The smell of the sea, its salt clung to his fur and seemed to settle in his lungs as the ship tossed in the turf.
He loved every minute of it. Standing on the upper deck he gave a nod to the pegasus captain. A pony he had come to know over the last two weeks after leaving his isolation. The trip taking longer than expected had proven to be a great boon in that and other regards.
“Trixie, how are they doing?”
“Well Mordane, they have… been responding as you said they would.” She said quietly. Trixie had apologized to each of the soldiers directly, explaining her actions as stress brought on from her worry for Mordane. Follow that with being attentive to their needs and acting as a conveyer to Mordane started to be a convenience. Speaking to him directly still proved stressing to most of the ponies.
“Good.” Mordane turned and walked over to the side where he could look down on the deck.
“One!” One Eye swung his blade down and stepped forward.
“Two!” He stepped back into a defensive position before shouting again.
“One!”
Four of the hired swords swung clumsily trying to match his form. They were getting better and each was mark-less. A far more common phenomenon in the southern lands than in Equestria. He had set them to a training method as quickly as possible. Such old mark-less ponies were apt to get one at any time. If he could make them feel as if he had given them a purpose, it would certainly hasten the process.
For a moment, he glanced at his own covered flank. He too was getting older. How much longer until he gained a mark? As he aged, it was beginning to look like this would never happen at all.
From what he had read marks came from the same force that lived through the elements. That of Harmony. When a pony learned their ‘destiny’ they were in fact accepting a place or role for themselves in the future. He had no such role and so had no harmony.
Looking back to the other blank flanks he smiled. It seemed likely they would develop a talent in martial arts if he could win their loyalty and make himself their ‘destiny’.
As for the others, there was still much to be done to/in order to keep them in shape.
“Stand straight Berry Blossom.” Mordane commented in a deadpan tone. “You are slouching.”
“Sorry. Sir.” The mare said, sweating profusely. “This is a lot harder then I thought it would be.”
“You are doing very well.” Trixie commented.
“…Thank you.” The mare said curtly.
Her and the other recruits stood at the ready lining the deck. Each of them already possessed marks. Most, however, had no relation to combat. Worse still, at best they had been in rags. Mordane’s first order had been to abandon all their clothing. It now sat in a pile in some corner of the ship. It was lucky that the ship had come with a compliment of weapons.
After making sure that none of them would accidentally fall on their own blade he had decided to forgo martial training for the majority and instead set them to parade training. For the last two weeks, he had taught them solely how to stand guard, march together, keep discipline and obey simple orders. This level of training would break under even the lightest of resistance but he didn’t care about that right now.
Right now, he was concerned about the quality of their gear and lack of it.
Right now the majority were using wood and between them they possessed five functioning swords. Even these were never maintained and were dull. There was no armor.
“All ponies take a breather.” Mordane said bringing the sessions to a close. “I have just received word from our scout we will be in sight of Herridon within the hour. Ivy, come here I have assignments for you.”
Looking up he took to the air and into crows nest, balancing on the end of the pole he waited.
-
The city was not the largest Mordane had seen, but it was by far the most distinctive. It rested on one side of a mountain which sloped gently to the peak while the other side was jagged and full of near vertical climbs.
Three massive sections of walls could be seen as the city seemed to climb up a mountain on the sea's edge. Its lowest section was in the valley and even over the wall he could see houses packed tight at no discernable pattern. The wall came right out into the river and what Mordane realized was probably a bay. Seeing the great chains hanging off the edge he could guess that access to the port could be closed in case of an invasion.
The second level was half as large. This section stretched up cliffs that ascended toward the peak at a forty five degree angle and as Mordane and his crew entered the harbor he could see just how ordered the section seemed, laid out in straight rows and wove with battlement emplacements like soldiers standing in rows.
The third wall cut off the very top where the land mostly seemed to even off again and ended at the cliff edge. There he could see a random assortment of buildings again but these looked large. Even from the dock he could see the signatures of wealth and power and at the farthest point he saw a castle. Its battlements pointed toward the sky.
Carts were hanging on wires and moving up, and down the city as he could see. He assumed that the carts were for moving goods and/or ponies. All in all he could guess the city had a population of thirty thousand.
Tietus had an eighty thousand and was the second largest behind Irona with a hundred thousand. In that perspective, this was small, but compared to the average of ten thousand in most cities it was decently large.
