POV: Szarekh

The town was quiet as I walked through the streets.

It took me a few minutes realize that I had no idea where I was going, “Harvest?” I called over my shoulder, “Could you perhaps guide me to your home? It appears that for all my many talents, getting lost is still my greatest strength.”

She giggled and hopped off the cart and led me to a quaint home near the middle of town. I hummed in approval, “A lovely home you have here, little one. I do hate to ask this of you, but I have some rather unpleasant business to attend to with the local authorities and I need you to stay here while I deal with it. Can you do that for me?”

She nodded hesitantly, and motioned for me to come closer. I knelt down and drew near, and received a warm, desperate hug, which I gladly returned, “I'll be back as soon as I'm done, alright? I promise on my ancestors memory.”

I waited for her to enter the house before turning and pulling the cart toward the town center.

It took the better part of half an hour to reach the center of town.

I stopped for a moment and scanned around.

The town was laid out radially, with large through roads extending out from the center and smaller streets branching off of those. The central area consisted of a large open plaza surrounded by various stores and restaurants, with small vendors running stalls dotted around. In the middle of the plaza was a tall circular building with a sign hung above the door that read, in neat, friendly writing; ‘Town Hall.’

I tried to use an old calming method I'd learned to brace myself for the unpleasant business I was about to undertake. As it happens it is difficult to do a breathing exercise when one does not breathe.

Now even less calm than before, I walked up to the building and released the cart.

Leaving it near the entrance, I lowered almost to my hands and knees to pass through the doorway before walking up to the reception desk.

I attempted to swallow before speaking, “Excuse me,” I began, catching the attention of the mare at the desk, “I need to speak to the local governmental representative. If you could direct me to their office, I would be most grateful.”

By the time I'd finished her eyes were wide and her pupils were like pinpricks. She lifted a trembling hoof and pointed to a door behind her with a brass plaque.

“My sincerest thanks,” I said, nodding.

I knocked on the door and waited. A few moments later a female voice called out, “Come in!”

I once again stooped through the door and examined the room. It was a somewhat plain affair, with an ornate desk with a title plate denoting her as mayor in the middle, and various small decorations. The mare sitting behind the desk had a tan coat and a graying mane,she wore a pair of green glasses, and a starched collar with a ruffled neck tie.

“Greetings, ma'am, my name is Szarekh,” I introduced myself, “I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but I'm afraid I must be the bearer of tragic news. Do you know a filly named Harvest Moon? She has a navy coat, bright white mane, and amber brown eyes.”

The mare had looked terrified of my appearance, but as I spoke her expression shifted to a serious one.

“Is she okay?!” the mayor demanded.

I raised my hands placatingly, “She's unhurt, however she and her parents were attacked most of a day's walk outside of town. They did not survive the attack.”

“Do you know what attacked them?” she asked.

I nodded, “A group of five bipedal canines. When I arrived on the scene I found them standing over the bodies whose throats had been cut. I saw Harvest trying to hide under their cart, and engaged the canines. Once they were dispatched I focused on returning her home safely, and recovering her parents’ remains for proper treatment and ceremonies.”

The mayor sighed heavily, “Where are the remains now? I'll need to confirm their identities, and have the bodies processed properly.”

“They are in the cart, I left it near the front of the building, and covered them as best I could. If you could lead me to the local morgue I will gladly complete any paperwork that is needed.”

She gave a satisfied nod, “Follow me if you would.”

We made our way outside, where I reattached the cart and followed the mayor to the local hospital.

POV: Mayor Mare

I struggled to keep my composure in the intimidating presence of the being next to me. Every time I looked at it I felt as though one wrong move, one thoughtless word, would bring its wrath down upon me.

I about jumped out of my coat when it spoke with that strange metallic ring in its voice.

“Oh my,” it began in a conversational tone, though its face didn't change from its fierce scowl, “it seems as though, in all this unpleasantness, I have not asked your name.”

‘Keep your cool, keep your cool.’

“ I'm Mayor Mare.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, I must ask, who will take care of Harvest Moon, with her parents gone?”

