Nightfall
The afternoon sun beamed pleasantly down on the hills and mountains, warming the gentle slopes and making the grass glow an even more vibrant green. The sky itself was a vivid blue with only light, wispy trails of cloud high up in the atmosphere. A gentle breeze ambled lazily amongst the hills from the plains, caressing the children that ran and played there, laughing and enjoying the beautiful summer day.
Atop one of the mountains, a majestic, spiraling city sat nestled comfortably into the cliff face, hugging it as though more for comfort than safety. Beside it, a waterfall rolled off the side of the mountain, the river at the bottom providing a source of water and social congregation for many ponies from all across the plains; more news was exchanged here than was officially released by any institution, and was certainly spread far more efficiently. The waterfall also provided various uses for the city above it, which looked out onto the plains and observed all that occurred throughout the land. As was intended when the city of Canterlot was built and declared as the capital of Equestria.
Within the city, busy ponies bustled about, crowding the streets and trying to each get on with their individual lives. Occasionally, a split would open up in the crowd, and a unicorn would briskly trot through before leaving the gap to collapse behind them. The crowd would glare in annoyance for a second, then move on. Bankers joined the throng long enough to slip into jewelry shops or one of the many businesses that decorated the avenues, porters trudged along with overbearing collections of suitcases, and lawyers managed to dance between the thickest parts of the crowd, passing a casual eye over individuals in the crowd that might be worth representing in the future. Along the sides of the streets, families enjoyed the day, sitting in cafes and restaurants, allowing time to just pass by as they observed what everypony was strutting about to and from, often peering admirably towards the structure in the centre of the city.
In the centre of Canterlot stood the Royal Palace, proudly reigning over the city in the same way that the inhabitants- two very special inhabitants -reigned over Equestria. And up in the tallest tower, the astronomy tower, stood a shadowy figure, doing just that. Staring down at the city bitterly, the figure snorted derisively and turned away. It trotted over to the section of the balcony that overlooked the plains, seeming to relax slightly at the openness in front of it as it leaned against the golden banister, draping its forehooves over the top. The din from the bustling city below was muffled, and the vibrant green emanating from the plains was almost as warming as the sun overhead. The figure closed its eyes and breathed in deeply, before letting the breath out slowly, the wings either side of its body unfurling. For a moment, the figure enjoyed the gentle feeling of the breeze caressing its body and running through its wings. A slow smile began to spread across its face.
The wind picked up. It was a brief change, but there was definitely a change. The figure opened its eyes and looked back across the plains, the din of the city, momentarily forgotten, coming back once more. The figure waited, listening intently, trying to drown out the unimportant background noise of the citizens below. The breeze continued, dying back down from the sudden gust. The grass still glowed happily down below. The figure strained to hear, but there was nothing. After standing tensely for several seconds, the figure sighed, dropping its head and getting down from the railings. It took slow, heavy steps back towards the doors that lead inside, not really picking up its hooves, but dragging them in a disappointed fashion.
Somewhere out past the plains, a faint, deep roar reached the astronomy tower.
The figure stopped. Then, after a moment of motionlessness, began to grin. It lifted its head and allowed itself to chuckle. Casting one last glance back towards the plains, the figure strode happily away from the doors, towards the other side of the balcony, where the city was laid out before the palace. This time, the figure looked upon the busy, bustling ponies not with distaste, but with amusement. It rested a foreleg on the banister, grinning once again as it considered everypony below; their arrogance, their stupidity, their obliviousness.
“Tonight,” it crooned, “tonight it begins. First we take our food. Then we meet our troops. And then....” It paused to chuckle once more. “And then, we go to war. And we claim what is rightfully ours.”
*******************************************************
South of Canterlot, sitting quietly and modestly amongst the plains, was the small town of Hopesmeade. Here, the townsponies worked cheerfully and steadily, not worried about deadlines or rush. The town was tranquil, only about an hours trot from the base of the Canterlot mountain. Far enough away to avoid any disturbances or annoyances, but close enough to trade, which was what the town relied on to survive. The town actually grew most of the crops that fed Equestria, all the way from Canterlot to Manehattan. The plains were perfectly suited to grow almost anything, and Princess Celestia- the ruler of Equestria -had acknowledged that the residents of Hopesmeade were more than capable of running the scores of acres of farmland that they managed. It was from this idea that the town had initially been founded- a home for those who were looking for shelter and employment, the town welcomed all who were willing to pull their weight. Provided that you did, the other residents would become your greatest friends and would willingly offer anything that they could spare if there was trouble of any kind. Luckily, this ‘trouble’ consisted usually of an occasional bout of lice or the need for a babysitter if a trip was required for the monthly trading.
On this summer day, the citizens were hard at work, many of them tending the the fields or else transporting supplies across town. Mares flitted throughout the town, going to or from the market with the aim to buy the nights dinner or else sell that surplus supply of fruit that they frequently found they had. Foals danced around, playing as their mothers stopped to talk to someone that they knew and share the latest gossip, laughing and joking jovially. Being a relatively small town with just over 900 inhabitants, everyone knew each other, and so this happened a lot.
In one of the fields that littered the plain around Hopesmeade, a lone earth pony dragged a heavy plow behind him. His bright orange coat glistened in the afternoon sun, and every now and then he’d shake his loose, brown mane out of his vividly blue eyes. Despite having been working since the morning, he managed to keep to his work at a steady pace, pulling along the hefty plough behind him with relative ease. He enjoyed the tranquillity that the farm work offered him, and was glad for the environment in which he was able to spend his days. The solitude however, not so much. He would have been happy to have even one other pony to share the day with, chatting and enjoying the simplicity of the day together. But monotony, monotony was just boring. Still, he couldn’t complain, he had a job and a home....who was he kidding. He wanted to be out in the big wide world, exploring and discovering, and having adventures. Adventures were out there in the beauty of the world, and better still, they weren’t boring.
