//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: A Stranger In Need // Story: To Earn Our Equality // by ScrambledCrackers //------------------------------// Four centuries before the Unification and founding of Equestria... Quiet Grace worked in silence by the fire as the light danced over her earthy brown coat, slowly and carefully grinding some herbs in the bowl in her hooves as she kept watch over the strange and wounded being that was brought to her hut last night and presently slept upon her bed, unconscious and unable to survive without aid. As the village healer, she took it upon herself to tend the strange male that had little hair upon the pale skin of his body to keep him warm against the winter chill. Most of it was limited to just the length of the coal black mane atop his head, and a small amount around his chin and genitals. She had curled up against him under the blanket to keep him warm last night, wondering if his fevered mutterings were gibberish, or words in a strange tongue. Her skill as a healer, and the magic in her hooves, was slowly healing the infected wound on his side. He would have died within hours from either the cold or the infection, had the village not found him when they did. Whatever he was, wherever he was from, his body had signs of toned, lean muscle earned by hard work. It made her wonder. Something told her he was nothing like a farmer, with a few scars reminding her of injuries she sometimes had to tend after the visits of the unicorns if they were unlucky. She was only a shout away when they called her over to inspect the strange one that had been discovered on the ground at the village’s outskirts. While none of them had seen such a creature before, in many ways similar to the far off minotaurs and still so different, one of the elders had heard tales of them. Between that and the tattered, singed clothing he wore, they were certain he was not some mere animal, but unless he survived his multiple injuries and recovered enough to wake up, they could only wonder and guess how he would act. Until then, she would care for him as she would any other in the village. She found she had a strange feeling of kinship with him she could not explain, despite never meeting one of his kind. Perhaps it was merely his lack of obvious things like the wings of a pegasus, or the horn of the unicorns. She only knew it was something she had not felt before. Grace brushed a lock of her silvery mane out of her eyes as she pondered if it was an omen of some kind for him to appear so soon after the village was raided again. Much of their unhidden food stores were stolen by the unicorn kingdom that tried to claim they owned the village and were taking what was owed for protection. She knew the claim was false, for their village was quite far from the city of the unicorns. For a moment, she let herself dream of heading further into the wilds like some earth ponies did. Harsh and unforgiving, one was at least free to keep what was produced from the land and not spend some winters wondering if there was enough left after false tributes to survive. It held some very real charm over a life under the hooves of either unicorns or pegasi. She gave a faint shudder, remembering the stories, and was very glad they were so far from any of the griffon territories. She banished the thoughts a moment later. They solved nothing. She just couldn’t believe they were meant to live this way, but neither could she see how to change it. Her mother never understood why she did not simply accept her place in life as an earth pony. Quiet Grace refused to believe this was the way the world was meant to work. Faint groans drew her attention to the form of her charge and she set down the bowl of herbs to watch. Her amber gaze turned to her left as she eyed him carefully, hoping he would not be delirious and possibly panic from being in a strange place. After a moment, his eyes fluttered open, his labored breathing remained steady as he began to look around. It was only moments before his gaze snapped to her, his eyes widening in a mixture of confusion, surprise, and no small amount of fear. Quiet Grace held his gaze with her own for a long time and waited. The stranger muttered something in his own language as he raised one of his forelimbs, staring as he slowly flexed one of his...hands, she remembered the minotaurs called them. A moment longer, she recalled they also referred to their forelimbs as arms. Rising to her hooves, Grace moved to the side of the bed as he lowered his arm, now watching her with clear apprehension as she neared. She found his expression change to confused astonishment when she grabbed the bowl of water left beside the bed with one hoof and brought it near to him, motioning for him to drink. His mouth worked like a fish for several moments as she did this, looking at the bowl and her several times before muttering something else and slowly tried to take the bowl, only to discover how weak he was, unable to lift the bowl from her or sit up to drink. With the care of a healer, Grace slowly moved her other foreleg under his shoulders and neck to lift him enough to drink. He made a faint grimace of pain, but accepted her help as he guided the bowl to his lips and drank. As she set him back down, their eyes met and she saw a faint touch of gratitude amongst all the confusion. “I do not think you can understand me, but I shall care for you until you are healed and whole once more. For now, I hope you will rest, strange