//-------------------------------------------------------//
            The God of Sleep Has Made His House            
                     -by dagobahgreen-                     
//-------------------------------------------------------//
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 1. What does it profit a man to gain the world but forfeit his soul?
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 1. What does it profit a man to gain the world but forfeit his soul?
Rain.
Fucking Rain.
It's so fucking annoying sometimes. Especially during a job.
I knew what my orders were: climb and enter the tower, and kill the target by any means necessary. But by sweet merciful Satan, It would have been a lot simpler if it wasn't raining.
The rocks were cold and slippery.
You could barely see a damn thing.
Chances were that there were going to be a shit load of baddies inside, and I wasn't looking forward to them hearing the water drip from my body and armor.
But most of all, my hair kept getting in my face. I really need to get it cut one of these days. But, have you ever tried to find a barber in northern fucking Griffin Kingdom? I mean, shit, they don't even have hair to cut (minus their furry bodies, but I digress). I have to go all the way to horsie land Equestria to get a decent cut, or at least one the southern cities where there were some ponies with actual hair upon their craniums. But still, to travel miles and miles just to get a haircut?
Fuck my life.
And this was a solo mission, as well. Usually they would send us in threes, or at the very least pairs. That would have made things even more simpler. Well, less boring, anyway. At least I wouldn't be stuck in this fucking rain, alone.
It's always interesting to see who they pair me up with. Most of the time, I get set up with the Young Bloods, who have yet to be broken in to our line of work. Most of them haven't even killed a single animal, yet alone a fellow being of sentience. Their reactions always vary from griffin to griffin. Some weep and moan wildly. Others sit in solemn silence, quietly reflecting their actions, hanging their heads in shame. Others grin manic grins, for they have tasted the bloodlust that fuels their twisted thirst for gore.
Me?
I've always had a neutral reaction when I took a life.
I mean, I didn't go out of my way to ram a sword through some unlucky creatures head, but it didn't necessarily bother me, either. It actually scares me a bit that I don't feel so bad when I cut someone to fucking bits.
I guess that's why the King sends me on most of these kind of missions. I kept my head and wits about me, and could move as stealthy as a griffin. I'm not that much of an asshole; I'm capable of mercy to an extent. But I can always kill the living shit out of anyone or thing with extreme prejudice.
That's what I'm good at, sadly.
My art is the art of the slaughter, the sing-song of swords clashing, painting the field, the walls, and my blade the color red. I wish I was better at something else. Poetry, music, hell, even comedy; something that didn't involve sticking a knife into some poor fuck's neck. I even tried to take up painting. Fucking painting. I know, right? Yet, when it comes down to it, killings my game, and at the very least, I take comfort in the fact that I kill for my king and country, and not because I'm some sadistic bastard. Well, bastard, anyway. When the king asks me to interrogate someone, I think I go a little bit too overboard sometimes. But, hey, if you can't take the punishment, than be smart and don't threaten our fucking kingdom.
But I would never do that to an innocent, nor have I ever taken an innocent life. That's not my game.
Thunder booms.
I look around.
It's gotten pretty dark already, and a light flashes in the top room of the tallest part of the keep before me.
That's my signal. Time to begin my ascent.
I tighten the leather, fingerless gloves on my hands and the sword belt around my waist. Everything is secure. Everything is perfect.
Besides the rain. Fuck the rain.
Lightning flashes, illuminating the landscape around me.
Trees and stones are everywhere. And before me lay the ruins of a fort I know all too well.
Fort Arsis: once a fort we used as a base of operations during the Great Civil War, now a den of bandits and thieves, one in particular that has been a nuisance in our side for the past year.
Abinchova: one of the ex-Captains of the Old Kingdom's army, now a Bandit Chief who preyed on the New Kingdom's Eastern Trade Caravans.
A real shame, too, that he went bandit.
He was a good griffin, who hated their leader (who didn't?), but loved his people (his soldiers, most of all). He carried himself with dignity and pride, whose very presence demanded respect. And he was fucking huge (no doubt one of the biggest griffins I have ever seen).
I had the pleasure of fighting him once during the Siege of Venom Falls. He was a tough bastard, who nearly killed me with that huge mace of his.
He was a worthy fighter.
Can't wait to kill him.
Shuffling the cloak around my shoulders, I began to climb the wall in front of me.
It was damaged in many places, most likely from the catapults and trebuchets that were hammered away at it.
Made a lot of hand and footholds, so i wasn't complaining now.
I can feel the rain pelting me, dampening my cloak and armor, soaking me to the bone.
Did I mention I hate the fucking rain?
I really, really do.
The top of the wall was right ahead of me.
Sure enough, a guard was posted there, an unhappy look across his face. By the looks of it, he hated the rain to.
We are kindred spirits, brother. A shame that you are going to have to die.
I reached into the side pocket of my cloak and unsheathed a dagger, slowly continuing my crawl up the wall.
The guard turned his back, his tailing flowing back and forth in annoyance.
I sigh, silently.
Buddy, with you turning your back on me, you just gave up your only fighting chance.
Thunder boomed, lightning flashed.
I propelled myself up onto the walkway.
The guard turned around as fast as he could as soon as my boots made contact three feet behind him. Not fast enough, though.
Time seemed to slow.
I saw a so many different emotions flash in the guards eyes as the dagger slowly descended downward. Fear, regret, pain, sadness....acceptance.
I'm sorry, man. It's just business.
My other hand rushed forward and caught hold of his face, closing his beak to muffle his screams.
All you hear is a sickening crunch as the dagger penetrates his skull. I twist it in, making sure to kill this poor fucker as quickly as possible. It's the least I could do.
The color red sprays from the wound as I pull the dagger back out. Blood mixes with rain on the floor.
Urine leaks from his haunches.
Last thing he did before dying was piss himself. What a way to go out, man.
I drop his body to the floor, loot him for any bits, valuables, or intel (he's dead, he doesn't need it) and proceed down the wall tower to my right. I drew my sword, it's leather hilt wet from the rain, as I continue down the stony stairway.
Two guards were below me, leaning against the wall, sleeping. Your lucky day, boys. You won't see it coming. It'll be fast. It'll be painless.
I swing my sword twice.
Two heads fall to the ground, followed by the slunk of two bodies.
Rest in peace, guys.
I loot their bodies, and continue on my merry fucking way.
Lightning flashes, thunder booms.
Rain pelts the courtyard all around me. My black, matted hair is soaking wet. Rain water washes the gore from my face.
I sigh, once again.
Dark deeds will be done before Celestia's morning sun rises over the horizon.
What a horrible night for rain.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
          Chapter 2: An Introduction to Suffering          
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 2: An Introduction to Suffering
My sword is dripping red.
Drops of life essence fall from it's tip, forming a crimson puddle on the floor.
I feel sweat drip from my forehead and mingle with the blood below me.
My head turns from side to side, taking in the carnage around me.
The gore that was washed from me from the rain outside now adorns my body once again. I can taste it in my mouth. I can smell it upon my body.
Everything seemed like a blur when I burst through the keep's doors. It always seems like a blur when knife work needs doing.
The door splintered from the force of my kick, alerting the bandits that lay strewn all across the room. There was no time to look about and observe. No time to count them all. Kill mode was activated, and I was going to make sure I destroyed everyone of these traitors to the Crown and it's people.
My blade flashed like starlight, catching the reflected illumination from the candles and hearth fire.
The cold steel of my deadly tool found it's marks.
The war cries and screams of agony began.
The first one to cross me got it quick. A swift upper jab with my sword had him grasping the gaping hole in his neck with his talons while he fell to the ground, a sick gurgling sound escaping his beak.
"FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS, KILL HIM!!!" a bandit shouted, before a swing from my sword silenced his voice. His head toppled to the ground, followed closely by his body.
I swung my sword left and right, parrying, cutting, maiming, mutilating.
An arm, here, a leg, there. It didn't matter.The body parts varied, but the color was always the same.
Red.
I felt my face twist into a venomous snarl.
"YOUR GODS?!" I shouted, "HERE DIE YOUR GODS!"
Sparks from blade clashing against blade and armor dance around, like little stars that have touched our earthly plain.
The room goes quiet.
I lowered my sword, taking in deep, heavy breaths. The world seemed to return to a state of normality, once again, as I stop to look about all that had transpired.
Shit, what a mess.
This dance of death had taken place in the main entrance hall, lined with many rows of oak tables and chairs, where the soldiers and other personnel who had once occupied this fort would have sat and feasted. Typical Griffin culture that the first room that you would enter into would be the feasting hall. By the looks of this place, the current bandit occupants had gorged themselves until late in the night, before deciding to call the tables and floor their beds for the evening.
I count the bodies on the floor. Nine. There were only nine bandits that I had fought. No reinforcements came as well. They would have heard the fighting (we were quite loud).  That was too sketchy. Something wasn't adding up.
Oh well. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
It's at that that moment when a peculiar smell reaches my nose. Cooked flesh.
I looked towards the center of the main table, to see what the dish they had indulged themselves on.
And for once in a long time, I was disturbed by what I saw.
On the center of the table lay two half eaten ponies. One mare, and one stallion. Pained expressions adorn their cold, lifeless faces. Most of their lower bodies, as well as bits and pieces of their chests, were consumed. I walked up to the large table to get a closer examination of the disfigured cadavers. Two bloody stumps on both of their backs were clearly from wings. They were skyward Pegasi once, who had the love of the firmament in their hearts . Now they were earthbound corpses. Matted fur under their eyes showed that they were crying profusely.
They were cooked and eaten alive.
Whatever their lovely coat and mane colors had been were pitch black and charred, as well as stained with the ever present color of red.
Thunder booms, lightning flashes, illuminating the corpses for the briefest of seconds.
There were clear signs of torture on their bodies.
Oh God, I can feel the anger rising in me.
These two poor souls will be avenged. I fucking swear it.
I can hear the buzzing of flies.
And a groan.
I look towards my feel. One of the bandits is still alive.
That funny, blurry feeling begins to take over me, again.
I lifted my booted foot up, and brought it down as hard as I could
An exasperated moan of pain comes from the bandit. I repeated my action again and again and again, each time my strikes becoming harder, and harder, and HARDER!!!!
I heard a final whisper from the bandit as the circle of death claimed him.
I spat on his corpse.
"Burn in Hell, you fucking animals." I said to the beasts at my feet.
The corpses of the two Equines catch my attention again.
I"ll come back after this is done and bury them I thought. It's the least I could do.
Abinchova will die. The respect I had for him frittered away like dust in the breeze.
He wanted to act like an animal, he would die like an animal. I sheathed my blood covered sword, and instead, brought forth another weapon. A relic from another world. My home world. A weapon unlike any other in these lands. I don't remember where I got this instrument of destruction. I just had it when I appeared in this world. But it was such a little thing, that was barely big enough to fit in my hand, yet could kill so many, so fast. At least until it ran out of ammunition.
I smile, inwardly. I was going to blow his brains out, like one would to a rabid dog.
Pulling the hammer back on the my little friend, I turned to find the stairs leading up to the tower,
Yet, just as I was about ascend, another noise caught my attention.
It wasn't the pitter patter of rain, nor the sound of thunder.
They were muffled cries and shrieks, panic and fear clearly in them.
There were prisoners that were still alive!
Burning with a new resolve, I rushed up the stairs, no longer caring about the lack of guards, the lack of movements.
There were lives that I could save if I just hurried the fuck up!
I dashed as fast as I could up the stairs. I didn't care if Abinchova heard me coming, I could kill him and any of his lackeys in an instant with this baby. Subtly was out. Saving was in.
Adrenaline pumped through my body. I began to sweat again. My hair was in my face, but I didn't care.
I heard shuffling and muffled whimpers behind the door in front of me. This was it. Now or never.
Steeling myself, I arched my arm and shoulder forward, my metal armor connecting with the door, bursting it open.
The room is dark now, the candles and fireplace are out, the only light is moonlight, whose rays have pierced through the clouds from the large window several feet in front of me. A griffin is in front of me as well, his back to my front, his fore paws resting on the window edge, a cloak around his body. He was too small. This wasn't Abinchova.
"I had a feeling they'd send you, of all creatures."
The griffin spoke to me in calm, melancholic voice. I hear ruffling to my left. I manage a quick glance, spying the source of the sounds from earlier. On a bed near the end of the room were another pair of ponies, one a grown mare, with a rainbow mane and a cyan blue coat, the other, a filly, no more the six, with cream colored coat and a turquoise mane. Both had their forelegs bound behind their backs, as well as their back hooves bound together, and a large cloth tied around both of their muzzles. Their muffled cries stopped, as they stared at me, their eyes wide with fear and awe. The little looked as if she were to cry again. I turn my attention back to the griffin in front of me.
He had turned around, facing me now. His face bore sad features.
He knew there was no way out of this alive for him.
"The King always sends his little lap dog to his dirty work. You know, when I fir-"
BANG!
I cut him off mid sentence with a blast from weapon.
The griffin let out a cry of pain, clutching his now profusely bleeding gut.
I walk over to him, slowly, as if I'm stalking wild game.
"A-ug-h..You...son of a bi-"
He's cut off again from another blast of my gun. Blood ricochets from his body onto the floor.
I lift my boot up and place upon his chest, pressing down sharply.
"Where is Abinchova?" I asked.
The griffin grunted, but didn't say anything.
I raised my hand, and shot again, hitting him in the shoulder. The griffin screamed.
"I'll ask again, where is Abinchova?"
"Y-you ha-haven't figured i-it out yet? H-he....he's g-g-gone....We..were...j-just a d-d-distraction. A ruse."
A wheezing laugh escapes his voice, which later becomes a moan of pain.
He's gone. That explains the lack of bandits. He left a few here to cover his tracks while he fled. Our Intel was off.
Goddammit.
"Then you are of no use to me. You and your lot tortured and murdered....and feasted on two Equines. They were innocent-"
"WE WERE STARVING!" I was cut off by the griffin this time.
"WE HAD NO CHOICE! WE CAUGHT THEM WITH THE LAST RAID, WE WERE OUT OF FOOD. ABINCHOVA AND THE REST TOOK THE LAST OF THE SUPPLIES!! WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSE TO DO!?!"
"What about the filly and the mare on the bed. Were they next?"
The filly had buried her face into the cyan mares chest, whimpering, while the mare stared at the sight before her.
"..........."
"WERE THEY NEXT!?!"
The griffin only stared up at me, a manic smile upon his beak. I put the gun barrel between his eyes.
"You won't die by my sword, in honor. You'll die like the beast you are; nameless, left to rot on this cold, stone floor. Hell awaits you."
"I'll see you there," he muttered to me, his eyes closing.
Thunder booms, lightning flashes.
So does the barrel of my gun.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                Chapter 3. Soft Black Stars                
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 3. Soft Black Stars
The smoke from the barrel slowly dissipates.
The smell of gun powder is pungent in the area, along with the soggy smell of rain.
I could feel a cool breeze pour through the window, tingling my exposed face. It felt good. Relaxing.
A shame that Abinchova isn't here. I don't like reporting failure to my lord.
Thinking back for a minute, I knew I should've asked that griffin where he went. Or, tortured the information out of him. He would have squealed like a pig if I was in a better frame of mind. But those two dead Equines down there.........I guess they were bothering me more than I thought.
Speaking of Equines...
I turned back around, nearly forgetting about the two captives behind me.
The cream colored filly managed to hobble behind the cyan mare, while the mare, though bound and clearly scared, took up a somewhat defensive posture.
I take a step forward. She visibly flinches, but remains alert nonetheless.
I felt a little peeved, that they would so readily mistrust their apparent savior, before it dawned on me:
I just killed someone in front of their very eyes.
Or, at least one of them.
I was pretty sure the filly had her eyes closed during the deed, and probably only heard my shouting and the sound of the gun going off. But, it seemed obvious that the cyan mare saw mostly everything, and being a pony from Equestria and all, probably felt very sickened by the act that happened before her eyes.
I felt like shit. Well, shittier than usual. The least I could do was free them and apologize.
"I'm sorry you had to see that," I said in a calm, yet sad voice.
The little filly poked her head from its hidden position behind the mare, looking towards me.
The mare just continued to stare. I could see the subtle hint of tears in her eyes.
Goddamn it. Way to make me feel crappier than before.
I walked closer to the two, until I stood directly in front of them.
I'm not that tall (only pushing 5'10), but two the small Equines, especially the filly, I appeared gigantic. Terrifying in appearance, as well, due to my scraggly hair and ragged cloak and armor, not to mention the blood.
Oh god. I forgot all about the blood.
I bet I looked even more monstrous.
I sigh.
It can't be helped now.
I lowered my self to my knees, becoming eye level with the mare.
"I'm going to untie you. You don't need to believe me, hell, you don't even have to to pretend to not be afraid of me,  but just know I am a friend,and don't mean you or the little one any harm, ok?"
The mare looked at me with an untrusting gaze for a moment, before closing her eyes and nodding her head.
I gave my best attempt at a smile before reaching behind the mares back and undoing the knots that had her fore legs bound.
Immediately, the mare reached for the gag in her mouth and pulled off, spitting out a wad cloth that had been lodged there already, and taking a long, deep breath.
Geez, how long did she have that thing on for?
While the mare busied herself undoing her legs, I began to unstrap and ungag the filly as well, who seemed a little less hesitant towards me when she heard that I was a friend.
"There you go, sweetie, you' re free," I said as I undid the last of her bonds. I noticed her flutter the little wings on her back.
She was a little pegasus filly, apparently.
"Th-Thank you," the little filly said, shrinking before me a little. She must be still wary of me. I wouldn't blame her. The mare had already undid the ropes around her legs, and apparently, her wings as well.
A pegasus, huh? I wonder if she had any affiliation with those two unfortunate souls downstairs. God, I hope not.
"Are you both all right," I asked softly, not wanting to scare the two any further.
"Y-yeah, I think I'm good," the cyan mare replied, still taking in deep breaths.
"I-I'm o-okay, m-m-mister," the little filly stuttered out shyly, avoiding eye contact.
I wouldn't blame her.
"Are either of you injured and in need of medical attention?"
They both looked at me and shook their heads.
I let out a sigh of relief. At least that was one thing I didn't have to worry about.
"You killed that griffin."
The cyan mare looked at me, with an expression that I couldn't really grasp.
I nodded my head. "Yes, I did kill him. He would have ended you and the little one's lives if I didn't. I didn't want anymore innocent blood to be shed tonight. I'm not sorry for killing him, but I....I'm truly, truly, sorry that you had to see that miss, it's just that-"
I was cut off by the cyan mare putting her hoof to my lips, silencing my prattle, before removing her hoof and throwing her fore hooves around me. I felt her push her head into my chest, muffled sobs escaping from her mouth.
"Th-thank you," I heard her choke out, "thank you for saving us. I-I was so s-s-scared and I..I...."
"Sshhh," I whispered, putting a hand behind her rainbow mane, gently rocking her back and forth, "It's OK, you and the little one are safe now."
She released her hold on me, slouching forward a bit as she cleared her senses. The little filly, who had been quiet off to the side, was now crying as well. I scooped her up and held her, rocking her slightly, trying my best at comforting her.
I'm not good at this shit. I'm really not. But I'm not some unfeeling asshole, and I truly felt moved by what I was seeing before me. Besides, seeing a child cry always made me feel lousy.
"It's ok, little one, I gotcha, I gotcha, everything is going to be ok."
I heard whimper, while a puddle of tears began to form on my shoulder.
I did the only thing I could do. I closed my eyes, and, while rocking the filly, began to hum a little tune that my mother used to sing to me. I can feel my body vibrate from the sound emitting from my chest, it's soothing tune carrying over stone and corpse, as its melody began to calm the little filly. Her sobs soon became slight chokes and hiccups, as she began to relax a bit.
"Do you feel better, sweetie?" I asked sincerely.
The little filly nodded her head, before giving my cheek a quick nuzzle. I smiled slightly before setting her down on the floor next to the cyan mare, who sat with a sad smile as well.
My smile quickly shifted to a look of neutrality, as I began to speak to them again.
"What are your names, you two?" I asked them, curiously.
The cyan mare gave an attempt to pose, complete with puffing out her chest, before sighing and resigning just to saying simply:
"The names Rainbow Dash, and the squirt next to me is Willow Song."
"It's nice to meet miss Rainbow Dash and Willow," I said with a slight bow.
My little bow caused the little filly to giggle slightly, while a confused look crossed the cyan mare.
"What's with the bow?" she asked, quizzically.
I looked up with a slight smirk on my face.
"It's not everyday who are in the presence of an Element of Harmony, miss Dash," I said, before turning to the little filly, "and of a little princess, too."
WIllow blushed a bit, before rubbing her the floor with one of her fore hooves.
"I'm not a princess, mister," she said shyly.
D'aw. So cute. I couldn't help but smile a little a bit.
"You could've fooled me, m'lady," I said with a smile, causing the little filly to blush and smile bashfully.
The flattery and happy feelings would have continued if not for a familiar stench to begin to become apparent.
Decomposition.
There was still a corpse on the floor in this room, with a great deal of brain matter splatter around him, as well as the ever present crimson pool that encircled his body.
Best carry this conversation else where.
I stood to my full height again, turning towards the door.
"If you two would follow me, I'd like to ask you a few questions else where, for obvious reasons."
The cyan mare began to open her mouth to speak before I cut her off.
"Don't worry, I'll let you ask your fair share of questions, but it will have to wait until we leave his place. I truly don't want to be here anymore than you two want to."
"I understand," Dash said before standing up and heading for the door.
"Come on, little one," I said to filly, before scooping her up and placing her on my shoulders, making sure to cove her eyes for split second, blocking her view of the rotting corpse behind us, and making my way into the hallway and down the stony steps to the keep entrance, Dash following behind me.
Before continuing to the exit through the feasting hall, I stopped in my tracks.
"Up ahead.....isn't a pretty sight. Dash, just keep looking forward, don't look around, and you should be fine, Ok?"
"I...Ok,," she said with a defeated tone.
"Trust me, you'll be thanking me later. And Willow, sweetheart, I want you to close your eyes and count as high as you can until I tell you stop. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, I can do that, mister," Willow said. I smiled.
"Atta girl. Start counting.....now."
With that, I lead them through the feast hall, Dash, as promised, keeping her gaze strictly to my back, while Willow counted as high as she could.
The melting candles and dying hearth fire gave enough light to barely make our way through without stumbling on the one of the many corpses on the ground. Besides the the sound of our foot and hoof steps, the only audible sound was the sound of liquid dripping, it either being water or blood. At least it stopped raining.
Fuck the rain.
Willow had counted up to 55 by the time we entered into the courtyard, the musky smell of rain and damp prevalent all around.
God, I loved that smell.
I turned to Dash, while Willow continued to sit perch atop my shoulders, her little hooves dangling over the sides of my body. I scooped her up once again and placed her on the ground by my feet, where she eagerly dashed off and began to splash in some of the many large puddles around us.
"Watch the little one for a second, Dash, I need to take care of a loose end."
"What loose end?" she asked with a tilt of her head.
"There's two ponies in there that are in need of a proper burial. I want to give it to them. It's the least I could do for getting here.....too late."
I felt her fore hoof touch my thigh.
"Take care of it. I'll watch the squirt."
I nodded my head before turning back to the entrance of the keep.
"Wait!"
I stopped as Dash called me.
"What's your name? At least tell me your name."
Even Willow stopped her prancing to the hear the answer to the question Dash asked.
I continued walking towards the keep.
Thunder boomed. The fucking rain was probably going to start again, soon.
I sigh, before shuffling the cloak around me again, turning my head slightly over my shoulder, and answered Dash.
"Lucifer. My name is Lucifer."
I turn my head back forward and enter the keep and the smell of it's decomposing greeting.
Two poor souls needed to be buried. A prayer needed to be said, to help them find their souls to the afterlife.
If one good deed could be accomplished tonight, it would be this.
Besides the rescue of the two outside.
Thank God at least they made it.
Still.....Abinchova got away.
Man, dad is gonna be pissed when I get back.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
           Chapter 4. "Sleep Has His House....."           
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 4. "Sleep Has His House....."
I could feel the warmth of the fire before me, its orange light flickering across the small campsite that I resided in with my two Equine guests. They lay on the opposite side of me, relishing in the warm light, empty plates in front of them.
They were hungry couple of ponies, especially the little one.
I didn't eat, though. I lost my appetite. For some reason, the image of the two Equines I buried back at the fort would't leave my mind. Their charred flesh, their pained expressions, just the fact that they were Equestrian ponies, one of the most innocent of species in this world, bothered me to no end.
I can already tell I'm going to lose sleep over this.
At least the two next to me were safe.
That's all that mattered at the moment.
I buried the two Equines as quickly as I could, while the rain poured everywhere and all around.
Almost as if the sky was crying for those two.
They didn't die quick deaths.
I buried them as quickly as I could, while Willow and Dash waited for me under a ramp by the gate,
I was surprised that they didn't take off when they had chance.
From what I could concur, Dash was affiliated with this part of the Kingdom (we are only off the Great Southern Road by a few miles), and the fact that I killed a shit load of griffins, not to mention one right in front of her, didn't help my cause.  She also had the little filly to think about. Having a young one around a cold blooded killer, to me, doesn't seem like a good idea, no matter if I saved them or not. Yet she still stayed, waiting patiently, while I honored the corpses of two fallen innocents.
She truly is the Element of Loyalty.
I left the bandits strewn about where they lay, in puddles of their own blood and feces. Rabid animals don't deserve final rites.
May the devil, Mzelchevks himself, take their god forsaken souls.
Once all was done, I led the two over rock and twig to my camp, which lay about half a mile into the forest surrounding the fort. Dash seemed fine, but Willow grew tired quite quickly, so I picked her up and placed her on my shoulders again (much to her delight), while he continued to the mouth of a small cave within an outstretch of rock.
In the cave lay assorted supplies that I had brought with me for the mission, namely: food, extra clothes, assorted weapons (small ones, anyway), ammunition for my gun (which are expensive to make, by the way), sleeping supplies, and a map of the area.
Before this night, I had been tracking Abinchova for about two weeks now, much to the concern of my family, who thought that this was a job for the Royal Guard, or even the Legion, not one of the Red Sparrows.
My mother, especially. She worries her beak off to much, in my opinion.
I keep telling her that she's gonna get heart problems if she doesn't relax every once in awhile.
My little sis was especially worried. Being just a chick (she just turned 6 last month), I've been around her whole life so far, guarding her and the others, and have always been the one to play with her when off duty, to hold her and rock her to sleep when mom and dad are working late, and especially to bandage her scrapes when she practices flying. I've always been near, and now that I've been gone for about a fortnight now, she must be worrying her little beak off like mom. It's cute, actually.
