Age of Kings

by A bag of plums

74 - What Are You Doing In My Swamp

“Urgh. This place smells horrible.”

Jewel Pin’s words brought to the surface what everyone was thinking. The Sallow Swamp indeed smelled rather bad, like a potpourri of rotting vegetation, bad eggs, and some other things, less suited for polite conversation. The convoy was traveling along a winding little trail through the overhanging trees, from which vines and other mossy plants hung off of.

Everything here was of a sickly blue-green hue and there was moss growing just about everywhere, making the path somewhat slippery as well.

“Mighta been a good idea to leave them carriages earlier on,” Apple Bean commented as they nearly slid off the trail for the third time. “Ain’t easy maneuvering ‘em through this soup.”

Emerald was inclined to agree, but most of their remaining supplies were in the carriages, and she did not want to part with them unless she absolutely had to.

The horses were not happy with this place either. Their hooves struggled to gain purchase and often sank into the soft spongy ground. Their progress was slow, and despite having started rather early in the morning, Moon Tide told them that they were not even halfway through by noon.

“We will have to cut through the water if you want to get to the mountain base by dusk,” the mage explained. “Tis a warning of what is to come.”

“Through the water?” Jewel Pin stuck her head out the carriage window. She took a sniff at the air. “Through that awful gunk and foul stench? No. No. I am not about to ruin my dress. There must be another way.”

“If you are so averse to it, then you should go back with Moon Tide.” Posey groaned and rubbed her forehead.

Jewel Pin lifted a finger, but then rolled it back into her palm and grumbled to herself.

Emerald slapped at her neck as yet another insect decided to perch there for a meal. By the looks of it, her friends were not too fond of them either. Her skin started to itch after each bite, which made her miss her equestrian body. Insect bites were never a problem when she was a pegasus, a majority of that was because of the intense cold around the Crystal Empire, but still.

“Yet another of ‘em varmints!” Golden Nugget slapped at her neck and growled. “What Ah wouldn’t give for ya vampire friend now, Honeygold.”

“I do hope we do not die here from insects after making it this far…” Jewel Pin grabbed a roll of cloth from her pack and wrapped it around her head. “It would be a shame indeed.”

“Tis fine,” Light Speckle commented from atop the second carriage. “After all, you have three mages with you.”

“One of whom doesn’t seem to be bothered by the pests.” Nightfall looked out to Moon Tide. “What is the secret, Moon Tide? Is it herbs?”

The mage leading the group looked back and them, seemingly unbothered by the buzzing insects, and gave her hair a flip. “Tis no secret. They simply do not bite.”

“Wish they didn’t bite me too.” Light Speckle waved her hand in the air near her face.

Emerald pulled her hood over her head, covering her neck. It was getting out of hand.

“Hey, what was that!” Honeygold pointed to the right.

The entire convoy stopped and everyone turned to look at what the young farmer girl was pointing at.

Beyond the pathway were scattered pools of water and reeds, along with a few mangrove trees dotting the expanse. Other than the scenery, Emerald didn’t see anything that would be out of the ordinary.

“What is what?” Spectrum asked.

“There was a’ somethin’ out there, just behind those plants,” Honeygold explained. “Looked a little like a little man with a beard.”

“Little man with a beard? You mean like a dwarf?”

“Uh uh.” Honeygold shook her head. “More like… more like a-a-a… vodyanoi!”

“Not another monster…” Emerald sighed and unsheathed her blade. “Where is it.”

“It was over there.” She pointed again.

“Are you sure it isn’t the swamp playing tricks on your eyes, dear?” Jewel Pin looked out the carriage. “Maybe it was but a bird?”

“I have never encountered a vodyanoi out here…” Moon Tide said, reaching for her crossbow. “But then again, I do not make it a habit of mine to know and explore everything about this swamp.”

Posey squinted in the distance, then sent Gabriel up into the air. After a few seconds, she got a resounding squawk. “Whatever it was, or if there was anything, tis gone now. We should keep moving, but be on the alert.”

