Age of Kings

by A bag of plums

51 - Brigands and Blessings

Emerald Edge had wanted to think it was just like any other day in Canterlot. She had wanted to say she simply spent the day in bed, or with Sir Morn, or both.

But that was only what she had wanted.

“Left!” She ducked down and pushed two fellow knights low as a rock sailed over their heads, crashing into Canterlot’s walls.

Fire surrounded them, burning the grassy fields outside Canterlot’s town, mostly from the mages’ tower defenses they had begun to install on the ramparts and turrets, but the marauders they were fighting had some fire arrows of their own.

With Canterlot’s defenses still rebuilding since the druid attack almost seven months ago now, marauders from other kingdoms had been arriving to try their luck at pillaging the town and castle, but as of yet, none of them has had the luck of even entering the town, though, the marauders this time were better equipped.

The current ones were trained well in the spear, each of them sporting a helmet with long feathers as decorations. They proved to be a bother from a distance, but they weren’t as tough up close, as Emerald had found out a short moment ago when she had charged their ranks.

A cut on her cheek dribbled blood down her face, but that was currently the least of her worries. The enemy had catapults of their own and if she didn’t deal with them soon, all their work trying to rebuild Canterlot’s wall would all go to waste.

“You’d think Canterlot would have more allies that would come to help us,” one of the guards remarked as she fired her longbow at the enemy.

“Well that’s what happens when you rule with power and force rather than with respect and diplomacy,” one of the knights said, peeking over the barrier they had built up with stones at a catapult. “The moment you weaken, everyone jumps on you.”

“To think the Kingdom of Canterlot had such a poor reputation in the land,” the first guard said as she fitted another arrow to the string of her bow. “Maybe we need a change.”

Emerald listened to the guards idly as she surveyed the marauders. A volley of arrows swarmed from the east wall, each one bursting into flames as they struck the enemy war machines.

Good old Secret Fire, Emerald thought as she patrolled along the wall, making sure all the troops were doing what they were meant to be doing. Emerald saw a golden glow from the west wall, signalling that Lionheart was using the Shield to protect the kingdom.

The Shield. It was about the time for the next King’s Tournament, and Lionheart would soon need to return the Shield to the king for the prize of the tournament. Usually the tourney would be much closer, but with the reconstruction of Canterlot taking priority, the King’s Tournament had been postponed. Emerald ducked beneath an arrow and sighed.

Even if she did manage to win the tournament this time, there wasn’t much more she could do with the shield than with the staff. The way home remained closed and she could do nothing from this side of the portal. All she could do was hope somepony were to come through.

But first, she had to help repel this attack.

Another barrage of explosive arrows thudded into a catapult, setting it alight. Plumes of smoke rose into the air, giving the sky a greyish, sickly cast. Emerald surveyed the enemy force through a small gap in the walls. Five of their catapults were destroyed, leaving two operational. The marauders themselves were concentrated around a breach in the walls below Lionheart that had yet to be sealed by the stonemasons, but Sir Gallophad and a contingent of knights had them at a standstill.

Emerald wished she had the Staff of Star Swirl the Bearded with her, but Light Speckle had taken on an apprentice recently, and was tutoring him on how to properly use it.

“And so the wheel turns,” Emerald muttered before drawing her sword Amore and hurrying back to the knights on the wall.

One of the group had been hit with an arrow in the arm, and was in the process of getting it treated.

“Lady Emerald!” Guard Spring Amber rushed toward her, spear in hand. “We’ve driven off the main force, and we think that in a less than a few hours, we will rout the enemy. Your orders?”

Emerald looked over to the portion of the ramparts that held their spear launchers. They had yet to be pushed into a position on the wall to be used, but perhaps with enough effort and perhaps luck, they could get them into position before being shot at by arrows again.

“Do you know how to use one of those?” Emerald pointed to them.

“Yes, my lady.” Then she gulped. “Tis too open. The enemy will surely be able to hit us with their arrows of fire.”

“Not if I can help it.” Emerald remembered where she had seen the glow of Sir Lionheart’s shield. “Gather the guards and get those weapons into position. As soon as you are ready, take out the enemy’s catapults and the battle is won.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I shall return with a little backup.” Emerald picked up one of the guards’ shields and slung it over her left arm. “I shall draw their fire. Go.”