The city walls extended into the bay at the mountain base and left only a small opening where ships could enter. As they approached he could see several ponies standing on the edge waving them down. Mordane looked at the captain and told him to order the drawing of the sails to quarter mast before trotting to the front of the boat.
He could tell quickly that the three ponies were two pegasi guards and a unicorn city official. He took to a shout.
“Good evening! We are unaware of the rules for mooring in this port. How may we do so?”
“Do we have permission to embark?” Shouted back one of the pegasi.
“You may!”
The two pegasi took to the air and flew over to land next to Mordane. Shortly after the unicorn flashed away only to appear back in between them.
“You are approaching the port of the glorious city of Herridon. Please turn over your ships rudder to this one” he indicated the pegasus on his left. “So he may move your ship into port safely. Then please make your manifest ready so that I may determine your tax.”
“Of course.” Mordane said before pulling out his write of nobility “I assume this will be enough?”
The unicorn frowned but floated over the write. He blinked a few times before pointing his horn at the seal. There was a flash of white from said seal which caused the ponies eyes to widen slightly before turning to a snarl.
“A pegasi noble?” he seemed to spit.
Mordane frowned but decided to think on this later, seeking instead to appease him.
“Actually no.” He said lifting up his hair to show is cracked horn. “I am not a pegasi.”
“Huh, winged unicorn.” He sniffed. “Not as bad I suppose…you can use magic?”
“Of course.” Mordane said nonchalantly.
“Ah. Tragic. You must be a great mage for the king to grant you nobility. Even so, I must conduct a search of your ship. Though the import tax will be waived of course.”
“Of course.” Mordane smiled taking back his write and putting it back into its protective folder. “Are you of the Herridon nobility?” Mordane asked on a whim.
“No…” The pony seemed to straighten. “I am only of the second tier.”
Then as if only remembering what he had just read he bowed low.
“I apologize for my rudeness Lord Stronghoof.”
“There is no shame in performing your duties so admirably. I must admit that I unfamiliar with the ways of Herridon, but will strive to learn them. Any assistance you might suggest as your acquaintance performs his duties would be appreciated.”
The stallion stood back up before inclining his head.
“Thank you for your kind words Lord Stronghoof. As for propriety, there would be others far more suited than I.”
“If you so say.” Mordane smiled before leading the way.
___________________________________________________
Three hours later they were at port and the three ponies had disembarked. Mordane waited a few minutes before the groups came down.
One Eye groaned and rubbed his head. He still felt terrible since waking up and the workout did nothing to help. The grog he had been able to pull together had ran out the day before. He was starting to feel the onset of a tyrant headache. One Eye came down with two earth pony guards, both of which were experienced fighters. Mordane waved him over.
“One Eye.” Mordane unclipped a satchel. “Here, I want you to go and purchase a warehouse near the docks.”
One Eye’s eye bugged out. Mordane was handing him a satchel of what must have been thousands of bits.
“Mordane…” One Eye said. “Err…”
He didn’t know what to say. Him and Mordane had barely spoken. Only sharing a few drinks, but now he was trusting him with what must be a sizable chunk of his fortune.
“Can I trust you with this One Eye?” Mordane asked. “I’ve told you my training plans. So you know what kind of place we need. You should seek the lowest price possible of course.”
“Uh, yeah. Of course.” One Eye grinned, quickly taking the money away from Mordane “I’ll get that warehouse.”
“Good. I’m trusting you One Eye.” He turned back to Trixie. “You can also get you three something to eat.”
“Thanks.” One Eye nodded as Mordane walked over to Trixie before stopping a second time.
“Don’t buck this up.” Mordane practically growled at him.
“Of course, I won’t.” One Eye reassured as Mordane continued walking.
“He has lost his mind.” One of the earth ponies whispered to the other.
“What did you say Rough Shaw.” One Eye hissed. Before slapping the pony lightly in the ear “Come on, let's go Pear.”
One Eye lead them away from Mordane and the ship. He confidently attached the bag of bits to his flank and grinned before passing through the gate.
The two other ponies made sure to stay with him, their eyes looking at the place all around them.
The main road leading to the cart station was clean and well patrolled. Ponies in full iron armor patrolled this street regularly. They glared down the side leading off and forced away any loiters. Even as they walked they saw the guards approach a disheveled earth pony.
“Hey. We ordered you to move on.” The armored unicorn growled.
“Sorry. I’m just waiting for my friend.”