They kept going for another hour. The sun was directly overhead when they stopped to check the map, but with all the vines and trees, not much actual sunlight penetrated to the swamp floor.

“We need to cut across the water from here.” Moon Tide got off her horse and looked to the right of the path. From above the treeline, they could see parts of the mountain in that direction.

“How are we going to get the carriages through the water?” Jewel Pin wailed. “Maybe we should find another way around.”

“Do not start that again, Jewel Pin,” Posey groused.

“Tis a reasonable question,” the seamstress replied, giving her hair a swish. “These carriages are not designed to go through water. They might get stuck in the mud below, or flood. We have to stop here.”

“I do not like it, but the seamstress has a point.” Nightfall poked her head out the second carriage. “Tis the end of the road for the carriages, or we risk losing them to the swamp.”

“Oh, very well…” Posey didn’t look happy. She adjusted her bandana higher and sighed. “Then we go on horseback from here.”

They packed up what supplied they could onto the horses and left the carriages behind. Jewel Pin took this chance to gobble up what food she could, hoping to not let so much go to waste. Moving a little quicker now that they no longer had to pull two vehicles, the horses formed a single file line behind Moon Tide’s steed and made their way further into the swamp.

The insects here got a little more unbearable, with Emerald slapping another one off her cheek. She grumbled and pulled her hood even lower, trying to minimize the space where they could attack her. The covering of skin made her a little warmer in this area, but it was a sacrifice she was glad to take. The water was grimey and opaque, making her wonder if they would accidentally step off into a deep end or not.

“Ah saw it again!” Honeygold broke the silence, pointing over to a row of water plants. “That little man. He ducked back behind those plants there. Ah know all about them vodyanoi. They’re little old men skulkin’ about the swamps, lookin’ for unwary travelers to feast upon. That’s us!”

Her words filled Emerald’s mind with such bizarre images. If they were old, surely they would be feeble? Unless they were like the baba yaga or Honeygold’s vampire friend.

Right. Perhaps that isn’t such a far off thought anymore…

“Stay close.” Emerald unsheathed her sword and kept an eye out for any change in their surroundings.

The reeds and the bushes remained unmoving, with not even the slightest breeze around them. Everything had gone silent and not even the birds were chirping. That was always a bad sign. The only sounds she could hear was their slow wade through the swamp water, along with the occasional snort or neigh from their horses. They didn’t like traveling in the water like this and Emerald couldn’t blame them.

As they were walking, Emerald’s horse suddenly tipped to the side and threw her off, sending her splashing face first into the mucky water, letting go of her sword. Its frantic neighing drew her back out of the water as she tried to assess the situation. Something had entangled the horse’s front legs and before she could get up, her left arm was wrapped in something thick and slimy and she was pulled back under the surface again.

Gabriel began squawking above and her friends had gotten off their horses to help her.

Emerald thrashed about in the water, bubbles streaming from her mouth and nose. She maintained just enough calm to unfurl one of her hidden blades and take a blind stab at the thing that was holding her, but missed. The spymaster spotted her sword close by and she reached by it, desperately needing air. Grabbing ahold of it, she sliced next to her left arm and felt the grip on her loosen.

Emerald quickly pushed to her knees and gasped as her head broke the surface of the water. At the same time, a worm-like creature burst from the water, flailing about, a cut on its side dripping blood into the murky water. It was a silky white colour with dark blue patterns all over it, with a particular pattern on its underside, just beneath the tip of its head, looking like that of a bearded man with huge eyes, which Emerald realized was likely what Honeygold had seen. At the very end of its head was a circular mouth, lined with tiny needle-like teeth that dripped with blood.

Her own blood, Emerald realized as she spotted tiny holes on her arm that continued to pour blood, but yet, she felt nothing, no pain, not even the touch of her fingers.

An arrow was quick to find its mark in the worm beside Emerald, going through its slimy skin with ease. The creature fell back into the water and Emerald took this chance to slice its head clean off. It spasmed in the water, and eventually stopped moving, but Emerald didn’t stay around to watch it. She waded over to her horse and cut at the other worm that was entangled around its legs.

