Chapter Twenty-nine
Talrega, Daein; Year 1471 Tellian Calendar
Lenora
The group of seven stood at the edge of the town of Talrega, gazing northward towards their goal of Nevassa. They had spent the night in the river town, and now that morning had come, they all knew it was time to move on.
“I don’t know about you three,” Tug began, “but our group has been going on foot so far. It’s still a while before we reach Nevassa, and it would be nice if we borrowed a couple of horses to ease the load a bit.”
“Yes…” Twilight agreed thoughtfully. “Two or three, and we can take turns riding them. I’m sure we couldn’t afford more than that, and a town this size might not be able to lend out more than that at a time to one group.”
“I remember seeing a stable near the west side of town.” Phil chimed in. “They seemed to have plenty of horses ready, at least enough for our group.”
In agreement, the group made their way back through the edge of the town, towards the stables. They found it just at the edge, set slightly apart from the rest of the town, and with a sizeable field adjoining it. Several horses were happily grazing in the field, and a young woman with long red hair could be seen tending them, brushing manes.
The girl saw the group approach and smiled meekly. “Oh, hello! Um, can I help you?”
“Yes, we need to borrow a few horses to travel further north.” Mark explained. “How much will it cost us for three?”
“Oh, um… I’ll have to check. I’m not usually the one to handle the business side of things, but my partner is away for a while.” She stepped inside, and Lenora, Mark and Twilight followed. “Let’s see, for three… Five thousand gold?”
Lenora nodded. “That sounds fair. Tug and I brought enough for that.”
The young woman nodded and began digging up some papers from the desk in the center of the room. Her attention was drawn from it for a moment by something outside, and when Lenora turned to see what it was, she saw Joey sitting on the ground, seeming extremely bored. “Is he…?” she began.
“Something different than the traditional human, yes.” Mark answered. “I’m not entirely sure what he is, myself, but I watch over him all the same.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re not his father, are you?”
Mark raised an eyebrow back. “Do I look old enough for that? Nah, he’s as much an orphan as I am. But I’ve been watching over the kid for about ten years now.” She seemed to think this over for a moment. “Why’s he so interesting to you? Aside from the horn I mean.”
“No, it’s the horn, but…” she started, “I think I’ve seen it before.”
“On his father, perhaps?” Lenora started. “He would have been wearing a black cloak, most likely.”
“No, no…” the girl continued, “I think I’ve seen it on him. Listen, ten years ago… something strange happened. I still don’t fully understand it, but maybe you can help with that.”
Mark raised an eyebrow and looked to his two companions. “Alright, but let’s listen while we arrange for the horses. We need to make haste for our destination.”
She nodded, and led the three out into the field to rein in three horses. “So, ten years ago, I was by myself in the stable, much like now. It wasn’t a pleasant night- rain had been falling for hours, and I figured we wouldn’t have much business that day- but someone knocked at the door rapidly. I got there as quick as I could, and there was a woman standing there with fiery wings and hair. There was no mistaking that she was in the late stages of being pregnant, and I quickly learned that she felt like she was about to give birth.
“She told me she didn’t know the lay of the town very well, and asked if I could help her find the hospital. I told her it looked like she wouldn’t make it there in time. So… we had to improvise. And since I had delivered foals before, well…”
“So you’re saying you delivered Joey?” Mark asked, skeptical.
“I delivered some baby with a horn and wings ten years ago.” she stated. “So unless there’s another one of those running around besides him, yes.”
Mark paused for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head. “Alright, I’ll believe it. Don’t have any reason not to. Just who are you?”
“No one too important, really.” she said modestly. “I’m just the girl who tends the horses. My name’s Lauren.”
~
Before long, the group was well on their way to the capital. Mark didn’t mention what Lauren had said to Joey, and Lenora got the feeling that Mark was waiting until he found out exactly what the story behind his adoptive little brother was before telling him anything. Trixie rode on one of the horses, and with her off the ground, the group’s pace was significantly increased. Tug rode on another, and Lenora could see the smile on his face. He was glad to be back on horseback again. Mark and Joey were doubled up on the last horse, Mark showing Joey the basics of riding. This left Lenora and Twilight to walk beside them, with Phil floating on his blazing wings just above the ground beside them.