A low, deep roar reached the field where the orange stallion worked. He looked up, pausing his work momentarily to listen. The roar stopped as abruptly as it had started, leaving only silence in its wake. The stallion waited, pricking his ears up for the slightest hint of sound and squinting into the distance as if hoping to see something. There was nothing. The earth stallion gradually resumed his work, still pondering the noise. It didn’t sound like anything that he’d heard before, and he was pretty sure that there were no animals in Equestria that made that noise. Well, he told himself, there had to be something that made that noise. After all, he’d just heard it for himself. It sounded like it had come from beyond the plains, so maybe it was a creature from the forest, or even over the mountains.
He shook his mane out of his eyes again, and sighed. It didn’t matter, because he was stuck on this farm, and he’d be unlikely to ever find out what it was. If it wasn’t for the picturesque, isolated location, he’d probably have left the town as soon as he was old enough. But then again, where else was there for him to go? He slowed, dropping his head and sighing. He was grateful for the work; it was, after all, what he as an earth pony was probably best suited for, and the shelter here had saved his family’s life, so he couldn’t really grumble. But he still couldn’t get around the feeling that his life was meant to be more than the same routine, day-in day-out for his entire life. And the plains that surrounded him were both a curse and a blessing; they allowed him to work out in the open, granting him at least some of the freedom that he wanted. On the other hand, they also served as a reminder as to his current position in life, constantly taunting and telling him that he was trapped in a dull routine from which he’d never escape; the open expanse around him made him feel more trapped than ever.
The sound of somepony approaching made him look up. It was a group of mares carrying supplies to the workers in the fields. The stallion smiled at them as they looked over in his direction, and picked up his speed again. Despite his reluctance to carry this job, he was not a lazy worker, and he would not give that impression to anypony. Instead, he shoved his boredom to the back of his mind, and kept on trudging forward at a respectable pace. He looked over at the mares again, and this time spotted a familiar cream coloured one. Immediately, he picked up the pace again, this time almost running. The tranquility, as wonderful as it was, was not the sole reason for his staying here.
*******************************************************
By the evening, the stallion was sweating. He leant against a tree by the side of the field that he had been working in, and gazed at the sun casting its orange smear across the sky. He smiled. It was beautiful, and he felt satisfied at a hard day's work, regardless of what it entailed. In his eyes, it actually made it more satisfying that he had persisted and persevered in a line of work that he disliked; there was more achievement in that.
“Hey, Dawnfire!” A voice called to him from his right. The stallion, having worked up a sweat, the perspiration from a day's hard work making his orange coat glisten, didn’t really have the motivation to move anywhere in a hurry. If it was anything else, he would have continued watching the sun’s steady path through the sky, drawn a foreleg across his eyes, and shaken the sweat out of his clinging brown mane. That voice, however, drew his attention immediately. He looked up without a moment’s hesitation to see the cream coloured mare from earlier trotting over, a warm smile plastered on her face.
Dawnfire smiled back. “Hey Mira. How’s the stall going? Making a nice profit still?” The mare nodded, coming to a stop next to Dawnfire and looking out over the plains towards the setting sun. They stayed like that for a moment, before Mira turned back towards Dawnfire and took in his appearance. “Wow, it looks like you’ve been putting in your heart and soul today,” she noted. Before Dawnfire could reply, Mira continued. “The mayor has called a town meeting for tomorrow. All are invited.”
“What for?”
“To see what we want to do with the surplus.”
“Ahh.”
“What’s the ‘ahh’ for?”
“I’ve never really cared much for the planning and organisation.”
“You don’t care what happens to the crops that you put so much effort into harvesting?”
“I harvest them. I get paid in food and shelter. What they do with it is up to them.”
Mira clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Maybe you should start taking an interest in long term things. You don’t really seem to care about much.” Dawnfire shifted uncomfortably at that. Mira sighed, and then nuzzled him gently with her muzzle.
“Look, I know how much you want to go out there and discover new things, but if you can’t even plan things within your own life, how could you plan out an expedition, or a team? You could never really achieve that, not with how you behave now. You need to grow up, Dawn.”
Dawnfire sighed. “Yeah, you’re right,” he grumbled. “Again, I guess. But I just want to see the outside world. I’m always looking into it, but never actually going out there to find it.” He looked down at Mira. Dawnfire had always been told that he was a ‘good height’ for an earth pony stallion. This meant that he was roughly average for a stallion, with a few inches on mares (although he did get the odd glint of satisfaction from an occasional annoyed glance from another pony that noted that he was a inch or two taller than some). It helped that he had solid muscle along his flanks and legs; his body was lean, with no fat on it at all. This sometimes gave him the appearance of being lanky, and making him appear as taller than he actually was. With time though, everypony realised that he was, in fact, a roughly average height, although there was no denying his firm build.
“Oh, I wouldn’t do that now, if I were you. I might mess up your mane,” Dawnfire warned. Mira pulled away.
“How is my mane, by the way?” She asked. Dawnfire nearly answered ‘beautiful, just like you’, but caught himself in time. Instead, he answered “It looks lovely. But then, you always put amazing effort into it.” Mira beamed at him.
“You are really sweet, thank you!”
“I mean it.”
“I know. It’s just gratifying to hear that. I need to make the right impression at the market, and I’m happy to hear that I’m getting it right.”
Dawnfire pondered this. Mira’s mane was definitely enticing; plum and bubblegum pink, it fell past her head and curled at the ends. It looked like silk, like someone had gathered a mass of the stuff, dyed it pink and purple, and then gently folded it into a beautiful twist of colour that gathered near her body and curled out the way of her eyes. Speaking of which, were striking in themselves; deep blue, not unlike Dawnfire’s own. With her alluringly blue eyes, beautifully curled mane, and gorgeous cream coat- not to mention her attractive figure -she was a knock out for stallions, and a natural choice for customer service in any job.
“So then, did you just come to tell me about the meeting, or do you enjoy my company?” Dawnfire asked, grinning. Mira grinned back.
“Okay,” she admitted. “I wondered if you wanted me to walk you back. You know, seeing as you’re scared of the dark and how you might need protection from the scary monsters that roam the plains at night.” Dawnfire laughed.
“Okay then, fearless protector. Lead on.”
The duo turned and began walking away from the fields, and back towards the town. The sun sank lower in the sky, casting long shadows along the ground. The air began to cool although neither of the earth ponies noticed. “Hey,” Dawnfire suddenly perked up. “Did you hear the noise earlier? The roar?” Mira turned to look at him.