one.” Grace said in a soft voice. It was curious to see his confusion somehow double as he stared at her with disbelief, his voice sounding smooth and deep in his strange, intricate, occasionally guttural language. He was likely asking something, but she had no idea what it could be. She hoped he could learn her language quickly, as it would make it much easier for him to survive. Grace shushed him with a gentle tone and feigned sleep through a tilt of her head and closing her eyes as she made a quiet snoring sound. She knew he understood upon seeing him give a slow nod of acknowledgement as he settled himself, the exhaustion of healing in his eyes. Later, she saw him watching as she tended an injured mare that came to her hut. Saw as he watched her mixing herbs and performed other duties of the village healer. Something in the way he watched during his periods of alertness intrigued her, how his eyes seemed sharp and attentive to everything she did. His attention was particularly sharp when she was tending his wounds, or bringing him what little food she could offer. She sensed a keen intelligence in those eyes. As night fell, Grace finished up her tasks and the stranger’s last change of bandages for the day. Her hoof magic should have all but removed the infection. He was recovering well, though she noticed he was beginning to shiver more as the temperature fell, the chilly air of a winter’s night growing much colder. At least it was not storming and adding more snow upon the ground. Once she tended the fire, Quiet Grace went to the bed, lifted the blanket, and gently laid her body over his bandaged and bare form before pulling the blanket over them both. She stared into his once again confused eyes with a calm expression, feigning sleep again. He seemed to understand, giving her a slow, if tense, nod as his shivering gradually began to fade. He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, slowly starting to trace his fingers across her features with a certain fascination. The whole day, she had been in motion whenever she was near and he was awake. Grace let him explore, realizing he may well have never met a pony before they found him, strange as he was that they had never seen one like him in turn. She only gave a faint snort and frown as her ears were rubbed in a manner she only permitted because she knew he likely did not understand the offense. She noticed he raised one eyebrow as he moved away from her ear in response and did not touch them again. Perhaps he grasped her reaction better than she thought. Once he was done, his hand returned to her cheek and they stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before his hand moved to her shoulder and he closed his eyes. Quiet Grace laid her head down next to his and let sleep find her. *** One week after the stranger appeared… Quiet Grace had come to find her charge was a quiet sort, much like herself, and he bore a strong will. Rather curiously, he seemed familiar with some medicines and herbs, as well as care of injuries, yet did not appear to be a healer by nature. Though she knew he was experiencing some pain from moving, she found him by her side wherever she went without needing to be asked after the third day when he could walk again, and he assisted in mixing herbs or treating the hurt and ill in the village that came to her hut. The fourth day, he walked around the village with her unless she specifically made him stay in the hut for rest. His own displays of kindness, and clear desire to contribute even as he recovered, had done well to earn him some respect among the other ponies of the village. That he would carry his own share of work in the communal herd and showing him kindness by taking him in was not wasted. He had gotten her to understand the tattered but warm clothes they found him in were uniquely beneficial to help him face the winter, and she gave him what cloth she could for him to patch them. It had taken him some work and experimentation, but he seemed satisfied with them for now. Ponies simply needed less clothing to keep them warm and she could understand his need. He also seemed less tense when he was dressed in her hut. She found this apparent preference odd, but she knew nothing of his culture and ignored it. Grace had been rather surprised to see how shocked he was when she brought some smoked fish on the second day to share with him. With patient expression, she felt she had expressed that although ponies greatly preferred plants over meat, they ate what was necessary in order to survive. They were fortunate to have a lake not far from the village to help them endure the winter, for the unicorns had no interest in such foods when they came. The stranger had seemed overall relieved and pleased with the fish at least. She suspected his meals included meat on a more regular basis than ponies did. It was further evidenced to her when he refused what little grasses she could offer. It was slow progress, but she was able to teach him a few words of her language. Her own curiosity led her to learn a few from him in return. Grace was hopeful he could speak enough to converse sooner than later. The more time she spent around him, the more it became clear he had a sharp mind and an awareness that was surprising. She also noticed his eyes were never still. At every moment, he had an alertness that seemed out of place in a farming village. Combined with the quality of the clothes he was found in, Grace could not help but feel it was something