It let go and slithered away in the murky water, disappearing from sight in an instant.

“Emerald! How do you fare?” Moon Tide jumped off her horse and waded over as Emerald, Posey and Nightfall got to lifting the spymaster’s horse back on its hooves. “I have just the thing for giant water worms.”

“That ain’t no water worm!” Honeygold shook in her saddle behind her mother. “That’s… a vodyanoi!”

“Tis no mythical creature, young Honeygold.” Moon Tide grabbed some vials from her satchel and poured one of red liquid over Emerald’s arm, which stopped bleeding after a few seconds. “Tis a simple swamp creature. They feed on blood to survive. Their leftovers would be of good use for my magic.” She picked up part of the dead one from the water.

“Tis true that they have unusual patterns on their bodies that would create the illusion of little old men.” Light Speckle chuckled.

Gabriel suddenly squawked from above and after years of hearing his bird cries, even if she couldn’t understand him, Emerald knew he was warning them of trouble.

From the foul water around them, Emerald could make out slithering shapes beneath, snaking towards them.

“Go! I shall hold them back! Get through the swamp to dry land!” Emerald slapped the back of her horse to get it going.

She made sure Honeygold and her parents were off before turning her attention to the worms, but around her, Light Speckle, Moon Tide and Posey remained off their horses, magic and bows already in their hands.

“Not on your own, Emerald.” Moon Tide readied a bolt into her crossbow.

“We stand together.” Posey nodded.

As the rest of the convoy went through the water as fast as they could, Emerald stood between them and the worms, her sword raised in both hands. The first worm tried to go for her legs, but Emerald spun her sword around and jabbed it down as hard as she could, feeling it go through something soft under the water.

A worm leapt from the water and lunged for Light Speckle, but the mage dodged to the side and threw a vial of red liquid into the monster’s mouth. Moments later, the worm exploded in a ball of fire. Posey stood with her back to Emerald. Her bow had an arrow nocked to the string, while she held three more at the ready.

More worms came from under them, but Posey fired her arrow at one, pinning it to a tree as it writhed and squirmed to get free. Another grabbed one of Emerald’s legs and tripped her, but Posey was ready with her second arrow and as Emerald brought her leg out of the water with the worm around it, the archer fired her arrow into its head. Emerald took this second to angle her sword under its head and cut up, sending the segment with the old man pattern flying off.

A worm emerged from the water and shrieked at them, baring its needle teeth at them, but Posey fired her arrow down its mouth, stunning it long enough for Emerald to finish it off with a swift cut.

Moon Tide fired a bolt at one of the worms, but missed as it snaked towards her. Surprising Emerald, the worm went right by the mage and leapt out of the water at Light Speckle, who ducked down to avoid it. Posey fired an arrow at it, catching it in mid air and sending it sailing into a bush on the other side.

“We’ll need to catch up with the others.” Moon Tide fired a bolt at a worm, freezing it on the spot as the glass bolt head shattered. “Who knows how many more these swamp waters contain.”

"Let's move," Posey said. She pointed to the rest of their party and jerked her head. "We will run out of arrows and magic if we do not follow the others and get to dry ground."

Emerald nodded and slashed at another worm before backpedaling toward the rear of the troupe. Moon Tide and Light Speckle ran on past them, while Posey kept her eyes on their surroundings, her bow at the ready. Without warning, she suddenly shot an arrow into the water to their left. Emerald hadn’t seen any movement, but a worm floated to the surface, an arrow in its head.

“How-how did you see that?” The former pegasus was amazed.

“Focus,” was all Posey said, then she fired another arrow straight ahead, bringing another dead worm to the water’s surface.

Emerald Edge tried to keep her senses alert, but she couldn’t see what Posey was seeing, even as Posey got another one with another arrow.

Leaving the fight to her archer friend for the time being, they waded through the foul water and eventually arrived on land at the other end, where Golden Nugget was already there to pull them up.