“Yeah,” she admitted. “Do you know what it was?” Dawnfire merely shook his head. Mira remained quietly in thought for a few seconds, before turning back to look at him curiously. “What made you bring it up?” she asked him inquisitively. Dawnfire shrugged.
“Well, you said about scary monsters, and that’s the first thing that came to mind.” Mira laughed, then said, “Wow, you really are scared, aren’t you?” Dawnfire looked at her with mock annoyance.
“I am not!”
“Yes you are!”
“No I’m not!”
“Are too!”
“Are not!”
There was a sudden breeze, and Mira shivered. Instinctively, she moved closer to Dawnfire, pressing up against him. Dawnfire felt his heart beat faster, and looked forward as they walked. There was a moment’s silence before Mira looked up and noticed Dawnfire’s reaction. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve made you uncomfortable, haven’t I?” She moved away slightly, looking embarrassed.
“No!” Dawnfire objected. He realised how sudden that sounded, and softened his tone. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. If you’re cold, don’t worry about it. Come on.” He smiled at her warmly. She hesitated, then moved over to his side again, hugging up against him. “Warmer?” he asked. Mira smiled up at him.
“Much. Thank you.”
By this time they had reached the fringe of the town, the first few houses dotting the scenery. Dawnfire piped up, breaking the silence. “Hey, Mira? Can I ask you something?” She looked up at him curiously.
“Of course”. Dawnfire swallowed nervously.
“Well, next week is the trading trip, and I’ve thought about going.” He looked down at Mira, but avoided her eyes. “Well, I wondered if you were going, then maybe we could, um, spend the day at Canterlot? Maybe we could, g-go and see the palace, and maybe have lunch in ones of those fancy restaurants? Wh-what do you think?” Mira kept walking, looking at him. Dawnfire hated the silence. Why didn’t she just say something? Come on!
Eventually, she questioned softly, “Are you asking me out?” Dawnfire blushed, and not for the first time in his life, thanked nature that his coat was orange.
“No, um, just companionship. You know, I like your company, and I thought it would be a nice treat for us both.” He paused. When he got no reply, he asked hopefully, “Is that a yes then?” Mira started shaking, and Dawnfire began to worry. It was only after a couple of seconds that he realised that she was holding in laughter. Managing to contain her laughter as giggles, Mira turned and nuzzled him.
“Oh Dawn, you are so transparent! But yes, that does sound nice, and I would love to come.” Dawnfire felt a flush of relief, and suddenly realised that he’d been holding in a breath. He breathed out. Mira burst into a fresh fit of giggles, and they had to stop for a moment so that she could regain her composure. Walking on, Mira spoke up again. “So then Dawn, what are you planning for the day? Are we going to take a grand tour of the city, or relax in one of the spas? Or maybe...” Her voice dropped slightly and she stretched upwards to whisper in his ear “...maybe you’re going to sweep me off my hooves and into one of the hotels there?” Dawnfire blushed even more, and he wondered if he was actually giving off any heat. He sure hoped that Mira didn’t notice.
They reached Dawnfire’s house, and stopped. Dawnfire just stood there, unsure about what to do. Mira just grinned at him. Finally, she said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be able to get home fine. I only live around the corner.” As she said this she began to walk around Dawnfire, occasionally bumping into and rubbing up against him. “So then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. From the feel of you, you’re too tired out to do anything tonight anyway.” She winked at him, and he grinned sheepishly back. “Goodnight then.” She turned and walked away, flicking his face lightly with her tail as she did so. He stared as she walked away, noticing that she seemed to be swaying her hips WAY more than she needed to. His grin got bigger, and he kept watching, determined not to let this moment end so soon.
The door of his house opened, and a green mare stepped out. She looked at Dawnfire, then at where he was gazing. She cleared her throat, and got no reaction. She sighed. “So then, productive day?” she asked. The response was a ecstatic nod. The mare looked at where Dawnfire was staring once more. “I heard that you really ploughed that plot hard.”
That got Dawnfire’s attention. He snapped round with a panicked look, and stuttered a bit before finally managing to ask “W-w-what?!”. The mare looked back to him.
“I said that you worked the plot over thoroughly. Filled in all the holes and everything. Everyone said what a great job you’d done, and Mira seemed satisfied when I ran into her earlier today. Apparently you have an amazing stamina.” Dawnfire stared, mouth agape.
“B-but I haven’t done.....” He paused. “Wait, are you on about the field?” The mare looked him over, puzzled.
“Yes, that’s what I said. The plot.” Dawnfire sighed, both a mixture of relief and exasperation, and walked inside the house.
The house was relatively spacious, with enough room for the family that lived there. Dawnfire walked over to the table in the kitchen and slumped down. The green mare moved over to the stove, and began stirring the mixture inside. Dawnfire looked up long enough to call out, “I’ve told you before mum, it’s called a field. Its belongs to the town, so it’s not our plot of land. So it’s not a ‘plot’”. The green mare snorted.
“I’m not sure what the problem is. All I said was that you worked hard today. Everyone commented that you always seemed to be working, not taking breaks, and that you worked efficiently.” She turned round long enough to eye him up and down. “And from the looks of you, they were right. You need a bath. Dinner won’t be ready for about half an hour, so get up there.” Dawnfire groaned, and struggled to get up from the table. The green mare looked over at him. “One more thing. Mira said that you didn’t take any breaks today, that whenever she saw you, you were working. And yet when I looked over just before she came along, you were having a break.” She paused. “Are you trying to impress her?”
Dawnfire stopped at the foot of the stairs. “Is that a problem?” There was a brief laugh.
“Of course not. Mira is a polite, beautiful and smart young mare. And she’s been your friend since you were tiny foals in Trottingham. Her family moved with us to here when the unemployment skyrocketed over there, so you’ve always known her. It’s great that you get along so well.” Dawnfire smiled at those memories, and started to trot up the stairs gently. “But listen here. No funny business. We need your work ethic to support us, and you can’t do that if you’re encumbered with a family of your own. I don’t want to find that something’s gone on between you two. You’re too young to be raising a foal of your own.” Dawnfire stopped, and groaned.