important, though she did not know what it meant. Perhaps he was some kind of Noble in whatever far off land he was from. *** Two months after the stranger appeared… The spring thaw was getting close, and despite some recent arguments about relaxing the strict control of their hidden food stores, the village’s lead mare was not one to take risks without cause. She would not allow them to risk it just to comfort their stomachs early, so long as they could still survive as they had all winter. The caution proved warranted when a group of unicorns from the city came. “Gezi!” Quiet Grace rushed into the healer’s hut she continued to share with the stranger. As he had told it to her in his language, his name was Gezi de Liwu. It appeared it meant ‘The Dove’s Gift’ from what he had been able to explain with their still limited words. She found him busy mixing some healing herbs for the feverish young filly Shining Star. She had watched as he slowly grew more mysterious as he finished healing from his wounds. As he had learned to converse and had soon insisted on it, she had begun to teach him how to read and write as well, though their lessons were performed with just charcoal and wood planks to conserve paper. Grace was one of very few earth ponies who had been able to get a modest education in one of the old towns, before the unicorns moved to the area and took over four years ago. Her sharp mind and learning was why she was able to act as village healer, despite not having a destiny mark for it. She had come to find his own writing carried a strange beauty in the intricate symbols. He had also begun teaching her some new herbal remedies and a better way to set some kinds of broken bone, as well as helping fix huts in dire need of repair that could not wait out the winter. He had pointed out one in danger of collapse in the next storm, so he clearly knew construction as well as medicine. At the same time, once he was able, he would spend a lot of time performing some sort of practiced exercises she had never seen before. The strange and complex dances went both slow and fast, appearing as if he were acting out a battle. Often, he did other exercises she could only see as some kind of repetitive practice meant for improving fighting, yet he did not seem like any militia or soldier she had ever heard of. He did not speak much unless to ask a question, or when spoken to. At other times, he would sit with perfect stillness for long periods, eyes closed and breathing measured. He did not make much sense to her and did not act much like stallions did. She knew only that she was drawn to guide him without fail. And to keep him safe if she was able. “Unicorns have come to the village demanding some of our food stores again! We must hide you!” Grace noticed that shift of presence in him again. He went from relaxed to commanding in some way that not only drew her attention to him and anything he might say, but also instantly made her feel more collected and calm. She could not explain the feeling of strength. “Unicorn make danger now? Why must hide?” Gezi replied with a frown as he began swiftly packing up the herbs he had been working with, yet giving her his full attention and appearing ready to move. “If they see you, they will steal you from us because you are unique and would treat you as no more than an animal to show off! They might check every hut for any food that may have been put away because we do not have enough to appease them this late in the winter! I must keep you safe!” Grace said in a forced slowness to make sure Gezi understood her words. Then he scowled and asked her something in a way that made her pause, “Unicorn make magic. Earth pony no way for fight?” She had warned him as soon as she could about unicorns and pegasi. Tried to make sure he knew to avoid them. That pegasi could fly and strike wherever, and that unicorns with their magic could stay at a distance and still cause harm with spells. He seemed to have some understanding of magic at least, eventually able to convey a word in his language meant the same as sorcerer. “They are more likely to kill us if we even tried. I wish we could fight them. I wish we had some way of stopping these cold-hearted fiends from stealing our food and leaving us with barely enough to live on. This is is not how life should be, yet I do not know how to change it. Now we must find a place to hide you before they come,” Grace told him, watching his face harden, looking to the side with a dark scowl before looking back at her and giving a sharp nod. Quiet Grace knew she did not need to say another word, swiftly leading him out of the hut and away from where the unicorns were, Gezi silent behind her as they flitted to the hiding place shrouded among the bushes. She knew the arrogance and ignorance of the unicorns would leave them all in one area to see the food first. It gave her time to hide Gezi in one of the hidden food stores. “Please do not leave until I come to get you, Gezi.” Grace hesitated as he crouched in the hidden underground room, meeting his eyes before she could close the disguised trap door. “Please stay hidden, no matter what you might hear. They… They hurt us a bit for fun sometimes, but never kill, or there would be none to provide them with food to take.” There was something in his eyes that caught her when she said that, something she couldn’t name or explain. It was fiery and dangerous in a way she had never witnessed in another creature’s eyes before, and certainly not in