Rushing back down from the wall, Emerald sprinted along the fiery fields, heading for the breach in the wall. She spotted at least a dozen marauder archers on the opposite end, aiming their bows high in her direction. Most of them missed, but two of them flew true. Emerald lifted her acquired shield and blocked them both as she ran.

She spotted a guard up ahead, fighting two of the enemy, with more guards dead at his feet. Emerald recognized the eyepatch over his right eye. It was Dash Spiral, one of her guard friends and he looked like he was in trouble. Running faster, Emerald solid footsteps caught his attackers’ attention and they turned to face her.

Emerald’s sword was quick to find its way into one marauder’s chest, while the second one thrust his spear forward, nicking Emerald in the side, just where her armor stopped. But she didn’t stop. Falling to the side, Emerald grabbed the marauder’s foot with one hand, then unsheathed her hidden blade. The enemy human screamed in pain as the blade went right through his ankle, falling to the side when Emerald pulled back. With his spear falling away, Dash Spiral was able to return to his feet and finish him off with a spear to the chest.

“Tough day, my lady?” he panted, using the spear as a support as he helped her up.

Emerald wiped some dirt from her face and grimaced. “You have no idea, Dash. Now, I need to get to Sir Lionheart. I need you to return to the north wall and help the others in readying the spear launchers. Can you do that?”

“At once, Lady Emerald!” The guard saluted and was off.

Emerald put a hand to her side, coming back with blood. It wasn’t too serious and she would be able to go to the mages once this was done. First, Canterlot needed defending.

Continuing her run, she spotted a squadron of marauders running for the breach where Sir Gallophad and other knights was standing. She needed the shield and she needed it now.

“Sir Lionheart!” Emerald yelled over the sounds of clashing steel and crashing debris.

Immediately, a blonde haired head popped over the side of the rampart above, looking down at her. His face was caked in sweat and grime and he was visibly weakened, having been using the shield to defend the walls. Emerald stretched an arm out like she was asking for something, which her fellow knight understood at once.

It was her turn.

The shield came sailing down and Emerald caught it before it hit the ground, slinging it over her arm swiftly. Almost at once, the warmth of the artifact radiated through her and she smiled as it began to glow, along with her eyes.

The first thing she did was fly over to Gallophad’s position in the breach, using the shield in a ground shaking slam, knocking back the enemy forces as they attempted to enter the breach in the wall. Their eyes widened in surprise as they looked up to see a flying Emerald Edge, but they didn’t get enough time to do more as Emerald expanded a wall of light, pushing forward and sending it back out further in the field, taking all the immediate marauders along with it.

“Ho, Lady Emerald. You have quite the timely entrance.” Sir Gallophad flicked Arondight at his side.

Emerald nodded and pointed to the walls. “We need to get the mages’ siege weapons. Continue defending this breach, Sir Gallophad. Canterlot counts on you.”

“And I shall, Lady Emerald. To my dying breath.”

Not wasting more time, Emerald flapped her wings once and propelled herself back into the air, swooping over back to the north wall where Spring Amber and the other guards had been.

They began cheering almost as soon as they saw her, with Emerald landing down beside them and quickly rushing to the front of the walls, shield already up.

“Now! Get the launchers!” And she projected a barrier of light, larger than she’d ever made before, sending it across the entire front of the wall, enough for the guards to get the weapons ready.

A rain of fiery arrows flew up from the enemy forces in the field, but when they struck the barrier, they simply broke and bounced off, not once threatening to pass through the wall of light.

“How do you like this?” Emerald shouted behind the shield. “Didn’t come prepared for this, did you?”

In no time at all, the soldiers of Canterlot had brought the spear launchers around and had begun firing them at the enemy. Each lance streaked from the walls with grim accuracy as they shattered the enemy catapults and scattered the enemy lines, slicing them in half or to pieces with their sheer size and speed.

The giant spears performed excellently, cracking into the ground hard enough to send up dirt and grass, along with any marauder close to the impact point. These really were incredible weapons of war.

