• Published 5th Jan 2017
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Age of Kings - A bag of plums



When King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire, one pony went into another world to seek help. Featuring the ancestors of the cast of Equestria Girls, this is the account of her quest in the human world.

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119 - Crisis from Prance

Emerald Edge had been out on the parapets that day when she witnessed Gabriel flying back through the falling snow. The golden eagle soared in a circle around the castle before banking down and alighting gracefully on Posey’s outstretched arm.

“Welcome back, Gabriel,” Posey said, feeding the bird with a strip of salted meat. “What tidings from Prance?”

Gabriel squawked and screeched at Posey in the speech that only the archer knew. Posey, for her part, listened carefully to the eagle’s vocalizations.

At last, she turned to Emerald.

“The news is not good,” Posey said seriously. “Gabriel says that Prance is under heavy siege by Morn’s Unified army.”

“Of course it is.” Emerald sighed. She hadn’t expected better news, even if she wanted to.

“It gets worse,” Posey continued. “Gabriel also says that one knight there has one of the artifacts. If we do not do something, Prance will fall in less than two weeks to Morn’s invasion.”

"That will give Morn access to Prance's armies," Emerald exclaimed. "If he does that, he might come back and try to retake the kingdoms we've already saved. Posey, we need to get to Prance, post haste!"

Posey gave Gabriel another piece of meat and both women descended the stairs back down into the main castle.

“If there is an artifact at play in Prance, the situation must indeed be dire,” Posey commented. “The Unified were difficult enough to battle when they didn’t have one. They could potentially sweep Prance’s armies like leaves in a snowstorm.”

“Aye,” Emerald agreed dejectedly. “But we are not yet finished here, either. We cannot be in two locations at once.”

Emerald and Posey made their way to the main hall, where the rest of the questors were gathered. The three days that they had spent resting had done them well, and each member of the group looked refreshed and ready for whatever might come next.

“What’s the news from Prance, Em?” Honeygold asked, running up to greet the former pegasus.

Emerald sighed. “It’s not good, Honeygold. I’ll tell everyone what Gabriel has learned.”

Honeygold nodded and scampered back to her place at the table.

With a pit forming in her stomach, Emerald waited for everyone to quiet down. What she was about to announce would probably not elicit the best of reactions from everyone, but she trusted them to at least hear her out before protesting.

“Prance is in trouble,” Emerald got straight to the point. There was no use prolonging the bad news. “Morn’s forces are hard at work there and I am afraid they might not have long before the walls are broken through. If Morn gets his hands on Prance’s armies, they will be back here in no time. Something has to be done.”

“But what of the Unified still here?” Golden Nugget asked. “We can’t just leave ‘em to fend for themselves while we head on over to Prance.”

“He speaks the truth,” Sombra agreed. “If we leave this land and go to the aid of Prance, we could be attacked from behind. I know of no quicker way to lose a war.”

“What a quandary…” Jewel Pin nibbled at a honey oatcake as she thought. “We cannot allow Prance to fall, or else Morn’s armies will be bolstered to a dangerous degree. Yet we cannot leave the Frozen North until we have brought the jarls together and ousted the Unified who are still here.”

Parisa’s brow furrowed in thought. “If only we could be in two places at once! Then we could do it.”

“What if… we can?” Posey said after a few moments of silence. “An artifact is in Prance, wielded by the knight there. If Em can get her hands on it, she could very well turn the tide on all fronts by herself. What if a few of us head there and save Prance, while the rest stay here and keep Sir Boercival’s forces at bay?”

King Magnus sat on his throne and stroked his beard thoughtfully. He had mostly recovered from using Hel and was once again looking strong enough for a fight. “Our armies here at Nidaroats could possibly hold off another attack, assuming that all the enemy can bring to bear are the same numbers that took off before. However, I would still need to unite the holds in order to ensure that the entirety of the Frozen North is with me.”

“Aye.” Stronghorn nodded. “Together as a united land, the Frozen North is a mighty adversary. One the likes no kingdom has ever faced. Only because we have never been united as one kingdom.”

“It’s a matter of diplomacy, then,” Nightfall Gleam said thoughtfully. “We will need silver tongues and sharp wits to bring the other jarls to heel.”

“Then I think Moo-” Emerald stopped herself as she looked around. Moon Tide would’ve been good for something of diplomacy, but technically, she wasn’t here right now. In fact, Emerald didn’t see Amber Fang as well. “Then I think this is a job for the mages.”