a way that gave her strength. She closed the trap door and looked it over to ensure it was hidden properly, then slipped away from it to dart between buildings until she could calmly make her way to the center of the village as expected. Fortunately, she had acted fast enough the other ponies of the village were still gathering. Part of her scowled inside, but was careful to remain meek on the surface, as she passed mighty Iron Hoof. The mountainous blue stallion had been rubbed in mud and excrement, wearing the dazed look of a simpleton like always when the unicorns came. In truth, he was well known as the smartest stallion in the village, having taken well to construction and creation of all kinds by way of self-teaching to the point he’d even gained his destiny mark in the form of a smith’s hammer just as the winter began. It was a rare prize of a mark among earth ponies, when any mark at all was rare. Even the grumpy mare that was the village’s blacksmith, Firm Anvil, began teaching him to work metal after it appeared, as such value was too great to waste. His mark was currently smeared over and hidden, knowing it’s discovery could result in a harsh beating at best, and being taken at worst, which was more likely. The four mares that formed a herd with him and took him for their husband were careful to disguise him the same way each time. Quiet Grace passed little Shining Star, the orange filly looking frail from her fever but managing to keep herself on her hooves with her head up, knowing that looking weak often drew attention. Then again, looking proud did just as often. She should be resting so she could recover, not be out in the late winter air, but the unicorns demanded the entire village be present. They knew how many should be present and always counted their number. Without appearing to do so, she watched the group of a dozen unicorn mares. They were relaxed and speaking amongst themselves, confident there was nothing out of the ordinary going on, that the earth ponies of the village were going to behave as they waited on the arrival of the food tribute. The cart they brought was pulled by two earth pony mares with their heads hanging low in submissive misery, likely from the city to do the menial work of hauling. Grace knew the unicorns would be angry when they saw how little was left stockpiled this far into the winter. Theirs was one of the few villages that had been able to keep their hidden stockpiles a secret. She knew of other villages that had their hidden stores discovered, that they had suffered slow starvation, with many not making it to spring. The lead mare of their village was cunning though. Last year, after the harvests were over, she had sacrificed an older, smaller hidden stockpile room to divert suspicion from the others. The unicorns had taken the ruse and taunted them over it, unaware it was a trick to make them stop looking for anything more for the winter, possibly even another year. With careful manipulation, over half their harvests had been kept secret. While keeping up appearances of being on the edge of starvation during the winter was draining on everypony, they would have a bounty to enjoy with the spring growth as grasses and other food began to grow once again. Quiet Grace went to stand beside the dark pink lead mare, taking her place as healer and seeing the lead mare give her a knowing look and nod. It wasn’t long before the mare in charge of the unicorns scoffed at the minimal stocks of food placed in the cart. They insulted the village for being lazy and gluttonous, calling them mud ponies not worth the land upon which they stood. It was always the same. Soon some of them did break off to search some of the huts. Grace knew they would find little or nothing worth taking. Anything of value was well hidden after four years of oppression. The only reason their village behaved so well was to support the communal herd, once their lead mare had explained how they could best endure and aid one another. Open defiance, no matter how justified or satisfying, would be crushed and that pony drawing further hardship would weaken the communal herd. Instead, she had shown how hidden defiance, using the arrogance of the unicorns against them, not only lessened how hard the unicorns pushed them, but let them continue to better carry the burdens placed upon them all as a herd. So the entire village struggled, but remained strong in the face of all the unicorns had done. Act like what the unicorns want and expect to see from them, they leave sooner and cause less trouble. She reminded them often that, for all the talk of the unicorns, earth ponies could shoulder any and all of the burdens placed upon them. That the gods were testing them and someday, change would come. They had to endure for their foals to have a future. To have a chance to be free again. And so, no matter how heavy the burden on their shoulders, they carried on. Earth ponies would endure. Grace watched with an inner scowl, but external passivity, as the unicorns finished up their searching, finding nothing to take. They looked openly frustrated, which did not bode well as the spear carrying unicorn mare in charge, Captain Frost Bolt, approached the village’s lead mare with a dangerous look. “You lazy mud ponies! First your worthless kind allows rats to infest some of the castle food stores, inconveniencing the Queen’s parties, and now this tribute is insufficient! I do not have time to deliver proper punishment, so I will just make an example