//------------------------------//
// Le Poney Sans Cœur 
// Story: Voyage 
// by Comrade Bagel Muffin 
//------------------------------//

Escutcheon and his party walked down the black cobbled streets of Pick Ax's town. The ponies of this town looked more down trodden than the slaves under the dragon. He didn't think that that was possible but as he looked from each face there was no mistaking the desperate looks on each face.
"Why do any of these ponies stay here they look absolutely miserable." Dusk asked as they moved up a series of cobble steps to the next tear of the city.  Black Mountain, was built up into the mountain, and was formed by multiple vertical tears each on several dozen meters higher in elevation than the last all leading up to, what was the largest Fortress Escutcheon had ever seen.
"They can't," Myrrh answered looking away from the griffons. "Black Mountain is a hard place to live even if it weren't for the tyrant Pick Ax. They wouldn't be here if they could survive anywhere else." They continued up.
"I'm glad that I don't live here that's for sure." Dusk looked around from Turkeyleg's back. "Why don't the just walk away and build a life else where?"
"Stubbornness. That's the simplest answer." Red Wine never looked away from the path that they walked. "The ponies of Slo are the most stubborn creatures that ever existed. They'd view moving away as giving up, so instead they brace themselves for the misery and  keep going." Escutcheon nodded. Despite how big the city was there were no sounds of play nor any chatter, the streets were dead silent with the exception of hooves hitting cobble. They soon made their way up the next series of stairs to the next tear the black stone fortress' presence becoming more and more oppressive the close to it they got.
Even the small amount of noise that was made came to a hushed halt as several guards came toward the group. "Captain Myrrh, it is good to see you and our guest. We were becoming concerned that you had lost your way." The lead guard's smile was colder than Red Wine's glare ever could have been.
"They were delayed several times coming here, but we're making good time. Sadly we'll have to leave as soon as possible to make it to the capital on time." She smiled back. "Did Pick Ax send you to meet us."
"Yes we've come to escort you to the manor, show you you're rooms, and guide the delegates from the DMZ to a private meeting with his lordship. Now please don't move." The flash of several horns soon filled Escutcheon's vision  the next thing he saw was the door to the large fortress.
"Wait so Pick Ax lives in the fortress?" he asked.
"Yes now come along." The guard in charge looked to one of his subordinates standing by the door. "You show them to their rooms I'll escort the bat and the colt to the grand library. Once you all have seen that your rooms are to your liking you can wait outside the library until the private meeting is concluded. Come here you two."
Dusk and Escutcheon cast Myrrh and Red Wine a small glace, but after a small nod from the two of them, and they followed the stallion into the fortress heading straight up the stairs as the rest of their party headed to the right on the first floor of the fortress. On the third floor the guard lead them to a large set of double doors and opened them revealing one of the best stocked libraries Escutcheon had seen outside of Marina's library since he ran away. The book shelves lined the walls and there was a grand fireplace on the opposite wall, the warmth from which gave the room a cozy glow. By the fire place were several ornate chairs and a few tables.
Sitting  in one of the chairs was a hard and harsh looking earth pony, with a face as unrelenting as flint standing on either side of him was a guard. With a flick of his hoof, the two guards left leaving Dusk, Escutcheon, and Turkeylegs alone with the noble.