> To Earn Our Equality
>  by ScrambledCrackers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: A Stranger In Need
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	

Four centuries before the Unification and founding of Equestria...





Quiet Grace worked in silence by the fire as the light danced over her earthy brown coat, slowly and carefully grinding some herbs in the bowl in her hooves as she kept watch over the strange and wounded being that was brought to her hut last night and presently slept upon her bed, unconscious and unable to survive without aid.

As the village healer, she took it upon herself to tend the strange male that had little hair upon the pale skin of his body to keep him warm against the winter chill. Most of it was limited to just the length of the coal black mane atop his head, and a small amount around his chin and genitals. She had curled up against him under the blanket to keep him warm last night, wondering if his fevered mutterings were gibberish, or words in a strange tongue. Her skill as a healer, and the magic in her hooves, was slowly healing the infected wound on his side. He would have died within hours from either the cold or the infection, had the village not found him when they did.

Whatever he was, wherever he was from, his body had signs of toned, lean muscle earned by hard work. It made her wonder. Something told her he was nothing like a farmer, with a few scars reminding her of injuries she sometimes had to tend after the visits of the unicorns if they were unlucky.

She was only a shout away when they called her over to inspect the strange one that had been discovered on the ground at the village’s outskirts. While none of them had seen such a creature before, in many ways similar to the far off minotaurs and still so different, one of the elders had heard tales of them. Between that and the tattered, singed clothing he wore, they were certain he was not some mere animal, but unless he survived his multiple injuries and recovered enough to wake up, they could only wonder and guess how he would act.

Until then, she would care for him as she would any other in the village. She found she had a strange feeling of kinship with him she could not explain, despite never meeting one of his kind. Perhaps it was merely his lack of obvious things like the wings of a pegasus, or the horn of the unicorns. She only knew it was something she had not felt before.

Grace brushed a lock of her silvery mane out of her eyes as she pondered if it was an omen of some kind for him to appear so soon after the village was raided again. Much of their unhidden food stores were stolen by the unicorn kingdom that tried to claim they owned the village and were taking what was owed for protection. She knew the claim was false, for their village was quite far from the city of the unicorns.

For a moment, she let herself dream of heading further into the wilds like some earth ponies did. Harsh and unforgiving, one was at least free to keep what was produced from the land and not spend some winters wondering if there was enough left after false tributes to survive. It held some very real charm over a life under the hooves of either unicorns or pegasi. She gave a faint shudder, remembering the stories, and was very glad they were so far from any of the griffon territories.

She banished the thoughts a moment later. They solved nothing. She just couldn’t believe they were meant to live this way, but neither could she see how to change it. Her mother never understood why she did not simply accept her place in life as an earth pony.

Quiet Grace refused to believe this was the way the world was meant to work.

Faint groans drew her attention to the form of her charge and she set down the bowl of herbs to watch. Her amber gaze turned to her left as she eyed him carefully, hoping he would not be delirious and possibly panic from being in a strange place.

After a moment, his eyes fluttered open, his labored breathing remained steady as he began to look around. It was only moments before his gaze snapped to her, his eyes widening in a mixture of confusion, surprise, and no small amount of fear.

Quiet Grace held his gaze with her own for a long time and waited.

The stranger muttered something in his own language as he raised one of his forelimbs, staring as he slowly flexed one of his...hands, she remembered the minotaurs called them. A moment longer, she recalled they also referred to their forelimbs as arms.

Rising to her hooves, Grace moved to the side of the bed as he lowered his arm, now watching her with clear apprehension as she neared.

She found his expression change to confused astonishment when she grabbed the bowl of water left beside the bed with one hoof and brought it near to him, motioning for him to drink. His mouth worked like a fish for several moments as she did this, looking at the bowl and her several times before muttering something else and slowly tried to take the bowl, only to discover how weak he was, unable to lift the bowl from her or sit up to drink.

With the care of a healer, Grace slowly moved her other foreleg under his shoulders and neck to lift him enough to drink. He made a faint grimace of pain, but accepted her help as he guided the bowl to his lips and drank.

As she set him back down, their eyes met and she saw a faint touch of gratitude amongst all the confusion.

“I do not think you can understand me, but I shall care for you until you are healed and whole once more. For now, I hope you will rest, strange one.” Grace said in a soft voice.

It was curious to see his confusion somehow double as he stared at her with disbelief, his voice sounding smooth and deep in his strange, intricate, occasionally guttural language. He was likely asking something, but she had no idea what it could be. She hoped he could learn her language quickly, as it would make it much easier for him to survive.

Grace shushed him with a gentle tone and feigned sleep through a tilt of her head and closing her eyes as she made a quiet snoring sound. She knew he understood upon seeing him give a slow nod of acknowledgement as he settled himself, the exhaustion of healing in his eyes.

Later, she saw him watching as she tended an injured mare that came to her hut. Saw as he watched her mixing herbs and performed other duties of the village healer. Something in the way he watched during his periods of alertness intrigued her, how his eyes seemed sharp and attentive to everything she did. His attention was particularly sharp when she was tending his wounds, or bringing him what little food she could offer. She sensed a keen intelligence in those eyes.

As night fell, Grace finished up her tasks and the stranger’s last change of bandages for the day. Her hoof magic should have all but removed the infection. He was recovering well, though she noticed he was beginning to shiver more as the temperature fell, the chilly air of a winter’s night growing much colder. At least it was not storming and adding more snow upon the ground.

Once she tended the fire, Quiet Grace went to the bed, lifted the blanket, and gently laid her body over his bandaged and bare form before pulling the blanket over them both. She stared into his once again confused eyes with a calm expression, feigning sleep again. He seemed to understand, giving her a slow, if tense, nod as his shivering gradually began to fade.

He brought a hand up to cup her cheek, slowly starting to trace his fingers across her features with a certain fascination. The whole day, she had been in motion whenever she was near and he was awake.

Grace let him explore, realizing he may well have never met a pony before they found him, strange as he was that they had never seen one like him in turn. She only gave a faint snort and frown as her ears were rubbed in a manner she only permitted because she knew he likely did not understand the offense. She noticed he raised one eyebrow as he moved away from her ear in response and did not touch them again. Perhaps he grasped her reaction better than she thought.

Once he was done, his hand returned to her cheek and they stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before his hand moved to her shoulder and he closed his eyes.

Quiet Grace laid her head down next to his and let sleep find her.




***



One week after the stranger appeared…



Quiet Grace had come to find her charge was a quiet sort, much like herself, and he bore a strong will. Rather curiously, he seemed familiar with some medicines and herbs, as well as care of injuries, yet did not appear to be a healer by nature. Though she knew he was experiencing some pain from moving, she found him by her side wherever she went without needing to be asked after the third day when he could walk again, and he assisted in mixing herbs or treating the hurt and ill in the village that came to her hut. The fourth day, he walked around the village with her unless she specifically made him stay in the hut for rest.

His own displays of kindness, and clear desire to contribute even as he recovered, had done well to earn him some respect among the other ponies of the village. That he would carry his own share of work in the communal herd and showing him kindness by taking him in was not wasted.

He had gotten her to understand the tattered but warm clothes they found him in were uniquely beneficial to help him face the winter, and she gave him what cloth she could for him to patch them. It had taken him some work and experimentation, but he seemed satisfied with them for now. Ponies simply needed less clothing to keep them warm and she could understand his need. He also seemed less tense when he was dressed in her hut. She found this apparent preference odd, but she knew nothing of his culture and ignored it.

Grace had been rather surprised to see how shocked he was when she brought some smoked fish on the second day to share with him. With patient expression, she felt she had expressed that although ponies greatly preferred plants over meat, they ate what was necessary in order to survive. They were fortunate to have a lake not far from the village to help them endure the winter, for the unicorns had no interest in such foods when they came.

The stranger had seemed overall relieved and pleased with the fish at least. She suspected his meals included meat on a more regular basis than ponies did. It was further evidenced to her when he refused what little grasses she could offer.

It was slow progress, but she was able to teach him a few words of her language. Her own curiosity led her to learn a few from him in return. Grace was hopeful he could speak enough to converse sooner than later. The more time she spent around him, the more it became clear he had a sharp mind and an awareness that was surprising.

She also noticed his eyes were never still.

At every moment, he had an alertness that seemed out of place in a farming village. Combined with the quality of the clothes he was found in, Grace could not help but feel it was something important, though she did not know what it meant. Perhaps he was some kind of Noble in whatever far off land he was from.




***




Two months after the stranger appeared…



The spring thaw was getting close, and despite some recent arguments about relaxing the strict control of their hidden food stores, the village’s lead mare was not one to take risks without cause. She would not allow them to risk it just to comfort their stomachs early, so long as they could still survive as they had all winter.

The caution proved warranted when a group of unicorns from the city came.

“Gezi!” Quiet Grace rushed into the healer’s hut she continued to share with the stranger.

As he had told it to her in his language, his name was Gezi de Liwu. It appeared it meant ‘The Dove’s Gift’ from what he had been able to explain with their still limited words. She found him busy mixing some healing herbs for the feverish young filly Shining Star.

She had watched as he slowly grew more mysterious as he finished healing from his wounds. As he had learned to converse and had soon insisted on it, she had begun to teach him how to read and write as well, though their lessons were performed with just charcoal and wood planks to conserve paper. Grace was one of very few earth ponies who had been able to get a modest education in one of the old towns, before the unicorns moved to the area and took over four years ago. Her sharp mind and learning was why she was able to act as village healer, despite not having a destiny mark for it. She had come to find his own writing carried a strange beauty in the intricate symbols.

He had also begun teaching her some new herbal remedies and a better way to set some kinds of broken bone, as well as helping fix huts in dire need of repair that could not wait out the winter. He had pointed out one in danger of collapse in the next storm, so he clearly knew construction as well as medicine.

At the same time, once he was able, he would spend a lot of time performing some sort of practiced exercises she had never seen before. The strange and complex dances went both slow and fast, appearing as if he were acting out a battle. Often, he did other exercises she could only see as some kind of repetitive practice meant for improving fighting, yet he did not seem like any militia or soldier she had ever heard of. He did not speak much unless to ask a question, or when spoken to. At other times, he would sit with perfect stillness for long periods, eyes closed and breathing measured.

He did not make much sense to her and did not act much like stallions did. She knew only that she was drawn to guide him without fail. And to keep him safe if she was able.

“Unicorns have come to the village demanding some of our food stores again! We must hide you!”

Grace noticed that shift of presence in him again. He went from relaxed to commanding in some way that not only drew her attention to him and anything he might say, but also instantly made her feel more collected and calm. She could not explain the feeling of strength.

“Unicorn make danger now? Why must hide?” Gezi replied with a frown as he began swiftly packing up the herbs he had been working with, yet giving her his full attention and appearing ready to move.

“If they see you, they will steal you from us because you are unique and would treat you as no more than an animal to show off! They might check every hut for any food that may have been put away because we do not have enough to appease them this late in the winter! I must keep you safe!” Grace said in a forced slowness to make sure Gezi understood her words.

Then he scowled and asked her something in a way that made her pause, “Unicorn make magic. Earth pony no way for fight?”

She had warned him as soon as she could about unicorns and pegasi. Tried to make sure he knew to avoid them. That pegasi could fly and strike wherever, and that unicorns with their magic could stay at a distance and still cause harm with spells. He seemed to have some understanding of magic at least, eventually able to convey a word in his language meant the same as sorcerer.

“They are more likely to kill us if we even tried. I wish we could fight them. I wish we had some way of stopping these cold-hearted fiends from stealing our food and leaving us with barely enough to live on. This is is not how life should be, yet I do not know how to change it. Now we must find a place to hide you before they come,” Grace told him, watching his face harden, looking to the side with a dark scowl before looking back at her and giving a sharp nod.

Quiet Grace knew she did not need to say another word, swiftly leading him out of the hut and away from where the unicorns were, Gezi silent behind her as they flitted to the hiding place shrouded among the bushes. She knew the arrogance and ignorance of the unicorns would leave them all in one area to see the food first. It gave her time to hide Gezi in one of the hidden food stores.

“Please do not leave until I come to get you, Gezi.” Grace hesitated as he crouched in the hidden underground room, meeting his eyes before she could close the disguised trap door. “Please stay hidden, no matter what you might hear. They… They hurt us a bit for fun sometimes, but never kill, or there would be none to provide them with food to take.”

There was something in his eyes that caught her when she said that, something she couldn’t name or explain. It was fiery and dangerous in a way she had never witnessed in another creature’s eyes before, and certainly not in a way that gave her strength.

She closed the trap door and looked it over to ensure it was hidden properly, then slipped away from it to dart between buildings until she could calmly make her way to the center of the village as expected. Fortunately, she had acted fast enough the other ponies of the village were still gathering. Part of her scowled inside, but was careful to remain meek on the surface, as she passed mighty Iron Hoof.

The mountainous blue stallion had been rubbed in mud and excrement, wearing the dazed look of a simpleton like always when the unicorns came. In truth, he was well known as the smartest stallion in the village, having taken well to construction and creation of all kinds by way of self-teaching to the point he’d even gained his destiny mark in the form of a smith’s hammer just as the winter began. It was a rare prize of a mark among earth ponies, when any mark at all was rare. Even the grumpy mare that was the village’s blacksmith, Firm Anvil, began teaching him to work metal after it appeared, as such value was too great to waste. His mark was currently smeared over and hidden, knowing it’s discovery could result in a harsh beating at best, and being taken at worst, which was more likely. The four mares that formed a herd with him and took him for their husband were careful to disguise him the same way each time.

Quiet Grace passed little Shining Star, the orange filly looking frail from her fever but managing to keep herself on her hooves with her head up, knowing that looking weak often drew attention. Then again, looking proud did just as often. She should be resting so she could recover, not be out in the late winter air, but the unicorns demanded the entire village be present. They knew how many should be present and always counted their number.

