Barbarians
_Before the king on knee set,_ _And in her language she him gret_ _'Laverd king, wassail!' said she._ -The Interview of Vortigern with Rowen Valentine ran. The son of a noble, he had never been forced to run in his life. He had run, of course....
Retribution
"Go rest, sister. I shall guard the night in your stead." Princess Celestia smiled at Luna, and gave her a curt bow. "Thank you, sister," Celestia said. "I must admit, I am feeling oddly fatigued. Twilight Sparkle attempted to cast a spell that...
The Shifting Tides of the Balance of Power
It was dark. There was no pain, or agony, or noise, or light, or movement, or cold, or heat. There was only an all-encompassing darkness. Alduin was aware of it, and only it, only of the oblivion that surrounded and enveloped. How Alduin welcomed...
Reign
"Do you think I'm pretty?" Cadence asked one of the Royal Guards out of the blue one day, earning a confused stare from the colt. "Do you think that I'm beautiful, I mean?" she asked, as if rephrasing the question would snap the guard back to...
For you, my love, forever
The condemned man walked with a dignity few men can muster at their time of death. He did not sob or plead or try to incur a touch of mercy in his executioners. His stride was arrogant and boastful, as if he were walking into a grand gala, and not the...
W.H.O.R.E.
**_W.H.O.R.E._** "Stewie, it's time to go." "No!" Brian sighed, pushing open the door to Stewie's room, and quickly skimming the interior for any sign of danger. Truth be told, he wouldn't be surprised if Stewie was sitting in a chair, facing...
Feminine Mystique
As a rule of thumb, bartenders never drank on the job. The perception of the job was one of glamour and allure. Bartenders threw back shots with the people they were serving, mixed fancy drinks effortlessly, and got absorbent tips to go with their fat...
Regal
"Why do all the guards look alike?" Luna asked, earning a confused look from her sister. The two were standing before the assembled ranks of the royal guards, observing as the guards performed a ceremony. It was a ceremony performed every dusk and...
The Terms of a Contract
The Bear Skin Guild was hired when ferocity was a requisite and subtlety was unimportant. Composed primarily of Nords, with some other mer who had proven themselves vicious and violent and willing to do anything for money, they were a guild that was...
Wrong Turn
It was supposed to be an afternoon hike. "Four hours at the most, three if everyone hustles," David had said. He was the one who had spearheaded this whole affair, as he did every year. He certainly looked the part of wilderness expert: sporting a...
For Science!
A copious amount of blue smoke concealed Trixie as she tip-toed out from behind the curtain. The goal was to create a sense of wonder, give the illusion she had somehow emerged from thin air. It usually got the crowd worked up. Today, the crowd in...
Horrible Things Inside
Albert had left for a five month trip to China. There were no long good byes, no tears, and no farewell parties. Albert was simply here one day, and gone the next. His parting words were the request that that no one go into his room. So, after driving...