasus charged into the scared stiff opponent scared stiff, one final stab to end it. Finally over, looking into the point where the sword entered he looked up and gasped in horror. For his sword wasn't in an opponent, but his closest friend. Screaming out he called out to his other friends for help only to find they were dead too. There were no Imperial bodies, the lone pegasus cut down his entire troop. Tears in his eyes he screamed for death to take him, but the only response was a laugh from the treeline. A lone unicorn stepped out of the shadows, traces of magic disappearing atop his horn. No words, just anger and hate. The pegasus charged full force, wings flying him ever faster. The unicorn simply lowered his horn spewing hot fire magic, seeing him tumble and scream was satisfying enough, and teleported away. Screaming the pegasus could feel his fur melt. His mane burning into his skull, hooves cracking at the intense heat, chainmail branding all over his body. Nothing but pain.

A light? The sun. Still alive. He passed out, awakening he found himself in a makeshift triage. Surrounding him were other ponies with similar burns. A camp? Covered in wrapping he stumbled out of the tent, looking about his heart sank, he was in the middle of an Imperial camp.

"Later, we should rest for tomorrow."

Author's Note

How is my first story going? Would like to know feedback before I continue.