Without appearing to do so, she watched the group of a dozen unicorn mares. They were relaxed and speaking amongst themselves, confident there was nothing out of the ordinary going on, that the earth ponies of the village were going to behave as they waited on the arrival of the food tribute. The cart they brought was pulled by two earth pony mares with their heads hanging low in submissive misery, likely from the city to do the menial work of hauling. Grace knew the unicorns would be angry when they saw how little was left stockpiled this far into the winter.

Theirs was one of the few villages that had been able to keep their hidden stockpiles a secret. She knew of other villages that had their hidden stores discovered, that they had suffered slow starvation, with many not making it to spring.

The lead mare of their village was cunning though.

Last year, after the harvests were over, she had sacrificed an older, smaller hidden stockpile room to divert suspicion from the others. The unicorns had taken the ruse and taunted them over it, unaware it was a trick to make them stop looking for anything more for the winter, possibly even another year. With careful manipulation, over half their harvests had been kept secret. While keeping up appearances of being on the edge of starvation during the winter was draining on everypony, they would have a bounty to enjoy with the spring growth as grasses and other food began to grow once again.

Quiet Grace went to stand beside the dark pink lead mare, taking her place as healer and seeing the lead mare give her a knowing look and nod.

It wasn’t long before the mare in charge of the unicorns scoffed at the minimal stocks of food placed in the cart. They insulted the village for being lazy and gluttonous, calling them mud ponies not worth the land upon which they stood. It was always the same.

Soon some of them did break off to search some of the huts. Grace knew they would find little or nothing worth taking. Anything of value was well hidden after four years of oppression.

The only reason their village behaved so well was to support the communal herd, once their lead mare had explained how they could best endure and aid one another. Open defiance, no matter how justified or satisfying, would be crushed and that pony drawing further hardship would weaken the communal herd. Instead, she had shown how hidden defiance, using the arrogance of the unicorns against them, not only lessened how hard the unicorns pushed them, but let them continue to better carry the burdens placed upon them all as a herd.

So the entire village struggled, but remained strong in the face of all the unicorns had done. Act like what the unicorns want and expect to see from them, they leave sooner and cause less trouble.

She reminded them often that, for all the talk of the unicorns, earth ponies could shoulder any and all of the burdens placed upon them. That the gods were testing them and someday, change would come. They had to endure for their foals to have a future. To have a chance to be free again.

And so, no matter how heavy the burden on their shoulders, they carried on.

Earth ponies would endure.

Grace watched with an inner scowl, but external passivity, as the unicorns finished up their searching, finding nothing to take. They looked openly frustrated, which did not bode well as the spear carrying unicorn mare in charge, Captain Frost Bolt, approached the village’s lead mare with a dangerous look.

“You lazy mud ponies! First your worthless kind allows rats to infest some of the castle food stores, inconveniencing the Queen’s parties, and now this tribute is insufficient! I do not have time to deliver proper punishment, so I will just make an example before going on my way!” The lightly armored alabaster unicorn mare with a green mane declared, her cold blue eyes began tracing across the other ponies of the village from under her helmet.

Quiet Grace felt her blood chill as the unicorn mare’s horn lit up and her magic dragged a shivering Shining Star forward as the filly began to whimper. It was not the first time a filly was chosen for a beating, but she knew Shining Star was in a precarious place with her fever and might not survive to heal from a beating on top of it.

Before she knew it, Grace was moving forward and had placed herself between Frost Bolt and Shining Star, swallowing her fear and keeping her head low, ears folded back in submission as she spoke, “Please allow me to take the punishment in place of the filly, my Lady. She is ill and would not survive.”

The unicorn mare gave an imperious, heartless sneer, “Very well, mud pony. I can show a little mercy, but since you want to involve a second pony as I deliver punishment, you can take a beating for two. The filly will stay close and watch what was meant for her. And then I’ll give you yours!”

Lifting her spear in her magic, the unicorn mare began swinging the haft down upon Quiet Grace many times, each blow sounding in the air with a harsh smack of wood against flesh. Each strike made made to cause the most pain, but not cause serious harm or break bone. As she accepted what she had chosen, her gaze checked the other unicorns she could see, finding most with blank expressions, one averting her gaze when Grace met her eyes.

Bloody welts and bruises soon covered her body as she cried out through gritted teeth when her ear was split open, trying to hold it in and endure so as to not encourage it to go on longer. She fell to the cold ground somewhere in the middle of it. She tried to remind herself it was only a beating, not meant to maim.

How she wished she had been right.

The unicorn mare eventually tired of swinging her spear upon Quiet Grace, but her spear did not settle on the ground as she sneered again, “You should have stayed in your place, mud pony. The village healer should focus on healing, not acting all proud and above your station. For you, I need to make a better example!”

With those words, the blade of the spear flashed and Quiet Grace screamed as it cut across her right eye and cheek, feeling the sharp point drag across the bone. Grace shook as she tried to hide her face behind her forehooves.

“You don’t need both eyes to wrap a bandage or mix herbs, mud pony. Next time, remember your place!” Captain Frost Bolt spat on Quiet Grace and stalked away.

The unicorns said nothing else and began to depart with the meager supply of food they had been given.

When they felt the unicorns had gone far enough, several ponies of the village crowded around Grace as Shining Star continued to cry against her now dirty, blood-spattered silvery mane. Some murmured words of respect, while Shining Star’s herd mothers gave her repeated thanks for protecting their daughter before taking her away to rest again.

The lead mare of the village moved beside Grace with a resigned look, “You are foolish, Quiet Grace, but I cannot fault you for your bravery. Now we must heal our healer. What do we need to do for you? Can you walk?”

Quiet Grace whimpered faintly as she struggled, making a slow painful journey to sit up and found her legs shaking already as blood oozed from the slash on her face, trying to hold the wound closed as another mare gave her something to brace herself against. It was not hard to see that even if she managed to stand, she could not walk.

Looking up at the lead mare with pain in her now single eye, she spoke in a strained voice, “F-fetch Gezi. He will be able to tend me. He should be in the southeast stockpile. I-I do not think I can.”

The lead mare sent one of the other mares running to retrieve Gezi, and it was only a couple of minutes before he arrived, running swiftly behind the mare that fetched him.

He was at Grace’s side moments later, meeting her gaze, then silent as his gentle touch began inspecting her many injuries and the large cut across her face and right eye. She knew he was capable by now and tried to keep still for him. Whenever Grace caught his eyes with her own, she saw something there that was unfathomable and strange to her, as if he were somehow caught between compassion, deep thought, and unending fury. His inspection of her happened in a short span as the lead mare explained what happened when he asked.

She saw him look to the lead mare, his voice strong as he spoke, “Must see pony clean water to hut. I heal hurt. Heal Grace.”

Then without asking, Grace was swept into his arms and Gezi lifted her from the ground with only a little extra discomfort, proceeding to carry her with relative ease back to her healer’s hut. Somehow, she felt comforted by what she would have expected to feel a bit demeaning. Grace relaxed in his hold, trying to focus on keeping the slash on her face closed and hoping her hoof magic worked on her own body.

Gezi tended her once he laid her on the bed and cleaned her face with tenderness, his strange expression still present as he said nothing unless needing to ask or tell something. He carefully wrapped her face for want of anything to use for sutures, then gently washed the rest of her so he could deal with the rest of her beaten form.

Once the available poultices were used to cover her injuries, he began mixing more and soon finished wrapping her in bandages to keep the poultices in place over her bloody welts when Grace caught his attention, “Thank you for taking care of me this time, Gezi.”

She watched as he paused, staring into her eye for a long period of silence, herself unable to look away somehow. Already strange and mysterious, his next words left her with an odd sense of weight behind them that left her with that strange sense of strength again.

“Grace kind. No should hurt. Earth pony kind to I. Have little. Help I to heal. Need much write. Have much think now. I to see earth pony long tomorrow.”

Quiet Grace felt something important had been said, but she did not know what it was with the limited words Gezi used.




***




Five weeks after the unicorns came…



The spring thaw was well underway as food began to grow again.

Quiet Grace had watched as Gezi seemed to dedicate himself to writing countless things in his own language for the past several weeks. He had actually asked her, and even the lead mare, for paper upon which to write. Though he stayed faithfully at her side for as long as she needed to stay off her hooves, if he was not tending to her or the village as a healer, he was writing. He even set aside his exercises, though not his periods of quiet sitting.

Having all but taken over one part of their hut for his work, sometimes she saw him doing what was probably calculations in what she knew were his own written numbers. Other times, writing notes and comparing them with other things he had written before.

The strangest parts were the sketches.

Some were of basic pony bodies, and appeared almost like he was examining an earth pony’s range of motion for reasons unknown to her, with others seeming to suggest unicorns in some way she could not discern. Others were of things she had almost no comparisons for beyond them being some kind of wooden constructs. He deferred any questions by saying he was still thinking and needed to finish before he could say, answering nothing further about what he was doing.

It was all the stranger when he broke his usual silence that morning after they had shared a simple morning meal, “Grace. I must speak with lead mare, with village. Much important. I think long. Have way for earth pony.”

Quiet Grace had healed from most of her injuries by now. Her own hoof magic kept infection at bay and helped her recovery go quicker. She would never see from her right eye again and the large, still healing scar on her face would stay with her for life. She stared at him for a long moment, her one eye meeting his gaze and again feeling strength in his presence.

There was nothing to be said and she nodded after a moment. Whatever he had to say was important enough for the village to hear. While he remained quite mysterious, she had come to trust him a fair amount in the few months since they had found him. Enough to know he would never ask such a thing without great reason.

Soon, a large crowd of ponies had gathered around the center of the village. The few hundred of their village was more numerous than most others. With their lead mare standing apart in her place, Gezi lowered himself to one knee as he usually did when speaking with with a pony.

Gezi met the eyes of the lead mare with a commanding presence, his voice carrying a quality that Grace thought she had heard before, but now it was filling the very air around him as every ear present flicked to him and none could look away.

“Lead Mare Puddinghoof. Whole life, I taught much. Own kind say I miracle foal. Taught easy like drink water. Taught medicine, taught construct, taught metal, taught science, taught big trade, taught fight, taught long think for tomorrow, taught to lead. Thing taught I no forget. Much for purpose to make best for big fight with army. Before I come to pony land, I lead much army. Lead army two year. Many time victory. Would lead all army for big leader when spring when much more young all leader before. I prove better leader.”

Gezi stood up and began to look around at the gathered ponies of the village, his presence only growing with his full height, his voice coming strong and clear in the early spring air, “I no see why come to pony land. Much time to think, I see no way to see own land. Decide to make home with earth pony. I see no good life with self. Decide I think how earth pony fight unicorn, fight pegasus. Decide earth pony need strong like own kind. Own kind no fight with magic. Own kind always find way. I see earth pony much like own kind. Many thing, earth pony always find way. Earth pony no have much like own kind for fight. I change. I taught earth pony how to fight with no magic. I taught earth pony how to break stone wall from far place. I taught earth pony how to fight pegasus when fly. Earth pony strong like own kind! Earth pony smart like own kind! Can learn to fight like own kind with time. Need show way. I give way.”

Quiet Grace felt her heart racing, swelling as she looked up at Gezi in wonder. Her one eye glanced around the village ponies, knowing which of them had schooling, which were smart and would understand the real implications hidden in his words. She saw them inspired, but also hesitant to believe in such big promises.

Grace watched as Gezi went back to one knee and met the lead mare’s gaze again, placing his right fist over his heart and bowing his head to her, then raising his eyes to hers once more, “Say yes for I to lead earth pony. I taught all I know. Believe earth pony strong to fight unicorn, fight pegasus. I give Lead Mare Puddinghoof service. Earth pony give I kind. Heal. Save life. For kind, I give honor. Give earth pony strong if say yes.”

Lead Mare Puddinghoof stared into Gezi’s eyes for a long time, then turned her head and touched a hoof to her chin in contemplation. When she turned to look at him again and began to shake her head, Grace wanted to weep as she stood to the right of Gezi, her lungs struggling to draw air.

Puddinghoof spoke with a sad expression and tone of regret, “I wish to believe you, Gezi. I truly do. At the same time, I cannot permit such great risk on your word alone. Few mares would follow a stallion in battle, or any other male. They would never follow a foreigner. I studied history before the unicorns came to this land and forced us all into what you see now, and I shudder to think of what we will be forced to become in the future. In order for you to even hope to accomplish such vision, you would need numbers to make it possible. Numbers you could never achieve without being a mare. Again, I wish to believe you, but unless the gods give me a clear sign, I cannot allow you to take any of the village’s resources.”

Quiet Grace watched as Gezi’s face faltered, swallowing a lump in her throat as she tried to think of something to say. She felt something important was about to be lost, and silently she prayed to the gods that she could have an answer with an intensity she never had before, her heart believing earth ponies needed this more than anything.

Then a flutter of wings was heard and something touched her back near her tail. She turned to look as a rush of energy passed through her body, her eye going wide.

A white dove had landed upon her back.

Already, the gathered ponies of the village were murmuring as the dove took off again moments later. What truly captured Grace’s attention was not the dove however, for she had become so stunned at what she saw that she hardly noticed it fly away.

Quiet Grace’s destiny mark had appeared.

It was strange, and a mark she had never seen the like of before. She knew it was a dual-edged sword with the point down, but the ornate design of the strange golden hilt, the etchings on the blade, the red tassel that trailed off as though she was running through the wind were like nothing she had ever seen before.

She could only blink when she saw Gezi’s hand reach out to touch her destiny mark with reverence. Grace would have been offended, yet something felt right in the touch. She turned to look into Gezi’s eyes as a softly spoken question bubbled out of her stunned lips before she even knew she was speaking, “Gezi, do you know this sword?”