With their numbers severely cut down, the enemy began to flee, pointing their spears for the hills as their forces turned and ran. Canterlot’s guard continued unloading their projectiles at them until they were way out of sight, with surely less than fifty of them left.

They had done it. They had routed yet another enemy. Surely now, the other kingdoms would know that Canterlot would not go down easily, even without a proper wall.

Emerald lowered the shield and exhaled. Using the artifacts always gave her a rush, followed by an odd feeling of emptiness after the magical effects ceased. She shook her head. The stonemasons would have to work faster if they were to repel another attack. Emerald mused about how Celestia and Luna had been ruling for thousands of years and had never had any enemy nations knocking at their doors. Perhaps King Dawn Saber was simply just not as good at being monarchs than the Princesses of Equestria. Not that she would ever say that to the king out loud.

Still, he would have to be a good enough king to hurry the work on the walls. It had been months now and they still were not fixed, which worried Emerald. It also made her grim as she thought of the half-dozen of attacks that Canterlot had found itself under after the battle with the druids.

“Ah well. Can’t be helped,” Emerald sighed as she hefted the shield over her shoulder and made her way back to the central keep.

---

It had been quite the bustling day after the recent attack on Canterlot. Emerald Edge had first gone to the mages to get her wounds healed up, which Moon Tide had been kind enough to help her out with. Then after a long and well-deserved bath, the former pegasus soon found herself in the mess hall, a plate of garden products before her, and a mug of cider next to it. As she ate, Emerald listened to the conversation of two mages who were looking over some plans.

“The castle’s keep should be fully repaired in about three weeks,” the closest mage, who was wearing orange robes, commented.

“I hear the king’s hired more masons to help with the outer wall since the previous attack,” his companion, who was wearing magenta robes, replied. “It will take them a little while to get the stone from the quarries to the city, but once they do, we will have our splendid walls back again.”

“The king must be worn out from this,” Orange robes said. “Six attacks over seven months. Hard to believe there are that many kingdoms out there who want Canterlot for themselves.”

“If I were an opposing nation, I’d see the chance to ransack a broken kingdom too.” Magenta robes nodded her head. “It’s a good thing our knights are so strong, or we would be in serious trouble.”

Emerald smiled and chewed, a slice of lettuce slowly disappearing into her mouth. Of course, it hadn’t been just the knights. The guards had helped out plenty too, but as always, they never received any praise. That was one thing Guard Emerald enjoyed too. Not being in the spotlight. Emerald wished she could be like her double at times, but then again, the castle beds really worked some magic for her sore body after long days.

Her room, thank Celestia, hadn’t taken a simple bit of damage, completely spared from the plunderseed vines’ destruction during the battle with the druids. Sir Morn’s, however, hadn’t been so fortunate, his wall and floor sporting new holes, but because of that, he had been spending the nights in her room instead, which Emerald didn’t mind any bit at all. It was nice to have company, much less the human she loved.

The male knight had been quite the gentleman, not wanting to share the bed with her, which was certainly large enough to accommodate both of them. Instead, he opted to sleep on a rug by the bedside, assuring the spymaster that he was comfortable enough.

Emerald didn’t see why they couldn’t just sleep in the same bed, but she didn’t push it further. It was nice enough that he was in the room with her.

Looking up, the spymaster spotted Sir Gallophad and Sir Hors entering the hall, then sitting over by the table closest to the entrance. The two had been fast friends, an interesting sight for Emerald. In all her time here, she’d never known Sir Hors to be friendly, at least, not towards her. He’d talk to her, yes, but he certainly wasn’t a talkative one. Even so, Emerald got more of a friendly vibe from the quiet Sir Boercival than she did from Hors.

Sir Gallophad, on the other hand, was more of an excitable and loud human. He would never miss a chance to try to prove himself. It wasn’t like he wasn’t skilled or anything, but he still had a long way to go. Emerald figured she must’ve been like that when Sir Morn was still training her, all those years ago before the tournament.

Speaking of tournament… The next one was coming up. Though, even if she won, she didn’t know what she was going to do. The portal would still remain closed unless somepony from the other side were to come over.

