Rainbow Dash and the Nordic Pegasus

Chapters

Frozen In Time
Lost Love
2000 years
The Girl By the Forest
Fjord Runner versus Soarin
A Spark
How NOT to train your dragon...
Loyalty

Frozen In Time

Part 1-Frozen In Time

In ancient times, before even the Princesses of Sun and Moon came to be, ponies were divided into barbaric tribes along the rolling plains, forests, mountains, and deserts of Equestria. Far to the North, however, lay an old dwelling of the first and most fierce Pegasi of all recorded history. These Pegasi date back all the way to the Anglo-Stallion era just before the conquest of the Roman Pegasi from the South. They were a simple breed, neither too archaic nor simple, but they had heart. Heart enough to fight back countless enemies for hundreds of years. Their stewards of the weather, the four pony gods, watched over the land of Pegasi, their rolling mountain ranges shielding them from most harm. Until the time of the two wolves, Skoll and Hati. This is where our story begins, so listen well...

"You'll never catch me, Fjord!" A feminine, but strong voice called out as it darted across the icy riverside. "The chief has blessed me as the newest steward of the rain!" Spectrum Dancer ran swiftly across the icy water as she began to pull the water up from the riverbank with ease. She brandished a tunic of green and brown leather, a short sword at her side as her rainbow colored mane and tail flowed in the wind. Each droplet seemed drawn to her wings as she glided across the water's surface almost effortlessly. "By the gods you're slow, darling!" She called out playfully. Chasing after her quickly was a larger, golden haired stallion bearing an enormous longsword and great ax tied to his back and brown and green tunic.

"My love, you forget who it was that recommended thee to our chief!" Fjord Runner called out as he darted along the riverbank opposite his lover. His long, white wings picked up twice as much water as Spectrum's, though he did run a bit slower. The river went on and on as they collected what appeared to be a stream of water and cloud following them by the wings until the river began to shorten and shorten until the reality of a large waterfall was set before them. Finally he looked at his partner with sheer confidence as they both flared their wings and prepared to take off.

With one swift jump they cleared the waterfall and pulled the water behind them, towards their main target. A small village of Earth Pony settlers who were in dire need of rain, as their home and fields were too far from the river to get enough water that the crop so desperately needed. With a few passes they created a rain storm that lasted for well over an hour. Plenty of time to water the crop of corn, beans, and all other essential goods needed by the townspeople and warriors.

Their jobs completed, the two Pegasi fell to the ground below and lay down upon the grass. "My dear Spectrum, you were remarkable. I only wish I were as fast as thee." Fjord chuckled as he nudged her neck with his nose. Spectrum blushed as she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, which he gladly returned.

"Twas all your might, darling Fjord. I could not have kept that storm going for so long alone. You know that." She giggled. Spectrum Dancer and Fjord Runner had been mere children when they had met, but even to this day they remained inseperable. So great was their love for one another that the chieftain of their clan had proposed that the two be married. Neither objected, and soon they would be together forever. "Perhaps later we can celebrate alone in thy home?" She smiled lustfully as he raised an eyebrow in wonder.

"What's wrong with right now?" He tackled her to the ground and kissed her neck, issuing a few pleasured breaths from her. However she was not ready at the moment, and pushed him off gently.

"Control thy loins, my love. We have a busy day ahead of us. The chieftain demands our presence in the longhouse, remember?" She reminded him. In all honesty, he had completely forgotten that today was the day of the ceremony. In a few short hours, he would be married to the love of his life.

Together, they walked ahead to the beginning of the rest of their lives.

================

Equestria: Present Day

"Thank you so much, you guys! I'll visit again really soon, I promise!" Rainbow Dash called out as she headed out the door of a small wooden house in the northern most part of Equestria. Why her aunt and uncle Blitz wanted to live out in the mountains was beyond her. Maybe it was just to get away from it all, or maybe it was simply a means to live peacefully together. Either way, it seemed boring to her. She preferred the excitement of Ponyville or Cloudsdale, at least there she had a shot of meeting up with the Wonderbolts.

Although, there was something to this place, she thought to herself. Flying high over the mountains in her favorite winter jacket and hat was something of a paradise to her. Though she almost never wore clothes, she loved to wear that jacket her grandmother gave her on especially cold days. Red with a lightning bolt running down the back with adjustable hood size, it always felt nice to wear it from time to time. Especially when it was snowing like this. Rainbow peered ahead, trying to get a glimpse of the train station, only to find that she could barely see over the mountain ridge. Thick, grey clouds were headed her way, and every pegasus knows what that means.

"A blizzard? Now?" Rainbow Dash was, by all means, an excellent flier and navigator. Seeing as she was only used to snow every now and then, however, her flying through harsh snow storms wasn't exactly amazing. She knew she had to find cover, and quickly, or she'd end up a frozen rainbow-cicle out here in the mountains. Finally, after frantically searching, she found a small opening in one of the cliff faces, which she promptly took advantage of. As she stepped inside the opening, what was a tiny cave turned into an enormous cavern. She shed her coat off at the entrance and wandered around the beautifully carved rock.

"This is just perfect." Rainbow Dash complained as she ripped off her wool hat and flicked her rainbow-colored mane back and forth, trying to get rid of her hat-hair. "Blizzards don't come around that often. Serves me right for skipping that class in flight school." She walked down a cavernous hallway inside the cave. "Heh, no wonder I got kicked out. I slept through everything or missed class half the time." She joked to herself. This didn't seem like normal rock to her, though. It glowed as though it were alive, pulsing with every step of her hoof. She noticed as she walked further inside, that torches lit the path deeper into the caves. "Who put these here?" Rainbow thought to herself as she kept moving. This place was truly awesome to her for some reason. Finally the small passageway suddenly opened into an enormous tomb-like area deep inside the mountain. Bronze and metal statues of Pegasi lined the walls on raised pillars, decorated by swords and shields.

This clearly wasn't natural, she thought to herself. She could make out several carvings of pegasi in old armour and clothing, wielding swords, spears, clubs, and enormous axes. Looking around, she saw several other carvings, as well. Some of kings, others of demons and dragons. One even depicted a young mare with a mane styled very much like her own. Beside the carving lay an old tablet with writing upon it. Though very old, Rainbow Dash could make out the English text.

My dearest Spectrum,

If you are reading this, then that means the invasion was thrwarted, and that the first part of the prophecy has been fulfilled. It is said that a day will come when the wolves will rise to take the two Princesses of the Moon and Sun, and that is the day when you will awaken me. The chief said that it may not be you, but another in your line. I do not wish it to be true. I wish only to see you again, my love. Upon that day, we will stand together and defeat the wolves and save the new stewards of the day and night. Then, and only then, will I be worthy to take you as my bride.

Please hurry, my darling Spectrum Dancer.

Rainbow Dash put down the tablet and turned around to look at the other stuff in the cavern. When she did, her face bumped against a large, frozen block. Upon her contact with the ice, the form began to crack and melt around what appeared to be a large stallion. As the last of the ice fell from his large, muscular body, the stallion roared menacingly and leapt from his icy prison and back into the world around him. Standing nearly twice her size and ready for combat, the golden-maned pegasus wheeled around towards his liberator, only to find Rainbow Dash.

"Spectrum?" He whispered. "Is it really you?"

Lost Love

Part 2-Lost Love

The doors to the longhouse swung open to the couple of pegasi that wondered inside. Banners of blue and gold with the face of a pegasus armored in plates adorned the walls. Long tables filled with foods such as apples, corn, hay, and roasted nuts piled high on beautiful wooden plates. The pillars holding the wooden and stone structure were lined with large torches that illuminated the longhouse in its entirety. Finally, at the very end of the building sat the Olden Throne, seat of power to the clans, and one of their mighty chief Brynhoof the Great.

"My chief." The mighty Fjord Runner fell to his knees and bowed. Spectrum only stood up and waved comically.

"You needed to see us, father?" It slipped Fjord's mind occassionaly that he was engaged to the princess of their entire clan. Ever since clans Volsung and Duntrot unified under the same banner, life was peaceful in the hold after the battle of the Northern Pass. It was here that the two met, as a matter of fact. Two young warriors locked in arms, prepared to kill one another, were now locked into love and a life of peace for once.

"Alas, Spectrum, my youngest daughter." He said with a sigh. "Thy wedding has been postponed." Fjord shot to his hooves, wide-eyes, as did Spectrum. Their special day was being moved, and for what?

"Father, what is the meaning of this?" Spectrum cried. "We have been planning this arrangement since the clans unified." She stomped her hooves as Brynhoof arose from his throne, his eyes darkened with anger and worry. "We both agreed to this, and it was to be a sign of good faith to the clans. That one day all Pegasi would be united once again like in the old stories."

"My daughter, I have longed for your special day, and the welcoming of my newest son-in-law, but there has been a tragedy in the hold. A small band from the Roman city-states to the south was found along the shore. Even now clan Scylfing has reported its scouts seeing villages burned, crops destroyed, and our mares and foals taken away." He said with a heavy breath. "It seems as though...the time has come."

"No, my chief!" Fjord roared. "Send out warriors, my lord. You must fight them." Brynhoof glared and rose from the throne in anger, stomping to the ground. His fur robes catching the wind as his enormous wings flared in fury.

"I will not risk lives senselessly. I called you here because I needed to discuss something of utter importance to you." He motioned with his hoof and two Earth ponies came out of the corner carrying a large stone tablet.

"Everything is happening, just as foretold..."

=================

Equestria: Present Day

The enormous warrior walked slowly towards Rainbow Dash, his body still wet and icy from his frozen prison. His dark coat and golden mane and tail were drenched with pieces of ice still caught in them. Rainbow Dash wanted to run, but for some reason she was frozen to where she stood, a look of fear, and wonder, froze to her face. The pegasus in warrior's garb fell to the ground on his side, clearly weak from his long hibernation, and groaned.

"The gods damn that cursed Unicorn!" He growled as he got up. "I would have never agreed had I known how agonizing being frozen was. I would have stayed and fought with you, my love, but our chief demanded it." He shook himself dry, making Rainbow Dash jump back as a sword and great ax fell to the floor with a loud clang.