“Mum, I know how to handle my life. I’m 20!” he shouted back down the stairs, before galloping up the remainder before he could get another lecture about responsibility.
*******************************************************
Dawnfire came back downstairs as dinner was being served up. He had to admit, a bath after a long, hard day's work was not a bad thing. It soothed all the stress and tension that he had worked up during the day, and it was very relaxing. If he didn’t have his pride, he might’ve been tempted to slack off all the time just to take baths.
He rounded into the kitchen and saw that another stallion was seated at the table too, this one a vivacious red. The stallion heard Dawnfire approach, and turned round to greet him. Dawnfire nodded.
“Hi dad.” The stallion smiled, and motioned with his hoof for Dawnfire to sit across from him. Dawnfire complied and took his seat at the table. The stew was served up immediately after, his mother taking her seat at the opposite end of the table. The family began to tuck into their meal.
“So,” the stallion began. “I heard that there’s a meeting tomorrow. Something about deciding what to do with the surplus.” Dawnfire nodded.
“I heard the same from Mira.” His mother gave him a warning glance, which he ignored, and which his father missed entirely.
“Well, there shouldn’t be that much to discuss. We’ll probably end up taking it to Canterlot anyway.” He glanced over at Dawnfire. “I guess that you’ll be staying here?” Dawnfire looked up.
“Actually, no,” he said, surprising both listeners. “I’m thinking of taking the trip and helping the town. And maybe spending the day in Canterlot.” His father squinted suspiciously.
“Why Canterlot? What are you planning?” he questioned. Dawnfire sighed.
“I was thinking of taking Mira there for the day.” He looked up at his father, and sought out his eyes. “I take it that won’t be a problem?”. His father grinned, and shook his head.
“No, of course not. I think you’ve earned that day trip.” Dawnfire smiled, and looked over at his mother. She had been glaring at him, but upon seeing her husband’s reaction, she merely sighed and submitted, nodding in defeat.
The conversation moved away from work and into happy memories, eventually reaching Dawnfire’s childhood. “Well,” started his father, “I remember when you were a tiny thing. You always were a little explorer. We’d try and stop you from wandering up and down the stairs, but you didn’t have any of it; if you wanted to go somewhere, you got there in the end.” They all laughed.
“How couldn’t you stop me? I was only a tiny thing, like you said,” Dawnfire chuckled. Both of his parents smiled at this, and looked over at one another.
“Well,” his mother replied, “You had the speed of a pony struck by lightning. You always seemed to outrun us.” Dawnfire grinned.
The conversation died down, and the three of them got down from the table and trotted towards the stairs. “Oh, one more thing. Why did you decide to call me Dawnfire?” he asked. His parents looked over at each other, a deep look of pleasant nostalgia etched onto their faces. After a brief while (in which they seemed to silently decide on who would tell the story), they turned back to Dawnfire. His father smiled.
“Well, your mother and I always wanted a child of our own. It was something that we’d always dreamed of. We spoke about the idea frequently, and both agreed that we were happy to have one whenever.” He stopped smiling. “But there were....difficulties. It seemed that no matter how much we tried, we’d never get a foal. It seemed like the odds were against us. But then,” his smile picked up again. “But then your mother found out that she was pregnant. It was one of the happiest days of our lives. I don’t think that all of the wealth in Canterlot could make us happier than that news.” His mother gave a confirming nod, and beamed. “We’d been waiting for years, and finally, here was the answer to our prayers.”
Dawnfire listened intently, and noticed that a shadow seemed to cross his father's face as he spoke his next words. “There were complications during the birth. Your mother went into labour, and...” He stopped for a moment, then collected his thoughts and continued. “I went outside for a moment. I couldn’t bear to stand there and watch your mother in pain like that, with all the others around her desperately trying to help. It was dusk, and the stars were starting to fade away. There was a gentle breeze, and it actually felt calm outside.”
The shadow faded from his father's face, replaced by a look of ease and reverence. “And then, as the sun began to break over the horizon, and the first light spread across the town, I heard a cry from indoors. A young, feeble cry.” He looked at Dawnfire and smiled gently. “That was when you were born. At the break of dawn, you arrived in this world, despite all the problems that had faced you.”
Dawnfire nodded. “So I was called Dawnfire because I was born at dawn. Logical I guess.” His father shook his head.
“Your mother wanted to call you Dawnbreak, but I talked some sense into her.” Dawnfire looked over at his mother in surprise.
“Thank you dad, I really appreciate it.”
“But it was more important than that.”
“Oh?”
“You weren’t just born at dawn. For us at least, you provided light in our darkest hour, and brought something special into our lives. For us, you heralded the dawn, shepherded it.”
“So you called me Dawnfire-”
“We called you Dawnfire because you are strong and fierce and resilient, and you bring light that people need and expect to see every day. You are the beacon of hope in our lives.”
Dawnfire nodded with some satisfaction. “For you. I’m glad that I made a major impact on somepony’s life then. Even if it wasn’t the way that I wanted.”
His parents glanced at each other, and his mother stepped forwards. “I wouldn’t say that. I mean, look at Mira. You were her friend since you started walking. She looked up to you and always went around with you. I was hard pressed to separate you, even for something like dinner, and when bedtime came, oh Celestia did you whine! You two had sleep overs so often that I wondered if we should just give you two a permanent residence of your own! And when the employment dried up in Trottingham, Mira’s family came with us to seek out Hopesmeade. And what did you two do? You jumped and ran and skipped around, all the way there. You didn’t care that you were leaving, or that you had to walk miles and miles. You were just happy to have each other to play with. So don’t doubt yourself; you inspire ponies, and bring out the best in them. You do have a special quality that you can be proud of.”
Dawnfire gazed at his parents, and considered this. He was glad that he’d brought happiness to someponies lives, even in such a small way. It was meaningful to them, and that’s what he counted; if the pony that you gave the gift to enjoyed the gift, then it didn’t matter what the gift was, because its value consisted entirely of the emotions that it invoked. He was the gift to his parents, and he made them happy, so he was satisfied in that regard. That would keep him happy until tomorrow at least. He smiled at that, and the smile stuck on his face as he trotted up the stairs to his room and settled comfortably into his modest bed.
