• Published 19th Feb 2018
  • 1,886 Views, 595 Comments

Princess Essenta - Pone_Heap



Long, long before Equestria, ponies in that land lived in a number of smaller kingdoms. Princess Essenta, the first daughter of the Dale, sets out to prove herself when her father, the king, sends her on a poorly conceived "suicide mission".

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Chapter 35: Rededication

"Last Chance" Stopover Arc

The rain continued for a couple days, leading Delia to stay with the mares. If the weather was bad the mountain trails were awash with treachery of the natural sort. It was good they had enough food and dry wood to last a while.

Essenta began to feel like herself by the third day, having benefitted greatly from Dechaa and Wilka’s healing sessions. Her head hurt but the damage was receding; soon enough she’d be good to travel. She hadn’t been able to remember most of the night but learned soon enough. And considering what she’d heard about the dragon it was hard for her to believe it just got up and scampered away…

Things in the city were a mess. Clovis had kept Delia abreast on the situation through her crystal ball and the maid was satisfied enough to be shy of the trouble. Clovis, despite being an enforcer (his running the legal business was a few “pay-grades” above his simply keeping things running smoothly) he’d been entrusted with the underbosses to run the show until they’d figured things out.

A lot of things came down to how Pallo wanted to deal with things once he healed up some; Melchior may have "ended the bloodline" but Pallo was now technically in charge.

One thing Clovis had done, which had shaken many of the underbosses, was give an ultimatum: they were to cease and abandon all of Melchior’s “pet-projects” and stay or leave the organization and continue doing what they would, severing ties. About half the underbosses were already splitting off, forming their own crews. There wasn’t much to do for stopping those that wanted the “easy” money.

But Clovis knew the legitimate business made them rich as shit anyway and a few underbosses agreed, choosing to turn their less-than-savory interests over to others. Considering things, it was a remarkably peaceful transition of power.

Still, much relied on Pallo.

As far as the new mayor went, he seemed terrified something else horrible would show up and kill him too, so he’d holed up the last few days trying to keep the city from falling apart around them. But everypony was just so… shaken from the events at the mayoral ball they tried to go on with their lives and lay low. The pubs were almost empty, little gambling occurred, and the violent crime rate dipped.

The peaceable time wouldn’t last forever but it might endure long enough for things to settle down.

After three days the weather cleared up and the sun actually came out, creating positively balmy conditions in the forest. With all their time cooped up in the cave, they’d communicated many things. Essenta knew about the nightmarish mayoral ball and the girls all gained a new appreciation for Clovis and Delia… and their shared history. Delia continued to supply them with food and other than spending a little time with them had gone back to work. The time with her had been fun, sharing in tales of their time on the road and all they’d done and seen.

With Essenta’s eyes better by the day, the seven mares took to lying down under the sun on a rocky outcropping. It was lovely and further reminded them things weren’t as bad as they could be. They had each other and none of them was dead. Considering some of the crazy shit they’d been through that had to be some kind of miracle.


After five days Essenta had improved a great deal, but still suffered from blurred vision and dizziness on occasion. But she, along with the other mares, were out enjoying the mid-morning. They were collecting mushrooms to make soup at lunch, though Essenta contented herself sunning on a rock. Delia would be along very soon with some rice and fresh vegetables and the eight of them could have some tasty soup.

But that day she brought somepony else.

Clovis entered their little site without a lot of enthusiasm; he knew he wasn’t exactly welcome there (he didn’t know they’d learned better of him), “Good morning, girls…”

To his surprise he didn’t receive any death-glares; Zyra called from under a log, “G’morning, Clovis!”

A few others gave a short greeting and went back to searching; they were caught up in a game, seeing who could find the most. They didn’t ignore Clovis but did little more than acknowledge him… and that wasn’t the worst possible thing. Ama even waved but the spirit of friendly competition, hoping to beat Dechaa (who was nearly as good at botany as the apothecarial arts), kept her from approaching him.

Loress let off the game a moment, knowing she’d lose anyway with the fewest mushrooms, “Hey, you two… Weather’s nice today, huh?”

Clovis was relieved enough, “It’s lovely, Loress. The walk up here was a little muddy but otherwise nice.”

“How are things today?”

Delia actually snorked at this, covering her mouth with her hooves.

Loress’s eyes darted between them, “What is it?”

Clovis chuckled, “You remember Jaska, right?”

Loress hadn’t thought about the kind stallion she’d met and danced with, but did remember; there were other things more pressing that kept him from mind, “Yes…?”

Delia came in, “After Clovis told him you and ‘your friends’ were safe—he pestered Clovis for a day over it—he’s been insisting on meeting you again.”

Loress jarred, a little squee issuing from her, “What…?

Clovis laughed, “I keep making excuses, telling him you’re preparing to go back home! And he’s still pestering me! We were watching over our shoulders to make sure he didn’t try to follow us here.”

The other girls had noticed something was up; Orni inquired, “What’s going on?”

Loress flustered, “Nothing, really…”

Delia spouted, “Somepony at the ball developed a liking for—”

Loress, careful not to kill her in the process, put a hoof to Delia’s mouth; the girls had rarely seen her so rattled, “Shut up!

