//------------------------------//
// Departure 
// Story: Perseverance of the Ancients 
// by The Bourgeoisie Bear 
//------------------------------//

    It was a difficult, but Viggo managed to get up at the crack of dawn to get ready for the trip back to his kingdom. All the drinking from the night before did little to impede him now. He tied one last strap on his armor extra tight. “That ought to do it,” he told himself as one of his subordinates entered his room.

    “Officer Felix reporting in sir, everyone's ready your highness. Twilight is already waiting for us in the main hall.” Viggo glanced over to his soldier, then gestured to a few bags to carry. The warrior got the hint and began strapping them on to himself. “Also,” the soldier said in a strained voice as he picked up his masters luggage, “Prince Shining wants a word with you before we go. He's in the diplomatic lounge, that's down the hall, take a right and it's the first door on y-”

    “I know where it is,” Viggo said as he raised an eyebrow, the king gave his officer a snarl. “What does he want with me?”

    “He didn't say...”

    Rolling his eyes and sighing the king hung his head. “I thought I was done entertaining these fools. A week amongst equine without anything to show for it has been brutal enough.”

    Not being trained on how to respond to this, Felix swayed. “Uhhh... sir?”

    “Go!” Viggo snapped. The officer bowed his head and took off.

    The warlord took his time and washed his face, arranged his feathers the way he liked them, and made way to the diplomatic lounge. Coming to what he thought was the correct door, he knocked.

    “Come in,” came the muffled sound from the other side, Shining's voice.

    Swinging the door open, Viggo walked into the room. Looking around the warlord thought the place looked more like a mini-library than a diplomatic lounge. With high end tables and chairs arranged for small personal meetings. Shining was sitting in one of the chairs, slumped back, with his hooves he pointed to the chair next to him. As Viggo took uncomfortable steps to his seat he wondered what the stallion was doing before he got here. He was just sitting idly, looking at something far away that wasn't there. Viggo took his seat, in an awkward upright position.

    The fire crackled as they sat there in silence. Its normally cozy atmosphere growing thick with tension. Shining cleared his throat. “As I understand it, you'll be looking after my sister.”

    Viggo looked around, wondering what Shining was looking at. “Uhhh... y-yeah.”

    The stallion nodded. “She's beyond important to me, she's my only sister.” There was only silence for a moment. “Twilight seems to think that going to the frontier, that is the land that is being contested between the civilized races and the human tribes, will serve a greater purpose. I told her that I didn't necessarily approve. She just chalked it up to me being her... over protective brother...” He turned his head to look directly at the warlord, who squirmed in his seat like a misbehaving foal who knew punishment was coming. “But I didn't tell her everything. I didn't tell her about all my worries.” Shining clopped his hooves together idly again. “Viggo, if this is some sort of foolish power grab... you're going to be sorry.”

    Viggo's claws were shaking in his lap. “I... Uhhh... I-I'm not...”

    “I want to be your friend,” Shining said. “I can be a powerful friend to have, but I can be an even greater enemy. I don't want you to promise me anything... because I don't see what use that'll do. Instead I want you to understand that if something happens to Twilight...” The stallions eyes grew fierce. “If she has an accident. If she shows up missing,” Shining spat out. “Then there will be consequences. No excuses, Viggo. There will be consequences. Make sure nothing happens to her. ”

    Afraid that if he spoke his voice would crack, Viggo nodded his head. “I'm glad we understand each other.” Shining got to his hooves. “That's all I wanted to say, have a safe trip, and I hope you enjoyed your time in the Crystal Empire, King Viggo.” The change in demeanor was quick, and caught Viggo off guard, that smile looked real after all.

    “Also, almost forgot to tell you, I'm sending Twilight with one of my bodyguards. I'm sure you won't mind.”

    It was one of Viggo's stranger experiences in life. He walked down the hall, wondering what the pluck just happened. This continued as he came upon his little retinue. Twilight and strange enough the human waved at him. The warlord took note that the human looked worried, perhaps now beginning to understand what is transpiring.

    Alf, the biggest of the griffin, banged his claw against his chest. “Your Grace, all is ready. Twilight and her human are all outfitted and ready to go on your order.”

    Their conversation lasted a while longer, going over the little details such as what roads to take and seating arrangements. Meanwhile Twilight turned to her bodyguard. “Well it's a pleasure to meet you again, Knight Accordance.”
    
    The stallion smiled warmly, she could see that even through his helmet that only revealed a small portion of his face. “It's just Accordance to you, your highness. I'm here to serve Shining, by serving you, to the best of my abilities.” He cast a worried look up to the human by Twilight's side, the slave seemed to be getting even more antsy.

