Author's Note
This was a little break from my usual Displaced writings. I've been wanting to put this story down for a while but couldn't find it due to moving across three states at the time. Whether or not I do more like it in the future is still up in the air at this point. I do have more stories like this one but whether I post them heavily depends on the reactions I get from this one. Please enjoy this short story of a dragon and a pony from ancient times before Celestia and Luna. Please leave your thoughts in the comments.
A Dragon Troubadour
During the reign of Faust in ancient times, there lived in a region of Mountains just outside Equestria a very old and wise dragon named Farroth, who was a poet and skilled magician. Every so often Farroth would abandon his comfortable, spacious dwelling and take on the form of a stallion to visit the queen’s court. There he was a well-known and respected poet, and would make the most of these brief stays too sing and recite his verses and listen to the creations of other poets. Then he would return to his home in the mountains, where he could quietly compose and lead a peaceful life far away from the rest of the world.
One day he was traveling through the nearby forests, disguised as his pony self, when he heard a desperate cry for help. Without a second thought, the poet rushed in the direction of the screams and came across a poor mare trying to defend herself from a pack of Diamond Dog Bandits. Without a second thought, Farroth quickly changed back into his true dragon form, and finished off the bandits with two deadly breaths of dragon’s fire. The mare had fainted from the injuries she’d sustained, so the dragon lifted her onto his back and quickly flew her back to his hidden cave deep within the mountains.
Farroth servants took care of the young mare, who they found to be wearing high-quality garments. It was most notable that clothing was usually worn by ponies of the upper classes that could afford them. Although these garments were currently in shambles the still seemed to belong to those of a noble of fairly high rank amongst ponies. While undoing the bundle the mare had been clasping to her chest for dear life, the servants found a baby colt only a few weeks old, sleeping quietly, paying no heed to the world around him.
Thanks to the care and solicitude of the servants, the mare soon came around, Farroth once more took up his stallion form to visit his protégée. The young mare expressed her deepest gratitude and told him her story.
She had been widowed within two years of her marriage, and her family had forced her to marry her cousin, a totally unethical bigot of a stallion whose only interest was the inheritance of the title and wealth of her deceased husband. The wedding had been celebrated in haste, before the proper period of mourning as prescribed by law had even been observed.
“I was pregnant with my first husband’s child, but my cousin did not know,” the young mare explained as she bitterly wept. “When my son was born, six months after the forced wedding, my husband tried to seize my child in order to prevent him from claiming his inheritance. Desperate and fearing for my son’s life, I ran away. That evil man pursued us with his henchmen and has almost succeeded in killing my darling boy on multiple occasions. We were eventually chased to the Everfree where not even he’d dare set hoof. It wasn’t long before we were cornered by the Diamond Dogs. Fortunately, you saved us. Now my life is yours.”
Touched by the grief and overwhelming beauty of the mare, Farroth offered her his aid and the shelter of his home. As time passed, the dragon-poet and young mare became inseparable. The beautiful young mare was so taken by Farroth’s kindness and amicability that she soon fell madly in love with him, even though she was fully aware of who he truly was.
Meanwhile, Farroth found in the mare an understanding and companionship that he’d sought for many many years. The dragon and the mare went on long walks together, and the dragon would sometimes take her on his back to visit far away lands. Together, they rode, loved, and sang the verses the dragon-poet composed.
They spent three wondrously joyful years together. To complete their happiness, the mare became pregnant. They were both overjoyed at the aspect of having a child together, and greatly looked forward to the birth of their child. But sadly, not all was to be as the mare died tragically during their son’s conception. Farroth was beside himself. He’d lost an irreparable companion, the only female that truly loved him for who he was.
Ever faithful to the memory of his love, Farroth cared for their two boys without any favoritism between his adoptive son and his own son. He taught them the highest of ethical principles, and in time presented them before Faust herself to be knighted.
The two brothers chose the title the Knights of the Dragon in honor of their parents, becoming famous for their nobility and honor. In the end, they would go on to avenge their mother’s memory in capturing the castle that their villainous uncle had stolen from them.
A white unicorn with a violet curled mane and tail closed the storybook and looked to a bed in the corner of the room. She places the book back in its rightful place on a nearby shelf then trotted over to the bed. She leaned down and gently kissed the sleeping half-pony half-dragon on the forehead and tucked her daughter in.
“Good night my little Emerald Glow,” the mare said as she looked over her daughter who had a bright green mane, sharp teeth and claws reminiscent of her father but a pearl white coat the favored her mother’s.
The mare gently trotted out of the room and silently closed the door behind her. She cantered down the hall to the bedroom that she shared with her husband. She entered the bedroom and her gaze came to rest on her husband. I muscular purple drake with green spines that ran down the length of his back down to his tale. His size was nearly twice that of her's taking up nearly half the bed.
She smiled softly and used her magic to place her glasses on the nightstand next to her side of the bed. She pulled the blankets back and slipped in the bed right next to her husband's back. "Goodnight my little Spikey Wikey," she murmured as she fell into a deep sleep all her own.