The pony’s horn lit up and his sheathed sword rushed out, and smacked the pony across the face.
“I told you to walk earth pony. Be thankful I don’t break your leg.”
The earth pony staggered to his hooves and gave a quick bow before rushing down the nearby lane. A few of the guards jeered at him but none pressured.
Then the unicorns scanned the street and locked onto the approaching one eyed pony then the rather large bag on his hip.
One Eye felt a slight chill and instinctively turned off the main street.
“Black Tartarus. Did you see that?” Pear said “They beat him for no reason.”
“I heard things about Herridon...” Whispered Shaw.
One Eye grunted. He had heard them as well. Ponies said that Herridon was a society of unicorn supremacists.
“Well. We will just have to stay down here…”
The buildings shadows hung over the ally to narrow to pull a cart down. The buildings quickly gave way from uniform stone, to patchwork structures. Filthy rats ran along the corridors and trash, and worse was laying everywhere.
The ‘road’ was simply stones packed into the dirt. Around them ponies slid past, carrying satchels even as ponies sat on the edge of the road, not even begging as the ponies passing had none to spare. Simply staring into the distance.
Shortly after the main road they passed a water spigot where ponies were lining up to draw water. The color was not exactly clear but seemed good enough to drink. He wrinkled his nose and moved his eye to just down the street, and his ears twitched at the conversation he could hear.
“Bloody water gots a bad taste now. They need to replace the pipes up in the second level.”
“At least the toilets don’t smell as bad. Heard they repaired and cleaned them out after the king smelt the stank.”
One Eye looked around and saw a bar. It looked better than any other building around it. He licked his lips. His headache flared back to life kicking him again. He looked back at his bag of bits for a few moments.
“Let's take a stop here.” One Eye said. “Wet our whistles before anything. We may also get to hear some good leads.”
The two other ponies grinned and nodded their heads.
The three ponies entered the bar and went to one corner. One Eye grinned and ordered a pitcher of beer.
The lead mare there jumped and rushed over to the bar. Around them ponies were sitting quietly nursing their beers. In a few minutes the mare arrived with bread and a pitcher. One Eye poured his fellow earth ponies a drink and hoofed over six gold coins.
“Keep them coming!” One Eye grinned. “Also, bring me a hayburger.”
The mare grinned and nodded before rushing off.
Looking down at his glass One Eye smiled but hesitated.
Mordane had trusted him with his money. Maybe it would be better to first actually go DO the job before getting wasted.
His mouth itched though and the pounding in the back of his head seemed to be working up to behind his eyes.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
One Eye groggily became conscious of himself as his eye was pounding.
What in Tartarus?
One Eye looked out around him. He pushed back against the searing headache.
What is happening… Did I black out?
That thought shocked One Eye a little awake. With great effort he forced open his eye as he felt something shaking on his side.
He could see an orange coated stallion tugging on him. His mind though felt like it was going through molasse. For some reason he could see a cup and for some reason that seemed significant.
His eye rolled over and stared blankly as the stallion pulled back. A look of fear as he pulled back with a bag. A bag of money.
Mordane’s money.
One Eye’s heart kicked up and he opened his mouth to try and say something, but could only gurgle slightly.
The last thing he saw was the stallion passing off some more coins to the sneering waitress.
_________________________________________________________________________
*Splash*
One Eye and the other two ponies jolted awake as the water splashed over them. Blinking rapidly One Eye set up and tried to get his bearings.
“Go on you slosh buckets. You’ve taken your fill. Now get out!” The mare who was their waiter sneered. “Come back when you have more money!”
One Eye reflexively reached down to his side.
Then back up at the sneering mare.
It took him a full two seconds to put together what happened.
Something had been put into his drink. He never went out like that.
He could recall some of what happened, but it felt like it was behind the worst blackout he had ever felt. So he put two and two together.
Wispy pine. A drug he had run into before.
“Where is my money?” One Eye said as the two other stallions struggled awake.
“I don’t know where your money is.” The mare sneered. “I serve drinks.”
“Pear, Shaw. You up?”
“A bit groggy,” “Feel like I’ve been drugged.”
“Aye. Pear, Guard the exit. Shaw run interference.”
The two other ponies looked him over for a split second, but after seeing the glint in his eye hopped to it.
“Hey! I said to get out of here.” The mare said.
One Eye stood up flexing his shoulders slightly. The mare didn’t seem to react though. Playing the part of the waitress.
