The following takes place a few days after Virtue's last diary entry. Combat was simulated by DF. There is at least one more scene for Virtue coming up, maybe Glaive too.
and
It was so quiet down here. Virtue idly runs a hoof down the inner doorway to the monster trap in front of her, trying to picture what things must have looked like when the soldiers encountered the last monster. There were still remnants of it lying around her. Traces of mud. How such a thing could live... much less be so dangerous... she could scarcely imagine.
She sighs and looks down to the cavern floor, into a small puddle of the mud. Was it still dangerous to touch? Would she die like Stiletto if she did accidentally set a hoof in it? No, too many ponies had come and gone since then, and they were all fine. Why couldn’t Stiletto be fine too?
Her ears perk up slightly as she hears a scuttling noise from inside the trap. More vermin from the depths. So much strange life was found down here... and much of it extremely dangerous. If it wasn’t for the marble just below her, she wished they’d never set hoof down here. Wool and Stiletto would still be alive if they hadn’t.
She turns to leave, dissatisfied that she hadn’t cleared her mind at all by coming down to the caverns entrance. All she’d managed to accomplish was to depress her self again, and by now Glaive or whoever was on duty was probably looking for her. She shouldn’t have come down here without at least telling somepony. Maybe she’d make it back up before anypony knew she was even gone.
As she takes a step away, the doorway behind her buckles under the assault of something enormous behind it. She whirls around in time to see the damaged door torn from its hinges and land on the ground just ahead of her. Her blood froze in her veins as a hideous...
monstrous... crab clattered into the mines. Its body was covered in fine muddy feathers, and it let out a low rumbling cry as it started toward her.
Overcome with terror, Virtue finds her legs unresponsive. All she could do was let out a horrified scream at the top of her lungs, and cower.
Meanwhile, on the surface, Glaive is in a near panic. He had showed up to relieve Stormcloud of his duty guarding the Duchess, that morning, when it was discovered that she had vanished during the night. Glaive and the rest of the Ducal Guard began searching high and low for Lady Virtue, when one of the miners said that they had seen the Duchess heading into the mines several hours ago. Glaive rushes to the mine entrance when he hears a blood chilling scream. He knows immediately that the voice was that of Lady Virtue and he runs toward her as fast as his legs could carry him.
The crab wastes neither time nor mercy on her. She lets out another muffled squeak as its massive pincers reach down and grab for her. She instinctively turns her face away, and a claw clips onto her ear. She screams again as it cuts into her flesh, and her struggles to free herself are in vain. The crab lifts her up and slams her to the ground, knocking the air from her lungs and dazing her. The world spins for a few moments and darkness encroaches on her vision before she forces herself lucid again.
Glaive’s mad dash leads him to the Duchess currently in the menacing grasp of a giant feathered crab. The guard captain draws his axe in a flash of steel.
In a single fluid motion, the crab lifts Virtue into the air and hurls her down the hallway. She sails through the air for what felt like an eternity before slamming into the stone ground halfway to Glaive. She lands on her side, twisting a foreleg beneath her and again forcing the air from her lungs. A weak cough passes her lips as she gasps for air and tries to stand, but the pain in her knee and being winded prevents anything but a half stagger. She collapses back onto the ground just in time to see the crab looming over her yet again.
With all of the air she could gasp, she lets out a shrill scream of pure terror and kicks feebly at the monster as its pincers wrap around her limbs again. “Help me!” she screams desperately, but not expecting anypony to come. Nopony knew she was down here. “Anypony!!”
Her screams are cut off as the creature drags her in toward its maw and bites down. Blood spurts from the deep gash in her foreleg, and she redoubles her frantic kicking and bucking. “Heeeeelllllp!!” she screams again.
Glaive rushes forward with all of his might, praying to all the gods that he would be swift enough to save Virtue. As he reaches the beast he leaps into the air and with all of his strength he swings his axe downward striking the monster in the forward portion of it’s body, cracking it’s exoskeleton and sending a large chunk of the front flying away from it’s body. The creature now slain, collapses to the ground it’s blood pools around its wound. Glaive, seeing that the fight has been ended, rushes to his Lady’s side. “Virtue!” he yells as he examines her wounds.