He gave her a slow nod in reply as his eyes ignited with that inner fire again, “I know sword. Make for lead army by own kind. I have sword for lead. I think say Grace sword for lead. Much strong sign.”

Quiet Grace worked her mouth for a few moments, then her face slowly hardened with a swiftly growing conviction, “I am your sword, Gezi. The gods themselves have spoken this day.”

Grace raised her head high, turned her eye to the lead mare and shifted closer to Gezi, steel in her voice as everything grew more clarified in her mind, “You asked for a sign, Lead Mare Puddinghoof. You have received it. If mares need a mare to follow into battle, they can follow me! Gezi will show me what we must do, and together we shall learn how to fight for our own lands. A destiny mark does not lie. If I am marked as his sword, then so I shall be. Where ponies need another pony guiding them, I will speak in place of Gezi and together we shall learn what we Earth ponies can truly become. With this sign, the gods have surely brought him to us to do as he has said.”

Lead Mare Puddinghoof was silent for a time, meeting both of their gazes, looking around at the gathered ponies of the village, then the ground until she finally looked up first at Grace, then at Gezi. “You have my support and that of any that are pledged to me. Whatever you need, I will try to provide it. All I ask is if I tell you to do or not do something, you will accept my words, Gezi.”

“Lead Mare Puddinghoof give think why decide, I say yes,” Gezi replied.

With a slow nod, Puddinghoof agreed. “I am willing to tell you my reasons for something I ask of you. When I make a decision, it is not without thought. What would you have us do first, Gezi?”

“I must taught speak. Pony words much strange to I. Make easy understand tomorrow, no hard like now. To make earth pony know strong way, must hide. Must no have steal food. Must no have know secret build. I know hard to like. With secret food, must leave to wilds. Must go much far from unicorn, from pegasus. Need time to grow strong. Need more earth pony. Many earth pony make more strong. Many make much easy work. Must build much. Must prepare. Must take many year. Come back strong with army. With weapons to break stone wall from far place. With weapons to fight unicorn, fight pegasus from far place. Much taught with year to year. Own kind strong. Earth pony same strong with time. I give honor, give life to make earth pony strong,” Gezi said with certainty in his voice, placing his fist over his heart again and bowing his head.

Quiet Grace felt herself awash in comprehension about the full meaning underneath what Gezi had said. A moment later she bowed her own head as her right hoof was held over her heart, her voice conveying the full depth of her new conviction, “Lead Mare Puddinghoof, I pledge my honor and my life so that we earth ponies might gain the strength to fight.

“It is time for change.”



> Chapter Two: The Path Of Change
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	
Two years after escaping into the wilds…




A series of sharp staccato cracks of wood striking wood sounded out in the late afternoon air of early summer. The two combatants shifted about, preparing to make the next rapid assault.

Quiet Grace was covered in sweat as she shifted the staff in her forelegs, her silvery mane tied back to keep it from falling over her eyes. The length of wood she held moved with a practiced ease born of hours upon hours of drills and countless sparring matches. Her earthy brown coat shone in the gradually waning sunlight of the valley as she focused on Gezi, her now well-toned muscles shifting under her skin as she kept up her defense.

Her amber-colored left eye saw the shift in his foot, her blind right was a blank white in the middle of her scar, and Grace was already moving as he darted towards her again, knocking aside a thrust, blocking one strike, then dodging a kick before deflecting another blow of his staff.

She had long since found it was exhilarating to engage him this way. Her favorite were their weaponless matches where she was free to use all four hooves unhindered, as weapons kept her hind hooves planted out of necessity. It always made her feel so alive with each block and strike they traded.

There was a growing part of her that could never get enough of these moments with her strange friend that she had come to trust with her life. To her, it was much like the feeling other mares often described during a festival dance, which was something Grace had never really taken to, preferring to help ensure festivities were going smoothly for everypony rather than cavort about. And that feeling gave her all the more energy to press harder when she found an opening for her to begin a counterattack, a faint determined smirk coming to her lips as she went on the offensive.

Quiet Grace knew well by know that he was faster and more dexterous with his staff than she was, though the gap in speed had steadily grown smaller as her skill grew. She was a bit stronger, and while her hoof grip, something that had both boggled and startled Gezi the first time she held his hand with it, was unable to spin the staff as nimbly, her extra muscle let her attacks carry more weight that was harder to block or deflect, while also letting her throw off any against her with less strain in turn. Although, claiming a victory had continued to elude her all the same.

Grace had a moment of wondering what she wanted to do for that first victory, knowing it might happen at almost any time now. Unless of course Gezi was still holding back more than she realized, as he had continued to do the entire time they had been training. Whispers floated across her mind’s eye of how to celebrate the accomplishment, with a particular couple of ideas catching her attention more than they used to.

Having spent much of her life imagining what the world would have to offer when she was grown, then of a better life after unicorns decided to establish a new city in their area, letting her mind wander as she worked on something was a rather ingrained habit for her.

It was a habit she had struggled to break herself out of when she began her training. Gezi had provided her many lumps and bruises when she let herself lose focus. He somehow always knew when she did, too.

It was not much of a surprise when she misjudged her block after a feint and felt Gezi’s staff land on her shoulder with a sharp burst of pain, causing her to stumble for the briefest moment. She was on her side with the end of Gezi’s staff stopping just a few hairs above her muzzle after he took her hind legs out from under her almost as fast as she could blink with a sweep of one of his own long and frustratingly nimble legs.

Looking up at him with her one eye as she panted from exhaustion, she saw his displeased frown and chastised herself before he could say a word. She greatly disliked doing anything that made him show her that expression.

“You must always keep focus. Will never find mercy from enemy in battle,” Gezi said with a scowl, his lungs a bit hungry for air as well, then his face relaxed back to his usual calm, neutral expression, even as his eyes held that curious glint in them like they often did at the end of their sparring practices. “You fight much better. Keep focus much better. Only training hurt?”

Quiet Grace gave him a short nod before rolling to her hooves, giving a small wince as her shoulder twinged. Pausing to work her foreleg around a little and stamping the ground with it, she knew she would have another bruise and would be walking with a slight limp for a day or two. She let out a sigh over the lesson as she looked up at him. “Just training hurt. I let myself think of defeating you for once at the end. Thank you for reminding me I still have plenty of room to improve.”

“I know I say many times before. Never think of what to do with victory if victory not yet complete. Leave such things in planning before battle, but once battle begins, never lose focus. Never give opportunity to opponent when unplanned,” he said in a calm tone as he picked up her staff for her. It had become a habit of his to carry both when they were done, as it was such a simple matter for him as opposed to her need for balancing it on her back or a cord to tie it and still be free to walk unhindered. “Best we go share evening meal now. Still wish to teach more about army formations after. Same as yesterday. Much to learn, but I see Grace can become good general.”

With that, the two of them began to walk back towards the home they shared, twice the size of the simple healer’s hut of before so there was more space for teaching and study. The ponies of the village had insisted their new house be one of the first, convinced the gods had given them guidance and Grace would lead them into a brighter future. It was one of the first things built, after the large temporary shelters for the whole village, after the they had come across the valley they now called home. Both Gezi and Lead Mare Puddinghoof had agreed it was time to stop their travel when they found it.

The broad valley they had settled in was a long way from any known settled lands. A large lake lay at one end, the sides lined with mountains, and the far end resting on the edge of a craggy mountain range that rose above the clouds most days. There was a modest river flowing through the middle from the crags to the lake that would be useful, and the passes between the surrounding smaller mountains appeared defensible against those that could not fly, according to Gezi. The valley was small enough for the far edges to be within sight at any point within, yet sizeable enough to hold a large city population as they planned in the years to come.

The soil in the fields was good. The weather was proving to be forgiving and the first two winters had been mild. Plenty of forested areas for wood and other plants. The lake had plentiful fish and the forests had plenty of game, for what amounts of such they did need. Early explorations even suggested a potentially rich mine could be dug in several of the surrounding mountains, giving them access to plenty of metals when they began digging in earnest next year as their numbers grew, if their four scouting teams were successful in convincing other villages to come join them.

Quiet Grace wasn’t sure she had really seen a second white dove in the distance, just before they found the entrance to a large natural cave Gezi had suggested they may need, but that last discovery of the cave at the base of the crags, opposite the lake at the far end of the valley, had served to strengthen her resolve still further, her lingering doubts aside. She had a suspicion about seeing a second dove, flying as if waving over the valley, but felt it rather unlikely unless she saw it a third time, and so put it out of her mind. They were just legends.

Either way, all they needed was in one place, almost as if it were delivered to them, or perhaps they to it.

They had their place to grow.

While there were some dangerous creatures as well, manticores and the like as was expected so far into the wilds, it was now a threat well countered by Gezi’s first display of the ranged weapons he had promised to provide to them. Something Earth ponies could use, but until now had long been believed to be impossible for hooves to wield. Things both similar and still quite unlike the large bows the minotaurs made use of.

Though it had taken him time to adapt the design, and, to his own surprise, make them strong enough for an Earth pony to use, they had several built in the time since. There were even improved versions he was slowly developing that would make them better, and the start of much heavier forms based around two or more ponies working together to wield. Gezi said what they currently had were a heavy form of what his own kind had used.

He had given them crossbows.

The first attempts he had made for them were either too awkward to use in combat, or felt too fragile. It had also been the point when Gezi had begun to fully understand the differences in strength between his kind and Earth ponies. After he had scaled up the weapons a bit, they had more power than before, and a draw strength to better match an earth pony’s greater natural strength.

Even after demonstrating in the late fall after they had begun to settle in the valley, most ponies did not really appreciate their power until a few months later in mid-winter, when a rogue manticore that had begun stalking ponies at the edge of the village changed most opinions all at once. It still impressed her that the hunting party that tracked it down had not only been able to kill it with their new crossbows and not their spears, but they had done so without a single scratch in the end, close as it was when a bolt caught the manticore in the eye. A feat all but unheard of among Earth ponies.

This first major gift alone had dramatically impacted their future. They had enough knowledge to replicate them now, yet the fact it was just the beginning was causing no end of excitement. One mare even had the surprising appearance of her destiny mark, one of the new crossbows now adorning her flank. That mare’s skill with them at large distances was growing rapidly, though Gezi had been rather bemused when he learned that her name was Long Shot.

After he had explained, Quiet Grace had found herself feeling the same way, and it was in that moment she understood why he had once said ponies were very absurd.

The two of them continued walking along the path towards their home, looking about the village as a few ponies not already indoors greeted them with respect as they passed. As Grace saw one of the more solid houses half completed in the fading sunlight, she recalled how Gezi had encouraged they make only simple temporary huts for basic shelter at first, but then begin constructing much sturdier buildings that would be able to last against the elements for years to come. He had reasoned the additional materials and work was well worth it, that it would would reward them later. The new building methods he had shown them had already been an improvement, if a bit more difficult for ponies to employ, but those that understood construction had seen the reason in his thinking.

As they passed the more permanent house where a certain filly lived with her family, she began remembering what had happened when Gezi had called for the first volunteers to begin learning how to fight under his guidance in the first autumn after coming to the valley.





***





Quiet Grace looked on as Gezi addressed those of the village who had desired to learn more when he had announced all interested in becoming the first fighting students should meet with him. Nearly thirty mares had come with every intent of taking up the training, with the bulk made up of every mare that ever hunted dangerous beasts or protected the village present and in front, with a crowd of curious ponies nearby that were not as interested beyond simply seeing what Gezi was going to do.

Gezi’s ever present calmness belied the conviction in his voice, the chilly fall air making his breath visible as he spoke, “All know we here to prepare for much fighting. I must begin teaching skills now so ponies become ready. Earth pony body different from own kind, so I must learn what must change to make earth ponies have best skills. First students will have much suffering to make way for future learning. I accept all ponies willing to suffer and learn the way of own kind’s fighting. Teaching will not be gentle. You will know pain. I always show fairness for hard work. I must learn with ponies so I teach better. Form in row of ten each there with Grace, so all in village may see ponies willing to take biggest hardship for better future. Will train hard all of winter. Will train ponies in all conditions to give strength. Make ponies strong like mountains.”

He pointed to a clear space on the fallow field where Quiet Grace already stood, cleared for next spring’s planting, and the mares that had presented themselves, following Grace’s lead, lined up as directed with her as she stood in the first position. As they had moved, a couple more mares of the village had stepped forward and went to join the lines.

It was a surprise to hear a familiar name being called, and when Grace looked, she saw young Shining Star walking towards the lines of mares willing to undertake the training.

The orange filly with a frosty blue mane and tail wore a determined look, though her green eyes were nervous. The two of her three herd mothers present had told her to return, but they did not move to stop her. She kept walking towards the next place in line until Gezi stepped in front of her with a frown, causing Shining Star to stop and crane her neck to meet his eyes.

Grace watched the filly swallow before she tried to sound calm as she spoke, “You said you will take all ponies ready to suffer and learn. My mothers told me to always repay my debts and Healer Grace lost her eye to protect me. I want to learn how to be strong so nopony will get hurt for me again and I can protect ponies myself.”

There was a long period of silence as Quiet Grace watched Gezi staring down at the filly struggling to stand her ground and not waver. Gezi made no response or visible reaction to the filly’s words as he stared her down, the biting autumn breeze making the only sound in the moment as it swirled around them.

When Gezi finally spoke, it was outwardly with the same calmness he almost always had, but Quiet Grace thought she detected a faint touch of both wariness and amusement, “If you join line, I give no mercy. No time to give extra for foal. You work hard as other mares or I refuse teaching and send home. Must work harder to earn same respect. You will know more suffering to keep same pace. You run same distance. You work same amount each day. When practice fighting, you take same hits. If you think ready, join line.”

