Sneaking into the store, Rose passed Triage, who had taken to sleeping down in the main room to keep out the rabble that occasionally tried to mess with Rose’s herd. The hippogriff’s impressive strength was simply unmatched, even by the earth ponies in town. Trotting up the stairs, the green mare walked into her room, to tell Moon Herald and Pyrelight what was going to happen.

Practically stampeding into the room, Rose saw that Moon was comfortably in the embrace of Pyrelight, who was stroking his mane soothingly.

“Sorry to ruin the moment, but we’re being forced to leave, for good this time.”

Moon Herald, for the most part, was healed, so it wasn’t too much of a problem. Pyrelight’s bruise from a thrown brick (they never did find out who threw it) had faded for the most part, and Rose herself was officially being exiled.

Moon didn’t seem too troubled by the news, instead squirming a bit to sit up on the bed. Pyrelight also looked up.

“I have to agree with Moon Herald, this doesn’t seem to change our plans much.”

“Well, pack your things because we’re leaving tonight.”

Rose let out a slight huff and hitched her pack up, it patched heavily from an incident with the locals. Pyrelight began moving to clear up her own supplies, and Moon looked around, feeling useless. After a moment, he asked a question.

“So... is there anyone here who can actually fight?”

Rose stopped for a moment, realizing that neither she nor Pyrelight had any real combat knowledge.

“I- I’m just asking, because bandits, and stuff...”

“Well... I can bark, but I don’t have much of a bite.”

Pyrelight and Moon Herald just looked at her for a moment at her odd choice of words. Rose just waved the moment away before continuing.

“Never got into a real fight before actually, usually I can just talk my way out of it or something.”

“Well, maybe we can find a freelancer? We have some money, at least, from the stuff you’ve made.”

“Freelancer?”

Rose cocked a brow. Moon, trying to explain, searched through his banks of terminology.

“Uhm, you know what a mercenary is, right?”

“I think so...?”

“Mercenaries are armies that fight for money, instead of loyalty to a holding. A freelancer is basically a singular mercenary, a lone person who fights on someone else’s employment. Mercenary companies cost more, and, well, they’re entire armies, but freelancers are just a person or two who fights because someone else pays them.”

Moon Herald stopped for a moment, and thought about how to explain further.

“Uhm, like guards you can hire. I probably should’ve started there.”

“Probably, but you learn something new everyday I suppose.”

The green mare said shrugging her shoulders.

“C’mon, we better hit the road before the locals get wind of what’s going on.”

Moon and Pyre nod, and Moon turned to Rose.

“Well, I, personally, think we should get a freelancer involved, if only because they tend not to care about locals. Unless the booze is really good. At the very least, that’s how it’s been for a few centuries of warfare and politics.”

“I guess, but how do we know if we’d be able to trust him? I mean, for all we know he could kill us in our sleep or steal whatever bits we have left.”

“Nah, freelancers wouldn’t get jobs if they did that. A freelancer showing up in a city with a lot of money and no client is a major red-flag ever since Blood-Plate the Brutal did just that for over a decade. Most cities are ridiculously paranoid about it happening, so it’s very unlikely.”

“Blood-Plate the Brutal? Someone obviously love thier child...”

“Well, ‘the Brutal’ is just a title he earned, and it’s dubious that Blood-Plate was his original name. Still, he earned it in the end.”

Moon Herald shuddered slightly. Rallying himself again, he went back to explaining to Rose.

“Just... go with the freelancer that isn’t being showy or flashy, they’re usually new. And don’t offer money up front, let them make the offer. The good ones will ask for a couple hundred gold, and can be haggled down a few dozen.”

“How many bits do we have left?”

“Ah... I think, at last count, after the fines, we have about...”

Moon did some quick mental calculations.

“Only about eight-or-nine thousand gold pieces. Somewhere in that range.”

His expression was serious, but Rose had seen a single gold purchase food for more than a week.

“That’s... A lot.”

