Elias rubbed at his forehead, trying to ward away the last vestiges of his hangover. The night in Bordertown had been perfect, even including the barfight Anyon had started, and aside from a minor incident after he had blacked out, he was ultimately pleased with the haul he had the gryphon smuggling back to Canterlot. Anyon was set to escort the families of the guards back, and in the floorboards of his wagon was case after case of illegal booze, as well as a few illegal narcotics they planned to experiment with under Scalpel’s supervision. The after party for the march was going to be interesting, if nothing else.
The human’s walk was in search of said unicorn. After they had been let free of the jail, in which nothing unusual at all happened, Elias had staggered his way back into camp just in time for the sun to rise. Preparations to march out were already well under way under the supervision of his centurions, and while he had received strange looks, nobody had mentioned his filthy, blood splattered attire, nor the fact that he was the one late to roll call. The only pony waiting for him had been Granite, who had been carrying a whip, and a sad look on his face. Elias hadn’t even bothered with a post. Ten lashes was light.
Still, the whip left its sting on his back, and after getting dressed and collecting all of his gear, he had left the legion just as they were beginning to get into marching formation to find Scalpel before he left with Anyon and the families. Better to use the spells of a pony that wasn’t coming on the march.
He found Scalpel near the royal carriage, where Anyon was helping the Royal Guards put on the top. The unicorn noticed him quickly, and smiled brightly as he trotted over.
“Well hey there Elias, you’re looking better than I thought you would.”
Elias shrugged his shoulders, wincing when the motion caused his armor to shift across the fresh lash marks on his back.
“I think things went well last night, all things considered,” he replied. “But I was hoping you still had that detox spell so I can shake this hangover. I’d like to be at my best.”
Scalpel’s horn lit up, and Elias immediately felt all of his pains lessen, including those on his back.
“And I’m sure the cuts from that whip weren’t feeling too good either,” Scalpel said.
Elias felt slightly bashful as the ache on his back vanished.
“How could you tell?” he muttered.
“A good doctor always knows,” Scalpel answered. “Besides, I heard Centurion Granite going at it.” He let out a small sigh. “Of all the things your legion does, whipping is one of the only things I absolutely don’t understand. There are better ways of punishment, and studies prove-“
“The people writing those studies can say all they want from the comfort of whatever office they write from,” Elias interrupted. “My methods work, and until they don’t, they’ll stay. I’ll talk about it no more.”
Scalpel sighed again.
“Fair enough I guess.”
His horn’s glow gradually dimmed, and he smiled up at Elias.
“I’m all done Elias. Feeling better?”
“Much.”
Elias looked to the carriage, where Anyon was fitting on a matte steel door. The gryphon fiddled with the hinges, tapping at them lightly with a small hammer. Elias counted to a hundred once, then twice. When he made it to three hundred, he cleared his throat aloud.
“You do realize we’re supposed to leave sometime this century, right?
“Perfection can’t be rushed!” Anyon squawked. “Leave me be, or I tell the princess what we got up to yesterday.”
Luna slowly poked her head out of the carriage doorway and squinted hard at Elias.
“And what, pray tell, did you get up to?”
Elias glared at Anyon’s back.
“Yeah Anyon, tell her about the bar fight that you started.”
The gryphon’s wings immediately puffed up and covered his head.
“Didn’ start nothin’” Anyon muttered.
“Unlike you, I have witnesses to the contrary,” Elias said. “So maybe make less griping and finish up so you and Scalpel can get going. The walk to Canterlot isn’t getting any shorter.”
Anyon continued grumbling to himself, while Luna slowly withdrew into the shade of the carriage, still bearing her critical, squinting eyes. Scalpel, however, regarded Elias with a curious look.
“What do you mean Elias? I’m not going back to Canterlot.”
An alarm bell rang hard and fast in Elias’ head, but he ignored it, looking cautiously at the unicorn.
“You’re staying with the garrison here then?”
A smile flitted across Scalpel’s muzzle.
“Of course not, they have their own healers. I’m coming with you on the march!”
Suddenly the noise of the preparations died away. Palpable tension bled into the air as Elias’ brain worked hard to process the words that had just been thrown at him. It was the tone mostly. Scalpel sounded so… excited. Happy even.
Elias closed his eyes and tilted his head, putting one hand on his sword belt, while the other rubbed his chin.
