Derran smiled, watching as scores of logs were levitated away by the combined efforts of several dozen unicorns. Nearby, Sawdust shook her head in amazement.
"I'd never have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, how in Equestria did you manage this in so short a time?" She asked, a hint of awe in her voice.
Derran gave a noncommittal shrug. After the fight against (and subsequent defeat of) the Timber Wolves, and the brief conversation with ladies Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Applejack. He had worked all night in the Everfree Forest, cutting down trees and moving them into optimal position for retrieval. Fortunately Derran had no further troubles from the forest denizens, though he could feel them watching him as he toiled. Working tirelessly, he soon had all the lumber he needed. Derran then returned to the castle for just long enough to shower, and prepare breakfast for lady Twilight, and himself, despite the former's vehement objections, and requests that he take time to rest. Before heading out again immediately, to inform Sawdust of the situation, after which she had hastily gathered her workers and followed him to the logs piled just beyond the treeline.
"Hard work, and the right tool for the job." Was the only explanation Derran gave.
Sawdust arched an eyebrow "hard work" was a severe understatement. Everypony in town had heard the story of Derran's battle against the Timber Wolves. Thanks in no small part to Rainbow Dash telling the story to anypony who would listen. Even accounting for Rainbow's habit of embellishing things, the story was still hard to believe. However it had been vouched for by both Rarity, and Applejack, not to mention Princess Twilight. Add to that the unimaginable feat of gathering all the lumber they needed in the space of a single night, and now more than ever the Doom Slayer was the talk of the town.
"I can't tell if you're modest, or just don't realize how amazing you are." Sawdust said with a chuckle.
Derran shrugged.
"I am merely serving Equestria as best I can, I need no praise for that." He said simply.
Sawdust smirked.
"Well whether you want it or not; you've really started to gain a following in this town. Especially among the mares, and even a few stallions." She replied.
"How so?" Derran asked quizzically.
"You really need to ask? Equestria's always been a tolerant place, homosexual, and interspecies relationships are nothing new, and you're a one of a kind catch. A lot of the single ponies in town are already asking questions like: 'is he single?'. Heck if I were a decade, and a half younger, I might be one of them myself." Sawdust explained with a laugh.
Derran shrugged.
"Well ponies will talk I suppose, tell me do you think this will be enough lumber?" He asked, returning the conversation to business.
Sawdust nodded.
"Yep, this should easily cover us till the next shipment of logs comes in, which reminds me. . ." Sawdust grabbed a large pouch out of the saddle bag she was wearing, and tossed it to Derran.
"What's this?" Derran asked, catching the bag which made a jingling sound, like it was full of small bits of metal.
Sawdust gave him a grin.
"That's your pay for all this work, with a little extra for taking down those Timber Wolves for us." Sawdust explained.
Derran frowned.
"I did not do this for payment, I did it to help the ponies of this town." He stated.
Sawdust nodded her understanding.
"I know you did, heck everypony knows you did, but it wouldn't feel right having you do all this work for nothing."
Derran shook his head.
"I understand your reasoning, but I cannot accept this. If this money must go to somepony, let it go towards rebuilding the homes and livelihood of the ponies who suffered in the attack. What I did here was done in the name of Equestria and the Seraphim, accepting payment for it would be. . . well, it wouldn't be proper." Derran declared, handing the pouch back to Sawdust.
Sawdust accepted the pouch from the Doom Slayer with a nod. She could tell that no matter what she said Derran would never take the bits, even if he had earned them. Derran may have been mostly a mystery, but he clearly lived his life according to a set of rules, a code. Taking payment for helping would violate that code in some way. Sawdust may not have understood the rules the Doom Slayer lived by, but she would respect them, he had earned that much from her at least.
"Got it, I'll give it to the Princess to help pay for repairs, but know that if you ever need help, Ponyville sawmill is in your debt." Turning to her workers Sawdust could tell they had heard every word, but to make certain she called out. "Ain't that right ponies?!"
"AYE BOSS!!" Came the enthusiastic reply.
Derran nodded in thanks.
"I will remember that." He said with kind smile. "Now miss Sawdust, is there anything else I can assist you with?"
Sawdust shook her head.
"Naw, just leave the rest to us, and thank you for all your help."
Derran nodded.
"It was my honor." He replied before giving a small respectful bow, and walking away.
Sawdust watched the Doom Slayer go with a sad smile. She had never really cared about her age before, but at that moment she truly wished she was a decade or two younger.