Essenta was lounging on the warm rock, “Oh, that Jaska fellow?”

Clovis nodded, grinning, “The same… Loress, calm down! He’s just glad you made it out of there; he was afraid when you pushed him out, saying you had to find your friends.”

“Why tell me?!” Loress spouted.

Clovis smirked, “Delia thought it’d be fun.”

The maid bopped his head, “Oh, you…”

Dechaa wondered, bored of Loress’s coyness, asked, “So what’s up?

Clovis cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable, “Well… if it’s alright… I’d like to talk to the princess.”

The mares couldn’t imagine what Clovis had to say to Essenta but looked to their leader; the princess shrugged and slowly stood up, not exactly steady.

“You girls keep looking for lunch…” Essenta groaned, walking past them all to a path in the woods. “I’ll talk to Clovis. Be careful not to poison us all, eh? Check every single ‘shroom, Dechaa; we don’t want any actual ‘shrooms, whether fun or deadly.”

Clovis worried for her, “Are you alright to go, Princess?”

She turned, grumpily, “I told you to call me by name and yes I’m alright to walk. C’mon!”

“Uh… okay,” Clovis reluctantly agreed; he turned to Delia, “Stay here, if you would. I’m sure they could use help starting lunch.”

Delia nodded, “Got it.”

Loress perked up, “Great… The weather’s so nice, I thought I’d cook outside today… We can eat out here too.”

Delia nodded, “I’ll go fetch some wood for a fire.”

At the trailhead Clovis trotted after Essenta, “How’s your vision today?”

“Screw the small-talk, Clovis…” she muttered. “That’s not what you wanna talk about…”


“So… she told you…” Clovis guided the princess across a narrow patch of trail. “She told you about us…”

Essenta smirked, “The way you say it you sound like an item, but yes… She told us what you did for her. That was… gallant.”

“I was terrified, Essenta… I wouldn’t see Delia suffer more than she already had but… I was so afraid…”

Essenta knew why one might be afraid, having literally sold life for a friend. It wasn’t something she was sure she would be able to do, and the thought hurt. That and all she’d learned about Clovis had her further regretting she’d tried to strangle him... a little.

She also felt guilty for not trusting him at the moment; she was at his mercy and she’d done little to afford such a thing. She’d tired out much more quickly than she’d expected and was struggling greatly on what was supposed to be a casual hike.

More importantly, she knew Clovis’s worries were beyond the things that immediately came to her mind, “What were you afraid of?”

It didn’t matter if he realized her thoughts or not; his answer was the same, “I was afraid my friends would leave me. We were never really indebted to a lifetime; we just stuck around because it worked for us. But them realizing I was stuck here until I was 40-some-years-old?! I was sure they’d move on. I know how selfish that sounds…”

Essenta shook her head; if that was simple selfishness than there was likely no saving anypony, “But they didn’t, Clovis. Some of them chose to stay with you. Whether out of friendship or loyalty or some obligation they had in mind they stayed. They stayed because they trust you… and I know you’ve done everything you can to honor that trust.”

Clovis strained, easing Essenta down a small incline, “You make me sound a whole lot better than I am… I served a pretty rotten fellow. And, geez, why did I let you lead me out this far?! Your legs are giving out on you!”

She was at least glad they were on the way back; they’d turned around some time earlier, “Well, I’m sorry, Clovis… I felt pretty good when we set off.”

He continued shepherding her along the same path they’d come, “Oh, it’s fine… It’s mainly your balance, I think; it throws off everything, you know. And you haven’t been too active.”

Essenta simmered, “I still can’t believe I let that motherfucker brain me like that…”

“Maybe you’re getting old or something, Essenta,” Clovis opined.

She would’ve smacked Clovis if she wouldn’t wind up falling down the mountainside… if she even had the strength, “Ah, fuck you, Clovis…”

He laughed, easing her along. She seemed a lot cuter when she wasn’t choking him. She almost seemed like a “normal” Earth pony maiden. She seemed smaller, too.

Her opinion of him had changed several times over the last week. He went from playboy to foolish object of loathing to her savior to greater object of loathing to… Clovis the noble-hearted.

Essenta chuckled, “How is it you kept your head, as hard as you were on Pallo? I mean… chucking an apple at his nutsack?”

Clovis looked unamused but thoughtful, “Another time it was an orange… and once a pineapple. But I occasionally wonder that myself… I do figure this: if I hadn’t been so useful I bet my head would be mounted above one of the fireplaces right about now…”

She smiled at the black joke… but they hadn’t gotten to the heart of the matter, “Clovis… when it comes down to it I’m the one that got us all the way out here but you’re the one that wanted to talk, and it hasn’t happened yet. What did you want to ask me?”

Clovis held her hoof as they crossed over a log, “Tell me about this journey of yours.”

Essenta was taken aback, “The journey… Well, you know about it… at least what’s ‘official’.”

“Yes… the stuff about finding some relic in Salvatrix for your father.”