before going on my way!” The lightly armored alabaster unicorn mare with a green mane declared, her cold blue eyes began tracing across the other ponies of the village from under her helmet. Quiet Grace felt her blood chill as the unicorn mare’s horn lit up and her magic dragged a shivering Shining Star forward as the filly began to whimper. It was not the first time a filly was chosen for a beating, but she knew Shining Star was in a precarious place with her fever and might not survive to heal from a beating on top of it. Before she knew it, Grace was moving forward and had placed herself between Frost Bolt and Shining Star, swallowing her fear and keeping her head low, ears folded back in submission as she spoke, “Please allow me to take the punishment in place of the filly, my Lady. She is ill and would not survive.” The unicorn mare gave an imperious, heartless sneer, “Very well, mud pony. I can show a little mercy, but since you want to involve a second pony as I deliver punishment, you can take a beating for two. The filly will stay close and watch what was meant for her. And then I’ll give you yours!” Lifting her spear in her magic, the unicorn mare began swinging the haft down upon Quiet Grace many times, each blow sounding in the air with a harsh smack of wood against flesh. Each strike made made to cause the most pain, but not cause serious harm or break bone. As she accepted what she had chosen, her gaze checked the other unicorns she could see, finding most with blank expressions, one averting her gaze when Grace met her eyes. Bloody welts and bruises soon covered her body as she cried out through gritted teeth when her ear was split open, trying to hold it in and endure so as to not encourage it to go on longer. She fell to the cold ground somewhere in the middle of it. She tried to remind herself it was only a beating, not meant to maim. How she wished she had been right. The unicorn mare eventually tired of swinging her spear upon Quiet Grace, but her spear did not settle on the ground as she sneered again, “You should have stayed in your place, mud pony. The village healer should focus on healing, not acting all proud and above your station. For you, I need to make a better example!” With those words, the blade of the spear flashed and Quiet Grace screamed as it cut across her right eye and cheek, feeling the sharp point drag across the bone. Grace shook as she tried to hide her face behind her forehooves. “You don’t need both eyes to wrap a bandage or mix herbs, mud pony. Next time, remember your place!” Captain Frost Bolt spat on Quiet Grace and stalked away. The unicorns said nothing else and began to depart with the meager supply of food they had been given. When they felt the unicorns had gone far enough, several ponies of the village crowded around Grace as Shining Star continued to cry against her now dirty, blood-spattered silvery mane. Some murmured words of respect, while Shining Star’s herd mothers gave her repeated thanks for protecting their daughter before taking her away to rest again. The lead mare of the village moved beside Grace with a resigned look, “You are foolish, Quiet Grace, but I cannot fault you for your bravery. Now we must heal our healer. What do we need to do for you? Can you walk?” Quiet Grace whimpered faintly as she struggled, making a slow painful journey to sit up and found her legs shaking already as blood oozed from the slash on her face, trying to hold the wound closed as another mare gave her something to brace herself against. It was not hard to see that even if she managed to stand, she could not walk. Looking up at the lead mare with pain in her now single eye, she spoke in a strained voice, “F-fetch Gezi. He will be able to tend me. He should be in the southeast stockpile. I-I do not think I can.” The lead mare sent one of the other mares running to retrieve Gezi, and it was only a couple of minutes before he arrived, running swiftly behind the mare that fetched him. He was at Grace’s side moments later, meeting her gaze, then silent as his gentle touch began inspecting her many injuries and the large cut across her face and right eye. She knew he was capable by now and tried to keep still for him. Whenever Grace caught his eyes with her own, she saw something there that was unfathomable and strange to her, as if he were somehow caught between compassion, deep thought, and unending fury. His inspection of her happened in a short span as the lead mare explained what happened when he asked. She saw him look to the lead mare, his voice strong as he spoke, “Must see pony clean water to hut. I heal hurt. Heal Grace.” Then without asking, Grace was swept into his arms and Gezi lifted her from the ground with only a little extra discomfort, proceeding to carry her with relative ease back to her healer’s hut. Somehow, she felt comforted by what she would have expected to feel a bit demeaning. Grace relaxed in his hold, trying to focus on keeping the slash on her face closed and hoping her hoof magic worked on her own body. Gezi tended her once he laid her on the bed and cleaned her face with tenderness, his strange expression still present as he said nothing unless needing to ask or tell something. He carefully wrapped her face for want of anything to use for sutures, then gently washed the rest of her so he could deal with the rest of her beaten form. Once the available poultices were used to cover her injuries, he began mixing more and soon finished wrapping her in bandages to