//------------------------------//
// 11. Shepard the Weak 
// Story: The Trials of Shmarity: an Ogres and Oubliettes Story 
// by TheMessenger 
//------------------------------//

11. Shepard the Weak

Huntress had been reluctant in continuing their journey with the family of three, especially when seeing the large and cumbersome cart full of fragile and apparently expensive cuckoo clocks. The increase in number and the added baggage meant having to sacrifice stealth and speed, and in her view, it wasn’t worth the additional safety that the larger group would have provided. Getting these points convincingly across to Rarity, however, proved beyond the reserved mare’s communicative capabilities, and Rarity in response countered that given that the family was heading toward the old trade route just as they were, it only made sense in a matter of convenience to join up with them. 

And honestly, was Huntress really going to heartlessly abandon these poor ponies, including a young foal, to whatever danger lurked within the forest? 

So, rather begrudgingly, the traveling pair grew into a party of five, and Rarity, in contrast to her dour guide, was more than happy to share the road with more talkative companions. As they made their way out of the forest and continued along the outer rim of trees, with Huntress taking the lead and Rarity and the mare in the rear with the cart, Rarity learned that the family had been ambushed and captured by the bandits after getting lost in the forest while searching for a shortcut. They were originally from the town of Trotlen where Pendula, as the mare introduced herself, her sister Minutiae, and their father Clockworks ran an old antique store specializing in the repair and restoration of timepieces. While most of their neighbors had long since fled the town due to its relatively short distance to the capital and the royal palace—

“I’m sorry, you’re saying ponies were leaving because Trotlen was so close to the capital city?” Rarity interjected. “I’d have imagined such proximity would have been a reason to move to the town, not a deterrent.”

Pendula gave Rarity a funny look as her father let out a humorless bark of a laugh. “Oh, once upon a time, sure,” he said. “Trotlen was the envy of all of Spiketopia. Then, you know who came along and, well, everypony knows what happened to the capital soon after. Anypony who needs a remind just needs to look up at the giant fortress where the palace used to be.”

“Oh. Yes, I suppose that would explain things,” said Rarity. “I had, er, hadn’t made the connection. Silly me.”

“Well, it’s been a long day,” Pendula said with an understanding nod. “Anyways, Father was against leaving the shop.”

“Hmph. That store has been in our family for four, no, five nonconsecutive generations. After everything my father had to do to get it back from those no good conniving—“

Pendula continued on, explaining that they finally abandoned their home some weeks ago when a rumor spread among the few remaining inhabitants that the heroes would soon be arriving. The sudden replacement of their sister town of Lentrotster with a massive crater and news from scouts of movement by the new regime’s forces lent credence to such rumors. Nopony wanted to be caught in the crossfire of the inevitable epic battle, so those still in Trotlen packed what they could and made their escape, scattering to the winds in just about every direction.

At this, Clockworks snorted. “Can’t believe I was talked into leaving. Trotlen’s probably already back on its hooves, and somepony else is profiting off of all our family’s hard work if those heroes are as good as the stories say. We should’ve stayed.”

“Well, in any case, that’s our story,” Pendula said. “We’ve been making our way west since.”

“To Baldursgait?” Rarity asked.

“Oh, heavens no,” Pendula had answered with shake of her head. “That’s no place for a family and certainly not a place for a filly.” She pointed to her sister. “We were thinking Candelkeep or maybe even Iriaebronc a little further north. Don’t tell me you’re going to a dangerous place like Baldursgait?”

“Er, well—“

“She has business with the local adventurers’ league,” Huntress suddenly interrupted, shooting Rarity a stern look over her shoulder. “Private business,” she added with emphasis on the adjective.

“O-oh! I see. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“Is it because you’re the princess?”

The cart came to a halt as Rarity and Pendula stopped and stared at the filly who had spoken.

“You know, to gather an army of adventurers to fight the Squid Wizard’s army while the heroes take down the Squid Wizard himself. Or, you know, something like that,” Minutiae continued. “That’s what I’d do if I was the princess of a conquered kingdom anyways.”