Essenta sighed, “I also gave the girls some crap about wanting to ‘turn the world upside down’ and ‘obtaining something nopony else could give me or take away from me’… I started this journey with one thought in my head: to prove my father wrong. I wanted to prove to him I wasn’t just some worthless daughter… that I could do more than play at being a princess… or so I thought.”

Clovis wondered, “Then what is it?”

Essenta hadn’t expected it—not at all—but she began to weep.

Clovis hastily pulled out a kerchief, “Oh, I’m sorry, Essenta… Here.”

She collapsed onto a log and began to wipe at her eyes, “Oh, Clovis… I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t even know why I left anymore! So many things have happened. I mean… we’re this close to the desert. But going to Salvatrix? With the plague? Do we even want to go there?”

“It would be a miserable place, I can assure you…” Clovis said. “You all aren’t the only ponies to come through town, hoping to find treasure down there… None of them have been gone more than a couple months but… we sure haven’t heard anything from anypony that’s gone down there.”

“And that’s reassuring!” Essenta bawled. “What bothers me the most is… I’ve dragged six mares down here with me—two from the Dale—and we have nothing to show for it. And the idea of returning to the Dale without anything to show for it… I don’t know about the rest but Dechaa’s and Zyra’s lives wouldn’t be worth much back there; neither would mine.”

Clovis countered, “It’s not like you’ve nothing to show for all your months together. You’ve got six wonderful friends and I know you’d do anything for each other.”

Essenta knew this and didn’t take it for granted, “But the Dale! I’m a princess, Clovis! It’s my duty to return… and become a queen someday.”

“Says who?”

The gears in Essenta’s mind didn’t even mesh, hearing that, “What did you say?”

“Who says you have to go back to the Dale? You left there, and you weren’t just looking for adventure or looking to piss off a king… You came out here in search of a new life, didn’t you?”

“Huh?” Essenta’s mouth gaped.

He laughed at this, “I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do… I’m just saying you can think of yourself, Essenta. If you really don’t want to go home… then don’t. Maybe your friends will stay with you, maybe they’ll go home, maybe who knows?!”

But Essenta was sure on something; there was one thing she was adamant on. It was something she’d not consciously thought of in months, but it was something never far-off in her mind.

“Clovis…” she whimpered, suddenly feeling even more sick. “I have a sister… a younger sister. I… I can’t leave Calleha alone up there! You don’t know what kind of stallion my father is! She’s still too young to marry but if I don’t go back… I don’t know what might become of her. You see… princesses of the Dale command a dowry.”

Clovis’s mind was always on money; despite sharing in Essenta’s pathos he couldn’t help but asking, despite knowing he shouldn’t, “What’s it worth?”

She snorked, briefly amused in her sorrow, “Uh… There are kingdoms in the north that would pay up to 500,000 East-Central Valley gold pieces for a princess of the Dale.”

Clovis was enough of a merchant-trader; he’d seen just about every piece of currency the continent had to offer, “Valley standard… one-eighth of an ounce… that’s… almost two tons of gold!”

She nodded.

“3,900 pounds!” Clovis gawked.

“Yes,” the princess squirmed at his manner.

Clovis blinked stupidly; he had to take a moment, “Well… wow!”

Essenta wanted to smack him, “Yes, ‘wow’! That kind of influence up north is worth that to some kings.”

“And you want to save her from that?”

That was quite a thing; Essenta nodded, “Yes.”

Clovis flopped down next to her, “Shit… So not going home is off the table.”

“It was never on the table to begin with, Clovis,” she said bitterly.

He sighed, “So… what then?”

She sat a moment, the gears beginning to turn in her head. Sometimes she needed a push in the right direction… and Clovis had given her a decent nudge.

It took her a long moment… but for the first time in a long time, since Renata, Essenta felt the familiar, child-like resolve she’d been able to show to her friends… It was the determination that had them following her, for reasons otherwise unknown to her. Now she was able to show it to Clovis.

“I don’t know, Clovis!”

He hadn’t expected that, “You don’t know…?”

“No,” she almost sounded joyous. “I have no real idea!”

Clovis thought a moment; then he laughed, “I see! Still… you have to have a plan of some sort…”

“And I do… It hasn’t really changed. I’m going home with something to show for it, one way or another; I won’t do otherwise. The details though… they’re a bit murky, yet.”

Clovis laughed again, truly; but he also felt the same inexpressible notion that had six mares drop everything and follow the princess to the very extremes of the “civilized” continent, “I see…”

And he did see. It was weird, dubious, a little scary… but there it was.

“Things go on as planned but I’d best run things across the girls I suppose…” Essenta pondered. “Just need to heal up and we can be on our way again.”

“Essenta… I was hoping you’d do me a favor.”

This caught her unaware, him asking that without preamble.

Him ask her a favor?! Then again, the princess knew Clovis had let some pretty bad shit go that she would’ve held against another pony; she’d at least humor him.

She eyed him dubiously, “What might that be?”

Clovis was confident, for reasons unknown to his mind—but not his heart, guts, and balls—Essenta would turn the world on its ear… and that she wouldn’t simply lead the other mares to rot or ruin or death, wherever they wound up, “I want you to take Delia with you.”


