//------------------------------// // Grey Perspectives // Story: Ponies and Grey Wardens: The Equestrian Age // by Icecane //------------------------------// A joyous time was had within the castle. With a means of reaching their home having been discovered, the visiting Grey Wardens all celebrated the end of their troubles. Celestia and Twilight also took part in the merriment, sitting with the visitors in the banquet hall and enjoying the pleasure of their company.. Before things were able to get underway however, Oghren voiced his displeasure with the choice of local beverages. The dwarf found little joy as he tasted tea for the first time, finding it offensive to his tongue and nearly spitting it out onto the table, calling for a strong brew that could knock him off his feet. The others held glances of concern as none of the humans figured that the peaceful land would have such a thing as alcohol. Such a horrifying idea nearly made the dwarf go into a panic, having brought none of his own concoctions from Ferelden. But Princess Celestia was quick to the rescue, calling in her servants to bring in a special treat. Dozens of bottles were brought in, set onto the table where the food from their dinner used to be. Each one looked more enticing than the last. Oghren wasted no time in snatching one and guzzling it down with reckless abandon. The dwarf looked like he had spent days in a desert and was just given water, making the ponies in the room stare at the unprecedented sight that the others were far more used to than they should be. The three human Wardens each took their time, uncorking the bottles and sniffing the contents before taking their own swigs. The brew tasted strongly of apples, but as it flowed down their throats and into their stomachs, it burned like a tamed fire, leaving them feeling all the warmer for having drank it. Perhaps not the strongest kind of ale they had ever tried, it was still a gift graciously accepted by them all, able to finally slake their thirsts after having gone dry ever since they each arrived in the colorful world. So with the arrival of the refreshments, their pseudo-party was underway. Their laughter filled the chamber to the brim, making the stallions guarding the doors just outside raise questioning eyebrows toward what was going on behind their backs. Jokes and amusing stories were told to liven up everyone's spirits. Most of them came from the four Grey Wardens, with their world of adventure and conflict, they had many tales to spin. Twilight was particularly enamored as the the commander and Alistair took turns recounting their epic battle against the Archdemon. Going into grand, and occasionally embellished, detail in how they fought their way through an army of bloodthirsty darkspawn, scaled the to the top of the infested castle, to end in a finale with the fall of the tainted Old God and the end of the Blight. As more and more bottles were drained, the subject of their merrymaking began to change. Much of it originated from the foul-mouthed dwarf, his jokes taking a vulgar turn. Thankfully, most of them were lost to the princess and scholar, not understanding the context and realizing they should be grateful for it. Though, there were several that they did understand, mostly involving bodily functions while others were about certain nether regions. But even in the presence of royalty, who wasn't Alistair, their enjoyment was not stunted. Celestia herself partook in it all alongside the Grey Wardens. Even some of the fruity alcohol graced her lips. It was in small amounts as she still drank from a teacup, but there was no overlooking the rosy tint that quickly developed over her alabaster cheeks. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for her student, as the lavender-coated unicorn simply sat there and laughed along with the group. It was this very sober sharpness that allowed Twilight to see what had gone unnoticed by everyone else. That a certain Commander of the Grey had managed to slip away from the escalating celebration, disappearing from the chamber while his companions continued without him. The only other soul to notice was Shale, as the construct kept its position at the far end of the room, watching the uninteresting event unfold in front of it. But just as it cared little for the acts of fun its friends were having, Shale saw no reason to give the absence of the Warden much thought, even as that one departure turned into two. “Hm,” the Warden-Commander murmured in thought, his index finger running across the velvet covered spines of the books he was examining. The royal library was all but deserted, with a serene sense of seclusion that the Warden was certain couldn't be found anywhere else within the castle. There wasn't even a guard within the area to trek by, disturbing the otherwise peaceful setting. It was the stark contrast the quiet chamber had in comparison to his previous location that made him seek it out, as well as a burning curiosity he had developed that needed to be slaked. The library was a marvelous room that was given the same care and beauty that the rest of the castle was given. With towering walls that was either a smooth white marble, violet coated wooden boards, or gargantuan bookshelves making them up. Two floors made up the chamber, though the second was merely an extended platform tracing the wall, allowing easier access to the uppermost shelves. The selection of literature was impressive as well, though the human wasn't sure on the exact details of many of them, he was able to discern that they covered a wide variety of subjects. One tome in particular caught his eye, 'Equestrian Myths, Legends, and Mares' Tails'. The last bit brought a soft chuckle from the Warden's throat, still getting used to the strange differences that the language of the ponies had compared to his own. Like a bad joke that was taken far too seriously. Retrieving it from the shelf, the commander began to turn the pages, his eyes scanning the titles of the old tales for anything of