“Not really, a standard contract stipulates twenty gold a day for a minimum of a week. That’s a hundred and forty gold pieces for the lowest grade of freelancer. Most mid-graders that aren’t part of a union or guild will charge closer to fifty, or maybe eighty a day.”

“Oh... well, we’re only gonna need him for a few days, at least until we can get out of dodge.”

Moon didn’t look like he agreed, but nodded anyways. As Rose was close enough to him, he reached out and embraced her, nuzzling her cheek affectionately.

“Just be careful, alright? I don’t want to lose you, Rose.”

The mare nuzzled him back, putting a hoof on the back his neck to bring him close before giving him a kiss on the forehead.

“Don’t worry Moon, you’re talking to the only and only Rose. Nothing can hurt me, remember?”

Moon just looked at her worriedly, but he cracked a smile and kissed her on the nose.

“C’mon.”

She ruffled his mane before turning to Pyrelight.

“You all ready to go?”

“Actually, it will take a little longer to gather my supplies. Perhaps you should go hire this freelancer while I finish packing?”

Pyrelight’s argument made sense, and it would be nice to have some protection on the road.

“Oh, alright. But where are we even gonna find one?”

Rose huffed, not wanting to admit that they were in need of help. Moon looked over to her as Pyrelight thought for a second.

“Go where any seasoned warrior visits in their spare time; the bar.”

The local bar was fairly large, given that it also served as an inn, and a job-posting area. Odd-jobs posters were tacked up on every available surface, listing the payment and details of the jobs or providing a picture-listing on how to get to the person to ask about the job (for those who couldn’t read).

Rose had looked around for the sorts of ponies Moon had described in detail just before she left. Though he’d mentioned his knowledge was at least a decade out of date, but the processes of identification hadn’t changed too much in a century, so it was probably alright.

Four prospective possibilities had been interviewed, and they had all either been too eager for the job (meaning they likely had no experience and wanted to prove themselves) or refused to sign on for less than a month, which would bankrupt Rose’s tiny herd.

Finally finding herself out of ponies that matched the criterion, Rose wandered to the bar. Having worked in a bar previously, she’d had the time acquaint herself with some of the sweet alcohols of the lands.

Ordering a large mug of something called an Apple Haybale, made from, well, apple- and hay-based alcohol, Rose prepared to drink slowly, knowing this particular drink well. It could hit you hard if you didn’t watch yourself, a bit like a hay bale to the head.

“Wonder if hiring a bodyguard is really a good idea.”

The mare muttered to herself, taking a sip.

“A bodyguard? What do you need such a thing for? You carry a volcanic blade, after all.”

The voice that spoke up was deep, but soft. It held some sort of majesty to it that Rose had never heard, and it felt like all the other voices in the bar had become muffled. Continuing to sip from her drink, she spared a sidelong glance and saw a fairly unimposing pony next to her, draped in a simple gray cloak over elaborate, but poorly maintained armor.

“Yeah, but my herd would feel safer if we had one.”

She took a larger sip.

“As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not invincible.”

“The path to wisdom is littered with faults. What training do you have with that blade?”

The stranger’s voice was very even, and calm, but he’d put away two steins of a much stronger set of spirits while she’d looked him over. The only reason she could tell it was a he was that almost all the mares she’d heard had sounded female, and this pony definitely sounded male.

“Enough to scare off anyone who crosses me.”

The stranger chuckled, and downed another large stein of alcohol. Sighing, he spoke again, his voice making her feel oddly comforted, though she wasn’t entirely sure why.

“If that were so, then what does your herd need of a guardian? And what has prevented you from finding one here? Most of these souls are at least fairly competent.”

“It’s not enough for them...”

Another big gulp.

“As for the guard, none of them fit my standards. They’re either too expensive or too green.”

The stranger chuckled again and waved for another set of steins to be set before him. While she couldn’t see a horn or any signs of wings or anything, she was fairly certain that he wasn’t an earth pony. And as such, that amount of alcohol should be doing something to him.

“So, you need somepony who is both experienced and funded enough to accept a lower price? I’ll admit, I’ve seen a lot, but a cheap, good mercenary isn’t one of them, even... even when I was warrior.”