“Can’t do that. I don’t know where my lords money is.” He said.
“That’s not my problem I-”
One Eye struck her across the face. She was thrown against the bar and she gripped her head.
The three other patrons started, but One Eye drew and leveled his sword it at them. Giving a glare.
They froze and he simply shook his head no.
Slowly the stallions sunk back into their chairs now seeming to be afraid of even Shaw as his much less intimidating glare stared them down.
“You can’t do this to me.” The mare spat out a tooth. “I’m just the bar owner. I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“You slipped the Wispy Pine into my drink. You took gold from the thief.”
“What no! I-”
One Eye slashed with his blade, smashing a glass sitting on the bar and spilling alcohol all over the mare causing her to wince and close her eyes as glass rained over here.
“The Pine don’t work as well on me missy. I saw that orange coated stallion and I saw him giving you money.” He looked down at her then at the lantern sitting just a short ways down the bar.
The mask of righteous anger fell away. The mare's eyes widened and she began to shake. She had seen many a pony be killed outright for a cup of mead when the mood hit them and looking into One Eye she knew he was ready to kill everyone and burn everything to the ground.
“You can’t. I...I have protection.” She stammered.
One Eye placed the blade on her neck and smiled.
“You thought your position in this here community would protect you from stealing from us little missy. You were wrong. I’ll kill you like any other and any that come afterward I’ll kill them too. You got only one chance. Talk.”
The mare swallowed and looked up and down this stallions blade.
It shouldn’t have gone like this. She had helped ten dozen thieves knock out ponies stupid enough to walk into a bar carrying a large amount of money. These ponies looked like nothing more then traders off a ship with the stink of the sea on them.
Now she was wondering if they were not bloody pirates.
“Okay...I’ll talk.” She swallowed.
__________________________________________________________
One Eye stormed away from the burning building as smoke started to billow out of the doorway. A mare could be heard screaming for the fire brigade. In his head though only a name burning into his brain could be heard.
Firm Oranges.
He had been stolen from by a pony named Firm Oranges.
He half blushed with embarrassment. How could he let something he was trusted with be stolen by a pony named Firm Oranges. It was pathetic.
Around him ponies were rushing by, already carrying buckets of water to splash down the block around them. He figured a pegasi would fly emergency clouds over quickly enough and sure enough he glanced up to see ponies pushing black clouds back where he came from.
Soon after a column of troops marched past toward from where he had come.
He didn’t care about that now though.
“Firm Oranges. Why did the bloody stallion have to be called Firm Oranges.”
“Did you get a look at his hair?” Asked Shaw. He was still rubbing his jaw from where one of the stallions had kicked him to jump a window.
“Did we have to burn the place down? I mean she did answer you.” One Eye looked down at his new leader bound satchel. It was thick and buckled with an enchantment to prevent removal by anypony but the one wearing it.
Apparently a necessity in this city.
Once again he silently cursed himself for being so careless.
“She was a right whorse.” One Eye spat. “Lucky I didn’t kill her.”
“Still.” Shaw cut in. “I’ve never done anything like that before. What are we going to do now?”
“Now? We go find this Orange and get back Mordane's money. Otherwise I ain’t going to be able to even look him in the eye.”
He sniffed.
“We better hurry, we wouldn’t want her to tell her friend we are coming.”
_______________________________________________________________
On the other side of the main highway, near the docks. One Eye and the other two ponies marched.
The entire docks drew the eyes of Pear and Shaw. Iron was everywhere.
It was in pots and pans, In the form of raw ore, in blades and swords.
Herridon was practically swimming in iron. As food was coming in, iron was being loaded and traded in exchange.
They followed the directions of the mare and found their way to a particularly filthy slum, they then found the building described.
A run down warehouse filled with what One Eye assumed was ponies not paying any rent. They approached from the sea side though and through the open doors they could see a large open area. The warehouse was attached to a work building that was boarded closed with seals. In the corner though a shack had been cobbled together.
Half brick and half ship wood.
One Eye stepped up to the door and then motioned the other two ponies to take up position around the shack.
With a grunt he shoved the locked door with his shoulder and popped the latch.
“What in Tartaru-”
One Eye didn’t give the orange pony a chance to finish. Drawing his sword he swung the flat of the blade and smacked the pony in the side of the head.
The orange pony crumpled to the floor eyes fluttering, he didn’t resist as One Eye reached down and took his knife.
