//------------------------------//
// Faiblesse et Force 
// Story: Voyage 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
//------------------------------//

Atlas  and Red Wine were no longer in the sitting room when Escutcheon was led in. Dusk was sitting in one of the several  chairs. Turkeylegs was sleeping on the ground next to her. The room was extremely well decorated with statues and painting. An older mare with a very muted lilac coat and a short two tone blue mane sat opposite Dusk behind an exquisitely ornate desk. "Governess Iron Clad, my apologies. The colt has been cleared," the captain said as she stopped and stood at the door. "I apologize for the time it took. There was a slight complication."
"A slight complication?" she asked staring down the captain. "Well they're already twelve hours late, so I guess you count prolonging the delay longer is just a 'slight complication'. Well since you don't value my time, allow me to return the favor. Sit." Iron Clad pointed  to an odd looking bench. The captain nodded sat at the bench. The way it was made forced her to sit at a ninety degree angle with her back and hips. "The stallions from Tivi at least valued my time enough to march through the mountains all night. They have taken their leave so you will sit there..." She looked away from her and to Escutcheon. "Please take a seat colt." He nodded and took a seat next to Dusk. "You will memorize every word. And...Tell...Them...What...I...Say. Am I understood Myrrh?"
"Yes ma'am." Myrrh answered shifting her weight.
"Good now sit still and pay attention."  Governess Iron Clad turned her attention to Escutcheon and Dusk again. "Now I understand that the two of you are representing the trespassing bats from the DMZ?"
"What?" Dusk shot up. Turkeylegs's head immediately rose. "You weren't there! How can we possibly be trespassing?"
"We weren't there because of our treaty with Tivi, but otherwise we own that land."
"No you don't not even by Slo law that forest is off  limits. To the Governments of Slo and Tivi," Escutcheon said.
"It's also forbidden from any other nation." Iron Clad's eyes narrowed. "Besides according to the treaty Article One Section 7b. We own the forest."
"That was from the first war. Not the second. And the bat colony isn't a nation, nor were they when they arrived. I worked at the university of Marine and so did Dusk, we know about the treaties." Escutcheon countered. Iron Clad's eyes narrowed. The following three hours that followed were much the same, Iron Clad saying anything to rile the two of them and justify a war with Slo and Tivi, Escutcheon  countering with all of the legal and cultural knowledge he had. After the three hours had finished Iron Clad just glared at the colt and filly.
"Well you seem to know very little about our laws and cultures drawing only from the Tivi side of the argument, and not just were you late, you have also wasted three hours of my time. Myrrh, take these two to their room, and report this to  the other two."
"Yes ma'am." The tan mare  hissed as her back and hips cracked, as she stood up. "This way you two," she said as she lead them out of the room and up a set of stairs.
"Is she always that infuriating?" Dusk hissed under her breath.
"Only when she's challenged. I don't think she expected you to know as much as you did. But she's the closest lord to the forest so she has a very heavy reason for war." Myrrh said. She opened the door to the first room. Inside was a bed with a lot of blankets and pillows the fireplace was lit and warming the room. "This is your room I'm sorry we weren't expecting you so this is all we have Dusk."
"This is a lot nicer than the last place. See you at lunch Escutcheon." Turkeylegs followed her into the room. And Myrrh led Escutcheon down the hall. "And this is your room." She opened the door. "And this is your's." The room was just as nice identical in every to Dusk. "I have one question." She blocked him with a hoof before he could go in. "Was it the bats?" The blood drained from Escutcheon's face.
"No. It wasn't, and please don't tell them." Myrrh watched him for a second.
"I'm sorry, you won't be disturbed until lunch." She let him in and closed the door behind him.