“No, Clovis!” the maid spat right to Clovis’s face. “Damn it to Hell, NO!”

It seemed an innocent enough thing, to Essenta and company, asking Delia if she’d like to join them on the road. They’d become good friends over the last week and while it seemed sudden (but really wasn’t considering some of the girls had hopped on the crew within hours of meeting) they’d been through such a time together, they’d regarded her as a sister-in-mischief, if not a sister-in-arms; they weren’t soldiers, after all, but they’d been in the shit.

The mares were delighted at the prospect; Essenta had been ecstatic when Clovis finally told her why he’d wanted to speak with her in the first place. Since Delia was… well, property… they’d never considered it but it seemed like a great idea when voiced.

But Delia would have none of it; when she learned Clovis had put Essenta up to it she cursed him out with a few words the company was reasonably sure they’d never even heard.

“But Delia!” Clovis tried to calm her down; the mares were too stunned by the response to even try. “Delia, listen!”

“It can’t happen!” she bellowed back to him.

“What the Hell are you talking about?!” he was genuinely flummoxed.

She had turned away from them; she inhaled deeply and sighed, “You don’t get it, do you, Clovis?”

“Get what?!” he didn’t see where this was going.

She saw he didn’t understand; her eyes welled up and she began to sob, her back towards them, “As clever as you occasionally prove to be… you’re a real fucking idiot sometimes…”

Clovis approached slowly, “Delia… you don’t want to go?”

She jolted at that; slowly she turned around, showing them a tearful mask of tragedy, “Yes, I want to go… I want to go more than almost anything… Whether it’s going south or whatever, I want to go! I’ve wanted to get away from this place half my life; I know you know that! And when they came through… and I got to meet them all… But you should know better than me why that’s not possible…”

The other mares were very happy to hear this—the part of her wanting to go along—and perplexed about the rest.

Clovis’s expression still didn’t show recognition of the thing that was so very clear to Delia.

She almost laughed, “You dumbass… Clovis… we’re property… We don’t say the word and nopony else does, but… we’re slaves, you and I…”

Clovis blinked, “Well… Mel’s dead, Delia.”

She screamed at him, “His getting cooked by some big fire lizard doesn’t change that! We’re in bondage to his household, Clovis! Pallo’s our master, now!”

This small detail had to work itself into Clovis’s brain; Delia was right, and he lamented the fact, “Yeah…”

Delia sniffled, “That’s right… that Pallo! I owe two years—maybe more, now—and you owe… 22 years. That’s not something one can just run away from!”

Clovis wasn’t smiling, “I can talk to Pallo; maybe he’d—”

Whack!!

Clovis was staggered as Delia hit him across the face, “No, Clovis! You will do no such thing!

Everypony was staggered, seeing Clovis take the hit; they looked on, distraught.

Delia stumbled around a moment, looking as if she might collapse but she kept her hooves. Looking to the company one last time, she let out a sob and ran back towards town.

They watched her until she was out of sight; it was a rough moment.

Clovis turned to the company, “Girls… I’m sorry this happened. I… I don’t know what to say…”

Loress, knowing Delia and her history best among the girls, trembled as she asked, “Clovis… You’re not suggesting you’d ask for your servitude to be extended… for Delia?”

This hadn’t fully occurred to the other girls, if at all. It stunned them. As Essenta had they had all at least begun to find him… most noble.

He didn’t really give them an answer, “Perhaps you didn’t know, but Delia and I are the only ponies on the staff actually bound to the household. I don’t know why, sometimes, I gave up so many years for her sake. Maybe I love her… Maybe I felt sorry for her, getting pulled into what she did… Maybe I’m just plain stupid.

“Or maybe I knew, even then, what I know now, that I’m just a no-good hustler with nothing else to do… that ‘freedom’ didn’t matter to somepony like me. I’m never leaving behind this life; it’s all I know and it’s all I want. I don’t matter much in the end… and if my life was worth enough to help my friend… it was the best thing I could do.”

Hearing this, the girls felt their hearts break; Ama was the only one able to find words, “Clovis… You are…”

She found words, but very few; it was unlike her, finding nothing meaningful to say. She hung her head and sniffled.

Clovis just smiled at her, “It’s alright, Ama. Whatever happens, it’ll be alright.”

He addressed the company as a whole, “I must say… I’ve come to like all of you very much. I can’t say enough how sorry I am I brought all this upon you. Somepony will be along tomorrow with your supplies. I’ll see you off when you leave town, if I’m able.”

He turned and began to walk away, before halting and glancing back. He saw the mares that had come so very far… A princess with an unclear future… an apprehensive apothecary… a mare that witnessed Hell… a traveler that wanted more than anything, friends… a traveler that punched a dragon… and two very close friends he’d never quite figured out. They still had a long way to go…

Clovis gave a sad smile, “And… yes, Loress… I would find myself tied to Pallo’s estate all my days for Delia’s sake… She’s my friend… and I love her like a sister; that’s all I can really say.”

Without another word he walked away.

