//------------------------------// // 65 - Fort Hayward // Story: Age of Kings // by A bag of plums //------------------------------// “I’m hungry…” Was the first thing Jewel Pin said after the group had traveled a long distance from Avalon. The sun was high in the sky now, burning down upon them, but at least the cold winds blowing kept them cool. “You just had a loaf of bread about two bells ago.” Posey looked at her with narrowed eyes. “We don’t even have bells out here.” Jewel Pin folded her arms. “For all we know, it has been much longer than two bells.” “I said about.” They were traveling along the main road, but had not passed anyone else so far. There were sparse copses of trees scattered to the left and right, but when it came down to it, the path ahead stretched on and on, over hills and valleys. Moon Tide, Apple Bean and Golden Nugget rode alongside the carriage on their own horses, with the mage taking a deep breath of fresh air here and there. “We’re nearing the outskirts of the kingdom,” Moon Tide said to Emerald at the front of the pack. “The territories here are often in dispute with the other surrounding kingdoms, but the borders are kept by garrisons of soldiers who make sure that nobody invades us. I think by sundown at this pace, we’ll reach Fort Hayward.” “Fort Hayward?” Moon Tide nodded. “Tis the border station for the East road of Canterlot. More of a large barracks, really. There we will hopefully be able to get a better bearing of where we are and how to proceed. As well as some beds and a hot meal, hopefully.” “How do we know that the soldiers there won’t try to kill us?” Emerald wondered. “You saw how Excalibur’s influence had not yet spread to the guards in Avalon,” The mage pointed out. “Fort Hayward is much further away from the capital than the Isle of Apples. News travels slowly; it may be entirely possible that the men at Fort Hayward do not even know Dawn Saber is dead.” “We should warn them. Get them prepared for when Morn’s men come.” Emerald looked ahead at the distance from the top of the carriage. Honeygold and Spectrum Song sat on top with her, but the two younger humans were busy chatting about vampires, so Emerald left them to it while she discussed their next move with Moon Tide. “At least that way they may not be added into the fold of controlled guards.” “After we leave Fort Hayward, we’ll be in foreign territory,” Moon Tide continued. “Prance is the nearest country, geographically speaking. They do not have a liking to us Canterlotians, so if you can help it, try to not speak unless you have mastered the Prench accent.” “I can do it.” Spectrum puffed out her chest and wore a proud smile on her face. “You? Really?” Honeygold snickered. “Yes. Listen.” The squire cleared her throat. “‘ello, are you ‘aving a fine dey. I am ‘aving a goot one, zank you vury much.” There was silence for a while, before Moon Tide coughed twice. “I… think you should remain quiet when we get there.” “Hay, only Prench Ah know is ‘bone jaw’,” Honeygold said. “Ah ‘spect it means ‘hello’.” At this, there was no comment. The day passed without much incident. They stopped for a light lunch at noon, carefully rationing out the crusty bread, dried meat, fruit, cheese, and vegetables. Jewel Pin ravenously dug into the food, much to the annoyance of Posey. Guard Streak was voted most courageous person of the day when he slew a viper with his dagger that had been lurking near the horses.  Nightfall spent most of lunch looking around with her spyglass, staring over to the east.  “The mountains are even further away than I thought,” she announced. “Even with my telescope I cannot see them yet. They must be behind the horizon.” “They are far, mage Nightfall.” Moon Tide pushed her spyglass down. “Remember, we have to travel through two other kingdoms and we have yet to leave Canterlot’s lands.” “We ain’t never been out of Canterlot.” Golden Nugget crunched on an apple. “What’s out there?” “All manner of things,” Moon Tide sighed. “I have often journeyed far from the capital to gather ingredients and herbs. It can be dangerous, but so long as we keep our noses clean and stay on the road, we should not have much to worry about.” “We have to be wary about the Prench,” Posey said sourly. “They are barbaric beasts who take what they want. They took my mother many years ago. I do not yet know if she still lives.” Light Speckle held up her map and traced a line on it with a twig. “We will be passing through the southern borders of Prance, and will be in their lands for four days. Six at most should we linger. The map does not show where the settlements are, however. Only the road.” “We are sure to attract attention, traveling in a big group like this,” Jewel Pin pointed out. She gestured to the entire traveling party. “Perhaps we should come up with a cover story for our caravan. One that does not mention that we are fleeing the capital to look for magical items.” “Which of us can even sound Prench?” Emerald looked to her friends. Being a spymaster, she could possibly learn it if she was given time, but time wasn’t something they had at the moment. Nobody moved. “Well, so much for blending in as natives,” Spectrum muttered. “What else have we got?” “Perhaps they won’t be as bad if we talk to them.” Apple Bean put a hand to her chest. “We Avalon folk don’t quite sound the same as the rest of ya. We could do the talkin’.” “You really think so?” Posey said skeptically. “It is