Chapter III: March on Canterlot
“In a guerrilla war, the line between legitimate and illegitimate killing is blurred.”
-Philip Caputo
******5 Days After the Exile of Nightmare Moon******
“Sir, a message from the Whitetail Woods outpost!”
Captain Silver Sword looked up at the Day Guard that was galloping towards him, the aforementioned memo in the pegasus’ mouth. The Royal Guard captain stood as the pony came to a halt in front of him, ending in a salute.
“At ease, soldier.” Silver said. The Guard did as such and handed over the correspondence to his senior. As the grizzled earth pony veteran took it and began opening the seal, he looked up at the pegasus guard that had brought it. “What’s your name, soldier?”
“Corporal Swift Wing, sir.” he replied promptly. “Lieutenant Valiant-”
“I don’t want to know why he sent you, Corporal. I’m sure he had a good reason for it.” The pegasus nodded and quieted himself as Silver Sword drew the letter out from the envelope and opened it. As he read, he grew increasingly alarmed, until he finally crumpled up the letter and threw it into the cold fire grate by his desk.
“Lieutenant!” Silver Sword’s aide, Lieutenant Crimson Starlight, ran in, looking as though he’d just woken up. “Yes sir!”
Silver Sword stood and began walking swiftly, forcing the two other ponies to trot to keep up with him. “Get word to the Commander immediately. Have him meet me in the throne room with the rest of the advisors” The pegasus nodded and went airborne, soaring down the halls of the castle. As he did, Silver Sword stopped and pivoted, causing Corporal Swift Wing to slam into him and bounce back. “Swift Wing, thank you for the message. Get to the local Day Guard barracks to recover and await orders. We may need you.”
“Yes sir!” The corporal turned and began heading to his ordered destination as Silver Sword turned back around and resumed his swift pace towards the throne room. ‘We need to get ready for our last stand.'
Some fifty leagues away, an army continued their march tirelessly north, headed for the capital of Equestria, vengeance on their minds. For two days, the army had marched, teleported, and flown with minimal rest, making speedy progress towards their destination.
At the head of the group stood Steel Haze, the one who had started this entire endeavour with his simple speech in the Whitetail Woods. Due to his words, the forces of Night had been joined with the ‘undesirables’ of Equestria; thieves, beggars, rogues, mercenaries, pirates, and more. Altogether, they amounted to over twenty-thousand armed ponies, ready to sack the royal castle and the rest of Canterlot.
‘We are doing this for you, my Queen.’ Steel thought as he looked to the sky; though it was still broad daylight, the unicorn knew that Nightmare Moon could hear every prayer her followers sent her. He felt that, if she could see what they were doing now, she would be extremely proud of her ponies.
As he came to the crest of the next ridge, Steel Haze stopped, admiring the view. Behind him, the leading edges of the army began to cheer and shout, spreading the word to the ranks behind them. Steel grinned as they celebrated, eyes fixed. Far out on the horizon, the silhouette of Canterlot could just barely be made out. The only thing between them and the city was a swath of farmland, owned by a combination of peasant villages and lords. There was no doubt that the various manors along the way would be pillaged and burned to the ground, but it would be nothing compared for what awaited the ponies who raided Canterlot itself.
‘If only we could convince them to our cause…’ Steel thought. If even half of the ponies that had joined Nightmare Moon’s followers for revenge joined them to support the Queen of the Eternal Night, they could easily stand up to any force that Celestia dared to send against them, with a little training, of course.
‘Maybe later.’ Steel thought, beginning to march again. With a sure victory in Canterlot awaiting, there was a good chance that the ponies that had joined them would eventually join the cause. Before that could happen, though, they had a monarch to depose.
Defiant Bastion snorted as he looked around the table. Each and every one of the princess’ advisors were present, along with representatives from the various branches of the Equestrian Guard.
“There’s no way they can breach the walls of the city.” Starshine Gloss, one of the local nobleponies that somehow got on the council, said. “They haven’t been breached since they were built!” She sat back with a confident grin on her face as a few ponies around the table nodded in agreement.
“That was always with a full garrison of both Day and Night Guards on the walls defending.” Bastion said patiently. “We don’t even have close to that...save for a few stragglers, they’re all over the nation and overseas fighting or escorting civilians that evacuated.”
“Well, what about the Royal Guard?” Storybook Inkwell, Celestia’s steward, questioned. He, at least, looked concerned about the matter that there may be an army in this very room a few days from now.
“No good.” Defiant Bastion’s second-in-command, Silver Sword, said. “The Royal Guard is only for the personal defence of the princess and any other royalty that may be visiting. They aren’t for the defence of the city unless authorised by Celestia herself.”
“Well, have her authorise it!” Starshine said. “I want to be sure that my home will be protected!”
Just before Bastion could reprimand the unicorn, Rose Spice cut in, actually getting in the unicorn’s face as she raised her voice. “Are you brain-dead, you useless nag?! First off, I said earlier in this meeting that the princess only just woke up from her coma. She is in no condition to be taking care of who should be defending the city or not.” Raising her voice even more, Rose Spice continued. “Furthermore, how damn selfish are you that you’re only concerned about your personal belongings over the welfare of the citizens of this city?! If you want protection, you should buy some your damn self, you selfish little filly!”
A few moments passed in silence as Rose got out of the mare’s face and returned to her seat with a glare aimed at the shocked Starshine. Defiant Bastion struggled to hide his grin at the rant as he heard someone murmur “Damn, she’s scary when she’s angry.”
“Thank you, Ivory Spark.” Rose said, calling out the pegasus that had made the comment. No longer hiding his grin, Bastion continued on with what he was going to say. “Anyhow, as it stands, the Royal Guard is at its lowest in two decades. We have under a hundred and ninety ponies-at-arms capable of defending the princess.”
“So, no matter what, the walls of the city are most likely going to be breached.” Storybook said. At Bastion’s nod, he sighed. “What’s the plan then? As the senior garrison commander, that leaves you in charge.”
Bastion sighed. “Recall the closest Day and Night Guard armies. They should be here within a fortnight-”
“But scouts are placing the enemy to be no more than a few days’ march from here.”
“Exactly.” Bastion said. “There’s an old fort in the city that we can get the Princess to. Once we get her in there, it should be no issue to defend it...there’s only one way in.” Looking to Rose Spice, Bastion continued. “How soon will it be before Celestia can at least walk?”
“She can now.” Rose Spice said. “However, getting her to actually go with you into the fort is another thing. You know how she is.” Bastion nodded in agreement; Celestia had a poor habit of being stubborn when it came to leaving her subjects in danger.
“Very well.” Storybook said. “I suggest the rest of us begin preparations to leave. I’ll leave the rest to you, commander.” With that, Storybook swiftly left the room, followed shortly by the rest of the nobles and advisors. Bastion noticed that Starshine took special care to dart out of sight before Rose Spice could get out the door. In a few moments, the heavy oak door thudded shut, leaving Bastion, Silver Sword, and the various representatives of the other guard units alone.
With a deep sigh, Bastion walked to the head of the table. “Alright, stallions. Here’s the plan.”