Sky snores loudly as he leans on a soft coat. "Big pay. Big pay." He mutters in his sleep. "Good mare. Good mare."

Spitfire just gives a blank look as Sky kept leaning on her back trying to sleep. 'Why did I suggest we rest for the night?' Spitfire thought waiting for him to wake. Sky snores in her ear again and makes her ears move away from his mouth or rather try. 'Damn.' She thinks before feeling him hug her tightly and slowly pulling them to the ground. 'Uh oh.' She thinks before hitting the ground.

"Mommy." Sky mutters like a foal.

Spitfire groans. 'Keep it up and mommy will give you a good spanking…no way in Tartarus am I saying that out loud.' Spitfire thought realizing how easily that could be sexualized.

Sky snores and hugs her tighter at that point. "Hot mare." He draws out snuggling into her coat.

"Ok, enough. Wake up." Spitfire says shaking him.

Sky snorts and opens his eyes. "What happened? I was having some good hot s…"

"Enough!" Spitfire interrupts as she gains a blush.

"Oh. You are still here. I was sure you would have ditched me while I slept." Sky say surprised.

Spitfire frowns. "Really considering it."

"Too late. You made your choice." Sky says.

Spitfire pushes him away and shakes her head.

"So we ready to head back?" Sky asks before stroking her back.

Spitfire frowns as she tries to ignore him before groaning. "Let's go. Best to keep this up." She said getting up.

"So any plans for your hoof in marriage?" Sky asks seriously.

Spitfire frowns. "I just want this to be over."

"I'm being serious. Any arrangements have been made?" Sky asks.

"No." Spitfire said glaring ahead of them.

"So your father hasn't even used you as a bid to advance his position?" Sky asks.

Spitfire stares ahead of them and stays quiet before sighing. "I don't know what he's thinking half the time."

"So you don't even know if he cares for you that much or not even at all?" Sky asks.

"No idea." Spitfire mutters as she thinks on that now and how this successful mission will change his perspective.

"So any real half-siblings or just cousins?" Sky asks.

"Not that I know of." She said rolling her eyes.

"So you are the only child of the lord?" Sky asks.

"Guess so." She said as daytime approaches.

"Then the others will really hate you proving yourself. As you are, technically, the rightful heir." Sky informs.

Spitfire thinks on that as they saw a castle approaching. "Maybe."

"Would it be a bad time to mention I spotted somepony flying away yesterday after Barb Claw was killed?" Sky asks.

Spitfire goes wide eyed and looks around them. "Where is the bastard?"

"Flew this direction as fast as he could. Must have been in a hurry to tell somepony." Sky says.

Spitfire quickly speeds up and hurries down to the castle. "Have to beat them."

"Too late. They had all night while we rested." Sky reminds.

Spitfire groans out loud as she lands on the platform and rushes past the guards who recognizes her and lets her go as Sky lands calmly behind her and walks up before opening his bag to them and they go wide-eyed before letting him through.

Sky smiles as he looks around the castle as he tries to follow Spitfire's movements before hearing whimpering and perks his ears up before looking to a door and then down the hall before quickly going to the door and pushes it open and stops. "You have to be kidding."

Spitfire looked shocked as she saw her cousin standing in front of her father with a set of griffon wings as her father raises an eyebrow at them. "As you can see, I got to him first." Her cousin said smirking back to Spitfire.

"That's odd as I also brought back a pair of wings and a claw." Spitfire says throwing out her pack.

"Please. You probably got it from a bandit." He mocks before the throne room door was kicked opened.

"Hi there." Sky cheerfully said as he walks in dragging in a pegasus wearing a cloak.

"Same to you. Actually, where were you while I was hunting Barb Claw?" Spitfire asks very accusingly, not noticing Sky yet.

"Hunting him." The stallion said grinning.

"You mean her." Sky said raising an eyebrow and not looking happy at all now. "Specifically, your own slave."

"Be silent knave. You betters are tal…" One of the stallion's ponies started only to be silenced by Sky backhoofing them.

