//------------------------------//
// Prelude 
// Story: The Six Deeds of Harmony 
// by Defoloce 
//------------------------------//


──────────PRELUDE──────────


e sing it now, as Chaos sleeps in stone,
And praise the rising of the Summer Sun,
With Moon to watch us as we weave our dreams;
May They both rule in gladness for all time.

Anon They stepped Them down upon the world
To tread on hooves like ours, yet still a-part
And redress the unmaking of all things,
Lamenting as we did the Chaos-craft.

Then ponies fashion’d Love, and She ensouled
The chant of yearning, singing of two hearts,
Her name was Cadenza, that all who live
Might heed the beat of Her name in their breast.

So Day was then to live, and Night to dream,
And Love to holdeth Chaos from approach;
Yet Chaos, tombed, can not be kept in stone
So long as Love doth free it willingly.

A stallion-knight, so charm’d, did vie for one
Of higher blood, a noble mare, whilst he,
Of common birth, sought out a courtship rare.
As Love did smile, so too did Chaos grin.

To tilt at beasts, and fiends, and evil wills
Was wont of all good-hearted knights like he
The winged, the horned, his fellow earth-ponies
Did gladly tribute him at tournament.

In feats of arms did favour come to him
And noble eyes beheld his martial worth
And though ‘neath Sun and Moon could his blade flash
In Love there was no foe stood to be cut.

She, unicorn, and fair to look upon,
A gentle mage who did not want for eyes.
And yet she saw no suit to be her own
But that which selfsame knight would set to her.

An but he knew, alas! ‘twas not his ken.
This she would 'dress, but her own dam forbade
Commingling they with ponies of the earth.
And with it so, the maid in vigil pined.

O fairest coat of sky and mane of snow!
O magick, sparkling argent lambency!
That one whose lot was blood and steelshod risk
Could fetch the fancy of that rad'iant mind!

He saw her high, and counted himself low,
Unworthy of her beauty and her charms.
Lamenting that she had no use for steel,
Then what, i'faith, could he put up for her?

So he did come a-call unto the Throne
And, supplicant, besought the Sisters there
To give him quest and make him prove his worth
In measure such to win a noble eye.

“O knight,” said Sun, “Love shan’t blush twice at thee
An thou seekest to court by letting blood.”
“O knight,” said Moon, “Our niece looks not soft ‘pon
Ungentle deeds and hardn’ing hearts, in sooth.”

"O Princess Day," said he, "I'll spill no blood
'pon sward or sea, in duty or in wrath."
“O Princess Night,” said he, “I then abjure
My sword and vow to woo by gentle act."

"An so, We fain would favour thee," spake Moon,
"So would I hold that our belovèd niece
Would favour thee in kind. So by My Crown
Thou shalt be put to quest. Seek Harmony."

The knight did not lift gaze, for well he knew
The Sun anon would turn put him to quest
And thus he wait’d for Her gentle speech,
Yet Day's soft voice was stayed a breath for thought.

“I sit bemused,” said She after a time.
“Hast thou naught to offer this mare but deeds?
Is she a-won with risks and with tributes?
A hero must thou beest ere love is claimed?”

“In all my ken, this is but my sole gift,”
Came in reply the knight to princess fair.
“I had not loved ere I beheld this mare;
Forsooth, mine roughness she would suffer not.”

“How ‘musing, then, must stallions be!” spake Moon.
“Perceivest thou that worth holds in her eyes
In symmetry as to be held in thine?
Suffice its stead our niece to smile ‘pon thee!”

“Thou hast set me to quest, and so I shall,”
Spake plain the vexèd knight to laughing Moon.
“‘Find thee thy Harmony’, as Thou hast spoke
And I so pledged to stay both blade and hate.”

The Sun perceived resolve and gave a smile.
“A maid must thou attend in number six
In keeping with the number'd Harmony.
They hold the taint of Chaos, and keep it.
I charge thee ‘solve them of their sore laments
And give them gladness where none ere abode.
Once questèd, then I say thou shalt behold
The worth in Love that thy self can not see.”

“Where shall I quest?” asked then the stallion bold.
“I have but will and hooves to carry me.”
The Moon sang then a sonnet sweet, Her voice
So fair that frost on mountaintops did melt.

"The Sooth doth echo out from fields and caves
Its power makes jennets and jacks rejoice.
Hear thee the Mirth to rise and break on waves
A swimming pony there laments her voice.
The Fealty rises up above all land
The hornèd folk do value it o’er all.
Benev’lence ‘round a tribe of wingèds band—
Talons and beaks ‘turn not their siblings' call.
So Charity be trust of graceful kin
The antlered ones of forests doth attend.
And Magick last, though with it shadow'd sin;
To darkest place of all that thou must wend.
His Chaos follows close, I so perceive;
Her Love shall be thy sole befirm'd reprieve.”

The knight found steel, yet not of sword, in stead
Of forthright will, so yearned did he for deeds.
To think a maiden kept in woe did call
To see an he could make it well for them.

The Sisters there 'pon marble throne could sense
Of smould'ring knightly wont for righted wrongs.
A love beside, no bid was due for Them
To set a martial soul to course for good.

The Sun then stood, and with Her stood the sky.
"A final charge, O knight, and then depart:
Our niece be Love Herself, gave flesh and coat.
Her witness will, I pray, avail thee oft."

"An Crown doth will, so 'tis my well-come lot."
He bowed again and felt the Sky’s pure love
O’erreaching him, kissing his very soul,
With feeling clouds a-running through his mind.

He took his leave, his sword left there to rust.
Cadenza, there, to tend to him anon,
Was found well met with goodly temp'rament.
They hied from there, to wilds and lands beyond.

"Fair knight, thou hast such charms, and thou wouldst quest?"
Cadenza neighed Her fretting to the road.
"A handsome face, a stalwart will, and heart
So given to the care of tidings dark!"

"To be called fair by Love's goddess is boon
Unlooked-for by a stallion clear of mind,
But lo, I pray Thee, soft! Those so besought
As I for storied acts needeth humility."

"An thou wert Love, wouldst thou give up thyself
To empty flatteries and pleasant words?"
The knight spake not and, smiling, Love did laugh
And 'solve to keep his favour close at hoof.

The grassy plains of Burrone set ahead.
So, trav'ling haste, the two sought Harmony,
That knight and Love alike might soar to worth,
Unwit of sorrows biding in the world.