It brought Grace mixed feelings when Shining Star gave him a determined look and joined the line, making her the youngest by far at only seven years. After a moment of maternal concern, Quiet Grace silenced her mind. Shining Star would either give up or succeed in her decision on her own, regardless of anything Grace felt about it. Grace found she hoped the filly had the strength she knew Gezi was going to demand.

Stepping out in front of the ponies that had volunteered, Gezi surveyed them for a moment, his eyes lingering on Shining Star only a moment longer than others before he spoke in a firm tone, “First lesson! With own kind, fighting teacher called Sifu. All students obey all thing I say and address I as Sifu. Disrespect earn punishment. All punishment still given as fair lesson. Earn own respect. I only give respect when earned.

“First task, I must see state of body and mind. All students will run. We run around field until I say finish. From today, all students run every morning unless healing injury. Begin running!” Gezi called out loudly, setting off immediately at what Quiet Grace knew was a pace she had seen him use without tiring as she and the others began to follow. Though he lacked the galloping speed of a pony, he had seemingly inexhaustible endurance.

It was an agonizingly long time later when he declared they were done. Only two of the hunting mares were still on their hooves the whole run, gasping for breath and falling to the ground when it ended. Gezi’s own breathing had barely picked up at all.

Shining Star, even with her shorter legs, had lasted longer than half the mares present before she collapsed as the others did, trying to get her wind back.

And she was one of the first to get back up to continue each time she did.




***




That day had been almost two years ago.

Now, young Shining Star was bigger, needing less mad determination than she had first required in order to keep up. True to his word, Gezi had not gone easy on her, but she had earned her place among his students. With the exception of scaling down the size of her practice weapons out of necessity for her to learn proper skills, the filly had been given no concessions. Even though she had some moments of tears when her age caught up with her, she had carried herself well and did not complain. She also had the easiest time improving her flexibility for the movements Gezi was teaching.

Although he never said it, Grace knew Gezi had grown fond of Shining Star. Of course, that often just meant he pushed her closer to her limits than the others, as he did with Grace herself. Everything said she was going to grow into a skilled fighter and leader in the future.

It also gave Quiet Grace more conviction for the role she knew she must claim. Her destiny was as the sword of command that Gezi could not be among ponies. She had a sense she was watching the growth of a future commander in the orange filly that she would someday rely on.

The remaining distance to their shared home was short. Grace and Gezi were soon preparing their evening meal together. More lessons on strategy followed by the light of the fire.

Though at times she struggled, Gezi was patient and had grown better at explaining in a manner that made more sense to her more often. He had also begun challenging her to a game of strategy he brought from his homeland, saying it helped gain a deeper understanding of the application of planning and tactics, the different ways to respond to any given scenario she found herself confronted with. She knew that she was growing better each day, slow as progress was with all she knew she had to learn.

When her evening lesson in strategy was finished, the fire tended and they were ready for sleep, a thought occurred to Grace and she grew curious. She turned to her friend as he sat down on the edge of their bed, his lower half hidden as usual by his clothing but his shirt missing due to the summer warmth, herself having already gotten under the blanket.

“Gezi, I just realized something,” Grace began, touching her friend’s back with her hoof as she spoke, thinking nothing of her curiosity as he looked over his shoulder at her. “From the things you have told me of your kind, you often made it sound as if it is unusual to sleep beside friends. I find myself curious to know why have you not once spoken of having your own bed in these two years since I first tended your wounds after we found you. Might I know why?”

To her surprise, his eyes tightened ever so slightly and she felt him tense under her hoof, though he gave no other sign. Had she not been touching his back or been able to see his eyes, she might not have noticed the shift. It made her grown concerned as he turned his head forward and looked away.

Gezi spoke in a quiet tone that appeared calm, but after being around him for two years, Quiet Grace was able to discern that it carried a great deal of tension. “If Grace wish to have her own bed, I respect choice.”

The response he gave her made her concern grow much greater. Rising up, she moved across their bed and pressed her chest against his back as her forelegs slipped around his ribs. She pressed her nose against his neck through his coal black mane as she would another pony.

She knew he was extremely reserved about physical contact by pony standards, and she had always respected that by limiting her contact with him if he did not initiate something first, which was rare. Her instincts were telling her something was wrong this time, and feeling it would be best to follow how she would treat another pony in this, she did so.

When she felt a faint shudder she held him a bit tighter, breathing against the back of his neck as she spoke, “Gezi, what troubles you? Please, speak with me.”

After a lengthy pause without a response, Quiet Grace worried that much more when Gezi seemed to almost shrink into himself, his hand capturing one of her forehooves wrapped around his torso and holding it tightly.

His voice came quietly, almost a whisper when he began to speak, “Grace… I…” He paused for another long moment of silence as he seemed to gather himself.

When he did speak again, it was still soft, but she noted it was also tired and weary as his words came slowly. “Way of own kind, must always save face. Always show respect and not show weakness. Never bring dishonor to leader, to family, to self. Many parts of own kind way, I teach to ponies. Parts of way I think bring ponies new strength. Other parts I keep to self.

“At same time, I learn about earth pony way. While I teach new way to earth ponies, I find I am also student of earth ponies. With time, I teach, and also learn, also change. I see ponies value touch and closeness more than own kind. I remember I never touch own kind again. I never see familiar places again. I never see family or friend again. I must face I never see any of own kind again. I am only one in pony land. Stories I hear from Puddinghoof say I am not first to come, but this does not change I am only one here.”

“Before I come to pony land, I was to marry daughter of a noble. I was to lead army of emperor against invaders to much hope. All of our land give respect and say I bring much honor.” Gezi paused for a steadying breath, his thumb brushing over the fur of her fetlock in slow strokes. “Now I must respect earth pony way. Respect wisdom of Lead Mare Puddinghoof making request that I accept female to lead and swallow pride. I not like that I now forbidden from giving discipline to a mare unless they first accept me as teacher for fighting or I lose respect among ponies. Some things are same with own kind. Many things are different. I have times when all I know is to not think. Just finish next lesson. Show next strike. Explain next piece of own kind knowledge. I will help earth ponies until I become old and have no more lessons. If this is all I see for rest of life, I will give service so earth ponies have better future.

“Earth pony way also show strength of herd. I see ponies value show of weakness with family and friend. That earth ponies not have fear of losing face when they ask others to help with burdens. This is much strange, different from own kind. Perhaps part of me is becoming like ponies. Grace…I not wish to carry this burden alone anymore…”

Quiet Grace held her friend closer with each word, feeling faint shudders running through him as she began to understand. He had lost all he had ever known, never to see his old life or his own kind again. He came from a place where males were the leaders, and much of his kind’s culture seemed almost backward or confused when compared to that of earth ponies. No matter what he had encountered among them, he respected everything he was presented with, asking for explanations when he simply could not understand. Though she had thought about it many times, it had always seemed more than she could grasp when she stopped to consider what it must be like for him.

And it was in that moment when she suddenly realized how truly, deeply alone it had made him feel.

Part of her wondered how he had dealt with it for two years in silence and only now it was weighing on him so visibly. Another part wondered how she had never realized the depth of it, that her dearest friend had been bearing such a burden alone, nuzzling her nose against the back of his neck with her eyes closed and breathing in his unique scent. She understood the kind of effort he just made, putting the way of his own kind aside and seeking another to help carry his burdens with him.

Her voice soft, “Gezi, I have told you before that it is not unusual among ponies for friends to sleep beside each other, particularly in the winter. You are my closest, most valued friend, and I will not leave you alone unless you ask. I will gladly help you carry your burdens every day for the rest of my life if you need me to. I know it is not the same, but I felt lonely before you came here. I am glad you are here with me. Other mares my age have all long since joined a herd, but I never fit in with others I met. If I am honest, I would not wish you away from me after you have become so dear to me.” She held him just a little tighter, struggling with how to express it to her friend when he did not always understand pony gestures.

The two of them sat there in silence for some time, Grace resting against his back, her nose buried against his neck and his hand holding her hoof.

Gradually, she felt the tension in him relax some and raised her head after a time, “Come and lay down. We still must sleep.”

Quiet Grace soon had him laying on his left side and, laying on her right, she shifted close to him so her body was flush with his, belly to belly with her forelegs wrapped around him, her hind legs stretched out along his own and her nose touching his, meeting his somewhat confused eyes at such a short distance as his arms wrapped around her in kind.

“Among earth ponies, this is a sign of closeness and trust.” Her voice still soft as her hoof brushed across his cheek. “It is usually only shared with family, not between friends. At least, not between a mare and a stallion. I do not wish you to feel alone, Gezi. I know I no longer feel alone since you have become my friend.”

Grace kept her eye gazing back at him, seeing his eyes carrying a mix of emotion so similar to a pony as his hand came up to cup her cheek. She felt his every breath drift across her mouth and lips, knowing he was feeling the same as they shared each breath. They stared at each other in silence for a long time in the dim light of the home they shared, the fading firelight throwing a few flickering shadows and occasional soft crackles around the room.

Before sleep claimed them, Quiet Grace saw that he looked more at peace.




***




A few months later…




Quiet Grace was walking along the road with Gezi on her right, their pace almost languid and the fall sun was a pleasant warmth on her back in the cool air.

It had become something of a habit for him to walk on her blind side, fingers at just the right place to graze the middle of her neck so she knew he was there at all times without either of them needing to speak. She had never mentioned it, but Grace had some suspicion he was, on some level at least, acting as her eye on that side. While her ears made it easy enough for her to compensate, the silent gesture was appreciated.

It had also done nothing to discourage the rumors she had heard from Puddinghoof about others in the village thinking well of the two of them herding together. Such rumors left Grace feeling thoughtful, wondering what Gezi thought of the idea, but never asking out of respect as he had never shown any signs himself. Although, with as close a friend as he had become and their living together, it was not really that different from how they were now. Perhaps she would ask him later in the evening after her next lesson in logistics and supply organization.

At present, having shared a midday meal, they were headed out to the training field for more exercises and active studies in combat tactics. It came as quite a surprise when Grace’s ears perked up at the sound of shouting voices.

When she came around the next corner, she saw a small crowd was starting to gather around the open smithy where Firm Anvil and Iron Hoof both could often be found. She realized it was their voices she heard, frowning as she picked up her pace. They did not sound the slightest bit pleasant.

“--ve to do it again because it’s still wrong! A mark doesn’t make you a master, fool! Now do it again and stop complaining, you limp-dicked back warmer!” came the angry voice of Firm Anvil and the large-bodied, middle-aged smith mare had a rather acidic tone.

“That’s the fourth time I’ve redone it and it looks just as fine as the first, you dirty-chested tail flipper!” Iron Hoof barked out with the same volume and tone, yelling right back as Grace neared the smithy.

Quiet Grace grit her teeth as they continued with various iterations of the same basic statements and insults, her frown deepening as she made her way through the growing crowd. She knew the pair were not unfamiliar with arguing with each other. Even in the face of Firm Anvil’s sharp disgust for having to teach a stallion her trade, and Iron Hoof’s youthfully impatient and overeager tendencies, not to mention his bloated pride over his mark, the two of them had generally accepted a tense but tolerant working relationship was best for the good of the communal herd. It didn’t alter the idea that this argument seemed to be the worst yet between the pair.

Her right ear twitched at the brief sound of knuckles popping, her aggravation with the pair’s frequent spats rising as she caught Gezi’s quiet response as he clenched his fists. She knew he’d remain silent and defer to her, but it was the one thing she knew of that actually angered him enough to show any outward reaction. Of course, blatant disrespect wasn’t something Grace was very fond of either.

Casting a sharp glance at one of the mares herded to Iron Hoof, catching her eye and making it clear she was to stay out of this, knowing it would just complicate things even worse. Grace had caught sight of her marching through the crowd to defend her stallion. She was well aware all four were getting fed up with Firm Anvil’s treatment of Iron Hoof.

Quiet Grace did not bother to restrain her ire as she cut into the ongoing shouting match with a shout of her own as she entered the smithy. “That’s enough out of both of you!”

The arguing pair glanced at her and back at each other, giving each other intense glares with bared teeth, but after a moment they at least shifted away from each other and held their tongues. If only just.

Giving a hard look at Iron Hoof before turning her gaze to the black-maned, ashen-coated muscular smith mare, Grace prepared herself for sorting out what happened as she spoke, “Explain, Anvil.”

The smith gave a snort, her gaze flicking back at Iron Hoof with a look of disgust before turning back to Grace. “Hmph… This fool keeps getting the heat wrong on the plow blade I had him making. Instead of doing it the right way, he keeps thinking the iron can take more heat than it should. Now the iron is going to be overworked from repeated attempts and has to be redone to get the balance back so it won’t be brittle and break during use, or end up too soft. I refuse to let a piece of trash come out of my smithy.”

Grace eyed her for a moment before speaking, “Did you explain as much to Iron Hoof?”

“I’ve taught him the same thing enough times already! I can’t be explaining the same crap every time he messes something up because he will not wait for the right time to act.”

Her eye narrowed as her scowl deepened, staring down the taller smith mare, “That is not what I asked, Anvil. Did you or did you not actually say that to him?”

Firm Anvil growled, her tail giving an angry lash, “I shouldn’t have to…but, no.”

She held the smith’s eyes for a long moment before Grace turned to look at the even larger Iron Hoof, finding him wearing a faintly smug expression he wasn’t trying very hard to hide and had to restrain the urge to snap at the prideful young stallion.

After a moment to restrain the urge, she spoke, “Explain, Iron Hoof.”

“The plow blade is fine. Anvil yells at me for the slightest imperfections or differences from the way she wants it done. I know when to quench the iron. She just wants me to waste my time doing it over and over for no reason. I’ve made plow blades before and this one is strong enough for the fields already.”