The crab’s grip goes slack as the life drains away from its body, and Virtue tumbles to the ground in a heap next to Glaive. She cries out and clutches at the profusely bleeding wound on her foreleg, tightening into a ball on the ground. She trembles in place briefly before Glaive calls out to her, and she looks up to see him standing over her. But where was the crab...? Then it all fell into place, and her eyes snap open. “G-Glaive!”
Glaive drops his axe and starts pulling bandages from his saddle bag. “Lady Virtue, don’t worry. I’ll get you out of here. You’re going to be okay..” he says trying to convince himself as much as her, as he uses his magic to wrap up her leg, trying to slow her bleeding to the best of his limited ability.
Virtue stares in disbelief for a moment as Glaive began bandaging her leg. Was she hallucinating this? Had he really come to save her? Finally convinced it was real, she immediately throws her legs around Glaive’s neck and hugs him as tightly as she can, completely oblivious to his attempts to tend to her wound. “Glaive... th-thank the
gods you came...” she says in a weak voice as she clings to him, trying to halt the trembling in her body.
“Virtue,” replies Glaive, silently happy that she was still well enough to clutch him this tighty, “you are hurt, I need you to stay still while I bandage your wounds, then I’ll get you to Panacea.”
At that, Virtue notices the blood still oozing from her leg, and she releases Glaive with a startled gasp. The pain her adrenaline had been masking begins to reassert itself, and she grunts as her hoof touched the ground. “S-sorry...” She clenches her jaw to help fight through the pain, but the amount of blood running from the wound was frightening. “I-it h-hurts... a lot... h-how bad is it?”
Glaive continues working, “It isn’t that bad.” he lies “You’ll be fine, we just need to get you upstairs.” he says hopefully.”Glaive finishes wrapping up the worst of it. “Okay, Lady Virtue, I’m going to carry you to the hospital now.” he says before lifting her onto his back.
She nods silently as he lifts her onto his back. “It’s dead... isn’t it? Th-the monster? You killed it?”
Glaive nods as he begins walking back to the surface, with Virtue on his back. His axe floating beside him at the ready. “Yes, I killed it. I stuck it down with one blow to its head...It was distracted by you, I don’t think it saw me coming.”
Virtue whimpers something quietly before clinging to Glaive again. Her leg aches and burns horribly, but she is too shaken up to really care about that right now. “Th-thank you...” she mutters into his ear. As the whole thing begins to come into focus... that she had come within a breath of being killed... tears begin to well up in her eyes and she tightens her grip even more. “Thank you...”
“There is no need to thank me Virtue...Had I done my job as well as I should you would not have been hurt at all. I am sorry I failed you milady.” replies Glaive.
“You s-saved my life...” she replies in a shaky voice, placing her head against his neck and staring blankly into the stone walls of the mines. She couldn’t get any other words to form in her mouth.
Glaive says nothing more and makes his way cautiously back to the surface. He would have galloped but did not want to risk aggravating the Duchesses wounds.
The two arrive at the hospital without further incident, finding Lancet quietly sweeping the floor. He looks up at Glaive as he enters and prepares a greeting when he sees Virtue clinging to his back and shuddering. “Glaive... what happened?” he asks after a moment more, realizing he should probably be doing more than asking silly questions.
Glaive moves with haste to a bedside and places Virtue gently upon it. “Monster from the caverns. It attacked the Duchess, I decapitated it but not before she was injured. Mostly minor cuts and bruises but she has a major laceration on her leg. I bandaged it as best I could, but she needs Panacea, where is she?”
Lancet eyes the bloody bandages on her leg for a moment before stammering, “Um... mom is upstairs. I’ll go get her...”
He rushes off upstairs as promised, and after a quick but agitated conversation Panacea comes gliding down the stairs into the room where Glaive has placed Virtue. Her eyes go wide when she sees the shape Virtue is in, and she darts over to the bedside. “Lancet! Get some more bandages and sutures!” she calls to her son. She begins inspecting Virtue’s leg and asks Glaive, “Is anypony else hurt?”
Glaive shakes his head, “No, nopony else, and the beast is dead.” He looks to his axe which is still covered with the beast’s blood. He then looks to Virtue. “Milady? Would you like me to fetch your husband? Or anypony else? Or should I stay here with you?”
Virtue winces as Panacea prods at Glaive’s attempt at bandaging her leg and she stammers, “I-I d-don’t want t-to be alone...”