    'Oh geez!' Twilight internally fumed. 'I should have studied more royalty terminology while Celestia was training me for royal court duty! It's Sir Accordance, not Knight Accordance. Oh well, he didn't seem to mind.' Twilight followed Accordance's eyes up to her slave. “It's going to be alright,” she told Charmer as she put her hoof on his leg. “No pony is going to hurt you.”

    Still seeing that Accordance's worried look didn’t change, she turned to him. “He has this thing against Viggo, I think,” she told her bodyguard in a whisper.

    His face changed to a blank one quickly. “That could be a problem actually.”

    “I'm sure it won't be,” she assured him, “he wouldn't hurt a fly.” Twilight flashed her human a smile.

    Spike spoke up, coming out of nowhere, “If it makes you feel any better Accordance, the slave freaks me out too.”

    While the guard looked like he was mulling over that comment, Twilight decided to tease him a little. “Finally awake, Spike? I thought you fell asleep back there and we were going to have to leave you.” Spike froze, terror was stricken on his face, the comment shocking his mind awake. Twilight giggled. “Just kidding Spike, you know I wouldn't do that.”

    Accordance laughed with Twilight, they locked eyes for a moment. He cleared his throat. “If I haven't said so before Princess Twilight, it'll be an honor working with you. I'm well versed on your exploits across Equestria, and I'm very much impressed. I'm glad that there were helpful ponies like you to aid Equestria in our absence. The Crystal Empire and Equestria have always been close allies, and I'm eager to rekindle that bond with them. I'll help in any way I can.” The stallion gave a deep respectful bow.

    Caught off guard, Twilight blushed. “Oh... thank you. But please just Twilight. I'm still not used to this whole princess thing.” She waved her hoof vaguely.

    He rose up, a smile still visible. “Per your request, I shall, Twilight.” He looked over and gave the human another cautious look.

    The slave, didn't even seem to notice they were there, instead he was looking from griffin to griffin, getting anxious. He finally figured it out. He was a bit slow to the party, but he figured it out just the same, they were going into the heart of griffin territory.

    Behind Twilight, all the griffin began moving, having just now been given orders. They all turned to the huge griffin walking toward them, he stopped when the human looked at him. While keeping a wary eye on the slave the griffin addressed them, “Alright, well my name is Alf and I will be helping you load your luggage onto your carriage.” Twilight and her bodyguard nodded. “You'll have your own separate carriage for you, your slave, and bodyguard.” The griffin looked at Spike for a few seconds, wondering why there was a baby dragon coming with, then proceeded to ignore him. “Are you ready to go? If you need anything or have any complaints, now would be the time to voice them.”

    Twilight smiled. “Nope, that all sounds good to me. We're all ready.”
    
    After moving luggage around they set up and began their trip. Twilight sat next to her human, while her guard and Spike sat across from her.

    There were two large carriages designed for griffin, both being pulled by a pair of griffin guards. Viggo and his thane shared one, while she got the other.

    Across from Twilight, Accordance took off his helmet and set it aside, while shaking his radiant golden locks free. His fur was showy, vibrant, fire-like orange. Crystal ponies... Twilight realized.

    He didn't notice Twilight's stares, or her blush, as he readjusted himself in his seat. The guard continued to look out the window, they were still in the city at this point. The stallion grunted to himself. “I've never left the Crystal Empire since Sombra took us out of our time. I wonder how the world's changed.”

    Spike looked over to Accordance. “Are you homesick already?”

    Accordance frowned. “No... maybe...” He only managed to hold himself for a short moment. “Yes,” he admitted with a sigh. “I'm going to miss my friends and family while I'm gone. I'm not used to trips away from home.”

    “Oh?” Twilight asked as she leaned forward smiling. “So do you have any brothers or sisters? Or...” By Celestia, she had to admit, the guard looked really cute.

    He began digging through one of his pockets. “Are you aware of the Equestrian invention of... err what are they called...” The task of digging through tight pockets with hooves didn't come easy to him. “P-phetergaphs? Something-graphs?”
    
    “Photographs?” Twilight asked.

    “Yeah!” He pulled out the piece of paper and handed it to Twilight.

    If it was possible, the stallion looked even more handsome in the photo, but then again crystal ponies almost always looked beautiful and photogenic. Accordance was leaning next to his mom and baby brother, the picture warmed Twilight's heart. They looked so happy together. He and his mother looked like they were so close. When Twilight saw where their hooves were, she thought they were extremely close. Very, very close. Creepily close. Molestaly close. Upon further inspection of the mare next to Accordance, she appeared to be the same age as him, perhaps even a few years younger. 'Oh sweet Celestia I almost began flirting with a married stallion!'