immediate interest. His attention was so undivided, he didn't even notice the audible creak of the library door opening, or the soft hooffall breaking through the threshold. “What are you doing here?” a familiar voice asked curiously. The commander yelped in surprise, being too immersed in the previous serenity. His grip on the book was lost as it tumbled from his hands and fell to the floor. Trying his best to save it, the Warden's arms flailed in the simple confines of the book's descent, with them finally wrapping around the piece of literature and clutching it tightly, fearful that it could fly from his grasp at any moment. With the book safe, he turned around and peered at the source of the sudden visitor, seeing Twilight watching him from afar. “Oh... Twilight, you startled me,” the commander said, taking several deep breaths before centering himself. The unicorn trotted forward, clearing the gap between them both. “I saw you leave and was wondering what you were doing,” she replied, her expression turning to one of worry. “I thought you would have wanted to spend more time with your friends.” The Warden couldn't help but smile lightly at Twilight's sudden concern, seeing a simple innocence in it that showed she hadn't spent nearly enough time with the other Grey Wardens to understand. “It's not that,” he responded. “I've just never been able to stand celebrations for very long.” Old memories crept into his mind as he recalled the days following the end of the Blight, how everyone in Ferelden wanted to celebrate with the famed hero and king who had put an end to it. It sent shivers down his spine as the exhausted warrior had simply wanted to rest after the arduous ordeal, having seen off his friends who were eager to part and continue on with their own lives. “I came here for a little peace,” he waved the tome that was still clutched tightly in his hand, “maybe spend the night with a good book or two.” Twilight's face noticeably brightened as she stared at the book he held. “You like to read?” she asked, surprised. It was the first time she had ever noticed, seeing as the commander showed no interest to it earlier, especially since he was staying in a library prior to coming to the castle. Almost as though he was embarrassed by the fact, the commander shrugged offhandedly. “It's always been something I've enjoyed,” he said. The Warden took a seat on a set of miniature stairs that were leading up to bookshelves, clearly set there for decoration, but offering a comfortable spot to rest for tall creature. “Though, I suppose it was my mother's doing when I was young. While father made sure his sons were versed in the art of combat by blade, mother made sure to create a balance by forcing us to study history and gain a knack of literature. Though my brother lost the taste for it as he got older, I realized it could be enjoyable.” An amused chortle left him as a fond memory returned to him. “Oftentimes, it would be a great annoyance to my friends when we adventured together. I would occasionally stop to read a new tome we would encounter in our journey. Now, without having to worry about us staying here, I can relax and find a little peace to read.” “I mostly just read spell and history books,” Twilight admitted, stepping closer to the Warden and sitting down beside him. “Though, I do sometimes read a work of fiction every now and then, if the mood's right.” With the commander's mention of his family still hanging in the air, the subject of their conversation shifted toward the topic. The commander told his equine listener of his life as the child of a Teyrn, a seat of power that was second only to the king himself. He told her of his noble father, his kindhearted mother who was as deadly with a bow as she was gentle with her family, and his brother who was currently watching over the homestead. In turn, Twilight spoke of her own family. She told the Warden about her foalhood desires to learn magic and how her parents always did their best to nurture her talents. It was even their help that caused her to become Celestia's student, bringing her to the life she now had. Though, she was embarrassed to say how anti-social she had become as a result of it all, even if it all changed after her moving to Ponyville. It was a joyful time they spent together, simply sitting there and chatting over the simplicities in their lives. Nothing about it was similar to their previous conversations, stiff words being spoken about their worlds as an explanation to bring their curious minds to rest. Now, it was just them enjoying the company of the other, talking to one another in the friendliest of manners. The commander himself was surprised by how easily he could speak to the mare, always considering himself a better listener than a speaker. But he could chat with Twilight as though she was a longtime friend, and listen to her with the same amount of interest. As their topic of their early lives and families had run its course, the commander's thoughts returned to the old book he still had. Eager to learn a little more about the wondrous land he was now in, he began searching through the tome with an open mind. Twilight found herself sharing in his enthusiasm, inching herself closer and closer to the human,bringing their sides together to share the book with him and offer her own personal knowledge on the old legends of Equestria. The commander didn't seem to notice the closeness, neither did he notice the unicorn's tail occasionally brushing up against him, or at least he didn't let on that he did. Looking through the book, Twilight pointed out the more exciting tales, such as the founding of Equestria and Discord's fall. The commander was especially interested as the unicorn told him of how the chaotic spirit broke free not too long ago, nearly taking over the land until she and her friends were able to stop him. Though, he showed more concern as she told him of her first adventure with her friends, about Nightmare Moon and the princess she had now become. “So Luna...?” the Warden