“So…” Phil began, “what’s our plan once we reach Nevassa?”
“I believe that the Doctor was looking into this matter as well.” Lenora stated. “He told Mark that he should keep one eye open for strange rumors around the area, and knowing him, he probably did some research as well. I want to see if he left a trail we can pick up from. If not, we’ll have to simply observe for ourselves.”
Twilight and Phil both nodded. “Lenora…” Twilight began, “Do you think you could tell me a bit about the Order? I know precious little from what I was told by Tug six years ago, and by another boy, Max.”
“Oh, yes. Max was a good person, as far as members of the Order go.” said Lenora. “He was somewhat indecisive; I could always tell that he didn’t completely approve of the Order’s actions, but he could never be moved to take a stand against any of them.”
Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “Are there any other members- or former members- that we can trust? That we might turn to our side?”
“My little brother Alex is still with them.” Lenora answered. “I didn’t want to endanger him unnecessarily, so Tug and I slipped away when he and Max were on a mission. I’m counting on Max to make sure he isn’t hurt… Additionally, I am not certain where Spitfire’s allegiances lie. It is possible that she may turn coat against the Order, but we cannot count on that. The other five will oppose us fiercely, there is no doubt about that.
“There is one other…” Lenora began, “A boy by the name of Vinyl Scratch. I do not know where he is, or what allies he may have. But he was trained by… a very close friend of mine. And I know that wherever he is, he is fighting against the Order as well. Whether or not we will meet him and he will personally help us, I cannot say.”
Twilight nodded thoughtfully, and Lenora took her turn to ask a question. “Are there any others we can count on to lead the charge if, and when, the Order launches a larger attack?”
“Yes.” Twilight responded immediately. “The other bearers of the Elements of Harmony, back in Equestria. As long as they are able, they will defend their home to the last. In fact, I believe that most of the men and women who fought with us in the revolution will take up arms again if needed.”
“What about weapons?” Lenora continued. “The Order has a wide array of artifacts on their side. If we had a few, it would certainly make our fight a little bit easier.”
“Well… Last I heard, they had seized the Elements of Harmony, but if they can be retrieved, they would be one of our strongest assets… There was a man who helped us during the revolution, and gave his life at the end; Xekora. He possessed many artifacts from his homeland of Hyrule, and most of them were moved to the castle. While he did say that many of them had lost their power, I believe some of them could still work and be of use.”
Phil cleared his throat. “If we can make friends in high places here in Tellius, we may find some artifacts here as well. Daein has several treasured weapons that are said to always be ready to be put in the hands of a new hero in times of crisis. There are of course also the holy blades of Begnion, Ragnell and Alondite, but I can’t imagine we would be able to gain permission to use them.”
“Heads up, everyone.” Tug cautioned. “I think we’re being followed.”
Lenora knew not to turn around to check, but Twilight and Phil both chanced a look back. “Yes, there’s a lone rider some distance behind us. They don’t seem to be concealing themselves from us.”
“It could simply be someone traveling in the same direction as us.” Lenora offered.
“Could be.” Tug answered. “Mark, Trixie, let’s slow up a bit, and see what this person’s business is.” The members of the party nodded, and slowed their pace to allow the lone rider to catch up.
When he came into sight, it became clear that he was no simple, weary traveler. He wore a suit of gleaming white armor, with red in places and a regal violet and gold chest plate. His helmet was down, and face obscured. A large battle ax was slung over his back. His horse was not equipped with heavy war armor, but it was clearly a professional mount. On the cloth on its side was visible the crest of Begnion.
The group and the knight both came to a halt, observing each other. Finally, the knight spoke: “You’ve an interesting group. Well-varied, though. A single proper knight, a swordsman, an archer, a pair of mages, and a hawk… Are you mercenaries?”
Lenora thought for a moment, then looked to Tug. He gave her a nod of encouragement, telling her say what comes natural. “We haven’t been working as mercenaries yet, but we may decide to look for work when we reach our destination.”
The knight seemed to think for a moment. “Are you the leader of this group?” he asked her.
“I speak for most of them.” Lenora confirmed. “However, the mages and hawk are only traveling with us up to a point, and whether they elect to join us in any mercenary work is entirely up to them. My name is Lenora.”
