Equestria has recently adopted an ancient tradition, and also an ancient malady. Tournaments, tournaments and war. The latter may be very minor, but it was enough to destroy a lot of minor villages, creating crowded cities and large slums. Canterlot had even been split to form a cheapside.

That was when Princess Celestia was born, and she grew into a figure of power and light. WHen she ascended to the throne she ended nearly all war, at least in Equestria. There were still many a country bordering Equestria that she could only simmer down, but either way she was seen as an enigma to the Equestrian people.

What very few know, though, is that there was a second princess born. The seers saw a bright radiance in Celestia, but with this child they saw a shroud of darkness. They mistook it for evil and sent her away with an old knight to live in another country so as to not cause even more internal war in Equestria.

Not even Celestia knew of her sister, who stood on the border of Equestria.

And with the old knight dead of old age, Luna finds her way back into Equestria, Her father’s last words never leaving her heart.

“The crest inked on your flesh and the scar are proof enough of your Noble birth, child… Go, make your name known. You deserve it.” He had said. She looked at her right shoulder, where under her black tunic there was a tattoo of dark blue sky with a white crescent moon. The scar he spoke of was a trophy of both luck and hate.

The Queen’s Seer had tried to kill her, or so her father had told her, but her mother the Queen had demanded she be spared. Luna found it hard to believe that she was a princess, she lived in a small celtic village on the celtic/germanic border. Her father was a knight from Equestria, but that was all she knew until he died.

He was content with being a farmer, but Luna wanted more. She would always practice with homemade bows and wooden swords when she finished her duties, practice riding one of the many horses they had for working and riding. She had even fought off a few bandits at one point or another, but there was something her father told her about when she was a child filled with wanderlust.

Tournaments, filled with riches and glory that could turn a peasant into a lord if he could afford to enter. Since she was nine, she had been practicing. Among the events were Jousting, Archery, Sword and the likes. She didn’t have a blacksmith, or a suit of armor, but she could find those in Equestria.

At least that’s what she thought as she entered a decently sized village near the border, just inside Equestria.

Luna noticed two things when she entered the city. The first was a large market in the center. The second was a small, but well kept, plot of tournament grounds with blacksmiths’ gallows nearby. Her cloak’s hood was up, so when someone spoke it startled her ever so slightly.

“You must be new to the village, Miss.” She heard. She looked and saw what looked like a farmer’s daughter on a stallion.

“I am, what is this place called?” Luna asked, her accent a mix of the celtic and germanic she grew up around.

“Ponyville, the only village to have official tournaments regularly. By your accent, I guess you’re new to the country as well.” The girl said, riding up next to her. Luna nodded. “Well, My name is Applejack and I run the apple farm, the bread and butter of this village. In my family it’s rude not to invite newcomers to dine, so if you would follow me I’ve just got to pick up a thing or two from the market.” The girl continued.

Luna had no idea what to think, so she just followed the strange farmer, interested.

“I noticed you have a bow and a few swords, are you a mercenary?” Applejack asked as she hopped off of her horse when they stopped in front of a food stand.

“I… guess you could say that. My father was a knight, though.” Luna responded.

“A knight? from which country?” The girl at the stand, who had oddly bright pink hair, exclaimed rather loudly.

“Eh… Equestrian Knight… He never told me much about it.” Luna replied.

“Wait, your father was a Knight from here? Legally that makes you nobility…” Applejack said, quickly buying a massive sack of flour from the baked goods merchant.

“You should compete in the tournament!” The vendor exclaimed.

“I would like to, but I’m not exactly properly equipped…” Luna said, patting the small pack of what little belongings she owned. There was a coinpurse with a sizable amount, though she didn’t know her conversion of franks to Equestrian coins.

“Hm, if it’s armor you’re needing I know a place.” Applejack said, mounting her horse and motioning for Luna to follow. “Got a place to stay?” She continued as they rode.

“I was hoping to find an inn or something of the sort.” Luna replied.

“While we don’t have inns, we do have camping grounds, though since there’s tournaments for the next week right now they’re all reserved for participants.” Applejack explained.

“I see…” Luna said simply. If she couldn’t get her hands on proper gear then she’d have to sleep in the woods.

“Don’t mind the name, she’s just as good a smith as she is clothier.” Applejack said after a minute or two of riding. Luna looked up and saw what looked like a clothing show for lords and ladies, but she spotting the smoke of bellows coming from the rear. the name was ‘Carousel Boutique’.

“Certainly an interesting place to find a smith…” Luna mumbled. Applejack chuckled as they dismounted and entered the building.

“Hello, welcome to the Carousel Boutique! Oh, hello Applejack. Who’s your friend?” The assumed proprietor said from the middle of the elegantly simple room. She had a very elegant style of hair with a royal purple coloration.

“Hello Rarity. This here is… um…” Applejack started, Luna never actually gave her name.