questioned, still mulling over what he was told. Twilight nodded her head, a sad frown crossing her mouth. “Yes,” she answered, “she turned evil, a long time ago. Nopony knows how, only saying that she was 'consumed' by her own emotions, how she felt neglected in comparison to Celestia. When she was free, my friends and I were able to stop Nightmare Moon and bring Luna back.” A light huff left the commander as he held a scrutinizing gaze. “And she's so abrasive to us,” he chided. “It's not like that,” Twilight defended. “When I first met her after what happened to Nightmare Moon, she wasn't used to being very social with anypony. She just needs to get to know you a little longer.” “Maybe,” the Warden murmured. His lips parted into a smile as he eyed the mare next to him. “Though, I'm still surprised by what you've told me already. I never would have guessed that my caretaker is as much a hero as I am.” “W-what?” Twilight breathed, becoming surprised by the sudden praise. “I'm not a hero! Especially not like you.” A chuckle escaped the Warden as he shook his head in disagreement. “Nonsense. Saving your land from two powerful threats, with the help of your friends along the way. It sounds uncanny in its familiarity. I never thought magic would be such a good thing for anyone before.” The Warden-Commander's statement forced Twilight to frown. Her mind returned to the heated argument between Alistair and Anders, both fuming over a topic that seemed brought up more often than not within the world that they came from. “I want to know something,” Twilight said, her tone becoming serious as she faced the commander and looked him directly in the eyes. “You've already mentioned how magic is different in your world, how it acts and how the people who use it are treated. You're friends have have shown how they both feel about it, but... I wanted to know...” She broke the lock their eyes shared for a moment, hesitant over her own question. Taking a breath and preparing herself for any sort of answer she might receive, she returned her gaze to the Warden with an even greater firmness. “What do you think of magic?” Taken aback by the question, the Warden did not reply right away. He couldn't say he was utterly surprised by the question, having assumed that the inquisitive scholar would ask it sooner or later. A pause gathered between them as he thought out his answer. Though, to put it frankly, he couldn't say he had ever actually thought on the answer himself. Perhaps it was the lack of ever needing to that caused it, or maybe he wanted to avoid the discussion entirely, knowing the split it could create amongst his friends and companions. “To be honest,” the commander said, trying to sound as serious as possible through his own apprehension, “I really can't say I have anything against them.” Even though he was absolutely certain that his answer had no trace of falsity to it, it made him feel like he was convincing himself more so than he was Twilight. The unicorn developed a weak smile nonetheless, seemingly accepting the answer. It probably could have been left at that, a simple answer for a more complicated question. But the commander felt that there were still misunderstandings that the naïve pony wasn't aware of. Heaving a sigh, the commander looked down at his own hands, twiddling the fingers back and forth as he chose to go further with his reply. “It's not as though I have never seen the destruction that magic can create,” he murmured, glancing toward Twilight as he spoke to her. “Just like how Alistair explained Redcliffe, I was there, I had to face off against the evil that magic had brought there.” His gaze turned distant for a moment, his mind remembering the battles had against the child abomination, the death that occurred because of it all. “But, I've never been given reason to think that magic is so much worse for the world than anything else. Alistair was practically raised to think so, though he does have his moments where he can look past his bias for the greater good. As for Anders... well, he isn't one to take to heart the consequences of his own actions, much less those of his peers.” “From what Alistair said,” Twilight replied, “magic in your world does more harm than good.” She could remember how passionately he spoke about magic, as though it were a burden to have it. The commander shook his head lightly. “The truth is, mages aren't as terrible as they are made out to be. But some of what Alistair has said is true. When untrained, mages can do great harm to themselves and others. The boy in Redcliffe was one such mage, his mother being too fearful of the tower to get him the help he needed. Even Anders nearly injured his own family by accident before he was sent off to train.” Their gazes connected once again, while the Warden's held a questioning look. “Is it not the same here? Do unicorns have trouble with their magic if left unchecked?” Twilight nodded her head slightly. She knew that proper learning was needed for unicorns versed in magic however, she couldn't think of a time she had personally hurt anypony with her magic. Though, there was no ignoring the time she had accidentally turned her parents into potted plants, or the occasional incident caused when she was in over her head when attempting a spell. Nodding himself in understanding, the Warden continued. “I don't even have any personal gripe with magic. Most troubles I've ever had were caused by normal people, mostly with them trying to kill me for one reason or another. In fact, I've met several mages who used their abilities with the purest of intentions, helping me to save Ferelden from the evil we were fighting.” He paused for a moment as his eyes narrowed with contempt. “It's just the ones who choose to attack innocent people and deal with demons who make the others look dangerous. I wish it wasn't true, but it is. Maybe someday, people will see that not all mages are bad, but I don't know when that will be. Things will certainly have to change among the templars as well, or nothing