Twilight stepped forward. “I will speak for my portion of the group. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
The knight gave pause for a single moment. “Is it? Well… A pleasure to meet you both. I am Captain Gordon Decimus of Begnion’s imperial army. However, I am currently operating alone and independently of the empire, so you may simply call me Gordon.
“If you care to offer your services to me for a single mission as mercenaries- no strings attached- I would gladly recruit you, as where my mission takes me next may warrant having reinforcements.”
Lenora looked to Twilight curiously, then back to Gordon. Working with this high-ranking knight on whatever mission he was embarking on could well push forward her own group’s mission. “Perhaps. May we have more information on your mission, and what it would entail for us?”
He nodded. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors of princess Mi Amore Cadenza’s strange behavior as of late. Being reserved with her attendants and the citizens of Daein, spending more and more time alone… And of course, the shady meetings with these black-cloaked characters. Well, word has not been officially released yet, but recently, Daein soldiers apprehended someone they claim to be an ‘imposter’ to the princess, who was caught in the act of spreading dissent and inciting possible rebellion. She was swiftly arrested.”
“I see…” Tug began. “If I may... I think I see what you’re getting at. You think that the one currently on the throne may be the real imposter?”
“I’m not ruling it out as a possibility, I’ll tell you that.” Gordon answered. “At any rate, I want to have a word with the woman they apprehended. I’ll be able to tell whether or not she is the true princess, believe me. And even if she is indeed an imposter, I believe I will be able to learn something from her. If you choose to accept my offer, you will simply provide me backup if a fight ensues, whatever the reason may be. You will be paid the same even if we complete this goal peacefully.”
“Alright. Allow us to talk it over for a moment.” Lenora said. Gordon nodded, and she and Twilight turned to the group.
“It sounds as though this will assist our own goals as well.” Tug stated in a hushed tone. “It will set us well on the path to learning what is happening in Daein, and more about the Order’s dealings here.”
“Yes…” Lenora agreed, “If he is telling the truth, that is.”
“We can follow him up until a point, and if it seems as though we’re being deceived, we can make an escape. Though he seems trustworthy to me.”
“I agree.” Twilight added. “This seems the best course of action, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who simply wants to see where this goes, anyway.” The others in the group all chimed in their agreement.
Lenora nodded, then turned back to the knight, who was waiting patiently. She nodded. “Name a price.”
“Let’s say… Ten thousand. Five for both of your groups.”
“Yes, that will do just fine. Lead the way, Captain Gordon.”
~
“Don’t worry, these horses are well-trained.” Tug assured Lenora, helping her up onto the horse. “She’s trained to go easy on people who are new to riding.”
“Alright…” Lenora said, taking the reins of the mount. The group began moving again, and her horse began to trot forward slowly. Soon enough, she began to feel more comfortable in the saddle, and simply let the horse do her job. Tug continued to walk beside her, keeping her steady when necessary.
“So, Twilight…” Gordon started, leading his horse along beside her. “Do you mind if I ask you something? Your name sounds Equestrian; we’ve had a few visitors from that place, more in the last few years, since travel is no longer discouraged. Are you from there?”
Twilight nodded. “Yes. I was born there and have lived there most of my life, until- as you mentioned- the restrictions on travel were lifted. My companions can say the same: my sister Trixie and partner Phil, although his father was indeed a hawk Laguz from this land.”
“Trixie and Twilight Sparkle…” Gordon thought aloud.
“Is something wrong?” Twilight asked.
“Oh, no. No, it’s just… I suppose the names sound somewhat familiar. Perhaps one of the other travelers from Equestria I’ve run into mentioned you.” Lenora doubted somewhat the tone of his voice. There was something else he was tossing around in his mind, but he didn’t seem to want to share it.
“May I ask you something in return?” Twilight asked. “Why is it that you had to embark on this mission alone? Why did Begnion not give you any support?”
“It’s a political matter.” Gordon answered. “Isn’t it always? The situation presents a sticky political situation, since it involves the princess of Daein and a possible spy or revolutionary. Begnion couldn’t risk getting into something like that, but due to the nature of the situation, I was given permission by my superior to proceed alone, so long as I do not do anything in the name of the empire.”