“Are ya both alright?” he asked as he hauled Posey up behind Emerald.

“No more injuries…” Emerald answered as she pulled back her hood and ran a hand through her wet hair.

“Gee, Em. You stink!” Honeygold held her nose and then laughed.

Emerald raised her hands and smiled. “I know. Not the best water to be rolling in.”

“I’d rather be smelly than dead any time.” Jewel Pin gave her hair a flip, seated atop her horse.

“I do not usually get attacked by the worms when I come here for ingredients…” Moon Tide mused to herself. “But no matter. From here on, you will be in the mountain foothills. I’m afraid that I do not know the lands beyond this swamp very well. You will have to find your own way through the Coltcasus Mountains.”

Emerald looked up at the wall of rock before her eyes now. They had done it. They were finally at the base of the mountains. They were halfway there.

“I am afraid this is where we part.” Moon Tide joined her in looking up. “I must return before my son realizes something is amiss. Do not you worry, I shall bring the horses back with me.”

“Thank you, Mage Moon Tide,” Apple Bean said. “For bringin’ us all the way out here. Ah’m sure whatever waits on the other side can’t be as bad as this.”

“Don’t ya go sayin’ that now, woman.” Golden Nugget slapped her on the rear. “But Ah’m sure Ah can make it a little more interestin’ once we hit the other side.”

“Oh, cheeky, aren’t you?”

“Oh, ma, pa, don’t start now.” Honeygold pulled at her braid and groaned.

Jewel Pin had her pack of food and treasure over her shoulders as she looked up at the towering mountain. “We have to climb? With all this with us?”

“I think we can leave the winter clothes behind,” Nightfall said. “It is supposed to be hot on the other side, and while the winter gear has gotten us through Prance and the Kievan lands, there will be no need for it anymore.”

“I think I can see a trail going up that way,” Spectrum pointed to a gap between two cliffs. “We should probably get up onto higher ground before making camp. I don’t like the idea of sleeping so close to the swamp. There might be more worms or ogres lurking about.”

“Or almas!” Honeygold shivered.

“Oh, not another monster. Please, no more monsters…” Emerald groaned.

“Are you sure you do not wish to come, Moon Tide?” Light Speckle hauled her pack off her horse.

The blue mage shook her head. “I have to ensure my son does not know of my involvement with you for now. And the horses shan’t make it through the mountains. I shall guide them back with me to Avalon.”

Emerald saw the sense in that. “I hope you make it back to Canterlot safely,” she said. “I will miss your company. We all will.”

“And Joey and Springer too!” Honeygold petted both horses. “Ah’ll miss ya both. Be good to Moon Tide, ya hear?”

Everyone was off their horses and shifting the gear from their backs onto their own, with some like Jewel Pin’s being remarkably heavy. She almost fell over once or twice. Emerald still didn’t know what she planned to do with all that treasure.

“Emerald, while the others get their things in order, do you think I could have a word with you?” Moon Tide beckoned for her to follow. “In private, if you will.”

Emerald was puzzled, but left her horse for the time being and went over to Moon Tide. The mage stopped by a quiet spot under a tree, where a few boulders rested between them and the water.

“Something to discuss?” Emerald asked as she sat herself down on one of the boulders.

“Yes,” Moon Tide said, sitting down across from Emerald. “You see, I have been given a mission from Queen Sunlight Radiance. It’s important that I succeed.”

“And what mission is that?” Emerald asked the mage.

Moon Tide sighed. Emerald could tell whatever she was going to say was heavy. “She wants Morn Dread dead.”

“She… what?” It took her a second to comprehend that.

“Yes. The queen wants my son gone. He’s done much to… destroy the kingdom. And she cannot stop him alone. She needs our help, Emerald. Our help to… kill him.” Moon Tide’s voice wavered at the end.

“No. No, if we can find a way to stop him...” Emerald reached out a hand and placed it on Moon Tide’s arm. “I do not wish for him dead as well. If it comes to it… Yes, we have no choice, but if there is a way, any way we can save him, I want to try.”