will ever get better.” The commander chuckled softly as he beamed a large smile toward the mare. “But it's those like you and your princesses, having such power over magic and doing nothing but good with it, that let me look at mages without concern.” Twilight was quick to shake her head. “I'm not that powerful,” she said bashfully, eliciting another laugh from the human. “Come now,” he teased, “there's no need to be modest. You've already told me of your exploits, and you're the student of Princess Celestia for Maker's sake. You're quite talented, there's no shame in acknowledging it. And I've seen your kindness firsthand, so there's no disputing that either.” Twilight blushed at the compliment, unsure of how to respond herself. Seeing her obvious tentativeness toward the subject of praise, the Warden couldn't help but grin, thinking of a way to help lighten the mood and lift their spirits. With a devious smirk, the commander held up a bottle he had snagged from the table before his leaving. Popping the cork free, he brought the glass container to his lips and drank deeply from it. Savoring the final taste of the apple flavored drink, his arm extended out toward the mare. “Here,” he offered. Twilight gazed at the bottle hesitantly, her mind already racing toward denying the request. Drinking was never something she found herself doing often. It was rare, especially due to her own mental scar brought on due to the time she had mistook a bottle of hot sauce for one such drink, nearly melting her throat and turning her mouth into a raging firestorm, making an already annoying day all the worse. But as she looked back at the commander, seeing his large smile and expectant gaze, it became nigh impossible to refuse him. Matching his kind expression, the scholar enveloped the bottle in a magenta aura, levitating it from his grasp and toward her own lips. Tipping it up, she allowed the fluids to flow freely, feeling her throat gain a pleasant warmth as she gulped the liquid down. The sound of a stifled laugh was heard as the commander became amused at her tenacity, watching her own drink last much longer than his own. But it soon ended, finished by a smack of her lips and a girlish burp that elicited a bubbly giggle from the mare. They passed the bottle back and forth between themselves, taking equal shares of the tasty drink. While they drank, to ease the tension caused by the Warden's own incite into his feelings, they spoke casually about old times. Their stories were far less heroic and exciting than their previous ones but held a comedic value that they both found great amusement in. Alistair shifted uneasily in his seat, having been there for far too long. The Banquet hall had quieted down greatly as time went on. The weary Princess Celestia had taken her leave some time ago, heading off to her quarters to turn in for the night. Anders had left not too long after, barely able to keep himself standing as he made the foolish mistake of trying to keep up with the insatiable Oghren in drinking. The dwarf himself was the only other one besides Shale to remain in the chamber, greedily sucking down every last drop from every bottle down, like a ravenous animal. The Warden-King was certain he wouldn't stop until everything was gone. The merriment that had once been brimming within the room was now dead, leaving the king to simply sit in place and nurse the last few drinks of his current bottle, his mind slowly turning to the company that was once present. Alistair was unable to keep the princess out of his mind. Though it seemed strange to admit it, he felt sorry for the equine ruler. What had occurred before, her mask of serene indifference breaking, her near emotional collapse, made it clear how burdened she was. Regarded so highly by her people, she needed to make herself look as strong as possible. But she still had feelings, just like anyone else. It made the king think of his own people, how their expectations for him made his position all the more daunting. He couldn't imagine what kind of pressure it put on the princess, seeing her face such troubles on a much grander scale. Deciding it was too late to continue drinking or thinking, the king swallowed what remained of his last bottle and carefully got to his feet, doing his best not to lose his footing and collapse onto the ground. Not sparing a word to his dwarven companion, he left Oghren behind and stumbled out of the chamber. The trek through the castle hallways back to his room was a difficult task to accomplish. To Alistair's surprise, the tiled floor seemed to shift and slide back and forth under his feet, making sure footing almost impossible as his feet treated the ground like it was covered in soap. Everywhere around him, the world seemed to move out of control. With the castle itself spinning in a nauseating sequence, and the surroundings becoming blurred through his drunken gaze, it added grander obstacles to prevent his passage. It also didn't help that the many hallways in the castle looked pretentiously similar. But the determined Grey Warden was certain he could make his way back on memory alone, taking his time to stagger about near aimlessly. Alistair's conviction and resolve paid off however, as he found his hands pressing against the door to his room. Figuring that his other two companions had already put themselves to bed, the king opened the door as quietly as possible, being courteous enough to try and not disturb them. A silent sigh of relief dripped from his throat as he looked to see the fuzzy image of a large, blanket covered rectangle lying on the floor just a few feet from him. It wasn't hard to tell that it was a bed and Alistair was eager to feel the soft caress of the sheets on his person and drift into a much needed sleep. By the time the Warden-King managed to lift the covers and climb onto just the edge of the mattress, he found the last vestiges of his strength leave him, forcing his body to go limp on the small portion of his bed and lose consciousness almost immediately.