The Life and Times of a Royal Paladin

Sometimes life is easy, a crusade here burning an infidel there nary a trouble in the world. The sky shines bright under the auspicious direction of the Sungod Celestia. The nights are cool and dreams grandiose under the nights guardian Luna’s careful and caring hand. This was my Life for a long time.

Completely devoted to their cause, spreading their word and tales of there many great deeds. I would do anything for them. While this still holds true for me many years after my choice it was this character of my nature that bit my squarely where Celestia doesn't shine. I should probably introduce myself before continuing on. Bramble always told me i was poor at narration. She would know as the art of the tale has been her trade the many years I have known her. She… there i go again alas my mind has started to wander in my age a sad state when my body is still strong.

A fact i seem to be unable to escape even in my own writing. Bramble, she’s the one who suggested i write this ill admit in weaker moment i shared with her my fears about my slipping mind. It started not long ago little things at first but utterly terrifying I would forget names of ponies i knew all my life. I would walk into a room and have forgotten my purpose for going in the first place. I am an old pony older than most I have seen my great grandchildren reach adulthood this also means I have buried my children.

The magic's shared with me by the sister’s have kept my body strong. Now as my mind slips soon i will go to them with a last request to free me from their service. Before that happens though Bramble has implored me to write down my journeys. To put some myths that have followed me to rest. I have chided her before about that she’s not as most her fellows she wants facts not fancy stories  i still argue about the need for myths and legends. Though a mare more determined i have rarely seen even in my long life so eventually she beat me down and here i am sharing my tale. I am Bright Blade and i am paladin beholden unto the immortal princesses. This is my story.

It starts in an earlier time before the unification before even the the wars truly began for it. A time before the guard was little more than a decoration in their shiny gold armour. Seriously don't get me started on how weak and inept each new generations of the royal guard gets.True there were skirmishes and foree’s against heretics. Great evils ravaged the world as they still do today. Just much closer to home than they are now. Some cropping up in our very own backyard. That's something i’ve always been proud of having a hand in putting those who would oppose the sister’s will it’s always so much easier when your opponent is a faceless evil.

When i grew up the world was a much more dangerous place. Perhaps that's the best place to start. In the small hamlet that was my home. It was to small to be called a proper town set of as it was away from the main road as it were nestled in the shadow of the magnificent city of canterlot. Lower on the far side of the mountain but one day’s walk from the city proper. Far enough away that no traveler came through our city, but close enough that if you looked hard enough at the beginning of the day you could see a distant shadow silhouetted against the dim light of morning as she raised the sun. This was Fallow’s Crossing and this is where I spent my foal hood.