Raising a brow, I looked at him out the corner of my eye. He was looking directly at me. “That will depend on several factors, and will be handled by Foal Protective Services. If she has any family they will be interviewed for suitability, if they don't find any or find them unsuited, she will be cared for as a ward of the Princess until such a time as she is adopted.”

Szarekh hummed in understanding, “I see, is there a way that I may be able to take her in? I made a vow upon my ancestors names and to my people such a vow is enforceable upon pain of death. I understand that this was likely a promise I should not have made, but I shall uphold it to the end of my being.”

I stared at him, trying to find any insincerity in him. He stood proud, head bowed, one of his hands curled on his chest as though he held his own heart.

I felt a hint of a smile at his dedication to poor Harvest, “I'll see what I can do. If no family is found I will mention you as a candidate.”

He stopped dead in the road, turned to face me fully, and bowed deeply at the waist, “That means more to me than I can say. If you ever, ever need something of me, you need but to ask and I shall do whatever is within my power to grant it to you.”

I blushed slightly at the rather extreme reaction, “We should keep going, I don't want somepony to see us and cause a panic.”

“Of course, lead on, Madam Mayor.”

POV: Harvest Moon

I was getting scared by how long it was taking mister Szarekh to come back.

‘Is he going leave me here all alone? Did he just say those things so that I wouldn't follow him?’

These and other awful thoughts raced around my mind until I couldn't think of anything else.

Tears poured down my cheeks, fear ate away at my heart and I ran out of the house.

I didn't get very far before I barreled into somepony, “O-oh no, I'm so very sorry, I didn't see you there!” she apologized fervently, “A-are you alright? Did I hurt you? O-oh dear I did, didn't I? I'm sorry, please don't be mad, but if you are I completely understand. I-I'll just go and-”

Before she could get any further into her self loathing I wrapped my hooves around her and sobbed into her coat. She tried to ask what was wrong, but I couldn't string enough words together to explain anything.

The mare I was clutching began singing a gentle song and I felt myself calming down.

I sniffled one last time, before letting go of the nice mare. I looked who it was, and saw it was miss Fluttershy, she takes care of all the animals that live near Ponyville.

“N-now, why don't you tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help, i-if that's what you want?”

I nodded, and told her that I needed to find mister Szarekh, and that he said something about talking to the pony in charge of Ponyville.

“O-okay, why don't we go to town hall a-and see if your friend is there, b-but only if you want?”

“Uh-huh, let's go.”

When miss Fluttershy and I got to town hall, we asked the receptionist mare if mister Szarekh or the mayor were there.

She told us that a polite monster had come in to talk to the mayor, but they left a little while ago to the hospital.

“Do you w-want to go to the hospital and see if mister Szarekh is there?” miss Fluttershy asked.

“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled miserably, as worry started creeping back into my mind.

“O-oh dear, don't worry, I'm sure we'll find him soon! I'll stay with you u-until we find him, promise,” she said, wrapping me in a warm hug.

I hugged her back, before we let go and started walking to the hospital.

POV: Szarekh

The mayor led me to the local hospital in short order and directed me to wait outside while she retrieved a member of the nursing staff to take me to the morgue entrance.

A few minutes later the mayor returned, followed by a mare in a nurse’s uniform.

The nurse stumbled and gasped upon seeing me. Closing her eyes, she shook her head and composed herself, “I understand you have two deceased adults, one male and one female?” she questioned, her voice calm and professional.

“Correct, cause of death appears to be exsanguination due to a deep laceration to the major arteries of the neck. They were likely dead within a minute of the initial cut. I arrived after the fact and dispatched the perpetrators before collecting the bodies and young Harvest Moon and coming here. Speaking of, do you know a decent therapist or psychiatrist for her? I worry about how this might affect her.”

The nurse nodded, “I'll give you the details of a good trauma therapist I know once we've finished here.”

“You have my thanks.”

During the conversation we had reached the morgue, and taken the corpses inside.

“Everything seems to be in order, we'll have to check the registry to confirm their identities.” she pulled out some papers from a drawer in the front desk, “You'll need to sign these, they declare that you brought in victims of a violent crime and are willing to comply with the local guard. They'll also need a contact address if they need you for further questioning. I must also insist that you remain at the hospital for a statement.”

I nodded gently grasping the quill on the desk and signed my new name in the forms.