She's a good kid, though, and I love her all the more her worries.
My dad wasn't concerned. He felt proud that I was chosen to kill one of his enemies from the war. My fiance wasn't concerned, either. She knew my job and it's expectations she she agreed to marry me. Hell, she's known me my whole life in this world, so far, going back to when I was first brought to the Capital's palace when I was seven. Her love and support has always seen me through most of these....unpleasant assignments, and the fact that she would consider marrying not only a creature outside her species, but a fucking monster of creature (or so I think, at least)
Gilda. Man, I can't wait to get home to see her. She and the others are probably pissed that I haven't sent word out since I left. I'm probably going to be in for in it when I get home.
Anyway, (I apologize for going on and on up there. I just love my family) the trek to my camp was quiet, save for the sounds of the woods around us. There was a lot to talk about, but I preferred that we didn't speak so much so openly. Abinchova's bandits were dead, that's for sure, but since the Dominion's collapse from the Civil War, there are many other Bandit tribes out there, stalking the Wilds. As soon as we had reached my little "home away from home" and had started a fire and eaten, I felt that it was necessary to begin first.
"Now that you two are nice and fed, would you care to tell me how you came to be here, Miss Dash and Willow?"
Dash looked towards Willow, whose content look had shifted into one of sadness. I could only imagine what that little filly has been through.
"If it's alright with you, Lucifer, Willow here doesn't really want to talk about whats happened."
I turned my gaze to the filly, tears apparent in her eyes. Big brother mode activated.
"It's alright, little one," I said in a sympathetic manner,"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you."
The little filly hiccuped a sob, before nodding her head.
"Thank you, Mister Lucifer."
"You can call me Lou, or Louie if you want. It's what my little sister calls me."
The little filly smiled, giggling at the nickname, while I wiped away stray tears from her eyes.
"Thanks, Louie." Man, she had to pick THAT nickname? Well, whatever makes the kid happy.
"I'll stick with calling you Lucifer, dude. Sounds cooler, even though it's a weird name," Dash stated from her spot next to Willow.
I Chuckled. If she only knew where and who I got that name from.
"It's your call, Miss Dash."
A pout sprung from her face at the mention of the word "Miss".
"Don't start that 'Miss' crap, bro. To frou-frou for me. Dash or Rainbow is just fine."
"I'll keep that in mind, Dash," I said with a nod my head, causing her nod in return.
"Now, are you up for explanation, than?"
She seemed to hesitate, before releasing of sigh of pent up nervousness.
"Yeah, I can talk about it. Minus a few punches and death threats they didn't do much to me before you showed up."
Behind the brave front and relaxed manner she was trying to put up, I could clearly tell she was still shooken up about what had happened. I had to commend her bravery.
"Than please, continue," I said, before filling up her cup with some fresh tea that I had boiling over the fire.
She took a sip, before starting her tale.
"I was flying up ahead over the Great Southern Road, on my way to the Capital, when I saw these griffins attacking a bunch carts or something filled with other griffins. So, I thought that I should go down there and help, you know? So I flew down there and I punched and kicked as hard as I could. But there were just too many of them for my awesomeness to handle, so I was finally overwhelmed and knocked out. I woke up tied and gagged in a cage with Willow here in what I'm pretty sure was a dungeon or something."
"Were there other's in this room?" I asked. Dash shook her head from side to side.
"No, it was just me and Willow. But I remember hearing screaming, and than a smelling a very funny smell, like hayburgers or something, before passing out again. Next thing I know, me and Willow are being dragged up to the room that you saved us from where this griffin was...h-he....o-oh my...g-g-gosh...."
Dash trailed off as she began to choke up again. She began to sob slightly as she looked to the ground, tears dripping from her face, forming a puddle by her fore hooves. I knew what that griffin was going to do. He was going to rape her. Her and Willow. Fucking Christ. No wonder why the little one didn't want to talk about it.
I pulled Dash and Willow into another hug, both of them sobbing again, while I stroked both their manes, trying my best to calm them down.
I'm not usually one for hugs from strangers, but these....shit, they needed them.
"Don't worry, he's gone, their gone, no one is going to touch you two. You're both safe and sound."
We were all silent for a few moments, allowing them enough time to calm down once more.
I released the two from my embrace, while they sniffled and wiped their eyes and noses.
"Better?" I asked, calmly.
"Y-yeah. T-thanks, Lou. I-I'm sorry for being all mushy and stuff, I just-"
"Dash, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry or ashamed of."
She looked at me with a sad smile.
"Thank you. Thank so much."
I nodded my head, returning the smile.
"If I can ask one more question, why were you on your way to Monolith (the Capital), anyway?"
Dash look towards the fire, it's flickering light dancing across her eyes.
"I'm going there to make amends with a friend. That's all I'll say on that."
"Fair enough," I replied with a nod of my head "And I guess you two have earned some questions. So, ask away, than."
Not even a moment had passed before Willow's hoof shot up into the air.
Goddamn, that little filly is adorable.
"Go on, sweetie. What do wanna know?"
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, Louie, what are you? I've never seen a creature like you before."
An understandable question. She deserved an honest answer. Willow looked at me with childlike curiosity, eyes sparkling with anticipation. Dash tried to appear nonchalant about it, but I could that she was also interested in my explanation.
"I'm a human, Willow. And before you ask what a human is, I can't really tell you much about them."
"Awwwwwwwwwww, why not, Louie?" she asked with a befuddled frown. I swear, her adorableness is going to kill me before a bandit sword will.
"Because, when I first came here, I was very young. Only about seven years old, to say the least. I didn't get to learn much about my species before than."
"You mean there's no humans in Equestria?"
"There's no humans at all, sweetie. I'm the only one."
I've thought about that before, you know? Being the only one of my kind. I've thought about it quite a few times, actually. But, I never really felt it hit home until I saw the sad look on that filly's face when I said that. I felt alone for a brief minute, casting my glance to the floor, while being serenaded by the melodies of crickets and nocturnal animals in the woods and all around.
I felt a tiny pair of hooves wrap around my booted leg, as I looked to meet the teal of eyes of Willow.
"I'm sorry that you're all alone, Louie," she said in the sweetest, yet saddest voice I've ever heard. I felt her little muzzle brush against my leg, as if try to console me.
I truly felt touched by this. I didn't cry, though. Not one tear. I wanted to. I wanted sob and weep for some strange reason. But I couldn't. Too many tears were shed so far. No more tears.
I picked the filly up and brought her into an embrace; tender, warm, and safe.
"I'm not alone, Willow," I said with as much care as I could muster, "I have friends and family waiting for me in Monolith as well. As long as they love me, than I'm never truly alone."
The little filly looked up at me with her glossy eyes, a look of hesitation on her face.
"C-can I be your friend, too, Louie?" she asked.
One tear. That's the universe was getting out of me tonight. Just one stray tear that fell down the side of my cheek.
"Yes, Willow, you can be my friend," I managed to choke out. She raised her little hoof to wipe the stray tear off my cheek, before nuzzling the side of my face.
I placed her back on the ground and turned to Dash, that same smile upon her face,
"You're a big softy behind all that grit, huh?"
I chuckled at her comment.
"That's what everyone tells me. I can be big and scary one minute, than a big teddy bear, the next."
"Can I ask you something, now?" Dash asked.
"Go right ahead, Dash."
"I think I heard about you a long time ago, but I want to hear it from your mouth. Who are you, really?"
Once again, another understandable question, and one that deserved an honest answer.
I stood up to my full height, took off the cloak that enshrouded my body, revealing my armor and sword in their full glory and I said with reverence:
"I am Lucifer, foster son of King Braig and Queen Ysolda, Lieutenant to the Order of the Red Sparrows, and Un-Prince of the griffin Kingdom of Allerseen, at your service."
I dipped my head with a bow, to show my respect to my peers.
Willow and Dash looked at me with awe, their jaws practically hanging to the floor.
"Y-you're a Prince?"
"An Un-Prince, but in theory, I guess you can say I am."
"Well don't leave us hanging! Tell us more! What's an Un-Prince?! Why and how did the king and queen adopt you?! What are Red Sparrows?! How di-"
I rose my hands to stop the barrage of questions.
"Girls, please, please settle down. I would love to sit down and answer your questions. I said that I would. But the hour is growing late and you two need your sleep."
"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!" Dash and Willow cried out in annoyance.
"You can't tell me that you both aren't the least bit tired?"
"No!" Willow exclaimed, before a tiny yawn escaped her muzzle,"Well....maybe a little."
"Come on," I said, picking the filly up again "Bed time for the little princess."
I looked over towards my rainbow named companion.
"You two, Dash."
She grumbled to herself before a large yawn escaped her muzzle as well.
Hah, called it.
"Alright, alright," Dash mumbled,"But in the morning, you are finishing your that explanation of yours."
I chuckled quietly. "It's a deal, Dash. Come on, you and Willow can share my sleeping bag. Don't worry, it's washed and everything."
"What about you, Louie," Willow asked, sleepily.
"I promised that I'll keep you two safe, so I'll keep watch for tonight."
I felt a sleepy nuzzle against my cheek.
"Thanks, Louie."
"Your welcome, little one."
I brought the sleepy filly further into the cave, Dash already making herself comfortable in the sleeping bag, placing her under the covers and tucking her in as best as I could.
I began to turn around to sit at the cave entrance before a sweet little voice called out to me again.
"Louie, can you sing me a song to help me sleep?"
"I-I'm not that great a singer, sweetie," I said, shyly.
"It's okay, Louie, I don't mind,"she said in a tired mumble.
I shook my head, smiling softly.
"Okay, I'll sing you a song my mom used to sing to me when I was young."
I sat down on the floor next to Willow, her eyes half closed from exhaustion, but still so full of life and curiosity.
I cleared my throat before singing in a calm, sad tune:
"In a strange land
the God of Sleep has made His house
Of marvelous design.
Under a hill, there is a cave
which of the son may nothing have
so that no griffin may no aright,
the point between the day
and the night
so that inward
there is no light
and so to speak of that without
there stands no great tree about
where upon might
crow or magpie alight
to call or to cry
there is no cock  to crow the day
neither creature which might noise make
Upon the hill and all around
there is growing on the ground
poppy which bears the seed of sleep
a still water
all the time
is running over the small stones
and it gives great desire
too sleep
too sleep...."
The little filly was snoring softly, her tiny chest rising and falling calmly. Dash's fore legs found the filly pulling her into an embrace as they both slept calmly; safely.
I smiled before turning to the cave entrance and taking my place by the fire.
I looked up to the night sky, the stars twinkling like fires; the nocturnal breeze against my flesh felt soothing.
"and thus full of delight
sleep has his house....."

//-------------------------------------------------------//
              Chapter 5. The Carnival Is Over              
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 5. The Carnival Is Over
I lift my tired eyes to the mountains in front of me, the sky awash with color.
The cool mountain breeze caresses my face, kissing me with it's tingling chill.
Ah, morning in the mountains.
It's always so beautiful. I could smell the robust aroma of pine and dew, I could hear the sounds of songbirds heralding the morning in. The dark of night was slowly receding to the abyss, and the morning sun rose from behind the peaks of the mountains, washing the landscape in warm light.
I shuffled from my seat, standing and stretching, while my joints popped and cracked.
True to my word, I spent the entire night on watch, only nodding off once or twice. And the times that I did nod off, certain images sprouted forth from my mind to torment the sleep away from me.
Two Equines, burnt to a fucking crisp.
Man, it bothered me more than I could have foreseen. I knew I had to talk to dad about it when I got home.
I don't know why, but I felt....depressed.
Do you ever feel that way some times? You just get this feeling of woe that washes over your being. It feels like all the world is lost, and you will never amount to anything in the end.
And than it goes away, just like that, in which you continue about your daily life.
I don't know how to describe it properly. Probably just rambling now.
Maybe it's because of those two Equines and their horrod fates. Maybe it's because Abinchova got away unpunished.
Maybe it's because I'll die someday, and all that I am will cease to be.
Maybe it's because everything has a meaning, yet everything means nothing.
Man, I should've got some sleep last night. It's to early to start thinking bad thoughts.
I tossed my cloak off to the ground, and removed my leather chest armor and tunic, leaving my torso bare to the morning air. I could feel the breeze picking up, slightly. It felt refreshing, alleviating all those shit thoughts from my mind.
I grabbed my bundle of clothing and walked inside the cave, careful to not disturb the two sleeping Equines.
Willow was curled into a ball, her little chest rising and falling in the rhythmic pattern of slumber, a small, but still noticeable smile upon her face.
Cute kid.
I hope she had pleasant dreams last night. God knows she deserves them.
Dash, on the other hand, lay sprawled out across the meager sleeping bag, snoring quite loudly (another reason why it was difficult to sleep at night). For being a lady, she acted very unladylike. Yet, she still managed to outstretch one of her cyan blue wings to cover the sleeping filly next to her.
She really is a loyal pony.
Careful not to disturb them, I dropped my cloak, tunic, and chest piece onto the ground, and rummaged through my pack to retrieve a set of fresh clothing, as well as a towel.
With my things in check, I strolled out of the cave and into the woods before me.
Pine needles cracked under my boots as I walked towards a small creek that was nestled a few yards in.
Following the creek up a bit, I came upon a small pond, which had been my bath tub for the past week.
The water reflected the still early morning sky, and, in the shadow of the trees, made the illusion that I was to bathe in a pool of liquid night. I cast off the rest of my clothes, and slowly waded into the water.
Like all bodies of water in the Northern Cold, it was freezing as shit.
Steeling myself and taking a gulp of air, I thrust my body under water, before bursting forth with a gasp of breath.
Immediately, I set to work scrubbing the residue of dirt and dried blood that was still caked upon me.
I'm pretty sure I speak for everyone when I say that we all do our best thinking when we are in the shower or in the tub.
And boy, was my mind going.
Laying in the cool water of the pond, a dozen different things came to mind.
Where is Abinchova?
Who were the two Equines back at the fort?
How many bandits does he have left under his control?
What time is it?
What flavor is Gilda and mine's wedding cake gonna be?
Where is Abinchova?
Is mom still worried?
What about Delilah, Sasha and Romulus?
If you eat yourself, do you become twice as large or do you disappear?
WHERE THE FUCK IS ABINCHOVA?!
But the thing I wanted to know the most at the moment is what to do with my two current companions.
Dash is a full grown mare, and can come and go as she pleases. I promised to escort her to Monolith, but as far as that goes, the rest, she's on her own.
But what about Willow? Where are her parents? Were they the two Pegasi at the fort? If not, than where did she come from? Most of all, what am I going to do with her?
I mean, I could take her back to the palace and she could stay there until we figure all this shit out, but than what?
Fuck, man. This job was so easy. Go in. Kill Abinchova and whoever else was there. Than leave.
Hostages always complicate things.
I'm just grateful that they're alive, though.
If push comes to shove, and her parents are either missing or dead, she could stay at the palace for awhile. At least until I could contact other family members of her's that would take her in.
Gilda and I are to young and dumb to be parents right now. The kingdom doesn't need anymore Un-Royalty as it is.
I'll figure this out later.
It took me a minute to realize that I had been floating and thinking for about a good thirty minutes, at least.
The sky was getting brighter, and the girls would be waking up soon.
Wading back to the shore, I dried myself with the towel and put on my fresh set of clothes, consisting of a simple dark tunic, pants, and boots.
I shook my head, my tattered, wet hair spraying water as if I was dog, and continued back to the camp.
Arriving back, I noticed that the girls were still asleep. I couldn't blame them, we didn't arrive back at camp until about 1 in the morning. Poor things must be exhausted.
Rummaging back through the supplies, I pulled out some basic flapjack ingredients, started a another fire, and began cooking up breakfast for the three of us.
Sadly, I wasn't in the possession of any meat at the moment. It wouldn't have been a great idea to cook it with my two Equine companions present, but nothing goes better with flapjacks than a couple of smoky sausages. Hash browns, as well.
The smell must have gotten to them, because by the time I had nearly finished the first batch, with aroma pungent throughout the cave, I began to hear stirring and muttering coming from my two little ponies inside.
"Morning." I said cheerfully, as I was greeted by two yawning ponies with a serious case of bed mane.
"Morning, Louie," Willow mumbled sleepily, as she gave me a tired nuzzle. Daw, so cute.
"Morning, Lou," Dash mumbled, as well, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
"Bring your plates from last night, guys. I made y'all some breakfast."
The two ponies shuffled over to last night's dishes, while I finished up another batch of great-outdoors-flapjacks.
Extending their plates, I shoveled on three flapjacks a piece, before digging into my own, humming a little tune to myself.
Willow looked up at me, inquisitively.
"You seem awful cheery Louie, did you sleep good?"
"I didn't sleep a wink at all, sweetie," I replied, before munching on a fork full of flapjack.
Willow and Dash gasped.
"Dude, you didn't get any sleep at all last night? Even after all that crap that happened at the fort?" Dash asked with a worried tone.
"I promised I'd keep watch last night, and I always keep my promises," I said without looking up from my scrumptious meal.
"But Louie," Willow pried,"Aren't you sleepy?"
"A little,"I replied, nonchalantly,"But I've pulled all nighters before. This wasn't any different. And if we were to be ambushed last night, I would've been ready. I said I'd protect you guys, didn't I?"
Willow and Dash looked at me with blank expressions, before both nodded their heads with a smile. I nodded back at them, before slouching down and enjoying my breakfast.
I heard both of them get up from their spots and walk to either side of me.
I felt lips press against both sides of my cheeks. At once, my face flushed with embarrassment, while the two Equines giggled at my expense before returning to their breakfast.
I guess I had Dash figured wrong. Maybe she could act like a lady. At least for a little bit.
"You still owe us a story, mister."
My inner thoughts were befuddled as a voice interrupted my thinking.
"What?"
Dash stared at me directly in the eye.
"You said that you would fill us in about yourself in more detail in the morning. It's morning. Now spill."
Fair enough. I did say that I would.
"Alright, what do you want to know first?"
Dash put a hoof under her chin in thought, while Willow looked at me with an excited grin.
"Well, you said you were an Un-Prince. What's that?"
I took a drink of water, before setting my empty plate down and facing the two curious ponies.
"Well, in Allerseen, the Griffin Kingdom, who do you think the predominant species is?"
"Griffins, duh!"
"And what species do you think is head of the kingdom?"
"Griffins, dude."
"And what am I?"
"Uh, a human thingy, right?"
"Yes, Dash, I'm a 'Human thingy'. So as you can tell, since I told you last night that the king and queen adopted me, that would make me part of the royal family, right?"
"I guess so."
"So wouldn't that make me a prince of the land, than?"
Dash rubbed her chin in thought again.
"Yeah, you would be."
"And that's where you are wrong, Dash. I'm not a prince."
Dash and Willow looked puzzled.
"But that doesn't make any sense. How can you be a king's son and not be a prince?"
I chuckled a bit, before replying.
"Easy. Because I'm not a griffin, Dash."
Dash still looked confused.
"I don't get it, dude."
I shook my head, sighing.
"Here's an example, you're from Equestria, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Equestria is mostly ponies, with ponies ruling the government, am I correct?"
"Yeah."
"Now, how would you like it if you were all of a sudden ruled by a Diamond Dog or Minotaur?"
"I...I wouldn't really like that because they-"
"-wouldn't understand the populace they ruled because they weren't a pony, right?" I asked, finishing Dash's statement.
She nodded her head, waiting for me to continue.
"You wouldn't want a non-pony leading you; they'd never truly understand your needs as not fellow beings of intelligence, but as members of pony society. It only makes sense that a society of Equines should be lead by Equines. It's the same thing with griffins. I'm not a griffin. I live among them, I'm friends with them, my parents are griffins, as are my siblings and citizens. But, I can never truly be one of them. I'm a completely different creature, with a different biology and mindset. I don't have griffin instincts or ways of thinking. I can't even fly. So, if my father were to pass on, it wouldn't make sense for me to lead the kingdom. That honor would go to my younger brother, who is the oldest male  griffin in the family. So, though I am royalty, I cannot hold the title of prince, because that would mean that I am an heir to the throne, which I am not."
"So, why are you called an Un-Prince, than?"
"Because, though I'm not a prince in title, I still am royalty in name and deed. I have power, to some degree, to be present in all royal affairs, to give orders, and entitled to the family wealth as is all the immediate royal family, but I can never be king. Which is totally fine by me, anyway."
"You don't want to be a king, Louie?" Willow piped up.
I smiled at the little filly.
"No, Willow, I don't want to be king. I never really aspired to lead. I'm good just being my family's guard."
"That leads me to another question," interrupted Dash, "You said you're a Red Sparrow. What is that?"
"You don't know about the Red Sparrows or Un-Princes? Didn't you take a history class when you were a filly, Dash?"
A blush spread across Rainbow's face.
"I may or may not have necessarily payed attention in that class."
I shook my head with a laugh.
"Alright, than pay attention now. In the Griffin military, you have the standard army consisting of the Feathered Legion. Next, you have the Talon Guard, who are your basic police force. Every town, city and Rook has a detachment of the Talon Guard, with their headquarters being located in the city of Dis. God knows that city needs them. After that, we got the royal guard, who are predominantly in the 3 biggest cities of the Kingdom: Monolith, Hallow, and Dis. They're like the uber Talon Guard, where only the best of the best make it."
I took another sip of water, while the two ponies in front of me stared with rapt attention.
"Then, we got the Red Sparrows. They're the personal guards of the Royal Family, and the most violent of all the other military divisions. When we aren't guarding my family, we are usually sent on missions like the one I rescued you two from: search and destroy. My dad wants some creature dead or captured, we do it. Fast and brutal."
"So, you buys are a bunch of bad flanks?" Dash asked, wide eyed.
"I guess you could say that," I said, rubbing the back of my head.
"Too awesome! Well, not the crazy killing part, but the part where you guys just go around and kick flank! *squee!*"
I chuckled nervously.
"Heh-heh, yeah, so um, anymore questions?"
"I have one, Louie!" Willow practically shouted.
"Ask away, little one."
"How did you meet your family?"
A flood of memories poured back into my mind.
Cold nights, cold days (it always cold up north), no food, no clothes.
I was so young....
"That.....that's a story for another time, Willow," I said in monotone voice.
"But-I...okay.." the little filly mumbled, crossing her fore hooves across her chest.
I said it time and time again. That little filly is just to fucking adorable.
I reached and ruffled her mane, causing her to puff her cheeks out in annoyance.
"I'll tell ya one day, Willow, but not today. Right now, we have to figure our next course of action. First we go-"
"One last question, Lou. And answer it honestly." I was interrupted by Dash, who bore a stern look upon her face.
The look she was giving me made me feel uneasy, but I decided to play along.
"Alright, Dash, ask away."
"Back at the fort....what you did to that griffin...that thing you used....what was it?"
I could feel a grim expression across my face. Dash and Willow must've noticed it as well, because expressions of concern flashed across their faces.
I refused to look up from the ground that I was staring at. I don't know why, but I just couldn't look them in the eye.
"You only need to know this: it's a relic from another place. A place, you wouldn't understand. And, nothing good will come out of prying about it. Am I understood?"
Both Equines nervously nodded their heads.
"Swear to me. Swear to me that you won't talk about that thing. Not to one soul. Do you both swear?"
They both nervously nodded.
"Say it."
"I-I swear, Louie. I won't tell anypony."
"I, uh, me too, Lou."
I nodded my head.
"Thanks guys. If others found out about this thing and tired to have more of these made......just trust me when I say that nothing good would come from more of these things. Believe me."
An uncomfortable silence washed over us, each respectively thinking their own private thoughts.
By now, the morning sun was shining brightly in the sky, and it's warmth began to fill me life, washing away my weariness from last nights sleepless activities.
"Come on guys, put your dishes in the pile over by the supplies while I pack up the rest of the gear. From there, we're moving out."
The two snapped out of their thoughts before focusing their attention towards me.
"What's the plan, Lou?" Dash asked while Willow walked off and took the plates.
"We'll cut through the Woods of Desolation for a few miles. That'll take us to the Great Southern Road. At our speed, it'll probably take about 2 to 3 days of walking to hit Monolith. I think th-"
I could feel my senses tingling.
The faint sound of wing strokes in the air.
Too big and powerful to be a birds.
No Pegasi here.
It's a griffin.
Out here in this part of the wood? That can't be a good sign.
"Lou, what-"
"Shush, somethings coming."
In a flash, Dash tensed up, while Willow began to shake nervously.
"Get behind me," I told the girls before reaching for my sword and gun that lay beside the provisions.
A shadow passed over head.
My sword is sharp. My gun is cocked.
I hear the flapping of wings as the griffin lands about 10 feet away from us.
But I don't see an enemy.
I see a familiar red cloak, familiar black feathers, and the face of a very familiar griffin.
He wipes the dust off his cloak before turning to address me, while I sheathed my sword and pocketed my gun.
"Dude, I'd normally start off by saying how great it is to see that you're alive, but Ellie is, like, super pissed at you, right now."
I froze for a split second.
Ellie's home from the dragon migration?
God. Fucking. Damnit.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                Chapter 6. The Cardinal Sin                
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 6. The Cardinal Sin
"Wait, you're telling me that Ellie is back already?!" I shouted to the griffin in front of me.
"Yeah dude, and she is less than happy that you not only went off on this mission alone, but that you've been gone for two whole weeks, pushing on three." He replied with an amused look on his face.
I place my hand over my face and shook my head from side to side.
"Man, she must be so pissed at me right now," I sighed. The griffin chuckled.
"Shut up, it ain't fucking funny."
'It's pretty hilarious dude."
I just grumbled in reply.
Dash and Willow crept up from there hiding place behind me and stood by my sides.
"Lou, you know this guy?" Dash asked, while Willow stared to the ground, afraid to look the griffin in the eye.
My friend in the eye, that is.
"Yeah, Lucifer, what's up with the mares here?" The griffin asked, fixing the collar around his red cloak.
Little shit. Always wants to look good in front of the females.
Guy'll fuck anything.
I turned my head to Dash.
"Dash, Willow, this is Rush. He's a Red Sparrow just like me. Rush, the little filly here is Willow Song, and the cyan mare is Rainbow Dash, one of the elements of Harmony. So behave yourself."
Rush. He was a griffin of slim build, with a small, orange beak, dark brown fur, and feathers as black as midnight. He was an odd looking griffin up here in the North, but looked quite ordinary compared to the rest of the Western griffins.
