"Amazing!" Dusk gasped as they walked along the cobble road leading away from Livar. She gazed at a massive three teared covered bridge made entirely of polished stones. "That must have taken entire mountains worth of stone to build."
"Slo is a country of mountains. Only in the far south with it's boarder to the Empire and the Forest do we have any claims to lumber and fertile fields. Hence why we fought two wars with Tivi over a forest." Myrrh said looking at the bridge. "That bridge was built by King Brimstone. Back during the first war with Tivi."
"That's a war bridge?" Escutcheon asked as they walked along the road.
"Not anymore it's now used as a high way to move stone and food through the kingdom. It's part of the Całkowity Highway. A level bridge that spans the entirety of the mountain range."
"It was a major target throughout the first and second war." Red Wine looked over at the bridge with a mix of admiration and disgust. "Thousands of spells and soldiers were used to try and destroy it, but Brimstone built things to last and Slo's engineering is as strong as the stone they use."
"That almost sounded like a complement." Myrrh joked.
"It's the closest he's likely to give" Atlas chimed in.
"If that bridge spans the entire empire why don't we use it?" Escutcheon asked.
"Two reasons, one. If we did you'd miss the three towns that have extended an invitation to you, and two." She paused.
"It would be the pinnacle of stupidity to let us use it. If Slo and Tivi go to war," Red Wine said. Myrrh sadly nodded.
"Who are the ponies that we're going to be meeting?" Escutcheon asked. "What can you tell us about them?"
"Well Snow Caps is the Governor of the next province he's the last pony that you'll see before you arrive at the capital. He's a loud proponent for peace and has the king's ear. Rumors are that he has a plan to force a peace, but those are just rumors for now. Pick Ax is the mayor of Black Mountain." She looked between the colt and filly. Don't drop your guard around him. Ever."
"He's nasty one," Atlas said. "Even my scholarly correspondence in Slo warn me about him and his spies when ever I enter Slo. Myrrh nodded.
"Our next stop though is the valley city of Altosa, and the mayor there is Silk Touch. A genuine mare and kind in every way." She smiled. "She's not wanting a war but she'll fight if it comes to it. But so long as we aren't provoked then she'll maintain peace and peace only."
"Just like Golden Brick." Dusk said.
"Yes I've heard she'd just like her brother." Escutcheon and Dusk paused.
"Wait. An aristocrat in Slo has an aristocrat brother in Tivi?"
"Of course," Red Wine said.
"And your just willing to go to war?" Dusk said.
"If need be they will fight for their country." Myrrh nodded.
"I'm so confused. Does she have a library I could use?"
"Well I can't give permission, but she does have a library." Escutcheon nodded. "Don't they have international aristocratic families from where your from?"
"Yeah, but Auntie Cadance would never attack Equestria!"
"Well I mean it's not like we want war. Well not everyone anyways." Myrrh looked out over the valley they were descending down to. "Who would want to when they have this?" She gestured to the the town in the valley. A fairly large town with a couple hundred buildings built with stone, and accented with clay shingles. Everything that wasn't the town had been converted into fields, farms, and orchards. "Welcome to Altosa the main food producer for Livar and home to Mayor Silk Touch. Hopefully she can explain things to you."