He then hoofed the pony into the air and threw him onto his straw mattress.
“Where is my money.” One Eye spat.
Shaking his head the pony’s eyes came to focus on him before dilating to pinprics. Around him a puddle began to form as he lost control of his bladder.
“I don’t have it anymore.” Squeacked the pony. “ I already passed it off.”
One Eye swung down burying the blade into the dirt floor. Rushing him he grabbed the pony's head and dragged him to press his neck against the blade. The pony kicked and hollered, but One Eye paid no mind, simply forced him against the edge until he saw a shallow line of red.
“You tell me who is it that you hoofed the money to, or I’m going to start cutting off pieces. Starting with your ears.”
The pony shook so much that a few more lines had been cutting him.
“Orange?” Squeaked a little voice.
One Eye looked up. Looking out from a back room he could see a small earth pony. His little eyes were wide at him.
Behind him he could see several others huddled in a corner, about a dozen earth ponies, a unicorn and a pegasus.
Looking at them his snarl relaxed and turned to a frown.
Picking up Orange he shoved the pony back into his bed. Reaching over he picked up a now nearly empty sac from the pony.
“Where is my money.” One Eye said softly. “Tell me and I’ll keep this civil.”
“Th-Thank you.” Orange said rubbing his neck. “I used it to pay off the pony who runs this area of the city.”
“Pay him off?” One Eye asked.
“Yes. He signed over this warehouse to me. The deed used to belong to a noble so the property is even tax exempt!” He scoffed as One Eye frowned again then looked at the small bag of coin.” I... Please don’t hurt the kids.”
“...” One Eye growled under his breath. “I won’t. How much coin you have left?”
“Two hundred coins.” The pony looked down at the floor.
“I see.” One Eye tossed him down and sighed before whistling.
The two other earth ponies entered and stood besides One Eye.
“So tell me where this pony is.”
____________________________________________________________________
Up near the wall One Eye was trotting quickly. The sun had already passed its zenith and this close to the wall the shadow hung over everything. It was a bit moist with mold growing up its side.
Pipes were intermittently seen coming from the wall to align with the intermittent spikes and urinals throughout the city. It seemed they were the only source of water.
As they went further from the main road the housing was getting worse. Soon shacks were pressed up tight against the wall. The few patrols had thinned and turned to nothing.
One Eye's heart was quickening and a slight feeling of dread was filling him as his anger had time to settle. He wasn’t yet sure what to do with the Orange pony. That would have to be left to Mordane.
Just thinking of explaining that unsettled him. Mordane had said he would want nothing to do with him if he made this mistake. Maybe he would even try and kill him.
While fighting Mordane to the death would be fun he wasn’t sure he could win. There was also giving up such an interesting pony to fight with.
Plus Mordane seemed to be on the rise and One Eye wasn’t getting any younger.
“What's the plan?” Shaw asked. Pear had been left with Orange to report back should they not return.
“Go in, kick their flanks, then go buy a warehouse and head back to the ship.” One Eye said.
“You think we got the push for that?” Shaw asked, his voice a little low as he looked around. “There is only two of us.”
“We have me.” One Eye grinned. “Let's go take a chunk out of them.”
The pony was located in the corner where the inner wall and outer wall met. It was a two story building made from shipping crates far fresher than the ones around them.
The two of them trotted up to the main entrance where a pony was standing guard.
“What are you-”
One Eye struck quickly, punching with his whole body he landed a blow on his chin. The pony crumpled down to the ground.
Stepping over it, he and Shaw rushed into the building.
First room inside was a two floor rest area where were three ponies, who had little time to react as the two ponies attacked.
Two rose quickly and went for clubs while the third rushed through another door and started shouting.
“Intruders!”
One Eye punched for the other ponies jaw, but he dodged. One Eye though had no time to mess around. Reaching in deep he grabbed for his magic. He stomped with his back rear hoof into the ground and was able to change the angle of his attack by ninety degrees, slamming his hoof into the pony's stomach.
Planting his hoof, the ground cracked as he reached for the earths power. Briefly his mother danced through his mind before focusing back on the situation.
He glanced and saw Shaw still struggling with his foe as ponies came rushing in.
Cows tits
One Eye struck and kicked and punched, quickly he was taking hits and soon there was too many.
Shit, not again. His first time being captured, before the arena flashed back to him. The seedy bar, the shard of glass. His own followers.