keep the poultices in place over her bloody welts when Grace caught his attention, “Thank you for taking care of me this time, Gezi.” She watched as he paused, staring into her eye for a long period of silence, herself unable to look away somehow. Already strange and mysterious, his next words left her with an odd sense of weight behind them that left her with that strange sense of strength again. “Grace kind. No should hurt. Earth pony kind to I. Have little. Help I to heal. Need much write. Have much think now. I to see earth pony long tomorrow.” Quiet Grace felt something important had been said, but she did not know what it was with the limited words Gezi used. *** Five weeks after the unicorns came… The spring thaw was well underway as food began to grow again. Quiet Grace had watched as Gezi seemed to dedicate himself to writing countless things in his own language for the past several weeks. He had actually asked her, and even the lead mare, for paper upon which to write. Though he stayed faithfully at her side for as long as she needed to stay off her hooves, if he was not tending to her or the village as a healer, he was writing. He even set aside his exercises, though not his periods of quiet sitting. Having all but taken over one part of their hut for his work, sometimes she saw him doing what was probably calculations in what she knew were his own written numbers. Other times, writing notes and comparing them with other things he had written before. The strangest parts were the sketches. Some were of basic pony bodies, and appeared almost like he was examining an earth pony’s range of motion for reasons unknown to her, with others seeming to suggest unicorns in some way she could not discern. Others were of things she had almost no comparisons for beyond them being some kind of wooden constructs. He deferred any questions by saying he was still thinking and needed to finish before he could say, answering nothing further about what he was doing. It was all the stranger when he broke his usual silence that morning after they had shared a simple morning meal, “Grace. I must speak with lead mare, with village. Much important. I think long. Have way for earth pony.” Quiet Grace had healed from most of her injuries by now. Her own hoof magic kept infection at bay and helped her recovery go quicker. She would never see from her right eye again and the large, still healing scar on her face would stay with her for life. She stared at him for a long moment, her one eye meeting his gaze and again feeling strength in his presence. There was nothing to be said and she nodded after a moment. Whatever he had to say was important enough for the village to hear. While he remained quite mysterious, she had come to trust him a fair amount in the few months since they had found him. Enough to know he would never ask such a thing without great reason. Soon, a large crowd of ponies had gathered around the center of the village. The few hundred of their village was more numerous than most others. With their lead mare standing apart in her place, Gezi lowered himself to one knee as he usually did when speaking with with a pony. Gezi met the eyes of the lead mare with a commanding presence, his voice carrying a quality that Grace thought she had heard before, but now it was filling the very air around him as every ear present flicked to him and none could look away. “Lead Mare Puddinghoof. Whole life, I taught much. Own kind say I miracle foal. Taught easy like drink water. Taught medicine, taught construct, taught metal, taught science, taught big trade, taught fight, taught long think for tomorrow, taught to lead. Thing taught I no forget. Much for purpose to make best for big fight with army. Before I come to pony land, I lead much army. Lead army two year. Many time victory. Would lead all army for big leader when spring when much more young all leader before. I prove better leader.” Gezi stood up and began to look around at the gathered ponies of the village, his presence only growing with his full height, his voice coming strong and clear in the early spring air, “I no see why come to pony land. Much time to think, I see no way to see own land. Decide to make home with earth pony. I see no good life with self. Decide I think how earth pony fight unicorn, fight pegasus. Decide earth pony need strong like own kind. Own kind no fight with magic. Own kind always find way. I see earth pony much like own kind. Many thing, earth pony always find way. Earth pony no have much like own kind for fight. I change. I taught earth pony how to fight with no magic. I taught earth pony how to break stone wall from far place. I taught earth pony how to fight pegasus when fly. Earth pony strong like own kind! Earth pony smart like own kind! Can learn to fight like own kind with time. Need show way. I give way.” Quiet Grace felt her heart racing, swelling as she looked up at Gezi in wonder. Her one eye glanced around the village ponies, knowing which of them had schooling, which were smart and would understand the real implications hidden in his words. She saw them inspired, but also hesitant to believe in such big promises. Grace watched as Gezi went back to one knee and met the lead mare’s gaze again, placing his right fist over his heart and bowing his head to her, then raising his eyes to hers once more, “Say yes for I to lead earth pony. I taught all I know. Believe earth pony strong to fight unicorn, fight pegasus. I give Lead Mare Puddinghoof service. Earth