Bastard has been my friend for years, ever since he moved from the coastal griffin kingdom to the west following the wake of the plague out there. He may have been a smart mouth, cocky shit bag, but he was a good a friend as he came.
Rush walked up right in front of us, before dipping his head in a slight bow.
"It's a pleasure to meet an Element of Harmony, Miss Dash," he said, before taking her fore hoof in his claw and kissing it.
I rolled my eyes and smirked, while Dash blushed like mad before yanking her hoof back.
Rush, with that oh-so-fucking-charming-smile on his face, just chuckled again.
"Y-yeah, uh, hello to you t-to, than." Dash managed to squeak out. Goddamn, she's cute when she stutters.
Willow chose to hind behind my leg again, once again. Rush seemed to take notice of the scared filly.
"What's the matter, kiddo?" He asked with a tilt of his head.
I nodded at Dash, who placed a protective wing over Willow and brought her in for a comforting embrace.
Rush looked to me with a confused face.
"She's had a bad experience with griffins, Rush. These two were the only survivors up at Arsis. The little one still won't tell me what happened to her," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. A look of sympathy spread across his face, before he lowered his body as far as it can go, meeting the little filly's eye.
"It's alright, little one, I'm a friend," He said with a small smile across his beak.
Willow poked her head from inside of Dash's wing, and stared at the griffin before her.
"Y-you w-w-won't hurt m-me? L-l-like the other m-mean griffins?"
Rush shook his head.
"Of course not! I'm here to help you! Will you let me do that?" He extended his flaw, offering it to the little filly.
Willow stared at the outstretched claw, before she placed her little fore hoof into it. Rush gingerly shook it up and down, smiling at Willow.
I reached out my hand and patted the top of her head.
"That was very brave of you, sweetie," I said to her.
"Thanks Louie. And thank you, Mr. Rush," she sweetly replied.
Rush chuckled his little chuckle again.
"Please, kiddo, Mr. Rush is my father. Just call me Rush."
Willow giggled in return.
Rush was always good with kids. Don't know why, never asked him why. Probably never will.
He turned back to me, scooting up close enough that his beak was by my ear.
"We gotta talk. In private," he whispered. I nodded my head in reply.
"Girls," I addressed the two ponies,"You guys think you can get the last of the stuff together? After that, theres a creek about a hundred yards straight in front of us that you could use to clean yourselves up with. I gotta talk to Rush here in private for a bit."
I knew they wanted to protest. The looks on their faces said it all. But, they did as I asked instead, gathered the remaining supplies, and walked towards the creek, while I poured Rush some coffee and offered him some bread from last nights dinner.
"Now," Rush said between bites and sips,"You better tell me everything that's happened to you, so far. Not only is Ellie going mad without you there, but your mom and pop are pretty worried about you, as well. Gilda is just as upset as Ellie."
"First of all, when did Ellie get back?" I asked, taking a seat by the fire pit. Rush joined me as well.
"She got back about three days ago. And boy, was she pissed off when she found out that you weren't back by then."
"How pissed?"
"About as pissed as a young dragoness could get, dude. Double pissed when she found what the assignment really was, too."
I glared at the ground.
I love Ellie to death. More than that. But she could be a little....extreme...sometimes.
"Dude, you know I couldn't tell her that I was going off to kill not only a wanted war criminal, but a bandit leader as well. She needed to go to the migration, and like hell she would've if she found out that I was doing something like this, ALONE!"
"She cares about you. Ya shouldn't have lied to her about it. What did you tell her, any way?"
"Recon."
"That you were just doing a recon mission?"
"Eeyup."
"And she bought that?"
"Eeyup."
"Cuz, like I said, she's REALLY fucking pissed."
"I know, I know. And Gilda's up set, too?"
Rush nodded his head.
"She may not act like it, especially when she's in the conference room or with her friends around the city, but two weeks of you not being there really shows when she's by herself, bro. When we walk past her room in the palace during our rounds, we can hear her crying sometimes."
I hung my head in shame.
Gilda is one of the most important things in my life. Knowing I was making her upset was like driving a knife through my own my heart.
But, she's a strong girl, and I knew in my heart that she could stick it out, if not for just a bit longer.
"I feel like shit, Rush."
I felt his claw on my shoulder,with that sympathetic look he so good at giving on his face.
"It's alright man, at least I know you're alive and well. Like I said, the king and queen, even the council, are bit concerned about your absence. This should've been an in and out mission. Especially for the Lieutenant  of the Red Sparrows."
"My Intel was off."
"Care to explain?"
I took a deep breath, drinking from the cup of water that Rush was using (must to his displeasure), before beginning my tale:
"So, the first day after leaving Monolith was spent heading to the place that the Council's informant said that Abinchova and company were hiding out. I trashed that shit heap of a den and found nothing. There weren't any signs that he and his bandits were there for months. So, I made my way to one of the Rooks that lined the Great Southern Road for the next three days. There, I talked with some of the locals who pointed the remains of a raided caravan about a mile into the Woods of Desolation. I followed the directions that were given to me and I find the remains of the caravan."
"Survivors?"
"Just rotting corpses."
"That bastard."
"There was a creek by the remains, so I naturally followed it for about two days, stopping ever so often to investigate a corpse that was left behind. Usually it was a bandit, and I could only imagine what they fought over, but at least I knew I was going in the right direction. I finally reach a part of the forest that we're all to familiar with."
"Which is....?"
"What area do you think we're in?"
"...........Arsis......"
"The very same, man."
"And the fort...?"
"Let me explain first. So now that I arrived in this.....pleasant place.....I headed in the direction of the fort, before crossing into a small village. I didn't like the looks of the place. It gave me a very off feeling. Looking back at it now, I never should've trusted the info they gave me."
"What are you talking about, Lou?"
I sigh. God, I'm an idiot.
"I set about asking the locals about the whereabouts of Abinchova, or any raids in the area."
"Dude! You weren't suppose to do something like that! Rooks, that's a different story, but showing yourself to a whole village?! The Un-Prince?! ALONE?! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"
"I WASN'T FUCKING THINKING!"
An awkward silence took over. We both couldn't look each other in the eye.
I sighed. Yelling at each other wasn't going to solve anything.
"I'm sorry for yelling, Rush," I said, breaking the silence.
Rush just waved his claw.
"It's alright Lou," he replied, soothingly,"But still, showing yourself in public? Alone? You could've died, man. You know that you aren't really popular in the South, with you being an Un-Prince and all. But if Abinchova knew you were there, alone. He has spies everywhere!"
"I knew that! I was just so frustrated, Rush! I should have had is head in bag on it's way to my father days ago! I was off schedule and just wanted to find this fucker. I....I shouldn't have done that."
"It's fine, Lou. It happens to the best of us. But you exposing yourself like that out in the open must've put him off, bro. Every creature around these parts know who you are. Even out of the Kingdom."
"I know, I know. That's probably why I didn't end up finding him. I think he planted look outs and scouts in the town, because, when I began asking for info, all the information I got was a just a series of wild goose chases, sending me to various parts of the area, to investigate nothing! At the time, I just thought the populace was scared, but looking back at it, all the those 'hints' and 'tips' were just bullshit to keep me away from the place I knew I should have went to in the first place!"
"Fort Arsis?"
"That place, exactly."
"What happened next, Lou?"
"Well, the amount of time I wasted added up two about 5 days! I wasted 5 days going all over the region! I was at wits end, and I just felt like abandoning the idea of finding him and just going home. But, I knew I couldn't I came this far, so why stop now, you know? So, a day and a night of walking through the woods, and I stumble upon ol' Fort Arsis."
"Lot's of bad memories there, dude."
"Tell me about it. And what do I find there? Bandits with Abinchova's mark upon their helmets and armor."
"You mean that letter A with the three claw marks through it?"
"That one, exactly. So I walked back to this very cave, which I've been using as a sort of base camp in this area, and waited until nightfall. Once the moon was up, I crept back to the camp, fully intent on killing this scum."
"Finally! Some action! Well, don't keep me waiting! What happened next?"
I recounted to him all that had transpired that night. The killings. The two burnt Equines. Willow and Dash's rescue. And no Abinchova.
"..........after that, I brought them back here, and that's where you found us."
".......he got away, Lou."
"I know, Rush. I'm sorry."
I put my head down in shame. God, I felt like shit.
I always said that killing was all that I was really good at. Serving my country was what I did best.
So when you fail at something that your really good at, it makes you really question yourself. Your worth.
And it makes you feel like shit.
I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
"I-I'm sorry Rush. I-I fucking -t-tried but I let you -a-all down," I barely choked.
I could feel the tears falling off my cheeks. I could feel my nose running, accompanied by choked sobs.
I was always a messy crier.
I could feel a pair of fore arms wrap around my head, cradling it, rocking it gently.
I could hear Rush shushing me. Telling me it's alright.
But it wasn't. It was far from alright.
I failed.
At least Rush was trying to make me feel better.
He was always there for me, especially during the war.
We were suppose to be bad ass Red Sparrows.
But we weren't unfeeling.
Sometimes, after we had to do something that we knew was horrible (usually torture of some kind) we would try to comfort each other as best as we could when the job was finished.
Anything to keep us sane.
Heh. Surprised we weren't lovers by the end of those years.
He was a good friend. He IS a good friend. He was my brother in arms.
At once, I grabbed Rush and pulled him into a hug, one which caught him by surprise, but was gladly accepted.
"God, it's good to see a friendly face right now."
He nodded his head and smiled.
"It's good to see you're still alive, bro."
I laughed. He laughed. We laughed!
"But you won't be for long when Ellie finds you."
Aaaaaaannnnddd there goes the mood.
"You gotta keep bringing that up?"
"I'm sorry," Rush said, still laughing,"But it's gonna be hilarious when she kicks your ass for lying to her."
"We interrupting something, boys?"
The snapping of twigs twigs to our right alerted us to the presence of my Equine companions.
Willow was making the cutest like 'Daw' face, while Dash stared at us, a smirk on her face and one eyebrow raised.
Blushing, we let go of each other as quickly as possible, before standing up and brushing dirt off our garments that wasn't necessarily there.
The two came strutting back in the camp, Dash's mane still somewhat wet, water dripping from her rainbow crainium.
Rush went wide eyed, as his wings shot up with a *pomf*.
I had to admit, Rush had a huge pair of long, black wings on him, that I've seen many a hen (female griffin) ogle over.
Pegasi, it appeared, were no different in their taste for big wings, because Dash's sprung straight as soon has she beheld my friends erect wings, a bright blush quite apparent on her face.
I acted accordingly.
"Oh God, keep it in your pants, you two!" I cried out in laughter, causing him and Dash to glare over at me, blushes still over their faces.
"I don't get it, what's so funny, Louie? And why are their wings like that."
"I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie," I said before scooping up the little filly and embracing her, which she gladly returned.
Man, I love how all it takes to lighten the mood is just a bit of social embarrassment.
Quite a few awkward minutes later, the gear was packed and everyone seemed ready to go.
If only they knew the bombshell I was gonna drop.
"Well, shall we head on home, than?"
Dash, Willow and Rush looked at me expectantly.
"I'm ready," I said, before sighing, stalling a bit,"But, I....."
"But, what, Lou?" Rush asked.
"You three need to go on ahead without me."
"WHAT!?" My three companions shouted at once.
"No way, dude! I ain't leaving you here, alone."
"Yeah, Lou! We came here together, we'll leave together!"
"Louie! You can't stay here by yourself!"
I rose my hands to stop the torrent of arguments.
"I know guys. I know! But listen to me. Dash and Willow have already been captured. Dash has been imprisoned for at least a day or two, Willow won't tell me how long, but I can assume it was longer than Dash's. They need to get to a hospital and get a check up ASAP! Rush, you remember how those dungeons in Arsis were! They were full of disease, they were dirty! You two are leaving with Rush, and Rush, you're leading them back to the palace to my personal physicians!"
Rush walked closer two me, standing on his hind legs, placing his face right in front of mine.
His eyes glared into mine, while behind them was an expression of deep concern and worry.
"I'm. Not. Leaving. You."
I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, you are. It'll be faster if you flew, instead of wasting days walking by my side. You need to get back to the palace and report my.....failure. That way, the message could be spread that Abinchova is still out there, still hurting creatures."
"Lou, don't make me do this, please." Rush looked away from me, refusing to look into my face.
I put my hand under his chin and brought his eyes back to mine.
"Do it. For me. Please."
He stared into my eyes, the worry more apparent than ever, before he dropped back to all fours and turned his back to me.
".......alright, I'll fucking do it."
"And you two!" I said pointing towards the two Equines,"You two are going with Rush. No if's and's or but's. Rush, give them the best guest rooms at the palace. And if I recall, Dash is going to Monolith to help make amends with a friend. Help her do so so."
The two Equines looked at the ground, while Rush turned back towards me, a defiant look in his eye.
"I'll take em back to Monolith. We should be there by evening if we fly nonstop with the filly on one of our backs. But as soon as we get there, I'm sending Ellie to come and bring you back. So, you better fucking be here. Got that?!"
I nodded my head.
Man, Rush was upset. I wouldn't blame him. First thing you learn in the Red Sparrows: Never leave a griffin behind.
He was breaking the Cardinal Sin.
He's a good friend.
"Alright," he said, ruffling his cloak and spreading his wings,"Put Willow on your back, Dash, and follow me."
Willow and Dash walked over to me first, each putting a set of fore hooves around me.
I wrapped my arms around them as well.
"I'll see you two soon," I said with a sad smile.
I felt a pair of lips on both cheeks again.
This time, I didn't blush.
I looked at the ground, admiring every stone, every pebble, every crevice in the ground, while the sound of wing beats filled the air, before slowly disappearing. I looked to the sky, the silhouettes of my friends fading off into the distance.
And than, I was alone, once again.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                Chapter 7.Discombobulation                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 7.Discombobulation
Another night alone at this cave.
It's been several hours since my companions have left to the Capital, which meant several more hours by myself.
I felt alone. Haven't felt this way in awhile.
Rush told me that I was to wait at this exact spot, and I planned on doing so, but still, to wait here for hours?
Geez, I could've made it home by now.
And not feel so lonely......
Speaking of home, I had a lot to explain once I got back. No doubt Captain Blackavar will want my report on all that transpired these last few weeks. Great, paper work. I hate paper work.
Still hate the rain more.
And I also have to report my failure to my father....I was not going to enjoy that.
This was my first solo mission. Period
I proved myself again and again on the battlefield, and on other missions with the Sparrows. This was my test to see if I could do any of this shit on my own. My father PERSONALLY picked this mission out for me, with full confidence that I could pull it off.
And I failed him....
Not only him, but all the fucking creatures that Abinchova had murdered to acquire his plunder.
The two dead Equines.....
Jesus Christ, why do they keep popping into my head?!
I raise my fist and begin tapping my forehead with it repeatedly.
"Get the fuck out of there," I muttered softly to my mind.
Man, just let me be.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wasn't there earlier. That wasted days in the wild chasing nothing
I could've saved you if I was earlier. If I wasn't such an idiot.
The Captain was right. I wasn't ready for this.
Instead of acting like a professional, I acted like a fool. And my foolishness had got two Equines killed.
I think the reason it bothers me so much is that fact that they were Equines from Equestria.
You ever been there?
It's the most innocent place I've ever seen when I visited it my first time with my pops.
We only got to see the capital of Canterlot and all, but from what I saw and what I read, it seemed to match the description of  a perfect Utopia. There were always sunshine and smiles, where friends and neighbors were put before others.
Hell, they've never been to war.
At all.
Period.
They were weak, I'm afraid to say, though.
Did you know that Equestria has no formal army of any kind? That they only have the Royal Guard, which acts as a police force at best?
They didn't need one.
They had the biggest playing card that any nation could ever hold: Monarchs who controlled the celestial bodies in the sky.
They raise our sun and moon.
No creature would dare attack them.
Except the Changelings. They tried it once.
Once.
And they were beaten by the Power of Love for fucks sake.
Chrysalis still hasn't lived that one down, even though both nations had formalized peace.
All the leaders at the yearly Council of Kingdoms still give her shit about it.
It's pretty funny.
What's not funny is gonna be dad's reaction when I get home.
I knew he was going to be upset with me (Maybe even disown me. Who knows?) not only for my failure of the mission, but for being gone for so long. I was told that this mission should be about four days to a week tops. I'm pushing on three weeks, now. And not only that, he's gonna be pissed for making him worry about me. Not to mention mom, Delilah, Gilda and Ellie.
Speaking of Ellie......
Where is she?
I stood up from my seat by the fire I had made, stretching out my arms, yawning a bit.
Surely the others would've made it there by now.
And if Ellie is as mad as Rush said she was, she'd be here in a heartbeat.
Ellie....
I guess I should explain a bit about her, huh?
I won't go into a lot of detail (I can't ruin all the surprises, can I?), but a quick rundown on a bit of our history should suffice.
I first met this dragoness when I was about twelve years old.
By that time, I had been in Allerseen for about five years now, and was adjusting rather well to my new family and the title that they came with. My father had personally trained me since he and my mom adopted me, and by that time, I was catching on to sword play and tactics fairly quickly.
When my twelfth birthday hit, my father decided it was time that I learned about the wildwoods of our Kingdom, and the dangers and wonders it held. We set off into the Woods of Desolation, so he could teach me the Norther Griffin way of survival.
During our trek through those woods, I was separated from my father when the fall storms began to hit the area. I'm sure that he and all the guards he had brought were in a craze looking for me.
I, on the other hand, took refuge in a cave that I found near the banks of the River Rune.
A cave that was occupied, might I add.
It was then that I met a dragon for the first time.
A dragoness that I would come to love and cherish, as she did me.
When I first saw her, I stood completely still, in awe of the creature before my eyes.
For being a dragon, she was rather slender, with long, thin legs and arms.
Her scales were the lightest blue, along with the with the pointed spines along her back. Her underbelly was a white in tone, which shined even through the darkness of the cave.
She wasn't very big, either. About as tall as an adult Minotaur, with the wingspan of a fully fledged griffin.
From what I read in the books back at home, that meant that this particular dragoness (by the way her body curved, and her bosom chest, it was clear she was a female) was in her teenage years, ranging from 50 to 100 years of age.
Her snout was pointed, yet soft, which bore a frown of discomfort.
She was asleep, at that moment. And, by a closer investigation, wounded, as well.
She seemed to be covered in gashes and scrapes, her red blood splashed about her body.
I heard her moan slightly when she moved in her sleep.
I took a step forward, concerned for her well being.
I didn't know why, but the stories of dragons and their...less than conventional ways...aside, just by looking at this powerful, yet frail creature, I knew she needed m help.
My booted foot scraped against the dirt of the cave as I moved closer towards the wounded creature.
The dragoness's head shot straight up, her long neck arching towards my direction.
I was expecting a growl of some kind, or a roar of warning.
Instead, I was answered with a soft, delicate, voice, sweet as honey.
And scared.
"W-who's there? H-hello?"
The dragoness's voice was as lovely as the song of the streams.
I knew at that moment that she didn't mean any harm.
She sounded young and frightened....and hurt.
I walked into her line of sight.
The dragoness's eyes shot wide open, as I heard her scurry back a little.
She cowered back away from me, as I took another step towards her.
'Who are you?" she asked, fear evident in her voice.
It was about that time that I noticed that I was rather haggard looking. I was wearing a long, black, tattered cloak around me, my hood still over my head, shrouding my face from the cold weather and the rain, outside.
As well as the dragoness's eyes.
I guess I did appear a bit menacing looking.
I dropped the hood, showing my young face to the dragoness.
At once, she raised her head a bit higher, looking me over and over.
I began wondering to myself if maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Maybe she was hungry, and what better than the soft, tasty flesh of a young human?
I was still just a child, no matter how much my dad tried to toughen me up at the time.
I was lost, tired and scared as well.
"What are you," I heard her ask.
She must have seen the fear and hurt on my face, because the one on hers quickly morphed into a look of concern.
I fell backwards onto my rump, hitting the hard ground below me.
"I-I.....I'm....lost," I choked out.
At this point, I truly didn't care who I was talking to or what. I just needed to be in the presence of someone.
I felt so alone, than.
Just like I do now.....
"I got lost in the storm, and I can't find my dad," I said, tears beginning to fall from my eyes.
I looked to the ground, ashamed of my crying.
Hawks (male griffins) weren't suppose to cry. And that's what I considered myself as. A proud hawk.
I heard the sounds of footsteps as the dragoness began to approach me.
They stopped right before me, before she crawled down on all fours, to look me in the eye.
"You're lost?" she asked, a tear forming in her eye as well.
I nodded my head in a sad reply.
"Me too.....," she said, her young voice cracking a bit.
"What's you're name?" I asked her, comforted in the fact that I wasn't the only lost soul in the world at the moment.
"Ellie," she replied, a tear trickling down her snout. I reached my hand up, wiping the drop from the edge of her snout, before wiping my own eyes.
"My name is Lucifer," I said with a teary smile,"would you wind if I kept you company?"
The dragoness returned the smile with one of her own.
It was a nice smile. A beautiful smile.
"I would like that very much."
That night, we talked and talked, about who we were, what we were, and about our current situations.
I learned from Ellie that she was, in fact, 47. Though practically a teenager, she was still fairly young by dragons standards and was traveling with her parents through the these woods. Three days prior, she and her parents were attacked by griffin dragon hunters, after their hide and bones, which were very valuable in the weapon and armor business. Sadly, her parents did not survive the ambush. These griffins were professionals.
Ellie barely survived the ambush, sustaining quite a few injuries, before making her way in any direction but behind her. She came across the cave earlier today, and had been sitting here, wallowing in the grief of her slaughtered family.
I did the only the I could do.
I gave her the biggest hug I could give. One she gladly accepted and returned.
That night, after bandaging her wounds with herbs that I had picked earlier that day (my father was teaching me about the local flora, that day, especially about healing herbs), I slept on the cold floor of the cave, with Ellie holding me in an embrace, a protective wing covering my body.
The warmth that radiated from her body was beyond soothing, and I never felt so...safe and sound.
Needless to say, my father and company eventually came upon the cave I resided in, and, before nearly having her killed, I conveyed the story of what had transpired that night.
Minus the cuddling, of course.
My father was stern griffin, but was also a very understanding one.
With a few pleads here and there, Ellie was allowed to come back to the palace with us.
And we became the best of friends.
It wasn't until our time during the Great Civil War that we became something else.
When we became Bond Mates.
I remember her body being pierced from a Dominion crossbow bolt.
When she plummeted from the sky.
I remember her nearly dying.
She wasn't even in the fight. She abhorred violence of any kind. She was there just to watch over me.
And she took a bolt for me.
It was than that I did the near impossible.
By that time, the war was just about over, and she was pushing on 6'8, her body alone.
I was 5'10, tired, and wounded. But I wouldn't leave her.
I bound her wound as best as I could, and, through the thick of fighting and dying, I did my best to carry her to the medics in the camp.
I collapsed twice from exhaustion. I was pretty sure that my left arm was shattered.
But I wouldn't leave her.
I couldn't.
I didn't.
Nearly dying from exhaustion, I managed to pull her to the medics, who in turn saved her life.
And, like that first night in the cave, when evening came, the battle won, and me broken, bruised and bloody in the medical tent with her, I found myself in a familiar embrace.
Safe, sound, and warm.....
Man, that was a year and half ago.
It was her idea to become Bond Mates. Life companions, so to speak.
It was something a dragon did with only someone he or she truly trusted.
She vowed to be by my side until death us.
Of course I accepted, and vowed the exact same thing.
She did say that, um....mating....was part of the package, as well.
And though I did truly love her, I've, well, never took her up on that offer.
Yet, at least.
Who knows, could be interesting.
It was only than that noticed how truly dark it had gotten.
Where the hell was Ellie?
Man, sitting here in all this quiet was starting to get annoying.
Not even crickets were chirping.
Which was odd, really.
Not a sound.
I didn't really like that.
I began to tense up, taking a look around the dark forest that surrounded me.
Something didn't feel right.
I felt like I was being watched. But by what?
Or who?
I began to slowly reach for my sword next to the fire pit.
A twig snaps.
All hell breaks loose.
I hear yells from all around me as griffins sprung forth from the dark of the woods.
My sword was fully unsheathed by now, while I sprang up from my seat.
Goddamn bandits.
Not just any bandits. Abinchova bandits.
My sword swung, clashing the blade of another before a quick flick of the wrist sent it's tip into the throat of my first target.
The crimson color I am all to familiar with gushed forward, sliding down my blade's steel sheen.
I caught the blade of another before a swipe from my left sent a head toppling to the ground, bathed a glorious cascade of gore.
I could feel that funny feeling taking over me.
I swung my sword left and right, up and down, blocking, breaking, killing.
The more I slashed, the more bandits poured forth from the woods.
It was like a whole damn raiding party was at my cave's door step.
Still, I could only do one thing at the time.
Keep killing.
My furry of blows took several more lives, before the attacking stopped, and the bandits began o form a circle around me.
At my feet lay about a dozen dead souls. Dead traitors.
I leaned forward onto my sword, panting loudly, before raising my sword all around.
"Who the fuck is next?!"I half shouted, half panted out.
The bandits still circled me.
"I'll take that bet, my lord,"I heard a voice call from the black of the woods.
A voice I was all to familiar with.
I could hear the sound of twigs and branches cracking, as the behemoth of a griffin emerged from the shadows.
He still wore the rusted and tattered armor of the Dominion, Luciens Crest still in dead center of the chest plate.
His fur was matted and dirty, thanks to a great deal of time in the wilds.
His white feathers were now a dirty grayish color, road worn and disheveled.
His large, yellow beak was tinted with red around it's edges, clearly from the gore of feast he had not too long ago.
The only that hadn't changed was the big, black mace he had on his side.
It was Abinchova.
Here, in the flesh.
I pointed my sword at him.
My blood boiled looking at that monster. That murderer.
"You....You are under arrest in the name of his Royal Majesty, my father, for crimes against the Kingdom of Allerseen and it's people. What say you, you traitorous shit?"
He smiled a maddened smile, insanity twinkling in his eyes.
"Guilty, my lord."
This was it. My chance to make this mistake right. To make my father proud, To make the kingdom proud. Too make Gilda and Ellie and Rush all proud of me.
"Than, as Un-Prince, I sentence you to death by mine own hand. Draw your weapon, Abinchova."
His crooked grin only widened, before nodding his head in my direction.
Not to me, but to behind me.
Before I could spin around, I heard the sound of a click, the whoosh of air, and, all at once, a strong pain in the back of my left shoulder.