The girls looked on, their lunch growing cold.


The girls had seen their sixth sunrise from their vantage-point. It had been a melancholy day already, despite the wonderful sunshine and light breeze. Their thoughts dwelled with their new friend. Well, new friends, if Clovis was counted; what else was there to call him at that point?

It had been a hard truth to swallow. The two were in bondage and they couldn’t just walk away. They could run or one of them could run but where would that leave the other? What kind of life was one on the run? And even if Delia was freed… she wouldn’t just leave Clovis, despite his apparent lack of care for his condition of servitude. In fact, they’d come to believe that once she was free she’d work to help buy Clovis’s freedom.

The world was a messy place, sometimes.

Their downheartedness was interrupted a moment when a fold in Loress’s tunic sounded. Normally kept in the cave, Loress was carrying the tiny crystal ball Clovis had left them in case they needed to contact him.

It got the attention of all the girls, lounging around a stump near the entrance to the cave.

Loress’s mind, and the rest of their minds, weren’t optimistic about contact; the ball had been meant for important things and a lot could still go wrong with their hiding out.

Loress held up the ball, “Uh… yes?”

Clovis’s voice came through, “Ladies… I need you to come down the mountain for a bit.”

Hearing this was about as welcome as finding a rotten peanut after an otherwise delightful snack-time… and things hadn’t been all that pleasant anyway.

Essenta answered his call, “Mind telling us why?”

“No harm intended, girls,” Clovis chuckled. “We just need to talk. Trust me.”

He’d asked for their trust before… The record was about 50% on the side of success.

Their minds, if they hadn’t been through all that Hell together with him, may have sensed a trap.

But the mares’ eyes met; they trusted Clovis, or at least chose to.


Essenta, having had another day to recover, did much better on the trip down than she had dragging Clovis out further than she should have. She felt just about normal again.

They’d agreed to meet Clovis at the trailhead that eventually led to their camp; it was secluded enough.

Clovis was there, with a couple of his crew, a wagon, and… Delia?

Delia didn’t wish to make eye-contact with them; she looked angry, glancing daggers towards Clovis.

The girls hadn’t expected to see the maid again, not that they weren’t glad to see her; something was up.

Essenta’s voice frightened Clovis a little, “What the Hell’s going on, Clovis?”

Clovis’s balls ran off a moment but he composed himself, standing across from the girls, “She really didn’t want me to… but I begged that Delia be released from her servitude; it’s not like I was gonna let her stop me.”

This didn’t exactly shock anypony; they’d strongly believed he’d do it. Delia’s defiant manner wasn’t a surprise either, them knowing just why she wasn’t willing to leave.

It was hard for any of the company to initiate a dialogue but Loress managed; somepony had to do it, “So what happened?”

Clovis began sweating bullets and it was pretty obvious, in the presence of the little company of dynamic and dangerous mares, “That… is the part about trusting me… It… hasn’t exactly been resolved yet.”

The girls were flummoxed; Dechaa cocked her head, “And… what’s that mean?”

Clovis shuffled his hooves, glancing from the company to the furious Delia to the wagon, “Uh… you see…”

Essenta became just a jiff impatient, “Spit it out, Clovis…”

Clovis’s mouth moved but a voice was heard otherwise… from the wagon; the tarp covering it moved, “C’mon! Enough, Clovis!”

The noise surprised them all and all eyes went to the wagon.

Pallo sat up in the wagon, casting aside the tarp, “Cripes! It’s hot under there!”

If the fact somepony was hiding in the wagon was a stunner; the fact it was Pallo was a fucking knockout.

Clovis blathered as Pallo, in obvious pain, lowered himself from the side of the wagon, “Master Pallo! I agreed to this only if you stayed put!”

“You worry too much…” Pallo had managed to get four hooves on the ground, wincing. “I doubt like Hell anypony in the woods is gonna try to blow my brains out or poison me…”

“But Master!” Clovis implored.

Pallo scoffed, “Drop the ‘Master’ nonsense, Clovis… We’ve known each other since I was 6-years-old…”

The gelding Earth pony slowly shifted his stance to face the mares; he looked a lot older than he was, the week he’d been through.

He actually smiled at them, “This is my first time seeing the lot of you together, sober…”

The mares did a take. Humor?

Pallo noticed their incredulous looks, “Ladies, if I wasn’t able to laugh a little I’d have put a knife through my heart by now… I didn’t think it’d ever stop bleeding…”

The girls cringed, seeing him standing there in pain; but it didn’t stop Essenta from saying what occurred to her, “Pallo… Wow… I, uh… never thought we’d see you again.”

“Yeah, I can imagine, Princess,” Pallo sighed. “If it wasn’t for Delia, there, I’d have bled to death.”

The little company all felt the collective feeling of a punch in the gut. Their shock was difficult to convey. You ever feel electricity go through you? Even your teeth vibrate? That’s about how the mares felt.

Essenta was unable to form words… and the same could be said of most of them.

Ama’s strong composure fell through a moment, “How do you know?!”

Clovis was looking at the ground, “Pallo… you said you’d ease them into it.”