“Mind running that by me again?”
“I’m an officially recognized officer in the Global Healer’s Core,” Scalpel said.
Elias cracked an eye, and he found the unicorn motioning to a yellow plus sign on his saddlebags.
“Of course, I can’t treat any active combatants,” Scalpel continued, “but I am the castle doctor, specifically for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Since I have world recognized immunity to harm, I thought it was safe to join them to make sure nothing bad happened. Just a pre-caution of course.”
“Immunity to harm,” Elias echoed. “Meaning?”
“As long as I don’t fight, and don’t go anywhere near an active battlefield, it is illegal to even touch me,” Scalpel explained. “If anyone were to do so, or Celestia forbid actually hurt me, they would have a bounty of one million bits put on their back, recognized by every nation under the sun. Ponies, gryphons, diamond dogs, minotaurs, even changelings recognize the yellow cross! Didn’t you ever wonder how I escaped being put in a pod during the wedding?”
Elias looked toward the ground and closed his eyes again.
“Chrysalis usurped the princesses, and you got special treatment because of a healers group?”
“Her entire species would have been blacklisted from our help,” Scalpel said. “The Global Healer’s Core has a few dozen doctors operating in the badlands, and-“
Elias held up a hand, and the unicorn fell silent. A switch flipped in the human’s brain, and he felt rage building at a fiery rate. He struggled to keep the growing anger from his voice.
“I am assuming you have been a part of this organization for some time?”
When Steel Scalpel didn’t immediately answer, Elias’ eyes opened, then slowly raised to rest on the unicorn. The yellow pony’s face told the depth of his realization, and he clearly didn’t want to continue talking himself into a hole. It was far too late for that, however.
“I can tell that your answer is yes,” Elias said, “which means you knew that you would come on this trip, and you decided to lie to my face anyway.”
Steel Scalpel’s mouth flapped, and just as he began to figure out his words, Elias raised his pointer finger.
“For more than six months I might add.”
“It was far your own good,” Scalpel said with a gulp. “You needed a friend, and at the time you had turned everyone but me and Anyon away. I… I thought you wouldn’t mind when you took on Snowball…”
“Snowball was a lying parasitic spy!” Elias spat, his anger finally boiling over. “He tricked and lied his way into my legion, and what I did was all to earn a devout spy! I fed that leech to keep him playing for my team.”
Anyon stopped working on the door and glanced back.
“Ya don’t mean that Youngblood.”
Elias took a step back and let out a short huff.
“You’re right Anyon. Sorry. Snowball’s been good to me, and I’m glad that he’s my friend.”
His eyes fixed Scalpel where he stood.
“It’s because he’s been honest with me. He risked his life coming forward, but he’s stayed completely honest with me since, and because of that, he’ll be one of my best friends until the day I die.”
Elias drew in a deep breath and straightened to his full height. He let the anger fall from his face, and drove as much of it from his tone as he could. He had to be cold and calculating, and despite a small cry of regret from the back of his head, Scalpel had been warned. Everyone else had broken his rules on occasion, but never as blatantly as this, and they never lied. They had always been upfront, had always said their exact feelings. Scalpel had lied, and he had been doing so for a long time. Elias didn’t want a liar for a friend.
“Doctor, I suggest you join your charges,” Elias said, his tone short. “And I’d suggest you stay well away from me from now on. Our friendship is ended on the grounds of betrayal. You betrayed my trust, and you’re lucky I have so much self-control, because if I were a lesser man, you wouldn’t be going on this march on account of a broken spine.”
Steel Scalpel recoiled slightly, and Elias noticed a slight quiver of fear from the pony. Most present in the unicorn’s eyes, however, was hurt. His words were viscerally hurting the pony on an emotional level.
‘Good,’ Elias thought.
His eyes flicked to Anyon, who closed the carriage door and glanced back at a Royal Guard. The unicorn charged her horn, and the handle of the carriage began to glow. After a few moments, the unicorn’s eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed, caught instantly by two of her fellows who had been lying in wait behind her. Anyon walked to the door and gave a sharp knock. The handle turned and Soft Touch stuck her head out.
“All’s well in here gentlegryph. The expansion spell is working perfectly and everypony is getting comfortable.”
Anyon gave a slight bow.
“Give the princesses my regards.”
