The Tale of Coltypt

by Rakoon1

Arriving to Berberia

Amun, having been caught by the sandstorm, was buried almost completely. The only thing it could see was some of his mane, which made him look like a piece of scarlet herb.

It was then it was heard footsteps and a camel began to drive by. After having passed by Amun’s mane, the camel turned and, mistaking his mane by herb, approached his snout, sniffed and bit, pulling. That made Amun’s head got out under sand while he moaned in pain by the camel being pulling his mane. When pulling the mane, the camel pulled out some of it, chewed it and, having not enjoyed, it just spit against Amun, where some hairs were in the spit, moving away from him.

Amun looked at the camel moving away and then noticed that, among its saddlebags, there was a bag that was filled with water. As he has not drunk since he left Coltypt, Amun broke free of the sand and called, while trying to reach the camel:

“Hey, wait.”

He managed to reach the camel and clung to the water bag, saying:

“Please.”

But the camel continued walking. Amun remained attached to the bag of water, and was dragged through the sand. After some time, the camel reached a place surrounded by sheep. The young fugitive prince was about to pass out from dehydration when he hit his head on something hard, making him drop the camel’s bag.

When Amun lifted his head and focused his vision, he saw that he was in front of a small pool made of stone where the sheep were drinking water. Parched, Amun couldn't resist and started drinking the water, taking his face directly to it.

It was then that he heard cries of help. He stood up and saw two stallions, where one was taking water from a well, while the other was dealing with three fillies. It seemed that they were crooks and they were stealing water from the fillies.

Amun realized he had to help them and tried to think of a way to deal with those thieves. After all, they were two and Amun, although being an unicorn and having magic, was too weak after crossing the desert. Then he noticed two camels nearby. They should belong to the thieves. And an idea appeared in Amun’s mind, and so he got up and went to get the camels.

The two bad guys just push the three fillies to take their water, when Amun called them:

“Hey, you.”

They turned and saw Amun holding the reins of their camels, asking them:

“Aren’t these your camels?”

Realizing what Amun was planning to do, fear appeared in their faces. And then Amun incited the camels and they started to run away, passing by the bandits who tried to get them back, starting to follow them. After this, the three fillies looked to Amun and him then felt a sudden weakness that made him leaned against the well. But he leaned on some loose stones and Amun fell in the well.

The three fillies then started to pull the rope of the well in order to get Amun out of there. It was then that the same mare that Amun helped to escape. She asked to the fillies with a smile:

“What are you girls doing?”

“We’re trying to get the funny stallion out of the well” the littlest of the fillies answered.

“Trying to get the funny stallion out of the well?” the mare repeated, still smiling, approaching the well. “Well, that’s one I’ve never heard before.”

But then Amun gave a moan that echoed through the well. Hearing that, the mare startled and then, after recover from the scare, she said:

“Oh, my. Uh, don’t worry down there! We’ll get you out. Hold on!”

And she helped her sisters pulling the rope of the well. They then started to raise Amun, who was grabbing the rope. When he arrived to the top of the well and his look and the mare’s crossed, the two became surprised for seeing each other.

“You…” the mare said to him.

Amun didn’t know what to say, but the mare, although she remembered that Amun saved her, she also remembered what he did to her at the banquet of Khonsu’s nomination as Prince Regent. To take revenge, the mare just dropped the rope and, as her sisters had also dropped before, Amun fell again in the well. Then, with a smile, the mare just walk away. The oldest of the fillies turned to her younger sisters and told them:

“That’s why daddy says Hathor will never get married.”

Eventually, Amun was taken off the well and take to the village of Hathor and her sisters. That village located in Berberia had tents and was constituted essentially by earth ponies. In one tent, Amun was washed by some mares, much to his embarrassment. Hathor and her sisters watched, amused, at the entrance of the tent. Then a voice of a stallion was heard coming from the outside saying:

“Let me through. Let me through. I want to see him.”

The four sisters moved away from the entrance, getting in, and an earth stallion entered. He was tall and robust with the same coat and eyes as Hathor and grizzly mane and long beard. He entered with a very joyful air, saying to Amun, while the mares who washed him got out:

“Ah, you are most welcome!”

He then gave a great hug to Amun, who felt almost suffocating. Hathor and her sisters were occupied laughing. The stallion let Amun go, saying:

“You should not be a stranger in this land. You have been sent as a blessing. Tonight, you shall be my honored guest.”

He gave a slap on Amun’s back and then got out, laughing. Amun was speechless before the stallion’s joyful attitude. Hathor then approach, jiggling and told to Amun:

“My father, Keb, high priest of the Lord of Order in Berberia.”

Amun stayed a little stunned by Keb’s joyful personality.

Later that night, everypony in the encampment was reunited in the center of it. There was a fire pit and everypony was around it. Amun got out of the tent and looked around. Then, Hathor’s youngest sister called his attention and told him:

“Sit with me.”

“Uh, all right” Amun answered.

And he sit beside her and Hathor. Seeing a basket of fruits in his front, Amon used his magic to pick one, but when he was ready to start eat it, Hathor’s middle sister told him:

“Psst. Not yet.”

“Oh, sorry” Amun said, putting the fruit back to the basket.

Then, Keb advanced and started saying to everypony:

“My children, let us give thanks to the Lord of Order for this bountiful food.”

He fondled the mane of a young colt and then advanced to Amun, saying:

“And let us also give thanks for the presence of this brave, young stallion whom we honor here tonight.”

And the ponies there started to applaud. Humbly, Amun said:

“Please, sir, I wish you wouldn’t. I’ve done nothing in my life worth honoring.”

Hathor was a little surprised for him to say that. Keb, sensing he was having trouble about all the good things he did, said:

“First, you recued Hathor from Coltypt, then you defended my younger daughters. You think that is nothing? It seems you do not know what is worthy of honor. In Coltypt, where the Lord of Chaos now rules, it was said to you that it is only worthy of honor when you do some greatness. But the Lord of Order admires small good deeds when they are done from the heart.”

“Even when I have done such terrible things?” Amun asked, thinking about the man he killed that was the reason to run away from Coltypt.

“Another thing that makes the Lord of Order different from his evil brother is that he forgives, when the one who seeks forgiveness he’s really penitent.”

Amun though about what Keb had just said and then a smile appeared on his face.

“Thank you” he thanked.

Keb made a nod and then said, addressing to everypony:

“And now, let’s start this celebration! It’s time to eat this gift from our lord and thank him with songs and dances.”

And so that celebration started. While some ponies started eating, others started dancing and singing around the fire pit. Amun watched amazed all the joy and happiness that they showed. Back in Coltypt, they made tribute to the Lord of Chaos by building temples and statues of him, but now that he thought about it, that only served to increase the slavery.

But the tributes the ponies of Berberia gave to the Lord of Order were simple, they were moments of joy that, although only lasted for a night, gave a lot of good memories and invigorated the spirit.

Although he was asked to go dance by Hathor’s youngest sister, he declined, claiming he didn’t know how to dance. He preferred to watch them dancing, as a way to learn how to be like them.