A Knight's Tale

by lionel23

Chapter 6

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// Story: A Knight's Tale
// Chapter: Chapter 6
// Author: lionel23
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"Tis a quaint village thou doth have here, Lady Twilight Sparkle," Prince Knight Light said as he walked side-by-side with Celestia's star student, "It really is nice… seeing what we art protecting."

"Why thank you, Sir," she beamed brightly back at him, causing him to let out a chuckle, "Do know that all of Ponyville greatly appreciates the hard work your knights are doing out there."

"And also," the Prince continued, "It was a strange coincidence to have run into you as soon as I left that… what did thou call it… a spa?"

Twilight let out a cute, polite giggle and nodded affirmatively to the Prince.

"Very good, you got it in one, Prince!" Twilight teased him, mimicking her teachers back when she was in magic school.

"I am a Prince, thou know," Knight Light smiled weakly in both humor and mock defeat, having long ago given up the notion that anypony in this village would truly be wary of his station.

"Oh, of course," Twilight smiled as they walked together back towards her home, "How did you enjoy your time at the spa though? I hope Rarity didn't outdo herself?"

"Milady, saying that she overdid anything would be a great understatement."

They both laughed together as even with his briefest of times spent with the fashion-obsessed unicorn, he had apparently gathered very much about her personality.

"By the way, Prince Knight Light, I have been curious about something."

"Oh? What is it that interests thou?" Knight Light answered her question warmly.

"Your oath. You said that you and your knights have sworn an oath to protect Equestria. I have been curious about it for quite some time, if it isn't too much trouble…"

"Of course, I'll recite it to thou if thou really wants to hear it."

Twilight nodded eagerly. As a student to Princess Celestia, it was also her duty to learn as much as there was to better fulfill her obligations to the Princess.

"Back where I hail from, the Knights of Canterbury have sworn a solemn oath when we art first knighted. It goes something like this:

From ghoulies and ghosties to long-legged beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Stand strong, we knights of old
To protect, honor we must uphold!

"Wow, catchy," Twilight looked stunned at his near-perfect recital.

"I thank thou, but I wasn't the one who came up with it. Thou see, Lady Twilight, Canterbury has always stood on Equestria's borders, forever alone from the rest of the country. And there art but many dark and shadowy thing out there. Things that art best forgotten and left alone. Without the ponies of the Realm – and I do mean Canterbury and Trotterdam – many of those things would love to find their way to the heart of Equestria. Seeing how happy the villagers here are, I do not think Ponyville could survive such an incursion – not without major intervention anyway. That is why the Knights of Castle Canterbury have taken it upon ourselves to serve and protect all of the Princess' subjects and lands."

Twilight blinked her eyes in admiration.

"Let me be the first to say then, thank you Sir Knight Light,"

Prince Knight Light stopped on the spot and turned to face Twilight fully, blinking in astonishment.

"What for, Lady Twilight Sparkle?"

"I said, thank you, on behalf of all of Ponyville and Princess Celestia. I'm sure she deeply respects what the knights do, even if they do it alone and so far away from the rest of the Equestria,"

Prince Knight Light chuckled softly and shook his head slowly.

"I see now why Celestia chose you," he said.

"Oh? What do you mean, Sir?"

"Nothing, nothing," Prince Knight Light turned around but before he picked up his pace, he finished his thought, "Though, I am very thankful that at least somepony thinks so. By the way, Lady Rarity mentions that there was a certain book that I might be interested in? May I see it when we get back?"

* * *

It was late in the evening when everyone finally reassembled at Twilight's home. Prince Knight Light was reading a certain good book about pony tales and princes on Twilight's podium while Spike was basking in the glow of compliments from the other pony knights, whom had now come to view him as their equal, despite his size. Pinkie Pie was helping herself to the delicious treats she had prepared for the occasion and Twilight was doing her best to suppress a chuckle as Captain Silver Lancer and Rainbow Dash were attempting to 'one-up' each other in tales of heroism, bravery, and adventure. Fluttershy and the sole Pegasus knight were in deep conversation about the day's events and… feeding animals, if Twilight was correct in what she overheard, while one of the knightly ponies was in the middle of a hoof-wrestling contest of strength with Applejack.

That left only two of the invited guests missing, they being Rarity and Angel Song. She knew that Rarity loved the Ponyville Spa a whole lot, but for her to be this late?