    “U-Uhh... y-you have a beautiful family sir. Your wife is very beautiful.” Twilight gave the photo back to him. “How old is your foal?”

    “Should turn two next week,” he informed her as he put the picture away.

    Twilight's ears flattened against her head. “You're going to miss her birthday?”
    
    He shrugged. “I'd rather work to make the world a safer place, that way I can make sure she has a third birthday, and a fourth, and a fifth, and so on.”

    The carriage trudged along into the outer outskirts of the city. The slave looked around mumbling something to himself.

    Spike held out his fist to the stallion. “Great work in the tournament by the way, you did amazing out there.” The stallion hoof bumped the fist. “Shame you lost on that final round though.”

    Not sure if she should correct Spike on that abrasive comment, Twilight wondered how the stallion would take that.

    The feeling was mutual however, he didn't seem offended one bit. “I know right?” Accordance laughed. “My body just gave out. I felt like I had Sir Olaf there for a second. Personally I think that Alf did a number on me, he's the biggest griffin I've ever seen, and I think he wore me out more than I realized that day.”

    They began leaving the Crystal Empire. There were three griffin walking at a canter speed, next to the carriage itself. They were the ones who were high enough rank to not have to pull the carriages, but they were too lowly to have been given a seat. Ten griffin in total counting Viggo.

    The landscape began to change quickly as they left the Crystal Empire and its magical terraforming crystal heart landscape. It began to feel colder, even inside the carriage.

    Twilight looked ahead and began to make out the snow up the trail they were heading down. “I guess it's a good thing that we brought warm clothes.” She looked over to her human, who was just beginning to mellow down. “Are you alright, Charmer?” Out of the corner of her eye Twilight could see Accordance look over to them.

    The slave nodded. “Yes, Twilight.”

    Accordance jerked at this. “Y-you taught your human how to speak?”

    Smiling in pride, Twilight nodded. “Mmhhmm, yep. Some humans have the mental capacity to learn several words. ” She cleared her throat. “You see, humans are the most diverse species on the planet, and their mental capacity has a great range of discrepancy,” Twilight continued as the knight looked at her blankly, “Though I've only had my human here with me for just three weeks now, I've managed to have him utterly shatter the world record for a human knowing the most words. I don't really have the time to categorize everything he understands about Equis, but I know that he did break the record previously held by Tentacles.”

    Accordance raised an eyebrow. “T-Tentacles? Do I even want to know why he was named that?”

    “It's because he had several tentacles instead of arms,” Twilight said matter-of-factly.

    He looked disgusted. “Oh.” Accordance looked the human up and down for a moment.

    The whole time, Spike was rubbing his eyes with a claw as he leaned on his side of the wall. “If it makes you feel any better I think it's creepy as well.”

    Accordance was about to respond to that, but the slave beat him to it. “If it makes you feel any better.” And the worst part of it was, for Accordance at least, was the fact that he copied Spike's laid back way of speaking. It was almost like a recording. The knight, who was genuinely freaked out now, was frowning deeply at the human. The human looked right back at him. “It's creepy as well,” the human almost seemed to explain to the stallion.

    “Uh... I...”

    “Did a number on me,” the human said, in the knight's upbeat voice, while watching his reaction.

    The stallion's eyes went wide. “He was listening to me back then?!”

    Twilight laughed, nervously looking back between him and her human. “Yeah, he's a talker sometimes, but also a good listener.” She was quiet for a second, like she was trying to walk on metaphorical eggshells for a while, not wanting to offend somepony. She watched the stallion and human look at each other in silence. “Hey, ummm, do you think that maybe you couldn't look at my human in the eyes? J-Just to be safe.”

    They were well out of the Crystal Empire by now, the knight had grown a bit silent as he stared at Twilight. 'Well at least he's not looking at Charmer, might just be me being over cautious, but my human doesn't really know him. It can't hurt to be too safe. Right?'

    Finally the knight broke his silence. “Twilight... has this human attacked somepony before?”

    Feeling that he was onto her, Twilight began to panic . “What? No. No. Well their was this one... Noooooooo, of course not.” Twilight gave him a guilty smile.

    He gave her a stern look. “Twilight, it's my job to make sure you're safe. I've been ordered to by my lord, Prince Shining. If this... thing is dangerous, then I need to know. And I need to know of its violent habits and what exactly sets him off.”