Emerald sighed in defeat, but at least she had learnt to do what she could here to help Canterlot until her chance to return home would finally arise.

“Hey, Em! Look who I found!” came a familiar voice behind her.

The former pegasus stopped chewing and turned just in time for Honeygold to throw her arms around her.

“Hey, Em! Good to see ya! How ya been?” The young apple salesgirl giggled.

“Good to see you too, Honeygold!” Emerald smiled and gave her a light squeeze. Then she reached out and pulled Spectrum Song in for a hug as well.

The two girls had really come a long way since she herself had come into this world.

Spectrum had begun her knight training, learning some basic sword fighting, and she was even half a head taller than Emerald now. Honeygold, on the other hand, was still a short one, but she was a lot stronger now, carrying crates like her father and mother did.

“Did you do well today, Spectrum?” Emerald dusted soot from the girl’s shoulder. “Today’s fight was quite the hectic one.”

“Eh, they didn’t let me go out to the main battle.” Spectrum shrugged. “I mostly stayed by the armory and provided gear for Sir Hors and the knights. I did, however, help Sir Gallophad defend the breach in the wall. Uh, don’t tell Sir Hors.”

Emerald chuckled. She was an interesting human indeed. “I won’t, Spectrum.”

“So… How are you and Sir Morn Dread doin’, Em?” Honeygold asked slowly, drawing her words out. She was always interested in fairy tales and romance.

“I suppose you could say we’re doing all right,” Emerald said after some consideration. “All the attacks on Canterlot haven’t left us a lot of private time, if you know what I mean.”

“Has he asked you to marry him yet?” Honeygold gasped, starry-eyed.

Emerald’s face colored and she shook her head. “No, not yet.”

“Aww, that’s a real shame, Em. Ah mean, it’s been five years. And Sir Morn still hasn’t asked ya the slightest?”

“What haven’t I asked her, young one?” Sir Morn Dread himself sat down across from Emerald and the two girls, calling for one of the servants to bring him a meal.

“About marryin’ Em,” the blonde girl wasted no time in saying. “Are ya at least plannin’ it?”

“Oh, ho,” Sir Morn chuckled and placed a hand over one of Emerald’s. “When the time comes, young one.”

The two knights locked eyes and communicated wordlessly for a few seconds, grins forming on their faces.

“Uh, yes…” Spectrum cleared her throat and sat down beside Emerald. “So, Em, will you be taking part in the King’s Tournament again this year? It’s a chance to grab that shield again.”

“I most certainly will!” Emerald said with a confident nod of her head. “I’ll be winning this time; I have had much practice over the past five years.”

“The tournament will be put into motion as soon as the walls and castle are repaired,” Sir Morn chimed in. “So we have some time yet.”

“We’ll be cheering for your victory, Em!” Spectrum smiled. “Uh, no offense, Sir Morn.”

“None taken,” Morn said with a laugh. “Personal glory must be put aside for Emerald’s quest. Her empire is at stake, after all.”

“Yes…” Emerald said, thinking as she often did of her Crystal Empire. How well would it hold up under Sombra’s reign without any aid? It had been over five years since she had left. Would there be anything of the empire remaining for her to save if she even did manage to get home? Had Sombra spread his darkness over all Equestria?

Emerald shuddered at the last suggestion. Perhaps aid had come from Canterlot after all. At least, if Sombra were to try taking over the rest of Equestria, the princesses would stop him. Right?

“We may never find out,” Emerald sighed and downed the remainder of her tankard. It was hard not to feel a little dour about how things were going for her mission for the Empire, but she had done a lot of good here too and that lightened her heart a fair degree.

The four of them chatted on into the night, with Sir Morn’s food eventually arriving. Even while talking, he was still a fast eater and in faster than it has taken the food to appear, it had already disappeared.

“Well, I must be off,” Sir Morn said, rising to his feet, wiping at the corner of his mouth. “I have to speak with my mother before the day is done. Farewell, all. I shall see you back in the room tonight, Emerald.”

“Farewell, Morn.” Emerald couldn’t help but smile as the male knight left. She really loved him so much.