“Dawnfire”, he thought as he closed his eyes and welcomed the darkness that softly surrounded him. “The shepherd of the light......”
*****************************************************
A commotion outside woke Dawnfire from his slumber. He rose from the bed, pausing to stretch his back. Still dreary from just waking up, he stumbled from his bedroom and headed downstairs to find both his parents looking out the kitchen window.
“What’s going on?” Dawnfire yawned at them. Neither of them looked back at him, but his dad answered, “We don’t know. Some ponies are just marching through here. We don’t know why or what they want.”
Dawnfire’s mother looked round from her place at the window and glanced at him. Dawnfire didn't like the look of unease on her face. “It looks like Canterlot guards,” she voiced incredulously. Dawnfire turned to the door and opened it slightly, and the sound (which he now realised to be marching ponies) grew noticeably louder. The figures outside did indeed look like city guards, although not in any armour that he’d seen before; instead of the usual proud gold sheen that highlighted any member of the force that protected Canterlot, these ponies wore dark blue and purple armour. Dawnfire shook his head.
“What are the guards doing here? It’s the middle of the night.” Even in his fatigued state, it didn't take him any time at all to realise that something must be wrong.
A figure stepped out of a house across the street from Dawnfire. It trotted in front of the column of guards, immediately bringing them to a halt. The noise dropped, leaving a profound silence. After a brief pause, the figure called out in a firm but respectful voice, “Hello, guards of Canterlot. Would you please state your business here. We will be happy to assist you in any way possible.”
From the parade of guards came forward a lone pony. From his gait it was easy to tell that he was in charge; he strode up to the front confidently and came to a steady halt in front of the pony that had addressed them.
“Greetings, citizen of Hopesmeade,” the guard jovially smiled at the figure in front of him. “I wish to speak to the mayor."
The figure studied him for a while before answering stoically, “Well, you’re speaking to him. How may I help?” The guard smiled again.
From his position at the door, Dawnfire could easily make out the conversation between the mayor and the dark armour-clad pony.
“I bring joyous news of the Princess Luna’s ascension and the rise of the night. I invite you to partake in this glorious event and welcome you to be a part of the New Lunar Republic, which will rise up and replace this corrupt system that we are all oppressed by.” The guard looked at the mayor expectantly, and there was a pregnant silence.
Dawnfire smirked. Not only was this cheesy and badly thought out from the sound of it, but it was highly entertaining. Finally, he could get some adventure that he so much desired. The situation outside was unexpected and unprecedented for Hopesmeade; ponies rarely visited, and the ones that did were new inhabitants. These trickled into Hopesmeade in small families, not parades, and especially not at night. This was certainly bizarre for the small town.
The mayor coughed, and regarded the armoured pony before him. After a while he asked, “So this isn't a message from Princess Celestia? It’s a....” He paused and chose the next words with a careful amount of consideration. “...a declaration from the other Princess.” The guard frowned at this, and glared at the mayor.
“Her name is Luna, and she is the true Princess. The one, the only.” The mayor didn't react to this, but held his gaze with the guard.
“Well, if there is a message to deliver, or a request, we are more than happy to help. But could you please ask, because you are currently keeping everypony awake, and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
At the word ‘tomorrow’, the guard threw back his head and let out a loud, bellowing laugh. The mayor raised his eyebrow slightly, but didn't say anything. The guard breathed a sigh of amusement and looked back at the mayor.
“Don’t you see?” he asked in an excited breath. “There will be no tomorrow. From now on, it will be nighttime eternal. We shall all revel in this glorious dark which the true princess has created for us out of her generosity, her unparalleled power, her leadership. This is the new world.” At this, he raised a forehoof and swept it in an arc above him.
The mayor shook his head, deciding that the pony in front of him was either a prankster or an escapee from an asylum somewhere. If it wasn't for the wall of guards standing motionless in the background, he would have assumed it was the latter. Either way, this had gone on long enough, and the ponies in their homes had started muttering loud enough for the mayor to clearly hear their dissatisfaction out on the street. He sighed, and looked up at the guard again.
“Okay then. Whatever the case may be, we are here now, and you want something. What do you want?”
The guard smiled at the mayor. “We require supplies and resources to power our campaign. Your town is the pride of Equestria. Its unfaltering commitment and labour are a testament to the strength of the ponies that reside here. Now, I offer you a chance to put your skills to work for a greater purpose. Give us your crops, and in return you can call yourself a part of this nation.” All noise in the street instantly stopped.
The mayor didn't respond, this time because he couldn't believe the sheer insanity of what he had just heard. Eventually, he managed to force himself to ask, “You want us to give you our crops? All of them?” The reply was a reassuring smile.
“Yes, but don’t worry, you’ll be handsomely rewarded. Very handsomely.” The silence resumed. It lingered for several seconds, nopony daring to make a sound. The mayor stared at the guard incredulously.
“All of our crops?”
“Yes.”
“That’s insane.”
“I know that it may seem very dramatic, but I assure you...”
“No. It is insane, and we are not going to hand over our hard work to the first pony who trots up and asks for it.”
The guard’s jaw tightened, and he stepped up to the mayor threateningly. “Listen here, we are taking those crops. It is for a better future, and you can be a part of it, but you must co-operate. You have a choice on where you stand, but not what becomes of your work. You will get a share back, but we are the soldiers fighting to secure our freedom. We need it more than you.”
The mayor stared defiantly back, and answered simply, “No. They are our crops. If you want some, buy them from us.” The guard growled, then lent forwards.
“This is your last chance,” he hissed into the mayor’s face. “Give us those crops.” The mayor lent in even closer.
“This is your only warning. Leave this town, or I will have the Canterlot guards on you.” The two figures glared at each other venomously for what seemed like an eternity, then the guard snorted and turned away.
“So be it!” he spat back at the mayor, giving him a derisive glance before trotting back to his parade of armour-clad ponies. The mayor watched him as he slinked away, silently letting out a sigh of relief. This night had been too hectic, and he just needed his bed again. He turned back towards his house.