"The honor was all mine." She whispered under her breath, before turning around to bark a few instructions to her workers.
Twilight watched as Derran enter her throne room, he walked half of the total distance before falling to his left knee his head bowed, while his right arm was placed diagonally across his chest so his fist was over his heart. His left arm was perfectly aligned with his bent right knee. While the hand, curled into a fist, had the knuckles pressed to the floor. The bow was performed with an air of great reverence, almost as if the Doom Slayer was praying to a goddess, instead of bowing to a princess.
"Milady the lumber situation has been resolved, and repairs are proceeding smoothly once more. I was told you wished to speak to me when I returned to town, I apologize for keeping you waiting." The Doom Slayer's voice was solemn, and respectful. Though in all honesty Twilight felt more than a little uncomfortable being given this level of formality, and deference. She had never liked the idea of anypony bowing to her, least of all somepony she saw as a friend.
"Uh. . . thanks Derran, but you know you don't need to bow to me right? We're friends, just greet me as you would anypony else." Twilight responded.
Derran raised his head, and smiled gently as he rose to his feet.
"Of course, forgive me lady Twilight, old habits are hard to break." He said, looking Twilight in the eye. "So, what can I do for you this fine day?" He asked his tone far more lighthearted, but still respectful.
"Well, it's a bit of an unusual request. . ." Twilight trailed off, clearly uncertain how to phrase what she wanted to say.
Derran smiled.
"I promise not to laugh, simply tell me what it is."
Twilight nodded, Derran's kindly tone reassuring her.
"Well last night I was talking with Rarity, and Applejack. Rarity's a fashion designer and I happened to mention your um, clothing situation. . ." Again Twilight trailed off, and Derran nodded for her to continue. "Well long story short, Rarity want's to make you some clothes, but she needs your measurements. . ."
Derran nodded.
"And you wished to know if I will consent to this." Derran guessed.
Twilight nodded.
"I know it means getting undressed in front of somepony you barely know, but Rarity is extremely professional she-" Derran halted Twilights rapidfire reassurances with an upraised hand.
"I am not opposed to the idea, but I have no way to pay her for her services, and I have already accepted more charity than I normally care to." Derran explained.
Twilight nodded, she had a feeling Derran wouldn't accept a handout, and had prepared for it.
"I told her you might say that, which brings me to Applejack's offer, she wondered if you might consider a job as a farm hand?"
Derran was impressed, despite knowing him for less than a week Twilight was already learning how he thought.
"Well I am in need of steady employment, and as it happens I used to be a farmer."
Twilight gave Derran a surprised look.
"I thought you were a soldier of some kind?"
Derran nodded.
"I was, for six years before I became a farmer, and prior to that I was trained as a politician and scholar, though that was my father's idea."
Twilight nodded intently, this was the first time Derran had volunteered any truly specific information about himself.
"Why did you become a soldier then?" Twilight asked.
Derran shrugged.
"I was young, and restless, I wanted to see the world, be a hero, maybe even meet my soulmate." He replied.
Twilight suddenly found herself twice as curious.
"And did you?"
"Did I see the world, did I become a hero, or did I meet my soulmate?" Derran asked with a small smile.
"All of them." Twilight responded.
Derran chuckled.
"Well in order: Yes, no, and yes. My unit was assigned all over Kemed, and while it was a small country I spent a fair bit of time guarding envoys to other kingdoms. So I saw a great deal of the world during those years. However to my disappointment I never got the chance to do much more than slay wild beasts and fight a few raiders. Then, during my fifth year campaigning, my unit happened to rescue a caravan of travelers from some bandits. One of their number was. . . well, she was a real beauty named Kira. After we escorted them back to the town we were based out of, I gathered my courage and asked her out. I'm still amazed she said yes, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. My unit was stationed in that town for several months, and eventually I asked Kira to marry me. My father, however, was very much against it."
Twilight looked confused.
"Why?"
Derran gave an embarrassed smile.
"Well believe it or not I'm a noble, the Grandel family were actually quite influential in Kemed. As the only son I was expected to marry a highborn woman, and inherit my father's position. He was ok with me running off and joining the army, but marrying a peasant? He said I had brought shame to the family name, and that if I didn't call off the marriage he would disown me."
Twilight gasped, reflecting that this almost sounded like the storyline of the trashy romance novels Rarity loved. Twilight herself had read a few in her time, including several that made her blush profusely when she thought about certain chapters.