Spitfire blinks and looks behind her to see Sky, finally noticing him. "What do you mean her?"

Sky waves a hoof to the door and two guards carefully bring in a crying female griffon with no wings. "This her."

"So a peasant lost her wings. So wh…" The stallion stopped as a spear embedded itself in front of him.

"Make light of taking someone's wings again in my presence and I will kill you." Sky threatened with venom having thrown the spear.

Spitfire blinks surprised as she backs off slowly. "How…?"

"The knave threatens me? Somepony execute him." The stallion ordered, but the guards seemed conflicted and looked to the lord for orders who was just watching interestedly with judging eyes.

"Enough. One accuses another of lying to me in court. I will not hear of or have fighting in here. It'll be settled before the gods in an honor duel." The lord orders. "One on one with preselected weapons. Both of you select your champions." The lord orders.

Spitfire was shocked at that as Sky huffs. She looked conflicted before gulping. "I choose Ragburn." The stallion said quickly.

Spitfire goes wide-eyed at that as she looks to the muscled stallion in armor and a large halberd on his back. She frowns before slowly looking and no one looked like they would accept before turning to Sky and sighs. "I choose Sky." She said pointing to Sky.

"I am sorry. Who? I don't know somepony in my fiefdom's service was named Sky." The lord said confused.

"Huh. Usually, somepony doesn't question my ironic name." Sky said offhoofedly.

"The outsider." Spitfire says.

"I object. This is a matter of the court no outsiders should be included. If she can't find a proper champion th…" The stallion was cut off again.

"Silence. I am lord here and I make such decisions!" The lord yells angrily obviously, not liking his authority challenged.

"But this simple plebe…" The stallion starts.

"Do you defy the will of the gods?" A pony in priest robes asks.

The stallion frowns before groaning. "No." He said answered huffing.

"Do both agree to be champions?" The lord asks.

"I agree." Sky answered instantly.

"I agree." Ragburn says, surprised Sky actually agreed.

Spitfire quickly pulls Sky over to her. "Don't screw this up." She whispers harshly.

"What is the worst that can happen?" Sky asks as a guard tries to pull out the spear that was thrown earlier.

"Death. These things are to the death." Spitfire whispers frowning.

"Oh…they take these very seriously then?" Sky whispers back.

Spitfire raises an eyebrow to him. "The duel will take place at the crack of dawn." The lord proclaimed.

"I'll help you get ready." Spitfire whispers.

"Show me the way." Sky says.

Spitfire nods and leads him away as the stallion and Ragburn watch them. "What did we just see?" Another stallion asks.

Sky raises an eyebrow as he tests out his bow. "This will be a bitch to deal with." He mutters trying to see if the string is frayed.

"Tell me about it. You jumped it all in the throne room." Spitfire said almost miffed as she stares out the window at the field where the fight will take place.

Sky shrugs. "I had to do something."

Spitfire shakes her head and sighs. "Just know this, don't use poison or anything. We don't like cheats."

"Survival." Sky sang.

"In the wild. This is an honor bound fight." Spitfire said frowning to him.

Sky shrugs. "Then I guess it's the arrows with no sap on them." He said finally taking out the string and getting a new one from his bag.

Spitfire was about to speak before a few knocks came to the door and it opens up to a guard. "Princess Spitfire." The guard said before moving aside and allows the female griffon with a large bandage around her that covers where her wings were. "This one wanted to speak to you."

Spitfire sighs. "Let her in." She said and the griffon walks inside looking down all the time as the guard closes the door behind her. "Reason?"

The griffon gulps and looks up slightly before slowly looking to Sky. "Thank you…for finding me."

"He won't get away with this. I promise you." Spitfire says.

The griffon nods and keeps watching Sky. "Why…do you care for a peasant as me?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Sky asks putting down his bow.

The griffon blinks confused a bit. "Why…did you even bother with a peasant like me."

"Because I am the same. We both are living beings." Sky say.

The griffon nods before looking to them both before looking at Sky. "Well…good luck. Hope you win." She said before walking away.

"Princess." A guard says entering.

"Yes?" Spitfire asks raising an eyebrow.