“ATTACK!” came the shout from behind him. The mayor turned in time to see a sheen of metal rise from the wall of guards. Spears. They were all carrying spears. The guards spilled out from their ranks and headed towards the houses scattered throughout the town. Screams and shouts of surprise could be heard as doors were kicked in and threats were hollered, the group easily breaking into each and every house, whether the occupants were awake or not. The mayor found himself tackled to the ground, and before he could struggle, he found a spear point at his throat. Looking up, he saw the guard from earlier grinning at him.
“Don’t struggle,” he crooned, “and you’ll live to be the puppet mayor of this town.”
*****************************************************
Dawnfire jumped back in surprise when he saw the sea of spears rise from the guards in the street. This wasn't good, and it was about to get very bad. When he saw the guards rush towards the houses, he instinctively slammed his weight against the door, shutting it just as a cacophony of bangs and thumps announced the arrival of at least three guards. A lifetime of hard manual labour had given Dawnfire remarkable strength, and he could just about withstand the persistent bucking from the ponies outside.
Dawnfire looked over at his parents. His mum was cowering against a wall, and his father was searching through the kitchen drawers for something to use as a weapon.
“Dad,” Dawnfire called out desperately. “What do we do?” Another jolt from the door added to the terror he felt. The stallion stopped rummaging, and closed his eyes for a moment. He sighed, then drooped his head. The door juddered. “Dad, we need to decide on something!” A crunch. “Now!”
The stallion looked up suddenly, and Dawnfire could see the fierce determination burning in his eyes. He galloped over to Dawnfire, and threw his weight against the door too, the look in his eyes persisting as he addressed his son.
“Here’s what we are going to do. I’m going to hold this door. You are going to help your mother hide underneath the stairs. Then, you are going to take the back door and get to Canterlot however you can. You need to get the Canterlot Guard over here, as soon as you can.”
Dawnfire felt numb, barely even registering the thuds reverberating from the door anymore. “But, dad, I can’t leave you and mum here. Come with me!” The older stallion shook his head.
“Your mother is in no fit state to run that far, but you are. We all know it. And I’ll look after her, don’t you worry. We’ll be fine.” Dawnfire gritted his teeth.
“But I can’t get that far! I can’t leave you and everypony else here! I’m not going to run away, I want to stay and fight!” His father grunted as the door shifted a couple of inches.
“Listen, you can do this! You need to! It’s our only hope, and it’s not just about you! This entire town needs you to run and get help. You’re not running away, you’re running towards the fight.” Dawnfire began to object again . His father raised a forehoof and slammed it against the door. “Listen! You will do this, for me, your mother, this town, and for yourself, okay? You want responsibility? You want freedom? You’ve always wanted that, so go out and get it! As long as I’m still alive, I am your guardian. I am ordering you to do this, so out of respect for me and your mother, do as you’re told!”
The words hit Dawnfire like lightning bolts. He nodded his head, and looked over to where his mother was cowering. “Can you hold the door?” he asked.
“Well, I have to either way,” the older stallion grunted back. “Now get moving!”. Dawnfire took a deep breath, and galloped away from the door. Reaching the far wall, he checked his mother over. She was shaking violently, clearly in shock, and he could hear her sobbing. He bent down and tried to push her up, but she collapsed back against the wall.
“Come on mum, get up!” he urged. “We need to hide, now!” She continued to sob in quick breaths on the floor. He forcefully pulled her up, and took as much of her weight as he could. “Mum, dad’s busy, so I’m the stallion around the house for now, so please, listen to me! Dad needs us both to do our part and be strong, so please, move!” She seemed to react to this, dragging herself along slightly as he guided her towards the stairs.
Reaching the door, Dawnfire struggled with the latch, eventually managing to pull it off and open the door. His mother stumbled inside, and he rushed over to a blanket covering several boxes. He felt a slight twinge of hope when he saw that they all contained foodstuffs, and took the blanket in his mouth. Dumping it over his mother, he whispered to her, “Stay here mum. Don’t make any sound, and stay under the blanket. There is food in the boxes next to you if you get hungry, and I don’t know how long you’ll need to stay here. I’m running to get help. I love you.” He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, and then stepped out, closing and locking the door with a heavy heart.
Dawnfire galloped into the kitchen to see his father still holding the door. Somehow, he’d managed to withstand all of the batterings since Dawnfire had left. The stallion looked round as Dawnfire entered.
“Is your mother safe?” he asked. Dawnfire nodded, and the stallion looked content for a brief second, before adding hastily, “Good. Now run. Your mother can’t stay there for ever.” Dawnfire’s hooves refused to move. There was so much to say, and not enough time.
“I love you dad. I’ll come back with help, I promise. Stay safe, please.” The last part was choked out with much effort. The older stallion looked back at him with pride.
“I know you will. I love you too, and all that sentimental stuff that we don’t have time for.” He paused for moment, and he looked Dawnfire in the eye. “Just...just promise me that, whatever happens, you’ll do the right thing. Not what you feel like, but what’s right, for everypony, for yourself. Don’t be driven by emotion. I need....wait, they've stopped banging so much. There’s only one pony banging on the door. Why did they...”
A spear smashed a window of the kitchen, and another followed suit. Glass rained across the room and skidded along the floor. The stallion holding the door looked at his son with alarm, and shouted out to him, “Go! Now!” Dawnfire turned and ran, galloping out of the kitchen and bursting through the back door, only pausing once outside to look back and see his father glaring defiantly at an unseen intruder. Dawnfire only belatedly noticed that his father also looked somewhat content and at ease, but then he was cantering away from his house, trying to act rationally in this insane situation.
*****************************************************
Whilst sneaking through the town, Dawnfire saw the guards escorting the townsponies down the high street. They looked exhausted, staggering forward towards the outskirts of the town beyond which lay the acres of fields. Dawnfire noted with shock that all the ponies present were stallions; they were being taken to pick the crops. He growled angrily to himself. Ponies weren't cheap slave labour.