Quiet Grace eyed him, thinking for a moment before speaking again, “Very well. If it’s strong, it can be proven with a test easily enough.” She turned to her companion, “Gezi, I know you are familiar with the basics of metalworking. Can you test the iron for brittleness?”

Gezi gave her a nod, then grabbed the plow blade and a hammer before setting it on the anvil. The hammer rang out as it struck down on the iron plow blade near one end once, then a second time, and Gezi paused. He lifted the plow blade to look more closely.

He turned to look at Grace with his usual neutral expression, “Iron is brittle. Will break if I strike again. Can still fix if careful with heat.”

Iron Hoof growled, sounding insulted, “There is nothing wrong with it! You’re just saying that to try and make me look bad, you furless outsider!”

For a moment, Grace was sorely tempted to slap Iron Hoof across the muzzle. His pride had slowly grown worse as he learned more about crafting in various forms. His mark of a smith’s hammer, seeming to signify his ability to build whatever he could think of, was not doing much to help him learn humility. He was already seventeen and his body still seemed to be growing in size, yet his foolish pride scarcely fit inside his own swollen head.

Though tempted to do so, Grace knew she didn’t need to defend Gezi. She was all too aware insults meant nothing to him, and in more physical matters, his ability to turn his opponent’s momentum against them was unrivaled, making raw strength a poor choice against him. Instead, she watched his neutral expression remain unchanged as he turned slightly, then slapped the plow blade against the anvil. The end snapped off right around the same point Gezi had struck it with the hammer.

“Iron is brittle. Now need more work to fix.” Gezi said in a calm tone that conveyed no further discernible emotions, though Grace noticed he was tensing as he kept a close eye on Iron Hoof, seeming to expect more than words as he made a subtle shift in stance.

Quiet Grace didn’t feel like watching Iron Hoof put himself through a much more direct lesson in humility by attacking Gezi and likely earning himself a broken leg. While it might help the stallion pull his head out of his own plot, he would not be available to attend his other jobs when winter was fast approaching.

Cutting him off before he could even start, Grace barked sharply, “There’s your proof, Iron Hoof! You messed up your work on that plow blade! For today, go home. You need to get over yourself before you wind up in real trouble, colt. Get going!”

Iron Hoof turned to face her and looked furious. For several seconds he seemed ready to lash out, but then slowly backed down as both his ears and head lowered. His features changed to shame as he walked out of the smithy soon after, his wife giving Grace a nod with an embarrassed look before she went to his side and left with him. The gathered crowd began to disperse as he left.

Taking a moment for a slow breath, she caught Gezi’s eye and he gave her a calm nod that all was fine with him, then turned to face Firm Anvil.

Grace spoke in a frustrated tone, “You need to stop taking out your bitterness on him, Anvil. I am aware of what happened to your husband Evergreen. Iron Hoof is still young and needs to get over himself, true, but you aren’t helping matters by constantly antagonising him.”

For a moment, the grumpy smith mare seemed to look several years older at the mention of the name as she looked away, her ears and tail seeming to droop lifelessly before she huffed and perked back up. Anvil whirled around and started setting up for another smithing job that needed doing, but as she raised a hammer to start, it came down slow until she was leaning on the workbench, unable to raise her eyes as Grace stepped closer.

The smith’s voice had a hollow strength in it, the kind of tone used by one putting up a front to sound solid but really wasn’t underneath. “If he’d just stayed in the damned fields and pulled a plow like a proper stallion, not been going off in the woods all the time because of that Tartarus-damned forest mark of his, he’d still be here. He wouldn’t have been caught by those manticores. Fifteen years since that idiot ran off saying he was going to pick some flowers for his wives and never came home. Since he left me with a shattered fellow wife in Autumn Step that couldn’t stand having just me left, giving up the moment she got sick. When he was the same age, Evergreen was a lot like Iron Hoof. Proud and stupid. Sometimes, it’s like seeing a twin or son of my husband…” Then Firm Anvil snorted and rolled her shoulders, her voice hardening again as her hammer raised up and, with a practiced drop of the tool onto the metal before her, she set to work straightening the piece before it would meet the flame, Teng! “When that colt comes back tomorrow,” Teng! “I’ll have him keep working on the plow blade,” Teng! “Until he does it properly,” Teng! “And make sure I repeat myself,” Teng! “When he’s doing something wrong.” Teng! “All that talent, and his own pride is his biggest problem.” Teng! “Unless you need something else, I have work to do.” Teng!

She had just been a filly when Anvil’s husband Evergreen was killed. Then the smith lost her sole fellow wife to illness the following winter a few months later. From what Puddinghoof had said, Anvil had become a bitter, stallion-hating but staunchly pragmatic mare that lost herself in her work as much as possible ever since.

As the steady beat of hammer strikes sounded, Grace knew there was nothing else she could say, silently turning around and leaving the smithy with Gezi at her side.

At that moment, Grace realized Firm Anvil was never going to change for the rest of her days.





***





The following day found Quiet Grace and Gezi standing beside Lead Mare Puddinghoof in the mountain pass most often used to travel in and out of the valley relative to known settled lands. Under different circumstances, the peaceful clearing surrounded by pine trees would have been both beautiful and relaxing. Today, it was a place they had to make a decision.

A runner from one of the recruiting parties had come the previous evening, saying that while they succeeded in convincing a village to come join them, there was a problem they did not know how to approach. Having been instructed to use their own judgement for anything unexpected, they had felt it best to lead the village back and present the matter to Lead Mare Puddinghoof and Militia Leader Quiet Grace to make a final decision, rather than risk the village refusing to join them. They needed many to join them for the kind of future they envisioned or they would never succeed. This was the last of the four recruiting parties to return, and the only success, though it was better than their expectation of none at all the first year of trying.

The problem was that the village was refusing to abandon a stallion.

A unicorn stallion.

So there the three of them stood, a large portion of the valley militia, all of whom were also Gezi’s fighting students, spread out around the edge of the meeting point and holding their crossbows lowered as they watched the unicorn stallion and an earth mare walking towards them.

Grace tried to keep her face impassive as she studied the markless stallion as he approached, limping and favoring a hind leg. He kept himself pressed against the earth mare walking beside him, which was a bit strange. She didn’t know what to make of him, or why he kept his ears flat against his head, which he also kept low and leaning into the earth mare. Nor could she fathom why he wore a look of such naked fear.

When they stopped a short distance away and Quiet Grace had a chance to look him over from nearby, she saw something that stunned her.

Hidden by his pale yellow coat at a distance, she saw signs of numerous scars and marks on his face, on his head, across his body and legs. Half of his folded right ear was missing. He had many signs of who knew how many countless beatings, scars that crossed other scars. She knew unicorns could be brutal against earth ponies, but to do that much to one of their own stallions?

Then Grace recalled some of the subversive games she had heard of that unicorns had used, the utter lack of limits they could have just to enjoy a convoluted game of intrigue with living pawns…

And the fact it was her job to look after the safety and lives of every pony in their valley home.

If a group of unicorns came after them right now, they would likely lose the valley in short order. And with it, perhaps their only chance at developing the strength to stand against them.

Quiet Grace knew she couldn’t afford to let herself be blind out of pity, just in case the stallion was nothing more than a complex ploy. She just hoped she had the mental fortitude to make a clear decision after some time to get a feel for the stallion, and whether or not he was intended to find their valley for another party.

Lead Mare Puddinghoof addressed the mare that came forward with the unicorn stallion, a frown on her face as she inquired, “I am the lead mare of this valley and my name is Puddinghoof. I understand many in your village were ready to refuse our invitation because of this stallion beside you, be it directly or indirectly. Will you explain why?”

The blue-green mare with soft gray eyes and a gold and gray striped mane flicked her eyes at Gezi for a second with a wary look before turning back to Puddinghoof, pausing to nuzzle the stallion with gentle affection before replying, “I act as a fishermare, food preserver and cook for my village. My name is Sea Stride. Simply put, because he’s been through enough hardship. I have also recently claimed him as my own stallion while trying to help him recover. He’s very sweet and kind when he feels safe. We earth ponies take care of our own, and he is one of us now in every way that matters.”

Quiet Grace spoke up after a second to think, keeping her expression calm even as she met the mare’s eyes with a firm look, “I am both the militia leader and healer of this valley. My name is Quiet Grace. If we are going to genuinely consider permitting him into our valley, I need to talk with him separate from you. Safety of this valley is my duty, and I know how underhoofed unicorns can sometimes be with both their own and ours, just because they can. This is not optional. Wait with the rest of your village while we meet with him.”

Sea Stride returned the look, unhappy but unwilling to argue and nodded after a moment in understanding. “That is a rather strange pairing of duties. I respect your requirement. From some of the stories he has told me, I honestly wish I didn’t know what you mean. Please try to be gentle though. Starlight is very easily spooked and could potentially be defensive to a dangerous level if he is threatened enough, though he is doing better than when he stumbled into our village begging for mercy almost a year ago now. And if a unicorn mare named Frost Bolt ever finds him, she fully intends to murder him.”

Quiet Grace didn’t react outwardly, but she felt a flash of anger as her ruined eye twinged at the name.

“He doesn’t like me to talk about it, so I leave it to him if he wants to tell you why.” The mare sighed and nuzzled the skittish stallion again, her voice gentle, “You just be honest with them, Starlight. I won’t be far away, but I do need to leave you with them for a bit. I’m sure they will welcome you after having a chance to know you. Sit down and remember to take deep breaths. Everything will be alright.”

The unicorn stallion named Starlight let out a quiet whimper as he started shaking, his ears trying to sink further into his head as he sat on his haunches and hid his closed eyes beneath his pale blue mane, seeming to focus on his tremulous breathing. As Sea Stride walked back to where the rest of her village was collected together, he seemed to shrink with the quiet sound of every step.

Grace glanced at Puddinghoof and caught her eye, then Gezi’s. All three of them were thinking the same thing. He might be more dangerous than we can permit. It was one more factor they had to to consider. Even if he wasn’t part of some plan, they had to determine if he might be a threat all on his own for different reasons entirely. As the three of them had already talked over options and possibilities, Grace knew she had their support and the final say.

There would be some opposition to letting a unicorn live among them as it was, if they chose to allow him in. A discreet set of motions with her ears, Grace signaled the crossbowmares surrounding them to keep their eyes sharp and weapons ready, with the faintest clicks and creaks of adjustment reaching her ears in response. It was a set of sounds none from beyond their valley would have heard before, hopefully making the full threat of their weapons unrecognized to the stallion. She wasn’t taking any chances around a unicorn, even if her initial impression tugged at her sympathy.

Upon seeing Puddinghoof give her a nod, Grace got started with her questions, conflicted over dealing with a unicorn versus seeing a stallion in such a terrible state. “I suppose we should start with asking why you bear so many scars and how you came to reside in an earth pony village, Starlight. Tell us your story and we will go from there. Please tell us the truth and hide nothing. We have to understand you more if we are to allow you into our valley.”

The stallion trembled as he tried to keep his breathing measured, not opening his eyes at all, taking several deep breaths before speaking in a wavering voice, “I-I come from a unicorn n-noble family. M-my name is Sparkling S-starlight. My story is n-not a nice story. A f-few years ago, I was t-told I was going to m-marry a noblemare named I-ice B-bolt. I was b-bred and trained for m-making a wife look good, and m-m-my T-t-tartarus c-cursed magic strength p-prepared to impress guests with a full m-magic education. A p-proper noble-born unicorn stallion brings his f-family a good p-price when he comes of age, a-and I was w-worth a lot for my family when it c-came time to bid on my arranged m-marriage. A s-stallion of my g-grade is a rare p-p-prize.

“Lady Ice B-bolt won me. She had h-helped arrange the f-founding of the new city of Dancing Sun six years ago. She n-needed to replace her l-last husband after he d-d-died…” Starlight stopped to focus on his breathing again, showing signs of growing panic before he calmed himself back to merely shaking.

Quiet Grace narrowed her eye with concern at this, her mouth making a tight line. She did not like seeing him this quick to panic just from telling his story. Not when she already heard he could get dangerously defensive, or when his own admission said he had strong magic. She also had a suspicion she knew how this Lady Ice Bolt’s previous husband died. Regardless, Grace would hear him out, though  her gut was telling her this was going to get very bad soon.

Starlight forced himself to carry on with his tale, his eyes still closed as he continued, “I d-did everything m-my wife and m-mistress demanded of me. I-I was ch-chosen as a t-trophy husband to show off the w-wealth of L-lady Ice Bolt. To imp-p-press her guests with m-my m-magic s-s-strength and s-skill. If anything w-went wrong, she m-made sure t-t-to c-correct me… I had t-to wear an illusion so I-I still l-l-looked unblemished a-after I w-was c-c-corrected the first few t-times after we m-married.”

He was breathing faster, appearing unable to stop it now as he began to talk faster, “M-most every day, she g-gave me at least a s-small c-c-correction. Sometimes, when sh-she m-made me attempt h-hard m-m-magic and I f-f-failed her, the c-c-corrections lasted over an hour. Other t-times she used m-me as en-en-entert-t-tainment for h-her angry friends! To t-t-teach her d-daughter F-frost Bolt how to c-c-control a stallion!”

Grace took half a step back in alarm as she saw Starlight’s horn starting to glow as he began to panic outright, her left ear dropping back and her mares aimed their weapons at him immediately. She didn’t know much about magic, but she had heard some rumors about unicorns going out of control and the havoc they could unleash. One twitch of her right ear now and her mares would release their bolts into him as she watched him spiraling, growing louder as he went.

