The marching army came upon it's first problem when they began into part
of Majesty's territory. Several ponies dashed off to find Majesty in the
mob while Silter tried to reason with them.
Them being the clydesdales. And interesting bunch, well, actually, there was only one, but Silter could be assured that there were others waiting not far away. "Sir, we mean no harm, only passing through." Silter assured Tex, who was, unfortunately, not impressed.
Now clydesdales are massive creatures, powerful too. And the fact that Easterns are generally small in stature did nothing to help Silter's confidence. "We cannot let you pass through Queen majesty's lands, without her permission." Tex was cut off from a probably long speech as Majesty made her way out to him.
"I trust you aren't giving us any trouble Tex? Hasn't Medley told you?"
"I was never told anything. Of course she might have stopped by Ice Crystal, rather scatter brained ya know."
"Yes, but how could he forget this news?"
"What news?" Tex looked rather interested
"This army represents an alliance between our peoples in a joint attempt to overthrow the cruel Grundle empire based in the mountains."
"Well said," Tex grinned, reared, and whistled. In second there were at least twenty clydesdales dotting the hillsides "'Spose we gotta guide you then. Meeting our army at the edges?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Not often we see at least fifty of our best fighters gathered in one place, not much of an army though, not expecting much of a fight?" The army had broken into a stiff trot with pegasi flying overhead. Majesty shook her head.
"We're fairly sure that they have a low population, not many soldiers from what aerial scouts could figure. They do have air born mounts though, both the refugees and the scouts that survived could account for that." Tex answered only with a grim silence.
They traveled on for some time before reaching the second army.
The Easterns held back some. Nervousness showing openly in their slanted eyes. It was several seconds before Draven found her voice and what came out was a question to the nearest western soldier, "Have you seen one of my people recently, a white unicorn with a symbol of silver swirls?" the soldier, Applejack, was rather unhappy to be singled out by one of the other army, but answered as politely as she could.
"No, I'm afraid we haven't, else we would have been aware of the, ah, arrangements, earlier."
"I sent her ahead to meet you."
"Oh?"
"Yes, she never showed up?" Draven was truly worried now, what could have made Silverswirl neglect her duty like that? Draven needed to find Silter, he could probably come up with a good explanation.
And as it happened, he did, or at least it made sense, but it was a rather unhappy explanation as well, "Either they are lying out of shame because they executed her as a spy, she was captured by possible grundle patrols, they do occasionally wander these areas, or else something else may have gotten her."
"Well thats a wonderful thought, what else could have her?"
"Not all the stallions are under Majesty's control. One may have forced her to join his harem."
"Harems? Barbaric." Draven was disgusted by the idea
"Most certainly, it is allowed though, but only with special permission generally. If one did pick her up on her way then he would be breaking some of their oldest laws." Silter had remained calm somehow.
"Oh? They have laws concerning this practice?
"Mares must decide to join the herds on their own, Majesty allows the tradition to remain as a reminder of the past."
"We remember our past, we don't need stallions with their own group of mares." Draven felt stressed and angry at Silter's overall calm lookout on the entire subject of Silverswirl's disappearance.
"Don't be so worried, nothing could catch Silverswirl in her stripe form, and she always travels that way." Silter assured her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As it happened, he was wrong. For as Silverswirl left the camp that morning and had traveled for at least two miles, she discovered this.
Them being the clydesdales. And interesting bunch, well, actually, there was only one, but Silter could be assured that there were others waiting not far away. "Sir, we mean no harm, only passing through." Silter assured Tex, who was, unfortunately, not impressed.
Now clydesdales are massive creatures, powerful too. And the fact that Easterns are generally small in stature did nothing to help Silter's confidence. "We cannot let you pass through Queen majesty's lands, without her permission." Tex was cut off from a probably long speech as Majesty made her way out to him.
"I trust you aren't giving us any trouble Tex? Hasn't Medley told you?"
"I was never told anything. Of course she might have stopped by Ice Crystal, rather scatter brained ya know."
"Yes, but how could he forget this news?"
"What news?" Tex looked rather interested
"This army represents an alliance between our peoples in a joint attempt to overthrow the cruel Grundle empire based in the mountains."
"Well said," Tex grinned, reared, and whistled. In second there were at least twenty clydesdales dotting the hillsides "'Spose we gotta guide you then. Meeting our army at the edges?"
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Not often we see at least fifty of our best fighters gathered in one place, not much of an army though, not expecting much of a fight?" The army had broken into a stiff trot with pegasi flying overhead. Majesty shook her head.
"We're fairly sure that they have a low population, not many soldiers from what aerial scouts could figure. They do have air born mounts though, both the refugees and the scouts that survived could account for that." Tex answered only with a grim silence.
They traveled on for some time before reaching the second army.
The Easterns held back some. Nervousness showing openly in their slanted eyes. It was several seconds before Draven found her voice and what came out was a question to the nearest western soldier, "Have you seen one of my people recently, a white unicorn with a symbol of silver swirls?" the soldier, Applejack, was rather unhappy to be singled out by one of the other army, but answered as politely as she could.
"No, I'm afraid we haven't, else we would have been aware of the, ah, arrangements, earlier."
"I sent her ahead to meet you."
"Oh?"
"Yes, she never showed up?" Draven was truly worried now, what could have made Silverswirl neglect her duty like that? Draven needed to find Silter, he could probably come up with a good explanation.
And as it happened, he did, or at least it made sense, but it was a rather unhappy explanation as well, "Either they are lying out of shame because they executed her as a spy, she was captured by possible grundle patrols, they do occasionally wander these areas, or else something else may have gotten her."
"Well thats a wonderful thought, what else could have her?"
"Not all the stallions are under Majesty's control. One may have forced her to join his harem."
"Harems? Barbaric." Draven was disgusted by the idea
"Most certainly, it is allowed though, but only with special permission generally. If one did pick her up on her way then he would be breaking some of their oldest laws." Silter had remained calm somehow.
"Oh? They have laws concerning this practice?
"Mares must decide to join the herds on their own, Majesty allows the tradition to remain as a reminder of the past."
"We remember our past, we don't need stallions with their own group of mares." Draven felt stressed and angry at Silter's overall calm lookout on the entire subject of Silverswirl's disappearance.
"Don't be so worried, nothing could catch Silverswirl in her stripe form, and she always travels that way." Silter assured her.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As it happened, he was wrong. For as Silverswirl left the camp that morning and had traveled for at least two miles, she discovered this.