Keeping behind the houses, Dawnfire managed to avoid the street and the guards themselves. Luckily, the vast majority seemed to be heading towards the fields with the townsponies, probably as much to help as to keep the stallions in check. The few that were left were keeping watch over the mares and foals in their homes. The thought made Dawnfire sick, and he took a detour, with a slight twinge of guilt, to a home not too far from his. Surely this wasn't betraying his father’s trust? Just a quick check would be all he needed, and then he could be on his way.
He kept his body low as he trotted silently along the walls and ducked under the window, sneaking up to the door and putting his ear up against the wood. He could hear voices from inside, and that was either very good, or more likely, extremely bad. Taking a deep breath, Dawnfire stepped back and pulled the door open a crack, just enough to see inside. The voices got louder, and Dawnfire could make out what sounded like three different stallions laughing and talking over each other. Every now and then, he could make out a smaller, silkier voice breaking through the cascade of noise; Mira.
Dawnfire opened the door some more, and managed to spot two guards with their backs to him. They had discarded their helmets and were leaning against the walls, their spears laying comfortably on the floor beside them. Another guard was laying on the sofa, grinning and chatting to the other figure in the room. Dawnfire breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Mira unhurt and apparently in good spirits, smiling and talking to all the occupants of the room. To the casual eye, she might have looked like a good host at a house party, bringing drinks to her guests and chatting amiably. Dawnfire, however, had known her his entire life, and he knew her mannerisms and character. She was exceptional at soldiering on and pretending she was okay. Putting on a happy face was part of her job, but she didn't act like this unless she had a reason to, and right now, Dawnfire could tell she was terrified. Leaning into the house as much as he dared, he started to make out the conversation.
“Why do you even live out here?” the guard on the sofa asked. He had a cropped blue mane and spoke in a gruff voice. “It’s nothing but endless fields and plains. There’s a reason we have cities, y’know.” Mira smiled at him and shook her head gently.
“Well, this place has it benefits. It’s quiet and peaceful, and everypony here looks out for each other. I’m sure it’s similar to the bond that you soldiers share.” The guard on the sofa snorted.
“Cute. But what is there to see? You just...well, what do you do? There’s nothing here.”
Again, Mira shook her head, and answered, “Oh no, there’s so much to see. We’re surrounded by nature and tranquility, and I have a friend...” Mira stopped for a moment at this point, and Dawnfire felt a pang of pity for her. “...a friend who loves to just stop and look at the beauty that surrounds him. He revels in the joy that the day brings.”
One of the guards leaning against the wall sneered and said, “Well, not anymore he don’t.” There was harsh barking laughter from the other two guards, and Mira jolted slightly at the sudden noise. Dawnfire closed his eyes. He needed to think! What should he do? His father had said to go and get help, but he’d also said to do the right thing for everypony. What was the right thing? Help Mira, or leave her to help everypony else? His thought process was interrupted by the guard on the sofa asking another question.
“So then, what’s a pretty little filly like yourself doing all on your lonesome?” Mira looked at him genially, but Dawnfire could see the condescension in her eyes.
“I live with my father,” she replied. “You've probably seen him, he’s the toughest and strongest one out in the fields right now. He’s probably the reason why you've chosen to guard weak little me instead of him.” Dawnfire smirked.
“That’s my girl!” he whispered to himself. The guards looked at each other and grumbled. The sofa guard looked back at Mira.
“So then, what do you do around here, if you’re so weak and useless?” he demanded. Dawnfire started to think again as Mira gave her reply.
“Well, I never said I was useless,” she answered jovially. “I’m not big and strong, but I have my talents. I always liked talking to people and making friends, and one day I found this small filly who was crying because she’d lost her mother. I was only 13 or so myself at the time, but I convinced her that we’d find her mother and get her home. We walked around the town for a while and eventually she recognised her mother in the crowd, and I received so many hugs and much thanks from the both of them. It made me happy to help other ponies like that, and when I got home, I found that I had this.” At this point Mira looked back at her body where a pattern of a smiling sun sat proudly on both of her flanks. The sofa guard grinned. Mira looked back at them and continued. “I’m good with ponies, so I run a food stall in the market here. I also help to calm down any trouble that may arise in the market, and-”
The guard from the sofa rose to his hooves suddenly, still grinning. Mira stopped mid-sentence and looked at him. “So,” he said, starting to steadily clop towards her. “You run a food stall, and you’re known for good customer service? Well, you’re just the pony to talk to then. You see, I have a sausage. A very big one, if I say so myself.” The other two guards snickered, and Mira began to edge backwards, her smile starting to slip from her face. “The problem is, I haven’t used it for a long time, and I’m not sure if it’s still edible. Could you do me a favour and give it a taste?” Mira bumped against the wall behind her, and the guard still advanced, his grin getting wider. Dawnfire felt his blood boil. He couldn’t just leave now! He needed to help. What was the right thing to do?
Mira’s smile returned, though it was less confident than before. “Now, I don’t think you’d want to do that. You soldiers have a very high sense of honour, and that might be tarnished if your commanding officer hears about this.” The guard’s grin dropped, and he looked over at his two comrades with a look of mock consideration.
“You know guys, she’s right. This will look very bad for us if it gets out. We don’t want the captain to know. Maybe I shouldn't do this.” The two guards chuckled.
“Don’t worry,” one assured. “You never did anything. We didn't see it.” The guard’s grin returned, and he faced Mira again, reaching down to unbuckle his armour.
“I get next round though,” the guard on the wall demanded.
“Of course,” came the reply. “And you can have my cider too if you want it.”
Dawnfire gritted his teeth. Forget any dilemmas or decisions, this was what was right and this was what he was going to do! Pulling open the door as swiftly and silently as he could, he crept in and positioned himself behind the two guards. Luckily, they’d moved off the wall and clumped closer together to get a better view of what was about to happen. He spun round and looked behind him to check his aim, then lashed out with both of his hind legs. The bucks connected with the back of the guards heads with a loud thud, and they crumpled forwards and skidded along the floor, unconscious. Dawnfire turned around to face the room, and found the last guard staring at him in shock. He’d discarded his armour and had one hoof on Mira’s back, trying to push her down. Mira pushed his hoof away and ran to a corner of the room, as far as she could get away from him.