“But do they even speak our language?” Light Speckle asked, then looked over to the high king.

“Aye, do not forget your people once came from us.” Magnus scratched at his beard and pulled a crumb of bread from it. “But do not you fear, Rake the Red shall accompany you and be your guide.”

“Aye, that I will.” Rake stood up and drank from his flagon. “As an explorer, no one knows the landscape better than I.”

“Ooh, ooh, I want to go to Prance!” Parisa waved her hand about wildly, then hopped up onto Spectrum’s shoulders and balanced herself there. “I want to see the world!”

“Then I shall come along too.” Sombra stood and wisped shadows between his fingertips. “You might need some extra power to wrest the artifact from the Unified.”

“Ah agree. And Ah also agree they should travel as a smaller group. That way they’d get to Prance quicker than a squirrel outta a rat’s nest,” Golden Nugget said. “The rest of us should stay. Do what we can to help out.”

“But I want to fight!” Spectrum stood and planted one foot on her bench. “I can take Morn’s army on. Streak can too!”

Streak put a hand on her arm and brought her back down. “They’ll need fighters here too. We can’t all go along with Em.”

“Yes. We entrust protecting the Frozen North to you, Spectrum Song.” Posey put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a firm grip. “You must defend this place and ensure Morn does not take it.”

“Well… now that you put it like that.” Spectrum grinned and nodded. “Have nothing to fear, future knights Spectrum and Streak are here to defend the land!”

Rake burst out laughing and lifted his flagon to her. “I like this one. She will make a fine warrior one day.”

"Then it’s decided," Sombra crossed his arms and breathed deeply. "We leave the fate of the Frozen North in your hands. As for Prance, you may rely on us."

“And you can count on us to do our best to unite this land.” Light Speckle held up her mug towards the high king. “Your majesty, we will do all we can to stop Morn Dread and his Unified.”

Emerald nodded as she watched the northmen cheer. Their plan was well received, and she trusted her friends to do the best they could to ensure Morn would never have the Frozen North while she would be gone. And she would do what she had to, to ensure that Morn’s conquest would end before it could fully spread to the rest of the world. Whatever madness he had inherited after his takeover, Emerald still hoped he would see through it, to regain the clarity of his once good mind, but she knew that there was almost no chance for that to happen, not after everything she’d already witnessed. Morn would have to go, but it should be her to bring him peace. She at least owed him that much.

“Take what you need for the journey.” High King Magnus broke her train of thought. “Raven Knight, you have done what no traveler has ever done for us, even if you had taken Hel from me, but it is because of you that I still stand here today. Songs will be sung of your great deeds, and I can say that the Kingdom of Prance will surely do the same once you rescue them from that oppressor. May the wind guide you and your companions. To the Raven Knight!”

Magnus raised a glass so fine to Emerald.

The other northmen in the hall raised their own drinks and yelled, “To the Raven Knight!”


“Take care, Parisa!” Honeygold gave the dancer a hug as the group stood at the edge of the crater outside the walls of Nidaroats. “If ya see any of ‘em Unifried, ya give ‘em a good sockin’!”

Parisa kicked up a footfull of snow, then pushed at it in the air. “I’ll miss all this snow. You keep those nasty no gooders out of here and have a good time doing so!”

“Sure will!” Honeygold swung an arm to the side.

Emerald attached a pack of supplies on her gigantic horse, struggling even to reach its back. Frozen North horses were so much bigger than their Canterlot variants, even more so to the ones in Saddle Arabia, seeing as Sombra sat atop Windchaser next to her.

“How are you faring, Emerald?” Sombra put on a furry hat on top of his dark hair. “I should acquire one of these to bring back to Saddle Arabia when this is all over. It would do some good on a chilly desert night.”

“Back home, I was used to the cold, but here in his human skin…” Emerald pulled her hood over her head. It did little to stave off the cold, but it was better than letting the wind bite at her face and neck. “I suppose it still has some getting used to.”

“Oh no, I did not mean the cold.” Sombra let out a small chuckle. “I meant your state of mind. About heading into the next kingdom. I can see it on your face. You worry about what you may find there.”

Emerald berated herself internally for that. As spymaster, she was meant to never give anything away in terms of body language or expression. It seems she had gotten sloppy in her time here. “Two. I have had to kill two Knights of the Round Table. These knights, brave knights that I had once fought alongside, knights whom I call my friends… They are not in their right mind, hay, they don’t even have their mind. But the only way to stop them is to take their lives and I just feel that tis not fair to them. I wish there were another way.”