He is going to kill me..., Dash thought to herself. She tried to run, but the opening from which she came into the tomb had been sealed shut after she entered. The pegasus looked around confused at his surroundings, thinking he had been imprisoned in a burial chamber. "So they expected me to die in here, then?" He grumbled before his eyes caught Dash's once again, and his angry scowl quickly turned into a look of sheer delight.

"My darling Spectrum." He rushed over and picked Rainbow Dash off the ground with ease and kissed her firmly on the lips. Her eyes shot wide open in complete confusion as she tried to get out of the stallion's grip. He held her off the ground firmly in his forearms as he kissed her passionately. "I knew you would never forsake me, my love. The spell held true and you released me. Therefore the time has come for us to fell the demons and wed as we were meant to by thy father's will, and the will of our hearts." Rainbow said nothing, only stared up at him with a look of panic and fear in her eyes.

"I have about a hundred bits in my saddle bag outside from my aunt and uncle. If you don't rape me it's all yours." She said shakily. The mighty warrior laughed heartily as he set her down.

"My darling, you made me agree that coitus would not ensue until our wedding night, which I am greatly looking forward to." He smiled before embracing her again. "By the stewards of the storm, I'm so happy you returned for me." He said with a sigh, small tears of joy falling from his eyes onto Rainbow's neck as he held her close to him. Rainbow almost didn't want to tell him that she was not who he thought she was, but she knew she had to if she wanted to escape.

"Listen pal, I'm really flattered by the attention, but I'm not who you think I am." She pulled away slightly as he stared at her, confused. "My name is Rainbow Dash, not Spectrum. I think you have me confused with somepony else." She told him as she looked him in the eye.

"But...your mane is like that of the rainbow itself. Your coat as blue as the icy rivers which you collected the rain of our people with. Your eyes like flawless amethysts shining in the moonlight. You must be..." He cried. "You must be my bride! You have to be! How long was I gone!?" He shouted as he stomped upon the ground, his mane flowing back and forth. Rainbow paniced as she sought an exit, but to no avail. The warrior's neck shone a brilliant blue as his sword handle was engulfed in an aura similar to that of a unicorn spell and ran straight towards Dash in half a second, holding the sword blade to her throat.

"I am Fjord Runner, son of Bone Breaker of clan Duntrot. I am slayer of two hundred Roman pegasi and demons of the Nordic mountains. I am husband to be of the beautiful lady Spectrum Dancer of clan Volsung. In the name of the North, I demand thee tell me where I am!" He shouted so fiercely that the very stones around him quaked. Rainbow Dash shivered with fear as the blade pressed against her neck. She didn't normally feel this way, how was she, the greatest flier in Equestria, scared? She knocked the blade away with her hoof and darted across the room under his legs.

"Foul trickster!" He threw the sword as hard as he could, barely missing Rainbow's head as it stabbed straight into the rock carving behind her.

"Listen to me, I'm not an enemy!" She pleaded as she flew over him, only to be caught by his wing and tossed to the ground. "Please, I'm not-" He slammed her hard as she tried to crawl away, but not before she bucked him hard in the face with her hind legs. He pinned her legs down as he stood over her, menacingly. Rainbow could only guess what this powerful warrior would do to her now that she was left completely defenseless. Rape her? Kill her? Torture her? This stallion was clearly out of his mind that he would be talking of old clans and ladies. She closed her eyes prepared for the worst as he looked down her body in sick anger. Then, something caught his eye. Her cutie mark, the rainbow lightning bolt coming from a cloud. He blinked in disbelief as he released himself from the mare.

"That mark..." He sighed. "That's the mark she bore, the exact same." He sat down on his haunches as Rainbow Dash slowly got up. "You are one of her descendants, aren't you?" He hung his head in shame as Rainbow stared at the ancient, mournful warrior. "I am so ashamed, please forgive me, Lady Dash." He pointed a hoof towards a small, out of place carving that had been knocked over from the previous fight. "Take that item and place it in a slot near the door, and you will be able to leave."

Rainbow Dash picked up the strange, shiedlike carving and placed it inside a small slot near the hidden doorway. Immediately it opened to reveal the passage that she had traveled through to meet him, and prepared to walk out. Just before she did, she took one more look at the stallion Fjord Runner. She had never seen somepony more depressed in her life. He stared blankly at the carving of who she assumed to be this Spectrum mare and tears fell from his eyes. To see a grown stallion this upset, it was almost pitiful to her. She almost couldn't believe what she was about to do next.

"Hey, come with me."

2000 years

Part 3-2000 Years...

A loud thud echoed throughout the longhall as the Earth pony servants lifted the enormous tablet of stone onto the table, nearly splintering the wooden structure in two. The stone tablet was old and crumbling, with scenes of battles strewn across the tablet's surface. At the very center stood a lone pegasus holding in one hood an amulet, and in the other a sword. The scene also depicted two large ponies with the wings of pegasi and the horns of the unicorns circling each other as the moon and sun followed them. The bottom corners of the tablet depicted two large wolves, one chasing the pony of the sun, and the other chasing the pony of the moon.

"What sorcery is this, my chief?" Fjord studied the tablet carefully, noticing the chisel marks along the edges. Fjord was a warrior at birth, but he had a knack for building and masonry, as the cutie mark of a hammer crossed with a sword represented.

"This is a stone tablet carved from the Wall of the Prophets." The chief began. He beckoned for his servants once more as they heaved the stone upon its side, revealing a long passage of ancient writing. "The Prophets depicted scenes they saw in their minds, but upon the back of these tablets, their explanations written. Let me see..." He studied the runes more closely, reading the translation.

"Upon the day that chaos reigns, the stewards of time shall descend. One of the sun and one of the moon, together they will vanquish evil, and be reclaimed a land far to the South."

He read aloud, catching his breath.

"However, a dark power will come for the stewards. The wolves of the mighty one shall descend and plunge the world into torment and pain. Beware all free mares and colts, for the Ragnarok will come upon this day."

"The Ragnarok? You are sure?" Spectrum Dancer said with a hushed voice.

Brynhoof fell to his forelegs from leaning onto the table and faced the two ponies. "The Celtic Ponies of old foretold of such things. When two ponies with the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a pegasus descend to face the ancient dragon of discord." He motioned for the two servants to flip the stone over again, gesturing towards the center figure. "But the story goes on to tell of a warrior who vanquishes the two wolves and save the stewards, this much has been foretold as well. He and his lover will face the demons and prevent the end of all things from arriving. This is what will happen, so says the Wall."

Fjord studied the figure on the stone. It looked very similar to him, but also very different. The two ponies, or what he would later know to be alicorns, were both very different in appearance as well. What really caught his eye, however, was the amulet the pegasus held. It seemed to create an arc that allowed the figure to hold his sword to his side without the use of his wings or hooves. But he put it out of his mind, the resemblance was simply a coincidence. For Fjord Runner was the son of a soldier, and a soldier he would remain. He held no fancy for religions or prophecies, his place was on the battlefield. For soon he would be married to his lovely Spectrum Dancer, and all would be right in his world. At least until the sound of the warning bell rang throughout the hall.

"My chief!" A young, bloodied pony barged through the doors. "The Romans have invaded. We are routed, my lord!" He cried before a spear pierced the back of his neck as he fell to the ground. An older Pegasus with Roman-esque armour stood in the doorway, a snarling glare of pure killing malice frozen upon his face. He heaved the spear out of the dead colts corpse and prepared to charge the group of Nordic ponies.

"For the glory of the Empire!" He charged fiercely, only to be flung over onto the table by Fjord Runner in mid-charge. In one swift motion Fjord reached across his back, freed his axe from the belt around his waist and slammed it into the Roman Pegasus' chest, shattering his ribs instantly.

"Prepare for battle." He said with an angry smile on his face.

==================

Equestria: Present Day

Her coat and hat back on, Rainbow Dash took off from the ledge of the cavern, followed by the ancient Pegasus. He barely spoke to her, and the silence had slowly went from awkward to simply annoying. She had offered to take him to the train station so he could go home, but even with the offer he seemed less than enthusiastic.

"So, how long were you in that cave?" Rainbow Dash finally broke the irritating silence, but Fjord Runner did not answer. "You're really strong, do you work out? I've been known to pump a little iron in my spare time, not really ladylike, but..." She tried lightening the mood, but it was slowly becoming unbearably annoying. Finally, as Celestia as her witness, they reached the train station after about a half-hour of flying. Rainbow Dash trotted up to the ticket counter alone and set the bits on the table. Fjord stayed behind, looking up at the large train, a look of fear and fury burning in his eyes. He drew his axe and prepared to pounce.

"Two tickets to Pony--" She began as a loud thud came from the train. Fjord runner had jumped on top of the train and embedded the axe into the metal roof.

"Foul demon! Relinquish thy iron hide for the glory of clan Duntrot!" He shouted as he ripped the axe from the hull of the train and slammed it back down into a window. "Fellow ponies, flee! Flee for your lives!" He continued his assault on the "demon" as the other ponies ran in fear from the sight, but not Rainbow Dash. Instead, Rainbow Dash was content to stand there with her mouth hung open in horror.

Really? He's trying to slay the train now?"She face-hoofed before flying up to meet him upon the roof of the train. He swung his axe over his head to nearly miss a very angry Rainbow Dash.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?! You--" He didn't acknowledge her as he continued to bash the train's roof in with his axe. "Would you jus-" She tried talking as the axe swung back and forth, nearly hitting her each time. After several dodges, Rainbow Dash had had enough. She hauled her front hoof back and punched him as hard as she could in the jaw with one swing.

CRACK!

"Owwwww!!" Rainbow Dash fell down screaming as her left hoof began throbbing with pain. Fjord, finally out of his killing frenzy, looked down at the now injured mare.

"Lady Dash! Are you injured?" He asked with concern. Rainbow only broke away from the sheer pain in her left foreleg to glare at him with a stare that could kill.

I'm so going to kill you...She thought to herself with loathing.

================

"Listen well, Lady Dash. I humbly apologize for my behavior upon this...train a while ago. Such a device reminded me of one of the demons from the old mountains we used to hunt and defend out villages from. I ask that you forgive me." Fjord Runner pleaded with the mare as they rode in the train to Ponyville. One good thing about him was that there was no shortage of seats on the ride back. He had scared away the passengers. Rainbow Dash held her hoof close to her chest, still throbbing from the pain of the blow to his jaw. How in the world can a stallion be that hard, anyway?