One Eye roared and bucked a pony into the wall.
“COME AT ME! COME GET ME!”
“STOP!”
The attacking ponies jumped back, leaving One Eye and Shaw alone in the center. One Eye had a torn lip and bruise reddening on his face and Shaw had a torn ear letting a stream of blood onto the floor.
The speaker was a brown coated earth pony on the second floor walkway. Around him were several ponies with drawn crossbows pointed their way.
One Eye's nose twitched. There was nowhere to go.
The earth pony looking down at them with little emotion had a brown coat and white mane. In many ways he looked a lot like Mordane, but with hazel eyes and broader shoulders. He struck a commanding figure and seemed to draw the room to him.
“You are Stronghoof’s ponies.” He spoke softly, his voice carrying through the room.
“Aye.” One Eye said.
“I just learned.” went on the pony. “That the alicorn has arrived. Right now he is in the main chamber of the castle. Speaking with the princess and king.”
The earth pony spat and several in the room muttered curses.
“I’ve been told. You beat up Firm Orange pretty bad. Did you kill him?”
“I don’t kill the weak.” One Eye grunted. “I was just going to break his legs.”
The earth pony nodded.
“I can understand that.” Reaching behind him the earth pony grabbed a satchel of coins and tossed it down to One Eye. Just at a glance One Eye could tell most of the coin was still there. Even so he picked it up and took wieght placing it at three fourth the original.
“That's most of it.” One Eye grunted. Then he looked back up at the pony his eyebrows furrowing as he tilted his head to the side. “Why?”
The brown earth pony placed his hooves on the railing. His shoulders curled slightly as the wood began to creak. He snorted and his lip curled up like he had just bitten the most sour lemon ever.
“Because. I want you to give this message to Stronghoof. Leave Herridon. This is Our City and we don’t have need of another high born aristocrat in the mix. Tell him this comes from ‘the Hoof and Sickle.’”
Shaw stiffened and One Eye sniffed.
The Hoof and Sickle was a group he had heard of. Tried raising support all over the kingdoms. They wanted to bring about a new order. Kill all the kings. Seize the land and form a great council of the southern lands to hold and govern it. All ponies would work and share of the labor of the fields.
They were nuts.
“I’ll tell him.”
Nodding his reply. One Eye turned and headed for the exit as the crowd of ponies parted for him and the scrambling Shaw beside him.
_____________________________________________________________________________
“The Hoof and Sickle.” Shaw whispered. “The few I’ve ran into were crazy.”
“Same.” One Eye replied “and I’ve never seen that many together. Most ponies just laugh them out of town.”
“Yeah, it's been a few years though, ever since the purges.”
“I’d not be surprised if they are the only left here.”
“I wonder why they even survived here?”
Turning at a corner the two of them quickly made their way back into the warehouse. Pear was standing in the middle of the room, he glance back at them and followed as they went back into the shack.
Firm Orange was sitting in his chair with a ledger. Using tally marks to keep track of money and costs. Looking up he winced as he saw One Eye pushing the largest pile of coins toward him.
“Here is your masters coin. As I agreed, please do not hurt the children.”
“What of yourself?” Asked Pear.
“I-...I’ll accept any punishment you may wish to give. Just don't do it in front of them.” He glanced back at the door to the other room and swallowed.
One Eye looked at the pile of coins then back at the pony before giving a wicked smile.
Reaching around his flank he poured the rest of the bag onto the much smaller pile. Then he placed down hoof and slid over a third of the coin.
“Give me the deed for this place.”
Firm Orange swallowed and pulled back over the now larger pile before reaching into a shelf and pulling out an old envelope which he passed to Pear.
“We will be out by tomorrow.” The stallion swallowed. “I will be able to find another place for them.”
“Why not stay here?” Shaw spoke up. One Eye glared at him, but the pony kept on with a slightly shaking voice. “I mean...we will need somepony who knows the area… who we can trust.... Who will clean?”
He swallowed.
“I’ll have to ask Mordane.” One Eye grunted. “That’ll be fun.”
Already the thought of explaining all this was threatening to elicit a groan from him. He motioned the other two ponies over and told them to stay and that he would be bringing the rest of the ponies here that evening.
Trotting outside One Eye looked up. The sun was hanging low in the horizon. Trotting off he headed for the ship.
On the way though he passed a bar.
Maybe... just one drink...