The gryphon looked to Scalpel, who was still staring at Elias with an open mouth and teary eyes. Anyon let out a sigh and moved the unicorn’s way.
“Come on now Doc, in ya go,” he said. “Ya shoulda known this was comin’. Did ya expect t’ get a hug?”
Not waiting for an answer, Anyon used a wing to push and prod Scalpel to the carriage. The unicorn moved along with the gryphon until he got the carriage door, then he seemed to recover his wits, and he stopped, planting his hooves and pushing Anyon away. His sorrowful look was replaced with one of anger, and he stomped toward Elias.
“No! Elias, I am your friend, and these past few months have more than proven-“
As soon as the pony came within striking distance, Elias backhanded him across the muzzle. The human had to suppress a flinch as Scalpel yelped like a beaten dog, and he fell to the dirt, clutching at his muzzle. Feather found her way to his hand, and the sound of steel leaving sheathes vaguely touched Elias’ ears. He didn’t care as he laid the tip of his gladius next to Scalpel’s terrified, quivering muzzle. Holding the unicorn’s gaze, Elias made sure he had a look of absolute calm before speaking.
“You don’t listen well,” he stated. “I just said to never come near me again, and threatened you with violence, yet you came at me like I’m the type of man who breaks his word. But perhaps the mistake lies with me, maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough.”
Elias poked the blade forward, forcing Scalpel to lean back to avoid being pricked on the gladius’ razor-sharp tip.
“If you ever come near me again, if you ever even attempt to speak to me, I will make sure you shit teeth for the rest of your life. You will drink out of a straw, and you will shit teeth, and you will remember every painful second the face of the man you betrayed with your lies.” His jaw tightened into a snarl. “I fucking warned you Doctor. I gave you the same fucking rules as everyone else, and then gave you a pass because I thought you would be safe, but since you are so inclined to put yourself in danger, then congratulations, you’ve pissed me off. I can afford a million-bit bounty, so do test me.”
“Youngblood,” a voice whispered next to him.
Elias glanced to his right to find Anyon, his face calm, but bleeding concern into the air. His eye held the most of the emotion, and the solitary orb pleaded with him. A talon touched Elias’ sword arm, applying a gentle amount of pressure.
“It’s alright Youngblood, he gets it,” the gryphon continued. “He gets it. It’s okay.”
The words, clearly meant to be calming, infuriated Elias, and he shrugged Anyon’s hand off.
“Is it?” Elias hissed. “Are you going to tell me that you’re joining the march too? Who else has been lying right to my face?”
“Ah’m goin’ back to Canterlot,” Anyon said, again grabbing Elias’ arm. “Jus’ like ah said ah was. Got plenty of cargo to deliver, remember? We’re gonna have a great big party to celebrate when y’all get back.”
Anyon’s eye flicked down for a second.
“Jus’ put yer sword away Youngblood. You’ve made yer point, and it’s a good one, don’t doubt my support. It’s over now though, okay? Anymore and you’ll regret it forever, and ah know you well enough to know ya don’t need that on yer mind.”
Elias pondered the gryphon’s words, slowly running them through his mind. It didn’t take him overly long to realize that the gryphon was right, and by them time he had fully processed that fact, Feather again rested in her sheathe, and he was walking away. He saw blades quickly vanish back into sheathes from the surrounding Royal Guards, but he noted a lack of hostility amongst their gazes. Feigned or not, most seemed indifferent, while a few held sympathetic gazes, evenly split between Elias and Scalpel. The unicorn sniffled and cried softly, helped to his hooves by Anyon, and escorted into the carriage by Soft Touch.
Elias simply walked away from the scene without saying anything else. He silently lamented the goodbye he could no longer give Anyon, but he decided that the previous day in Bordertown was goodbye enough. He could always apologize if he saw the gryphon again.
He made his way toward the steadily gathering legionaries. The quartermasters were still doing their tallies; making sure the day’s rations were distributed, making sure everyone had ammunition, making sure all of the tents were packed away with their additional equipment. Lines were forming though, and while most of his officers were occupied, one seemed to appear from nowhere beside him. Elias didn’t spare the white loveling a glance as they walked, silence raining between them.
A single question burned in Elias’ mind, and he couldn’t help but ask it.
“Did you hear what I said?”
“I did.”
The answer drew a sigh from Elias, and he closed his eyes for a moment.