pony give I kind. Heal. Save life. For kind, I give honor. Give earth pony strong if say yes.” Lead Mare Puddinghoof stared into Gezi’s eyes for a long time, then turned her head and touched a hoof to her chin in contemplation. When she turned to look at him again and began to shake her head, Grace wanted to weep as she stood to the right of Gezi, her lungs struggling to draw air. Puddinghoof spoke with a sad expression and tone of regret, “I wish to believe you, Gezi. I truly do. At the same time, I cannot permit such great risk on your word alone. Few mares would follow a stallion in battle, or any other male. They would never follow a foreigner. I studied history before the unicorns came to this land and forced us all into what you see now, and I shudder to think of what we will be forced to become in the future. In order for you to even hope to accomplish such vision, you would need numbers to make it possible. Numbers you could never achieve without being a mare. Again, I wish to believe you, but unless the gods give me a clear sign, I cannot allow you to take any of the village’s resources.” Quiet Grace watched as Gezi’s face faltered, swallowing a lump in her throat as she tried to think of something to say. She felt something important was about to be lost, and silently she prayed to the gods that she could have an answer with an intensity she never had before, her heart believing earth ponies needed this more than anything. Then a flutter of wings was heard and something touched her back near her tail. She turned to look as a rush of energy passed through her body, her eye going wide. A white dove had landed upon her back. Already, the gathered ponies of the village were murmuring as the dove took off again moments later. What truly captured Grace’s attention was not the dove however, for she had become so stunned at what she saw that she hardly noticed it fly away. Quiet Grace’s destiny mark had appeared. It was strange, and a mark she had never seen the like of before. She knew it was a dual-edged sword with the point down, but the ornate design of the strange golden hilt, the etchings on the blade, the red tassel that trailed off as though she was running through the wind were like nothing she had ever seen before. She could only blink when she saw Gezi’s hand reach out to touch her destiny mark with reverence. Grace would have been offended, yet something felt right in the touch. She turned to look into Gezi’s eyes as a softly spoken question bubbled out of her stunned lips before she even knew she was speaking, “Gezi, do you know this sword?” He gave her a slow nod in reply as his eyes ignited with that inner fire again, “I know sword. Make for lead army by own kind. I have sword for lead. I think say Grace sword for lead. Much strong sign.” Quiet Grace worked her mouth for a few moments, then her face slowly hardened with a swiftly growing conviction, “I am your sword, Gezi. The gods themselves have spoken this day.” Grace raised her head high, turned her eye to the lead mare and shifted closer to Gezi, steel in her voice as everything grew more clarified in her mind, “You asked for a sign, Lead Mare Puddinghoof. You have received it. If mares need a mare to follow into battle, they can follow me! Gezi will show me what we must do, and together we shall learn how to fight for our own lands. A destiny mark does not lie. If I am marked as his sword, then so I shall be. Where ponies need another pony guiding them, I will speak in place of Gezi and together we shall learn what we Earth ponies can truly become. With this sign, the gods have surely brought him to us to do as he has said.” Lead Mare Puddinghoof was silent for a time, meeting both of their gazes, looking around at the gathered ponies of the village, then the ground until she finally looked up first at Grace, then at Gezi. “You have my support and that of any that are pledged to me. Whatever you need, I will try to provide it. All I ask is if I tell you to do or not do something, you will accept my words, Gezi.” “Lead Mare Puddinghoof give think why decide, I say yes,” Gezi replied. With a slow nod, Puddinghoof agreed. “I am willing to tell you my reasons for something I ask of you. When I make a decision, it is not without thought. What would you have us do first, Gezi?” “I must taught speak. Pony words much strange to I. Make easy understand tomorrow, no hard like now. To make earth pony know strong way, must hide. Must no have steal food. Must no have know secret build. I know hard to like. With secret food, must leave to wilds. Must go much far from unicorn, from pegasus. Need time to grow strong. Need more earth pony. Many earth pony make more strong. Many make much easy work. Must build much. Must prepare. Must take many year. Come back strong with army. With weapons to break stone wall from far place. With weapons to fight unicorn, fight pegasus from far place. Much taught with year to year. Own kind strong. Earth pony same strong with time. I give honor, give life to make earth pony strong,” Gezi said with certainty in his voice, placing his fist over his heart again and bowing his head. Quiet Grace felt herself awash in comprehension about the full meaning underneath what Gezi had said. A moment later she bowed her own head as her right hoof was held over her heart, her voice conveying the full depth of her new conviction, “Lead Mare Puddinghoof, I pledge my honor and my life so that we earth ponies might gain the strength to fight. “It is time for change.”