"What did you do?" She asked.
Derran smirked.
"Well I told him to do what he liked, I had a nice pension from six years of service, and I told him that I'd rather harvest crops than play politics. I loved Kira with all my heart, and if my father couldn't accept that then I had no interest in ever associating with him again. Then I bid him good day, marched out of the house, and took my bride to the alter."
Well it wasn't exactly a heartrending struggle for love against epic odds, but then this was a real event not a storybook romance. However, something about Derran's words seemed to resonate in Twilight's mind, and suddenly her imagination seemed to go into overdrive. As for an instant, she saw herself in a wedding dress beside Derran crying tearfully as she said "I do". Then just as quickly she shook her head, wondering where in Equestria that thought had come from.
"So, uh, what happened after that?" Twilight asked, trying not to blush.
Derran smiled as he allowed the happy memories to come flooding back.
"I bought a nice piece of land as far from my old home as I could get, and lived the simple life of a farmer. Then about three years after that. . . I became a father." Twilight was stunned, and again an image of what it would have been like to be in Kira's shoes flashed through her mind. Cradling her newborn foal as Derran gazed down at her with loving- "What is wrong with me?" Twilight wondered banishing the images from her head, as Derran continued. "I had stayed in touch with my mother during those three years, she had supported me in my decision to defy my father's wishes, and had told him as much. Well, after she learned she had a granddaughter she gave my illustrious father a rather severe talking too. Told him he was being an arrogant ass, among other things, and that if he didn't patch things up with me, he'd not only lose his son, but also his wife." Twilight nodded as Derran gave a soft chuckle. "Well that finally did it, my father traveled all the way to my farm, and on his knees, begged me and Kira for forgiveness." Derran paused for a moment to shake his head. "Honestly my father was never a bad man, just stubborn, proud, and bound by tradition, but he said he was unable to keep it up anymore. He told us, that in truth, the day I stood up to him was the day he'd been most proud of me. To make a long story short, we forgave him, and finally became a family again, we named our daughter Terrisa, and for twelve years I was the happiest man on D'nur, but then. . ." Derran trailed off, and for an instant Twilight was all but certain she saw tears in his eyes.
"Then, what?" She asked gently.
Derran's face became a mask of stone, as he replied in a cold monotone.
"Then D'nur fell, and everything I loved was stolen from me. . ." He said clenching his gauntleted hands into fists.
Twilight shivered, though his face was a blank, and unmoving, Derran's rage was palpable.
"What happened?" Twilight asked her voice filled with apprehension.
Derran shook his head.
"I. . .I am sorry my lady, but I cannot say." He stated apologetically.
"But why?" Twilight asked feeling slightly hurt.
Derran looked straight into her eyes as he answered.
"Twilight, please understand, I have no wish to keep secrets from you, I trust you, and though we have not known each other long, I see you as a dear friend. However; long ago I swore a solemn oath to the Seraphim sisters, that I would never speak of the fall of D'nur. Or my battles since then, with anypony, until given leave to do so. I gave my word Twilight, and no matter how much I trust you, no matter how certain I am that you would keep the secret, I must honor my promise. Please; once Celestia, and Luna arrive I am certain they will allow me to explain, but until then I ask for your patience, please Twilight." Derran begged, and it was clear he was speaking from the heart.
Twilight was stunned at this revelation, "So that's why he's so secretive, it's not that he doesn't want to tell me, it's that he can't." Nodding Twilight spoke.
"You know I think that's the first time I've heard you address me informally on your own." She said with a smile, that after a moment Derran returned. "I understand Derran, I won't pester you about it anymore, and thank you for telling me about your family, it means a lot that you trust me with that information."
Derran nodded.
"Never doubt that you have my trust lady Twilight, or my friendship. Now by your leave, I shall go and get myself fitted for proper clothing." He said gratefully.
Twilight nodded but just as Derran started turning she stopped him.
"Derran?"
Turning back Derran gave a small smile.
"Yes my lady?"
Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but then seemed to have second thoughts and shook her head.
"It's nothing, nevermind." She said softly, giving Derran a sad smile.
Derran gave Twilight a searching look before slowly nodding.
"As you say milady." He replied with a slight bow before he turned and walked away. He could tell Twilight still wanted to ask him something, but decided not to press her. She would ask whatever it was in her own time.