"The approved armor and weapons have arrived." The guard says.

Sky leans over and peeks at the racks that are rolled in. "Fuck the armor." He said raising an eyebrow at the heavy and large plates.

"What?" Spitfire asks in shock.

"Look at it. It is heavy armor. Do I look like I can handle it and fight properly?" Sky asks.

Spitfire blanches at that. "You have to wear it. There is no way you can survive the fight without it."

"If I wear that, I am dead because I won't be able to move around." Sky says.

Spitfire facehooves. "Then what are you going to do? He will be wearing the best armor and weapons."

Sky says nothing, looking over the weapons and found no ax. "I guess no armor." Sky says.

"Then what are you going to take, huh?" Spitfire asks frowning to him.

"This." Sky says finally finding a weapon he liked.

"A sword?" Spitfire asks facehoofing again.

"Yes." Sky says.

Spitfire sighs. "Don't you dare die."

"I don't plan to." Sky says cheerfully. Spitfire just shakes her head. "So did I actually just show myself to a real princess?" Sky suddenly asked in front of her.

"Don't make me get my sword again." Spitfire growls.

Sky chuckles and leans on her. "Come on, admit it. It was a good sight to see." Sky says before hearing her draw her sword.

Sky sighs and pushes himself off her and starts to stretch. "So how much longer do we have until the fight?"

"The lord declared it at sunrise don't you listen to anypony?" Spitfire asks.

Sky sighs in relief as his back cracks. "Nope. I just imagine myself with powerful magic and doing everything with the area around me. Did you know, shadow magic is dark and gritty, but can do almost everything on the list?"

Spitfire groaned. "Why did you have to be my champion?"

Sky leans toward her. "Because the rest were pussies too scared to fight the stallion and because you love me."

Spitfire raises a hoof. "Watch it."

Sky grins. "Your flank? You got it." He said before quickly jumping away from her hoof strike and laughs as she starts to chase him around.

"Crawl little bug. Crawl." Sky threatens to the little ant all alone on the ground as it scurries around. "Soon, I will take over the tiny area you call your land." He said chuckling evilly as Spitfire shakes her head behind him on the training field.

"You are talking out loud you know." Spitfire says.

Sky waves his hoof to the crowd around them. "I wanted them to enjoy to show." He said calmly before chuckling evilly again.

"You're insane." Spitfire says as no one, but Sky saw the ants surrendering.

Sky laughs out loud. "Yes. All your fort are belong to me." He laughs as the ants stockpile food in front of him. "I am a benevolent ruler. You may keep all your food and feast." Sky instructs waving a hoof.

The ants look to each other before taking the food away back to their mounds. "Did…that pony just became ruler of the ants in the training grounds?" An advisor next to the lord asks out loud.

"Do I need to call a priest to examine your head?" The lord asks the advisor.

"No. But a healer would be needed after this fight." Sky calls shaking himself and stretches.

"You sure you want to fight him with no armor?" Spitfire asks.

"Yes. Now then, can we start?" Sky asks.

"Your opponent hasn't arrived." Spitfire says unhappily as the sun started to rise.

"Then I guess I will start messing with you and keep myself entertained." Sky said walking over to her.

Spitfire looks to him and taps her sword, making him stop.

"Ah come on sweetie." Sky teases.

"Just stand near me and wait." Spitfire says. 'I can't believe I am betting my future on him.'

"Okay then sweetie." Sky said chuckling as he steps up beside her. "You're a pretty mare."

Spitfire growled as they waited. Then finally the stallion start walking through the gates with his champion in toll. " about time or do you consider yourself above the gods and tradition?" Spitfire accused.

Spitfire growled as they waited. Then finally the stallion start walking through the gates with his champion in tow. "About time or do you consider yourself above the gods and tradition?" Spitfire accused.

"I follow them unlike you. You seem to not know about traditions that well. You already broke one with choosing him unlike one from the clan." The stallion said frowning as Ragburn took his place.

"And yet you defied the lord and tradition by showing up late." Spitfire growls as some of the priests muttered in agreement.

