An Oath to Hashtor

by Sterling the pegasus

Epilogue

Flowerprance was still stretching after a long day of training exercises piloting Argent Hastae. Striding along the battlements of the Magna Turris’ main wall, she stopped, looking out over her city.
Ships were taking off from the docks to the west. Moving into orbit, they would carry supplies and troops to the Dauntless-class cruiser that had just made contact with their orbiting dock two days ago.
The economy was booming. Hashtor had a wealth of ancient technologies the Imperium were willing to pay exorbitant prices for-and then there were the Rogue Traders.

She watched as a pair of servitors and their techpriest master trotted through the front gate towards the knights’ repair bay. She did not much like the members of the Adeptus Mechanicus that had come to Hashtor, but she could appreciate their abilities at maintaining and repairing Knights and other technologies, after all, they had repaired her own Jouster after the Hashtoran War. And for that, she would always be in their debt.
She heard footsteps, and turned her head as another approached, wearing her perfectly-fitted dress uniform. Colonel Shimmerheart of the Unified Hashtoran Guard bowed her head in greeting. There was little formality between the two-the extra years of hunting down any Ork stragglers together had seen to that.

“Baroness. A pleasant summer evening, is it not?”
“It is indeed.”
They stayed silent for another moment.
“How is she?”
“Berrycakes? She is performing her duties well. She’s on track for earning the title of Chevalier within the next two years.”
Flowerprance smiled proudly. “Perfect. Thank you for keeping an eye on her.”
“I’ve barely had to, you raised her well.”
“I was unprepared, but I felt that I had to. For his sake.”
The two gazed down Brightmane Way towards the town centre. A huge, brass statue of a Space Marine, staring upwards, heroically saluted with a hoof to its chest. Its gothic style armour contrasting with the bolt pistol at its belt.

“He saved her life, the best I can do for him is give her one.” the Baroness remarked.
“A life of military service…not one many often wish for.” Chuckled the Colonel.
Flowerprance pondered this. “Perhaps in better times. But not now. Our armies need soldiers, Colonel, and our Knight house needs more squires. One day, I hope she will join us.”
“If you keep giving her that blade training, i’m sure she will.”
“It is a dangerous galaxy out there. She will be deployed soon. I fear for her.” The Baroness said suddenly.
Shimmerheart was silent for a moment.
“I suppose we’ll just have to see if the soldiers we’ve forged for this galaxy will be able to survive it.” She responded simply.
“She will make her oath to Hashtor soon. She will pledge herself to her world and to the Emperor one final time. Then, she will be shipped off to wherever light is needed in the darkness.”

“To fight and die a glorious death in the Emperor’s name. That is all we can hope for, is it not, Shimmerheart?”
“Yes. I suppose you are right, Flowerprance.”