“She was p-playing a game with her daughter! Seeing who could make me cry out loudest! I just wanted it to stop! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t want to surge like that!” Starlight was screaming now as tears ran down his cheeks, sinking down to his belly and covering his face with his forelegs, his horn glowing brighter with every passing second. “I don’t remember what I did! I just wanted it to stop! I was trying to be a good husband! I don’t know what I did! I woke up and there were pieces everywhere! I sent her daughter through a wall! So much was red and lumpy around me! I just wanted her to stop!”

As he shrieked and the glow of his horn seemed to shift into a new state, brighter than ever as it seemed to be trying to rival the sun’s light coming down from above in a way, Grace prepared to drop her right ear and put him out of his misery for the safety of all present. She hated coming to that conclusion, to see cause to end a life for the first time, but perhaps it was the best for him in the end, after what he had been through. Though Gezi had already warned her how hard it would be to take a life, she felt her heart was about to break. She swallowed, telling herself she would bear it fully by not looking away when she gave the signal.

Then something grazed her cheek as her whole world seemed to come to a near stop, her left eye widening, and she saw something that transformed her perspective entirely when a white dove brushed past her.

It was only moments in time as the dove made three rapid circuits around the tortured stallion and flew out of sight again, but most of her fear of him lashing out evaporated as her left ear raised back up, more out of surprise than intent at first.

Quiet Grace knew right away if she were to ask, not one other pony would have seen the dove, just like none had seen the one that landed upon her back when her destiny mark appeared. Neither Gezi nor Puddinghoof had seen it that day, and they were right there when it happened in front of the whole village. For whatever reason, it was a sign for Grace alone to witness the dove’s appearance.

According to the legends she had read, those that witnessed the dove appear at great moments of life saw her three times when guidance or a sign was needed in some way, most often at the start of a great journey or task. They were the ones chosen by the greatest of the gods, Mother of Life, and her mate, Father of the World, for important tasks that could be grand or humble in appearance, yet always heralded the start of a great change. She didn’t know why she could ever be one of those chosen, just that there was no turning back for her now. Her conviction before was still marred by doubt that they might never truly gather the strength, that sooner or later something would happen to take it all away again like always.

Now, Quiet Grace knew they could succeed, no matter how long it took.

She also somehow knew she would never see the dove appear before her again for the rest of her days.

Grace swallowed her remaining fear as she stepped closer to Starlight with a determined look, the world around her appearing to start moving again as her mind cleared, somepony calling out for her to back away from him before he killed her.

As the stallion gave an anguished, rising wail, she touched her hoof to his head and stroked along his mane. The light of his horn slowly began to dim as he broke down into a sobbing mess, her hoof continuing to make gentle strokes.

Once his horn had stopped glowing, Grace looked up to the two mares that were physically restraining Sea Stride and motioned for them to let her approach. The mare galloped over and all but dove to Starlight’s side, hauling him into an embrace and he immediately curled into her as he cried. With a touch of her hoof to get Sea Stride’s attention after a minute, Grace gave a slow nod, seeing relief mix in with the anguish in the blue-green mare’s weeping gray eyes.

Some time later, when the damaged stallion had quieted down to soft whimpers, Grace cleared her throat to get Sea Stride’s attention again. “I really did not expect all of that from asking about his history. In truth, when he began to light his horn in such a manner, I was very close to putting him down but something made me take a chance he wouldn’t lash out in a blind panic. He may stay in our valley, though I have a couple of conditions I require.

“The first, he is never left alone at any time. You, or another you trust with him, is to be present at all times, day or night. No exceptions. Second, when he goes anywhere in the valley until further notice, one of the militia mares must be next to him unless otherwise arranged. I don’t make the second for our sakes, but for his own. You know some will argue over a unicorn’s presence, and I am placing him under my personal protection as a result until such time as I see it is no longer necessary.”

Sea Stride sniffled as she hugged Starlight a little tighter and nodded, her voice strained from concern for the stallion, “I’ve already tried to make sure he is never left alone. Sometimes the memories come up without warning. He’s been absolutely terrified of hurting another pony ever since it happened, and I really don’t think he could hurt another even if he tried anymore, outside of moments like what you just saw. Thank you so much for allowing him to stay.”

“You’re welcome, though I would still like to know how he found his way to your village,” Quiet Grace inquired as the situation with Starlight slowly calmed down.

“From what he has told me, he somehow found his way at his youngest sister’s door in the city not long after, and she was the one that got him out of the city. Not every unicorn is arrogant and cruel. I understand she actually treats her earth pony servants like family behind closed doors. Starlight said an earth mare saved his sister’s life when she was a filly, despite lacking magic to fight some creature off. She never forgot that, even though she has noble blood herself. Beyond that, I really don’t know how he ended up stumbling into our village in early winter just as the snows began, but our lead mare heard part of his previous life and granted him a place with us. I was chosen to watch over him at first, as I lived at the far edge of the village,” Sea Stride explained.

“We found out a little later that Frost Bolt was looking for him. We were lucky when she came to our village, as he was asleep in my hut by the lake at the time. After learning more, we decided that I could keep him hidden and our village would never turn him in. It isn’t hard to imagine what would happen if he was caught. Fortunately, our village was far from the city like yours was, according to your scouts, so the unicorns did not visit often. There is not much else to tell beyond my attempts to help him heal each day, and our village agreeing to come join you.”

Grace nodded, looking at the silently quivering stallion, a thought crossing her mind before she spoke, “Starlight?”

He looked a mess, sniffling as he opened his bloodshot teal eyes and gave her a nervous look, still quivering from everything that happened, both minutes earlier and past events. Not once had he raised his ears the entire time Grace had been watching him.

Moving a little closer, Quiet Grace laid herself down on the ground with him, then stretched her neck out and slowly nuzzled his cheek before pulling back to give him a look of compassion.

“I can’t promise life is perfect here, and it will take time for you to be accepted by those that can do so, but I can promise to do all I am able to see that you’re safe from now on. Earth ponies can shoulder any burden, even yours, if you let us, and I do not care that you are a unicorn. You’re home now, and we all deserve to feel safe when we’re home.”
> Chapter Three: Procrastination, Preparation & Promises
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Four years after settling the valley…




“Even after a year, I still can’t decide which one is stranger…”

Quiet Grace looked up at Puddinghoof’s quiet comment from where she was going over some upcoming plans with the middle-aged lead mare, arching the brow over her single amber eye at the sudden mumbled comment. The mid-day sun shone pleasantly through the open window, providing light for the work they were engaged in within the central hall that was recently completed as a more permanent place to build up a government from.

The pair were sifting through the weekly reports, assistants stopping in now and then with refreshments or requests. New buildings, progress and yields of the two mines they had now, the breakdown of skills in the new arrivals, and various other sundry details. They were barely starting their larger plan, yet it seemed like the list of things to keep track of grew faster than should be possible.

Though her main focus was in the security of the valley and various aspects of developing an army from nothing, other healers having taken over her former position, the earthy brown mare still had to keep track of all levels of the valley’s budding vitality in order to see what resources were ready for her to utilize. She had to be well aware of which goods were abundant or lacking, and what to expect in the future, prioritizing those that they found falling behind.

With their long term plans in place, they had to ensure they grew in a manner that would function both now, and in ten years or more, lest they find themselves trapped by poorly directed expansion. Gezi had proven surprisingly knowledgeable in how to plan out a city’s life and growth. For the moment though, he was off training some of his fighting students, which she would join for some group exercises later.

Indulging in her curiosity for the mental break, Grace asked, “Decided what is stranger?”

Lead Mare Puddinghoof looked up, “Oh, just remembering what Gezi said when he taught us how to create paper. Quality is better now than the first few batches, too. I still haven’t been able to settle for myself whether it is stranger for Gezi to know a non-magical method for creating paper when Sparkling Starlight didn’t know how, or that it was supposedly an idea given to his kind by a kirin of all things. If I hadn’t actually met one by chance when I was barely a mare, I’d think they were just as much a legend as Gezi’s kind is supposed to be. I can’t help but wonder at times if wherever he is from is as far away from us as whatever lands kirin are from, even if kirin do seem to be not quite as rare.”

Grace nodded thoughtfully as she stood up to stretch after spending so much time in one position. “I suppose it is strange. I also sometimes wonder if he is from our world at all, though I doubt such a thing is possible. Then again, I suppose one could say the tales you have related of what dragons and kirin are like suggest they could be from elsewhere as well, considering they seem to have truly unique traits compared to all other known creatures you’ve learned about. Be it lands so far from us that their kinds are practically pure legend, or if they are possibly even from another world altogether. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter in the end.”

“I think this is as good a point as any to stop and have a meal.” Puddinghoof moved away from the low table as well, shaking out her hindlegs to rid herself of the stiffness before turning a smirk on Grace, “So when will you stop dawdling and ask him?”

Quiet Grace went still as she sighed and bowed her head, her silvery mane falling around her face in the process, taking on a look of frustration as she stared at the floorboards, “I… I don’t know what it is, but every time I try to say it, I grow worried about his reaction and lose my voice. Things are comfortable right now… And I am quite aware that everypony is more surprised that I haven’t asked him already.”

Puddinghoof let out a soft chuckle, a dark pink hoof scratching lightly at her neck before she went further, “You’re already twenty-eight, Grace. Most mares your age have had a foal or two, and nearly all have gotten themselves in a herd by now. You have all but said it to him directly as it is, and lived together, by the gods, slept side by side in the same bed, for four years now. If Gezi were a pony, he’d probably have even asked you himself at this point. Besides…”

When the pause went on longer than expected, Grace looked up at her lead mare and friend to see a warm smile, yet her eyes held a touch of concern.

“He is hard to read with his unmoving ears and stoic nature. You know him better than any of us, yet even I can see he carries a need for something clearly permanent to hold onto after losing everything like he did. He is so similar to us that there are times I forget he is not an earth stallion. Really just makes me want to thump you a bit at times too, when all you have to do is just ask him to marry you. You’ll both be happier for it. You younger mares always get so caught up in your worries when you should be focused on living, not even realizing it’s almost always simpler than what you get yourself worked up to,” Puddinghoof said with the amusement of experience watching youthful hesitation. “At least tell me you’ve let him help with your spring cycles like a normal pair of friends would.”

Seeing Grace wince and look back at the floor again, Puddinghoof let out an exasperated sigh, “I’ll take that as a no. A rather surprising no at that, I have to admit,” the older mare now shaking her head at Grace, a hoof reaching out to touch her shoulder in sympathy, “You’re incredible sometimes. You’re slowly proving yourself as a talented leader and capable strategist. You’ve consistently excelled in combat training, and usually win all your sparring matches if you’re not up against Gezi. You’re even helping me plan an entire city along the road to making a nation from nothing…”

Puddinghoof looked over the younger mare, trying to find the right words to nudge her friend along and stop getting in her own way. It was an odd contrast at times, watching Quiet Grace struggle with such a simple step with their unique bipedal friend and advisor when she had been so absolutely fearless in so many other things. One of the common first stories newcomers to the valley heard now was about her facing a panicked, abused unicorn stallion on the verge of going out of control, and how she calmed him with just a touch. Yet simply trying to take a new step with her closest friend was what gave her pause.

“And then we have your struggles with just talking to Gezi. The two of you are as close as anypony I’ve ever met, yet you freeze up just thinking about trying to make that transition beyond friends, that it will somehow mess things up between you…” Puddinghoof paused, her voice turning further exasperated, “You’re real lucky he’s strange and hard to approach, you know. If it wasn’t for the fact that most ponies think he’s already yours, or about to be, you’d probably have some real competition. He might be exceptionally quiet and so very different from us, but he’s done a lot to earn his place here. I’ve even heard some rumors now and then about how he might compare in bed. You keep putting this off, some other mare probably will try something eventually.”

Grace grit her teeth and snorted, a forehoof thumping the floor as she lifted her head and turned her eye on Puddinghoof, her nervousness turning into annoyance as her previously splayed and somewhat tired ears perked forward, “I know. It doesn’t help that every spring cycle has been worse than the last since we found him, and I know why all too well.”

Puddinghoof’s eyes held a knowing twinkle as she let out another chuckle, “First time I’ve heard you admitting to it out loud at all, filly. Now we just need to get you out of your own head enough to ask him.”

Quiet Grace rolled her eye and trudged out of the planning room, “Stop acting like you’re my mother and let’s go eat already. We still have more to do before I have to attend the afternoon training.”



***



Strolling along the road, Quiet Grace contemplated the way things were going as she headed out to the training field. Today, she was supposed to lead some spear drills.

As she looked around at the various ponies that called the valley their home, she tried to remember each name, each face and what they were good at. There would come a point when there were just too many, but for now she relished being able to see each and every one of them for who they were.

She had thought many times about the challenges she would have to face eventually, holding no illusions that there would come a day she sent ponies she knew into danger. That she would give an order knowing it meant not all of them would come back. That it was inevitable as a future general did not make it easier for her to accept.

Every pony she saw had a life they wanted to keep living, and for some reason Grace couldn’t quite understand, they were looking at her to guide them. More than a few were already prepared to put their lives under her control. Gezi was the only one that truly understood because he had already lived it. He was also kind enough to listen whenever it was bothering her, rarely needing to say anything as she talked herself through it.

Grace continued her pony watching, returning any attention she received with quiet but friendly greetings. A flutter of wings and squealing laughter nearby brought her gaze to a young, bright blue pegasus filly, her light green mane and tail whipping about as she was flying away from her adoptive mother, whom happened to be one of Grace’s guardsmares on a day off. The usually serious mare was laughing just as much as her filly as they played in a field not far away, one of the other mares of the herd she had joined relaxing in the sun nearby.

The sight reminded her of what happened last year, when the pair had been escorted to her upon arrival to the valley.