“Minutiae, you know this mare isn’t actually Princess Shmarity,” the older sister said with a small smile. “And if she were here, that would mean the heroes already won. Remember, the whole reason they’re going to the capital is to rescue the princess.”

“Oh, right. Huh.” Minutiae yawned. 

“Why don’t we take a break?” Rarity suggested. “We’ve all been walking for quite a while. Huntress?”

The mare in front stopped with a sigh and looked up to the sky. “We still have a few hours of daylight. You can rest when we stop for the night.” 

“Hmph,” grumbled the stallion, using the brief pause to shake out his legs. “In a hurry, are we?”

“Yes.” Huntress took a couple of steps forward, stopped, and let out another sigh before turning around. “You have five minutes.”

A third sigh rang out, filled with collective relief from the rest of the group as they took the time to stretch and rest their hooves. Five minutes wasn’t enough time to completely unhitch herself from the cart, but it allowed Pendula to loosen the straps around her and take a much appreciated seat. “Could you get me some water, please?” she requested. 

“Of course.” Rarity made her way to the side of the wagon. 

“Careful not to touch the merchandise,” warned Clockworks as he hawkishly watched her climb into the cart. 

“Yes, of course,” Rarity said again with a hint of exasperation. She navigated past the crates with Clockworks’s symbol until she reached an assortment of cloaks, blankets, cooking utensils, canvas sheets, and various other supplies that those dead bandits probably wouldn’t miss. None of them raised any objections to the raiding of their belongings in any case, not even when Huntress helped herself to the purses on their persons.

The wallet in Rarity’s bag was now a little heavier, a little fuller. She had been initially reluctant in accepting the metaphorical bloodstained coins, but Rarity couldn’t argue with Huntress’s logic. She did need money if wanted to survive in a place like Baldursgait, and what Elder Woods was able to scrap together for her might have only been enough to pay the entry toll. She’d might be able to use her reputation as Princess Shmarity there to get what she wanted, but generosity was a far safer means of persuasion than exposing herself as the Squid Wizard’s supposed hostage. Besides, the money was likely already stolen. It didn’t belong to the bandits anyways.

There remained, however, the matter that they were still robbing from the dead. The strange lack of gore did mitigate Rarity’s disgust at the task a bit, but she still found the whole thing completely abhorrent and even sacrilegious. What kind of uncivilized, mannerless degenerates would steal from the still warm corpses of their fellow creatures? If they went through with the desecration of these bodies, were any of them any better than the now dead and scattered bandits?

It bothered Rarity that she had only felt so after she and Huntress had already gone through each and every pocket and abandoned saddlebag and laden the cart with the gang’s supplies. It bothered her further how easy it was to shake off those guilty thoughts, almost as quickly and easily as it had been getting used to being around and touching all those dirty corpses.

Well, what’s done was done, and Clockworks’s family certainly seemed to appreciate the extra supplies. Rarity removed a tin canteen from their gathered collection, and after making sure it was one of ones with water, she got down from the cart and made her way back to Pendula who gratefully accepted the drink. The canteen went around, giving everypony an opportunity to take a few gulps before Huntress stood up and announced it was time to move, and after some grumbling from Clockworks, they set off.

Rarity and Pendula spoke a little more, discussing life in Trotlen when Spiketopia was peaceful, with Clockworks chiming in every so often about the even ‘gooder and older’ days. Pendula tried asking for Rarity’s story but was quickly dissuaded by Huntress’s swift and sharp insistence that she respect Rarity’s privacy. Rarity couldn’t condone her guide’s rudeness, but she was thankful that she didn’t have to fabricate some elaborately convincing backstory. The truth, that she was some pony from a different and possibly distant land with no idea as to how she got here who had suddenly been given the identity of their princess that happened to look just like her and have a name very similar to her own, probably wouldn’t have been accepted anyways.