I heard the thud, I smelt the blood, and released a howl of pain as the crossbow bolt dug into my flesh.
I heard two more clicks, as I felt my back legs give out, also pierced.
Falling to my knees, I dropped my sword as another bolt pierced just under my right shoulder.
The pain was excruciating. I've broken bones, had gashes inches long, but had never been shot before.
Goddamnit. I kept making rookie mistake after rookie mistake.
I heard the sound of the hulking mass of griffin come towards.
A solid punch from an armored fist to my jaw sent me spiraling backwards, causing the bolts behind me to dig deeper into my flesh.
I heard the sound of a small blade unsheathing. My eyes were closed, pain all around me.
I heard a thunk, and opened my eyes to see a hilt of a dagger sticking from my belly.
Pain followed.
Sweet Jesus, was there pain.
I wanted to scream. I tried to. But felt as if all the air in my lungs was forced out.
I felt a claw reaching for the collar of my tunic, pulling me to face the crazed bandit before me.
His eyes burned with hell fire, yet a calm, nonchalant expression adorned his face.
I could feel his other claw rubbing my head, soothingly stroking it, like you would to a child to help them sleep at night.
Sleep sounded good right now.
"That was for my lads you killed,"Abinchova said in soft tone.
"You should've just left well enough alone, boy. Un-Prince or not, Sparrow or not, you and yours destroyed what we believed in, what we fought and bled for, and you labeled us the war criminals and heathens?"
He twisted the dagger further in, eliciting more cries of pain from me.
I couldn't reply. I couldn't think.
Oh Gods above, I hurt. I hurt so much.
"I know what you and the Sparrows did at Venom Falls, what you did at Flow. You did some fucked up stuff, lad, and it was all because your daddy deemed it necessary to the cause of war."
With a flick of his wrist, the knife slip out of my belly, blood running from the wound.
His face twisted into a snarl.
He raised the the blade up.
"You destroyed our rightful land, our Democracy! You idiots had to cling to the old ways! Don't you see?! The power should be held by the PEOPLE for the PEOPLE! No one creature should've held the strings of control alone! You could've left the Dominion alone to prosper! But instead you chose to fight us! To murder us! TO FUCKING DESTROY US!"
I couldn't look him the eyes. I looked instead to the dark horizon above me, stars twinkling across the firmament.
At least I'd die on a nice night.
I could've sworn one was moving towards me.
"It's only right that I repay the favor."
The blade began to fall.
A roar echoed throughout area.
Abinchova stopped, the bandits looked around.
I noticed a stick poking from the fire pit.
Another roar echoed. It sounded frantic and enraged.
"DRAGON!" one of the Bandits yelled.
I heard scattered movements all around me.
A small smile began to form on my face.
She made it.
Good ol' Ellie.
With the last bit of strength I had, I grabbed the blackened stick and shoved it skyward.
Straight into Abinchova's eye.
I hear a howl of pain that rattled my bones.
Abinchova clutched the wounded socket, before turning to the woods and fleeing with his troop.
He was gone again.
I laid back down, my body throbbing.
I could feel it.
I was dying.
A familiar blue dragoness, a face of horror adorning her, came diving from the sky towards me.
Good ol' Ellie, man.
"LUCIFER!!" I could hear her shouting.
I could feel my consciousness fading rapidly.
At least I look his eye.
The last thing I recall seeing is Ellie's big, blue eyes, tears forming in them.
Just like when we first met.......

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                Chapter 8. Anthropocentric                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 8. Anthropocentric
My eyes burst open. I let out dry, coarse cough as I gasped for breath.
I.....I was alive.
I also felt very groggy.
Felt like I was put under some strong ass sedatives or something.
Still wasn't groggy enough to not feel a dull, throbbing ache that coursed through my flesh.
I tried to lift my hands to wipe the sleep from eyes, but as soon as I budged just a twitch, a burning pain shot through my shoulders.
My eyes clenched tot, tears beginning to form in the corners.
I felt like utter shit.
But at least I was alive.
Opening my eyes once again, I became aware that I was in an all too familiar room.
Mine.
I was lying on my large bed, covered in the softest blankets I think I've ever felt.
A beeping noise had caught my attention, causing me to turn in the direction of the sound.
I saw the lines of a heartbeat monitor, beeping and swaying in calm, rhythmic patterns.
At least my heartbeat was normal.
Looking towards my arm, I noticed an IV needle jutting from my skin, connecting it to a pouch filled with God knows what. All around my bedsides were various medical devices, small tables, and trays, some holding red rags, dripping my life essence into bowls.
There was a lot of blood.
Man, how much did I bleed?
Looking towards my midsection, I saw that it was wrapped in layers and layers of bandages.
A light red stain was subtly visible.
That's right.
Not only was I pierced with crossbow bolts, Abinchova stabbed me as well.
He tried to kill me.
And I took his fucking eye.
I felt a twinge of pride, knowing that I at least caused some damage to his being.
He wasn't an immortal warrior of legend.
He wasn't an invulnerable monster from the blackest pits of hell.
He was just a griffin. And he could bleed just like I and any other creature could.
I sighed before relaxing back into the softness of the sheets and mattress.
Besides the medical equipment, my room hadn't changed much since I was absent. The walls were still a dark grey, with various paintings of the beautiful Allerseen landscape and of significant historical events spread about the room.
Above my writing desk hung a portrait of my family and I in the Royal Gardens.
My mother and father were dead center, sitting upon lavish lawn furniture, garbed in their royal robes and attire. My younger brother, Romulus, stood my father's right, wearing a simple tunic across his upper body, with a sword strapped to his waist, while my older sister, Sasha, stood to my mother's left in beautiful summer dress. Little Delilah sat in my mothers lap, in a little dress of her own, the happiest expression beaming across her face. And I stood behind them all, being the tallest one there and such. I proudly bore a full suit of plate armor, covered neck to toe, with my crimson cloak of the Red Sparrows shrouded around my shoulders.
Sexy bastard, is what I was.
And beside me in the back was Ellie, by my side like always, smiling that cute smile of hers.
I remember the painter complaining about the amount of people in the painting, as well as the size of one particular occupant.
We simply told him to use a bigger canvas.
So, he had to MAKE a bigger one, because the one he was using was the biggest sold in stores at the time.
That was a fun day. One of those days that spending it with family felt like the most natural thing in the world.
That everything was right, in a blissful sense of earthly nirvana.
My mouth felt incredibly dry, and I could here the sound of my stomach rumbling.
I was clearly hungry and thirsty.
Which brought forth other questions that came to my mind.
How long had I been here in the palace?
Where was Ellie and the others?
Oh shit, if I was attacked, then what about Rush, Willow, and Dash?! Were they attacked out of sight, while I just sat for hours?!
I could feel myself beginning to panic, as multiple scenarios began to play about in my mind. The heartbeat monitor began to beep faster and faster, as I slowly began to rise up, ignoring the pain the enshrouded my being.
It hurt. Oh God, did it hurt.
But I had to make sure, to see if everything was alright.
The beeping became more frantic, as I became more frantic. I was sweating profusely, as I began digging out the various needles embedded in my flesh.
"I'M COMING,GUYS!" I hoarsely shouted as loud as I could, reaching for my sword that I kept by my bedside.
A sword that wasn't there this time.
That made me panic more than ever.
At once, the doors to my chambers burst inward.
In poured doctors and nurses, a mix between Equine and Griffin, as they all rushed to my bed side, in order to impede my  movements.
I heard various shouts and commands, but my mind could barely register them.
I found myself being forced back down to the bed, the prodding of needles as they dug back inside of me.
I looked to the nearest doctor, a griffin hen, as I reached out and grasped her claw.
It caught her a bit by surprised, but she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze.
"W-wh-where's El-Ellie? I-is everyone o-ok?" I could only whisper.
The adrenaline that I had been feeling must've been wearing off, because as soon as the doctors and nurses had me settled back into my bed, proceeding to change my bloody bandages, I was overcome by pain once more.
God, I could feel the throbbing. I felt like I was going to be sick.
"Sssshhh, it's alright, my lord. They're here, safe and sound. You'll get to see them soon enough. I promise you."
The doctor began to soothingly stroke my head, just like Abinchova did.
Minus the irony, of course.
I squeezed her claw a little bit harder.
"It hurts," I choked out,"It' hurts so bad."
One of the nurses had brought a syringe, and proceeded to give it to the doctor grasping my hand.
"This'll make it better, my lord," she told me in a soft voice,"No more pain."
She slid the needle into one of the tubes that connected to the IV.
Almost at once, I felt a sense of relief, as the pain began to slowly recede.
I felt my arm relax to my side as I let go of the griffins claw.
"Thank you,"I whispered, closing my eyes a bit.
The stroking of my hair didn't stop, as I heard voices in the background.
"Send for the king and queen at once. Tell them that the Un-Prince is awake."
I heard rushed hoof steps quickly exit my room, as well as the sound of several other persons leaving at a moderate speed.
My eyes still closed, I called out to the doctor in a slightly less raspy voice.
"Doctor.......?"
"I'm Dr. Angela, but you may call me just Angela, my lord."
I nodded my head, as her stroking ceased.
"Angela, do you think I may have some water. I'm quite thirsty."
"Of course, my lord."
I felt the a straw being placed to my lips, as I began to suck the ever living shit from it.
By far the best glass of water I had ever drank.
"Easy, my lord, you don't want choke and go into a coughing fit," The doctor called Angela chuckled.
I simply relished in the feeling of a moist throat and mouth again.
"How long have I been here?" I asked Angela, opening my eyes to meet hers.
"You arrived here two days ago, my lord, by the dragoness Ellie. You were suffering from heavy blood loss, a broken shoulder, numerous gashes and cuts, and a pierced intestine. By all accounts, you should've died from your wounds, sir. Luckily, with no small amount of healing magic and potions, we managed to patch you up, though it will still take about two weeks minimum for you to heal up fully."
Whoa, Abinchova sure did some damage.
"And Sergeant Rush, and the two survivors he brought. What happened to them?"
Angela just shook her head.
"I can't really say, my lord. If a doctor saw them, than it wasn't me. The king and queen are on their way to check on you, but visitor visits are limited at the moment. You may be alive, but you are still hurt and in need of plenty of rest."
"I don't plan on sleeping until I get at least some details about whats happened," I retorted.
Angela sighed in response.
"Just don't over exert yourself, my lord," she said with a sad smile,"We can't afford to lose you now, after all we've been through to save you."
I chuckled a bit. AT least she has a sense of humor, unlike a lot of other doctors I met.
"Don't worry, ma'am," I smirked,"I'm not that easy to kill."
A frantic series of knocks was heard against the door.
Shit.
My parents.
Angela went to open the door, only for it to burst inward on its own accord, with not two, but three griffins rushing in.
My father and mother, of course, but Gilda as well.
My father had large bags under his eyes, most likely from a severe lack of sleep, while my mom's and Gilda's were bloodshot and puffy, probably from crying.
I truly don't like making people cry.
Guess it's just habit now.
Gilda sprang towards my bed before lashing out her forearms and embracing me in an anaconda like death grip.
"Please, be careful!" I heard Angela shout, "You may reopen his wounds if you are rough around his injuries! We just changed his bandages!"
Her cries went unnoticed as my father and mother joined Gilda at my bedside, while Gilda sobbed into my chest.
"Y-you fucking idiot,"she cried out between sobs,"Y-you almost got k-killed again!"
I weakly wrapped my arms around her, stroking her back, as I tried my best to calm her down.
"It's alright, babe, it's alright,"I said, trying my hardest to hold back tears of my own,"I'm so, so sorry for making you worry about me. Just please, don't cry, or you're gonna make me start crying, and you know messy it always looks."
I heard her giggle a bit, before releasing me from her death grip of a hug, wiping the tears from her eyes.
I was immediately engulfed by my mother's arms, as she tightened her grip around me, sobbing as well.
"My boy,"she choked out,"Oh my little boy.... Look what they did to you! I..I...-" She couldn't finish her sentence, instead choosing to grip me tighter, crying profusely.
Thank God those pain meds were doing there job and mildly doping me up, or I'd probably be crying just as hard as them.
I rubbed my mother's back, like I did with Gilda, trying my best to soothe her.
"I'm sorry, mom,"I said, the floodgates breaking (I usually cried every time I saw my mother hurt in some way),"I'm sorry for worrying you. For being a bad a son."
"You're not a bad son,"she sobbed,"I'm a bad mother. You were alone out there, and hurt, and I couldn't reach you, couldn't help you." She wrapped her fore arms around my head, cradling it, rocking it back and forth as our foreheads touched.
Being embraced by a mother is always a comforting feeling, and no matter how old you are, it always feels the same:
Special. Loving.
My mom finally released me, stepping back next to Gilda, who had one of my hands in her claw, squeezing it gently.
"Son....." My father called me.
The moment I had been dreading.
I turned to face my dad, who had a somber expression across his tired face.
"D-Dad,"I stuttered out,"I....I failed, dad. I didn't get him. I failed you. Failed us. Failed Allerseen."
My head lowered, afraid to meet his somber gaze.
Gilda was stroking my hand with her other claw, nuzzling her soft beak against it.
I was afraid of what my father would tell me. What he'd do.
My big mission.....
Not only did I blow it, but I nearly died in the process.
He must hate me.
He must-
I felt powerful arms wrap around me.
Strong, yet gentle. Soft, yet firm.
For the first time in my life, I saw my father weep.
It was quiet and calm, yet it was still there.
"I'm just glad you're alive, Lucifer," He said, tears falling silently from his eyes.
My father.......
He even cried with dignity and grace.
I could feel Gilda release my hand as I launched it forward to wrap it around my father.
I was sobbing now, feeling depressed yet over joyed all at once.
It felt depressing that I let my father down, but comforting that he still loved me, that he valued my life over the assignment.
I started to chuckle a bit.
My dad started to as well.
Even mom and Gilda couldn't help but crack a small smile.
Pretty soon, we were laughing loudly and joyfully, tears still falling from our eyes.
Not of sadness this time, but of happiness. Pure bliss.
"I take it we can come in, now?" A voice called from the door way.
We all turned to see Rush (that smirk ever present on his face), Willow, and Dash standing in the door way, who all bore looks of relief and joy on their faces.
"Louie!" the little filly cried, before dashing across the room and plowing into my chest.
I caught the little bundle of D'aw, and held her tightly against my chest.
"Hey there, Willow, long time no see, huh?"
"Don't ever scare me like that again, Louie," the little filly squeaked, burying her muzzle into my chest.
"I'm sorry, little one," I said, stroking her mane,"I'll never do something like that again."
"Promise?"she asked with those damn puppy dog eyes.
"Promise," I answered with a smile.
I look towards the door at the two remaining souls standing there.
"Well, come on in and join the party, guys."
The two dashed to my side, Rainbow embracing me as soon as she hit my bedside, while Rush waited next to my parents.
"I knew you'd pull through, dude," Dash said, rubbing her cheek against mine, Willow rubbing the other.
"Glad to be of service, Dash," I snickered out, before wrapping an arm around her neck, pulling her into a hug.
"Did you ever find your friend, here?" I asked.
"She sure did, Lou," I heard Gilda's voice reply.
Rainbow let go of me, and stood next Gilda, a smile upon both of their faces, while I looked awestruck.
"Wait, your the friend Dash was talking about, love?" I asked my fiance.
Gilda blushed a bit at her pet name.
"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either when Rush said that you sent over a couple of ponies, one with a rainbow name."
I whistled.
"Small fucking world."
"Young man, you watch your language in front of a child!" My mother scolded.
The room erupts into laughter, at my expense of course, while I lay there, blushing and grumbling.
Poor little me, I can't seem to catch a break these days.
"Dude, she owned your ass right now," Rush choked out between laughs, before the back of my mother's claw met the back of his head.
"You two, Rush. If my son can't get away with it, than you aren't exempt either."
It was my turn to laugh, while Rush rubbed the back of his head, grumbling,
"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Mr. Stabbed in the Stomach."
The mood of the room changed in an instant.
All eyes seemed to be upon me, upon my wounds.
Especially towards my stomach.
"I guess you have quite the tale to tell, son" My father said, his gaze drifting from my bandaged shoulders, to my bandaged stomach.
"Yeah, but it's a long one, and not exactly pleasant, either," I replied, hanging my head down in shame.
I felt a claw lift my chin up, as I looked into the eyes of my father.
"Son, I know it must be hard, but I need to hear it. I need to know what that......monster....did to you. But, only if your up to it, of course."
I sighed.
I just wanted to forget this and sleep.
Sleep until the end of time was upon us.
Where there wouldn't be an Abinchova or an Allerseen.
Just the gates of slumber.
But of course I couldn't forget.
Not this.
"I can tell you, father. I need to talk about it,"I said to him. he nodded his head, that somber look crossing his face again.
'But, Willow shouldn't hear this. It's......rather graphic. Gilda, babe, do you think you and Dash can take her dining hall? It should be about time for the evening meals anyway."
I looked out towards the window, the sunset glowing a magnitude of colors.
The look that she gave me said it all.
"Please. For me?"
She sighed loudly, before nodding her head.
"Fine, I'll do it. But later, we're having a long, long talk mister. Come on Dash, Willow, let's grab some supper."
Willow gave me a quick peck on the cheek, as did Dash, before following Gilda.
"I'll see you in the morning, love," I called out.
At the sound of that pet name again, Gilda turned heel and rushed back to my bed, kissing me deeply.
She nuzzled my forehead, but still bore a look or irritation across her face.
Oh boy, she was upset.
And an upset Gilda meant a bruised Lucifer.
With that, she, Willow and Dash departed.
MY mother, father, and Rush stayed behind.
"You're staying, too, Rush?" I asked him,"You heard most of this story already."
He glared back at me.
"You're damn right I'm staying! I need to hear what that bastard did to you, Lou......So I don't have to imagine it later..."
I nodded my head at him, giving his claw a quick squeeze.
"Go on than, Louie," My mom said,"Tell us what happened."
I looked towards my father before starting. He nodded his head.
I took a deep breath before beginning my tale.
"It started right after I left the palace to start the assignment, I left to the location the Council had told me to go, and............."
I told them as much of the story as I could remember, from the days spent tracking Abinchova, to the attack on Fort Arsis, to Rush's arrival, and the ambush at the campsite, where I met Abinchova face to face. Rush and my father both insisted that I describe the torture that befell me, and I could tell it had a strong effect upon them. Both my father and Rush had looks of anger upon their faces, while my mother began to cry again, holding me tightly like before.
"........And that's when Ellie saved me. The next thing I know, I'm awake in my room, with all these machines around me."
My father and Rush were silent, each in deep thought.
"You made foolish mistake after foolish mistake, boy," My father said, breaking the silence.
I flinched at his comment.
I mean, I did agree with him one hundred percent that I had acted the fool throughout that mission.
"But it makes me proud that you held your own against so many foes. Well done, son."
He smiled at me, his eyes no longer somber, but filled with pride.
I returned the smile with one of my own.
"I learned from the best, dad," I replied.
He placed his claw upon my shoulder, patting it gently.
I felt a bit of pain, but I took it.
My father was proud of me.
Man, I'll never get tired of hearing that.
"I still can't believe he did that to you, dude," Rush said in angry voice,"Don't worry, Lou, when we catch him, we'll make him suffer for all that he's done. You mark my words."
Rush turned and began to head towards the door.
I could hear him sniffling.
I know I saw a tear drop fall.
"Rush, are you OK, man?" I asked, my voiced filled with worry.
He refused to look back.
"I'm fine, Lucifer,"He said,"Just need some air, is all."
With that he left the room.
"I worry about him, dad," I said, still facing the door,"I worry about him, a lot."
"He has a right to be upset, Lucifer," My father responded,"His closest friend was nearly murdered not but a few hours after he left. I could only imagine what's running through his mind, right now."
"He still hasn't gotten over Venom Falls, either," I chimed in, still not removing my eyes from the door way.
My dad just shook his head.
"We did what we had to, son. It was horrible, it was wrong, but it was necessary."
"I know dad, but I don't think he does. He bottles it up instead of talk about it. By the way, where's Romulus, Delilah and Sasha?"
"They're in Odal right now, Louie, visiting Uncle Alphaeus,"My mom replied,"They probably haven't even heard what's happened to you, though we sent word days ago."
Odal was a massive city, almost as big as Monolith. It was old as dirt, being one of the oldest cities in the Kingdom, but was beautiful as well, with it's pine forests and snow capped mountains. It was governed by my father's brother, Alphaeus, who had to have been one of the funniest bastards I've ever met. He was a fat, jolly griffin, always singing and laughing. You couldn't help but like him.  He took quite a liking to me when I was first adopted, and was one of first of the family outside my parents that fully welcomed me into their fold. I write him letters constantly, which he always finds time to reply too.
He'd probably not going to like to hear about my current situation.
"At least they'll be entertained," I chuckled, my parents laughing as well.
We spent a few more moments together in a comfortable silence, as a family.
Yet, there was still one thing I had to know.
"Dad, mom, where's Ellie?"
My dad looked down at me with a smile.
"That dragon wouldn't leave your side the whole entire time you've been unconscious, boy. She's been awake for the past two days straight, keeping watch over you, in case you showed any signs of waking. We had to order her to get some food and sleep this afternoon, when she was nearly collapsing from exhaustion."
"She...she really did that?"
"Yes, Louie," My mom said,"But don't worry, she'll be here soon enough. It's funny, she wanted to be the first thing you saw upon waking."
I smiled.
Good ol' Ellie.
We heard the sound of a voice being cleared as Dr. Angela reappeared in the door way.
"I mean no disrespect, my lord and lady, but the Un-Prince (my parents always cringe at that word) needs to eat and than rest, if he is to heal properly."
"We may visit him in the morning?"My father asked.
"Of course," Angela smiled.
"Well, come along, dear, let's let the boy rest,"My dad said, before giving me my cheek a quick nuzzle.
My mother, in turn, gave my cheek a quick peck, nuzzled me, and followed after my father.
They both stopped at the door way, turning towards me one last time.
"We'll see you in the morning, son, sleep well,"My father said, before he and my mother left out the door.
The early evening progressed into late night, with me finally with a full stomach, and a fresh supply of pain medication.
Yet I couldn't sleep.
The pain wasn't there, but the memories were.
Abinchova grinning.
A knife sliding into my belly.
Seeing me blood burst forth from my body.
Two dead Equines, burnt to a crisp.
God fucking damn.
I could hear my door opening.
It was late at night by now, the room completely dark, along with the hallways outside.
A looming shadow was before my bedside.
I immediately thought of Abinchova.
He clearly scaled the walls, broke into my room, with an intent of finishing what he had started.
That cold blade in his claw........
I was scared.
I closed my eyes, sweating and whimpering, waiting for that fucking dagger to fall into my belly again.
Instead, I felt a large wing cover my body, and the head of a familiar dragoness lie across my chest.
"Ellie.....?"
Her head shot up.
"Louie!"
At once I could feel her nuzzling me all over, peppering me with kisses, crying and laughing at the same time.
I, in turn, wrapped my arms around her as best as I could, crying in relief.
Abinchova wasn't here.
My Ellie was here.
I could feel her long, thin arms wrapping around me.
"Louie, I thought I lost you!"
I nuzzled my head into her chest, stroking her back.
"I thought I was a goner, too, Ellie, but you saved me. You're the reason I'm still around the land of the living."
I sighed in relief as I held onto my friend.
"Thank you," I whispered,"Thank you so much, Ellie."
I was crying. She was crying.
But we were happy.
Happy just being near each other.
"You carried me once to save my life," she said, looking into my eyes with her lovely, sapphires ones.
She licked my cheek, before burying her head into my chest.
"I was just returning the favor, Lou."
I smiled, chuckling a bit, while Ellie shifted her body so that she lay by my bedside, her head on my chest, covering me as best as she could with her big, beautiful wings.
"I guess that makes us even, huh?"
She gave my cheek another quick peck.
"Yes it does, my lord."
That night, we fell asleep just like we did in that cave all those years ago(Twelve years, to be exact), feeling safe in each other's embrace.
And, for the first time in weeks, I truly felt at peace.
I felt safe and sound.
Not even Abinchova could ruin my sleep tonight.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
            Chapter 9. Where Stone Lions Prowl             
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 9. Where Stone Lions Prowl
"You and yours destroyed what we believed in, what we fought and bled for, and you labeled us the war criminals and heathens?"
The ticking of the large clock across the room ticked in a hypnotic pattern, the pendulum swaying from left to right.
It was annoyingly loud, as well.
I lay on my bed, my eyes closed, but my mind and body fully awake, unable to fall back asleep.
I couldn't really sleep much that night. I did drift off for a few hours, but by that time, the pain meds were beginning to wear off, and my stomach, shoulders and legs began to throb and ache. The only real comfort was that Ellie was still by my bedside, her wing still covering half of my body, while her head still lay upon my chest.
I could feel her soft snores vibrating through my body, with a small smile gracing her lips.
Every so often, she'd unconsciously nuzzle me, sighing softly, as she made herself comfortable.
She must have been dreaming good dreams, because that smile of hers never left her face all that night.
I, on the other hand, couldn't really say the same.
Last night, I had some....unsettling nightmares of my own.
From the little sleep I got, I was plagued with ghastly scene after ghastly scene.
Images of towers blazing with the orange glow of fires.
The smell of smoke was so strong, I could taste it. I could hear yells and screams, pleads of mercy.I wanted to comply, but I couldn't. Traitors didn't deserve sympathy during the Great Civil War. Nor do they now.
Swords were clashing against unarmed foes, faces twisted into horrific expressions, as their lives were cut, slashed, bashed, and ripped from their bodies.The cadavers littered the floor, blood leaking like a creek of crimson.
Venom Falls.......God, what a mistake.
It wasn't even my father's idea to do something sick like that. It was High General Rex's idea to slaughter all those fucking people. He didn't want to do it either. But, no matter what he or anyone else thought or said, we all knew what had to be done in the long run. He resigned once the war was over, and committed suicide a few months later.
Of course, no one wanted to carry out the order either.
Except us. The Sparrows.
And we did it efficiently. Quickly. Brutally.
But not without remorse. We all had our fair share of regrets after that day.
For the love of God, if there was another way, if we could take back what we did that day............
I could still smell that irony stench from life essence of the corpses on the ground.
I could see the pillars of smoke from some far off battlefield.
Venom Falls.......
A lot of us still haven't fully recovered from that particular time in our lives.
I let out a groan of frustration, whacking my forehead slightly.
"Get the hell out of there. Please," I begged my mind, grimacing.