Soon, the group approached what seemed to be a small fort. “That’s the prison.” Gordon informed them. “Stay behind me, but close enough to jump into action if necessary. I will lead the way and speak to the guards. If I am given permission to speak to the ‘imposter’, just remain near the entrance. If not… we’ll see where we end up.”
With that, he led the group forward and to the gates of the prison. A soldier in black Daein armor stood guard, and stopped them. “A guest from Begnion?” he asked. “What can we do for you?”
“I need to speak to the woman you imprisoned recently, the one accused of impersonating princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Supervise me if necessary, but I need a word with her.”
“Afraid I can’t do that, sir.” the guard stated. “Supervised or not, I’m afraid that’s simply against protocol-“
“You’d do well to brush up on protocol, soldier.” Gordon interrupted. “I am Captain Gordon Decimus of Begnion, and as such, I am within my rights to speak with these prisoners.”
“Unless they are bound for the true princess herself.” the guard commented. “She’s a top-priority prisoner, you see, and will be moved within the next few days. I’m afraid you’re not going to speak with her.”
Gordon paused for a moment, then removed his faceplate to better view the soldier. Blue hair was visible underneath. He held the man’s gaze for several seconds with bright blue eyes, then smirked. “The eyes are always your only flaw. You always forget to change them.”
The soldier grimaced, drew his lance, and lunged forward. Gordon’s axe practically leapt to his hand, and he cut down the soldier’s attack, then elbowed him to the ground. A black smoke began to surround the man, until the axe swung around again and struck him dead.
Lenora stared, stunned, but quickly saw that the soldier was not human. The smoke seemed to have signaled a transformation, and the man’s skin had become a black shell. His eyes, cracked open, were spheres of a solid aquamarine color, no pupils or irises visible.
“Changelings.” Gordon stated simply. “This isn’t the first one I’ve run into since embarking on this mission. Whoever my enemy is, these things are their minions. Get your weapons ready, it looks like this ‘imposter’ is a valuable target for them.”
Twilight turned to Lenora. “Changelings… are these something the Order uses?”
Lenora shook her head. “The Order’s never used anything like these, at least not that I’m aware of. But come on, we’ve got a job to do!” She drew her sword, and followed Gordon as he made his way, swiftly but carefully, into the prison. His axe was at the ready, and he seemed to be making no attempt at stealth.
Several guards charged at the group when they entered the opening hallway, and Gordon quickly attacked. Lenora was able to get a quick look at their eyes: all changelings. She nodded in determination and lunged forward, driving her sword straight through one of them, then spun around, pulling the blade free and slicing through another. Fire and a few arrows sailed over their heads to strike down the rest, and the bodies gave off a puff of black smoke just as the first had.
The initial fight seemed to have caused enough noise to alert the other guards elsewhere in the prison fortress, and before the group had gained much ground, they were swarmed by the false soldiers. Lenora, Mark and Gordon held the front, the three of them wide enough to fill the hallway and block the changeling soldiers from Tug, Phil and Twilight- who fought from the back lines- and Trixie and Joey, who stayed at the rear. Mark moved the quickest of the three at the front of the group, slicing into those who drew near, while Gordon attacked slowly and heavily, rarely leaving room for a second attack from his enemies.
Lenora brought her sword up to block a strike from a changeling’s lance, then sliced upward and drove him back. Another quickly took his place, swinging around with an axe, and Lenora easily out-maneuvered him and brought him to the ground. A swordsman approached next, and Lenora’s blade rang against his several times before she was finally able to strike at his legs. She drove her blade downward to finish him, but not before he managed to strike at her side, leaving a bruise but not penetrating her armor.
The spells of fire and arrows from Tug’s bow continued to rain down from behind, striking down changelings near the back of the charge. Luckily, their numbers began to dwindle, and with several more decisive movements by the melee fighters, the opposition had been removed. Lenora tentatively put a hand to her side, where she had been struck by the enemy’s sword, and winced slightly. It didn’t seem to be anything serious, but it was still somewhat painful.
“Are you hurt?” Tug asked, concerned. He approached her, slinging his bow over his shoulder.