"I can still win. Now unlike you and your…choice." The stallion said as they look to Sky yawning and scratching behind his ears.

"Says a monster and thief." Sky mocks.

"I do what must be done. You must be the one to be cheating and lying and not even doing the mission." The stallion mocks back.

"Everyone hear that? He admitted to cutting off that citizen's wings and trying to steal recognition for what captain Spitfire did." Sky says.

The priests frown at that as the stallion frowns before waving his hoof and Ragburn steps onto the field and takes out his halberd. "Then lets the fight end this." He said huffing.

"You admitted it already, but to add insult to injury, yes, let's." Sky says walking onto the field with no armor and the sword.

The stallion laughs out loud. "This is his arsenal? Nor armor and a weak sword. Then this must be the weakest around that wants to play knight in shining armor for the frail princess." He laughs not being able to control himself.

"Begin." The lord says and both took a stance.

Spitfire facehooved as Sky yawns and didn't move as Ragburn closes in on him. "I had to make a horrible choice." She said to herself.

Ragburn raised his halberd and sliced at Sky, but it met no resistance like he was expecting from cleaving ponies on the battlefield. This confused him greatly as he dumbly looks around to try and find the corpse.

"Umm ah hum." Sky clears his throat as he taps Ragburn's shoulder and makes him turn to him. "Hey. You missed me." He said grinning as he rolls his head around before stabbing into the eyehole and Ragburn yelled in absolute pain.

Sky sighs and shakes his head as he jumps away and rolls his eyes. "This is the toughest stallion around. I expected more." He draws out as he ducks the halberd swinging toward him that destroys the pillar it hits. "Yep. More."

Ragburn roars as he kept swinging like a mad pony, trying desperately to hit Sky.

"Aren't you…" Sky ducks a swing and comes back up. "…going to…" He ducks. "…take a small break…" He moves to the side as the halberd strikes the ground. "…and fix the eye?" He asks as Ragburn kept swinging. "Guess not." Sky say attacking his foundation by stabbing on of his legs not holding the halberd through an opening in the armor.

Spitfire peeks up from covering her eyes. "Huh. Maybe I did make a good choice."

"Sorry, but this only ends in one of our deaths." Sky says tearing his sword out of Ragburn's leg before bringing it up and thrusting into his throat and then decapitating him.

Spitfire blinks surprised as the stallion has his mouth gaped open in shock. "Wow." She said blinking.

"The gods have shown their judgment Spitfire slew Barb Claw." The head priest says.

"Damn straight." Sky said looking to the dead body and starts to look through his pockets. "Wonder what does he have?"

"I protest! He must have cheated!" The stallion declared.

They look to Sky as he yawns and kept looting through Ragburn's pocket. "Come on. Give me something good. How about a potion?" He asks himself.

"Silence! The gods have shown their judgment. Don't disgrace yourself any further or the fiefdom. For that matter…" The lord proclaimed.

"He cannot be the winner! He is not even a true citizen of the fiefdom!" The stallion yells as Sky walks up to him without noticing.

"Oh, one more thing, you know who this is?" Sky asks tossing a bag to the ground and out rolled Barb Claw's severed head. The stallion stared shocked as the head rolls to his hooves. "By the way, isn't the lord supposed to reward the winners with a boon?" Sky asks turning to the lord.

The lord sighs. "You'll have the contract pay and a modest amount of gold."

"No need for the gold. I would ask you to execute him instead, but I think taking his victim to the academy and getting her wings fixed is more important." Sky says.

The lord stares at him. "I'll see to it that the citizen is healed up. But that still leaves you." He said looking to Spitfire.

"I wish…to be officially named your heir." Spitfire stops midway thinking and deciding against making him acknowledge her as his daughter.

The lord raises an eyebrow before getting off the throne and walks off. "Come with me and only you."

"Yes, my lord." Spitfire says walking away with him.

"Wait, I won't…" The stallion stopped feeling a blade at his throat.

"Can you believe I found this on the body?" Sky asks cheerfully as he holds a dagger up to his neck.