Eventually their conversation ran dry, with Pendula having run out of things to describe and Rarity having little to share in return, so Rarity turned to Minutiae, asking her to share more of her fantastic scenarios of what she’d do if she were the princess. Rarity found that the filly was of the three family members the most difficult to read. Clockworks was a stubborn old stallion obsessed with his craft and the past, always willing to offer commentary and complaints unprompted while Pendula reminded Rarity a little of Fluttershy, more subdued than her father and only really speaking after Rarity initiated dialogue. 

Minutiae, on the other hoof, seemed to alternate between the two. At first, in response to Rarity’s inquiries, the filly only mumbled a few vague phrases about how she didn’t know or wasn’t sure about anything. However, just as Rarity was about to resign herself to continuing their trek in silence, Minutiae suddenly lit up and began jabbering nonstop, giving answers to questions Rarity had asked minutes earlier. Then, just as suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, she was quiet once more.

Clockworks called his youngest over, giving Rarity the opportunity to ask Pendula, as politely as possible and with assurances that no answer was necessary should the topic be too uncomfortable, about her sister’s behavior. At this, Pendula frowned and turned to watch Minutiae as the filly became cheerful and started bothering Huntress up in front.

“I don’t really know myself,” Pendula admitted. “Minutiae, she used to be like all foals around her age. You know, curious, loud, wildly imaginative.”

Three words Rarity could have used to describe her own sister. She nodded.

“Well, she lost a lot of that ever since the capital was destroyed,” Pendula continued. “I don’t know if she really understood what had happened, she being so young and all, but after that, all of her friends left with their families. For a while, Minutiae was the only foal in Trotlen, and that can’t have been good for her.

“It’s been a little better since we left. Sometimes, we get to see a little of what she was like before this whole mess.” Pendula’s smile didn’t last. “Of course, then we got robbed and captured and saw a bunch of ponies die. Don’t know how it’ll affect her, but I can’t imagine she’ll be completely fine after all that.”

“Oh.” The next couple seconds passed by in silence, then, “I’m sorry.” 

Pendula cleared her throat. “Please, don’t be. It could have been much worse if you hadn’t shown up. Heavens know what those bandits were planning with us. I just, hope that wherever we end up has ponies around Minutiae’s age.“

“Being around other foals will definitely help,” Rarity agreed. 

The group suddenly halted when Huntress raised a hoof. “We’re stopping for the night,” she announced. Rarity caught the reluctance in the scarred mare’s voice, and she looked up just in time to catch the sunset. There was still color in the sky, the sun still shone and provided light. To be stopping now when in the night previously Huntress forced her forward until she could barely see her own hoof in front of her face was a tad odd, but Rarity kept her confusion to herself as she helped Pendula guide the cart into the forest. She was sure Huntress had her reasons; maybe she wasn’t comfortable guiding such a large group in the dark. Maybe she recognized just how tired everypony else was.

Or maybe she had predicted how much time it would take to find a path through the forest that could accommodate the wagon. Finding a clearing large enough for everypony and everything took even longer, and as they ventured deeper into the forest, the darkness of night and the shade of the canopy above necessitated the use of lanterns. At last, they found the required space and went about setting up camp. Rarity and Minutiae were given the job of getting a campfire ready while Pendula and Clocksworks started on raising the tents. Huntress had vanished into the foliage with some string and a couple of bells before anypony could question her, and despite Rarity’s assurances, Clockworks still grumbled.

Rarity needed a good couple of attempts, but she eventually got the hang of the tinderbox and managed to coax out the necessary sparks. This time, the fire was alive and well before Huntress had returned. 

“Where did you run off to?” Clockworks asked as Huntress passed by. “What was so important you had to leave all this to us?”

Everypony else either sighed or shook their head. The old stallion’s ornery attitude had long since grown tiresome to all. “Setting up an alarm,” Huntress answered curtly, with as much tact as Clockworks had given her. 