His voice sounded pained on the last five words, and he immediately set about demolishing another pair of steins.

“You sound glum.”

She followed his antics with another sip. He sighed once more, polishing off his seventh stein of the evening.

“I have not much to do these passing seasons. No lord or master, no pull or needs. I- I suppose I could be your bodyguard? I truly have nothing else to do. If you would like my record, it is long and very boring at times.”

“At times? Is there something interesting on your record that I should know about?”

“Oh, nothing much... just a few dragon-slayings, heroics of varying types. They grow... tiresome, I suppose, with time. Too much of anything, as they say, is too much.”

“Well I have to say, you certainly have gotten my attention.”

She turned to him, finally getting a good look at him. The figure was solidly built, but largely covered by the gray cloak he wore. Both it and the armor it covered seemed to be old and travel-worn. The armor, barely visible through the thick cape, looked elegant and very high-quality, just very poorly kept. The hood of the cape still obscured his head, but a few wisps of soft-looking golden hair.

“You’ve been around, haven’t you?”

The way she said it made it sound like more of a statement, still slightly unsure of whether or not to trust the stallion.

Chuckling some more, the mid-sized male chugged another stein, nearly finishing off his present round.

“One could say that. I don’t have any particular need for money, so perhaps I could simply accompany you out of boredom? You get a free guard, I get something to keep my mind off of... things.”

As Rose though for a moment, the pony grabbed the last stein he had and threw back the entire stein of alcohol. In the process, his hood slipped back, revealing an exceedingly handsome face, graceful but strong.

The entirety of his mane was the softest gold, and spilled back from his head and neck to fill the inside of the hood. Rose was incredibly tempted to play with it, and had to stop herself from squealing as she saw that he had a beard and even a moustache. They were a little scraggly, and so was his mane in places, but they looked well taken care of. The soft gold of his hair provided very little contrast against his white coat, which seemed almost to glow softly in the dim light of the bar.

As he opened his eyes, she was amazed at what she saw. Vibrant irises of the purest royal purple encircled his pupils. The smile he wore, though, she saw did not quite reach his eyes. His eyes, in spite of their beauty, held a deep well of sadness.

She blinked in awe for a moment before clearing her throat and turning back to take another sip of her alcohol, about to bring it to her lips before suspecting that she might have beer goggles, setting it down automatically.

“If you feel that you would enjoy our company, and umm...”

She cleared her throat again, trying to keep her mind clean and her tone sophisticated.

“Feel that you would be of use to us then, I suppose you could tag along. We are a small group, so it wouldn’t be much of a task really.”

The almost impossibly handsome stallion just nodded and threw his hood back over his head.

“Well, I suppose we should at least be acquainted by name, then. My name is Custosael, and I am at your service, m’lady.”

He bowed and gently raised her hoof to kiss it, making her feel a little flushed. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable one.

“Y-you got a nickname?”

“Ah... you may call me Keeper, if you would prefer.”

“Keeper? Keeper of what?”

“Nothing that is of any importance anymore.”

His sad words aside, he seemed competent... and rugged. Rose mentally slapped herself for that one.

“Well then, Keeper, you can call me Rose.”

She gave him a slight nod and smile, solidifying their deal. He nodded back, and they sat back down to let Rose finish her own drink (she had paid for it, after all) and chat for a little while. Expecting her herd to be ready, she and her new bodyguard hoofed it back to the small clinic, the freelancer picking up a saddlebag and slipping it on along the way out.

Moon Herald and Pyrelight both greeted Custosael courteously, and the four of them prepared to move out. Moon could walk again, so that proved to be nothing more than a slowing-down of the procession.

Two days later, they’d traveled a good long distance. Custosael never seemed to sleep, and even made breakfast for them most mornings.

“I know I have not had much chance to speak with each of you, but I would like to converse while you all eat, if that would be alright?”

The only reason that wasn’t suspicious was because the guard regularly wolfed down his food as soon as it was ready, and he always made his last. He still finished first, however, every time.