    Twilight laid her ears against her head as she turned to her human, the slave was just looking out the window, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. “Well...” she rubbed her hooves together nervously. “I didn't even tell Spike this. My brother knows, Celestia knows, and several others, but I thought that I shouldn't worry my friends about it.” She took in a deep breath and began the story of when they first met, back at the First Tier Company. Even Octavo's part was told, excluding the temple trespassing part. The crazed human part put Accordance even more on edge, as he kept taking glances over to Charmer. Everything from the mistreated humans, to Charmer choking his former slave master, from his pitiful state in his cell. She even mentioned that he was crying at the time.

    Accordance looked over at the human. “Yeah, I understand where you're coming from Twilight. I can easily see a slave boss mistreating one of his humans, and I guess it's only natural that one of them would snap under the mistreatment.”

    “He did a number on me,” the human affirmed as he stared out the window.

    For now, the knight would acknowledge the talking human, though he would keep an eye on it at all times. The ride continued on for several more hours, they sparsely spoke to one another beyond just mentioning the scenery.

    The landscape grew more rocky, more rural, more harsh. It was getting rare to find a tree and it began to look like a barren wasteland. 'So this is where Octavo's from?' Twilight wondered. 'I hope he got my letter.'

    The ride went on for hours, hunger was beginning to set in. Up ahead on the road, Twilight saw a small village. A hope that they would stop their to get something to eat stirred in her gut. There was a decaying wooden palisades built around the place, with still sharp spikes almost decorating the outside. They were nearing a wooden tower that housed one stallion in full plate armor. In the cold gale wind, the Broncovy flag blew. A midnight blue backdrop with an ice blue outline of a temple. 'Sounds about right,' Twilight quipped to herself. 'Perhaps Octavo is the norm around here... actually that seems unlikely.'

    As they passed the guard by, he nodded to them down below. Twilight looked up to see the stallion's watchful gaze and the horn atop his head, ready to blow any trouble makers ten meters high, should he need to.

    They went on by their defenses, and through their still functioning gatehouse. A few more guards nodded to them down below. Letting them know that they were being watched. The carriages stopped in a clearing. “Guess we're getting off,” Twilight whispered to herself.

    The doors were opened for them on both sides. Twilight recognized Alf again. “Hello Twilight,” -Alf helped her get out- “We're going to make a stop here, but we won't be spending the night. We'll try and get to Sainthood before nightfall.”

    Twilight nodded. “Alright, sounds like a plan to me.”

    The griffin shrugged. “They only have one restaurant here... would you like me to escort you there?”

    “Sure.” Twilight looked around and noted, that yes indeed, there were temples around. Though she was far from an expert on such subjects, Twilight could have sworn she spotted a temple to Merustang, the God of Travel.

    As they walked down the road, a strong breeze went through the street. It even made Twilight shiver. The human just pulled his cloak closer to himself and made no other indications of being cold.

    All around them were simple homes and businesses all designed to hold in heat, with thick logs and tightly woven straw mats for roofs. A few religious nick-knacks of vague meanings hung from various posts.

    The griffin gestured up ahead, toward some long building that looked like a great hall. “There's the restaurant. I'm sure King Viggo will be joining us in a couple of minutes.”
    
    As they went onward, Twilight began to notice something peculiar. A pattern, that her mind has already begun to notice. 'Why do all the mares have cloaks on?' Twilight was aware in some equine nations, clothing was much more conservative than it was in Equestria. She watched a few more mares trot past her, noticing every single mare was wearing one, even the fillies were wearing them. They used their hoods to hide their manes as well.
    
    Confirmation, after confirmation began to fuel a panic attack for Twilight. Her compulsiveness was troubled by the sociological puzzle in front of her, because something just wasn't right, and the problem needed to fix itself and become correct. Like if it was some blemish on a test, it needed to be addressed and confirmed.

    Twilight stopped. “H-Hey guys...” the others stopped. “D-Did you notice that all the other mares here are c-clothed?” Instinctively, Twilight hid her back-side with her tail.

    They began to look around. Knight Accordance was the first to respond. “I did think that was a little odd.” That's confirmation, Twilight told herself.

    Spike spoke next. “No, is that a thing here?”

    Last was Officer Alf. “Yeah, the equine in Broncovy are a little weird like that.”

    That was it, Twilight went into panic mode and gasped. “D-does that mean I'm naked!?” She looked around and spotted her slave. “Charmer, hide me!” With that she went inside his cloak, with only her head peaking out. “I can't be seen like this! They might think I”m a whorse!”