Moon Tide didn’t say anything, but the look she gave Emerald spoke volumes. “He wanted my blessing, you know,” she said eventually.

“Huh?”

“That’s what started this whole thing,” Moon Tide sighed. “He wanted the blessing of both his parents before he proposed. To you.”

Moon Tide removed a gleaming ring from her robes and held it out to Emerald. “He had this made for your hand in marriage. But his vengeance claimed his heart after what his father did to him. I am sorry, Emerald, that this couldn’t have gone the way we foresaw it.”

Emerald took the ring and turned it over in her fingers. It was a silver band, with a brilliant green gemstone set in it. An emerald.

“He loved you. I am sure he still does.” Moon Tide looked up at the sky, a tear falling from one eye. “But he has been disillusioned. Corrupted. He knows not what he is doing now.”

“There’s something I don’t understand,” Emerald said as she stared at her reflection in the ring’s gem. “When Dawn Saber used Excalibur, it tired him out, but it didn’t fundamentally change things. When I used it, it didn’t tire me out and it amplified my pony traits. So why is it having such a bad effect on Morn? I do not get it.”

Moon Tide shifted around uncomfortably. “I… don’t know. Perhaps the sword brings out what is truly inside people. Dawn Saber was, ultimately, unworthy to be king, and it brought out that unworthiness by tiring him when he tried to use Excalibur’s power. The artifacts were designed for you, Emerald, so it’s only natural that they make you stronger. Morn… I am unsure. Maybe there was always evil inside him, but I refuse to believe that.”

“Nor do I,” Emerald said, her eyes still on the ring. “Morn was the most kind human I have met in this world. There could not have been any evil in him. There couldn’t. But… what’s done is done. Morn has done something irreversible for the kingdom. And he needs to be stopped. I just hope it doesn’t have to end in his death.”

The mage wiped at her eyes and nodded. “We may not have a choice when next we meet him. But I have taken up enough of your time. You need to get over the mountains, and I must hasten back towards Canterlot. I wish you all the best on your quest, Emerald Edge. I really do. The lands of Saddle Arabia will be different from anything you have ever been through. Be careful.”

“I will do my best.” Emerald reached out to pass the ring back to the mage, but Moon Tide shook her head and pushed her arm back.

“Keep it. It was meant to be yours. Whatever happens from here, Emerald, thank you. Thank you for loving my son and giving him the chance to love in return.”

“Thank you for all you’ve done, Moon Tide.” Emerald gave her a hug. “Stay safe on your return journey to Canterlot.”

“I will, Emerald.” Moon Tide managed a smile. “Go now. Your journey awaits.”

As they rejoined the group for Moon Tide to rein the horses together and make her journey back across the swamp, Emerald looked at the ring in her hands. She put it over her fourth finger, like she’d seen on the hands of human nobles. She imagined this was how it would be, should Dawn Saber have accepted Morn as his son and given him his blessing. Life would have been so different. So much better.

“Ah, well…” the former pegasus lamented to herself. No point dwelling on ifs and buts and maybes. It’s up to us, to me, to save Canterlot. I’ve come so far, and I can’t give up now. No matter what it takes, I have to do what’s right for the kingdom. And for the Crystal Empire.

---

Comments

[MixMassBasher]

I like this chapter mainly for Moon and Emeralds interaction. It really shows how and why they cared for one another. They would have been in-laws if Em had married Moon's son. Quite different from the Moon we know in "present day"

[Marcthelightspark2004]

The insects here got a little more unbearable, with Emerald slapping another one off her cheek. She grumbled and pulled her hood even lower, trying to minimize the space where they could attack her. The covering of skin made her a little warner in this area, but it was a sacrifice she was glad to take. The water was grimey and opaque, making her wonder if they would accidentally step off into a deep end or not.

I believe you mean warmer

[Marcthelightspark2004]

Good chapter.

[MoonlightRift]

Need more Emerald and Moon Tide intersctions in my life, good chapter indeed.