"They're late, so very late," Twilight muttered and poured herself some juice from a bottle into her cup using just her magic.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Prince Knight Light replied without taking his eyes off the book that he was totally engrossed in, "They must be running late with errands or something or other. The knight I had sent to fetch them earlier assured me they would be back soon."

"I guess you're right. By the way Prince Knight Light, how are you enjoying the book?"

"I'm glad thou asks. I'm quite the scholar, even if I don't look the part, at least if thou goes by what my knights say about me to be true. Mind thou, I have quite my own collection back at Castle Canterbury. Though it pales in comparison to thou's library here. Anyway, I am quite fond of this particular book of here… this one tale I'm reading is about a prince that goes to save a fair Princess, but the Princess ends up saving him in the end. Imagine that!"

Twilight blinked and nodded, concealing a slight smile. She always enjoyed introducing ponies to the joys of reading, especially after how she got Rainbow Dash hooked on her private collection about Daring-Do.

"Funny you should choose that one book," she said.

"Why doth thou think it funny? Was this supposed to be a comedy?" Prince Knight Light blinked in confusion, wondering if he had gotten the tone of the book wrong from his readings.

"No, no; that's not what I meant. What I mean to say is that Angel Song was actually flipping through that book also, and she really seemed to enjoy it."

"Really? Thou don't say…" the Prince paused as if reflecting on something.

Before Twilight or the Prince could carry on with their conversation, the door to her home flew open and in entered Lady Rarity and Lady Angel Song. All the knights – save Butterscotch – immediately gave the pair their fullest attention, as both were quite the sight to behold.

Dressed in an elegant and flowing golden cloth with a purple sash around her neck, Rarity's dress was accented by the crowning piece of her outfit: her many jewel-facetted tiara she wore behind her horn that accentuated the unicorn's lust for gems..

Prince Knight Light's attention, however, was on the filly that followed after her shortly. Angel Song wore a sparkling blue gown, sequenced with stars along the lower hem. She gracefully trotted in with glass slippers on each hoof, a single star engraved on either side while her shawl was fastened around her neck by a single bright, five-point star. Her mane seemed to shine and her white coat seemed to glow a lot more than usual as she seemed to be more self-conscious than usual about her appearance, which the Prince picked up on almost immediately.

"Taking it up to 11?" Rainbow Dash hovered in the air and folded her arms across her chest.

"Why, whatever do you mean, Rainbow dear? This is how I always dress up for a party."

"Yeah, if the party ended with 'Gala' and began with 'Grand'," whispered Applejack into Twilight's ear, causing the librarian to suppress a sudden bout of laughter.

It took a moment but Twilight recognized Angel Song's outfit. It was the very same dress that she herself had worn to the gala last year!

"Milady, you look marvelous," Prince Knight Light closed the book and trotted over to her, extending an outstretched hoof to the mare.

"You… think so?" Angel Song didn't sound very sure of it, but that didn't stop her from offering her glass slipper and hoof to him, which he promptly kissed as a true gentlecolt should.

"Now that everyone is here, let's get this party started!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed and raised the volume on the gramophone – one that she just so happened to bring.

"Well, Price Charming," Rarity cut in between Angel Song and Knight Light, "Shall we dance?"

Knight Light looked a bit flustered as he was dragged to the middle of the dance floor, though a very conspicuous Angel Song looked on with narrowed eyes.

"Just who does she think she is?" muttered Angel Song in a low tone, unknowingly behind clenched teeth.

"Why, Rarity of course! Duh! Who else would she be?" Pinkie Pie announced as she appeared out of nowhere behind Angel, startling her.

"W-where did you come from?" Angel Song could have sworn that Pinky Pie was on the other side of the room just a moment ago.

"She's always here, and now she's there," Twilight said in a matter-of-factly tone as Pinkie Pie dashed off for the next object or pony to capture her interest.

"Oh, I see…" mumbled the other unicorn as she turned her attention back to the center of the room.

Prince Knight Light was tapping his hooves a bit awkwardly as Rarity led the Prince in a dance to the tune playing from Twilight's phonograph. Rarity was enjoying herself quite so as she leaned into the Prince, resting her head against his shoulder as they moved about on the dance floor. But Twilight's gaze was more focused on Angel Song as she seemed to be agonizing over something.

"Angel, are you okay?" Twilight asked.

"Oh but of course, Twilight. Whatever would give you the impression that something was wrong?" Angel Song replied, though her eyes never left the dancing duo.