“Em, ya keep lookin’ at him like that.” Honeygold nudged her. “Maybe you should be the one to ask him for marriage.”

“I’m not sure I could,” Emerald said slowly. “I mean, I’ve been so busy ever since arriving here that I never bothered to look into human marriage customs. Am I right in assuming they would be different from Equestrian marriage customs?”

Spectrum and Honeygold shared a look, then at the same time, they both shrugged. “How would we know that?”

“Riiighttt...” Emerald said, turning back to her plate of food. “I wonder what Sir Morn wanted to talk to Moon Tide about.”

---

“Thank you for taking the time to see me, my son,” Moon Tide said as she poured out two cups of dragonflower tea. “Something on your mind?”

Sir Morn smiled, but that smile was tempered by a nervous expression on his face.

“Yes, mother. I wanted to ask your counsel on something important.”

Moon Tide stirred her cup of tea. The torchlight reflected off her circlet, making little specks of light dance across the far wall.

Morn Dread reached into a pouch by his waist and retrieved a small wooden box, one which barely fit in his palm. “You see, mother… this is very important… I would… like to ask… for your blessing, mother.”

“My blessing?” Moon Tide repeated, putting down her teacup. “What do you mean?”

“I mean to ask for Lady Emerald’s hand in marriage,” Sir Morn said stoutly. “I have been putting it off for weeks, but today I had a conversation with Hors’ squire and her friend, and I realized that not only do I want it, so does Lady Emerald.”

“You’ve given this a lot of thought,” Moon Tide said. “Why, you even bought a ring.” The mage put a hand on her breast and smiled. “And you want my blessing for your proposal.”

“Yes, mother. Usually in these cases one would ask father as well, but…” Morn glanced aside. “I cannot exactly do that, now can I?”

Moon Tide didn’t meet his eyes. She licked her lips, seemingly deliberating something important in her mind.

“What...” Moon Tide said, weighing each word. “If I told you that you could ask your father about it?”

Morn Dread blinked. “But mother, you’ve never said anything about it before. Why now? Do you mean to tell me that my father is still alive?”

“What, you thought he was dead?” Moon Tide squinted at her son. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Well, tis just that you never talk about him at all, so I just assumed…”

“Oh, your father is alive and well. In fact, I’m quite sure you already know him.”

Sir Morn’s eyes bulged out like dinner plates. “I-I do?!” He stepped forward and grasped Moon Tide’s shoulder. “Who? Who is he? I must know, mother.”

Moon Tide looked deep into Morn Dread’s eyes and the knight could see the fire burning inside them. Ordinarily he would have been a little concerned about that, but he wanted an answer more than anything in the world.

“My son,” Moon Tide said at last. “Your father… is King Dawn Saber. My brother.”

---

Author's Note:

Yes, Age of Kings is back in motion! We will try to post chapters when they are ready, so unfortunately, it won't be weekly like the first act. Thank you for your patience, and don't forget to leave a comment telling us what you think!

Comments

[Maxemilien]

New chapter finally, couldnt wait on commenting before reading, just wanted to say a big thanks to the two of you for this amazing universe you have going on!

[Maxemilien]

To follow up on my previous comment, man, quite the chapter, can't wait to see how these various revelations work out...

[GuardianofRoin]

Wow.... Please tell me that Morn isn't gonna turn into Joffrey now that he's inbred.

[Jaxxon Markus Citadel]

And it's back! Fantastic news!

[Sonata Eternal]

I think that I am interested to see where this leads now. Its sweet that they want to get married. But being born from brother and sister that doesn’t sound good... yay for finally updating~

[Marcthelightspark2004]

9801447
Well. Psithyra/Moon Tide may be lying.

[Marcthelightspark2004]

9802277
Again, Moon Tide may be lying. Her and Dawn being siblings make no sense because if so, that'd make him a Changeling. And that'd mean Chrysalis is banging her brother as well!

[MoonlightRift]

First thought, what the fuck. Second thought, they're not actually related by blood, since, you know, changelings, still creepy as fuck though. One hell of a twist and extremely sudden though, interested to see where it'll be taken.

(god i can actually spoiler my stuff, god bless not being on mobile)