true that you do not sounds like the typical Canterlotian citizen,” said Jewel Pin, nodding, her mouth full of fruit. “If nothing else, we have that.” “I suppose that will be our plan, at least till we can think of a better one.” Light Speckle shoved a piece of bread into her mouth. “Alright,” Apple Bean assented and began to help pack away the food and water. “Then Ah guess we should get on the road again. Don’t want to get caught ‘fore we even get out of Canterlot.” It was dusk when a cluster of lights appeared far in the distance, about twenty miles away down in a valley. “There it is, Fort Hayward!” Moon Tide announced to all. There was a ragged cheer. “Let us ride to our resting place tonight.” “Hot food!” Jewel Pin wiggled her fingers like she was trying to grab something. “I cannot wait!” As the fort’s lights grew closer, it became apparent that it was not just one building, but a cluster of them built next to a river. Several tall watchtowers stood at the mouth of the valley, with tiny specks of men moving about atop them. There was a wall of logs surrounding the fort, each log sharpened at the tip to deter anyone from climbing over them. Night had truly fallen by the time Emerald and Moon Tide, at the front of the party, rode up to the front gates. They were made of heavy granite, and there were armed soldiers everywhere. “Halt!” the soldier in the first gatehouse called out, appearing with his spear and shield. “In the name of King Dawn Saber, who goes there? What is your business here at Fort Hayward?” Above him on the wall, a line of archers appeared, arrows nocked to bowstrings. They don’t know King Dawn Saber is dead yet… Emerald realized. She called out. “Tis I! Emerald Edge, Knight of the Round Table! My friends and I seek shelter for the night at your fort.” “A Knight of the Round Table…” One guard quickly thumped another on the back of his head. “Let her in! She is a knight! Open the gate!” That was simple enough… “Forgive us for the harsh welcome, Lady Emerald,” the soldier from the gatehouse said, slinging his shield across his back  to usher them into the fort. “But we are the first line of defense on the eastern road of Canterlot. One cannot be too careful.” “Y-yes, I understand,” Emerald said, wheeling the carriage over to the stables. “You and your companions are welcome here, of course, lady knight. You can stay in the inn for as long as you need.”  “Thank you,” Emerald said gratefully.  The soldier adjusted his sword belt. “So what brings you here? Is it a message from the king? More troops and weapons?” Emerald shook her head. “Not a message, no. Not exactly.” “Oho, are you on a quest, then?” The guard’s face shone with eagerness. “You know, I always wanted to go on a quest. But then I got assigned here, which is good too, never let it be said that I don’t want to serve my king and country. But sometimes I wish I could go on a journey to help people. Or at least, aid in a quest.” “That day may come sooner than you think,” Emerald said pleasantly, dismounting the carriage. “Thank you for your hospitality, er…?” “My name is Kite Shield, Lady Emerald. I’m one of the captains here. If there’s anything you need, come find me.” The spymaster nodded and proceeded to stop the carriage by the stables, where she gave the two horses gentle nudges to their snouts for all their hard work. This made her think of Foxtrot. She wondered just what that greedy stallion was up to now and she hoped that he was safe and looked after. The inn wasn’t far from the fort gates, with a big sign that read, The Wisping Stallion, painted in red above the doors. It was a large building, much bigger than the tavern back in Canterlot. Emerald supposed that in order to cater to the appetites of so many soldiers, they would need a big place for them all to eat and drink at. Leading her friends along, Emerald pushed open the door to the inn. Inside there was a roaring hearth fire, wooden benches and tables, as well as a well-stocked bar. There were a band of soldiers seated inside, quaffing beer and tearing into succulent joints of meat while a trio of serving girls fluttered around them, refilling their drinks. Gross… Emerald eyed as their teeth ripped meat apart. After all these years, the sight of eating meat still sickened her. “Ah, welcome!” A muscular man wearing a clean brown tunic and an apron walked up to greet Emerald, looking at her armor and shining hair. “Name’s Pot Roast, I am the landlord here. I do not recall seeing you in my establishment before. What can I do for you?” “We are passing through. Unfortunately there has been trouble in Canterlot Castle,” Emerald tried her best to explain without causing panic. “We must journey away from Canterlot in our quest to save it.” “Canterlot, is it?” Pot Roast directed them over to some tables and gestured for one of the serving girls to come assist him. “It has been some time since we heard anything from the capital, what with Fort Hayward being so far away. You say there is trouble? What kind of trouble, may I ask? It must be serious if the king has sent one of his closest knights to quest for him.” Emerald looked to her friends. “The king did not send us…” Moon Tide said darkly. “My brother… is dead.” There was a stunned silence. Even the soldiers stopped chewing their food, and a piece of meat fell onto the tabletop with a splat.  “What...” Pot Roast said flatly. He gave a nervous laugh. “Ha ha. For a second I thought you said the king was dead. Ha. I misheard, right?”  “Nope, you heard right,” Spectrum piped up. “The king is dead.” “WHAT?” Pot Roast roared. Behind him, the handful of soldiers started muttering amongst themselves; one of the serving girls fainted dead away onto the floor. “Even now our enemies come to bring you all under their control.” Emerald eyed all the guards. She had to at least let them know they needed to be prepared. “You must not let them turn you." "Easier said than done," Jewel Pin said half to herself. "How can they stand against Excalibur's magic?" "Magic?" The soldiers' fearful muttering grew louder. “Did she say magic?” “Surely you all know about the king’s blade.” Nightfall looked at them funny. “Excalibur is renowned through the lands as a powerful weapon, capable of firing blasts of lightning.” “Oh. Yes, the mage is right.” The soldiers began to nod one by one. Moon Tide slapped a hand to her forehead and sighed. “Who comes against us, lady knight?” Pot Roast asked after a bout of murmurs erupted from the guards about treachery and magic. “Who has usurped the throne and turned against us?” “It was…” Emerald still found it hard to believe how mad it had all become. “Sir Morn Dread, Knight of the Round Table.” “Sir Morn?” The soldiers were all aghast, with Pot Roast even taking a step back. “Knight of Kindness? It cannot be!” “Psssh, Knight of Kindness.” Spectrum giggled to herself. “Still sounds odd after all this time.” “Tis true…” Guard Streak told them. “Sir Morn has seized the throne and has bent all of Canterlot under his will.” Emerald nodded her head. “It will only be so long before he arrives at the border. You must be ready.” “This is grave news indeed,” one of the soldiers said at last. “I… I should report this to Captain Kite Shield.” And he walked off, muttering to himself all the while and shaking his head. Pot Roast coughed. “Well, if what you say is true, then the best thing for us to do is to aid you as best you can. Your quest is to right the wrongs, yes? I expect the other Knights of the Round Table are also out questing?” “About that…” Posey said grimly. Suddenly, the door to the inn slammed open, with a pale-looking Kite Shield and another man and a woman with him.  “We just got a shocking report from one of our men,” Kite Shield said. “It is true? King Dawn Saber is truly dead at Sir Morn Dread’s hand?” Emerald nodded. “Bygones,” the other man said, scratching his goatee. “We live in dangerous times.” “Calm down, brother,” the woman said, though she fidgeted with the helmet that she held under her arm. “Now is no time to panic. We must come up with a course of action.” “Oh, I almost forgot,” Kite Shield said nervously. “These are the other two captains of Fort Hayward. My brother and sister, Tower Shield and Heater Shield. I brought them here to discuss our options.” Emerald looked at them. They seemed like decent enough fighters. “There are artifacts that we are after. Beyond Canterlot. That is why we have journeyed here. If we could get them, we could stop Morn and right this madness.” “Well, what can we do to help you then?” Heater Shield demanded, slamming her helmet onto the table. “Fort Hayward’s resources are yours to command, lady knight.” Pot Roast raised his hand, reminding them all that he was there. “What about the other Knights of the Round Table? You didn’t say what happened to them.” “They have all been turned.” Posey looked away sadly. “Excalibur has the power to bend others to its owner’s will. They are now against us…” “Grave, grave, grave news!” Pot Roast went back behind his counter and rested his head on it. “What can we do now? Even if we fight back, they have a king’s weapon! We don’t stand a chance!” “The only way through this is if we can gather the artifacts and fight back.” Jewel Pin put a hand on Emerald’s shoulder. “Only Lady Emerald here can wield such weapons better than the usurper king. Only she can save us all.” Emerald looked down, her ears turning red. “You did not need to say it like that… I know tis asking much of you all, but if you could delay Morn’s armies when they arrive, it would certainly help us.” “By all means, we are at your command, lady knight.” The three captains slapped their fists to their chests. “We fight for Canterlot. We shall give our lives for Canterlot.” “We can’t ask that of them, Em.” Honeygold pulled her arm. “It’s like we’re sendin’ them to die.” “Tis alright. We swore to defend Canterlot at all costs,” Tower Shield said proudly. “That includes defending it from a usurper king.” “We will do what we can,” Heater Shield added in. “For Canterlot. In the meantime, Lady Emerald, you and your friends must eat. Rest. You have a long journey ahead of you.” “Th-thank you.” Emerald was always pleased to see the humans ready to give themselves up for their cause. It reminded her of her friends back in Equestria. She’d lost them all twice now, but their deeds would be remembered for as long as she lived. “I’m ready to rest.” Spectrum sat on a stool and put her legs up on another. “Streak?” “M-Mhm…” “So...” Pot Roast returned with a pot full of stew. “You must rest and eat. This is on the house for such a noble quest, lady knight.” “Hot food!” Jewel Pin squealed a little too loudly, much to Posey’s chagrin. “Hmm! What’s in it?” Honeygold skipped over and looked inside. “Smells really good.” “Beef,” Pot Roast answered proudly. Emerald took one whiff of the stew and collapsed back.