A Pony's Quest

Far from the borders of Equestria, in a castle that was stained with blood, a great unicorn stared out into the distance. The castle had once been made of beautiful stone but the wars of a past time had ruined the Night Castle. A giant window pane of Princess Luna took up a far wall. Although Equestria was days away, the Night family knew who deserved their devoution. The wall next to the stained window had a banner of Princess Celestria adjacent to Princess Luna, but the princess of the moon came first. Lady Ashen hoped the clear moonlight was Luna's blessing on her quest. She closed her eyes, remembering why she had to leave her glorious home. Darren, a villain worthy of Discord's respect, had kidnapped her daughter, Cassidy. Darren had been raging chaos on Ashen's life since she was a filly.

"Do you always bathe in Luna's moon?"

Ashen spun around and saw an earth pony in her midst. She had put out banners asking for warriors. She saw an earth pony that had a brown mane with silver steaks within the mane. His cutiemark appeared to be a enlarged heart with a shield in front of it, a sword hung on his flank. He stared at her with kindness in his eyes.

"Who are you, kind sir?" She returned his kind look.

He bowed and replied, "My name is Fravir, my lady."

"Do you know of me or my family?"

"The great Night family, who have been fighting the Changlings in this land for what seems forever."

"Yes, mostly the changling named Darren. At one point of time, I cared for him. He grew cold, however, now we fight with no end. This time, he has taken my child, Cassidy hostage." She stomped at the floor. "I will save her!"

"Of course you will, my lady." A new voice echoed through her great hall. Ashen glanced up to see a Pegasus in her company.

She noticed the light blue coat glimmer among her ceiling. As she studied him closer, embers of an old flame stirred in her heart. Who was this new warrior? His cutiemark was a sword on fire and his mane an almost blackish brown. The eyes were what gripped her soul the most. At the first glance, his eyes were a normal brown, but Ashen saw golden glecks in that chocolate sea.

"Who are you, new warrior?" She trembled, not recognizing her own voice.

"I am Sir Alferion Deotrano. Apparently, your requests for warriors has traveled far. I am not from these valleys or mountains. I thought I could spare time for you, my lady." Then he smirked at her with a wink. This action caused Ashen's heart to flutter. Could love pas through her life a second time? Wait, love? Shaking her head, she put that stupid though on the back burner.

"You would not dare go on a quest without me, would you old friend?"

Ashen turned her vision to a unicorn who she knew well. A smile graced her face as she replied, "Of course not, Stephen."

Stephen, a male black unicorn with a silver mane, smiled back at her. On his flank, there was a swirl with a sparkle at the top, which she knew represented his talent in magic. "Good, because you know I will help, especially when it comes to Darren."

Ashen looked at the tree warriors. This wasn't a bad group, was it? Could she wait for more knights? No. Darren could be snacking on Cassidy right now.

"I can't wait to leave or other members for our group. Cassidy could be in a pod right now!" Ashen walked to the knights in her path.

"I understand your haste, Lady Ashen, but please let me swear my fealty to you." Fravir knelt at her feet.

"Your fealty sould belong to Celestia and Luna above me, though good sir."

He looked up into her eyes. "I know, but we do not live in their lands. Nor do they rule this kingdom or land."

She began to interject when he raised his hoof.

"I know you do not rule this land, either. But, your family has sacrified much to protect us from the changlings. To pay this debt, I offer my services to you, my lady."

Alferion knelt next to Fravir. "As do I, my lady."

Ashen glanced at Stephen, who also knelt at her feet, then she heard him say, "I should have sworn my loyalty to you a long time ago. You have been my friend for so long and we fought so many battles together. Let us do this, Ashen."

She closed her eyes and opened them again. "Very well. Do you, Fravir, swear your loyalty, your sword and everything in you to protect me? To make sure this quest is successful?"

"I do."

"Alferion and Stephen, do you sear the same?"

In unison, they spoke, "We do."

All of her knights rose to their knees, staring at her. She stared back and in a regal voice announced, "We leave at dawn. Use the night to prepare yourself. We rise at the first light of Celestia's sun."