Pyrelight and Moon Herald both shrugged in response, and turned to Rose for confirmation. Rose only nodded, her mouth too full to speak.

“I have noticed that your group appears a little mixed. Is there any reason that a Salamander has left her home? It is a very rare thing, and I am rather curious about it.”

Pyrelight looked up at Custosael in shock at the use of the word ‘salamander’, prompting a short huff of amusement from the ever-armored warrior.

“Yes, I know of your kind’s old name. Still, I must wonder what prompted you to seek the company of other races. I have always known Salamanders to be very... insular.”

Pyrelight nodded in response, thinking to herself for a moment before speaking, slower than usual, as if to choose her words carefully.

“Several years ago, a small family of earth ponies, three adults and a child, were driven to the mountain territory my own clan had claimed as territory. I- I am not sure what had pushed them into the clan’s lands, as we were well known. But the clan’s aggressive elements immediately assaulted them for the trespass, intent on killing them.

As Pyrelight continued to speak, the shadows from the fire danced, forming the shapes of the things she spoke of, one by one. They were beautiful representations, each a clear outline of what they were meant to be.

“I saw what they had chosen to do, and felt it was unjust, and refused orders from my peers to assist in attacking frightened family. They- they turned on me. I took the assault gladly, though, as it gave time for the family to escape. I fled into the forest at the base of the mountain, and began travelling. Eventually, I came to the Dark Forest, and became trapped by the Mother Wisp that dwells within.”

“Rose, here, arrived, chased by the same wisps. By that point, I had found another way out, and used it on occasion to forage for food.. but that is not the point. When I saw Rose and Moon, I felt a yearning I had not experienced in a long time. I was lonely. So, I asked to join them, as Rose quite obvious cares for Moon Herald, and him for her. I am honored she has admitted me into her herd.”

Pyrelight’s story finished, the mare sat back, as if to avoid questions. Custosael and Moon Herald both nodded appreciatively at the story, while Rose sat in thought about it. It certainly explained a few of her own questions.

She plopped the last of her food in her mouth and gave it a few chews before swallowing, a few things crossing her mind.

“Well, we’re glad to have you with us, Pyre.”

The fire-colored mare smiled and blushed a bit, looking down at her hooves, but leaned into the contact slightly.

“Well, that does explain that well enough for me. Though I do not understand why your clan would be so... ‘narrow minded’ as to cast you out for doing the right thing, I must commend you for the valiant action you took.”

Rose crossed her hooves.

“I’m going there to try and smack some sense into the ruler. Over in the last town Moon was- um...”

The mare glanced over at Moon, seeing him nod at her to continue, as he pressed a little more closely to her side.

“He was taken forcefully by a mare. And needless to say, it wasn’t welcome. At all.”

“Understandable. I had seen some of the reactions to what the medical merchant had done. While I was not very surprised by the reactions, it did dishearten me to learn how many were in favor of her side of things. I had not known that you three were the injured party, however.”

“And that’s why we’re going to the capital. Even if that bitch is sent to death there are still ponies out there who think of stallions as just things for pleasure. It’s not right and it has to be fixed.”

The stallion nods in agreement. The four sat in silence for several moments. Custosael began to put away the cookware, and pack up the utensils and the like.

“Anyways, it shouldn’t be too much farther, right Moon?”

“So, you’re telling me that we don’t even know where we’re going?!”

“What? No, no, I know where we’re going, just not how far we’ve gone towards it. There isn’t a lot of landmarks around here, you know.”

Rose groaned, and Moon patted her on the back as she spoke.

“Looks like we have to get a new set of maps in the next town.”

“I, uhm, don’t think there’s going to be any cartographers in the next town. If I remember, the next town is ‘Crafter’s Folly’, and they’re mostly a bunch of miners, I think. Well, miners and metalworkers, with some stonemasons as well. At least, they were about fifty years ago, so I doubt that’s changed much.”

“Well, at least there we’d have something to do. But no maps doesn’t leave us in a good place.”

She tapped a hoof to her chin.

“What about the next town over?”