“I’m sorry. You’re not a parasite, I didn’t mean that.”
Snowball smiled and bumped his rump into Elias’ hip.
“I know General. You were angry with Doctor Scalpel, justifiably so.”
He glanced up to the human.
“Would you like my advice, or just a silent, supportive friend right now?”
Elias pondered the question for a long moment, then, closing his eyes, made a split-second decision.
“A friend would be nice for now,” he whispered.
Snowball’s tail curled around his leg, hidden easily by their armor, gear and clothing.
“Then you have my support Elias,” Snowball whispered. “Whenever you want to talk, about anything at all, I am here.”
Elias considered remaining silent for all of a minute, but his mind still burned with anger, and he felt that there was only way to alleviate the heat. He walked away from the column of ponies, making sure he and Snowball were just out of earshot.
“Am I a liar?” he asked. “Have I built a reputation that I lie to those I care about? If you heard what I said, then you know how Scalpel reacted. Did I mislead him? Did I mislead everyone?”
“I don’t think so,” Snowball replied. “Yes, you, at times, went back on your promises, but always for good reason, and you always resumed your promises right after. Every time I observed you, the pony who wanted to break the promise asked first. Scalpel didn’t do that here. He lied right until the end.”
“Observed.” Elias closed. “Scalpel was on your watch list. Did you know he would pull this little stunt?”
“It was a possibility,” Snowball admitted, “but none of his actions before today led me to believe that he would join us. I knew about his enrollment with the Global Healer’s Core, but I thought that he would remain behind. While it is true that they receive protection due to their status as members, it doesn’t mean he’s entirely safe. There have been multiple recordings of Healer Core members being executed specifically to prove a point about trespassing.”
Elias closed his eyes.
“I would rather have not known that.”
“I’m sorry, but like you told Doctor Scalpel, you value me for my honesty.”
Elias remained silent for a few moments, doing his best not to further inspire a panic attack, then opened his eyes.
“It ultimately doesn’t matter,” he said, his voice firming. “Doctor Scalpel made his choice, and if it kills him, then so be it. All we can do is make choices. I’m sure there has been more than one time that he has believed my choices foolish, but I pursued them anyway and was proven right. Pray that his belief in his little club is warranted.”
He glanced back to the rows of armored ponies.
“Could you fetch Adiutor Book Binder for me? I’d like to see where we are in preparations.”
Snowball nodded.
“Of course General.”
His tail held firm around Elias’ leg for a second more, then the loveling pulled away, trotting away into the mass of ponies. Elias’ eyes followed him until he disappeared, then the human let out a long sigh, idly combing over his gear to make sure he had everything.
His ruck was loaded down with dried meat, as well as the day’s water and his additional gear. A full load of pila sat in his shield sheathe, and full sets of clothes filled out his pack, along with an updated survival kit that included necessities like a small tarp, fire starting materials, and a bulky flashlight. The only thing he wasn’t carrying was his tent, which he was supposed to share with some of his legionaries, and his spare pila, which were loaded onto one of the wagons. The javelins were as sturdy as always, but they were different in make to those that his legionaries used, and he didn’t want to find himself in a situation where he ran out. If the march went as he believed it would, there was a very real possibility of that happening.
Once his self-inspection was completed, Elias looked up, letting his eyes comb over the gleaming rows of ponies. What families had tagged along were slowly being herded toward the small line of wagons heading back to Canterlot under the escort of some “friends” Luna had gotten into contact with. He didn’t know much about the shadowy ponies, hadn’t asked many questions when Luna had brought them up. The only note he had made when she spoke of them was that he didn’t want them on the march. They were too great an unknown, and Luna had asked their leader, a pony with a false leg and a wispy mane, to escort the families home safely. While they were still in Equestrian territory, the news that the majority of the guard was departing wasn’t secret, so a bit of visible protection was always welcome.
Anyon led the way, shepherding wayward ponies toward the wagons, trying to get them moving. Tear filled goodbyes filled the air around the more difficult ponies, but eventually the one-eyed gryphon was able to get them into a wagon. Elias watched the crying ponies impassively, even felt a twinge of irritation as his gaze flicked skyward. With the trio of princesses locking up the last of their magic, Celestia had assigned her student; Twilight, along with a team of powerful unicorns, to raise and lower the sun and moon while they were departed. Because of this, the sun was rising, albeit slower than usual. It was another magical discussion that had largely gone over his head, but so long as his subordinates understood and could simplify the risks and dangers, all was well.