“Not badly…” Lenora answered. “Just bruised from the impact of an enemy’s sword. Some rest and a bit of polish for my armor should see it right.”
Tug frowned, but nodded. He crouched slightly and ran his fingers gently over the scrape left by the enemy’s blade, softly enough that Lenora didn’t feel anything on her wound. Tug looked up, and his and Lenora’s gazes met for several seconds, his hand still lingering on her side.
“Come on, you two.” Mark said, interrupting whatever may have happened next. “Gordon’s already dug up the registry, and we’ll need to find our ‘imposter’s’ cell.”
Tug stepped away from Lenora, both blushing noticeably. “It’s only been but a minute.” Tug stated.
Mark shrugged. “The Captain works fast, it seems. He’s a man with a purpose.” The three shortly moved further into the prison fortress, caught up with the others, and followed them until Gordon stopped at a specific cell. None of the cells seemed to have windows looking outward, and the doors were heavy iron with equally heavy iron locks.
Gordon huffed, then unclipped his axe, and brought it down powerfully on the lock. The lock clanged to the ground, and he pulled the door open without hesitation. The others in the party stood back. Against the wall of the cell sat a woman in dirtied, but once beautiful clothes, with similarly disheveled hair that ran pink, purple and yellow. She stared at the newcomers, apprehensive at first, and then with a look of incredible happiness.
She laughed happily, then rose to her feet, stumbled forward and embraced Gordon. He wrapped his arms around her warmly. “You’re here…” she said in relief. “I knew you would come… Oh.” she pulled her head up to face him, looking through the visor in his helmed. “We need to check, to be sure that each of us is the real thing. A changeling disguised as you is what brought me here in the first place.”
Gordon nodded. “Right you are, my dear… I believe our true names should suffice?” He pulled off his helmet, and his blue hair fell just past his shoulders. He smiled warmly, before simply saying “Cadence.”
The woman, Cadence, smiled wide and put a hand gently to his face. “Shining Armor.” she said, before moving forward slightly and kissing him. He responded eagerly in turn, and their kiss lasted for several seconds before the separated again.
Gordon, or Shining Armor, turned to Lenora and the others, and nodded. “Congratulations, everyone. You’ve aided me in liberating the true princess of Daein. Once we’re free of this place, I will give you the agreed-upon gold.”
“Who are they?” Cadence asked. Lenora detected the faintest hint of distrust in her voice.
“Travelers who I ran into on the way here. They agreed to let me hire them to help me punch past all the changelings guarding this place. There were too many for me to take by myself.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose attempting to talk to the Changelings is pointless, as they consider themselves expendable… Well, I thank you all, travelers. Thanks to you, I can continue to work towards freeing Daein from the false princess that has taken my place in the castle. May I ask what you will do now?”
Lenora looked to her companions, looking for confirmation. She found it in each of their eyes, even little Joeys’. They all knew what their next move had to be. She turned back to Cadence and Shining Armor, still in each other’s arms. “If you’ll have us, your majesty, we’d like to continue working with you and the Captain. For various reasons among our group, we all seek to get to the bottom of matters in Daein, and assisting you in revealing this imposter would help us as well.”
Cadence nodded appreciatively. “We would be glad to have you. Have you learned anything about this imposter so far?”
“Not much, I’m afraid. The one thing we do know is the source of the black-cloaked characters she’s been meeting with, but we don’t know what they could be discussing or exchanging. They’re with a group called the Order, a group which Tug and I were once part of, but have since deserted, and now seek to stop.”
Cadence’s eyes widened slightly. “You were with the Order? ... Well then, perhaps you can help me to understand something. A few weeks before I was driven to the streets by the imposter, I was confronted by such a man in a black cloak. He told me that I was part of something bigger than I knew, and referred to me as ‘Dreamer of Space’… I think I know what he meant by that, too. I have been dreaming, but I do not understand what they mean.”
Lenora frowned sheepishly. “I’m sorry, but we were never told of anything like that. It may be something that’s being kept between the few members at the top of the Order. Though I would be more than happy to listen and help you piece it together, if you like?”
Cadence nodded gratefully. “I would like that. Thank you. But let’s leave this prison first, and find a more safe and pleasant place to rest.”