Pallo turned, sweating buckets and pink in the face, “Well, I’m hurtin’ here, Clovis. I wanna speed this up.”

Clovis turned to the mares, their shock wearing off, “This was why I asked you to trust me.”

The mares pretty much thought the same thing: Trust my pastel-colored ass. This was another level of WTF.

Essenta recovered fastest, “Clovis, you asshole! What do you mean, trust?! He was ready to have us killed!”

The princess pointed an accusatory hoof at Pallo; Pallo was stoic, other than his considerable pain in the area of his empty coin-purse.

Clovis recalled, eyes darting, “I… told you Pallo had ponies killed for less than what happened at the pub… That… was… a lie.”

Clovis looked close to shitting himself as the girls began to eyeball him. Delia scowled along with the other mares. Pallo just looked like his nethers hurt.

Clovis sighed, “I… never thought it would come to this… it was a bluff.”

One of Clovis’s friends spoke up, finally, a nasty smile on his face, “He’s honorable, sure, but he’s still a con…”

The girls dissected Clovis with their eyes, even Ama.

Clovis sputtered, “I was desperate! I mean, sure, Pallo’s an asshole sometimes but he’s not all that—”

Pallo bonked Clovis’s head, “Who’s an asshole?”

Clovis sputtered, no longer able to make words.

Pallo cuffed him, the ghost of a smile on his face, “Sure… I was upset. I was a little drunk… and I know I said some things, though that’s no excuse. I was still angry the morning my father… Well, yes, I was upset then; I said more foolish things.”

To the astonishment of all, Pallo approached Ama with some difficulty, “Miss Ama…”

She was still a little shaky, “You know who I am?”

He chuckled before glancing towards Clovis, “I know who all of you are… It’s not like I can’t hear. Even as well-kept your secret was, I wasn’t asleep all the time. Clovis… your crew talks too much; do something about that.”

Clovis piped up, “Will do.”

The company had though Clovis was acting rather strangely but he was positively unlike anything they’d seen from him. The confidence, the competence… wasn’t apparent.

Pallo continued to address Ama, “I let Clovis know I knew the truth and he told me about all of you. Ama… I’m terribly sorry… for striking you. And over some card-game!”

Ama was too taken aback to respond.

“And for having you locked away with no amenities—even locking you away—I don’t expect you to forgive me. Just know that I regret my actions.”

The company wasn’t convinced Pallo was a good pony, but this on top of the maturity he showed immediately prior to losing his nuts was reason to believe he wasn’t overly-evil or anything.

Ama was finally able to say something, “Oh! That… I accept your apology, Pallo. I was inebriated myself; I tried to pulverize you and for that I am sorry.”

Pallo, for the first time since appearing, managed to smile without looking like he was getting teeth during a blowjob; he turned to the rest, “We could talk about all the other crazy shit that happened to me and all of us this week, but I don’t feel so good and I’d rather just forget about a lot of it.”

Essenta took this to mean he wanted to talk about Delia; but she chose not to assume, “Why have you come all the way out here?”

Pallo eased himself to the ground; sitting appeared no better than standing, “I’ve had a lot of time to think this week… about a lot of things. Princess… I know well who your father is… You know what my father was… Regarding your father, what’s your greatest wish?”

The princess didn’t have to think very hard about it, “Other than not being beholden to him for being born royalty… it’s that I’m… not judged for my father.”

This struck the little company; this idea seemed obvious upon statement, but they’d never considered it before. It hurt.

Pallo nodded, “Yes, I’m the same. 10 days ago, and for my whole life, I knew my dad was a bad sort… Hell, evil. But I didn’t care. I had what I thought was a good life and I just didn’t care about things. But as I said… I’ve had plenty of time to think, feeling like I wanted to die all week.”

Essenta felt the smallest inkling of comradery with Pallo; she understood his recent feelings.

Pallo turned to Delia, “Delia. Clovis did ask I free you and he offered to pay the remainder of your debt. Don’t resent him for it.”

She stared at the ground, not willing to take the advice.

Pallo still looked at her, “I remember your father, Delia. He… was far from perfect. He made some very bad decisions and cast you aside, betraying family in the worst way possible. And still he chose to be stupid. It took hitting rock-bottom to knock him to his senses.”

Delia, no longer angry, was merely upset; she knew this truth.

“But he found his senses, Delia, and he became a better pony. I know you loved him."

Delia let out a little sob, tears squeezing from her stubborn eyes; she retreated into herself.

“Delia, listen,” Pallo directed. “I don’t wish you to suffer for your father’s debts… You saved my life last week.”

The fact Pallo knew who they were overshadowed this little detail; Essenta recalled her harsh words to Delia regarding the awful brunch that day and further regretted them. Delia had done a lot more than run away when Pallo suffered his father's wrath.

“Delia,” Pallo had yet more to say. “Unconditionally and without reservation I grant you your freedom. It all falls to me, now, and you’re free of my household.”

The same “shocky” feeling described earlier ran through the company, Delia, and Clovis.

Delia looked up, a look of indescribable joy etched upon her face, “I’m… free…?”