Dawnfire galloped straight at the stallion, who’d started looking around for his spear. Dawnfire noted with some satisfaction that it was on the sofa still, and with even more satisfaction the look of terror on the guard’s face when he looked up to see Dawnfire about to collide with him. There was no thought, no plan, no conscious decision. Dawnfire rose his right foreleg and smashed it as hard as he could into the stallion in front of him, who’d tried to turn to avoid the attack. Instead, the foreleg collided with his ribs, which would have been left completely undamaged had he been wearing armour, but it had been discarded not moments previously. There was a loud crack as four ribs broke, and the stallion howled in pain as he collapsed to the floor. He tried to get up, but the same foreleg that broke his ribs smacked against his head, which thudded heavily into the floor again. He settled for a low pitched whine and only partially took in the voice that growled angrily at him, “If you touch her again, there’ll be nothing left of you for your commanding officer to find out about.”
Mira heard the heard the crack, the scream, the thud and the low angry growl from her position in the corner of the room, and it wasn't until she heard the soft clop of approaching hooves that she looked up to see Dawnfire coming towards her, a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay?” he asked anxiously. Mira stood up shakily and checked herself over.
“I’m not hurt. But I-I think....”
Dawnfire caught her as she threw herself forwards and wrapped her forelegs around him, burying her face in his side. “Th-thank you for t-turning up when you did,” she whimpered.“I can’t imagine what would have h-happened if you hadn't.” Dawnfire drew her closer and stroked her mane comfortingly, and the two of them stayed like that for a moment. Mira lifted her head and looked at Dawnfire with a look of surprise, as though something had just dawned on her. “How did you escape?” she asked. Dawnfire shook his head.
“It’s something that I’d rather not think about right now. As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.” Mira nodded her head in acknowledgement and buried her head in Dawnfire’s side again. He sighed, regretting that he had to end this moment so soon. She needed emotional support right now, but his job was to get to Canterlot. He hated having that job.
“Mira,” he spoke up. She gave a muffled ‘yes’ from his left. “I need to go to get help. I’m sorry, I’d stay here if I could, but we all need help. You, the town, my family...” He paused, realising that his father was probably out in the fields right now being used as slave labour. The thought gave him motivation to carry on. “I need to go, and you can come if you want, but I’m not sure how you’ll handle the journey.” Mira didn't react to this, and Dawnfire wondered whether she’d succumbed to exhaustion, but then she raised her head slightly, slowly.
“If you need to go,” she said quietly, “then hurry up. Get help. I’ll just slow you down, so you’d better leave me here.” Dawnfire opened his mouth to express his concern, but she sensed this and smiled faintly up at him. “I’ll be fine. I’ll hide or something, just....go, get help however you can.”
They pulled away from each other. Mira strode past him towards the back door, taking care (Dawnfire noted) to step as far away as she could from the two unconscious bodies on her previously immaculate floor. Dawnfire fired a hate filled glare at the third guard (who quickly went back to pretending to be unconscious) and followed suit, making sure to kick the other two on his way. Mira stood patiently at the door, holding it open for him, and he clopped past her to the dark, open coolness of the outside. He breathed in deeply and let out a long sigh before turning round. She was still standing there watching him. He stood just as still, uncertain what to say. Eventually, she spoke for him.
“Thank you. I’m.....just so grateful for what you’ve done. Get to Canterlot and do whatever you need to. Good luck.” She smiled at him again, and he returned the gesture. With nothing more to do or say, he laboriously lifted his hooves and trotted away.
Within minutes, he had come to the last house in the town, and he had completely run out of cover. He couldn’t see any guards, but he hadn’t seen the spears earlier, and that had been a deadly mistake. Beyond him was just darkness, and he knew that there lay a few miles of plains between him and Canterlot. The only other problem was, he had to guess where Canterlot was; in the dark, there was only the imposing bulk of the mountain jutting ahead that he could go by to guess, but the path up to Canterlot was all but invisible at this time. Dawnfire ground his teeth together. This wasn’t helping! He had an hour’s trek ahead of him, and he hadn’t even gotten started yet! He shook his head. No, he needed to stay cool. With that thought in mind, he decided he needed to start somewhere. That somewhere was directly ahead of him. He trotted into the open as quickly and quietly as he could, taking care to stay low. As long as any guards didn’t look out of the window now, he should be able to get clear and-
“Hey, who goes there?” called a voice from behind him. Dawnfire jumped, and looked behind him in panic. A guard had come out of the last house having just finished scavenging all the food he could find; he was walking on his hind hooves, cradling the edibles to his chest. Dawnfire cursed his natural orange coat and began to run. “Hey, stop!” the guard called again. Fortunately for Dawnfire, the guard still had the food he’d found in his forehooves, and had to decide what to do with that first before giving chase. The guard frowned. Great. That’s all he needed, an escapee. Still, it was only one, and this desolate town was the only civilisation for miles around, save for Canterlot. The chances of him finding anypony, never mind convincing them to help, was not worth worrying about. Besides, he wouldn't last long out on the plains, not at this time at night. His frown turned into a spiteful smile. Overall, not worth mentioning to the captain. Not unless he wanted to get his flank handed to him. He shook his head and carried on.
Dawnfire kept running. He’d tripped a few times, but he was immediately back on his hooves and running again. The dark was absolute out here; he couldn't see the ground in front of him, not the dips or the rises, and certainly not a destination. He stopped briefly to listen. The guard didn't seem to be following. He calmed his breathing, his heart still pounding in his chest, and looked around. This proved to be pointless, as there were no defining landmarks around anyway, even if he could see. Emphasising the pitch black was the deafening silence. No wildlife, no ponies, nothing. For Dawnfire, it was unnerving, standing alone not far from his home, yet so very far away from familiarity, with no hint of existence around him. It was like the world had ended and he was standing on the last patch of grass that there was. For him, his world had ended tonight. He shook his head. No, focus! Don’t think about that, get this done! He picked a direction, towards a bulk that looked like the mountain, and started running again, against the hazy confusion that his life had so recently become.
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Cool story, but what does it have to do with skyrim?
Don't worry, it's getting there. It's a long buildup I admit, but it does fall into recognizable territory later on.