“Luna.” She said.

“Luna, nice name. Anyways, Luna here needs some tournament gear.” Applejack continued, patting Luna on the back.

“Oh? well come on this way. I keep all of that in the back.” Rarity said. As she led them to a curtained door she pulled off her elegant tunic, revealing a thick and simple undershirt, and pulled on leather gloves that were hanging on a hook right before the door.

“I can tell by your accent and just by looking at you you’re new to the country, or at least haven’t been here long. I except Florins, Franks, dinars and pretty much any type of coin. I also trade if you have nothing.” Rarity explained, throwing the curtain aside to reveal a torch lit room, just as large as the previous, with racks of assorted armor, weapons and other products of a smith. They had an elegant touch to them, which wasn’t too surprising all things considered.

“If you plan to be in the tournament, which starts tomorrow morning, then I could make you armor but that’s about it. It’d dent your pockets considerably due to rush fees, but i’m fine with opening up a tab, you seem like a trustworthy girl.” Rarity said. Luna was looking around at everything, it was almost enchanting. She barely heard the smith.

“I have Franks, they’re um… They’re in my bag here… What is this?” She asked, stopping in front of an armor rack with a rather peculiar set of armor displayed.

“That would be one of my more unique pieces, It’s not nearly your size but if you’d like I can forge yours similarly. That particular set is one that I thought up when Zecora made that prophecy.” Rarity said, leaning on the counter.

“Prophecy?” Luna asked.

“It wasn’t a prophecy, Rarity. It was something she heard when she went to the Seers’ court in Canterlot. Zecora is our local Seer and Alchemist, and she said that one day there was going to be a moon shrouded in Darkness that was going to come and take the throne.” Applejack explained.

“Zecora thought it was horse shite, the taking the throne part, but a Seer’s word is almost law.” Rarity said. Applejack snorted at her vulgarity, but Luna was greatly interested.

“That’s very interesting…” Luna said.

“Anyways, come on over to the fitting room and strip to your undergarments and I’ll get your sizes and measurements.” Rarity said, pointing to another curtained doorway, though the curtain was of striped leather.

“I’ll be going then. Send her over my way when you’re done, you know my tradition with newcomers.” Applejack said. Rarity waved her hand in response and Applejack left. Luna did as she was asked, though she felt rather uncomfortable in nothing but her cloth garments with no trousers or tunic.

“My, you’ve a very solid and attractive figure Darling. That is an interesting marking, where’d you get it?” Rarity asked, entering with yarn with lines along it and looking the girl over. “How old are you, by the way? Let’s me know if you’ll have any sudden growth spurts in your bosom and such.” She continued.

“I am recently nineteen, and my father marked it when I was of age.” Luna replied, of age being the age of 13, the age of a teenager.

“Interesting. Alright, feet shoulder width apart and arms spread out like a tree please, this will be but a moment.” Rarity said. Luna did so and barely restrained flinching and twitches as she felt Rarity’s hands and the yarn go across her body, taking many measurements.

“So what class of armor would you like? If you plan to fight in tournament you’re going to need plate, there’s light and slim ways to do it and bulky and heavy ways to do it. It all depends on preference, mobility and protection being the variables.” Rarity asked as she worked.

“U-Um, I liked that unique piece.” Luna said.

“Oh I know Darling, but it can be done many different ways. I’m going to assume you want a light setup, correct?” She asked quickly, talking nearly as fast as she worked. Luna nodded. “Magnificent, and I assume this will be your only set of armor for a while so It shall be practical enough to compete with, yet elegant enough to go to show with.” Rarity went on. Luna simply nodded.

“And done. Do me a favor and knock on the locked door next to the stairs and tell my little sister it’s time to work, also ask her to point you to Applejacks. You pay me if you’re satisfied with the final product, pleasure doing business with you.” Rarity said, picking up a shovel back in the main smithing room and shoveling a pile of coal into the forge and started laying out tools.

Luna carefully walked back to the boutique and knocked on said door. A girl with a faded pink and blue hairstyle answered and Luna did as Rarity asked.

“Just follow the main cobblestone road until you see the apple orchards, then follow the dirt road up to the big house.” The girl, named Sweetie Belle, told her. Luna thanked her and the girl rushed into the back.

Luna looked around again. Her body still felt a little odd from the rather close measurements, but she had a feeling that would be the worst thing to happen to her today.

Author's Notes:

So this is a thing that I've been wanting to write for ages, I just had no idea how I'd write a tournament focused story, but a knight's tale is one of my favorite movies of all time and I just rewatched it and I decided "fuck it, i'm getting nowhere with updates so might as well get this idea down" and bam here it is.
your guess is as good as mine to where this goes.
as always, if you're going to criticize do it properly and suggestions are read and considered.
still haven't decided whether or not I want to make this Dark or not, I'll leave that up to the random story generator that is my mind when the time comes