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// 10 - Lord of the Land// Story: Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone// by David Silver//------------------------------//

Tree crossed her forehooves as she leaned against a tree. "One thing." Fast looked over to her with a raised brow. Tree nodded lightly. "If we go to fetch your things, you have to totally promise not to kill anypony with them."

She flashed her teeth in a grimace. "That is not a promise a warrior can make."

Tree snorted softly. "You can try... It isn't the right answer. It muddles our chakras and leaves a wicked stain on our auras. It doesn't have to be the first answer."

Maud gave a slow nod, moving to stand beside Tree. "No more killing."

Fast frowned at Maud. "You as well?"

Maud turned away from the manor. "Let's go."

"Wait." Fast grunted. "Fine. I will... temper my usual tactics, at least for as long as we remain together. At least if we run into any ponies."

Tree realized her error and bristled. "No, man. Anypony as in any one. If they can ask you not to hurt them, don't. Humans count! We met some really nice ones."

Maud swiveled an ear towards Tree. "Do you think Paul and Flint are in trouble?"

Tree paled at the idea. "We have to save them!"

Fast shook her head. "You struck me as more passive in your ethics. Have you changed your mind?"

"N-no! Yes? Maybe..." Tree sank to her belly. "I want to see things straightened out. They don't deserve this. The people we killed, they didn't deserve it. The way that 'Lord of the land' handles things? Not righteous at all... If we can fix it, we should."

Fast approached quietly and leaned in. She kissed Tree's right ear. "Welcome to the side of good. Sun Queen shine warmly over you."

Tree felt her hesitation fade a little. The Sun Queen... She was familiar. Tree rose up. "Y-yes. Do you believe in her too?"

Fast perked an ear. "I thought you didn't know her."

Tree put a hoof over her chest. "I thought so, but I was wrong, like I was wrong about a lot of things. Righteous sun mare, we're going to do right." She smiled gently. "Lead on."

With everything seemingly settled, Fast trotted briskly towards the manor, performing a slow circle to come at it from the side, rather than head on. Their first obstacle was a stone wall, and as they considered it, the ground began to shake.

The lord and a large contingent of men rushed from the manor, vanishing down the street, all mounted on horses.

Fast smiled. "Excellent fortune. They think we've taken flight. Maud, I'll give you a hoof up, can you get inside, disable the guards, and let us in?"

Maud saluted, then hopped up onto the fence with Fast's help. She hauled herself up, then jumped down off the other end, into the manor yard proper. Moving swiftly, she crept up on the gatehouse to see two bored looking men standing at either side of the gate.

Waiting in some bushes, Maud waited for the ideal time. That came when one of them took a step away to take care of personal business, leaving the other alone. On him in a silent stroke of speed, Maud slammed her hoof into the back of the guard, who slumped against her and came sliding to the ground. She caught him and hurriedly dragged him into some bushes before the other returned and looked for his friend.

"Stupid arsehole should tell me before he takes a break," complained the man. When he turned from Maud, it would be the last turn he'd get for the day. With two unconscious guards tied up in the bushes, Maud hurried to the gate and pulled it open for her friends.

Fast and Tree strode in together. Fast glanced at Tree. "You haven't had a chance to recover your magic. Don't feel bad for it. Let us handle things for now. You've done more than enough for today."

Maud nodded gently. "Your magic is amazing." Her words were flat, even if they were true to her.

Tree smiled, accepting Maud's monotone compliment. "Thanks, Sister of Stone. I'm with you both."

The door to the manor opened as a servant stepped out, dressed in clean clothing and bearing a basket of laundry. She wasn't even facing the ponies, nudging it open with her back before she turned for the side of the house. It was only then that she spotted them at the corner of her eyes and jumped back with surprise.

Fast broke into a gallop at the human.

Tree thrust out a hoof. "Don't hurt her!"

Maud was still riding the lightning of her last burst of speed and took off, rushing past Fast with speed that looked as effortless as she usually carried herself. She slammed into the human, and carried them to the ground, bruised, but mostly unharmed.

Fast slowed her approach with a soft snort. "You beat me to it."

Tree got a sheepish smile as she trotted towards the front door. "I'm sorry for assuming you were being a square. I'm a little on edge right now."

Maud rejoined them after tying up the servant with a few shirts in that basket. "We should move."

Fast nodded. "Every body we leave behind increases the chance of being noticed. Let's get this over with." As one, they vanished into the building and began searching the finely appointed interior of the manor.