“Yes, Delia,” Pallo replied. “You’re free to do what you please.”

The little company reflected Delia’s expression. Before anything else happened the little former-maid galloped over to them and practically leapt into their midst. There was much crying and buffeting and squee-ing to be had.

But just as quickly, Delia let off, leaving the girls dismayed. As if a plant withering before their eyes she turned and paddled back towards Pallo, with great sorrow in her eyes.

“Pallo… thanks so very, very much,” she bowed her head to him. “I’m free but… I just can’t go with the girls!”

For the first time in several moments Clovis said something, “Delia! Forget about me already!”

“No!” she shouted back. “I don’t care how many years it takes; I’m going to help set you free!”

The two friends began to yell at each other, coming nose to nose; it was a sight.

While the company and Clovis’s friends looked on Pallo had made his way over to Essenta’s side. The princess jumped, realizing he was there.

Pallo shook his head, a look of annoyance on his face, “I didn’t even get to finish… Clovis, Delia, SHUT UP!!

The noise was enough to stop the racket.

Pallo exhaled, “Clovis… I wish to make you my advisor.”

All eyes went to Clovis; Clovis’s jaw was dropped.

“You’re young, but you’re still older than me,” Pallo said with a smirk. “And that’s not the point. You’ve kept the business not only afloat, but prosperous, in the face of all my dad got up to. You saved him from himself more than a few times and you saved plenty of others too.

“As I’ve said, I’ve been thinking a lot. I want to keep the business going and run it proper. You’ve spent most of the week cleaning up after everything and cutting ties with business we don’t need to be around anymore. I want to run everything legal-like and I need your help; I can’t do it without you. You’re the best stallion for the job and I know everypony would agree; there’s a reason they trusted you to keep things in line after my dad got torched.”

Clovis looked bemused, “Well… I don’t know what to say…”

“You could say ‘yes’ or ‘thank you’.”

Clovis thought a moment; his voice came choked, “Do I have a choice?”

This was perhaps the first time the little company saw any raw emotion from Clovis; he looked positively defeated. It hurt them but… Clovis had a debt to pay.

Delia slowly walked up to him, holding out a shaky hoof as if to touch him, to comfort him, but she couldn’t manage; her face showed a pain reflecting Clovis’s.

Pallo didn’t mean to drag things out, “I want you to stay on—I need you to stay… Guide me… guide us… guide this city… you and your crew can do it… but you do have a choice.”

Everypony looked to Pallo. Could it be…?

Pallo read them like a book; he looked straight at Clovis, “I can’t say we were ever really friends, but you watched out for me in ways I’ve only come to appreciate in the last few days. I want to give this to you…”

Everypony held on with bated breath.

“You do have a choice… because you’re free, Clovis,” Pallo finished.

“I’m… free?” Clovis’s eyes welled up.

“Yes, Clovis,” Pallo guessed he wasn’t finished.

Clovis looked to his friend, “Delia…?”

She looked back, “Clovis!”

He looked at his hooves as if he’d never seen them before, as if to examine if he was even real and not dreaming. Looking up to his friend, he smiled and began to laugh; his eyes began to leak like cloth diapers.

With that Delia leapt at Clovis, embracing him; he tried to keep his hooves, but she knocked him right over. Sobbing and laughing and hugging the two rolled around in the grass.

Clovis quickly stood up and went to his two friends, doing the same with them; it had been quite a road for the lot of them.

The little company shared in the feeling. Ama was sobbing her eyes out; it was so moving the others couldn’t help but join in. After another moment they elected to join Clovis and Delia in their happiness.

And Pallo just stood there, not unappreciative of the scene; he wanted Clovis’s answer but it could wait. The stallions that had ferried him out had rejoined him by the wagon.

“Let’s go, boys…” Pallo climbed, painfully tumbling into the wagon. “Ow! Fuck! Oh, geez… They know the way back.”

One of the stallions, beaming, pulled the tarp over him, “Yessir!”

Pallo moaned, “And if you could avoid the bumps… I’ll buy you two a keg of ale. How’s that sound?”

The other stallion chuckled as he harnessed up, “Sounds great, Boss. We’ll try.”

“Please do…” Pallo breathed. “And don’t forget the barrel we brought.”

The stallion seeing Pallo squared away rolled it off, “Sorry, Boss.”

Leaving Clovis and Delia to revel in their freedom, they left behind a keg of a certain ale a certain Mazan so enjoyed. Pallo had meant to present it as a gift but the opportunity just never came up. It was for all of them, but he’d sent it for her liking.


The lot of them, having fallen on the keg of precious amber fluid, had had a grand day. Essenta and Delia sat off to the side much of the time, one choosing to stay sober and one doing the same she’d done her whole life (Delia's teetotalism, that is, not Essenta's borderline-alcoholism).

But the merriment ended and soon the time came to part ways.

“I wish I could see you all off in the morning but there’s an awful lot to do… the city’s different, now,” Clovis, pretty drunk, would be taking on quite a responsibility overnight.

Loress flushed a little, "When you do see Mr. Jaska again... give him my best, please."