There was some more mumbled grousing from Clockworks, but nothing more came out of that exchange. They settled down and readied themselves for a meal. Some of the more perishable rations were removed from the cart like the cheeses, and fresher fruits that had been found in the bandits’s camp. Only Huntress and Clockworks refrained from partaking, neither having any apparent appetite, which was strange, considering that the two had also skipped lunch as well. Even Clockworks was surprised with his lack of hunger and ended up settling for a few mouthfuls of cheap cider they had pilfered from the gang’s leader’s personal tent.

Shortly after finishing supper, Huntress ordered everypony to bed. There would be a very early start tomorrow to make up for lost time, the mare explained, and after some whining from Minutiae, the family of three grabbed their beddings and went into one of the tents, leaving the other to Rarity and Huntress.

“Are you, not going to sleep in the tent?” Rarity asked as she watched Huntress roll out her sleeping bag out on the grass within view of the fire. 

“No.” Huntress pulled out her bow, nocked it, and laid it beside her with a few additional arrows nearby. 

“Well, there’s plenty of room if you change your mind,” Rarity offered. Having the tent all to herself wasn’t worth leaving a companion out here in the cold wilderness, but it was ultimately Huntress’s decision, and Rarity wasn’t about to let Clockworks and Pendula’s efforts setting this all up go to waste. “Goodnight.”

“Wait.”

Rarity stopped and turned and waited for Huntress to continue. Moments passed in silence broken only by the crackling of burning wood. “Yes?” Rarity finally prompted.

Huntress shifted onto her side and turned away. “It’s nothing. See you in the morning.”


*


Morning arrived early, just as Huntress had warned. Rarity was the first to be shaken awake at least an hour before she was ready by the mare, and she managed to force herself from her bedding and groggily exited the tent in time to catch Huntress silently slip into the family’s shelter. As she waited for Clockworks, Pendula, and Minutiae to get up, Rarity cleaned up what she could, putting away the blankets and making sure her saddlebags were in order. 

Minutiae was the first of her family up and about, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she followed Huntress out of the tent. The filly sat and watched Rarity and Huntress start taking down the tent Rarity had slept in. They had gotten most of it down by the time Clockworks and Pendula finally stepped outside. Neither of them looked any better than Rarity felt, and it took them some time before they had their tent down and belongings secured. 

After some cold pieces of fruit for breakfast and a lot of grumbling from Clockworks, they set off, following the trail from last night. Soon, with Huntress leading, they exited the forest and continued their way along its edge. For the most part, other than Clockworks’s constant mumbled complaining, the trip went in silence. Nopony was in any mood to talk, not while the sky was still dark and the morning birds were still fast asleep.

Suddenly, Huntress led them away from the forest and into the prairie. The tall grass caught around the wagon’s wheels, slowing them down and requiring the efforts of both Rarity and Pendula to move it along. As they crossed the empty plains, the sun rose and greeted them with a spectacle of bright colors. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and it was a pity that nopony, or at least nopony who might have cared, had the energy to appreciate such a perfect morning.

Over time, however, as the warm beams of sunlight shone upon them while a comforting breeze blew by, their tiredness faded, and each step was lifted with renewed vigor. Minutiae was ahead with Huntress, trying to keep up with the mare as she assaulted her with question after question. To Rarity’s surprise, Huntress eventually started to answer, if only to attempt to stem the flow of inquiries and sate the filly’s curiosity.

The sun has just gotten a decent distance up in the sky, around late morning, when Huntress stopped and called everypony over. They gathered around her, and she pointed down the hill they had stopped on. There, where Huntress’s hoof directed them towards, was an assortment of crumbling structures. Rarity could make out some roofless houses if she squinted, and passing by the rows of ruins was a paved road that stretched out and continued beyond the horizon.

“That’s what’s left of Bakersfield,” Huntress explained. “The old trade route is the road next to it. Still have your map?”

Rarity nodded and pulled the map out for all to see. 