Panacea rests a hoof on her withers and says, “I’m right here Virtue, it’s okay.” She looks over to Glaive. “It might be best if you did go find Harvest Moon and tell him what happened.”
Glaive looks to Virtue. “Duchess, you are perfectly safe here in Dr. Panacea’s hooves. I shall fetch Lord Harvest Moon right away.” Glaive gives a quick bow and exits the hospital.
***The next day***
Virtue is resting on her hospital bed, half asleep but too worked up and too tired to actually sleep. Harvest Moon is sitting on the floor next to the bed, resting his head on the bed next to hers. Their two youngest children, Rampart and Serenity, are sitting huddled together silently a short distance from the two. Virtue periodically lets out a distraught sigh as she replays the events of the previous day through her head, with each puff of breath waking her husband up enough for him to look over and make sure she was still alright.
Glaive arrives at the hospital where he finds Stormcloud standing guard outside. After relieving his subordinate of duty, Glaive steps inside, has a brief exchange of words with Panacea and enters the divide seperating Virtue from the rest of the hospital giving her a bit of privacy. “Good morning, Lady Virtue, Lord Harvest Moon, Rampart, Serenity.” says Glaive as he approaches, and takes a seat. “How are you feeling today?” he asks the duchess.
The four ponies look up and give Glaive a small nod or smile. Virtue tests her leg briefly and answers, “Good morning Glaive. I’m... doing better. Panacea says I’ll be alright.”
Glaive smiles. “I am very relieved to hear that. When we were down in the caverns...I wasn’t entirely certain I would be able to get you here in time...But you are okay now and that is what is truly important.”
Harvest Moon, followed by his two children stand and approach Glaive. “Yes, that’s what’s important,” Harvest Moon says as he lays a hoof on Glaive’s withers. “Words can’t describe how thankful we are... how fortunate we are...”
Serenity nods and hugs Glaive’s leg, while Rampart stops a few steps short and awkwardly nods. “Yes... thank you, sir...”
Glaive raises his free forehoof and touches it to Serenity's head as she hugs him. The stallion blushes under his fur at the way Virtue’s family was thanking him. “No...No, thanks are necessary. I...I just did my job.”
Virtue smiles softly and says, “You saved my life by risking your own. You’re one of the bravest and most selfless ponies I know. I never doubted that you would try to protect us... but risking your life...” She trails off, unsure of how to finish at first. “...I always knew you would do everything you could...”
“It..it is an honor to serve you.” Glaive looks around at everypony, “All of you...But Virtue,” Glaive’s expression turns rather serious. “I don’t understand, why were you down in the caverns at all, especially without an escort?”
Her ears droop a bit as she looks aside. This had to come up sooner or later, and at least Harvest Moon hadn’t pushed it hard enough for her to tell him yet. She had to sooner or later though, best get it over with. “It... it’s because of what happened to Stiletto,” she began. “It didn’t make any sense... it all felt so... surreal. I... I thought I might get some mental peace if I saw where it happened.” She sighs. “It... it’s ridiculous... I know. And I knew with all of the things that have happened underground lately... you wouldn’t let me go. I thought I’d be back long before I was missed...”
Glaive sighs, “Well...you were partially right. I would have tried to convince you not to go, but...if you ever want to do something like this again, please take me, or another one of your guards with you. I don’t... none of us want to see you get hurt. Dawnpick needs you.”
Virtue nods slowly. “I... I’m sorry. It was stupid of me...” She sighs again. “I don’t think you have to worry about me doing something like this ever again.”
The rest of her family have released or stepped away from Glaive by now and rejoined her at the bed. Harvest Moon takes her hoof in his and says, “It’s okay, Virtue. You’re alright, and that’s all that matters.” Their children nod in unison.
Glaive nods as well, “Indeed it is.” he adds, “and I’m glad you won’t try to do something like this again. I suppose if you have no need of me at the moment, I should take up position by the door.” Glaive rises.
“Yes... I think I’ll be alright,” Virtue replies. “Thank you again... and take care.”
***Several months later....***
Glaive is sitting in the front pew of the temple to the old gods. He believes he is alone save for the presence of the four golden gods before him. He rereads the letter held before him for what feels like the thousandth time. His face is long with sorrow. He looks up to the statue of Reg Keepersearches
((Male unicorn (loyalty))) “Why do you tempt me like this?” he mutters nearly inaudibly, before returning to staring at the letter.