"It's fine.." Rainbow Dash said flatly, turning her attention back to the Nordic pony. "But if you don't mind me asking, why did you..." She began, but started to blush slightly out of embarrassment. "Kiss me?" She finally asked. Fjord Runner heaved a heavy sigh before looking back at Rainbow Dash. They had time, obviously, as the landscape moved by. Slowly it turned from snowy mountains in the background to forests of green and grassy fields.

"I was told to endure the prison. According to legend, myself and my fiance, Spectrum Dancer, two pegasi from warring clans who fell in love, were to stop the end of the world from happening." He began. "The wizard who put me in there told me that only one who carried her blood could ever free me. When I awoke, I saw the most beautiful mare in the world before me, her Rainbow mane and sky-blue coat only to find out..." He sighed again. "You aren't her."

Beautiful, huh?Rainbow Dash grinned slightly, but showed her concern for the lonely creature. "Can you tell me how long you think you've been gone?" She asked him as he looked up at the ceiling, puzzled.

"Honestly, my lady. I do not know." He sighed again, looking back down at the floor of the cabin. Rainbow wanted to cheer him up somehow. Something about this stallion made her curious, almost insanely. Here stood a Pegasus from Celestia knows how long ago, who probably did a lot of badass stuff in his time. And he didn't look a day over Big Macintosh's age, either. "Also, if I may be so bold, what were you doing so far north? Visiting family?" He asked her.

"Yes! How did you know?"

"I may have been frozen in time, but my spirit has been able to see things occasionally. Ponies with the same coat and eyes as my beloved have come and gone from this land, but only one who matched her appearance. That mare was you." He said with a smile. "Though I know you would not be interested in taking her place as my wife, I would like to ask a favor of thee." He placed a foreleg around her shoulders, which didn't seem to bother her.

"I'm game." Rainbow Dash smiled.

"Help me find my place in this world again." He pleaded with her. "If the prophecy rings true, I know that I will be needed again, but until that day comes I wish to serve. To fight for my fellow ponies. To.." He looked at Rainbow Dash again, her eyes locked on his. She was the spitting image of his wife to be. From her unkempt mane to her beautiful magenta eyes she was everything he had fallen in love with.

And Rainbow Dash knew it.

"To one day find new love." He finally said. Rainbow Dash said nothing, only stared deeper into his bright, blue eyes as the train came screeching to a halt, knocking her forward and into his chest. Before she knew it her forelegs were wrapped around him in an attempt to not fall off the seat. She did everything she could not to blush as she flung herself back upright and to her hooves. The train's doors squeaked open while the passengers began to leave the train, except the two pegasi. Rainbow Dash chuckled slightly while Fjord Runner looked on with confusion. Finally without warning his mouth curled into a smile as he laughed alongside her.

"You'll find it." Rainbow Dash said as she motioned for him to get off the train. "Trust me." And with that they disembarked the train to the stop in Ponyville.

The Girl By the Forest

Part 4 - The Girl By the Forest

A cloud of smoke on the horizon greeted Fjord Runner and Spectrum Dancer as they emerged from the longhall to behold the sight before them. Pegasi ran in every direction to escape the ensuing chaos. Several Roman pegasi went galloping through the village, swinging dolabras and short swords at every mare, colt, and foal they came across. Scouts, from the look of it, took the city by storm as buildings began to burn.

"My chief! The outer farmlands have been overrun. My husband, he..." She cried hysterically as she fell to her knees. Brynhoof lifted her to her hooves, a stern look in his eyes.

"Fjord Runner, send for your father and gather what warriors you can to rally to the longhall." Brynhoof tossed a piece of parchment to the warrior and turned his attention to his own daughter. "Spectrum Dancer, take Star Chaser down to the river to collect water for a storm to put out those fires, and give us cover." She nodded as she took off, Fjord writing urgently and tossing the parchment to the unicorn steward who teleported immediately. ''Grimtrot, send out a search party to find out what we're dealing with outside the gates on the plains." A taller, sleeker Pegasi with a missing eye nodded just before running off to the tavern. "Forth, and fear no death!"

Brynhoof had his work cut out for him from the look of the smoke billowing from across the plains. He could faintly make out the shapes of two Pegasi flying towards the river to the East, one of which he knew instantly to be his beloved Spectrum. He had little time to think as a dolabra went soaring past his left flank, causing him to jump forward and draw his sword. The large pickaxe was heaved over the Roman Pegasus' shoulder in his teeth and he sent it crashing down in front of him again, just missing his nose. The warrior was unfazed as he thrust his shoulders up, sending his trusted sword up from his shoulders and into his mouth.

The mighty sword he had forged himself in his colt years had never failed him. Frozen Heart, he had called it, though never very imaginative in names, he had put every ounce of his soul into the making of that very blade. It was that same weapon that he had taken into battle against Clan Volsung and the blade he had met his lover on the battlefield with. And now it was time for it to serve him well again.

With one fell swoop he slung the blade down and cut the pickaxe in half before headbutting the Roman hard in the nose, sending him to the ground. Before he could defend himself, Fjord buried the sword deep into his throat, killing him instantly. As he watched his opponent die before his eyes, more Roman Pegasi came galloping towards him before taking flight in formation. A heavily armored stallion took the point as his fellow wingmen came behind him in a phalanx. Each one wielding swords and spears, the group of Pegasi came rushing towards Fjord with the intent to kill.

Before being caught off guard by a barrage of arrows.

The Romans fell to the ground, their wings pierced and spirits broken, and nursed their wounds until a second volley put an end to their lives.

"You're slipping, Fjord." Came a sweet, gentle voice from behind him. A young mare donning leather armor and wielding a longbow stood before him. Her coat was a brilliant yellow and her mane and tail pitch-black as night. Her name was Grace Wing, captain of the guard of the settlement, and his older sister. "Took years to convince the old stallion to finally make a permanent town, not going to let it die now, eh?" She smiled her smug smile as she handed a vest of chainmail to the warrior.

"How's our father?" Fjord said as he took the mail, slipping it over his shoulders and allowing his wings room to spread.

"He's fine, as per usual. He's preparing his armor and rallying the colts as we speak. I swear sometimes he cares more about war than his own kin." Grace said angrily. She had never gotten along with Bone Breaker, despite being the eldest of two foals. Perhaps it had been because he wanted a son as his first born, but instead got a daughter. Either way the two siblings were near inseperable in times of battle.

"We've got company." Fjord declared as another group of Romans came charging after them. Grace lifted a hoof and five stallions took their place beside her.

"Ready!" She cried, the stallions pulling their bows back and standing on their hind legs.

"Aim!" The Romans were not stalling. Nearly twenty Roman Pegasi continued their advance on the small band of warriors. It had become apparent that the scouting party did not make it back. They did not deter the enemy. They had made it here. But Grace showed no signs of backing down, not in front of her boys. She was one of the first female warriors in history, and she had a thirst to prove herself.

"Fire!" The stallions loosed their arrows.

==================

Equestria: Present Day

"Welcome to Ponyville!" Rainbow Dash made a triumphant gesture around her as they trotted into town. Fjord looked up and down the wooden and thatched buildings, and felt a sense of comfort wash over him. This town looked so similar to his village he had grown up in, even down to the roads, or lack thereof. For the first time since he had awoken, he was able to relax.

"Hey! Who are you!?" A pink mare shot out of Sugarcube Corner as the duo were passing by.

Well, so much for relaxing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before, are you from around here? Oh what am I saying, I've never seen you so you can't be from around here. I'm Pinkie Pie, but my friends call me Pinkie Pie because everypony is my friend. I bet you'll be my friend too, just like everypony else. And just like all my friends I always give them free treats on their first day in Ponyville, so here!" It took everything the ancient warrior had not to murder the pink earth pony where she stood when a tray of sweets all but struck him in the face.

"What in the name of the stewards are these?" He grunted at the concoction of bizarre looking foods. Some were colorful, some were plain, some were just sticky. He didn't want any part of them. Pinkie Pie didn't take no for an answer as she brought out another tray of food.

"Pinkie, how have you not been fired yet?" Dash looked at the now ruined sweets on the grass. "Hey big guy, I have to go meet Twilight about something. Think you can handle being by yourself for an hour or so?" Fjord looked up at the now inflight mare and frowned.

"If I must, but please hurry back." He pleaded, but she was already gone.

"Are you sure there isn't ANYTHING you like?" Pinkie Pie smiled and blinked her eyes adorably.

Stewards give me strength... He thought to himself.

Out by the Everfree forest, the Nordic warrior trotted along a path that stretched beside the trees. He was unsure of where he was, despite growing up near the woods all his life. He had to admit, he was surprised at how well the ponies in this land had tamed their surroundings, up until the great forest. It made him miss his home, his family, and most of all his beloved.

"My darling Spectrum..." He sighed. It wasn't fair that this had happened to him. His fiance ripped from his hooves, himself now cursed to roam the world alone until the end of days. His days, at least.

"Angel!" A voice called out. Faint, but he could still hear the voice of what sounded like a mare. Fjord looked around for what might be considered an "angel" until he saw a white blur in the distance. He ran towards it until he beheld the sight of a small rabbit being strangled by a snake.

"Foul beast!" Fjord stomped on the snake's tail, causing it to loosen its grip on the poor bunny. In half a moment he closed his teeth onto the tail of the serpent and flung it into the bushes. The bunny, gasping for breath, looked up at the golden-maned warrior and gave a huge sigh of relief.

"You are brave, little warrior. My sister once trained a rabbit to fight pests in our home. Your owner, it seems, is looking for you." The rabbit's ears shot up as it leapt from the ground and ran off into the horizon, beckoning Fjord to follow it. Fjord ran and ran until he saw a yellow mare with a pink mane and tail pick up the rabbit and take it inside what appeared to be a small cottage beyond the creek. Fjord crept up to the window to see the young mare putting the rabbit into a small bed.

"Oh you poor baby, you must be so exhausted. I haven't seen you all day. Why don't you take a little nap?" She said softly as the bunny nodded its head happily. The yellow mare did something very strange, then.

She began to sing.

Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head
Hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed

Fjord couldn't believe what he was hearing. These beautiful notes coming from this yellow mare were almost enchanting to his ears. Why, not even the greatest skalds or bards sang this beautifully. He felt he could listen for hours.

Drifting off to sleep, the exciting day behind you
Drifting off to sleep let the joys of dream land find you

"Such beautiful verse." Fjord whispered under his breath as the mare continued her song. Unfortunately, all it took was a whisper to startle the poor thing. "Oh, please continue. I love your singing." The female pegasus turned around shakily and saw the large stallion standing outside her window.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The mare shrieked as the window flew open, and several objects flew out of it. Pots, pans, pieces of wood, books, anything the yellow pegasus could get her hooves on went flying towards the Nordic pegasus in full force. "Get away from my cottage!" She shrieked again. Geeze, that beautiful voice turned into a wail of some evil creature in an instant. The bunny erupted from its slumber at the ensuing chaos and noticed the male under attack. The bunny leapt from its bed and smacked the yellow mare with one paw to make her stop. "Angel, what are you?" Angel ran outside the door and climbed up on the stallions back and finally the top of his head. "Do you know this stallion?" She asked. The rabbit began a series of impressions, first of it being strangled, followed by it puffing its chest out to look really tough, then of it biting the air and throwing its head around like a crazy pony. The charades finally ended with the rabbit falling down and hugging the stallion's ear.

"So you're saying you were being attacked by a snake, but this pony saved you and helped you get back to me?" The mare asked. The bunny simply nodded its head in response. "Oh, I'm so sorry for attacking you, please come in." She motioned for him to enter, which he did. The inside of the cottage was cozy and full of small animals of all shapes and sizes. Different bird houses and animal homes lined the walls and floor as turtles, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and other sorts of critters ran along the floor.

"I'm really sorry for scaring you, Miss..."

"I'm Fluttershy, and it's fine. I didn't realize you had saved Angel's life."

"It was nothing. My people treated the animals like they were our fellow brothers and sisters." He smiled. "Also, I must say that I loved your song. It reminds me of the bards in my village." He remembered the bards and skalds who would sing of great heroes long ago in the longhall, or traveling minstrels who played tunes along the roads. Such people were respected among the Nordic tribes, and Fjord had always dreamed of being a skald, a warrior poet.

"You...liked my song?" Fluttershy blushed as she smiled. "Do you like to sing?" She asked him. While he did like to sing songs, he had never been one to boast, nor did he know many tunes, save for a few.

"Well, I do know one or two, but..." Fluttershy was listening as she was putting Angel back to bed. "There's a song they used to sing us in my village, perhaps I could...?" He suggested. Fluttershy nodded and pushed the little bed over to Fjord. Fjord Runner cleared his throat and began.

We drink to our youth, to the days come and gone
For the days of darkness are now nearly done.
We'll drive out the Romans and restore what we own
With our blood and our sweat we will take back our home
For the day will arrive, when the sun comes alive
And the moon doth follow in the manner we thrive
And on the day of promise, when the wolves come to claim
Their prize, we won't let them, for them we shall slay
For the peace that we fight for is now nearly come
And the days of darkness are now nearly done.

Fjord's singing was incredible. Fluttershy was hanging on his every word as Angel fell fast asleep. Fluttershy was completely moved, his voice sounding like that of a warrior, but soft like an artist as each word echoed gently within her cottage.

"That...was beautiful." Fluttershy said softly. "What does that song mean?"

"It's an old song from a long time ago. My people believed in a prophecy, that one day two ponies would control the sun and moon. It is believed that when that day comes, two wolves will seek to devour them. But it has not happened." Fluttershy gasped, realizing what he meant.

"Do you mean the Princesses?" Fluttershy asked. "Princess Celestia raises the sun, while Princess Luna raises the moon and stars. Do you think--"

Fjord turned around quickly and caught her by surprise. "The prophecy has come?" He said with glee. "Oh glorious day! This means my chief was correct. The wall of the prophets, it was true!" He hugged the yellow mare tightly. "Dearest Fluttershy, when might I see these two Princesses?"

"Oh, umm, the Wonderbolts airshow. The Princesses are making an appearance there. I have two tickets, but Rainbow Dash already has a ticket so...Would you like to come?" She asked meekly. She had nearly forgotten in all the excitement over this stallion. Fluttershy searched her table for the pass to the airshow and gave it to Fjord Runner. "It's this afternoon, we can head out now if you want."

Airshows, cottages, rabbits, and trains. This world has really changed since Fjord was here. But if he went to this airshow, maybe he would meet these ponies of prophecy.

And see Rainbow Dash again...

Fjord Runner versus Soarin

Part 5 - Fjord Runner versus Soarin

It had been several hours before the Romans finally retreated from the village, or were dispatched there. Bone Breaker had come through, his one hundred stallions destroying every non-Nordic Pegasus they caught outside the village walls. Of course they left the serfs and Unicorns alone, though sadly some were caught in the cross fire. Back at the longhall the warriors nursed their wounds in anticipation of another attack.

"Grace Wing, are you alright?" Fjord Runner spoke as his yellow sibling wrapped a bandage around a bloodied left wing.

"Don't fret, my brother, it is only a wing. I will recover and fly again." She said with determination. That's what Fjord admired most about his older sister, that no matter what happened she always rose to meet the challenge. "Ah, thy bed warmer returns." She chuckled as a rainbow blur came rushing through the doors and into Fjord's arms.

"My darling! We have routed them. They say you defended the hall almost single-hoofed." Spectrum Dancer sang with glee as she pinned him to the ground, kissing him repeatedly.

"They exagerate. The victory belongs to my sister as well." He laughed, picking himself up off the ground and out of reach of his fiance's muzzle.

"Were it not for your sister though, the village would be unscathed." A deep voice boomed from behind them. An enormous Pegasus, black in coat and with a white mane, he stood a good few feet above even the chief himself. He was the former chief of clan Duntrot, now to serve as general of the current chief Bryhoof's army. Bone Breaker, the father of Grace Wing and Fjord Runner. "Were you not entrusted with its protection, Miss 'Captain of the Guard?'" He looked down on his daughter with contempt.

"Well, I tried, but our numbers were too few inside the city walls." She said shakily, trying to look her obviously disappointed father in the eye.

"Too few." Bone Breaker laughed. "You'd let the enemy bed you and take the village on a whim." He looked down on her. "Always you cast a poor reflection on me." He said with sheer disappointment, a look of contempt and hate in his eyes.

"That's...that's not..." She cried.

"You give her no credit, yet she tries to do your will, father." Fjord Runner finally snapped. Bone Breaker stopped his verbal assault on his own daughter and beckoned his son to join him on the other side of the room. Reluctantly, he left the side of his fiance and crying sister to join his father.

"Fjord, do not defend her. I know Grace's uses and they are few." Bone Breaker began. "But we have more pressing matters to tend to, my son. It is rumored that our very way of life is under attack. The Romans have begun their invasion." Fjord Runner looked down in disbelief. He had heard stories of the Roman Pegasi assimilating into other cultures, or completely invading them. Their children would become slaves, alongside their elders. The mares would be used for physical pleasures for soldiers, some even raped until they bore children bearing the blood of the Empire. Until finally they submitted to the Empire, or were crushed by it.

"Towns have fallen to the South, mares and foals herded onto ships like cattle, we cannot let that happen in the Hold. We must turn the tide here. We must defend our way of life." He placed a hoof on his son's shoulder. "Let us bring the fight to them." He smiled.

"No..." Fjord pushed his father's hoof away. "My place is here, with my people and my beautiful lover, not to the South." He trotted back towards his fiance and Grace, leaving an angry stallion behind. Suddenly the doors to the longhall burst open, and a messenger darted through.

"My chief! A message from the Romans!" He knelt as he lifted the parchment up to the hoof of Bryhoof. Without hesitation he opened the seal and unfurled the document. After a few moments he began to read aloud.

"To all Pegasi who defy the Empire. Let it be known that on this day we offer you a truce. We of the Roman Empire do hereby offer you full rights and privilages amongst the ponies of our mighty lands in exchange for a share of thy land and its bounty. I do desire to speak with your chiefs and to strike a worthy deal between your leaders and my generals. I shall await your response until the end of this week. Failure to comply will result in the immediate invasion of your lands and the enslavement of your mares and foals. Be warned, savages, we stand nearly five-thousand strong on this soil alone. Choose your answer carefully. His eminence, Commander Hurricane." Brynhoof finished reading the document with a heavy heart, and set it down on the table.

"What shall we do?" A voice cried out. Panic and anger swept the hall as Pegasi began arguing and fighting over what decision should be made.

"Enough!" The chief bellowed, silencing the hall. He turned to his steward, a young unicorn mare. "Magenta, bring me my pen, and a good piece of parchment." The mare bowed and ran to the next room.

"I want to make some things clear with this Hurricane..."

======================

Equestria: Present Day

It was quite the culture shock to Fjord Runner as he took his first step onto the streets of Cloudsdale. He tried to adjust to the entirely new structures and buildings. He was used to the ground and straw and wooden homes and stores, not whatever this was. He began to feel something, a bit of homesickness as he walked the streets with his new friend, Fluttershy. He missed his home to the North and his family. He missed the taverns where he would share stories and songs of valor with his fellow warriors. Most of all, he missed his beautiful lover, Spectrum Dancer. He knew in his heart that he would never see her again.

"Are you ok, mister?" Fluttershy's voice snapped him back to reality.

"Of course, Miss Fluttershy, I'm alright." Fjord chuckled. He wasn't alright, the sadness was finally setting in. He was all alone in this world.

He was the last of his kind.

"Are you sure it was ok to just abandon the guy?" Twilight Sparkle said with concern as she and Rainbow Dash took their seats next to the rulers of Equestria, Princess Celestia and Luna. Twilight had been invited by the princesses themselves to this, the anniversary air show of the Wonderbolts, and part of her didn't really want to be here. Although seeing Rainbow Dash ecstatic was enough to put her bad mood aside.

"Come on, Twilight. He's just a mopey mess, he's not going to hurt anything. The guy could barely fly when I first busted him out of the ice."

"What is this 'Nordic Pegasus' you speak of, Rainbow Dash?" Princess Celestia asked. In all her years she had never known about the Northern pony tribes that pre-dated herself and Luna. It was fascinating for her to learn something for a change.