“Here’s Bakersfield,” said Huntress, directing everypony to a small dot with the name scribbled next to it. “Just follow the road until you reach your destination.”

“Yeah, yeah. We know,” Clockworks said with a dismissive snort. “What, was this the whole reason why we had to get up so earlier, to have you lecture about following a road? It’s not like this wasn’t our entire plan from the start.”

There was a pause, a second of stillness. Everypony held their breaths as they watched and waited for Huntress’s response. “Father,” Pendula finally whispered disapprovingly, placing a hoof on the old stallion’s shoulder as she gave their guide an apologetic look. “I’m—“

“Good to hear.” Huntress started back in the other direction, toward the forest. 

“Wait, please.” Pendula caught the end of Huntress’s cloak. “I’m sorry. My father, he gets this way when he’s tired, he didn’t mean to act so rude. Father, apologize.”

“Don’t bother, I don’t need it.” Huntress pulled away. “I was only supposed to bring her to the road,” she said with a nod in Rarity’s direction. “My job’s done.”

“Hmph.” The old stallion turned away, sticking his snout up and toward the ruins and the road. “Good riddance. Well, let’s get going. Come on.”

He started down the hill, alone. Minutiae turned from the retreating figure of her father to her sister, looking for instruction. “I’m so sorry,” Pendula said. “After everything you’ve done for us, you even saved his life, you didn’t deserve—“

“I was just at the right place at the right time,” Huntress interrupted with a disinterested wave. “You should probably start moving if you want to reach the next settlement before nightfall. Take shelter in the towns during the night, and never travel after sundown.” She paused, then added, “Safe travels.”

Pendula gave a small nod. “Thank you, for everything. Come on, Minutiae.”

“Goodbye, miss!” the filly said, waving before she skipped off after Clockworks who, despite his head start, had barely made any progress toward the remains of Bakersfield. Pendula and Rarity began making their way toward them with the heavy cart of supplies and antique clocks.

“Wait.” 

They stopped at Huntress’s exclamation and did so, looking to the mare as they waited. Huntress rubbed the back of her head, keeping her gaze toward the ground. “I, need to speak to, her.” She pointed to Rarity. “Privately.”

Rarity and Pendula turned to each other, and after a shared look and a shrug, Rarity removed herself from the cart. Pendula went ahead, walking slowly and carefully to keep the wagon under control, and after a minute or so, she and the cart were out of earshot. Huntress continued to say nothing however and kept her gaze averted, finding interest in the dirt around her hooves.

“Is something wrong?” Rarity prompt.

“No, nothing’s wrong, not really,” Huntress said. She sighed and pulled something out from her cloak. “Here.” She held her hoof out to Rarity, and in it was Elder Woods’s obsidian dagger, with the black blade wrapped with linen and the polished wooden hilt presented right at Rarity. “Take it.”

Rarity hesitated. “Are you sure?” she asked. 

“No, but Elder Woods wanted you to have it for a reason,” Huntress responded with a frown. “Keep the other one I gave you too, just in case,” she added as Rarity started to dig through her own cloak for the other dagger. 

“Alright then.” Slowly, Rarity gripped her hoof around the wood handle. Huntress did not release the dagger easily, and it required a few tugs before Rarity got the dagger from her, causing her to stumble a bit back. As Rarity recovered, Huntress stepped up, and after looking to each side, she leaned forward.

“Elder Woods, he believes that you, whoever you may be, are here to save Spiketopia,” she said, almost whispered. “He’s put his faith in you, as we all had in the heroes before you. Let’s hope this time goes better.”

Rarity placed her new dagger in her cloak’s inner pocket. With two weapons in there, it was becoming a little tight. “Thank you, for everything. I’m not certain I understand all that is happening, but if this is what I have to do to save my friends, you and your father can rest easy. I will not fail.”

Huntress stared for a moment before stepping back. With a nod, she threw the cloak’s hood over her head. “Best of luck.”

And with that, the two separated, Huntress toward the forest and Rarity toward the road.