Three weeks had passed since Luna was tested on her skill with a hammer. She had grown in skill since then and was already working a forge on her own, she still required advice from time to time and got a couple things wrong every now and then, but she was good enough and improving daily. She continued to pound the hot metal in rhythm with the others she heard around her. The other blacksmiths were singing as they went.
The song was deep and rumbly, so against anything Luna could produce as a note so she listened. It set her into a rhythm of work and made it go a lot smoother. She had already forged eighteen swords that morning and was going to work without a break until lunch which was provided to the workers. She continued to strike, heat, strike, heat, shape, harden and repeat the process with the next steel rod. Luna was beginning to enjoy the life of a bladesmith, simple. She didn’t miss the life she had as a princess, but she did miss her sister.
Luna thought as she worked, she had gotten good at that. How would she get her sister and the others out? She didn’t have an army. She couldn’t expose herself because she didn’t know how the ponies of Donladur would react. She couldn’t speak with the king as her class was not worthy to so much as look at him, at least thats what the guards said to her. And she couldn’t do it herself because she had no backup and it would arouse suspicion.
Luna continued to try and formulate a plan while working, she turned the blade over and began to shape that side. She looked up and saw Shade approaching her. She smiled at him and nodded in greeting.
“You’re doing well I see,” He said.
“That I am,” Luna said, “You have really helped me out with teaching me these methods.”
“My thanks,” He said.
“I am the one who should be thanking you.”
“You’ve done enough of that already. I wanted to ask you something.”
“Go ahead, if I can help you it would be the least I could do.”
“I wanted to know if you would like to accompany me and some of the boys on a scouting mission.”
Luna paused, “But what about my work here?”
“Scouting missions will replace a days work, you will still have a job here but you will be scouting out the countryside for any problems for a few days.”
“So I dont need to worry?”
“No, you needn’t worry about a thing.”
“Well then, I would be delighted. How do scouting missions work exactly?”
“Well first, we need to get you some armor.”
“I thought only soldiers get armor.”
“Only they get the plate and mail armor. We can get fur, leather and maybe some light mail if we can afford it. Come lets get you outfitted.”
“Now?”
“Yes, I have already spoken with the forgemaster, he has agreed to this. This happens every time a newbie gets called for a scouting mission so this isn’t uncommon.”
“Ok, what do I do with what I’m working on now?”
“Well, you’ve been working on it the entire time we’ve been talking and now it only needs to be hardened.”
Luna looked at the blade she held in the fire, he was right. She had been working on it without even realizing she was. She saw the right hardening color on the tip then quickly thrust the blade into the water and let it cool. Then she set the blade next to the others she had completed. That was twenty nine swords that day.
Luna then put the hammer down and put out the furnace fire. Then turned to follow Shade. He lead her down the rows of forges and up a couple staircases that lead to a small stone room, not that there was any other material in the city that rooms were made of. On the walls were a number of sets of armor, all of them were leather and fur. There in the middle of the room was a tanning rack and workbench with a unicorn mare working on making another set of armor. She looked up to see Shade and her come in.
“Hello,” She said smiling, “Who needs a new set of armor?”
“This, is Luna. She is going on her first scouting mission tomorrow and needs a set of armor.”
The mare approached Luna and began circling her sizing her up. She took a few measurements and then left the room via a door in the back. She came back with a set of fur armor. She gave them to Luna and instructed her to put them on. Luna first strapped on the leather breastplate and shoulder guards. All of it was hardened leather with softer leather padding inside, it hugged her figure tightly and would provide relatively good protection. Next she put on the fur war skirt, it only reached to half of the way down her back legs but it could stop a sword or claw. Then she put on the boots and bracers, both made of fur on the inside and thick layer of leather on the outside. They were held in place by leather straps that were wrapped around the entire thing then laced in and tied. There was no helmet.
She heard Shade take a silent and barely audible intake of breath. She turned to see him staring.
“What?” She asked.
“I never thought that I would ever find a mare attractive in armor.”
Luna blushed slightly at the compliment, then remembered her long mane.
“Could I have a short strand,” Luna asked the mare.
“Of what?” She asked.
“It doesn’t really matter.”
Luna was given a short strip of leather, and used it to tie her mane back.
“So it doesn’t get in the way?” Shade asked.
“So it doesn’t get in the way.” Luna confirmed.
Shade looked Luna over, to say breathtaking would make the royal tailors and stylists to blow their blood vessels in anger at the understatement. Shade tried to find word for it but his brain short circuited at the sight of the mare before him. Beautiful, just beautiful.
“Hello?” Luna said a little worried.
“Hmm?” He asked being snapped out of it, “Oh sorry. Lost in thought.”
Luna nodded.
“You know the way back to the house dont you?” He asked.
“I do.”
“Well please go and wait there, I have some business to finish.”
Luna nodded, “Should I take the armor off.”
“No dear,” The mare said, “It’s fine.”
Luna nodded then turned to leave. Once she was gone the mare elbowed Shade in the ribs.
“Smooth,” She said chuckling.
“Oh shut up Cats Hide.”
“You like her dont you?” Hide said teasingly.
“I...”
“There is no point in lying and you wont have to worry about her hearing this. Just be honest.”
“Ah... Yes, I suppose I do.”
“Well she’s quite the catch so dont let her go.” Hide told him. “Tell her if you want this to be a healthy relationship, the least she can say is no.”
“I suppose you’re right. But now isn’t the time, she is already nervous about the scouting round, she doesn’t need something like that weighing on her mind.” A sad excuse but the best he had.
“Just dont wait too long. Or someone else will ask her, and soon.”
“Oh how do you know.”
“Have you seen her?”
Shade hesitated for a minute, “Fair point.”