"What's bothering you, Louie," I heard a gentle, feminine voice shatter my torrent of thoughts.
I opened my eyes to see one of Ellie's glancing at me, a soft expression within the sapphire pool.
"Nothing, Ellie. I'm fine," I mumbled sleepily, trying my best to shrug her off.
I truly didn't want to start worrying her.
Ellie has always been protective of me, going back as far as when she first came to the palace with me all those years ago.
All the time, she was concerned about something involving me. Any little problem that I might be facing, she'd always try to help me out as best as she could. It was really sweet of her, now that mention it. Gilda found her to be quite annoying when we were younger (perhaps she was just jealous back in those days, from all the attention Ellie gave me), especially when she tried to help me with an issue. I think she still doesn't fully approve of the bond that we share, and I wouldn't blame her, either. But, all the stuff that me and Ellie went through forged a relationship that just couldn't be let go of on a whim.
We're bond mates, after all.
"No, something's bothering you, mister. Now spill."
I chuckled a bit, before scratching behind one of the spines along her scalp.
Ellie closed her eyes, cooing from the scratchy sensation. She always goes nuts from that spot.
"Just a bad dream, that's all," I said, still scratching away.
"About what?," she asked, opening her eyes,"Was it about......Abinchova?"
She turned her head to me, so that both her eyes could gaze into mine.
I shook my head in response.
"Surprisingly no," I replied to her, looking out towards the window,"I was thinking about.....something else entirely actually."
I could feel her claw grasp my hand.
"What is it?" she asked in a sympathetic tone.
I know she wanted to me to look at her, to see her expression, so that I could know that she was here, fully intent on helping me with what I needed. But I couldn't. I felt ashamed to look at her. To be near her.
It's not what Abinchova did that upset me, it's what he said.
"Ellie, am I good a person?"I asked with a distant voice.
"Of course you are! Why would you think otherwise?"
I still gazed out the window.
"Venom Falls......"
I heard her gasp.
She probably wasn't expecting to hear about that. I never really brought it much following the end of the war, but I thought about it. I thought about it a lot.
I felt one of her claws grasp my hand, giving it a light squeeze of comfort.
"What brought that up, Louie? I thought you came to terms with that."
I sighed before shaking my head.
"I sort of did, but I still can't stop thinking about it. You know what we did, Ellie. What I did. How can you still love me knowing half of the things that I've done to creatures?"
I hung my head in shame.
"Maybe Abinchova should've just killed me....."
"ENOUGH!" I heard her shout, startling me. I felt her claw shoot up, grabbing a hold of my face, forcing me to look into her eyes.
"I won't be the first to deny that you did some heinous things, Lucifer. But you did them for your country and it's people! For your father and family! For me! You may have done wrong, but you've also done right, gods dammit! The relief work you and the others did, helping rebuild those towns in the south! When you reunited that family separate during war, going so far as to track down their missing child. Saving me......saving those two Equines you sent here two days ago, nearly at the cost of your own life!"
She released my head from her grasp, but I couldn't look away from her. I didn't want to.
"You've done wrong, but you've also done so much good. You can't just brood on the past. It'll drive you mad! Never forget the past, Louie, but don't let it change you for the worse."
I could see a blush forming across her blue snout, as she averted her gaze.
"And, no matter, I'll always love you, Lucifer  with all my heart and all my soul."
She brought her gaze back towards me, staring intently, as if waiting for something.
I was at a loss words, really. Ellie always knew what to say in situations like this, but she never said it so....aggressively and passionately before. The only thing I could do was put a hand to her cheek, caressing it lovingly, while I smiled a soft smile.
With that, her snout rushed forward, as she placed her lips against mine.
My eyes shot wide open, as the world around me began to fade until a realm of pure bliss.
Heh, I couldn't really believe what was happening right now. It was mine and Ellie's first REAL kiss.
For some reason, I always pictured it would happen like this (her trying to comfort me and all).
My eyes shut themselves, as I returned the action, eliciting a squeal of delight  from the blue dragoness.
Within what felt like an eternity of paradise, our lips parted, as Ellie looked away with a bashful smile and a blush as red as a tomato, panting softly.
We both began to giggle like children,  before we broke into full on laughter, barely breathing.
Only Gilda and Ellie could make me feel so much better when I was feeling particularly shitty.
But Gilda........
Thinking about her began to depress me a bit.
I mean, it just a kiss and all
Before shit goes down, I recall reading that having more than one mate is acceptable up here in the North, though many choose to be monogamous. Hell, Uncle Alphaeus has two wives, and Auntie Therine and Belle are the sweetest aunts a guy could ask for. Still, it was better to tell Gilda about this sooner than later. I don't need another ass beating from her, again (I may be stronger, but everyone knows you can't fight back when you lady dishes out the pain).
Maybe, just maybe, she'll up for it.
According to dragon custom, Ellie and I are technically mates already (life companions). Dragons don't marry, so there was no official ceremony of a kind. Just a pact between two friends in medical tent on some old battlefield years ago.
Man, I didn't want to worry about it right now.
All that seemed to matter right now was the dragoness before me.
"I love you, too, Ellie,"I said, a small smile gracing my lips,"I always have, and I always will"
She smiled at me, before nuzzling her head back down on my chest.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that,"She sighed a dreamy sigh.
I resumed scratching that spot she oh so loved for me to scratch.
"Strangely, I felt just the same way," I replied to her, before feeling a peck on my cheek.
"But,"I said,"I think we should hold off on the whole, you know, mating thing, Ellie."
She arched an eyebrow at me, before nodding her head.
'Do you think Gilda will accept this proposal?" She asked, a glimmer of hope etched in her voice.
"I can't really say," I said, causing her ears to sadly droop," But," they perked right up,"their always a chance. Besides, Gilda knows about our bond already."
"I just don't want to come between you and your marriage, Lou. You've known Gilda longer than you've known me. You two grew up together, and shared just as many experiences as you did with me."
I nodded my head.
"You can't sell yourself short. though. You and Gilda may not get along as much as I like, but she's an understanding griffin. Plus, she already sort of knows what being 'Bond Mates' truly means."
She blushed again, averting her eyes, frowning a bit.
If Ellie was anything, it was shy.
"A-and? W-what did she have to say about it?"
"She understands, Ellie," I said reassuringly,"But, we'll just have to wait and see. I gave her my heart, and she gave me hers. But I gave mine to you, too. In cave, long ago."
She smiled again, the morning sunrise flashing it's light through the window, causing Ellie's beautiful blue scales to shine and sparkle in an other worldly spectacle of wonder.
Then again, she's always been beautiful.
I heard the clock in my room ding as it struck seven o'clock.
My parent would be getting up soon, and their first item of business would be to check up on me.
I looked towards Ellie, who nodded her head before rising up from the bed and standing upon the floor.
Like most teenage dragons, Ellie was bipedal, though she said that her species of dragon usually remains bipedal for the rest of their lives, and don't grow much bigger than when they hit about 150 years old.
As of now, she stood about 8 ft, neck and all.
God, I'm a short bastard.
"I talked with the one of the doctors before coming in last night,"She said whiling stretching,"They mentioned that they were to going to continue to apply healing magic today, after you've eaten and, um, bathed, of course." She blushed a bit, at what I could only assume was the thought of me quite naked, water flowing down my bare skin.
Dirty girl.
"If all goes well, you could be out of your bed by late afternoon. Perhaps we could go to the gardens with the others?"
I nodded my head.
"Yeah, I'm sick of laying here, and I could use the air," I replied, "I hope they get here soon, though. The pain is starting to act up a bit, especially around my stomach."
I grimaced, clutching my belly.
Fuck you, Abinchova.
Another peck upon my cheek left me with a soothing sensation, though.
I love Ellie kisses almost as much as Gilda kisses.
"Just be strong, Lou," Ellie said, nuzzling the side of my face.
"I know, I know," chuckling a bit. What can I say, nuzzling tickles some time.
The blue dragoness arched her neck back, before turning towards the door.
"I'm going for a quick fly around the city, but I'll be back before they begin any healing."
"Promise?" I asked in a childlike voice.
She giggled that beautiful giggle of hers.
"I promise, you big goof."
A grin spread across my face, as she giggled a bit.
All would have been well, if not for a small, but firm smack across my face.
I grimaced, before clutching my stinging cheek.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?!"
I felt a peck against my cheek again.
"For lying to me, Lou. I'm still pretty pissed about it," Ellie replied with a smirk,"I'll see you in a little bit."
And with that, she turned and left through the doorway, her tail shutting it on the way out.
My cheek still stung, but I still grinned a massive grin.
I still couldn't believe it.
I kissed a dragoness. A friend.
A bond mate.
I can only smile as I lied my head against the pillow and waited for the servants to bring me breakfast.
Still so many things to get done, to talk to.
Today's gonna be busy.
But, I never felt more thankful to be alive.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                     Chapter 10. Shame                     
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 10. Shame
Do you ever stop enjoy the sound of wind through the trees?
The feel of grass against your skin?
The sound of laughter and idle conversation from people you love?
Just the simple shit, you know.
My eyes were closed, as a northern breeze blew all around me, cool and comforting, against my face and exposed chest. My tunic was currently off, allowing the bandages around my chest to breathe, while the cloak that hung loosely from my shoulders fluttered in the wind.
The magical surgery that I had undergone had finished not but three hours ago.
My shoulders were healed up just fine, but my stomach and legs still needed time to heal on their own a bit more. I could finally stand and walk, but not very far without the aid of a walking stick or cane. The wound around my stomach, though healed and shut, was still a bit tender and raw, and any strenuous activities would reopen the magical stitches that line the cut.
That meant no missions.
No guard work.
Not even sex (Gilda was rather frustrated when that came up from the doctor, while Ellie merely blushed and averted her eyes).
Speaking of Gilda.......
Before the operation, Gilda came into see me.
I was happy to see her, of course, but confused and concerned when she came into the room clearly distraught.
She apologized to me. Several times, in fact.
She apologized for not being by my side as often as she would've liked the past two days.
She wanted to be here, but with the sudden arrival of Dash, she felt confused and conflicted. Gilda wanted to remain by the sickbed of her soon to be husband, but at the same, wished to spend time with an old friend she feared she had lost.
It's then that I learned a bit about Dash's and Gilda's background, together.
And boy, what a tale it was.
Gilda was born in the Southern Griffin Empire,  which is located right below Equestria.
Those griffins were and still are as prissy as the Equines from Equestria, unfamiliar with the broad concepts of war and battle
(that's one of the perks when you are direct neighbors with one the most peaceful kingdoms on the continent, whose rulers control celestial bodies), but were decent enough folk, by griffin standards.
When she was a few days old, she and her family moved to the Equestrian city of Cloudsdale, a city literally in the clouds. Around the time she moved there, she was placed in a daycare while her parents worked, eventually forming a strong friendship with a certain rainbow maned pegasus. The two became thick as thieves, joining the same flight camp, both aspiring to be the best flier they could possibly be.
Around the time Gilda turned nine, her parents were offered a better paying job up in Allerseen by a friend of the family: Positions as a steward and stewardess at the royal palace. Gilda's parents, Ghalahan and Gwen, felt that it would be for the best to move the family up North, much to Gilda's and Dash's dismay.
Life's a bitch, sometimes. Especially if it involves losing your closest friend.
By the time she arrived at the palace with her parents, I had been taken in as well.
We met each other in these very gardens......man, that was ages ago.
She became my first and one of my closest friends.
Eventually by time I had turned eighteen, and her, twenty, we became lovers.
Apparently, Gilda met Dash about three years back, when the Great Civil War started.
I had just turned twenty one, and had joined the Red Sparrows when the fighting started. We were all afraid Monolith would be hit by the Dominion's troops, so many citizens evacuated, fleeing to cities further north, away from the battlefields. Gilda and I had been dating for about two and half years by the time I was about to go and fight, and, out of fear of losing her, I begged her and her family to get out of the city.
She wouldn't have it.
Gilda has always been brash and stubborn, as well as undeniably loyal.
She refused to leave my side, going so far as to offering to join the Feathered Legion, just to fight with me.
As an Un-Royal, though, I ordered that she be taken away until the worst of it was over.
Needless to say, she was really pissed off at me.
I didn't care, though, I was afraid. Afraid that she'd die.
It was bad enough that Ellie was staying with me, even flying above the battlefield to watch over me, but I couldn't watch over my father, Ellie, Rush and Gilda all at once.
She chose to vent her anger by going as far away from me as possible, returning to Equestria to wait out the worst of the war.
At once, she went to look up Dash, who at this point of time made close friendships with the rest of the Elements of Harmony. I guess Gilda felt very alone, being sent away by her boyfriend from her own country to wait out a massive conflict that could end in the deaths of many of her friends and her lover. Needless to say, she took out her jealousy, anger and sadness on Dash and her friends, and two parted on bad terms.
Cut back a couple of weeks ago, Dash was on her way here to find Gilda and amends with her. Enter Abinchova, me and the events that lead up to our current time, and what you got was a happy ending to an almost tragic tale.
I lived, Dash and Gilda were mending their friendship, and everything seemed right in the world.
I told Gilda not to worry about me, to spend time with her friend, and to be comforted in the fact that everything was at the moment, for a lack of a better word, chill.
I also brought up the Ellie thing.
She took it a lot better than I thought.
After a quick, yet minor, ass kicking for kissing another female without her knowing (I couldn't fight back, even if I wasn't hurt), she told me that she understood. She even admitted to having multiple lovers at one point in her life when I was still part of the Legion.
I told her I love and always will.
She replied with a slap to the face, and a gentle kiss.
We would have to discuss this in further detail later, but at the meantime, I was just enjoying the feeling of being outside.
My bare feet caressed the grass that I stood upon, as I took in all the different scents that waft around me. Behind me, I could hear talking and laughing, as my friends and family chattered behind me.
The castle gardens are such a lovely place.
Four hundred square feet, it was covered in many different plants and trees, as well as statues and monuments, each showing historical figures or long dead family members of Allerseen's past, many of the warriors, kings, queens, nobles, and other such dignified souls.
Than there were the Un-Prince statues.
Thirteen of them to, be precise. There have been thirteen Un-Princes in Allerseen's history, dating as far nine hundred years past. Out of the thirteen, seven of them have been murdered in cold blood, while while the remaining six have all been around during times of disaster or strife.
They call it the Un-Curse, and due to that, many assume (though not spoken to my face directly) that I shall suffer a same fate.
I mean, I was alive during the Great Civil War, one of the worst conflicts this kingdom has ever seen. Hell, I fought in it. So, you could say that the Un-Curse may in fact be true and feasible.
I try to keep an open mind.
The last Un-Prince before me died one hundred and fifty years ago, a product of assassination by his own personal guard, no less.  Un-Princes are seen as bad omens, and some very superstitious fools feel the need to "correct" the land's balance by eliminating said omen.
I really tried to break away from that. That's why, instead of laying about the castle, I decided to join the Feathered Legion, eventually earning the right to be accepted into the ranks of the Red Sparrows, and guard my family friends.
To prove my worth.
To prove that I'm not a symbol of disgrace, but a proud citizen of Allerseen.
To make my father and mother proud of me.
To make Gilda and Ellie proud of me.
And I managed to royally fuck up not but two days ago.....
My eyes slowly slid open, as I stood before one of the large fountains that stood in the center of the garden.
Within the center of the fountain stood a lone figure, tall and broad, carved of white marble.
He was a Bossk (Diamond Dog, to the Equestrians), the son of King Kale the Second, and the first Un-Prince in Allerseen's recorded history.
This Bossk was a survivor of raid against his village when he was just a young pup. In those days, the Bossk were still separated to wandering tribes that roamed the Crags of Thone, the dry desert before one would reach the Minotaur Empire. King Kale found this pup while fighting with the Bossk war chief Fenndoran Ja'Tul, in an effort to unite the Thone.
Adopting him as his own, this Bossk rose from a pup of a desolated home, to Un-Royalty in the kingdom of Allerseen.
Legend has it, he grew up to be a warrior of great renown, lending his skill to Fenndoran, and aided in the unification of the fifteen tribes of Thone, transforming it into the Great Bossk Kingdom of the Gem Vale.
That Bossk was murdered in his sleep before his thirty first birthday by zealots of the Council, for claiming to be the rightful heir to the Allerseen throne.
From that death, the term Un-Prince was coined, as well as the laws stating what power an Un-Prince would have.
That Bossk was named Lucifer.
My namesake.......
My destiny?
I hope to God not.
"I remember when I first brought you to this statue,"A voice said from behind me," And I showed you who your mother and I named you after. And you said-"
"Daddy, you named me after a dog?" I finished with a laugh, my father joining in as well.
Dad fixed the crown upon his head, still spurting a giggle or two, before composing himself.
"And I looked at you with the most perplexed expression I think I ever mustered! I mean, come one! We named you after a hero of old, and the first thing you think he is is just a mongrel!" We both burst forth into laughter again.
I could see from the side of my eye that everyone behind us was staring at us in confusion.
Behind me, in one of the more grassy areas of the gardens, my mother lay with my Romulus and Sasha (who had arrived early that morning and showered me with attention when they confronted me), while Dash and Gilda watched as Delilah and Willow (who had become fast friends since meeting, almost like Gilda and Dash) jumped and played around Ellie, much to her amusement and joy. Rush, completely armored with his red cloak, stood next to Dash, every so often stealing a glance at her flank.
Before turning to stare at me and my father laughing like idiots, that is.
My father and I wiped the tears from her eyes, still clutching the our stomachs from the joyous pain (I little bit more than he).
"If only I knew what an honor that was,"I said, shuffling the cloak around me a bit more," I wouldn't have said such a stupid thing."
My dad just shook his head, grinning slightly,"It was fine, son. You didn't really know at the time, though you should've. Allerseen history should have been second nature by that time,"
I blushed a bit.
"I may or may not have skipped some of early Allerseen history."
My dad nodded his head.
"Learning about the majority of the....you know what's fates must have been a bit uncomfortable to read."
I turned to look at my dad.
"You've never been comfortable calling or having me called Un-Prince, dad. It's fine. I accept the title."
He turned away.
"I just don't like all of that nonsense that follows with that word. You aren't an "Un", anything. You aren't some omen or bad luck enigma. To me, you are a prince of this land, a damn fine warrior, and, more than that, you're my son, first and foremost."
I placed a hand on my fathers shoulder.
"Thanks, dad. I hear that a lot, but it always means the most when it comes from you."
My dad gave me a weak smile, before turning away again.
From my side of my eyes, I saw a look of concern etch across my mothers face.
Something was adding up.
"Lucifer, you know I love you, right?"
What the hell? What brought that on?
"Of course I know that dad. What brought that up.?"
I my dad just turned his back, facing the northern section of the garden.
"Follow me, boy. We have to discuss something that I'd rather not say in front of the others."
That seemed to get everyone's attention. Even some of the guards, their faces usually stoic and stern, looked intrigued.
But why?
My father walked off, while I followed after him.
I saw Ellie begin to rise up, to follow me, most likely, but my mother placed a claw on one hers, and shook her head.
I saw her whisper something into her ear.
Ellie gasped, placing a claw to her mouth, before looking towards me with worry. The others turned to her with questioning glances. Even Delilah and Willow stopped their playing to see what was going on.
Shit.
This can't be good.
My father and I walked until we reached the end of the gardens. Only a marble railing kept you from falling hundreds of feet down to the ground into the Branning River, below, that flew through Monolith.
Finally, he rose his head to meet my worried gaze.
"Lucifer, I've told you this already, but in regards to your mission, I'm just happy that you made it out alive. You do recall me saying that, yes?"
I gave him a questioning glance, folding my arms across my chest.
"Of course I remember, but what-"
"Let me finish," He interrupted, lifting his fore claw to silence me.
"I may be glad that you're alive, but that doesn't excuse your reckless and immature actions, young man. You disobeyed direct orders, showing yourself, alone, to an entire village! In Arsis, no less! That part of the country is still.....unsettled against the actions that happened during the war. Also, your reckless action of choosing to remain behind instead of leaving with Sargent Rush and the two mares you rescued."
"But father, I only stayed behind so that the Rush could get word to you as fast as possible! Besides, the two mares-"
My father scowled.
"I don't care about those two mares! I care about you!I wanted YOU safe! DO you know how worried your mother and I were when you didn't report back in TWO WEEKS?! We nearly sent the entire Talon Guard to search the kingdom for you!"
I stared at my dad in shock. He very rarely lost his temper in front of me, and when he did, it was on the battlefield.
Seeing him shout at me like this unnerved me.
Scared me.
I saw him huffing, wiping sweat from his head.
He sighed, once again, refusing to look me in the eye.
"I-I'm sorry dad," I could barely muster out,"I-I w-wasn't really th-thinking and I just wanted to get this guy. To make you proud."
He turned to me with a softened gaze.
"Son, I've always been proud of you," He said softly,"I've seen you grown from a boy to warrior, fighting bravely for your country and your family."
His gaze hardened.
"But this insubordination, this recklessness that you showed for a very important assignment, one that's cost dozens of lives so far, Lucifer, can't go unpunished."
I heard sigh, as he rubbed his eyes with two of his talons.
"But dad!"
"SILENCE!" He boomed loudly. So loudly that a few guards came closer to check on us, before a glare from my father sent them scampering back.
He turned back to me.
"Son, you have talent. You have a ferocity in battle that I've never seen. But, you still think immaturely, even if you try your best to hide it, even from yourself."
I remained quiet, suddenly feeling a wave of depression hit me like one of those trains down in Equestria.
"I should've known you weren't ready for a solo mission like this," He half said to me, half said to himself,"I mean, for Throdos sake, it nearly cost you your life. Captain Blackavar will deal out your punishment. Before you ask, he did tell me what he had in mind, and though I didn't agree with it at first, I can see the sense in it now."
I could feel tears well up in my eyes.
"I understand, father," I replied, my voice laced with hurt.
I could hear wing beats coming towards us, but I didn't want to look.
I didn't have to look.
I could hear the thud as a griffin landed by my father and I.
"I'm here as you have requested, my liege," A soft, yet stern voice said.
"He's ready," I could hear my father reply.
I turned to look at the large griffin before me.
His large beak held a look discontent, as the sun shined off his polished steel armor.
Blackavar was my commanding officer, leader of the Red Sparrows.
And he hated my living guts.
He wasn't a bad griffin.In fact, he was quite the opposite.
He always gave to charity, was an exceptional officer and leader, one of the kindest souls around (or so I heard from many griffin), and as loyal as can be to the kingdom and the crown,
Which is why he despised me so much.
He was a firm believer of the Un-Curse, and (though he never spoke of it in front of my family) has said on many occasion that my father's greatest mistake was adopting me.
He was even more upset when the previous captain of the Red Sparrows, Hyzenrow, inducted me into their order at the rank of Knight, before taking his place as captain.
Since then, he has never tied to hide in discontent for me.
He even told me once that he didn't hate me personally. He just hated what I was.
An Un-Prince.
A bad omen.
"Have you told him my decision, my lord?" Blackavar asked, a smug grin forming upon his beak.
My father turned away from.
"I have not, Captain. I told him that you would relay his punishment."
My father tuned to me.
"Son, be strong. This is for your own good. That way, you won't be hurt like this again."
My father's words were beginning to frighten me.
"Cut the shit,"I said, glaring at Blackavar,"What is my punishment, Captain?"
That smug smile never left his beak.
"You are aware of the accusations that have been brought before you, I take it?"
I dropped my arms to my side.
"Yes, and I do not deny them either."
He chuckled a bit.
"Good, this will make this a lot easier, than."
My glare shifted into a look of worry.
Blackavar merely reached into his cloak's pocket, revealing a parchment, with the seal of the Red Sparrows upon it.
"By my right as Captain of the Order of the Red Sparrows, I, Blackavar Strongfeather, Head of House Strongfeather, relieve you of duty from the Order, effective immediately."
I could only stare at him.
Stare at him disbelief.
He still held the parchment in front of him, waiting for me to take it.
But I didn't want to.
I wanted to rip it up into thousands of pieces.
I wanted to kill this griffin.
Blast a hole through his fucking head.
But I didn't.
I fell to my knees, almost as if Abinchova had my legs shot again.
I could feel my father rubbing my shoulder, trying to comfort me.
But there was no comfort.
Only disappointment.
Only shame.
"Take the parchment, Un-Prince," I heard Blackavar say, almost mockingly.
I kept my face to the ground, avoiding his gaze.
My father scowled.
"Don't call him that, captain, or I'll have you demoted, as well."
Blackavar merely nodded his head.
"Understood, sire," He said before turning his gaze back to me,"Lucifer, I will be needing your armor set, your cloak, and your sword. Give them to Sargent Rush by the end of the day, and no later. The new Lieutenant will be needing it."
He bowed his head to me, that smirk ever present.
"May Throdos be with you, Un-Prince."
The parchment fell to the floor, right in front of me, as the sound of flapping wings came to my ears.
"I must go now, my lord. Due to your.....son's.....failure, three flocks of Sparrows are searching the Arsis region for any signs of Abinchova's presence, and I am expected there."
"Be about your duties,"My father said coldly.
The sounds of flapping faded off into the distance.
Just me and my father remained.
"Lucifer.....I.....I'm sorry that it had to come to this."
I merely nodded my head, my eyes beginning to blur.
"I love you, son. Just know that. Please."
I nodded again, before shrugging his claw off of my shoukder, standing and walking off.
"Son!"
I ignored my fathers calls as I walked past him, through the gardens to the entrance to the palace.
I walked past the others, all calling my name.
I could barely make out my father telling them what had happened, but I didn't care.
I could hear footsteps coming from behind me.
Probably Ellie or Gilda.
Maybe even Rush.
I didn't care.
I wanted to be alone.
"Louie, stop!" I could hear Ellie behind me.
I ignored her.
Against doctor's orders, I began to sprint, slamming the door behind, impeding her from following me, if not for a brief moment.
I ran through the hallways of the palace.
Ran and ran and ran.
Until my stomach was screaming, pleading for me to stop.
I didn't care.
I didn't feel pain.
Just shame.
Worthlessness and shame.
I knew I fucked up, but fucked so bad that I would be fired?
I shamed myself, my family and my namesake.
Dying wouldn't be so bad right about now.
I ran until I came upon the stairway to the top of one of the tall watchtowers that flanked the castle.
I climbed and climbed and climbed until I finally ascended to the guardroom at the very top.
All of Monolith lay before me, going around for miles and miles in all directions.
I locked the door, and sat upon one of the wooded chairs.
I held my head in my hands.
And wept.
Wept bitterly.
That fucking parchment.