    They all looked at each other in confusion, not sure how to go about this.

    “Uhh, Princess Twilight,” Accordance said as he took a few apprehensive steps closer to her. “The equine of Broncovy are an open-minded bunch. I really don't think they will mind you not being clothed. They generally like Equestrians.”

    “So...” Alf was retreating away from them. “You guys know where to meet us when you're ready... So I think I'm just gunna... go.” Before anyone could respond to him he took off in the direction of the restaurant.
    
    By the time they looked back to Twilight, the human had already taken off his robe and was wrapping Twilight around with it before  lifting her up into his arms. “Well,” Accordance commented as he looked the human up and down, “good to see the human with a record for violence is strong enough to rip my head off whenever he feels like it.”

    Ignoring her bodyguard and pointing to a homely clothing store, Twilight ordered her guard, “Charmer, take me over there.”

    “Okay, Twilight.” As ordered to he walked her over to it. Even though she was scared, Twilight for some reason had a flashback of when she was in Canterlot with Octavo, traveling down the fashion clothing street. The items there looked so much different from what was available here. Instead of, individuality, and creativity, these clothes said, conformity, and modesty.

    The store owner, an aging mare, did a double take upon seeing her customers. She set her knitting work down, expecting this group to be a hoof full. “Umm... may I help you?”

    “Yes,” said the strange lavender unicorn, that was wrapped in a Crystal Empire-like cloak that was much too big for her, as her hulking, muscle bound human carried her around in his arms. “I... just got here... and I didn't know to... bring something to wear.”

    The smile on the aging mare vanished. “Did somepony harass you for it?”

    “Oh no, nothing like that. But I...” Twilight looked around. “don't really feel comfortable with being the only one not wearing anything.”

    The old mare looked at her wears. “Well if you don't feel comfortable with it,” she reasoned with herself as she walked behind her desktop cabinets. She began bringing out several sizes and different designs. “Though you should know that we don't judge those from the outside...”

    Seeing that everything looked safe, she got out of Charmer's cloak, with the human helping her down. Spike and Accordance walked in at this point, both remaining quiet.

    Looking through what was available, Twilight spotted something familiar. “This, this is the symbol of Travafe isn't it?” She held out the cloak for the old lady.

    The elder's eyebrows rose. “Didn't expect you to know that. Have you been to Broncovy before?”

    Twilight smiled, already calming down. “No, I just know somepony from here is all.” The cloak was a calming blue with a golden merchant's scale design on the side. “How much for this one?”

    “Ten bits sounds about right, wouldn't you agree?”

    “Mmmhmm.” Twilight gave her the bits.

    “Looks good, Twilight,” Charmer commented.

    Yet again surprised by his growing vocabulary, Twilight giggled. “Thanks, Charmer.”

    With eyes wide the older mare pointed at the slave. “Did that human just talk!?”

    “Yeah,” Accordance interrupted, “he does that, and I have a feeling we're going to get that everywhere.”

    “Thanks for the cloak.” With that, their little group left the old mare alone. Off to make some other pony's life interesting.

    The cold wind blew in a bitter, untamable breeze. Even Rainbow Dash herself would have struggled to keep this kind of weather in line, which the equine of Broncovy seldom tried to do. As Twilight and her little party, went on to the log cabin to eat, something else became interested in a meal.

    For out in the distance several humans looked onward from the hills, having watching the two slow carriages enter the city. Knowing full well, that all who came to this village, never stayed the night. One human in particular, sniffed the air, hatred fueled his veins. Though with his milky white eyes, he couldn't see her, yet he knew she was there. He smiled, his fire scarred skin cracking under the strain of his lips.

    An abomination, a monument of ingenuity, a morphing of various humans walked up to the ex-slave. With six arms, three faces and smokey, dark magic fallout coming out of his maw, he moaned a blood curdling cry. The half dead guard under the foot of the ex-slave stirred. The fire scarred human put on his burnt equine helmet, and readied his Canterlot royal guard spear, then plunged it through the plated armor. The guard gasped, then died.

    The abomination watched the scene unfold, all the while laughing with three separate voices. He wasn't a natural mistake, a genetic freak. He was intentionally made this way. Not wanting to get caught, the nine humans walked back into their hiding spot, prepared to wait out the next batch of victims that would leave this village.

    Far away from here, the empire was ready for a dedicated war on this front. It would soon test the strength of both Broncovy and the Crystal Empire, and soon after that, annihilate the entire griffin race.