Sombra looked at Emerald sympathetically. “Indeed. This is no simple matter, having spent many years by their side. However, I am afraid that I see no other recourse other than slaying them. We have tried reasoning with these knights, to no avail. If we allow them to run about unchecked, they will bring pain and misery to all the land,” Sombra clenched his fist in front of his face. “This is what it means to be a protector of the land. To say to evil, ‘do not hurt the innocent. Hurt me instead’. Because having just one of us in pain is better than allowing others to be hurt instead.”

Emerald was mildly surprised by Sombra’s speech. “Your rhetoric is better than I thought it was.”

“My father was a good teacher,” Sombra managed a smile back. “It would be a shame not to use his teachings when we are out to avenge his killing.”

Emerald nodded understandingly. She still wished there was some way to do this without the loss of any more life, but her realistic side told her that before this was over, there would be even more spilt blood.

“Ah, do not look so gloomy,” Sombra reached out and shook Emerald’s shoulder gently. “There will be time enough for that once the sand settles. For now, our sights must be set on Prance and all those who dare invade it. The people of the Prench kingdom need us, Emerald Edge. We will be their heroes.”


The next few hours were spent strategizing and talking about routes, the different holds, and what was to be done about Sir Boercival.

“As long as that knight is still lurking about, I cannot feel safe in leaving,” Emerald confessed to her friends. “Boercival’s sword has the power to manipulate nature. Nidaroats barely survived his last onslaught, and with the city the way that it is, I can’t risk him coming back to try a second time.”

“Aye,” Rake looked at the other sternly. “Although I think that we have thrown their plan for quite a turn, Emerald Edge. Thanks to you, the Unified army has been significantly reduced. Mighty as this Boercival may be, I do not think he is foolish or arrogant enough to attempt another attack like that.”

“I hope you’re right,” Emerald sighed. “How long will it take us to reach Prance, anyway?”

Sombra did not know, but Nightfall Gleam looked at Rake and they brought out a map.

“If you follow the roads and account for the snow and weather, you will reach Prance in about eight days’ ride. If you make a straight shot for it, going offroad, I think you can shave a day or two off that estimate,” Nightfall said, using a stick to trace a path on the map.

“Yes, but the last time we went offroad, we encountered a particularly unhappy witch.” Emerald looked at her friends. Going offroad wasn’t something she wanted to do unless they really had to. There was really no telling what could be in the woods in any kingdom.

“Tis your decision, Emerald Edge,” Sombra declared. “Slow and safe, or fast and potentially risky? Either way, we cannot afford to dally here much longer if we wish to save Prance and foil Morn’s plans again.”

“Right…” Emerald looked around, noting the absence of Amber Fang. She had probably gone on ahead of them once she had learned of their plans. Emerald admired her tenacity, but wished that the changeling would learn to perhaps work with them more. Going ahead on her own might be harder than staying with the group.

“You can leave the Frozen North to us, Emerald,” Light Speckle assured her friend. “We’ll settle things here, we promise.”

“Aye, and if diplomacy fails, perhaps High King Magnus can figure out the power of your knight, Agramane’s demon sword, Gram.” Rake snapped his fingers. “What it did in the battle, only Hel rivals it in power.”

“Unfortunately, I am afraid the sword has lost its power with the death of its owner,” Emerald said. She still didn’t know the specifics, but it seemed Morn was able to gift them some kind of power through the use of Excalibur, and their deaths relinquished this power. “But, you can be assured that steel forged by Canterlot’s famed blacksmith has no equal. It will still be a worthy weapon.”

Rake did not seem too upset about this. “Ah well. Tis better than nothing. Maybe after this affair is over, we can share stories over some of your fine Canterlotian wine. One can grow tired of mead all the time.”

“We’ll reserve a cask just for you,” Posey promised. She had restocked her supply of arrows and was now sitting atop her horse like a proud warrior.

Emerald took one last look at all her friends and allies, gathered here to see her off. She hoped that they would be united once more, but before that could happen, she had to stop Morn’s designs in Prance, lest he be given access to more people to mind control.

“Thank you for everything,” Emerald said to the gathered crowd. “Let’s meet up again soon, alright?”

There was a chorus of ‘aye’s, and after one last wave, Emerald touched her heels to her steed and shot off into the snow, with the other members of her group close behind.


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