Virtue cautiously enters the temple, trying to keep her entrance as quiet as possible. Sure enough, just as Rampart had told her, Glaive was sitting alone near the front of the temple. She didn’t come there often... not nearly as often as she probably should... so Glaive would probably be suspicious, but she wanted to keep this as low key as possible.
She makes for the front of the temple quietly, bowing before the statues at the front and going through what rituals she could remember.
Glaive seeing Virtue in the temple with him, rapidly folds up the letter and hides it under his cloak.
When she finishes, she turns and takes a seat in the pew Glaive is on, sitting a short distance from him.
Glaive nods in acknowledgement of the Duchess. “Good afternoon, Lady Virtue.” he says.
She returns the nod. “Good afternoon.” Now... how should she bring this up? She didn’t want to look like she was prying, even if that’s exactly what she was doing. “How are you? I don’t think we’ve had much of a chance to speak for a few days now.”
Glaive hesitates for a moment before he answers, “I’m...fine.” though it was a transparent lie. “But, uh, what brings you here Virtue? How are you? If you don’t mind me asking?” asks Glaive in an attempt to deflect the questioning.
Time for her to come up with her own lie. “Rampart has been trying to get me in here more, which I suppose he’s right about.” She extends her leg, brushes a hoof across the mostly healed wound and says, “I... thought I would come by, and thank Reg for sending a pony like you to protect me.”
Glaive looks up at the statue, “I promised I would always protect you Virtue and your family, and I will...” Glaive thinks to himself,
’Yes, you are right Reg, I understand, they need me here. Keeping Dawnpick, and the Duchess, safe is more important than this. I will turn down the offer.’ Glaive pulls the letter out from under his cloak with his magic and crumples it.
Virtue notes the letter as Glaive crushes it with his magic, but tries to feign as if she didn’t. “Are you sure you’re alright? You sound troubled.”
Glaive stands, “Yes milady, I am alright. You have...helped me to see the truth. Thank you. I am going to head home for the night now, if you do not mind.”
She nods and stands herself. Something
was troubling him... but he clearly didn’t want to talk about it. “Of course... I should probably be getting home myself.”
Glaive makes his exit and as he walks out the door he flings the crumpled bit of paper into the waste bin by the door.
Virtue was following Glaive at a slight distance as they left, and she sees him discard the letter in the garbage. She halts in place and waits for him to leave before approaching the garbage bin and checking to see what he threw away. It was certainly none of her business... but if she could do something to help him... she was going to try. She fishes the letter from the garbage and carefully unfolds it.
The letter reads as follows.
To the desk of Captain Glaive Regshetbeth the Admired Dish of Oats of the Ducal Guard of Dawnpick.
Tales of your valor and skill in battle, as well as your loyalty to your Duchess have reached us in the capital. Everypony here, in our court, knows of how you slew the Forgotten Beast Vemini to save your future wife, and how you defeated another beast, Cog Veildaggers with a single strike of your axe, to save the life of Duchess Virtue of Dawnpick. You have the makings of a Legend.
These stories combined with your families impressive service records stretching back the Zebra Wars indicates to us that you are a prime choice to be offered a position among our most trusted Elite Royal Guard.
I can promise you that your pay will be most sufficient, and the benefits to you, and your family, grand. I eagerly await your response.
Signed.
King Golud
[Royal Seal]
Virtue reads the letter several times, letting the implications settle in her mind. The king and queen of Coupledye were so impressed by his service here that they wanted him to guard them... an offer only the exceptional few would receive and none would willingly reject. At first she can’t imagine why he would be upset... but it only takes a moment more to guess. Glaive promised to protect her and her family...
She sits heavily and ponders the letter and what to do for some time. Glaive deserved the honor... he had earned it a dozen times over. Even if he
wanted to stay here in Dawnpick she would want him to reconsider such an offer... but if his expression and tone were any indicator he did want to go.
It was a terrible position to be in, having to choose between your existing obligations and duty over the offer of a lifetime. She could find more personal guards. Glaive needed this. She had to speak to him.
*** The Next Day ***
Virtue quietly waits next to the door to her office, waiting for the change of shift for her personal guard. Glaive should be the next to take over, and she wanted to speak with him about the letter. She had a reasonably good idea of how to proceed... she just hoped it went as smoothly as it did in her head.