"According to the books I've been reading, they're an ancient tribe of pegasi to the far north that specialized in weather control. You could say that they invented it." She began. "But just as Equestria had been discovered, they simply vanished off the face of the world. Not many museums even have pieces of their history except for maybe a few weapons and pottery." The idea of this foreign, almost unknown pegasus intrigued her and Rainbow Dash.

"I think I'll go look for him once this is over." She said softly.

"Miss Fluttershy, watch out!" Fjord grabbed her around the haunches and hauled her back before a blue blur could smash into her. Fluttershy smacked into Fjord as they went backwards into a stand of soveneirs. Wiping the debris from his mane, he saw a large pony in a Wonderbolt costume standing by another stand purchasing an apple pie.

"Owwww..." Fjord jumped up at the sound of Fluttershy whining, a scrape on her front leg. "Don't worry, I'm ok Fjord.." Fjord looked at her in shock as memories came back to him.

"Don't worry Fjord, I'm ok... Grace said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Her coat and mane were splattered with blood, her legs and chest quivering.

"Sister, you need to tell father-"

"Father is the one who did this to me..." She cried. "I failed in my duties, brother. I could not dispatch the bandits." She whimpered.

"Hey!" Fjord bellowed, bringing the entire events of the day to a screeching halt as everyone looked towards him. "You, in the blue uniform!" The pony looked over in an almost smug manner.

"What do you want?" Soarin asked, rudely. "Sorry if I seem rude, I kind of have a show to do and I need-" Soarin didn't realize it, but Fjord pretty much towered over him and was in front of his face within a few seconds of yelling. "Wow, you're pretty big."

"Do you know what you did?" Fjord grabbed Soarin by the collar of his uniform and hauled him a few inches off the ground, causing him to flap his wings furiously. Try as he did, Fjord's grip was too tight, and even with all his strength he couldn't break free. "You hurt that mare over there." He forced Soarin to look over at Fluttershy, still nursing her scrape. "Apologize, now."

"What is going on here?" Another pegasus in uniform came flying down to the street where all the commotion was taking place.

"You protect him?" He snarled.

"Soarin, who is this stallion? And why is Fluttershy crying on the ground?" She said in a concerned tone.

"I don't know, I almost crashed into her and-"

"You could have seriously hurt her, you fool. Now apologize and I might forgive you!" Fjord stepped closer to him and flared his wings. They were twice the size of Soarin's, and beautiful and golden. "Or..." He wondered. As easily as he could have crushed Soarin, there were laws his people followed for this sort of thing, and they might still apply to this day.

"We race."

All the ponies gasped and stared at the strange stallion in disbelief all at once. A newcomer was challenging the second in command of the Wonderbolts and was confidant about it. Even Fluttershy looked up from her wounded leg to wonder what was going on.

"You sure about that?" Soarin looked cocky as he flared his wings and faced the Nordic pony. "Ok, if you win I'll apologize and do whatever you want after that." Fjord nodded his head and thought for a moment.

"And if you win, I become your personal thrall for a month." He said confidently. "That means your servant in our tongue, by the way." He chuckled. The idea appealed to Soarin as he extended his hoof, his eyes burning with confidence and fearlessness.

"You're on."

The ponies all took their seats in the stands as the announcer came to his podium and opened a piece of parchment. Ponies of all ages had been looking forward to this, the day of the twentieth anniversary of the Wonderbolts.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts!" He yelled, which was met by a roar of praise from the crowd. "Before we begin the actual events, Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts, has a special event for you all." The crowd cheered again as Spitfire took the stage, her hood and goggles off revealing her entire head and eyes.

"Hello everypony, and welcome to the twentieth anniversary of the finest flight team in all of Equestria, the Wonderbolts!" The crowd cheered again. "Before we get started with our regularly scheduled air show, we have a little wager to settle." The crowd went from cheering to muttering in confusion as Soarin and another stallion came galloping out of the back gate. "See, we had a bit of an incident before the start of this event, and now these two are going to race to come to a conclusion. I don't know about you, but I'm curious to see how this turns out." The crowd waited in anticipation as the two stallions stood side by side at the track. One familiar, the other completely strange, yet both seemed powerful.

"Rainbow Dash, isn't that the Pegasus you found?" Twilight observed the large stallion beside Soarin. Rainbow Dash saw and immediately spat her drink all over railing before busting out laughing.

"Oh man, this is gonna be great! He's in for it now!" She cackled as they took their starting positions.

"On your mark." The referee declared as they both bent down to the ground.

"Get set." They each opened their wings and stepped forward, preparing to take off at the word to start.

"Go!" The referee waved the flag and the two Pegasi shot across the starting line like two bullets from a gun. Soarin was the first to take off as he held his position in front of Fjord.

"Having trouble taking off-" Fjord wasn't flying, but he was by no means falling behind. He had actually jumped from the starting line and was shooting across the clouds lining the floor of the arena, just under Soarin. "Hey! Can he do that?!" Soarin yelled. The referee only nodded his head, saying that it was still technically part of the track. Fjord wasn't tired, nor was he slowing down. He had finally jumped from the clouds to the wall of the arena and began running along it perfectly, just passing Soarin as he gave it all he got.

"They call me Fjord Runner for a reason, brother!" He shouted as he flapped his wings and finally launched himself from the wall. The stallion roared past the first leg of the race and shot up into the next part. Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped as she saw the weak flier she met pass one of her heroes with relative ease on his home field. Soarin kicked it into high gear as he flew as fast as he could to keep up. The stallions were climbing higher and higher while passing several obstructions along the path, such as storm clouds and random gusts of wind. Soarin might have been an amazing racer, but Fjord has something else on his side besides his sheer power. He had been born into a clan of weather ponies, after all. As they reached the top of the course, the third leg had begun.

Soarin, seeing it as his chance, bucked Fjord in the mouth before taking off towards the finish line, a straight, angle down several hundred feet. This barely phased Fjord, and he roared down the track and past Soarin, knocking him off the race track and into a nearby weather cloud. The referee prepared the flag as a golden blur rocketed past the finish line and crashed into the arena wall.

Fjord Runner had won the race.

A Spark

Part 6 - A Spark

The hall was lined with Viking warriors, stallions and mares brandishing their weapons carefully. Each one prepared to fight to the last stallion before their earls and chief. There sat Thunder Wing, earl of clan Scylfing to the South, Ironhide of clan Lotthbrook to the East, and Ice Veins of clan Amaranth to the West. Bone Breaker of clan Duntrot sat at the right hoof of chief Brynhoof the Great at the head of the long table. As all was in place, the great doors swung open to reveal a host of noble Pegasi trotting across the threshold. He stood almost as tall as Brynhoof himself, with his sky blue mane and white coat shining as the flames reflected against it. The Roman commander beckoned for a host of uniformed Pegasi to join him around the table, just opposite of the great chiefs. With a graceful bow he removed his helmet and bade the others do the same. As he sat, the others did so as well, when an older pony joined him at his side. The commander spoke something in a strange language, and prompted the pony to write it down in a small book laid before him.

"His eminence requests to know who is chief." The old unicorn translated. "He wishes to negotiate with only the most regal of ponies."

"I am chief Brynhoof. Patriarch of clan Volsuung. My daughter is lady Spectrum Dancer, and my son to be, mighty Fjord Runner." The Pegasus stallion spoke. "By my right as chief, you will speak in our native tongue and treat my people fairly." He said with authority. The commander chuckled as he moved his hoof in front of his translator.

"Very well, chief, we shall respect your customs. Soldiers! Lay down your arms!" He bellowed as his stallions obeyed. "Shall we negotiate, then?"

"Hurricane, have ya ever heard of a 'Roman Eagle?'" The great brown pegasus Ironhide spake from across the long table. "It was a little invention by my grandfather, you see. When your kind came here before the clans found peace, they seemed mighty proud of their little golden bird. So proud, that they would put it up on one of our most sacred temples to our god, Freyr." He got up and slowly paced around the table to one of the Roman soldiers. Eerily he crept up behind them and raised upon his hind-legs, resting his upper body between the two shaking stallions. "So, what we did..." He began. "We'd capture a few of the weaker ones, tie 'em to planks, and rip their lungs through their back and replace each and every godsdamn eagle on their homes with a very terrified, screaming colt." He laughed, though he was the only one who found it funny as the soldiers began to turn pale from fear. Ironhide chuckled as he made his way back to his seat. "Just something to think about." He grinned as he took his place at the table.

"Forgive him, sir. He's a little eccentric. The old stallion still clings to the old ways." An icy-blue mare. Ice Veins, said in a cold voice. "You may speak, now." Ironhide glared at his fellow earl in disgust.

"Very well, I won't pretend to have not heard that, but if I may begin." He rolled out a piece of parchment. "As you may have known, we were never fully able to take the Celtic islands to the West a hundred years ago. Since then, our Empire has been failing, and we have reached a most troubling predicament." Commander Hurricane began, but Thunder Wing raised his hoof in protest.

"Commander, if you seek asylum, why not simply take a hold in the new kingdom of Equestria to the South? You helped to found it, you have every right to make your homestead there."

"Believe me I know what I had done, but I will not share land with the lowest of Earth ponies, or Epona forbid those blasphemous unicorns." Commander Hurricane despised anything to do with magic, and held little respect for the Earth ponies who farmed the land. "I understand that you are like those ponies we failed to defeat, so we wish to join forces. All we ask is for a share of your land and bounty, and perhaps a few serfs wouldn't hurt..."

"You would have us give you slaves? I assure you, no child of mine will become a thrall to a foreigner, nor grandchild and so on. But..." Brynhoof began, scratching his beard with his hoof. "Perhaps you can earn your keep here, and gain those 'serfs' you desire." He smiled as the other ponies shook their heads in agreement. Even Fjord and Grace were pleased with the idea.

"Go on..." Hurricane said dryly.

"There is a kingdom to the west, where your stallions failed to take all those years ago. If you would don our armor and our customs, and go with a raiding party..."

"This is maddening, you will simply have my father killed overseas and claim he died in battle!" A young colt stood up, his face scarred by blades. He was the only son of Commander Hurricane, Zephyrwind. The chief nodded and turned to him.

"Son, be silent!"