***


Quiet Grace eyed at the forest green mare that wore such a calm, yet defiant, expression. There was no question that the very idea of surrendering the pegasus foal hiding between her legs was not something that would be available for discussion, and should any attempt to take the filly, they would be met with a violent response.

It only made Grace smirk as she nodded.“While I already decided the moment I saw you two, I still needed to see your response in the open, Leafy Loam. It’s pretty obvious you claim her as your daughter in every way. Consider yourselves welcome in our valley. She might be a pegasus, but I could never condone turning away a foal that has never done any harm. Can I ask how you found yourself raising her?”

Leafy Loam snorted as she relaxed with a toss of her brown mane, giving a slow nod in return once she did. “I can understand that. Shouldn’t take needless chances with security, even if something looks unlikely. Not much to tell, really. I was out hunting a beast that had supposedly been spotted near my old village. Never found tracks and was turning back when something came crashing through the trees not too far from me.

“Went to investigate and found some mangled pegasus mare in damaged armor on the ground. Lost a wing in the crash or whatever she had gotten into that made her crash. Knew she’d bleed out pretty quick. Had a newborn filly with her that couldn’t have been more than a week old under her foreleg. Looked like she’d taken the fall for the filly, but also thought the filly was hurt. Wasn’t crying, just breathing.

“Mare spotted me and looked desperate. Even teared up as I got close enough to hear her. Said something about her rivals and that they’d kill her daughter. Begged me to give her foal a life. Never had trouble with a pegasus myself, so I said I’d keep her foal safe.

“Ran off with the foal when she said rivals would find her soon. Hid in a hollow behind a bush and saw three other pegasi drop in. Finished off the crashed one. Said something about finding the foal, but leader of the three said the foal was good as dead on her own anyway. They flew off and left the body.

“Took the foal home and healer got her healthy. Lead mare of my old village worried about pegasi or unicorns discovering the foal would bring problems, so I chose to wander. Hoped to find a new village, until I heard tell of your valley and traveled here, all others said we couldn’t stay. Mostly fear of unicorn trouble. Got more supplies and sent on our way. Now my little Leafy Breeze and I are here.” Loam concluded.

Grace nodded, feeling thoughtful, “I see. Well, as you know, we have no known settlements anywhere near this valley. This is a valley of earth ponies, but as you can see with my friend and advisor beside me, others are not unwelcome. There is also a unicorn stallion living with the mare that looks after him out by our lake as well. It might take a little time for others to adjust, but it should be fine. We’ll see about helping you build yourself a roof tomorrow. You’ll be directed to where you two can sleep until then by one of my subordinates. Again, welcome to our valley.”

She watched as Loam gave her a respectful nod before sweeping the yearling up and onto her back before trotting off with her guide without another word.


***


Leafy Loam was now a capable guard, and had proven a quick study under Gezi’s tutelage. Though the mare was generally about as playful as a crabby manticore, she was entirely different around her daughter.

It always made Grace smile whenever she saw the difference.

Thinking about that difference in behavior brought her thoughts back around to her unique friend. Puddinghoof was right about Grace getting stuck in her own head around him. As she walked out into the open towards the training field and saw him observing his students, she felt her nerves prickle again. Once more she remembered different things he’d said about where he was from, and how his kind were the only thinking creatures he had ever known before her village found him half-dead in the snow. He still hadn’t shown any signs that she could see to tell her how he felt about things changing between them.

Despite that, she knew she had to ask him eventually for her own sake at least.

Just…not today.

Quiet Grace let her mind clear in preparation for training as she drew close, Gezi met her gaze for a lingering moment, which always gave her a faint sense of peacefulness deep within. Instead of dwelling on it, she began going through some warm-up exercises. There was training she had to focus on.

A short time later, Grace stood before a formation of nearly a hundred mares. Each of them currently holding a fully sharpened spear instead of wooden practice ones, the intention was to prepare them for the feel of their weapon and how it responded in true motion, standing ready to follow her lead through a form built around an earth pony’s movements. Gezi looked on, ever watchful for places to improve his students.

Following her lead, they moved in unison with Quiet Grace.

“Hah!”

In one voice, they cried out with most every strike. The entire formation moved in lockstep together. Each step a mirror of those around them. Each mare now briefly part of a single entity.

“Ho!”

The combined sound of hooves thumping against the soil beneath them felt like it carried more strength. The faint whisper of sweeping spears slicing through the air was magnified by sheer numbers. A slight tremble went through the ground after each synchronized leap into the air.

“Yah!”

For Quiet Grace, it was such moments that truly made something inside her sing. That they could control their destiny; that they had the strength to face the future she knew would test them in ways they had barely begun to imagine.

As they were preparing for a round of striking drills, Grace noticed strange looks starting to take over the faces of the mares before her. The wide eyes and shocked alarm stayed her question as she turned around to look at whatever lay behind her now drawing so much attention. A quick glance at Gezi as her gaze passed him showed that even he looked stunned. In moments upon turning around, she saw it.

A green dragon in the distance, not all that far away.

And it was flying straight towards them.

Her mind began to race as she took stock of their situation. Nothing but wide open fields lay around them. No cover. No trees. Nothing to make a flier pause. They had a fair number of fighters, carrying actual spears, but it would do little good against a dragon. They were in an awful position.

If it attacked, they could do little to challenge it.

The tension was thick enough that Grace could have cut it with a dull blade as she watched the dragon approach, gripping her spear tight as Gezi stepped up beside her with a spear of his own at the ready. She took a small comfort from the touch of his hand on her neck and meeting his eyes for a moment before they watched the dragon draw near. They would stand together, no matter what happened.

As the dragon angled it’s form back and began to slow down with great sweeps of large wings, at least one part of the tension shifted. The dragon was clearly going to land, rather than streak by above their heads. The large green form with light green spines touched down on all fours a short distance away. It’s body was greater in size than a large house, and as long as three or more.

The dragon swept it’s gaze across the assembled mares as it flexed its wings before folding them, then focused on Grace and Gezi standing in front. It rumbled out some short growls, which were answered by a different set of growls in a different timbre, but before Grace could even begin to question what sounded like another voice, there was a flash of soft blue light and magic.

Suddenly standing there before them was a kirin.

Pale blue scales covered the sleek, powerfully built form of what Grace could only describe as a dragon-pony stallion, his scales gleaming in the sunlight. His blunt, bone white, strangely arched and forked horn curved gently upward as it stretched away from his forehead in a way similar to an antler and more than twice the length of a unicorn’s horn, his own height nearly enough to meet Gezi’s eyes on the same level. Glittering slitted golden eyes hinted towards a sharp mind as he focused on her. His long, tufted serpentine tail sinuously sweeping about as he stepped closer with a confident stride. He tossed back his ice blue mane and directing a gentle smile at Grace, a small beard the color of his mane lay beneath his chin. Somehow, he radiated both power and tranquility together.

Stopping a respectful distance before herself and Gezi, he bowed his head before speaking in a voice that rumbled with both age and thunder in it’s depth, “Greetings, young ones. We mean you no harm. We are merely curious of your presence here in this valley, and of such a rare creature being present.”

Grace struggled to come up with words to respond with, taken aback by the circumstances they were in. Her spear relaxed to rest against her shoulder, an ear twitching back caught the sounds of the rest of the mares starting to relax in kind, but before she could gather her wits again, the kirin stallion spoke again as he looked up at Gezi with a soft chuckle.

“Now now, I am no such thing, young one,” said the kirin, leaving Grace rather confused as she glanced up and saw Gezi’s eyes wide with rare open surprise as the strange stallion continued. “If you did, I’d be quite displeased. Yes, I do. It’s much like sound for us. You can envision a wall around your thoughts or similar concept. Oh, I see you are well-trained. I am impressed.”

All Grace could think in the moment was ‘What was THAT about?!’

The kirin winced as he turned to her. “Please calm yourself, young one. You shouting your thoughts does cause something of a headache. As I just told your friend, I hear unguarded thoughts. Picture a wall around your mind if you do not wish me to hear you. For we kirin, it is no different than sound to your ears and just as difficult to control, except we cannot do something like cover our ears in response to loud thoughts.”

After opening and closing her mouth a couple times, unable to stop the storm of questions flying through her head, she started trying to imagine her mind secured within a closed room. Glancing between the kirin and Gezi a couple times, she found herself quite glad Gezi had drilled techniques for mental clarity into her so much in the past. Taking a slow breath, she forced calmness back in and made herself begin to relax so she could think clearly again, now that the initial shock had passed.

The pale blue kirin caught her eye with a knowing smile. “I am guessing your strange friend has taught you, as I sense a less practiced but similar technique in you. To be quite honest, I am glad it is only a very short range ability. With so many more of you present just body lengths away, I imagine I would have quite a migraine by now otherwise.”

Grace cleared her throat before speaking in a much calmer tone than she felt, “My… My apologies. I am the militia leader of our valley. My name is Quiet Grace. Might I ask why you have come to our valley?”

“Ah, Earth pony greetings. It has been decades since I last shared one,” the kirin said in his rumbling deep voice, still smiling, “I am a teacher among my kindred. I cannot give my name so readily, same as my large green apprentice or any other of my kindred, but you may call me Blue Traveller. As I said, we were curious about your presence in this valley, and of your strange friend. What has brought you to settle here so far from other pony lands?”

“That is a bit of a story, but in essence, we are seeking to grow ourselves strong enough to weather the often poor treatment of unicorns and pegasi,” then Grace frowned. “You are not about to tell me this valley belongs to the kirin or dragons, are you?”

Blue Traveller chuckled warmly and shook his head, his smile wide enough to flash his dragon-like teeth, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Have no fear in that regard, young one. It is unclaimed territory by all accounts of which I am aware among all races. I am curious though…” He leaned closer and spoke more quietly, “Seen any white doves since meeting your strange friend?”

Once again, Quiet Grace found herself feeling stunned as Blue Traveller straightened with a look that was far too smug. All she could do was gawk for a long moment, her breath faster. She had only spoken of the dove’s appearance to Gezi and Puddinghoof, leaving her struggling to know what to think about the kirin before her.

Collecting herself again and focusing her mind, attempting to use what she already learned, she had to know. ‘I have only told my friend and my lead mare. How could you know?’

Looking straight into Grace’s eye, Blue Traveller gave her a quiet reply she wasn’t sure how to respond to. “I can see who they have touched, young one. A touch that is quite strong on the both of you, whatever their reasons. I wish you luck, but I have a feeling you won’t truly need it. Just remember though, there are no certainties, and they use many approaches. Do not forget your legends.”

The green dragon suddenly snorted, rumbling a series of growls for a moment before Blue Traveller snapped his head around to glare at his apprentice with a snort of annoyance. “Whelp, what have I told you about that? You’re a male already past three, yet you persist in trying my patience. We speak in their tongues once we greet those of the younger races. I know perfectly well how long we have. Since you’re so eager, you get to be responsible for dealing with it now. I am getting too old to put up with you giving me sass.”

Sitting back on his haunches and folding his massive forelegs across his chest, the green dragon turned his head to the side and adjusted his wings briefly with a sour look, his voice somehow even deeper than Blue Traveller’s as he mumbled, “Grah…understood, my teacher.”

Quiet Grace blinked, looking up at the tall kirin and trying to grasp what she just heard as Blue Traveller turned back to her as she asked, “If he’s three… Blue Traveller, how old are you?”

His mouth turned up into a sly smile. “A rather experienced forty-seven. Still surprises me sometimes when I think about how fast it seems to have gone by in hindsight, particularly these last thirty-one years. I am old enough at this point that I am on my last journey away from our lands at the edge of the world. I have earned my rest when we return, once my apprentice and I have finished our duties abroad. There have been enough adventures in my life. Oh, I suppose I should also point out we measure our age a bit differently, as I am not speaking in years, but centuries. Compared to you younger races, we live very long lives, but I am afraid I cannot tell you much more than that.”

Grace looked at him strangely, struggling to grasp what it could be like to have seen that much time pass. Her own life seemed long enough as it was, yet he may well have seen the rise and fall of empires.

Blue Traveller spoke up after a moment as he turned his eyes to Gezi, “I will try to see, but it is unlikely I could give you that answer.”

Before Grace could ask, the kirin’s horn began to glow with an aura of soft blue light. After several seconds, a similar glow surrounded Gezi, and a few seconds more it stretched out from him to envelope Grace as she felt a strange sensation wash over her body. It was calming and strangely familiar in some odd way she couldn’t place before it faded.

As his horn dimmed again, Blue Traveller sighed, “As I suspected, you will most likely never know in this lifetime. I am sorry I cannot give you a better answer, strange one. They have denied my sight, but I can at least say it could not be repeated and there is nothing I can do. All you can do is go forward as you have been.”

For reasons she couldn’t put words to, Grace felt concerned as she looked up at Gezi’s face, seeing him meet her gaze with a distant sadness, his mouth a tight line, “Gezi…?”

Gezi’s voice was soft, even softer than his usual calm tone so the mares not far away would not be able to hear, and as familiar with him as she was, she could hear the anguish hidden within. “I ask wise and honored kirin how I come to pony lands. If I have any way of seeing own kind again. Among own kind, kirin are gods. I already accept fate and path guiding earth ponies, but still felt need to ask with opportunity.”

She reached out a hoof and touched him high on his leg, words failing her as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Gezi’s hand wrapped around her hoof, squeezing gently. She knew he would need her to share his burden later. He was far too good at hiding it from others.

Then Blue Traveller sighed, drawing their eyes back to him as he looked off in the distance from where he and the green dragon had flown in. “It seems they started another race, or at least something of that nature again. I had hoped for more time.” He turned back to Grace. “I need to return to my duties. Do not fear what is coming. My apprentice and I will ensure they will bring no harm to your settlement here.”