With a firm kick, the lid of a chest flew open, revealing a treasure trove of things, including some armor and bangles. She smiled with triumph, throwing the armor over her back before slipping the bangles over her legs. "No time for armor, but I'm not as naked anymore. Let's go." She pulled a shield and a few other things from boxes nearby, seeming pleased with her find.

Maud put her head to the ground, listening. "We can't go."

Tree blinked at her. "Why not?"

"They're here." Maud trotted off without further word, leaving the others to follow behind. She began to descend into the belly of the manor, just for some human to shout out at them.

"Hey, who's that? His Lordship back already?"

Fast shared a glance with her companions before clearing her throat. "We caught some spies"

"Spies?" There was a moment of silence before a man came into view, longsword at the ready. "Found 'em."

Maud threw herself in front of the others and began parrying and deflecting the sword away from them with well-timed thrusts of her hooves.

Fast cursed softly. The sharply curving stairs were no place to make use of a lance. There was barely room for Maud to engage the man. Lacking other options, she cheered. "Go Maud!"

Maud nodded a little before she lunged forward and grabbed the man suddenly, her teeth grabbing him at the collar and tugging him down to her level. Her hooves wrapped around him, each getting a limb and quickly pinned him down as they slid down a few steps.

Fast gave a little whistle. "I never fail to be amazed to see a true master of that art work." She trotted past Maud and her captive before pulling out her rope, recovered with her other things. "Let's tie him up." As they did that, she pointed out, "if you'd gone for a pin in the first place, you probably would have won that match."

Maud raised a brow. "Why are you telling me how to defeat you?"

Fast raised a hoof. "True partners don't withhold information on how to become better. One day you may be fighting someone similar to my style, and I'd want you to win, even if it means you have an advantage in spars."

Maud raised her own hoof and they bumped together in camaraderie-building clopping. "Thanks."

Tree slipped past them. "Don't you hear that?"

It became more clear as they descended. The sound of two men arguing.

"Look, this was your idea. Look for fey treasure, ya said. Don't ya read the stories none?"

"Look who's all fancy now, doin' the readin'. They were perfectly nice."

"And left us perfectly up a creek, and I don't see no single paddle nowhere."

"They wouldn't just leave us..."

"Fine. I'm sure they'll turn up any second now. Where are they, Paul? Where are they, huh?"

In a small voice, Paul replied, "Maybe they got caught..."

"Well that's fine. Lord probably ripped them in half then, and he'll be back to do it to us, a lot slower mind you."

Tree Hugger turned the corner and saw the two laying on cots in a small jail cell, looking miserable. She smiled brightly at them. "I'm so stoked to see you two! Are you alright?"

They scrambled to their feet as the other ponies came into view. Paul elbowed his friend. "See! See see see! They came for us!"

Maud approached their cell and ran a hoof slowly along one of the bars. "You can't ever come back."

Flint scowled. "The horse has the right of it. Our home's done, Paul. We can't go back."

Paul threw up a hand. "Keep it! We can make a new home. Take us with you, please?"

Fast looked over the two appraisingly. "You realize we're headed for pony lands once our mission is complete? Would you be happy, living among us?"

Paul grabbed at the bars. "Don't leave us here! I'd rather be among friends, ya know? So they got more legs than me. They're still better than his so called 'Lordship.'"

Fast turned away from the door. "I will not hold it against you two, should you find some human settlement along the way. For now, you are our wards." She lashed out with her powerful hind legs, slamming her horseshoes against it in a shower of bright sparks. One more kick and the hinge gave way, causing it to flop awkwardly, half hanging on.

It was enough to slip out through and both hurried to freedom among the ponies.

Flint nodded to Fast. "Thanks kindly. You'll excuse me for havin' doubts back there. It looked like our gooses were done and cooked to a nice ash."

Tree put a hoof on his belly. "It's all groovy, man. I'd be way stressed out myself." She leaned to the left, looking into the cell before turning her eyes to the humans. "It's far out we found you. I was so ready to trip about it, and here you both are."

Paul dropped to a knee and suddenly hugged Tree Hugger around the neck. She tensed a moment, but accepted it, and put a hoof slowly around him in a gentle hug. If there was a time to accept a sudden violation of her bubble, that felt like it. "We should go before he comes back."

Fast nodded as she moved swiftly for the stairs and began to ascend, taking the front. As she went, the pulled a potion free of her belt and offered it to Maud. "Drink."

Maud tilted her head before she accepted the potion and popped off the cork between her teeth. She chugged it down and looked far better quickly.

It would be just in time. The front door of the manor slammed open muffedly through the walls, and shouting was heard. 

They had company.