"Very well, if that is the case then I will have you send your son. And on my honor, and the honor of our clan he will not be betrayed." Chief Brynhoof declared. "But, to make it fair, send your best soldier as well." An old, burly Pegasus stood up from his seat. Towering over Fjord, though not as thick with muscle, he was the strongest of the Roman soldiers.

"Storm Worthy, will you take this task?" Commander Hurricane asked, and the Pegasus nodded in agreement, though when he went to sit back down he gazed at Grace Wing from across the room.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Fjord asked his sister, who stood at his side. "He looking at your with lust, my sister?" She shook her head.

"Worry not, my brother." She said.

"I accept your offer." Commander Hurricane declared.

"I have one request, my chief." Bone Break said. "I wish for my children to lead the raid, Fjord Runner and Grace Wing." He said with pride. This struck them both as a surprise. He was showing pride for Grace, despite his constant belittling of her, he was asking that she be put in charge for once.

"I accept these terms, Brynhoof. What say you?" Ironhide declared.

"As do I." Ice Veins agreed. Thunder Wing simply nodded and grunted.

"Very well, what say you, Commander Hurricane? Will you hear my conditions now?" Commander Hurricane nodded. Your people are to be allowed to live within our villages, on the condition that they submit themselves to our laws. You will not take slaves, and you will construct a temple to our gods. Do you agree?"

Commander Hurricane nodded and passed the parchment to his scribe, who began to write. Within a few minutes, the document was finished and placed before the company.

"Let it be known that upon this day, the Roman Empire of Pegasi do hereby ally themselves with the Pegasi of the northern clans. Upon completion of their task of a raid to the isles, the Roman Pegasi will be admitted full rights and opportunities of the people of the North, on the condition that no slaves are taken and that our customs are respected. Should you agree to this alliance, sign..."

There was a large, blank portion of the contract. Each pony signed the document before it was carried away by the unicorn thrall that stood beside chief Brynhoof, to the disgust of Commander Hurricane.

"You have one day to prepare for the raid, be ready to leave before the sun sets." Bone Breaker said to the two Romans.

"Do you have to leave?" Spectrum Dancer kissed her lover on the cheek as she pressed herself against him. "I wish to be with you a little while longer." Fjord smiled softly as he kissed her back, taking her in his forelegs.

"Perhaps tonight, we could..." He smiled as he eyed her up and down. "Before I leave, of course." She blushed as she nodded in agreement.

"Once will not hurt, but after tonight I wish to wait until our wedding night." She said sternly. "I have waited this long, but after tonight my lust for you should be slated for the time being, and we will have a proper wedding night, my love." She smiled as she turned around to brush her tail against his snout.

"Go ahead, brother." Grace Wing laughed. "Find comfort in your bride to be, I must find a group of stallions worthy of this voyage, and some to keep those Romans under control." She flew off towards the guard house. Fjord beamed as he pushed Spectrum Dancer towards their home.

And the door was shut tight.

Equestria - Present Day

The crowd roared in delight as the Celtic stallion raised his head to meet them. With barely a bead of sweat upon his brow, Fjord Runner had bested the Wonderbolt's second in command. Not surprising, since he had been the son of a powerful war chief and a steward of the weather. Indeed, Fjord had been flying well before he could gallop, though he preferred to mix the two in races and the like.

"You know what you must do now, Soarin'." Fjord said to a panting Wonderbolt, now drenched in sweat. He expected him to be meek and defeated, but Soarin' only laughed as he raised his head to meet the stallion.

"You were awesome, dude! You sure I can't convince you to join us in our show today?" He beamed in delight. Fjord was taken aback by this as he never expected the loser of the race to be happy. He simply smiled and held his hoof out in a gesture of friendship, and Soarin' returned the favor.

"Alright, everypony. That was some race, huh? Stick around and we'll be ready to dazzle you in just a moment." Spitfire proclaimed through the megaphone before turning to the Nordic pony with a look of disgust. "You trying to upstage us, you newbie? Think I can't take you on?" Spitfire practically growled at him, but Fjord didn't back away from her.

"I have no business with you, mare." He said sternly, but only further ignited the fiery pegasus' anger.

"Mare?! Oh, sorry you big, strong stallion. Shall I prepare you a sandwich? Wash your clothes? Maybe have your children while I'm at it? Look at you, think you're superior just because you're a boy. I want to race you, I dare you to even try. Go ahead, treat me like one of the mares from where YOU live!" Soarin' and one other Wonderbolt were practically having to hold Spitfire back as she jerked towards him. Rainbow Dash lept from her seat to try and calm down the situation, not wanting to see the stallion in more trouble than he was already in. She half-expected Spitfire to tear into him before she even touched the cloud-floor.

What she didn't expect was for Fjord to bust out into a fit of laughter.

"Clearly you don't know our mares. If you thought I beat your companion badly, one should look for a replacement in my sister." He laughed as Rainbow Dash blushed embarressed. She had rushed down here to defend him, but he knew just what to say and how to take care of himself. Spitfire only blushed madly as her fellow Wonderbolts began to laugh as well.

"What the hell is so funny?!" She asked her teammates as she nearly took Soarin's head off with a sharp turn of her foreleg as she wheeled around.

"I only called you mare because I did not know your name, I apologize if I offended you in any way." He placed his hoof upon her shoulder. "For one's own knowledge, our mares are hardly treated any differently than the ones here. A bit more subordinate, but no less important." Spitfire nodded with some form of understanding, and allowed a faint smile to cross her lips.

"Sorry for the outburst, just kinda rubbed me the wrong way. We cool?" She extended her hoof, expecting a brohoof. Fjord only cocked his head to the side curiously.

"My friend, I am from the North, how can I possibly be cold?"

Rainbow Dash giggled from the side.

"Lady Dash!" Fjord suddenly jumped as he turned towards the blue mare and smiled. "I was hoping I would see you again, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good." She said as she rubbed the back of her neck with her foreleg. "I saw the race, you were really awesome!" She moved closer to him. "I've never seen anypony fly like that before, you were amazing." Fjord only smiled as he flared his wings as though to brag. "Hey, after the show, do you mind if we maybe go somewhere private? I kinda want to talk to you." She said as she blushed slightly.

"Of course." Fjord nodded.

With that Spitfire returned, and the Wonderbolts began their show.

The library was quiet, even for today. Twilight Sparkle had given them access to the entire treehouse for the day in order to do research. While a princess of Equestria, the eggheaded alicorn was incredibly curious. Rainbow Dash was more than willing to accept the task of learning more about the stallion.

"So, Fjord..." Rainbow Dash broke the silence. "Can I ask a personal question?" The Nordic stallion looked up from a piece of parchment, seeming curious about what it was before he tossed it to the ground. "How does one carve upon these things? One touch would scratch it."

"It's a scroll, you use a quill to write on it, not a... whatever that is." She pointed towards the chisel in his mouth. "Would you put that down?" She motioned at him as he picked up Twilight's telescope effortlessly. He looked into the device, and a second later he jolted backwards into the wall.

"By the ancestors!" He exclaimed. "The great sun is coming down upon us! The time of Hati and Skoll has come!" He drew his ancient blade from his sheathe and took a battle stance. "To arms, Lady Dash! Ragnarock is upon us!" Rainbow Dash face-hoofed the mother of all face-hooves as she put her hooves on his shoulders in an effort to calm him down.

"That's a telescope. It's used to view things very far away, dude." She sighed as he sheathed his weapon, disappointed.

"So much I don't understand..." He sighed as he dropped his sword to the ground. Rainbow Dash only looked at him and felt the same feeling she had felt when she first met him. His handsome features, his blonde mane and beautiful coat, they were a thing of beauty and power. Yet for all that, the stallion had a look of sheer pain in his eyes. Rainbow couldn't bring herself to look away, something about him seemed to draw her attention. He was handsome, very handsome, and he was from a time that ponies knew next to nothing about in Equestria. So much mystery surrounded Fjord Runner, and yet at times he seemed happy around her.

"When we first met, you kissed me. Why?" Rainbow Dash broke the silence. "I mean, a great powerful warrior meets a defenseless, and yes I actually use that word because I doubt I could take you, and halfway attractive mare alone in a cave..." She went on, "And you just kiss me like you'd known me or that I was your girlfriend or something." It wasn't like it was her first kiss, she had that about a year or two ago, but it was the fact that she had actually somewhat enjoyed it. The stallion smirked slightly and looked her in the eyes.

"Because, Lady Dash, I'm not like ponies you may have met. I do have standards, and you meet every last one of them." He said boldly as she smiled. "Beautiful, strong, agile, witty, and must I mention your eyes? You remind me so much of..." He trailed off as the smile faded from Rainbow's face.

"I look just like your wife, don't I?" She said as he meekly nodded. "It's cool, I mean I'm not sure if I'm the marriage type, but I wouldn't mind hanging with ya a bit. Sorry about Spitfire by the way."

"Regarding that, why so hostile towards me?" Fjord asked.

"Spitfire's a little protective of her 'close' friends. You kicked her boyfriend's flank easily and I guess the way you talked to her and made it like you were cooler than him got her steamed. You freaking won the crowd, dude. I have never seen a stadium in Cloudsdale cheer that loud since I was a filly." She laughed. "But anyway, I loved watching you kick Soarin's flank, made my day."

"You are happy that I defeated him?"

"A handsome stallion destroys my ex-boyfriend in a race? You better believe I'm happy." She grinned sheepishly, but then looked around almost ashamed.

"So, he was your lover once?" Fjord began to put the pieces together.

"Kind of, more unofficial than anything. Dating the co-captain and then ex of the one and only Spitfire wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He wanted sex, and I wanted a relationship. To make a long and painful story short, once Spitfire came calling, he was right back with her and I was left a used and broken-hearted-" Fjord ran his hoof through her mane and brushed it as she sobbed softly. "You know, until you I hadn't even looked at a stallion in THAT way." She giggled as she rubbed her eyes.

"In the way you would look at a lover?" Fjord asked.

"Yeah, but I mean you probably wouldn't want a non-virgin since you claimed you were waiting for marriage before I found you." Rainbow sighed.

"We of the North don't think like that. If it helps..." He turned to face Rainbow Dash and looked straight into her eyes and ran his hoof through her rainbow mane again.