He then turned his head towards his apprentice and nodded.

The green dragon rolled his eyes, drawing an annoyed snort from Blue Traveller, but nodded his head and raised himself a bit higher in a two-legged stance, wings spreading wide as he drew in a deep breath. Then his head went back, mouth opening wide as he let out an immense roar that seemed to shake the very air around them.

Grace found herself wondering how many times one could feel startled or surprised in a single day as she stared at the dragon. She also wondered if it was just her eyes playing tricks on her or not, as the green dragon’s roar seemed to pass almost like a visible wave of forest green in a seeming wall passing across the valley in every direction. It happened so fast, she couldn’t really be certain.

Turning his eyes back to her, Blue Traveller gave a respectful nod of his head to herself and Gezi. “I fear I must depart. It has been an honor to meet you both, and I wish you well as you proceed along the path of whatever you have been chosen for.”

Grace and Gezi both gave him a bow in return. She found herself struggling to speak, managing only a simple, “Farewell, Blue Traveller.”

As Blue Traveller turned to depart, he paused and glanced back at Gezi with an arched brow, an ear cocked towards him. “Yes?” The kirin’s eye then glanced to Grace before returning to Gezi as he gave an impish grin. “Unnecessary, but you have it. Ha! I will not! I won’t go spoiling such a journey of life for you,” Blue Traveller added before letting out an amused chuckle and walking towards his apprentice.

Grace blinked at the odd comments, wondering what had happened. She assumed Gezi had asked Blue Traveller something through thought again, but had no idea what it could have been about.

The green dragon lowered himself on all fours and Blue Traveller leapt onto his back in one motion, twisting midair and landing so smoothly that he did not need to adjust himself. As the green dragon stood, Grace saw Blue Traveller pause with a frown and look off towards their town before turning back to her, his voice holding something she couldn’t place as he called out, “And please tell Puddinghoof that I have not forgotten my promise. I simply lacked enough time to spare this day to tell her myself once I realized she was near.”

With that, his horn glowed a soft blue and he faded from sight, followed by the green dragon leaping into the air with powerful beats of his large wings, gusts of wind swirling about as they rose into the sky. The pair flew off into the distance opposite of the direction by which they had arrived.

All she could do was watch as the green dragon flew away. She would have to ask Puddinghoof what promise Blue Traveller had made later.

Once she had a moment more to think, she turned to look up at Gezi. “I think it would be best if we end today’s training and get back to town. We will not be very focused after that, and we still do not know what Blue Traveller hinted was coming.”

Gezi agreed and soon the pair were heading back into town with the rest of the mares that had been present. Many in the town had seen the dragon land in the field and there were many questions. For most of it, the other mares filtered out to wherever they wanted to go and started telling other ponies what they had just witnessed, satisfying the concerns of the valley’s residents. Many of them would likely be retelling it even to their grandfoals someday.

Halfway through the settlement, still intending to speak with Puddinghoof, they paused as shouts and cries of alarm began to fill the air. Turning about, Grace saw every pony in view staring up into the sky. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized what they were all looking at.

Dragons.

Many, many dragons.

In pure disbelief, all Quiet Grace could do was step closer to Gezi and press herself against his leg, feeling his hand rest against her neck as they stared helplessly at the approaching swarm, knowing there would be no point in running for non-existent cover. Dragons could fly far faster than any pony could run.

It took several painfully long seconds to remember Blue Traveller had said that he and his apprentice would ensure their settlement would not be harmed. While she had no reason to disbelieve the kirin’s words, she found herself holding her breath as the flock of titans began to pass over the valley and their burgeoning town.

Hundreds upon hundreds of dragons went dancing about each other as they flew high through the air, their scales displaying endless varieties of color as wide ranging as the ponies upon the ground. Some dragons merely made their way almost lazily, with others moving about in patterns. Still others were far from passive in their flight, making swift maneuvers and dives. For some, it obvious they were openly battling with another for reasons Grace could only guess at.

She watched as one pair became locked together in combat, roaring and blowing gouts of flame at each other as they tumbled. Grace noticed they were falling almost straight at the town as their massive forms thrashed.

Just as her worries began to grow into very immediate fear, the tumbling pair appeared to go silent and scramble apart before starting to regain altitude in a hurry. They had not even neared the treetops by the time they were rising again.

It was a very tense length of time as the dragons flew over their heads in the direction Blue Traveller and his apprentice had left. The same reaction continued to play out each time one or more of the passing dragons flew below some unknown point, be it in battles, aerial tricks, or even what seemed like curiosity. Not one dragon came very close to them.

By the time half of the large flock had passed, the previous shouts and alarm had faded from the ponies of the town. Though they remained on edge, the fear had given way to a fair measure of awe at the passing dragons. A once in a lifetime event was taking place, and with as rare as dragons usually were, it was a stunning one.

Eventually, the mass of flying dragons began to thin as the flock continued on it’s way beyond their valley, and Quiet Grace felt herself take a slow, trembling breath as the tension eased. She felt Gezi’s fingers press into the muscles of her neck in a familiar reassurance to both of them. The passing dragons had caused a great deal of anxiety, but thankfully little more than small bursts of wind were all they had received for it.

With a look around to see the previous tension in the town slowly giving way to excited conversations, Grace and Gezi continued on their way towards Puddinghoof’s home. A short time later, they were sitting with Puddinghoof, one of her fellow wives busy working on some tea.

“I assume you are going to tell me about the green dragon that was seen landing by your training field before that flock flew over our heads like giant migrating birds?” Puddinghoof asked.

Quiet Grace saw something in the dark pink mare’s eyes, some curious mix of emotions that never settled long enough to figure out. For now, she chose to ignore it as she nodded. “He and his teacher were curious of our settlement in the valley. The dragon was apparently the apprentice of a pale blue kirin named--”

“B-Blue Traveller?” Puddinghoof said as her eyes began to fill with desperate longing, her breathing starting to speed up.

Grace gave a slow nod, curious. “Yes. Just before he left, he also mentioned you by name and said to let you know he lacked the time to see you himself, but that he has not forgotten his promise.”

Puddinghoof shakily raised both forehooves to her mouth as her eyes squeezed shut, tears quickly beginning to fall as she let out a short sob. Her fellow wife, a burnt yellow mare with a graying teal mane named Honey Twirl, was already moving to her side at the mention of the dragon and kirin, slipping a foreleg over Puddinghoof’s shoulders and leaning against her in support.

After several emotional moments of being on the verge of tears, Puddinghoof slowly calmed again, taking a couple calming breaths as she turned a shaky smile towards Grace, her eyes had grown intense with feeling, “I-I met him by chance thirty-one years ago now. The gods brought us together, whatever their reasons were. I’ve never been more thankful, despite us being forced apart by circumstance right now.”

Puddinghoof sniffled and leaned against Honey Twirl, sharing a nuzzle in thanks before her fellow wife went back to the cooking fire to finish the tea. She gave a wistful sigh and smiled a little brighter as a dark pink hoof gestured to a small lump on her neck, mostly hidden by her graying soft magenta mane, “This right here is part of how I know he’ll be back for me. Under my skin is an ice sapphire he placed there. A special charm he made so he can always find me. He promised that so long as I tried to live a full life until he could return, he would take me with him when he finally returns to his homeland. He had to be gone for over fifty years while attending his duties, and could not keep me with him because of the dangers involved. He wanted me to live and thrive in case I pass away before he comes back, which should be another twenty years yet.

“Since then, I’ve done as he asked as I’ve waited for him. My husband and one of my fellow wives were dear friends that welcomed my company as I bide my time. My daughter, Puddingtail, has grown up a strong young mare, and will succeed me as lead mare eventually. I have made sure to have a full life as he wanted, which he was pleased to see when I saw him last, fifteen years ago.”

The middle-aged mare raised herself up a little, a calm confidence in her as she met Grace’s eye with a sly smile, “Even if I have to live to one hundred, I will be waiting for him when he returns, and I will give him whatever time I have left. I have no doubt that he will return, because in addition to the charm I carry, he gave me not only his given name, but his true name as well. Among dragons, such things are shared with a very select few. When he comes back for me, he will also tell you his short name, as per dragon custom with outsiders. That will be the day I can finally stop waiting on the love already there.”

Grace knew what Puddinghoof was doing. She felt her face heat before she averted her gaze, only to find her eye went straight to Gezi before she focused on Puddinghoof again with a weak glare, knowing exactly what was being suggested right in front of her, in front of Gezi. Grace wasn’t sure if she was afraid Gezi would pick up on it, or if she hoped he did. She didn’t pause to try and read Gezi’s expression, either, irrationally worried he might be able to read her mind if he saw her face. She was at a loss as Puddinghoof continued on.

“Hmmhmm, since you seem to lack words at the moment, I will tell you how it happened. While I must keep most of the story to myself, I like to tell my closest friends the story of how I gained the love of a kirin after big moments like today,” Puddinghoof began, her eyes turned slightly glazed behind a happy little smile, taking herself back to one of the happiest periods of her life, “I was out on the road in the wilds, and he had just saved my life from a chimera…”



***




Staring into the waning fire, Quiet Grace was brooding over the things that happened during the course of the day. At the same time, she also couldn’t stop, despite how much she wanted to.

Listening to Puddinghoof regaling herself and Gezi earlier with how she had met Blue Traveller, of the time she had spent with him and managed to find something with him usually only spoken of in stories and tales, it had left her feeling caught between happy and sad. So few had such good fortune as to find love, with marriage generally an arrangement between friends in order to have foals. A pooling of resources to share a future. While most treasured the mutual companionship, actual lovers were rare. Watching the shrinking tongues of yellow flames dance above the coals, their own constantly shifting glow shimmering in the heat, Grace felt a pinch in her heart again.

Grace had known Gezi for years now. She had taught him their language and society, helped him make connections with other ponies, even helped him with his burden of making a life after everything he had ever known was taken away. In return, he had given her new healing methods, taught her how to fight, how to lead, and had helped her with her burdens of expectation to keep their valley safe and possibly lead an army someday.

Most of all though, like Puddinghoof had with Blue Traveller, it was her conversations with Gezi that she enjoyed most. Early language struggles of necessity had long since turned to discussions of everything under the sun, ranging from military functions to philosophy, contrasts and similarities between their kinds, and a few times even straying close to her deepest thoughts as her friendship with him grew.

Sometimes, she just wanted to scream in frustration, having no idea what Gezi thought of such matters when she could not recall him showing any signs of interest towards her. He carried himself with an endless humble respect, his face nearly always a perpetual neutral calm. At some points, only her time around him let her see his emotions at all. Of course, he had never showed any sign of interest toward any other mare, either, but she had an idea of why. If anything, Gezi had a subtle, barely noticeable tension when around most other ponies, and he only relaxed entirely around a select few she knew he had come to trust.

Then again, she had to chide herself for being foolish about her own actions in turn, as she had grown so used to restraining herself around him that it had become normal between them. Grace couldn’t fault him for giving her no signs when she herself never gave any to him. Their comfortable routine had hardly changed, with the one notable shift coming when he confessed his loneliness to her. Ever since, her face gaining a distant smile as a heat grew in her cheeks that wasn’t from the fire, the two of them spent most nights curled up together, rather than merely laying beside each other. Several times, as she had lain beside him with his arms around her and him in her forelegs, she had come so close to speaking irrevocable words.

Grace sighed as her smile faded, then slowly became a frustrated frown. What held her back was the sense she had gotten from Gezi at times that, as he had explained, he sometimes had moments where he needed to remind himself that ponies were like his own kind, not the mindless beasts of burden his own kind tended. Over time, she had tightened her hold on her emotions around him a little more, trying to help ease his adjustment. And she had grown afraid of changing such things after doing it for years.

Just as she was beginning to cycle her thoughts back around in the familiar endless circle of uncertain possibilities, Gezi’s voice pulled her from her mind, his writing down his observations of the dragons today complete, “I am ready for sleep. Grace wish to stay awake longer?”

Brushing a lock of her silvery mane away from her amber-colored eye as she turned, Quiet Grace knew she couldn’t stand it any longer the moment she met his eyes.

“I will tend the fire and join you momentarily,” came her reply, willing her voice to be steady and limbs not to tremble. Every passing moment made her realization stronger, and she knew she couldn’t stop herself tonight.

Soon, she was slipping into bed and pressing against his chest as his arms came around her back, his warmth a pleasant contrast to the unseasonably cool weather they had that night, with some expecting a storm overnight. Most of the time, Grace didn’t get quite so close outside of winter, but temperature was merely an excuse and her presence welcomed.

For over a minute, Grace lay there, her nose tucked against his chest as they embraced each other. Once she had managed to gather herself, she moved her head back so she could see his face, somehow managing to keep from shaking in body or voice, “Gezi… I, I need to ask something of you. Please understand that no matter your answer, I promise I will never turn you away. You are my very dearest friend, and I simply cannot see life without you here with me. I…”

Quiet Grace felt her words fail as she saw him staring back at her, a mixture of emotions playing across his face. Her breathing began to pick up as she struggled against her uncertainties, the line she was about to cross. She wasn’t sure how to say it as the need to get it out kept building up.

Then it happened.

Her eye squeezed shut as she thrust her head forward to let her lips meet his, feeling his body stiffen in response. Several increasingly agonizing seconds passed as a ball of ice grew in her barrel, getting ever larger as Gezi remained motionless and tense. Her teeth began to clench behind the kiss as she gradually began to draw away, each beat of her heart beginning to feel like a spike being driven through her as the ice crept across her body. The cold beginnings of resignation saying that at least she had an answer now.

Gezi finally began to move just as her lips left his, a hand at the back of her head gently pulling her back in as his other arm held her tight in a clear sign of acceptance.

And the ice within her suddenly melted as a new warmth took it’s place.