"Because you're going to tear your dress if you keep doing that,"

"Hm?"

Angel Song looked down at her hooves and just noticed that she had been pulling and wringing out her dress while watching the Prince and his dancing partner go at it on the dance floor. Turning her head to Twilight, she saw the look of concern that shone in her hostess' eyes.

"Oh, I didn't realize… ah, I'm sorry," Angel Song sighed and resigned herself to the corner of the room, away from everyone else.

Angel Song grabbed the book off the podium as she passed by it and went to make a private spot for her to hunker down in. She slowly flipped through the pages and seemed determined to lose herself in its fictional world, if it wasn't for a certain purple unicorn intruding on her self-banishment.

"You really like that book, don't you?" Twilight asked with a touch of concern in her voice as she leaned close to her fellow unicorn.

"Oh, have you not read this yet? It's simply such a fabulous collection of pony tales. A Princess in distress is captured by a terrible creature, but a dashing and knightly prince comes out of nowhere to rescue her. Then the Prince gets in trouble but the Princess ends up saving him with her magic! It is quite a… romantic tale. I like strong female leads," Angel Song began to realize that she was starting to ramble and resigned herself to burying her face deeper into the book.

"This is about Rarity, isn't it?" Twilight folded her legs and positioned herself by the Angel's side.

"Whatever do you mean?" was the mumbled reply Twilight got back.

"You seem really bothered whenever Rarity is alone with Prince Knight Light—"

"No, of course not!" Angel Song reared up her head and looked defiantly at the Ponyville unicorn, "It has nothing to do with how much I want to spend time with him or how I really admire his knightly self or how I wish I were a pretty princess like Luna or... or…" Angel Song blinked, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

"Twilight, whatever am I supposed to do?" Angel Song finally admitted after a moment's silence between them, "I just feel… I don't know how to describe it. I just really wish I could spend time with him, and just him."

"Him who?" called a masculine voice from behind Twilight.

The two unicorns turned to see a flustered and bashful Prince standing in front of them. He gave them both a reassuring grin, showing off his sparkling white teeth which dashed magnificently with his clean black coat.

"Prince Knight Light? Weren't you dancing with Rarity?" asked the perturbed Angel Song, worried that he had overheard their conversation and thus her image while she wiped away the tears from her eyes as best she could.

As if reading her mind, the Prince chuckled and waved a dismissive hoof in the air.

"We just finished, she was giving me some pointers. Back where I come from, I never really had much occasion or need to learn how to dance. I had asked Lady Rarity before thou went to the Spa if she could give me some quick lessons when she came back."

"Oh," Angel Song narrowed her eyes and looked beyond him to spy an innocent looking Rarity talking to the gathering of knightly bodyguards. Rarity caught her glimpse and gave her a sly wink.

"I wanted to ask… would thou mind if I have this dance, Lady Angel Song?"

"Oh?" Angel Song blinked a bit in surprise as the Prince addressed her, stifling back a sniff.

"To tell thou the truth," he scratched the tip of his nose with one hoof, "The reason I had asked Lady Rarity for instruction was so that I could, well, ask thou."

"Oh… oh! Me?" Angel Song seemed to perk up and her mood rebound quickly.

"I have heard you were from Canterlot, so thou must have attended quite a many dances and galas. It would be improper for me to ask to dance with such a fine mare if I went in… blind, so to say,"

Angel Song shut the book closed and gently pushed it into Twilight's waiting grasp as stood on all fours.

"I would be most delighted, milord."

"Please, call me Knight Light. It seems very odd for those who aren't my subjects to be calling me a lord all of a sudden,"

The two went side-by-side to the dance floor just as the music on the phonograph switched to a slower dance song. Twilight admired the two quietly long before she decided to join Rarity, who had pried herself away from the attention of the knights for just a little while all eyes were on the two in the center of the floor.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," Twilight remarked to her fashionable friend.

"All part of moi's plan, after all," Rarity smiled and rubbed her hoof into her chest, "Not my best work, I would have thrown in flowers and a romantic dinner… but I suppose it will have to suffice."

"Suffice?" Twilight asked, completely naïve of Rarity's intentions.

"Oh darling, I'll tell you some other day, so don't you think anything more of it," Rarity reassured her wonderfully sweet and naïve friend as they both watched the two stars dance the rest of the night away.