"I would be honored to be your..." She closed her eyes as he moved in closer. This was it, she thought to herself as she felt her heart race and his breath soft and warm against her mouth. This was the moment when she would trust another stallion, and she felt ready. She wanted nothing more than to just melt in his arms and see where the evening took them. His lips moved closer and closer to hers until-

"Twilight?! You in here?!" The door burst open as a purple dragon came inside, holding a package and a letter attached.

"Dragon! Prepare to fall!" The stallion whipped around and drew his sword, knocking Rainbow to the ground.

Mood officially killed, Rainbow thought to herself angrily.

How NOT to train your dragon...

Part 7 - How NOT to train your dragon...

The cold winds ripped at the young stallion's body as he climbed the great mountain that stood at the tip of the North. While he was high in the air, he still felt an uneasy chill run up his spine as he climbed. One hoof in front of the other, he showed no fear for what is to come, his mane blowing in the wind and his body frozen to the bones. Allowed only a sword forged by his own hand and having completed his "vision quest" the stallion marched on with his only goal remaining.

Upon this day, he would have to slay a dragon.

It was to be simple, once done he would be considered a true warrior and clansman. But before that came the task itself, to slay a dragon and bring back proof of the deed. For dragons were considered sacred by the Pegasi of the North, and to kill one is to prove one's worth.

He reached the peak of the mountain, a crater within the side of the massive column of rock, and no sooner did he hear a great stirring in the ground beneath him as a large behemoth rose from the ice and snow. Oh how the dragons of the world had changed as this relic of the old pony gods rose and unfurled its massive wings and turned to face the stallion. Barely a teenager, the pony stared certain death in the face while the creature opened its massive eyes and gazed upon the initiate. He must show no fear, not even the tiniest bit of worry as he faced the great creature. True to the hammer and shield cutie mark that adorned his flank that marked him as a powerful warrior he stood ready to face this demon. The creature eyed him up and down as though to size him up, and grinned a vile smirk. Chuckling as the very ground rumbled beneath him, the creature straightened its neck and let out a huge roar that pierced the very clouds and awoke the gods.

And then absolute silence overtook him.

---

Fjord awoke in a cold sweat, his body trembling as he raised his body up in his bed. He could feel the sweat pour from his brow and neck while he felt his body continue to shake. He looked over to his lover, Spectrum Dancer, as she lay naked and peacefully unaware of his awakening and sighed. How he truly loved her, though it had been hours since their last love-making, it felt so much longer than that. He hated that he had to leave her for a while, but this time it was different. He was unsure if he would come back from this. The idea of two Romans accompanying them terrified some of the men that would be departing tomorrow.

"My love, what are you doing?" A mare's voice came from beside him as a messy rainbow-mane rose up and looked towards him. By the gods, she was beautiful. Her naked body shining in the moonlight as the covers rolled off her curves barely covering her flank. He wanted to take her so badly, but he was still shaken by his dreams.

"I can't sleep, my love. I'm worried about tomorrow." He finally admitted, breaking away from his trance from staring at his lover's body. "The very idea of outsiders accompanying us to the West is almost insulting. I feel they will betray us." He despised the idea and wanted to voice his protest at the meeting, but he chose not to for fear of his father's anger.

"Darling..." She kissed him softly as she wrapped her forelegs around him. "You are a great warrior and stallion. No matter what happens, you will return to me and we shall be married." He grabbed her waist and rolled her over on her back, her wings slowly spreading as well as her legs as he found himself between them. "What is it you always say before a voyage?" She breathed heavily as he moved closer to her.

"Never underestimate a Celt." He smiled as he kissed her neck, issuing a small moan from his lover. "I will return to you if I have to swim across the sea myself, I will return." He said boldly as Spectrum ran her hoof through his mane, her lover still atop her between her legs.

"You know, I am still having a hard time sleeping." He said with a lusty tone in his voice. Spectrum rolled her eyes as she inched close to his ear.

"Perhaps I need to tire you out more, my brave thane." She whispered in a sultry tone.

Equestria - Present Day

On the list of skills and tasks Twilight Sparkle had always given Spike, her number one dragony assistant, every day, dodging a flying broadsword was most certainly NOT one of them. The dragon fled for its life as the Nordic pony ran after him, cursing in some foreign language.

"Face me, dragon! I wish not for a battle to the death, but to test thy mettle!" The stallion ran after him, hoping for a remarkable battle.

"Rainbow Dash, your boyfriend is nuts!" Spike had climbed up to the railing that overlooked the main library and began throwing books towards Fjord Runner in an attempt to slow him down.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Rainbow Dash blushed as she yelled up at the pair while Fjord flew up off the ground towards Spike, shield in hoof.

"Wait? I'm not?" He turned around, worried until a large tomb hit him square in the side of the head. Feeling his head throb slightly, he only grinned as he gave a war cry. "Dragon! You truly show promise!" He chased Spike around, now outside running down the streets of Ponyville, laughing. "This is great! I haven't had this much fun in a long time!"

"You think this is fun? I'm the one getting hunted here!" Spike shouted, but couldn't help but snicker a little bit as he ran down the road while ponies dodged the boys chasing after each other. He had been scared at first, but after a while Spike realized he wasn't in any real danger, at least he didn't think he was. Finally Fjord tackled the dragon and held a sword over his victim. Without a single word, he plunged the sword down to the shriek of Rainbow Dash...

Only to see it was stuck into the ground.

"The Celt wins, my friend." He laughed, picking Spike up off the ground. "Though I must admit, you did very well for a baby dragon." Spike laughed as he fell onto Fjord Runner's back.

"Man, you sure know how to take on a dragon don't you?" Spike continued to laugh.

"Only the bad ones, my friend. It was customary for members of a chief's family to hunt dragons that had gone bad and earn the title 'Dragon.'" Fjord explained. "Dragons are considered sacred in my culture, Lord Spike, was it?"

"Well well well..." Spike seemed so sure of himself as he folded his arms. "Hey, can you give me some pointers on how to impress a mare? There's this one girl I really..." He began to blush a bit.

"Hey, I saw him first, Spike!" Rainbow Dash pushed the baby dragon off the warrior's back. She began to seem a bit uncomfortable with the other ponies around, and wanted nothing else than to get away from them. "Fjord, wanna follow me?" She flared her wings trying to be all cool, and Fjord followed.

"So, dragons eh?" Rainbow Dash and Fjord Runner sat atop a hill overlooking the town as the sun began to set. "Did you ever...you know?" She asked bluntly.

"Have I ever killed one, you ask?" He replied. "I have, it's a custom among warriors. Well, at least those of noble blood."

"You don't seem like you're of nobility. You seem like just a simple down to earth stallion." Rainbow Dash examined. "Minus the fact that you're clearly not used to not wearing anything." She laughed. She had managed to convince him to leave his clothing and weapons behind at the library. He seemed a bit uncomfortable at first, but after a while it kinda got to him. And by Celestia he was handsome. His toned body shone bright as his blonde mane cascaded down his back and around his face. She really wanted to be with him, to kiss him again.

"Sorry, it's just usually we weren't naked unless we bathed, slept, or made love." He explained. "A stallion is nothing without his armor, and between you and I it's hard to control certain...things around you." He chuckled as he blushed slightly. This caused Rainbow Dash to blush like mad as she turned away to avoid seeing anything she might not want to see.

Or something she might want to see, depending on what happened next.

"So have you ever...killed another pony before?" Rainbow asked, kinda knowing the answer already. Fjord only nodded his head, bringing another sigh from the cyan mare. "Right, you're a warrior. I forgot." She giggled. "Sorry it's just... Normally you only read about that kinda thing in books or in movies. To meet somepony who has taken another pony's life is just..."

"What are books and movies?" He changed the subject, hearing two words he'd never heard before. Rainbow Dash completely forgot her shock and busted out into a fit of laughter.

"Well, books are those things Spike was throwing at you earlier, and movies are-"

"Wait, those instruments are called books?"

"Well they're not instruments. They contain stories and you read them, for fun."

Fjord turned his head to the side in disbelief. "I think they work better as weapons, considering how heavy they are. Of course if we had those skills in my time we could have simply bored the Romans to death." He and Rainbow Dash looked at each other for a moment, and then fell to the ground laughing.

"Oh my Celestia, you are funny." Rainbow Dash laughed. "Hey, I have an idea and a good way to break you into modern society." She stood up. "Let's go see a movie together." She beamed.

"A movie?" Fjord asked, barely able to pronounce the word.

"Think of it as a moving portrait, or picture, or a memory that you view on a large wall. It's kind of a more recent thing, but it's pretty cool." The idea intrigued Fjord, and he rose to his hooves.

"Very well, tomorrow we set out to view the wall memory!" He declared while Rainbow rolled her eyes.

"Alright, settle down. Do you have any place to stay the night?" She asked him. He simply shook his head, and she threw a foreleg around him. "Guess I know where you're staying."

Rainbow Dash's house wasn't far from their location, and they reached her front door and turned on the lights. "Watch where you step, the house is kind of a mess." Fjord stepped around the empty bowls and glasses scattered around the floor. "I haven't had much time to clean, sadly. Been busy with stuff. Feel free to explore-" She couldn't finish as she noticed Fjord picking up her bowls and glasses off of the floor, balancing them on his wings.

"Where shall I put these?" He asked.

"Whoa, hold on you don't have to do that." She protested, but he already found the kitchen.

"Shall I wash them tomorrow for you, Lady Dash?" He asked her again.

"Dude, slow down." Rainbow Dash held up her hooves in a "dude, knock it off" gesture. "You don't have to do my chores for me, I can take care of it. Besides, I want you on the couch right now." He simply obeyed, though he had no idea what a couch was so he sat down on the nearest thing he could, knocking a lamp down in the process.

"That's...a night stand." She sighed and directed him to the large chair in the back of the room. A few minutes passed and Rainbow Dash came back holding two glasses of apple cider in her wings and gave him the larger glass. "Saved some cider from the last season, thought it would be a good occasion tonight." She smiled as he thanked her and took a sip. She could tell he enjoyed it because the glass was empty after about ten seconds.

"Oh by the gods, this beats mead any day. Why, the mead in my village is swill compared to this." He laughed. Rainbow Dash was pleased he liked it. "So, I take it I will be sleeping here on this 'couch' thing?"