It wasn't even an honorable discharge.
It was a dishonorable discharge.
I would be luck to make into the Feathered Legion again.
Tears fell from eyes.
Tears of depression.
Tears of shame.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
              Chapter 11. I Dance Narcoleptic              
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 11. I Dance Narcoleptic
Depression, man.
Fucking depression.
It's one of the worst feelings in the world, you know?
We all have it at one point in our small, short, meager lives. That feeling of worthlessness and futility. When you feel like you're nothing but scum. Scratch that. Worse than scum.
Or is that just me?
I don't really know.
I don't really care.
All I knew was that my stomach hurt. Badly.
As did my pride.
As did my heart.
The pain in my stomach throbbed as I sat upon one of the chairs that lay throughout the guard tower's summit. I grimaced a bit.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to run so soon after the surgery.
I just didn't care at the time. All I wanted was to just get away from everyone.
To get away from my father.....
Am I just another disappointment?
A fuck up?
All I wanted was to make him truly proud of me. To love me like a real son.
Not some adopted creature that he found in the woods years ago.
I wanted him to look upon me with a smile across his face and say with pride and dignity:
"This is my beloved son, who I am well pleased."
He's said it before.
Many times, in fact.
He tells me that he loves me all the time.
But I wanted to earn it!
On my own!
Not with an army backing me. Not for doing atrocities too heinous to think about, to talk about.
For something that I did on my own for a change......
I fucked up, that's for sure.
And now I paid the price.
I shamed myself and family. Shamed the Sparrows, no doubt.
I'm not a guard anymore. Not a Sparrow.
Just an Un-Prince.
Doomed like all the others.
I lifted my red, puffy eyes back to the openings around the room. Celestia's sun was slowly beginning to sink behind the mountains, painting the skies in an array of color. I rose slowly from my chair, clutching my stomach slightly, and shuffled slowly to the balcony of the guard tower, before leaning slightly over the edge.
Monolith stretched out for miles and miles in all directions, with griffins, Equines, and all manners of other creatures scurrying around below the heavens.
The others must not be looking for me.
Probably trying to give me some space.
Except Ellie and Gilda, though.
They're probably scouring the city looking for my ass.
I hung my head in shame a bit, as I recall just running past them, ignoring their calls.
They must be upset at me for high tailing it.
I sighed, shaking my head, trying to clear all types of ill thoughts that swam around my mind.
I've been dishonorably discharged from the Red Sparrows....
All the death.
All the shit,
All for nothing.
I felt like I should hate my father for approving that punishment.
I wanted to hate him!
But......I couldn't
I couldn't even hate Blackavar. They both were in the right and I was in the wrong.
And nearly paid for it with my life.
I wanted to hate my dad so much.
Instead, I loved him more than ever.
Funny how life is sometimes, huh?
Man.....
It seems like for the past couple of weeks all I've done was fail and mope about it.
The sun still continued to set, the sky awash in hues of purple, orange and red.
I knew I had to head back down in a few minutes, and face everyone's either nagging at my disappearance or looks of pity and awkward silence. Like always, Sparrows would be guarding all around of us, watching me.
With looks of disgust, no doubt.
Look at that, a failure in their midst.
I heaved a long, solemn sigh.
I didn't want to go back just yet. I wanted to enjoy a few more minutes of solitude.
Of the company of myself.
I closed my eyes, as the cool evening air danced around me.
Behind me, I heard a couple of small, soft knocks on the door. They were light taps, obviously from either someone weak, small, or young.
I sniffed my nose and wiped my eyes, trying to hide any evidence of my weeping, ready to answer the door.
I heard the knocking again.
"Louie, are you in there?"
It was Willow's voice.
It sounded quiet and sad.
A twinge of concern laced through it, as well.
Shuffling the cloak I wore around me tighter, I walked towards the door.
My bare feet slapped against the cold, stone floor, as I reached for the handle and slowly twisted it, allowing the door to slink open.
There sat Willow, a sad expression on her face, as she looked up towards me.
"How did you find me?" I asked her, leaning in the doorway.
"A lucky guess," She replied,"I saw this stairway and wanted to check it out wile the others looked around the other side of the Palace."
I turned around and proceeded to head back to my chair, signaling at Willow to follow me with a nod of my head.
She slowly stepped in behind me, closing the door behind her, before settling down in front of me, raising her tiny hooves.
No matter how shitty I felt, I cracked a small smile at her adorable behavior, before scooping her up and placing her in my lap. She nuzzled into me, hugging me a bit, trying to make herself comfortable.
"Why did you run away, Louie?" She asked, sadly.
I began rocking back and forth, her tiny body swaying with mine.
"I was upset, little one. I'm sure you know why."
"But why did you run, though? I knew that what happened to you was sad and mean, but friends help each other, Louie. They help them when they're sad and down, and I wanted to help you. But you just ran away. Aren't we friends?"
I looked at the little filly with a shocked expression.
"Of course we're friends, Willow! Just because I ran away didn't mean that I didn't like you any less. I wasn't mad at you or anyone else."
I leaned back, sighing again.
"I was mad at myself."
The little filly turned her body until she was facing me, her eyes gazing into mine.
"But why were you mad at yourself? You didn't do anything wrong. As far as I seen, you saved me and Dash, and you got hurt for doing it. Why were you punished for being a hero?"
I closed my eyes, leaning my head back.
"Sweetie, I was punished because I broke the rules during my mission. I wasn't suppose to go into a town and let myself be spotted. A Sparrow, when on a mission, is suppose to silent and stealthy, and due to my frustrations and impatience, I blew my cover and only chance of finding Abinchova. And I almost died because of it. I"m not hero, Willow. I'm a failure. Simple as that."
"That's not true!" I heard the little filly shout, a defiant look in her eyes.
"You know that's not true! No matter what anypony says, you still saved me and Dash from that horrible place! And when you're friend came to bring you back, you told him to escort us back to the palace while you stayed behind, because you cared about us! You gave us your doctors and your best rooms, while you waited in the cold! You're not a failure, Louie. You're a hero. My hero. No matter what others say, no matter if they kicked you out Sparrows, you're still good a pony....er, person!"
I could only stare at the cream colored filly.
How could she call me a good person.
Swords swinging, blood spraying. Cries of agony. A sick smile upon my face.
I placed my head in my hands.
"How do you know I'm good? You barely know me."
Her hard gaze softened a bit as she nuzzled me, trying her hardest to get me to look at her.
I heard her sigh before speaking.
"Because, you were the only one to ever do something good for me in a long, long time. I may not have known you long, but I feel....safe around you. You made me feel like you genuinely cared about me and my safety. Remember how you stood watch all night, all because I was afraid? I never slept more soundly in my life, because I knew you were there. You may doubt yourself, but I can FEEL that you are good, deep down inside."
I felt her little fore hooves hugging me tightly.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.
We held each other in a comfortable silence, both of our eyes closed.
I rocked back and forth once again, my face half grimacing, half smiling.
My mind flooded with emotions of all different kinds, each fighting for control.
It was a mess.
A glorious mess.
"My mommy and daddy are dead."
A soft, sad voice shatters the silence.
My eyes opened slowly, sliding them towards Willow.
Her eyes remained closed, tears beginning to from around the lids, as she frowned, sadly.
"We were traveling to Monolith with one of those caravan things, so my daddy could help his friend in the big market at the city. All the griffins we ran into said it would be safer to travels in groups. So, when were barely going up that big, giant road, my daddy said that we were going to go with the all these merchants. He said we'd be safe."
I could hear beginning to sniff loudly, as tears began to run down her cheek.
"Then, we were attacked in the middle of the night by all these griffins. They were running and flying all around.......killing.....killing every creature....My mommy and daddy hid me as best as they could, while they tried to fight, but there....there were just so many....a-and t-they got my mommy and daddy and they...and t-they....."
Willow began to sob, burying her face into my cloak as I held her close, rocking her, kissing the top of her head.
God damn.....
Her parents were murdered.
"Th-They found me, when everything got all quiet, and they dragged me by my mane and threw me in the center of the camp. Everything around me was all broken....and the bodies.......They had two other ponies, both of them pegasi, like me, and they tied all three of us up, and took us to that fort. Th-they h-hit me, and called me mean names, before throwing me in a cage. I was so scared, Louie. And I cried out for my mommy and daddy, but they never came........The older ponies tried to comfort me. They'd tell me everything was going to be alright, that help would come. But days went by, and it never came."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
I knew evil existed in the world, but how could something so....wrong....happen to such a sweet and innocent filly.
I could only hold her close, to try and comfort her, while she continued this wretched tale.
"Then, those griffins took the two ponies from the cell next to me. They tied them up, and took them upstairs. And.....I could hear screams that scared me so much......I still have nightmares about them. All that night, I heard screams and cries....I thought I was going to die. They never brought those ponies down again. Instead, they brought Dash.....I never even got to learn their names....."
She looked up towards me, her eyes glossy, red, and swollen.
"My mommy and daddy are dead. I have no other family. No place to go. And home is so far away.....You think you feel alone and unwanted, how do you think I feel?"
The little filly closed her eyes again, hanging her head.
And in an instant, my self loathing and melancholy seemed to vanish.
I felt ashamed of it, in fact.
How dare I complain about my troubles, when this little child had lost her parents, in a very brutal manner.
She was so young, yet she saw murder before her very eyes.
I felt angry and sad, all at once.
I wanted to yell, and I wanted to cry.
I did neither.
Instead I stood up from my chair, clutching the little filly to my chest.
"You are NOT alone," I said to her, putting a hand under her chin, facing her towards me,"And you're right, I can't complain about what happened to me, when you suffered just as much."
I could feel my eyes watering.
"I'm sorry for not finding you faster, for not being there when attacked your family. I'm sorry about everything."
Willow put a tiny hoof to my cheek, wiping away a tear.
"It's not your fault, Louie,"She said, a sad smile upon her face,"You don't have to be sorry for anything. I'm the one who should be sorry."
"For what?"I asked softly.
"For thinking that you hated me when you ran away," She rose her little snout to my cheek, kissing it gently.
"You ARE a good person."
I held her tightly, while her little hooves wrapped around me as best as she could.
"Come on," I said, making my way towards the door,"No more moping, and no more sadness. I won't leave you to the wolves, Willow. For now, you'll be staying in the palace with me and my family until further notice. After that, we'll see what happens when it happens. Sound good?"
I heard Willow give a squee of delight, wrapping her fore hooves tightly around my neck.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!"
Man, she could talk fast.
I laughed loudly, while she laughed with me, cradled in my arms.
"It's getting late, and the others are probably worried sick. Let's get some grub and then head to sleep, little one."
Willow yawned, a smile still plastered on her face.
"Lead the way,"She replied sleepily.
I began to descend the staircase, Willow still cradled in my arms. Slowly, her eye lids grew heavier and heavier, until she they shut completely, accompanied by the light breathing and snoring of sleep.
I could only smile at her.
Poor thing must be tuckered out.
I wandered through the main hallway, making my way to the dining room, where all the others must be at. It was about dinner time, anyway. Suddenly I felt very nervous. It was going to be awkward just sort of walking in there, with everyone staring at me.
Scrutinizing.
I honestly didn't like to be stared at for too long.
Always made me feel uncomfortable.
I looked towards the sleeping filly in my arms. I knew I should put her to bed.
I'd just drop in really fast, to let them know I'm OK, put Willow in her room and tuck her in, and then head back, to be barraged by question after question after question.
At least my stomach didn't hurt so much.
But my legs did.
Ah well, life's a bitch.
I stood before the dining room doors, gulping slightly, before opening them forward.
All eyes turned to me.
Seated throughout the large dining table were mom, dad, Delilah, Romulus, Sasha, Dash, Gilda, Ellie, several nobles, and, surprisingly, Rush.
Before anyone could say a thing, I rose my hand, pointing to the sleeping filly cradled in my arm.
I pointed a finger towards the hall that held the guestrooms, before pointing back to Willow.
My dad nodded his head.
"Go, we'll wait here. ALL of us." He said, shifting his gaze to Gilda and Ellie.
Gilda growled at me, while Ellie looked away, crossing her arms, pouting.
I nodded my head in reply, turning my body towards the guestrooms, and limped my way to forward.
Man, my legs really hurt.
I could hear Ellie gasp, as she watched me struggle to watch, before attempting to get out of her seat and come to my aid.
"Stop," I said, calmly. Ellie halted, looking towards me with that ever present look of concern on her face.
"I can do this, Ellie. I need to do this."
She dipped her head, before taking her seat back at the table, while opened the doors to the hall and limped to Willow's room.
Arriving there, I shuffled to her bed, uncovering the soft comforter and blankets, and place her small form onto the mattress.
Bringing the covers up, I snuggly tucked her in and fluffed her pillows.
She gave another tired yawn, before rolling on her side and snuggling into the blanket's warmth.
I bent down and gave her head a quick peck, stroking her teal mane.
"Sweet dreams, little one."
I blew out the candles in the room, and closed the door gently behind me, before turning my body back towards the dining room.
It's funny how one small event could turn such a horribly bad day upside down on it's head.
I chuckled a bit, shaking my head.
Life truly is weird sometimes.
Taking another deep breath, I reached for the door handles, and entered into the dining room.
The night is about to get longer, still.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                Chapter 12: Blood and Time                 
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 12: Blood and Time
(A change of perspective..........)
It was like a fire burned in his gouged eye socket as soon as the ointment was applied.
His talon shot upwards and grasped at the side of his face,twisting it into a snarl, as he growled in agony. And, once the cotton swab of medicine was removed, gods above, was the feeling of that relief blissful! A few dabs from a cloth caught the excess drip of ointment and blood that dripped slowly down the side of his face, staining the feathers around it crimson.
He exhaled a pent up breath, closing his one good eye in relaxation, as his other eye socket pounded and throbbed, almost like a little heart beat.
"Abe, I'm gonna have to dab it again," a voice pierced the veil of silence.
He sighed.
"Is that really necessary, Jobe? That last one hurt like a mother fucker."
The ointment, derived from the healing herb Mzelchevks Root, burned into open wounds, killing bacteria on sight, fast and efficiently......... at the cost of pain, though.
Agonizing pain.
"The stick he used to put out your eye was filthy, my Lord. I gotta make sure it is  cleaned properly, or an infection could set in. And we don't wan that, do we?"
He sighed, rubbing his temples, as he nodded his head in defeat.
"Just make it quick, will ya?"
Burning pain struck again, his face once again cringing into a grimace of discomfort.
"It won't be quick and it will be thorough. Now hold still, I don't waste what little of this shit that we have left. We're running short of supplies as it is."
The pain was excruciating.
Burning, twisting, biting, throbbing, searing!
It felt like a battle was being waged in his gouged eye socket. A battle that his body's natural painkillers were losing.
He could hold back his screams for so long before he cried in out agony.
"FOR FUCKS SAKE, HURRY UP!"
The cotton swab was removed, as a towel was placed against the side of his face once more.
"Don't rub the area too hard, Abe. Let me just grab a patch from the med kit and we'll cover that wound of yours. Make sure you look nice and pretty, and what not."
The Bandit Lord merely groaned in response, clutching the cloth to his eye.
It had been about five days since his eye was put out by the Un-Prince of Allerseen. He hadn't expected to receive a wound like that after his blade pierced Lucifer's stomach, but the Un-Prince was always full of surprises.
Always......
He frowned, his mood souring even more, just thinking about that creature.
Lucifer deserved that rusted, twisted blade, more so then any post war veteran fighting on the side of King Braig.
Venom Falls........
Gods above, he could feel the anger the rising in him.
Venom Falls should have never fucking happened.
That......travesty of wasted lives....
It made him cringe is despair, and seethe with rage.
He hated Lucifer and the Sparrows.
They slaughtered his comrades and friends like animals.
They killed his lover, and left her broken body in a mass grave, a long with the rest of the Second Army of the Dominion.
The destroyed the ideals he and his soldiers fought so hard over, and drove him into the Wilds of Allerseen, hated and loathed by the all.
Traitorous scum.
Fucking bandits.
He rose his fist and slammed it back down onto the arm of the chair that he was sitting on, shattering it into splinters.
His face reddened in rage, as blood dripped from his now wounded claw.
He didn't care.
He was too angry to feel pain.
The Un-Prince, the King, the whole goddamn kingdom despised him and his lads,  as well as the many others of his kind that stalked the untamed Woods of Desolation.
After the fall of the Dominion, and the end of the Great Civil War, many of the disgraced soldiers fled the into the wilds, forming various Bandit clans, all fighting Allerseen and each other for a piece of land they could call their own in the unforgiving Wilds.
Though Bandit clans were many and varied, only five great clans rose out of the ashes of Post-War Allerseen: The Ten-Fold Thieves, the largest of the Clans, boasting five hundred fully fledged members, whose tales of robbery had begun to spread outside of Allerseen's borders; the Gnashed Shields, led by disgraced Dominion General Thrush Folloch, they were cut throats and murderers that worked as mercenaries, taking contracts from any customer who had the gold to pay for their services; the Tragic Idol, most of them being former members of the Dominion's Ex-special force's, the Nightingales, made in protest to the Red Sparrows (they had been subsequently destroyed recently through the efforts of the Lucifer and the Sparrows); Lastly, there were Abinchova's very own Black Talon's Company, ex-soldiers of the Second Army who survived the Massacre of Venom Falls and other battles of infamy, and the Eaters of the Dead, the second largest and arguably the most violent of the Clans, who openly raided large settlements and cities, attacking Allerseen soldiers on sight. Like the Tragic Idol, all but few have been wiped out throughout past year and a half since the Great Civil War's end.
Allerseen is still trying to pick the pieces up, to return everything back to order.
And because of that, crackdowns on the various Bandit Clans and gangs have begun to increase to further and further success, driving them either further into the Woods of Desolation, or in to the neighboring Minotaur Empire or the Gem Vale.
Abinchova had other plans.
Better plans.
"So you busted your claw, too?"
Abinchova opened his good eye to see Jobe, his second in command, standing at the entrance to the large tent that he currently resided in.
He turned his head to his claw.
Small splinters of wood jutted from various places, while his life essence dripped from the points talons, forming a sanguine pool on the floor.
It throbbed like his eye.
"I was angry,"He replied,"And I had to hit something."
Jobe shook his head from side to side, sighing.
"Next time, just hit me instead. You don't need anymore injuries, Cap. Now, put on this eye patch while I fix that claw of yours."
With one claw, Abinchova slipped the black patch over the gored socket, arranging it slightly, while his friend turned his claw around, examining the damage.
"You know I wouldn't," He said, closing his eye again.
"Wouldn't what, Cap?"
"Hit you. No matter how angry I got, I wouldn't hit you."
Jobe stopped his examination to turn to his Captain.
His leader.
Abinchova still sat with his eye closed, leaning his head back.
"I've lost too much already. We all have. We're nothing but scum, with an eternity in hell to look forward to after we lay cold and dead in the ground.....or on the floor."
He opened his eye to look at his friend.
"You're my best friend, Jobe. We've seen sick shit together. We did sick shit together. No matter what problem we faced or obstacle we overcame, we did it together."
He exhaled a breath relaxing further into the chair.
"You've earned the right to be called untouchable."
Jobe smiled sadly, patting his friend's shoulder.
"You ain't so bad yourself, you old, grizzled fuck. It's always been an honor fighting by you."
"Til the World's End?" The Bandit Chief asked.
"Til shatters to a million pieces, Abe."
Abinchova smiled.
"That's what I like to hear."
"In other news," Jobe replied,"Your claw ain't broken, you damned fool. But you did sprain it pretty badly, got a shit load of splinters, to boot. I need to take em out and bandage the claw for a bit until the bleeding stops. Which means I have to head back to the med kit. So please, don't punch, smash or break anymore things, alright?"
Abinchova smirked.
"No promises. You how I like to hit things."
Jobe chuckled, before turning towards the exit.
"Wait, before you leave...."
Jobe turned once again to face his Captain.
"Whadda ya need, Abe."
Abinchova rose from his seat to stand before his second in command.
"Spread the word to the Nails and the others to pack up. We're leaving before the sun the rises."
Jobe looked perplexed.
"We're leaving the area already? I thought this was safe territory."
The Old Captain just sighed.
"There's no safe place with the Sparrows after us. It's already dangerous enough leaving with most of our Black Talons in tow, but you have to keep in mind that I stabbed royalty. Not just any royalty, but the Un-Prince. King Braig is out for blood. Our Blood. And I won't give him the opportunity to find us so easily."
"So you're still going with the plan, then?" Jobe asked.
"Yeah, I still am. We're still moving Black Talon into the heart of the Woods of Desolation. To the Black Lake Nidstang."
Jobe shuddered at the thought.
"And you still think it's a good Idea to send us to that cursed place? That's some dangerous territory, Abe. The men are not going to welcome that idea with open claws."
"It's the best chance we got at the moment. Not even the Sparrows would think of checking Nidstang. Which is what I'm banking on. Besides, we won't make camp besides the lake. Just close enough."
Ah, the Black Lake Nidstang.
An ancient lake from an ancient part of the ancient Woods of Desolation.
Many thousands of years ago, when the heathen Griffin tribes ruled the area, a great battle was fought on the ancient lake's shores, which lasted thirteen days and thirteen nights. When the Griffin heathens won the field, they cut off the heads of all their captive foes, and placed them on poles, which they etched with curses, carved in forgotten runes from a forgotten time.
Legend has it that the spirits of the dead haunt those dark shores, with knowledge of all that was, all that is, and all that will be. Yet none have ever reached the center of the Lake, save for three individuals whose names have long been lost to time.
The lake, shrouded in eternal mist, as well as many miles surrounding it, are touched by the Nidstangs' curse, and prowled by dangerous beasts and animals, bewitched by an Evil long since passed.
And which is also home to a Creature that Abinchova really wanted to meet.
"And you still plan on finding Him?"
The Captain turned his back to his friend.
"Yes. The Brujo will be found, and I will strike my bargain with him. Lucifer will suffer. Braig will suffer. For Venom Falls, Jobe. For the Republic."
"I've always fought by your side, Abe. I've always followed your orders without complaint or compromise, but I don't see any good in this. Even if the Brujo exist, why would he fight for us?"
Abinchova merely sighed, closing his eye again.
"Trust me, he exist. And he will fight."
Jobe felt worry for his commander.
"Abe, the War is over. The Republic is dead. We can all just leave, right now, and head to the Gem Vale, or Arkon. Hell, the plague is clearing up out west. We could head to the Kingdom of Firmament. Allerseen is filled with nothing but bad memories and broken souls. There's nothing left for us here."
A moment of silence.
A Minute.
An eternity, it seemed.
"The Republic may be dead, Jobe, but Lucifer isn't. And I aim to change that."

//-------------------------------------------------------//
        Chapter 13. All the World Makes Great Blood        
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 13. All the World Makes Great Blood
I feel my eye lids slowly open, embracing the sweet sensation of vision.
The gears of my mind slowly turning, allowing the process of recollection to initiate within my subconscious.
I could feel the touch of leathery membrane on top of my chest, as well as the soft feeling of feathers to my side.
The sounds of soft breathing danced around the bed that I lay in, as well as the gentle moans of it's two other inhabitants. Like usual, one of Ellie's big, blue wings engulfed my body, serving as the perfect blanket, while her head rested on the pillow above mine. And across my chest lay Gilda's head, it rising and falling rhythmically with my breathing.
One of her strong, brown feathered wings lie draped limply over me as well, while in arm lay strewn over my stomach.
Both girls were still in the land of dreams, small smiles upon both of their faces.
You ever see a griffin hen and dragoness smile?
It's really cute.
I couldn't help but smile, despite all the drama that's happened recently.
All the death.
All the shit.
Yesterday still seemed to burn into the back of my mind.
...................Mood killer, right there.
At least dinner last night wasn't as awkward as I thought it was going to be. Maybe it was just because of the nobles that joined us at the table. My father and mother kept conversation up, but underneath all the pleasantries and small talk, their underlying concern was still apparent.
There would be small glances in my direction every now and then; attempts to bring me into the conversation.
I would smile politely, but would hardly speak a word.
Wasn't really in a talking mood.
The nobles acted like nothing was amiss.
Blackavar must not have spread the word as of yet.
Maybe for my father's sake he'd keep it to himself.
As long as I knew, that was all that seemed to count to him. Like I said before, he didn't hate me, personally. He hated what I was. What I stood for.
Ill fate. Bad luck.
An Un-Prince.
Surprisingly, Gilda and Ellie remained silent during dinner as well. Their eyes bore holes in my head from all the staring. I heard Gilda exchange some words with Dash, occasionally, but Ellie, for the most part, remained locked on me and me alone; quiet and stoic, but ready to be by my side in a moments notice.
Gilda and Ellie knew me as well as I knew myself. Usually, when tough shit happened in my life, they knew to give me a little space before trying to help me. And even when they tried to help me get over something, they took their time and were patient when they went about it, letting me open myself up at my own speed.
They helped me really pick up the pieces after the Great Civil War.
After Venom Falls.
No wonder they have my heart. They've given me more than I could ever ask for in return.
And I love them all the more for it.
I lifted my hand to my eyes, rubbing the crusted remnants of sleep from their edges, before carefully untangling myself from the various limbs that were draped over me.  Ellie's arm shot outward with an unconscious attempt to hold what ever left her side, snagging Gilda in the process and pulling her close.
I couldn't help but snicker a bit at their compromising positions.
Gonna be awkward for them when they get up.
Smiling slightly, I shuffled silently towards one of my dressers on the other side of the room, before pulling out several articles of clothing and hastily pulling them on.
Nothing special, really.
A pair of pants, a dark grey tunic, and my leather padded boots, as well as my sword belt, currently vacant of a blade.
Some Sparrows must've come by while I was brooding and had take my Sparrow sword, as well my leather armor and cloak.
You know, you never truly appreciate something until it's gone; ripped from your grasp; most likely to never return.
I stared at the empty spot where my Sparrow gear use to reside.
It felt weird seeing that spot so empty, so devoid of familiarity, so much that I could feel it in the pit of my stomache.
Twisting, turning, aching, throbbing.
It felt wrong.
Hollow.
I shook my head in a vain effort to clear my thoughts before reaching towards the top shelf of the dresser, pulling forth a large object wrapped in cloth.
An old token, dust covered, yet not forgotten.
I pulled the cloth off ti reveal a long, bright sword, it's hilt wrapped in leather, while it's blade stretched forth three and half feet from it's hand and half grip. At the bottom lie it's pommel, crown shaped with large ruby in it's center.