“Uh, after that... I think the Fae Island should be passing by the road around that time, provided we don’t take too long. They might have a map, but I’m not sure we’d want to be buying from them.”

Rose cocked a brow.

“Is it like in the town we just left?”

Moon shifted uncomfortably on the log next to Rose before answering.

“Ah, no... but dealing with the Fae is always risky. It can be really rewarding, but it’s always a gamble.”

“I would rather we avoid the Fae races. They may hold to the letter of their word, but very rarely do they hold to the spirit of such laws.”

Custosael’s response was curt and sounded slightly upset, as if he had some sort of personal grudge against these ‘fae’.

“Right, uhm... well, first things first, we gotta get to the town first. At least there me and Pyrelight could earn some coins and maybe replenish our supplies.”

“That would be prudent. I may not be costing you anything as pay, but having funds to spend in an emergency is a wise precaution.”

“Alright, then its settled. Me and Pyrelight will take care of the supplies and coins while you and Moon scope around for maps.”

“That would be satisfactory. Also, Ms. Blackhoof, I believe you expressed some interest in sword training?”

“I did? Oh yeah, when I first met you. Yeah, uhm, what about it?”

“Perhaps tomorrow morning, we might commence with the first lesson? I believe just before breakfast would be a good time.”

“Before breakfast? I guess... but don’t expect too much.”

The warrior just nodded, and the group finished packing fully. They had eaten well, and every one of them began to move out once more. Over the two days she’d been around him, she’d come to respect the quiet strength of the stallion. He had started to take the weight the others couldn’t, carrying much of the cooking equipment from Pyrelight and making it so she could carry more of Moon’s burden.

And speaking of Pyrelight, she’d been getting more... sociable. Maybe not so much on the speaking end of things, though the fiery mare certainly had the ability to keep talking if she felt the need to. But she’d been much more likely to nuzzle and be near to the others, and Rose had occasionally stood next to her just to be enveloped in the warm aura the circling servitors held.

“You okay over here ‘Light?”

“Very much so, Rose. It is turning to be a good day, isn’t it?”

Pyrelight certainly seemed calmer at this point, and Rose found herself the target of a nuzzle from the warm mare. It was a little thing, really, but the contact always made Rose feel a little better. And warmer, but that was to be expected, the morning was rather cool, after all.

“Do you think tall, light and handsome will actually be able to teach me how to use this thing?”

Rose hitched her sword up, putting it back into place, it having fallen slightly from the long travel. The sword belt was magnificently comfortable, but she wasn’t sure how to put it on herself, and she had yet to ask for help yet with it.

“I believe so. He carries himself with confidence, much like yourself. It’s a sort of grace that seems to come naturally to you both.”

“I don’t know if ‘grace’ is the best word to describe me, ‘Light. I have four left hooves ya know.”

Pyrelight snorted with mirth. A moment’s thought brought her to a revision of her thoughts.

“Well then, it is a beauty that I can admire greatly. And it does come naturally to you both.”

“I guess, but come tomorrow morning, you’re gonna see a form of ‘grace’ that is, well... not very pleasant.”

Rose shuddered at the thought of training. She felt a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, and turned to see Pyrelight smiling at her warmly.

“Rose, I am sure you will do fine. There is not a thing you cannot do if you believe in yourself. Other than fly or cast magic; those require special organs and specialized powers. But you can at least be the best of yourself.”

The brief moment of silliness did a good deal to alleviate Rose’s stress by a great deal. Pyrelight might not be a fount of good cheer, but she had her moments.

“Thanks for the enthusiasm.”

Rose said sarcastically with a laugh. It never crossed her mind before, but things seemed so much more peaceful and overall more joyous now that Pyrelight was coming out of her shell.

The response she got was another nuzzle, making her flush a bit. Pyrelight was certainly more snuggly, and that was a good thing in Rose’s book.

Author's Note

I'll give ten points to the first person to guess what Custosael is who hasn't been told what he is.

Anyways, thanks to the usual folks for the barest hints of editing and for the wonderful roleplaying.
Seriously, thank you, if you're reading this note.