“There is one thing,” I said, looking to the nurse. “Could you send someone to check on Harvest Moon? I left her in her home whilst I was dealing with all this unpleasantness and I fear she should not be alone.”

The mayor nodded, “I'll have somepony visit the house immediately.”

I watched her walk outside and disappear into the town. I followed the nurse back to the main hospital building and stepped inside. I shifted next to the door and out of the way before sitting down with my knees tucked to my chest, my arms across my knees, and my head resting on my arms. I settled in my position and deactivated my optics, allowing the quiet bustle of the foyer to continue around me.

There was the occasional gasp of fright or murmur of confusion as I waited for the guard to arrive.

POV: Harvest Moon

Miss Fluttershy and I walked into the reception of the hospital. We made a beeline to the front desk and I asked if they saw mister Szarekh.

The nurse pointed to the door, “Over there.”

We turned around and saw him sitting next to the door, looking at us.

Miss Fluttershy screamed almost silently and fainted.

“Huh,” was mister Szarekh's deep, rumbling response. “I was not expecting that.”

I bolted to him and hugged him as tight as I could.

“Harvest?” he asked, “Are you alright? Did something happen?”

I sniffled a little, “W-when you went a-away I got s-so scared so I tried to find you, a-and I couldn't a-and miss Fluttershy found me, and we came here and I found you! Please don't go away again, I-I promise I'll be good! I promise!” I cried into his side.

POV: Szarekh

During my wait, I tried to understand what it was about Harvest that made me want to protect her, care for her, but it was there in the back of my mind, nagging at me, urging me to leave the hospital and return to her.

I almost leapt at her when I heard her voice.

A wave of elation washed over me, so intensely that I felt it crash against that strange oppressive wall of calm that seemed to guard my mind.

My sight snapped to Harvest, then to the mare at her side, whose eyes rolled back in her head, followed by her crumpling to the floor.

“Huh. I was not expecting that.”

A moment later I felt something wrap around my midsection.

Looking down I saw Harvest clinging to me, tears streaming down her muzzle as she rambled incoherently.

I did not need to think before embracing the sobbing foal and stroking her head and neck, “I will never ever leave you, Harvest, never. I swear to you, I will always be there, whenever you need me, no matter what, you will never be alone. I'm so very sorry for scaring you like that, I never meant to hurt you, or upset you. Now cheer up, little one, or I may have to use my special technique,” I playfully threatened, raising one hand and wiggling my fingers.

Harvest looked up at me quizzically, “What's your special technique?”

“This,” I answered, chuckling, as my fingers darted and danced across her sides, making her squeal and laugh uncontrollably.

“S-stop it,” she cried between peals of laughter, “stop, tha-that tickles!”

“Ahem,” a surly voice caught our attention, giving Harvest just enough of a diversion to scramble out of my arms, giggling all the while.

I turned my focus on the newcomer, “Hello there! What can I do for you?”

The stallion that addressed me wore a set of armor made of iron or steel, and carried a short spear tucked under his wing.

He raised an eyebrow before speaking, “Are you the golem named Xerox?”

I shook my head, answering, “No, I'm the Silent King of the Necron, by the name of Szarekh. Who might you be?”

“I'm lieutenant Shield of the town guard, I am here to take you into custody in relation to the deaths of Night Sky and Bumper Crop.”

“Very we-”

A small blue from slammed into the guard's side, and started wailing on him.

“No! You can't take him away! He didn't do anything bad! He saved me from the bad diamond dogs! You can't take him! You can't!”

“Harvest,” I tried, stunned, “plea-”

“No! You said you wouldn't go away! You promised! You made a promise, so you can't break it!”

By this point, we'd attracted the attention of everyone in the room. Harvest lay on the floor sobbing. The guard stood a mix of bemusement and worry on his face.

I reached out to Harvest and scooped her up, “I'm not going anywhere without you, little one, I made a vow, and I shall not break it. Right now, though, we need to go with the lieutenant and answer his questions.”

Harvest nodded softly and huddled close to my chest.

Author's Note

I heard your demands, and have answered them!

As always, tell me what you think, if something is good, or bad, or if you just have a question!

Thanks
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(edited)