Along it's blade read an inscription: "Twilight,Twilight, Nihil, Nihil."
It was sword that won many victory.
And that was wielded to commit many a heinous act.
My reflection stared back at me from the blade, polished as if it was just made yesterday.
I could almost hear it's victims' screams when I closed my eyes.
I told myself I've never use it again after the Massacre of the Gallow Heights, yet here I am now, with this butchery tool in my hand, with nothing left to turn to.
I could always buy a new one, or have a new one made for me. But this sword was made for me, for my hand.
All the world makes great blood.
Sighing, I belted on the wooden scabbard, and sheathed the blade before opening one final drawer.
The bottom one.
Sliding it open, I found another object bound in cloth.
Another tool of death.
Flipping the cloth off, I admired it's long silver barrel, it's six chambers, as well as it's dark wood grip and finish.
I still had about twenty rounds of ammunition left for it. Gonna have to pay Coal a visit for some more, soon.
I threw the cloth back over it.
Better save it for another day.
Tightening the sword belt and checking myself in the mirror, I walked towards the bed one last time. kissing the girls on their cheeks, those same small smiles forming as they sighed in their sleep.
"Sweet dreams, girls," I whispered before walking towards my door and stepping outside closing it quietly.
The hallway, besides a few guards that I greeted, was devoid of life in it's present hour, allowing me to walk unhindered by noble or servant alike.
I may be an Un-Prince, but I was still a member of the royal family, and hence, entitled to some of said family's wealth.
And you know how nobles are.
I made my way past the garden, towards an open stone courtyard, as Monolith stretched out below me for miles and miles around. This place always had a great view throughout any part of the day, but nothing beat the view of the morning sun kissing the horizon from this spot.
Closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, I drew my sword from the scabbard, grabbing the hilt with both hands and stretched it out, facing my invisible opponent. Arching the blade slightly before twisting my hand, I swung forward to lunge at my facade attacker.
I danced with the blade for what seemed like hours, days, a lifetime.
The flow and rhythm of movement, the drops of sweat.
I could feel myself fade out, as my body and mind molded together to preform form after form.
I could feel everything.
Every ripple of skin and tug of muscle, every pulse of blood and adrenaline.
And, happily, no real pain from my stomach.
Before bed, some of the doctors came by and administered magical therapy on my stomach, due to my previous flight up of a million goddamn stairs. I knew I shouldn't have run, but you do stupid things when you're not thinking straight.
I still shouldn't over exert myself too much, but at this moment, that didn't matter.
Nothing mattered.
Just this damned blade and myself.
I swung, jabbed, parried, while invisible souls screamed out their dying words that echoed into the null.
Their cries falling on deaf ears.
I could see the blood splatter all around me, the smell of fire and smoke, the sounds of war and carnage.
It was heavenly.
It was horrifying.
Maddeningly sane!
My face twisted into a snarl as I swung my sword.
I could feel blood flow down it. I could it feel on my clothes and body.
I could feel it on my soul.
A knife thrust into my belly.
A twig jammed into the eye of a hawk.
A thousand slaughtered souls.
And a wicked smile upon my face.
I threw my sword on the ground before grabbing my head in desperation, as if adding pressure could force all these thoughts out of my fucking head.
"Son, are you alright?"
Everything seems to come into focus again as a familiar voice breaks the chaos in my mind.
I lean forward, panting heavily, putting my weight on the sword that lay protruding from the ground.
"Y-yeah, dad. I'm fine." I replied between breaths.
I rose my blurry eyes to see my father, his face riddled with concern.
"You don't look alright, Lou. You look-"
"I SAID I'M FINE!"
Silence befalls the two of us as I look away in shame at yelling at my father.
"I'm sorry dad, I didn't mean to yell at you."
He merely nodded his head.
"It's fine, Lou. I can understand if you're still upset with me about yesterday."
I looked up to see him also avoiding my gaze, his eyes drifting to the floor.
"I did what I thought was necessary, son. Not because I hate you. Far from it. I love you, Lucifer, and I acted out of love and concern for you. Nothing less."
"At the cost of a Dishonorable Discharge, dad?" I rebuked, less harshly in tone then I thought I was going to,"Not only have I shamed myself, I've shamed you and mom and everyone else. Especially Gilda and Ellie."
My dad's eyes widened.
"What do you mean Dishonorable Discharge?! I asked the Captain to Discharge you with full honor!"
I looked up at him, anger apparent in his eyes.
"You didn't read the document he gave me before?"
My father looked away again.
"I...I trusted that Blackavar would do the right thing in turn," His eyes rose up again with fury," But now that I know, I'll have his head for doing this!"
"Wait, dad, don't!" I cried, jumping to my feet  and holding my father down before he could take flight.
"Blackavar's a good hawk, dad! He did what he did with the best intentions in mind, for you and the Kingdom, at least. He may be an ass to me, but he's a good fighter and better leader! The Sparrow's need him far more then they need me."
My dad's furious eyes softened a bit as he turned his gaze towards me once more.
"That's rubbish and you know it. You were their best swordshawk, through and through. Of course they needed you....."
"They needed a leader more than another butcher, dad," I replied, " I love the Sparrows, I loved being part of them and the service that they do for the Kingdom, but I was no leader. I was barely a follower. I tell myself that I'm things that I'm really not, and I try to do things that I really can't do. I may be great swordshawk, but I'm a terrible warrior. Last week should be a testament to that."
I put a hand upon his shoulder.
"So, to comment on what you said earlier, dad, I'm not mad at you for your decision. Hurt, maybe, and upset, but I couldn't hate you for it. Maybe I could use a little time off, to think things through."
I could feel strong arms encircling.
"Thank you, son, for understanding. But I'm going to have Blackavar revoke the Dishonorable Discharge, and revert back to an Honorable Discharge, as well as deal a punishment befitting of his lie to me."
"Punish him enough, dad," I replied to him, sheathing my sword," But don't over do it. I may not like the fucker much, but he's good for the Sparrows. They'll need him if they're still tracking Abinchova down."
My dad scoffed when that name was uttered.
"Try as I might, I still can't seem to forget about that scum. I know I shouldn't, especially after what he did to you, but there are times when I just want all thoughts of him to cease to be."
I tapped my stomach.
"the feeling's mutual, pops."
There was a moment of silence before we burst out laughing like a bunch of loons.
My dad flicked away a tear before tugging on my arm.
"Come on, son, let's get some breakfast while it's still hot. Gonna be a busy day today."
I cocked my head in confusion.
"Really, what's goin' on today?"
My dad just continued forward without looking back, simply replying over his shoulder.
"Uncle Alphaeus is coming by to check on you, boy. As well as to meet me up here for a pressing matter."
Uncle Alphaeus is coming? Fucking sweet!
"What pressing matter, though?"
He stopped.
"Well, I wanted it to me some what of a surprise when he got here, but I might as well tell you now. The Council of Kingdoms is meeting earlier this year, in Equestria this time, no less, and I know you've been wanting to go, so......."
I stopped in place.
A bright feeling in my stomach.
"We're heading to Equestria?!"

//-------------------------------------------------------//
           Chapter 14. Whatever Quells the Null            
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 14. Whatever Quells the Null
Did I ever mention that the doors to the palace are massive?
They really are quite big.
So large that a full grown dragon could easily walk through with plenty of space to spare. The doors were made of hard iron, with many different images of warriors, tales, tragedies of olden times carved throughout the the exterior.
Recently, a series of new carvings had been added to the great door's surface. Carvings that portrayed one of the most significant events in Allerseen's history. One we were all to familiar with.
Various battles were carved onto that specific spot.
Carthame.
Gallowbraig.
The Siege of Trejan.
Not Venom Falls, though.
They'd never put that horrid event on the doors.
Yet, they did immortalize the moment before my father executed the President of the Dominion. His head lay upon a slab of stone, while my father raised his sword to deal the death blow.
I'm in the carvings as well, standing by my fathers right claw.
Immortalized in metal on the doors to my home.
"He's here, he's here!" A voice atop of me squeaked happily, breaking me from my thoughts.
Shaking my head a bit, I turned towards a tiny claw that pointed into the distance, allowing me to focus on the Griffin pulled carriage that was headed towards our direction.
"Uncle Alphaeus is here, Louie!" My little sister squealed again, wiggling herself in excitement atop of my shoulders.
I chuckled slightly, reaching my hand up slightly to ruffle the feathers atop her head.
"I see him, Del, I seem him."
"Do you think he brought me something special, Louie?! Like a pretty new dress! Or a new toy! or-"
My hand moved from atop her head to her beak, closing it gently.
"We'll see soon enough, little one. Be patient."
Delilah huffed, crossing her forearms and pouting a bit, causing me to release to her beak and moving my hand back to the top of her head and giving the spot behind her left ear a little scratch.
At once, she cooed softly, leaning towards my hand and it's magic fingers, causing my mother, Sasha, Gilda, Ellie and Willow to giggle slightly at my sisters reaction, while Dash and Romulus rolled their eyes slightly.
I smiled softly to them, letting them know that I was in higher spirits.
I still haven't had the time to really talk to anybody about what happened yesterday besides Willow and my father. Last night, all I wanted to do was sleep and forget.
Sleep, I did.
Forget, I didn't
I honestly didn't know what to next.
Though my father said he would talk to Blackavar about the dishonorable discharge, to change it to an honorable one, I could never hope to join the Red Sparrows again.
Blackavar had seen to that.
My position had been filled already.
By Rush, no less.
I haven't had a chance to talk to him either. He was sent with one of the flocks into the Woods of Desolation to find Abinchova and bring him back. Dead or alive.
I could only imagine what's going through his head right now.
Ellie and Gilda, as well. My smile was sign that I was ready to talk.
Man, I'm gonna get an earful, tonight.
Speaking of Ellie and Gilda, it seems that two were quite aware what happened this morning. During are very quick breakfast that we had before readying ourselves for Uncle Al's visit, the two wouldn't stare at each other in the eye, deep blushes apparent on their face.
It really lightened my somber mood.
Focusing once again on the carriage, I watched as it slowly descended in front of the steps that lead to the palace doors, it's griffin pilots letting out exhausted pants as they slowed to a stop.
My mother and father walked forward, guards on either side of them, to greet out guest.
At once, the carriage door burst forward (causing Willow and Delilah to leap in surprise), and out came a fat, jolly griffin, with a large grin adorning is beak, followed by his familiar booming laugh.
"BROTHER!", Uncle Al boomed, lunging forward and catching my father in a crushing embrace.
My father laughed just as loud, returning the hug with fervor.
"Al, it's good to see you again," he said, clapping him on the back," How have you fared, brother?"
"I've fared well enough since we last met, Braig," Uncle Al replied, releasing my father from his hug,"Though I think I may have gained a few pounds."
"I could see that, you big lumox,"My father smirked," But you're still the same huggy cretin you've always been."
'What can I say, Braig? Hugs are exceptional."
He turned to my mother next.
"And Ysolda! How are you, my dear?!" He asked, taking her right claw and kissing it slightly.
My mother blushed bashfully, returning the smile.
"I've been well, Alphaeus. How are Therine and Belle? They didn't come with you?"
My uncle shook his head, his puffy white feathers around his neck swaying in the wind.
"Sadly, the lasses could not attend. Therine is visiting her sister in Red Shift, while Belle is watching things for me until we get back from the Council of Kingdoms."
My father cocked an eyebrow.
"You trust Belle that much?"
Uncle gave him a simple smile.
"With my life, Braig."
"Uncle Al, Uncle Al!"
Delilah all but sky rocketed off my shoulders and plowed into my uncle's chest, sending them toppling to the ground. My uncle's guards immediately were by his side, ready to help their liege up, but abated when they heard the giggling of my sister and the booming laugh of my uncle. Delilah nuzzled my uncle's chest, laughing as he tickled her sides.
"It's good to see you, again, little one! And, before you ask, I brought something extra special, just for you."
Delilah's eyes lit up with excitement.
"But...."
Her eyes dimmed a bit.
"It's going have to wait until I finish having a talk with your father and brother, OK sweetie?"
The twinkle returned.
"OK Uncle Al," she replied, giving him another nuzzle before hopping off him, allowing his guards to help him up.
Sasha and Romulus stepped up next.
"It's good to see you again, uncle, even though it's only been a short time," Romulus said, grasping my Uncle's claw in his own, shaking it.
"Like wise, Rom, and you as well Sasha."
Sasha leaned in and gave my Uncle a kiss on the cheek.
"We would've stayed longer, Uncle, but, as you can recall, we were needed back here," Sasha said, casting a glance towards me.
My uncle locked his eyes on me, his jolly look slowly drifting towards a somber one, as he let go of my brothers claw and walked towards me.
Dash stood behind me, while Gilda stood on my left, with Ellie on my right, instinctively placing a protective wing behind me.
She's been doing that ever since the Great Civil War. It's just habit now.
My Uncle walked up up to me into we were almost face to face, turning a glance towards Gilda and Ellie.
"That dragon is still protective of you as ever, huh Lou?"
I nodded my head.
"She always will be, too." I felt her wing encircle me a bit.
A small, sad smile crept up to his beak, as he reached forth and brought me into a gentle hug.
"It's good to see your alive and relatively well, boy," He said, patting me on the back.
I returned the embrace.
"It's good to see you, too, Uncle Al."
He released me, turning to Gilda and Ellie.
"And are you two taking care of this one?" He jutted a talon in my direction.
"You think I'm an idiot," Gilda asked, annoyed," Of course I'm taking care of my honey bun."
"Honey Bun?" I cocked an eyebrow towards her.
I was answered with a sock to the arm.
Uncle AL laughed, his jolly demeanor returning again.
"Still feisty as ever, aren't ya, Gil?"
"You know me, Al. Someone's gotta keep this dweeb in line," Gilda smirked, while I grumbled, rubbing my arm.
"And you, dragon," My uncle turn towards Ellie.
"He fuck you yet?"
Everyone's eyes burst open.
"AL!"
"Alphaeus! There are children here!"
"Uncle Al! Gross!"
"EWWWW!!"
"Throdos, AL!"
"....no he hasn't yet...."
"Uncle Al....what the fuck?"
"Watch your mouth, young man!"
"What? I was just curious."
=================================================================================================
".........And the wench still can't cook a single decent meal!" Uncle Al exclaimed, his booming laugh echoing around the dining hall.
After the little "incident" outside, we all retired back to the dining all to drink and eat, Ellie and my faces still glowing hot and red all the way, accompanied by the annoyed grumble of Gilda and Dash's snickering.
After eating our meals, with no few amount of stories by Uncle Al, we all leaned back in our chairs, while the young ones squirmed, anxious to move about. Willow and Delilah both sighed, resting upon their forearms, clearly bored at the adult conversations going on.
"Hey, Gil," I called out," Why don't you and Dash take those two off to the market district to look around; show Willow a bit of the city."
"You sure you don't want me to stay with you, Lou?" she asked in that same, warm tone of voice she always has.
I smiled and nodded.
"I'm sure. We have to discuss business,anyway. Here." I reached towards the pouch on the side of pants, filled with various gold, silver and copper coins, and handed it to her.
"Take these and show em a good time. For me."
Gilda, almost reluctantly, took the pouch, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Lou," she said quietly," We'll be back soon."
She put her beak closer to my ear, her eyes half closing, a cheeky smile on her face.
"And when we get back, we're making up for lost time, mister," she purred.
I smirked. "I'll be waiting.......honey bunny."
Another sock in the arm, before her, Dash, and the two kids followed after, Willow turning behind for a second to wave me off.
"Have fun, little one. I'll see you at dinner."
Willow smiled, walking back up to me, and hugged by leg tightly.
"See you soon, Louie," she said, before following after the rest.
"I think Sasha and I will head out with them as well," My mother said, arising from her seat," Girl time and what not. Come along Sasha."
My mother motioned for my sister to follow her, who arose from her seat, as well.
"Take two Sparrows with you, and be careful, dear," my father said, leaning against his chair. Mom walked over to my father, kissing him on the cheek.
"I will, Braig. See you soon. Take care, Al. And watch that mouth of yours"
Uncle nodded before swigging down the rest of his goblet of mead.
My cheek was kissed as well.
"Feel better, ok sweetie?"
I smiled weakly. "I'll try, mom. Be careful."
She kissed Romulus as well before walking off after Gilda and the others, with Sasha and two Sparrows following behind her.
My father watched as she left, sighing softly.
"Gods, I love that hen."
"I know the feeling, brother. Complain as I do about my loves, I loathe to part from for to long."
My father turned his attention back to Uncle Al.
"So how are you holding up in Dis, Al."
Uncle Al reclined into his chair, taking a drink form his freshly filled goblet, before sighing sadly.
"Not to good, Braig," he said solemnly, rubbing a talon through his crown of feathers,"gang activity has soared as of late around the city and it's borders. We have it somewhat under control, but Thrush Folloch and whatever the hell is left of Tragic Idol is becoming a real thorn in my and the Legion's side."
"He's not lying, father," Romulus added,reclining in his chair as well,"the palace district is relatively calm, as well as the upper and middle class district, but the woods are still crawling with bandits, and the poverty district is ragged with scum. Murder is not uncommon as far as I've seen and read."
Ellie wrapped her tail around my leg protectively, worry apparent in her features from her spot by my side. I reached out my hand, taking her claw in mine, and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Her long neck slithered down, resting her head against my shoulder.
"She gets nervous when death is mentioned," I said, still holding Ellie's hand tightly.
"I thought dragons were suppose to be fearless," Uncle Al, said, an amused grin upon his face.
Ellie growled at him.
"Pardon me, sir, but I have proved myself enough," she said, lifting her self up right, allowing the long scar across her stomach to be shown from the bolt that pierced her during the war.
The bolt that she took for me.
My Uncle laughed slightly.
"There's the big, blue dragon I know. An odd mate to chose, Lou, but a worthy one."
I leant up to kiss her on the cheek.
"That's my girl," I said, causing her to blush before setting her head back down on my shoulder.
"Anyway," my uncle continued,"we are still trying to get the region completely under control, Braig. We honestly are trying the best we can to keep things under control, but the army is still spread thin, what with the trouble in the south and all."
My father shook his head, sighing.
"Don't remind me. I don't know if that region will ever fully recover."
"From what they did?"
"No, Al, from what we did."
My uncle narrowed his eyes.
"You know this whole mess wasn't your fault, Braig. Just like father, you are a kind and fair king. Taxes were low, crime was down, we were in a golden age. And it was through your leadership that we achieved so much during our time."
My father slammed his fist onto  the table.
"What of Venom Falls?! What of the Purge of the Seven Towers and the Fall of Char?!! That was my doing! Did you even see the numbers of casualties?! Seven-hundred thousand of my subjects are DEAD!'"
Romulus rose from his chair, dashing to my fathers side, trying his best to calm him down. My father panted heavily, leaning against the table, his ragged breaths slowly turning to choked sobs.
"We....we've done bad things, Al. I've done bad things. Unforgivable things. How can I lead a country that I almost destroyed..."
Uncle Al rose from his seat as well, and walked to my father, wrapping his arms around his head, rubbing it gently.
"Brother. It wasn't you that first lift the sword. You wished to keep your country whole. Your country. It population owes so much to your leadership, and have only the Dominion to blame for its current state."
"You're a good griffin, dad," I said from spot on the table, giving a sympathetic look,"you've always been. You did what you thought was right.....like me. Sparrow or not, you will always have love and respect. You've earned it."
Uncle Al nodded.
"The boy's right, brother. If there's still one truly honorable griffin alive, it's you."
My dad smiled, eyes glistening.
"Thank you. All of you. I know in my heart that what you said is right, it's just nice to hear it sometimes. To know its true."
"Anytime, Braig," Uncle Al, replied," now, all this bitchiness aside, there are things that we are going to have to discuss about before our trek to Pony-Land, down south."
"Yes, you're right," my father said, wiping his eyes, before straightening himself out and reclining back into his chair,"I have a feeling our.....predicament is going to be one of the center topics."
"You bet your ass, it is," Uncle Al exclaimed, pulling his pipe from his cloak pocket, "I honestly can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure ex-Dominion members may speak at the Council."
I cocked an eyebrow.
"Do you think Samson will be there?" I asked.
Uncle Al turned to me, a visible glare in his eye.
"Without a fucking doubt."
Ah, Samson Rork. One of the first "revolutionaries" and right hand man to the Bastard, himself: the President of the Dominion. He participated in many per-war activities, such as the Great Flag Burning, and the Sacking of Wormwood, a fort that held the stock of weapons for half of the Feathered Legion 3rd Army.
He even personally murdered the former governor of the Arsis region during the initial secession.
Cold blooded murder for the sake of democracy.
A cut throat with a forked tongue, halfway through the Great Civil War, knowing that the Dominion would fall, he abandoned ship, fleeing south to the Southern Griffin Empire, according to our intel. He has since managed to weasel his way up the government  ranks, now standing as an adviser to the Young Emperor Kain.
"Knowing him, he may claim war crimes against us," I said, clenching my fist.
"Wouldn't that effect him too?" Ellie asked,"I witnessed many atrocities committed by The Dominion, and many know well enough that he was behind Governor Ghalahan'a murder."
"But we have no proof. Physical proof, at least" my father replied, rubbing his eyes in annoyance.
"Aye, he's right, lass," Uncle Al chipped in," he covered his tracks well, and in room full of diplomats, eye witness testimonies won't help us alone when he has concrete evidence that he's no doubt collected."
"There's plenty of written records of the atrocities at Venom Falls," I said, turning to Ellie,"but when we purged the Dominion, we destroyed many of their records, as well. To kill off this democracy idea as quick as possible."
"You mean we have no records at all?" She asked in a worried tone.
"Some, we do have," I replied, a sinking feeling in my gut," but all are small fry compared to Venom Falls. Hallow, as well. If Samson wishes to fuck our shit, that's all he'll need."
"If the Council of Kingdom goes for the vote, there may be talk of banishment."
"The council has hat kind of power?," Ellie asked, an unbelieving look adoring her face.
"Even since Sombra was removed from power, the Council has been given the power to remove 'dictators' or 'tyrants' from power if they abused the creatures under their rule, in order to keep the nations at relative peace."
"But what about the Gem Vale and Roam?! They're slave nations!"
"The Council is also easily bought off," my father said in a distant tone, "the Equine Princesses are not, but many are. Samson lost a lot here. Money. Land. He now has he power to take it back if wished. It has to be majority in favor of banishment, and majority of the current leaders are still very much open to bribes.
"There's sill he chance he won't do that. He may not even come to the Council meeting at all. We could be worrying for nothing" Romulus exclaimed in a nervous tone.
I sighed, taking a drink from the go let before me.
"If he's alive, he'll be there. I killed his brother at Gallowbraig. He'll be out for blood, rest assured. Especially WHEN he finds out I'm going."
I put my head in my hands, rubbing my temples in annoyance.
"First bandits, then Abinchova on the loose, and I'm removed from the Sparrows. Now Samson may have father imprisoned or banished. Why can't we catch a fucking break?!"
Ellie's head snaked down, kissing my cheek softly.
"It'll be OK, Lucifer. Everything will be fine."
"Why am I having a hard time believing that?" I mumbled in reply.
"Why don't get some rest, son?" My dad said, sitting up right in his chair,"you've been up early, and I know that you must be tired after sparring this morning. Plus, no matter how hard you try to fake it, I know your injuries are still bothering you."
He always seems to know what's up.
Couldn't really fight the logic behind his statement either.
"I guess you have a point, dad. My stomach is bothering me a bit. But I still want to hear everything that you guys talk about afterward."
"Yes, yes, just go rest with your dragon already, ya hound dog," Uncle Al piped up.
And here comes the blush again.
"I love you Uncle Al, but sometimes I wanna stick a sword through your gut."
"Love you too, boy. Now skedaddle."
Shaking my head, I rose from my seat, heading towards the hall ways that led to my quarters.
"You coming, Ellie?" I asked, turning my head back.
Sure enough,'I was greeted with a blushing Ellie, her blue wings extended outward.
"Dirty girl," I said, shaking my head with a small smile, before reaching out my hand and taking her claw in mine, making our way back to my bedroom and the immaculate comfort of he bed in it's center, a blushing Ellie in tow.
=================================================================================================

//-------------------------------------------------------//
  Chapter 15. Indoctrination: A Design for Living (NSFW)   
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 15. Indoctrination: A Design for Living (NSFW)
I lay strewn across my bed, laying my head back into the large, soft pillow above me. Ellie lied next to me, her head on my chest, as she covered the two of us with one of her big, blue wings.
I ran a hand along her head, stroking it softly, tenderly.
Lovingly.
I could hear her let off coos of relaxation, nuzzling her head into my chest .
"You know, I love it when you do that," Ellie said, sighing in comfort, her eyes fluttering close.
"I love to make you happy, Ellie " I replied distantly, shutting my eyes, as well.
I really loved moments like this. Simple relaxation with someone I love. It always feels like these moments could last forever. That they should last forever. Who needs wealth, land and power when you could just live like this?
..........Do I even deserve this? Like fuck, I don't.
I sigh, rubbing , my eyes in frustration. Why am I such a bad person.....?
"You OK?" She asked, opening one of her sapphire eyes in my direction.
I rose an eyebrow in confusion.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"You haven't talked to me about what happened yesterday, Lou. Not yet at least."
I lifted my head from the pillow to look down to her.
"I just haven't felt like talking about it."
"Do you now?"
I remained silent, a frown etching upon my face. Ellie seemed to notice, and squeezed her wing around me a bit tighter.
"You know I just want to help you, right?" She asked, that same look of concern upon her face.
"I know, I know," I said, rubbing a hand through my hair, " I just need some time to process it all. I mean, a few days ago I almost died, Ellie. And now, fired from an Order that I gave everything to. I bled for them, killed for them. And now I'm cast away."
I turned my head to face the ceiling.
"I feel like shit. I've been feeling like shit for awhile now and I'm just...tired of it."
A felt a kiss at the base of my neck. Soft lips trailing slowly upward.
"Then let me make you feel better," a hushed voice answered.
Lovingly.
Voluptuously.
"Ellie, I-"
My voice was cut off by a pair of blue lips connecting with mine, caressing them with a mind numbing softness. I can almost feel my head feeling weightless.
And when her lips separated from my own, it felt....agonizing.
I opened my eyes to meet Ellie's sapphire pools, her loving gaze filling me with warmth.
"Lucifer, you know I love you, don't you?"
Her questioned shocked me.
"Of course I know that,Ellie."
Her face moved closer to mine.
"And do you love me?"
I put a hand to her cheek.
"With all my fucking heart."