Glaive arrives outside Virtue’s door, the doubts in his head from the previous day now quashed. He salutes his subordinate as he relieves them. As the other guard leaves Glaive enters Virtue’s office. “Lady Virtue, I am here to begin my shift.” he states.
She smiles at him and steps off toward her desk. “Come in, and have a seat. There’s something I’d like to talk about.”
Glaive hesitates for a second, before taking his seat. “Of...of course Duchess,” he begins, “What do we need to talk about?”
“It’s nothing bad. Not at all,” she replies, hoping it would ease his mind a bit. “It’s just related to a letter I received from the king and queen I received this morning. I’m surprised you didn’t get a copy actually,” she lies.
“A letter from the King and Queen?” asks Glaive. ‘They sent something to Virtue about this? Why would they do that?’ he thinks to himself. “Well...why would I receive a letter from his majesty? What is it about?” he asks forcing a smile.
She raises an eyebrow and continues the charade. “Oh, well... I think I’ve got good news for you then.” She puts on the best smile she can and says, “The king and queen have heard of your outstanding achievements here in Dawnpick, and they want to offer you a position in their royal guard in Coupledye. I don’t think I need to say what an honor such an offer is...”
Glaive’s forced smile cracks. “Ah, well...to be honest. I did receive a letter about that. That was why I was in the temple yesterday. I wasn’t sure what I should do you see...But don’t worry Virtue. I promised I would protect you as long as you need me here, so I will turn down the job. It is enough of an honor to know that I was offered the position, in the first place, and I am still needed here.”
Virtue lets her true emotion show, and she gives him a concerned look. “You... you’re going to turn it down? Glaive, I... I really think you should reconsider. I can find more ponies for my guard... but you’ll never receive another opportunity like this in your life.”
Glaive looks Virtue in the eye. “Lady, when you made me the captain of your guard I swore that I would serve you until either, I died or you dismissed me. I can’t just quit, and it would not feel right to ask you to let me go. I would not want to put you in that situation. I...had hoped to keep the knowledge that I was offered this position a secret. Even Falcata and my father don’t know about it.”
Well, she had put herself in that situation, and she knew how she felt about it. “I understand,” she says, nodding slowly. She stands and maneuvers around her desk to stand next to Glaive. She lays a hoof on his armored withers and says, “In that case, Glaive, effective as of tomorrow you are dismissed from your duties as ducal guard captain.” She hoped she was doing the right thing, and that this was what he really wanted.
Glaive’s face lights up like a foal’s on their birthday, while he dared not ask for this, it was what he truly wanted. “Thank you Duchess.” Glaive bows deeply before her, “If ever there was a pony deserving of being called noble it is you. Thank you for allowing me to take this opportunity.”
Glaive stands once more looking the duchess in the eyes. “And...” Glaive pauses considering his next move before suddenly hugging Virtue, “And thank you Virtue, my friend.” he says while still holding onto the mare.
Virtue accepts the hug with a bit of relief, happy that she had made the right decision. She felt a bit awkward at being called a noble, even after all of these years, but that didn’t really matter right now. “You’re very welcome Glaive,” she says, beaming herself. “I just wish there was more I could do, you’ve done so much for me and my family that I can’t begin to repay it.”
Glaive releases Virtue and takes a step back. “No Virtue. You owe me nothing. It has been a pleasure to serve.” Glaive looks to the door and then back to Virtue, “I should go tell my family about this. We will have a lot of preparations to make before we move to the capital.”
Virtue maintains her smile and nods. “Yes, of course. You and Falcata are free to go whenever you want. Friesden too, if she wants to go with you.”
Glaive nods, “I’m looking forward to finally being able to show Falcata and my foals around my family’s home. Friesden too, if she will accompany us. It has been too many years since I was last there. Virtue, if you are ever in the capital, for any reason, please know you and your family will be welcome in my home.”
“Thank you. It’s been many years since I’ve been in Coupledye, but I have been considering visiting my family. It would be nice to meet up again there.” She rests a hoof on his back again and continues smiling. “You and your family have been a shining example for everypony in Dawnpick. Until we meet again, I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too Virtue.”
Author
Topic: Dawnpick (My Little Fortress) (Read 229814 times)