Clovis chuckled, "I could send him up here."

The Terran shook her head, "Oh, please don't..."

The company laughed; it was an amusing thought but they really didn't need any more ponies knowing just who they were.

Standing across from Clovis, Essenta would’ve like to say more, “I’d like to say ‘thanks’ but…”

Clovis gave a self-deprecating snork, “There’s not a whole lotta reason for that, though, is there?”

The princess shuffled her hooves, “I mean… I did try to wring your neck… but you followed through even after everything and I’m sure you would’ve seen us safe anyway in the end. And you did save my life.”

“Sure, but I was foolish; I guess I still have a lot to learn. It took all that for me to kill my loyalty to Melchior; that alone shows me I’m still a colt.”

Nopony could fully argue this but they didn’t want to kill him anymore either.

Clovis turned to the Mazan—a pony he’d come to consider a friend despite knowing her a mere few days from opposite sides of bars—and wished to say something.

“Again, Ama… I’m sorry for putting you through that last week,” Clovis hung his head; then he looked to the rest. “I’m sorry for a lot of things… I’m a liar and a cheat… and I used you…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say anything more; words couldn’t express his regret over all that had befallen Ama and certainly the rest of the girls. It would be something he’d carry with him. Had he been sober, he might’ve better presented himself.

Ama, at this point, really didn’t see any need for apologies. Just a little pink in the cheeks (not at all from the ale), she paddled up to Clovis; she recalled with fondness something from a few weeks earlier, approaching the mountains, which Orni had asked her and she’d been delighted to reflect upon to her friends.

She didn’t really have to look down at him all that much; his ear-tips came up to eye-level, “Clovis… No mere colt could have led children halfway across the continent as you did. You are a good, noble, and kind fellow. I told you I would not be loath to call you ‘friend’ and I am not loath to do so now.”

The unicorn stallion looked up in shock to her warm smile; the mares, drunk where capable of such a thing, were having difficulty with this too.

Ama went on, “I hope to see our journey through regardless of where it may lead us. That being said… if I had in my mind the desire to go back to Mazan sooner rather than later… perhaps even later… Dear friend, I would not at all be opposed to having a daughter sired by you.”

It wasn’t missed by the mares this was just about the greatest complement Ama could give a stallion. The now-larger little company watched with incomprehension as Ama leaned in and planted a little kiss on the stammering Clovis’s cheek.

Clovis stuttered something but wasn’t comprehensible.

Ama gave him a little chuckle, “Work hard, Clovis; the city needs you. Fair thee well.”

Realizing Clovis was broken on top of being sloshed, Delia cracked a grin and nudged him, “I’ll see the new ‘advisor’ makes it back. And I'll be sure to thank Pallo and the brothers at the pub for the keg. I’ll see you girls in the morning at the trailhead; I’ll bring some hot breakfast along with the fresh supplies.”

Essenta still could barely believe it; she was grinning like a hyena with dementia, “So you’re really coming with us?”

Delia had answered the question more than once, “For the dozenth time, Essenta, yes! Whether it’s getting killed in some jungle or whatever, I’m game.”

Essenta had given Delia the same spiel the others had heard... about turning the world upside down and such. Of course, Delia "fell for it" as the others had.

The mares other than Essenta giggled in response; it all did seem too good to be true, causing such disbelief.

The seven mares watched their eighth lead away the stallion that had caused them so much trouble… and that helped them out of it… only necessary because he’d led them into such trouble. He wasn’t such a bad sort.

Zyra gazed after the two, shaking her head; she turned to Ama and slurred, “Your taste in stallions I do not get…”

Ama buffeted the little mage, just about knocking her off-balance; she moseyed back to camp, to the merry laughter of her friends, with a demure smile and a blush.

So, the little company took rest. After almost two weeks of misfortune they’d be getting back on the road, come morning, with a new companion at their side.

Author's Note:

Check out the Appendix for Princess Essenta, updated as the story moves along. It shows the story's timeline and character designs. Contains spoilers.


With the last couple weeks worth of crazy behind them Essenta has found new purpose and the little company has gained a bright, new, happy face to help them turn the world upside down or whatever they wind up doing. It's the journey, not the destination, right? :derpytongue2:

I think the chapter's pretty uneven. After all the editing I was never fully satisfied and feel it just is awkward at times. But it read better than expected when I used the text-to-speech feature.

The journey into the desert is next and they do resume the schlep but there is one more obstacle to overcome before the way is clear. If you love exposition you'll adore the next chapter. But no worries; a lot is revealed and the girls even manage to have a little fun beforehand.

Again, apologies for splitting things up so much, but I didn't want to have a 14.5K word chapter; I didn't even want a 7.7K word chapter. Look forward to an informative chapter next.


If you enjoy Princess Essenta, please take a look at Larkspur Blossom. A story of a colt finding his worth and making a better life for himself.

Also look for The Virgin Company. A tale of a military pony and his platoon in a war centuries ago.

Like, follow, or leave a comment if you please. It's been fun writing and I'm glad some enjoy it.

Thanks for reading, and take care.

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