She rubbed her cheek against my palm, closing her eyes.
"Then why won't you let me show you how much you mean to me? You are my truest friend, Lucifer. The love of my life."
I couldn't meet her gaze, instead inverting my eyes from anywhere but the deep, blue pools that bore into me.
"You know it's not that simple."
She turned her head away, frowning slightly.
"Do you know that when I left to the Dragon Migration, I left in search if a mate?"
Her gaze turned to the window, the fading light heralding in the evening washing across her scales, making her sparkle magnificently.
Beautifully.
"I know that we are bond mates, life companions, but.... you had Gilda to love and hold, to caress and kiss....and I wanted that. I've always wanted that. With you. But no matter what, it seemed like I could never have you the same way Gilda does......and.... I was jealous."
"Ellie......."
She rose a claw to stop me.
"Please. Let me finish," she turned her attention back to me, her eyes glistening slightly.
"I knew my place, Lucifer. Gilda was your lover, not me. And I tried to accept that. Gods did I try! But, every time I saw you holding her like how I wish you would me.....it hurt.... And even though you always told me that you loved me, that I meant the world to you, I was still jealous. Still upset. Heartbroken......."
She crawled closer to me.
"So when I left for the migration, i sat out to find the same kind of love that I felt I was missing out from, to fill a hole in my heart. But throughout the whole time I was there, not one of those dragons could compare to you, Lou. Not one."
I smiled a sad smile, taking one of her claws in my hand.
"I'm one of a kind, aren't I?"
She giggled softly, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"You truly are, Lou. You were the one found me at my weakest and helped me. The one who truly cared about me for all these years. You put up with so much and ask for so little.... yet at the same time you are imperfect, as well. You made mistakes, stumbled and fell trying reach your goals.....yet, you always got right back up. And that's what I've always loved about you. Your imperfect perfection. just....you."
I rubbed her claw with my thumb, causing her head to lean forward, placing her forehead against mine.
"I've always wanted you, Louie, but it wasn't until I saw your broke body that i realized that I needed you. More than anything. And that I needed to show you how much you mean to me. And the only way I could do that is to give myself to you, fully and completely. Would you let me show?"
I wanted to.
Throdos, I wanted to!
I've never ignored Ellie, not in a million years! I've never set out to hurt her, to make her sad. And to know that I was cause of the heart ache that she felt.....it just made me feel bad. I wanted to make up for my mistake. To show her how much she meant to me.
To throw her upon on her back and take her, claim her.
But one thing held me back.
Gilda......
I couldn't betray her trust, no more than I could betray Ellie's.
I love her too much to do something as intimate as this behind her back.
I sighed, releasing Ellie's hand, hanging my head.
"Ellie, I would want nothing more than to love you in that way. But, I just can't go behind Gilda's back like that. I love you. Gods, do I love you, but I love her, too, Ellie. Too much to betray her trust."
A tear fell from her face again, followed by a hiccuped sob.
"I-I see," she choked, her face contorting to sad frown.
"I think I see, as well."
Ellie's and my head shot upward, turning our gaze from each other to the door.
Gilda stood there, leaning against the doorway, a few bags around one of her arms, a blank look upon her face.
"How....how much did you hear?" I asked, a sinking feeling in my gut forming.
"Enough," she replied, curtly, walking into the room and setting her bags upon one of the desks in the corner.
"Gilda, I-"
Just like Ellie, she rose a claw to stop me from talking, before turning to the blue dragoness.
"How much do you love my mate?" She asked simply, looking Ellie straight in the eye.
Ellie's gaze did not waver. In fact, it met Gilda's an almost challenging manner.
"More than you could possibly imagine, Gilda."
Gilda sighed, shaking her head slightly, before turning to me.
"And how do you feel about her? Honestly."
I looked her straight in the eye.
"I care about her as much as I care about you, Gil. I can't lie about that."
She didn't say anything, just shifting her gaze between the two of us, before walking over and scooting herself on the bed.
"I've never really thought about it. The conversation that you brought up about Ellie becoming your second mate, I mean. I thought it would've been just a passing fad, you know?"
She scooted closer to me, our bodies nearly touching.
"But deep down, I knew that it was crazy to think I could have you all to myself. Your royalty after all. A king's son. And out of all the noble hens and duchesses, you chose me. A steward's daughter."
She nuzzled her head up to me, giving me a small kiss on the cheek.
"I really can't blame her having feelings for you, Lou. And I won't lie...... I may still be a bit skeptical about this whole thing. But, for you, Lucifer..... I'm willing to give it try. To share you. If you were going to have a second mate, then I'm glad that it was Ellie that you chose and not some floozy noble."
A bright smile flashed across Ellie's face, as she all but leapt up from her prone position and wrapped Gilda in a bone crushing embrace.
"OHthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!" she cried out, squeezing Gilda even tighter.
"Uh, Ellie? Gil's turning blue."
"Oops! Sorry about that," Ellie yelped, releasing Gilda from her death grip. Gilda, in turn, took a few deep breaths, allowing her to regain the color in her face once more.
"D-don't do that again, alright?" she wheezed out, out of breath.
Ellie smiled bashfully, her facing turning a lovely rose color, putting a claw to her mouth to stifle a giggle.
"But."
Her giggling stopped.
"There's going to be some ground rules."
Ellie nodded her head. "Name them."
Gilda sat up straight, giving Ellie another challenging look.
"One, I'm the head female. No ifs, ands or buts. Got it?"
"I understand," she replied, her wing wrapping around me again.
"Two, for the wedding coming up, there's only going to be one bride there, and that's me. Got that?"
"I wouldn't take that away from you. Understood."
"And finally, for your first time with my honey bunny," a cheeky grin crossed her face,"I wanna watch."
That same grin flashed across Ellie's face, as well, her eyes twinkling with delight, before she and Gilda turned there attention to me.
"Then let's do it now......"
I smirked. "I'm at your disposal, ladies."
I could feel myself getting hard already.
"You're up then, Ellie. I'll enjoy the show."
The blue dragoness crawled over to me.
Slowly.
Teasingly.
Sensually.
Her eyes meeting my own.
"Be gentle, please," she said, sighing.
I lifted her chin up with my hand.
"Anything, for you, Ellie."
I closed the distance between the two of us, pressing my lips against hers. Her eyes fluttered close, as she moaned into the kiss, her wings shooting out and fluttering whimsically.
It was fucking adorable.
I could feel a foreign entity desperately trying to force it's way into my mouth, brushing against my lips. I opened my mouth , allowing Ellie's serpentine tongue to enter.
Soft from the saliva, I caressed it with my own in a dance of passion. I could feel the area in my pants becoming tighter and tighter, and could hear Ellie pant ever so slightly before lunging into another kiss.
Grabbing her by her shoulders, I gently rolled her onto her back, tracing a finger under soft, white underbelly. Her blushing intensified as she bit her under lip.
"Gilda loves it when I do this to her, so relax and enjoy it," I whispered huskily.
"You're in for a treat, girl," Gilda piped up, her own wings extending.
But first....
I pulled my tunic from my body, exposing my bare chest to my loves. They were greeted by the with of my light brown flesh, riddled with jagged scars and marks.
Tokens of battle.
I tightened the bandage around my stomach, before slowly lowering my head and meeting Ellie's lips again. Kissing them lightly, I began to trail down her long neck, to her chest, passing her own scar. I went lower and lower, trail my pecking kisses until my objective of desire was in sight.
"L-Lucifer, w-w-what are you do-oh my!"
My lips found her fememine petals, glisteningly wet, puffy with agitation......with neglect. I aimed to change that.
It was almost like instinct. It felt natural.
Right.
Mandatory.
My tongue penetrated her sex, lapping up whatever I desired.
Wriggling, squirming, caressing.
I was in a haze of lust, of love.
Ellie's loud moans echoed throughout he room
"SWEET THRODOS, LUCIFER, DON'T STOP!!"
And I didn't.
I worked my tongue harder, making her moan even louder.
Her wings began flap all on there own, her panting growing louder. Now was the time.
I removed my tongue from inside her, causing her head to shoot up.
"Louie....."she whimpered, her face bright red.
"Shh," I cooed, kissing her snout,"trust me, babe."
I moved the straps to my boots, pulling them off and letting them drop to the floor and reached for the top of my pants, pulling them off of my body, exposing myself fully to my lovers, my phallus standing at attention.
My head shifted forward, meeting my blue dragoness into another kiss of passionate love, fighting her tongue with mine.
I broke the kiss, a trail of saliva connecting the two of us.
"Ready?" I asked.
"Please," she all but begged.
I plunged forward, my sex entering hers.
She cried out in passion, her wings surging toward and enveloping me into a cocoon of warmth.
I pounded into her, feeling the tightness of her womanhood grip against my member each time it entered. The smell of sex was pungent in the air.
Salty.
Sweet.
Dirty.
But oh so right!
"L-Louie, I-I'm gonn-"
"M-me too!"
"Inside me, please!"
I felt the pressure building up in my member, pleading for release. My face was beet red, my head swimming.
And then.....
Sweet fucking excess!
I could feel Ellie's juices mingle with my own, seeping out of her sex and onto the mattress below us.  She collapsed, bring me with her, still engulfed in her wings.
"I...love...you.....Lucifer," she breathed out.
A moment of silence, accompanied by soft snores and breaths. I leaned up and kissed my unconscious dragoness on the cheek.
"I love you too," I whispered.
I turned to Gilda, her wings outstretched, sitting in a puddle of her own juices.
"I take it I did good?" I asked with a sky smile.
I felt her pounce on me.
"My turn," she whispered into my ear.
Who am I not to oblige?

//-------------------------------------------------------//
   Chapter 10.5 A Quick Moment Between Gilda and Lucifer   
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 10.5 A Quick Moment Between Gilda and Lucifer
Quick Author's Note: Hey guys, to clear something up, this chapter is kinda of like a bonus chapter, that goes into detail about what Gilda and Lucifer talk about before chapter 10 opens in the garden. This was suggested to me by a reader who felt that the conversation between the two revolving around Gilda and Dash's friendship, as well as their falling out, should be a bit more detailed. Since this is an alternate Equestria, events that happened in the show won't necessarily happen in the story, while other events that did happen might have a different result. The point is, this conversation needed detail that I felt didn't belong in chapter 10 (due to the bombshell at the end). So, enjoy this bonus/side chapter. Cheers!
I could hear my door creaking open, followed by the pitter patter of claws against the floor.They weren't bipedal, like Ellie's, nor were they the cloppy sound of hooves.
I could only assume that it was a griffin.
"You awake, Lou?"
And I was right.
Gilda has such a lovely voice, you know. It may not be the most feminine, or the sweetest, but it was a voice that I grew up listening to and conversing with. A voice that I grew to love.
I smiled as I rose a hand, beckoning her forward.
"I'm awake, babe. Come on over."
I could hear her shuffling over to my bedside, as I lowered my hand, resting it against the soft covers of the bed. I truly didn't want to open my eyes, enjoying the rest that they were receiving, thanks in part to last night's sleep deprivation.
At least I had Ellie to keep me company.
Now I have Gilda.
"Room on that bed for one,"I heard Gilda ask, playfully.
Chuckling a bit, I patted the space on my left.
"Go ahead and jump in. Just watch the IV, love, I don't want 'em coming loose and poking you, or anything."
Gilda merely giggled in response before climbing onto the bed and laying down next me.
I could feel her shuffling her body close to mine, moving her head to lie on my chest.
"Am I making you uncomfortable, dude? I could always just lie on the pillow."
I took her claw into my hand.
"You're fine just where you are," I replied, stroking it with my thumb.
I could here her sigh dreamily, before nuzzling into my chest.
We drifted off into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the feeling of being near to each other. It's moments like these that I always enjoyed the most when we were together. Even when we were children, when we'd sit out in the gardens and joke about and laugh, we'd almost always end up in this same position.
Two beings, lying side by side, happy in the company of one another.
"I'm sorry, Louie," I heard Gilda pipe up.
My eyes opened, shifting them down towards her, while I continued stroking her claw.
I raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Sorry about what, babe?" I asked.
If anything, I knew that I'm the one who should be sorry. I nearly died, which should have put a severe damper on our wedding day. What good's a wedding if the groom is dead?
I felt her nuzzle me a bit more, her face bearing a distraught expression.
"I'm sorry for not being here as much as I could. By your side and shit, you know?"
I shook my head, smirking.
Gilda sure did have a way with words.
"Gil, I just woke up yesterday, and you saw me for awhile. I don't see-"
I felt her get up, looking me in the eye with a sharp glare.
"But I should've been here the whole time, like what other lovers do! I should've stayed by your side, waiting for you to get up, stroking your hair, nuzzling your face, showing some kind of gods damned emotion while you lied there, dying for all I knew!"
She panted a bit, losing her breath slightly.
Once Gilda yells, boy does she yell.
I just continued to stroke her claw.
"Babe, it doesn't matter, I know that you-"
I was cut off again.
"It does matter! It matters to me! In all those stories, and books and plays, when one lover gets sick, the other is by their side, showing as much support as they could. Just by being there. And I wasn't."
She turned her head away from.
"I could barely look at you without crying. I.....I just couldn't comprehend what happened to you, what they did to you. And with Dash being here and all, I just felt so....so...so torn apart about what I should do. And I'm sorry, Lucifer! I'm sorry for abandoning you. Sorry for-"
"Shut up."
I narrowed my eyes, ceasing the stroking of her claw.
She stared at me with surprise from sudden my outburst.
"You stop that talk right now. You never abandoned me. Not once. If you did, would you be here now, apologizing? Or would you be else where, frolicking around the city?No matter what you say-"
I lashed my hand behind the back of her neck, pulling her forward, pressing her forehead against mine.
"-I know that you care about me, love."
I pressed my lips against her beak, closing my eyes once again.
Her eyes shot wide open, before slowly fluttering shut, as she eagerly returned the kiss.
Passionately.
Lovingly.
Most creatures think that kissing a griffin would be painful, due to their hard and sharp beaks.
They're softer than you think.
We broke the kiss, peering into each other's eyes.
A smile upon both of our faces.
A felt a slap against my face.
"Ow! What the hell, Gil?!"
Gilda smirked at me, before lying her head back down against my chest.
"For telling me to shut up, no matter how sweet the message was that you said after."
I felt a peck against my chest, as she nuzzled her head back and forth.
I just shook my head again, before lying it back down against one of the pillows behind me, resuming the soft stroking of Gilda's claw.
"How'd you meet her?" I asked, closing my eyes again.
"Hm? Who, Louie?"
"Dash," I replied,"You are apparently the friend that she came to make up with. How'd you meet her?"
I could feel Gilda shift nervously around my chest.
"It's kind of a complicated story, dude. I wouldn't want to bore you."
"Bore me?"I chuckled,"I'm stuck in bed with nothing to do but lie here and rot. A story would be nice."
I was answered with silence.
Oh man, I think I may have made her upset.
Feeling bad, I kissed the back of her head, her soft feathers brushing against my face.
"I'm sorry, babe. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
I felt Gilda shake her head, before giving my chest another peck.
"No, Lou, it's alright. You do have a right to know. Hell, you saved her life, so you deserve to know a little bit about what's happened. But, like I said, it's kind of complicated. So pay attention, alright dweeb?"
I laughed a bit.
"I thought we over the whole 'dweeb' thing, babe."
"Want me to slap you again?"
"Shutting up, ma'am."
"Good," she replied, her head refusing to leave the spot on my chest,"Well, you remember how I told you I was born in the Southern Griffin Empire?"
"Yeah, I remember that. You and your family left when the Empire's economy crashed, causing lots of griffins to end up jobless."
She nodded her head from her apparently comfy spot.
"Well, I guess I never told where I moved to next, huh?"
I looked at her, perplexed.
"You didn't move to Allerseen before that?"
I could feel her shaking her head.
"Nope, before looking elsewhere that far north, my parents decided to make for the closest country to us. Equestria. We had to stay sort of local, due to the fact that I was only a couple of days old at the time, and my mom was still recovering from giving birth. When daddy lost his job, he felt that safest bet would have to be Equestria, what with plague out west and Allerseen being way too far make it with a newborn. So, my dad, using the last of what money we owned, rented us a house up in the city of Cloudsdale. And that's where I first moved to."
I heard Gilda sigh a bit, as I stroked her claw reassuringly.
"It was weird at first, you know? I never really knew griffins, besides my mom and dad, and yet still felt isolated amongst all these ponies flying around. I didn't understand griffins, and didn't understand ponies, either. It was.....confusing, to say the least for the first year living up there in Cloudsdale."
I nodded my head.
"I know that feeling, babe. That sense of not truly belonging anywhere. Sometimes, I still feel that way."
Gilda rose her head up, kissing me gently upon the lips.
"You had me, though, who always had your back."
I rubbed my forehead against hers.
"And I'll always appreciate that, love. Now, tell me how Dash figures into all of this."
Gilda placed her head back down before continuing.
"Anyway, when I was about one, my mom and dad placed me in a daycare, while they went to work as weather griffins for the Cloudsdale chapter of Weather Patrol. At first, I remember feeling lonely, as a lot of the foals seemed to be afraid of me. I guess many of them had never seen a griffin before, you know? So I spent the first few days in a sort of quiet solitude. Only the nanny that worked there, a sweet old pegasus named Morning Dew, didn't seem to mind playing with me. That is, until Dash came along."
She rolled her head over, lying it on the pillow next to mine, as she still firmly held my hand in her claw.
Her eyes closed, as she exhaled a deep breath, her head moving closer to mine, until our sides nearly touched.
"I remember when I first met her, Lou. While the other foals were outside playing on the jungle gym in the courtyard, I was off by myself, experimenting with my wings. I could feel the sky calling to me, the wind crying out for my touch. It was my first real urge to fly. It was then that I heard a buzzing sound, as a blue filly with a rainbow mane came hovering my me, her wings moving as fast as a hummingbirds.
She had to been only a couple of months old, and here she was, hovering. I would've been truly awed if she hadn't crashed into me. Then again, if she didn't, then we would have never met. After that, we became the best of friends, slowly building our flight capabilities together, always by one another's side. We even hung out with each other after daycare, practicing and playing until the sun would sink behind the clouds, where we'd lay down until or mom's would come and carry us home."
I could see Gilda smiling a sad smile, a lone tear slowly crawling down the side of her cheek.
Moving carefully, I placed an arm under her, wrapping it around her body, bring her closer to me.
She nuzzled into my chest again, our legs intertwining with each other's.
"Those were the best days, Louie,"She said, softly,"Days when time didn't matter. When the only thing I had to worry about was when lunch was and when I'd see Dash. I never felt so free, so happy. It was like a dream that would never end. I wished for nothing greater than for it to continue like this forever...... But, like all good things, it had to come to stop at some point, and that day broke my heart in two."
Gilda squeezed my hand a bit tighter.
"I remember right around my ninth birthday, I over heard my parents reading a letter that an old friend had sent them. He told them that two stewarding positions opened up in the court of King Braig, and that he could get them, if they were interested. The pay was far better than weather griffin pay, and we would get rooms in the palace. A palace! Almost like we were royalty, ourselves.
"But I didn't hear good news. I knew if my parents took the job, I'd have to leave my closest friend behind. I didn't want that. I didn't want to move miles and miles to the north, I wanted to stay here, and fly with Dash until the world ended. But, looking back at it, my parents did the right thing. They wanted to give me the best life they possibly could, and for that, I'll forever be grateful. But at the time, I hated them more than ice hates fire, and......let's just say, I didn't make the trip up north easy for them. Then I met you, and I take it you know the rest from there."
I nodded my head, rubbing her shoulder as our heads touched.
"Yeah," I replied to her," You made life growing up here so much easier when I was first adopted. Remember how we first met?"
She smiled.
"Of course I do! I was wandering around the palace gardens, when I spotted you, standing in front of that big, marble fountain in the center. You were playing with that lame little wooden sword, flinging it around like a mad hawk."
"Hey!" I retorted," I wasn't swinging it madly around! I was practicing techniques that my father had shown me that morning!"
Gilda giggled.
"You still looked like a complete dork," she replied with a smile, before a distant look washed over her face,"And you looked so lonely, too. I could see it all over your face. And I was lonely, too. So I-"
"So you stole my sword, and forced me to chase you around the palace for hours," I finished, causing us both to chuckle.
"Do you regret it?" She asked, her eyes gazing into mine,"Do you regret me ever taking that sword?"
I brought her into another deep kiss.
"Does that answer your question?" I smirked, before lying my head back down, "I may not have acted like it then, but it was one of the best days of my life, the day I met you. Making a new friend always feels like that."
I squeezed her close again.
"So no, Gilda, I don't and will never regret that day."
"Even after I kinda accidentally broke it?"
I chuckled.
"Even after you 'accidentally' broke it."
She chuckled as well.
"Now, you gonna finish that story, babe?"
Her chuckling soon died down, until she once again put her head beside me.
"Yeah, I was getting to that," she replied before clearing her throat," Remember when the war broke out and you sent me away?"
I felt butterflies fluttering around in my chest, as I nodded in reply.
"Yeah, I remember that. How could I forget it?"
"I never told you where I went, did I?"
Now that she mentioned, I never did recall asking her where she went. I assumed that she and her family went to Dis or some other northern city.
"No, you never did," I replied.
Gilda sighed, once again.
"My parents went to Dis, while I went back down to Equestria."
I cocked an eyebrow.
"You went that far south?"
"Yeah....," she replied, distantly,"To see an old friend."
I reached down and grabbed hold of her claw again, wrapping my fingers around her talons.
"I was so mad at you for sending me away, when all I wanted was to just by your side. I mean, we just became a couple, Lucifer, and Civil War or not, I wanted to be with you, to stand by your side. I even contemplated joining the army, just so I could be near you. And you forbade it. You sent me away...."
I squeezed her claw, stroking it softly.
"It was for that same reason I sent you away, love. I wanted to be with you, oh God, did I ever. But not at the risk of you dying, Gilda. If you died........I don't even want to think of what I'd do...."
"And the same goes for me, Lucifer!" She cried,"How do you think I felt, knowing you could've been killed at any time? Throdos, you made me so angry!"
I continued stroking her, giving her time to compose herself.
"And that's why I went back to Equestria. I was so angry that I wanted to get as far away from you as possible, but at the same time, no matter how far south I went, I couldn't escape the feelings of loneliness that followed, that need to see you again. To be happy again. So, I went to the land that housed the pegasus that had made me happiest before I met you. Just seeing Dash would've probably put the biggest smile upon my face. And when I found her.........I found that she moved on, made other friends....
Don't get me wrong, when I first came back, she was thrilled to see me, and we were as happy as two long lost friends reunited could be, but no matter how hard I tried to hide it, I just couldn't shrug off those angry, depressing feelings that followed me from up north. You try keeping composed when your home is divided by a war, that your friends and lover are fighting in, who could die at anytime!"
I gave her peck on her cheek, trying my best to soothe her.
After a few moments, Gilda once again began to compose her self, lying limply in my arms.
"Better?" I asked.
She nodded her head.
I gave her another quick kiss.
"What happened, then?"
She gulped nervously before continuing.
"You see, Dash had this pink friend of her's. Hyperactive and loud, and very, very annoying. She was always trying to butt in during Dash and mine's quality time, to the point where I was nearly losing my temper. The breaking point came when I had told Dash why I was here. She let it slip in front of the pink one, who began getting in my face about it, asking me dozens and dozens of annoying questions. She finally hit a nerve when she asked if anyone I knew was dead up north. I snapped. Thoughts of you dying on the battlefield were just running through my mind. So, I cussed her out. Big time. Dash, at once, went to her friends side, yelling at me. Unfriendly words were said. We even got into a little fight, where we exchanged a few blows with each other. I left that day for home, my heart full of regret."
I heard Gilda sniff as I held her close.
"It wasn't suppose to be like that, Louie. It was suppose to be like the old times, with flying, tricks, pranking and sunsets. Not bad words and fist fights."
Her claw rose up, wiping away a stray tear.
"I took the long way around, heading back to Allerseen, before arriving in Dis, to wait out the war with my parents. When it ended, and you came back home, I rushed back to the palace."
"And gave me the ass kicking of a lifetime, might I add."
Gilda gave me a light punch.
"You deserved it, dummy," She giggled before kissing me again.
We held each other in silence, again, with the only sounds around being the beeps of the medical equipment and our breathing.
"I never thought I'd see Dash, again, you know," Gilda piped up again,"After the war, I wrote her dozens of letters telling her how sorry I was, but she never responded to them."
She looked back at me, tears welling up in her eyes.
"And then, two days ago, you sent her back with Rush. It was like I saw a ghost when she approached the throne room with Rush and the little filly. When she saw me, she galloped over to me and hugged me and cried. And I cried. There were apologies and hugs galore, Louie! She came all this way to say she was sorry, and I couldn't believe what I heard. It was I that should've been sorry. I started this mess. So I told her everything, about me and you, about how the thought of you dying stressed me out to no end. How I lost my composure. And we forgave each other, and it was wonderful, Louie! Just wonderful! Just....wonderful......"
She began to drift off.
"And then Ellie brought you back in her arms, crying her eyes out. You looked......oh, Throdos, Louie.....you looked you would die any moment. We were all distraught, Ellie and I the most, as we saw them rush your body to the medical wing, to try and save your life. And Dash was by my side the whole time, telling me about how you saved her and the filly. Telling me that you were a hero. Telling me that you'd be just fine. And I never felt more proud of you, Lucifer. You not only saved the lives of two innocent creatures, but my childhood best friend. Which made the time I spent away from you feel like I was betraying you. That I abandoned you...."
I put a hand to her beak, closing it, as she looked at me with sad eyes.
"I can give a hundred reasons why you never abandoned me," I said, removing my hand,"But I only need to say one thing, and one thing only."
I held both of her claws in my hands, bringing them to her chest.
"I love you. Always have. Always will. And nothing you could do can ever change that."
She wiped away another tear, before lunging forward, bringing me into a violent kiss.
Violent and Passionate.
With that kiss, I could almost feel all her worries and fears wash away, surging throughout my being.
It felt nice.
it felt right.
After what seemed like forever and a day, she broke our lips apart, before she dove back to my chest, nuzzling it softly.
"Lucifer?"
"Yeah, babe?"
"I love you, too."
I smiled, squeezing her against me.
"I know you do, Gilda, I know."
We lie there silence, as the doors to my room opened, followed by the medical team, in hopes of patching me up and getting me out of this bed, soon.
I had a feeling that today was going to be a great day.
Then again, any day with Gilda classifies as a great day.