"Well..." She thought. "You could sleep in my bed if you wanted to." She knocked her hooves together shyly, a little bit embarrassed. "But don't try nothing funny unless I say so, got it? Last time a stallion was in that bed..." She blushed mad. "Ok, you know what? Time to make some good memories in that bed. You, me, upstairs." She practically shoved him upstairs and into her bedroom.

"Rainbow Dash?" He said in a confused tone.

"Can you promise me something?" She asked, almost worried.

"Of course." He nodded.

"I've had a hard time trusting stallions since...well, you know. I wanna know I can trust you before we do anything." She fell onto the bed and patted the spot beside her as an invitation for him to join her. "So I want you to promise me, whether we do anything tonight or not..." She held his face in her hooves before dropping them to meet his forelegs.

"Promise me you won't hurt me like Soarin, ok?" He didn't have to say a word. Without a moment's hesitation he pressed his lips against Rainbow Dash's and kissed her so passionately she felt herself melt right there. She could feel her body begin to shake as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck, never once breaking lip contact as she moaned into his mouth. A full five minutes passed and the two were still kissing as passionately and romantically as when they started, until finally Fjord broke the kiss leaving behind a still puckering Rainbow Dash.

"I will never abandon you, Rainbow Dash." He said as he held her close to him, her chin resting on his chest and the top of her head rested below his chin.

"I'll trust you." She sighed happily as she felt his heartbeat race as he held her close. She was happy, and at this moment nothing could take that away from her.

And Fjord Runner, he had finally found a home.

Author's Note

I'm baaaaaaaaack!

Ok, so as penance for taking so long, here are two new chapters! We're reaching the halfway point, so hope you enjoy this, and I REALLY hope I get featured eventually. I'm working hard on this and would love to see more discussion on it. But alas, time for a few days of relaxation.

In the words of my ancestors, Slán go fóill! ;)

Loyalty

Part 8 - Ironback

Dawn broke as the first of the guards within the village finished their nightly rounds. The captain, feeling exhausted and wishing nothing else but to lay his head down for a short while, sounded the horn to call the stallions to attention. Door after door swung open as the Nordic Pegasi marched from their dwellings, leaving their loved ones behind to face what great unknown lay before them. Chief Brynhoof had called for none but the best and brightest warriors to undertake this voyage, this raid, upon the new world that Commander Hurricane spoke of. A land where all ponies, griffons, dragons, and all manner of sentient life did dwell, according to him it was a magnificent sight. Yet for all his boasting, the Romans were nowhere in sight, as Fjord thought to himself as he reluctantly left his home, the last of his people to do so.

"What troubles you, brother?" A familiar voice came from nowhere. Grace Wing, his only sister, came trotting beside him. "You seem distraught, was Lady Spectrum not to your liking last night?" She teased.

"Ah, Grace, but she was. Magnificent, in fact. All the more pain in my heart to leave her like this." He said with a heavy heart. Fjord knew that he did not want to undertake this voyage more and more as he ventured closer to their destination, the docks. There drifted two longboats fit for the finest warriors, only able to accommodate twelve each, which made Fjord wonder if things would run as smoothly as he thought. He had no idea how many would be coming.

"Brother, have a little faith, she is soon to be your wife after all. I truly believe she will be faithful." Grace consoled him. It wasn't the prospect of her being unfaithful that scared him, there was no question of her loyalty to him, and of his loyalty to her. It was the idea of not being there when he returned, or of himself never coming back.

"Well I'll be damned..." He said under his breath. The entire village had come to see the warriors off. Brynhoof must have made the news public just the other day, as within the crowd of hundreds of ponies there stood just eighteen warriors prepared for battle. He smiled to himself, knowing that a small band would be the perfect way to undertake this, and marched alongside his sister to the shores.

A small gathering of stallions waited along the coastline next to a large longboat, each one armed to the teeth in chanmail, wooden shields, and powerful longswords designed to fit perfectly along the foreleg or within the mouth. They numbered twenty in all, not including the two Roman Pegasi who chose to stay within their encampment until closer to the time of departure. Grace Wing, sister of Fjord Runner, stood at the head of the herd along with his brother and life-long friend, Ironback. The stallion was massive, his grey coat thick and tough as his mane cascaded around his shoulders. He gave a motion with his head for Fjord to accompany him to the longboats.

"Warriors of Clan Duntrot, of Clan Volsuung, and any other sons of bitches foolhardy enough to take on this voyage, listen well to the words of our finest stallion!" The tall, grey stallion proclaimed. He was a good head taller than Fjord, but knew when to respect his superior in combat as Fjord stepped forward. He had never been one for public speaking, but this time was different, the stallions needed a little boost to their morale after where they would be going.

"My friends, today we make history as the first Nordic ponies to reach the shores of the new world. Today, we embark on a journey to the land sired by the Earth Ponies, the Pegasi, and the Unicorns including the apprentice of the great Star Swirl the Bearded himself!" This sparked intrigue among the other warriors. It was no secret that despite the Pegasi's disdain for magic in the northern islands, Star Swirl was almost revered by them. Ever since his visit to the island and fought alongside their chief when he faced his dragon using only a longsword forged by his own hooves as is tradition, they honored him as one of their own. "I warn you, our destination will not be easy to reach, for a great spirit of chaos wreaks havoc over the countryside. I speak of a long serpent with the head of our own and the claws of various demons. And the Earth Ponies we may encounter upon those rocky shores may not enjoy our company, but we must hold fast for this shall be our glory!" The stallions stomped on the ground in applause while shouting in an ancient tongue. "From there, we set up our first city, our first step into the new world, and with the help of the Romans we face those demon-worshipping ponies upon the Western Islands. They have defiled our traditions, and by Freyr, by Epona, and by the strength of our ancestors, we will overcome them!" The crowd roared with cheers and stomps of applause once more. The entire village backing the twenty warriors who prepared for the journey ahead.

"Arise, my brothers, for Equestria awaits!"

===========================

Equestria - Present Day

Rainbow Dash awoke feeling well-rested, relaxed, and just a little happier than usual. It had been a very long time since she had slept in the same bed as a stallion, even though that really had been all they had done. She wasn't Rarity, she thought to herself, she had to be WITH the stallion for a while before that was even brought up. Someone like Rainbow Dash had to keep a somewhat clean reputation, after all, since she was terrible at keeping things private about herself. The Pegasus mare jumped from the bed onto her hooves and turned to see the side of the bed where her friend slept was empty. The mare began to wonder where he could have gone before making her way downstairs.

Maybe he went for a walk or something, she thought to herself before smelling something strangely good. She looked down past the stair rail to find her entire house cleaned from top to bottom, and a beautifully prepared breakfast of bread and what looked like fish sitting on a long tray on the kitchen table.

Rainbow Dash was speechless. Never once in her life had a stallion cooked for her, much less clean her entire ground floor. "Fjord, did you-"

"Miss Dash!" The stallion boomed from below the stairs, scaring Rainbow Dash. "I hope you do not mind, but I took the liberty of preparing you something to eat and fixing up your home. I pray that it is to your liking." He said kindly. Rainbow Dash only nodded and grinned as she walked closer to the food, smelling the perfectly cooked bread, the butter, and her favorite trout. It was no secret that Pegasi loved the occassional fish, and it was hard to find it in Ponyville save for a few select restaurants that catered to Pegasus ponies.

"Dude, when did you find fish?" She asked, still trying to take it all in.

"I caught them earlier this morning, around dawn. It was the least I could-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, you were up at dawn?! That's crazy! My hooves don't even touch the ground until after nine at least, and that's if it's not cider season." She said defiantly. But then she realized something that made her eyes shoot wide open. "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! Cider season! I completely forgot!" She rushed out the door fast enough to make Fjord's head spin.

"Perfect..." He sighed. "So much for that movie thing."

"Alright everypony! Last mug for the day!" Applejack yelled to the dismay of the other ponies. "Come on back tomorrow, and we'll get ya-" She tried to say but was stopped short by the arrival of the rainbow-colored mare. "Rainbow-"

"Applejack! I'm so sorry, I completely forgot about helping with the cider this year, I'll do better tomorrow, I promise. I've just been so preoccupied with this stallion that I saved from a frozen cave and I...I..." She said, but stopped when she saw a grin creep across the Earth pony's face.

"Sugarcube, you're alright. Twilight told me you'd probably be a might busy with this new stallion you've been seein'. Glad to see ya didn't let the thing with Soarin' kill your opinion on colts too much." She gave a wink. Rainbow Dash HAD promised to be there bright and early for helping with the preparations for the cider sales, she had even been promised a small barrel of her own for helping with the entire week of sales, though it seemed unlikely to happen now that she had missed a day, but perhaps AJ would be a bit forgiving.

"Ah, well thanks I guess." She stammered. "Well, I should probably be getting back, the big guy is expecting a movie tonight, and he did fix a really good breakfast." Applejack raised an eyebrow and snickered to herself.

"Wow, RD, he's that good, huh? Did you..."

"Oh?" She asked, then blushed. "Oh! Oh, nononono!" She shook her head. "Not that kind of pony, AJ, you know that. But man I wanted to, his smile, his long mane, you know not many stallions have manes that long these days it looks so...so brilliant. And he's tall, oh so tall, and he's handsome, and he knows how to cook and clean and fight and-" She could have gone on and on, but Applejack stopped her.

"You really should be getting back, sugarcube. Sounds like a keeper." She laughed. "Just try not to repeat what happened with Soarin', ok Rainbow?" She placed a forehoof on her shoulder. "I know ya do still have some trust issues to work out, but maybe it'll be ok." She smiled, and she was right. Even to this day, the fact that Soarin' had acted so nice to her just so she'd sleep with him, and then dumped her for Spitfire still hurt Rainbow to the point that she almost never wanted to date a stallion again. But there was something different about Fjord. She couldn't put her hoof on it, but he seemed more loyal than other ponies, almost like he matched her sense of loyalty and commitment point for point, and it made her so happy. She didn't say a word in reply, Rainbow only nodded and flew back towards her home.

Back to the stallion she was determined to try and trust.

Author's Note

Kind of a boring chapter, but there's plenty of action to be had in the next, and it's a long one too. :)