Said subordinates appeared from the crowds of ponies and trotted toward him, their tails waggling with barely contained excitement. The sight made Elias sigh, but he was glad that most ponies were so easy to read. His ability to pick up on the little things had only grown with time, and these days, he noticed it all. What the differences in tail height meant, all of the different types of tail wagging and rump waggling, the little ear flicks, the wide range of dramatic emotion a pony’s face could hold.
An image flashed in his mind of Scalpel’s hurt expression. The wideness of his eyes, the little tears that crept in as he stared into Elias’ soul. The way his yellow fur flattened, a leftover of a long unused instinct to not get eaten; the way his ears folded back, emphasizing the way his muzzle curled in the beginnings of a whimper. The utter flatness of his tail, the lack of movement. Elias knew that if the pony had been standing, that tail would have been tucked firmly between his legs, maybe out of fear, maybe out of pure sadness.
Elias let out a long sigh, and did his best to drive the image away. He wouldn’t care. He wouldn’t let himself care. Not about a pony who had broken his word. Scalpel deserved what he had received. It was only fair.
The justification didn’t help him to keep the image of the heartbroken pony away.
Book Binder wisely kept a smile from her face as she came trotting up, loaded down under the weight of her pack, stuffed to the brim with her administrative supplies.
“Your legionaries are ready to go General,” she said. “And I’ve already talked with our engineers. Tonight’s castra set up should be efficient and easy.”
A piece of paper levitated into one of the pouches on Elias’ belt.
“That,” Book Binder explained at his questioning glare, “is your tent assignment, since you apparently lost the first one I gave you.”
“Or I just like sleeping outside,” Elias countered.
“In a jail cell more like,” Snowball grumbled.
Elias’ eyes flicked to the loveling, and he cocked his head just slightly in warning. Snowball immediately shrank, saying nothing. Book Binder sighed and shook her head.
“Guess we couldn’t get off to a good start. Adiutor Snowball go double check our rations. Make sure we’re not missing anything.”
The loveling nodded and darted away, eager to be from beneath Elias’ critical eyes. The human looked back to Book Binder; who’s grin returned.
“Don’t worry General, Momma Binder is firmly locked up today. She can yell at you for getting in a bar fight later.”
Elias immediately looked back up to the fleeing white backside, noticing briefly the flap and waggle in Snowball’s tail. He growled.
“That little rat.”
Book Binder giggled.
“Believe it or not, it was General Nightshade who told us. Your little escapades were the talk of the Royal Guards, and since she’s sleeping with their general, she’s privy to their rumors. Amongst your legionaries, however, your party has been well received, and I have gotten several notes asking if you’d be free for a night on the town when we get back.”
Her gaze softened.
“I also heard what happened with Scalpel, and I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m sure Snowball has already offered, but I’m here if you need to talk with somepony.”
Elias frowned and continued staring at the column.
“That won’t be necessary Adiutor, especially since I don’t want to make a repeat of that little falling out.”
An eye flicked down, meeting the unicorn’s gaze.
“Am I clear?”
Book Binder nodded slowly.
“Of course General. My offer stands open nonetheless.”
Elias looked up once more.
“Good. Then let’s get things moving, shall we?”
With Book Binder and Night Flash at his side, they moved to the line of legion wagons, making sure that all of their food, water, and other special equipment was accounted for. Since his legion had brought most of their equipment from Canterlot, retrieving the remaining wagons full of provisions had taken little time or supervision, giving Elias the opportunity to take his first optional break in months. While he had spent the night in Bordertown, Book Binder had overseen the sorting and packing of the supply wagons with Night Flash. Both ponies had shown little interest in diving into the dirty, crime ridden city, and had welcomed an excuse not to take leave.
By the time the trio were done inspecting the wagons, the army was formed up. Elias sent his scouts to the front, and after a brief exchange of communique between himself and General Chaser, the column began its arduous trek. As they left Bordertown and approached the tall trees that marked the beginning of minotaur territory, they marched in the same order they had left Canterlot in.
Since the princesses had neglected to assign the overall commanders of the march, they had to work with each other as equals in everything, and though most of his plans held a voting majority, Elias had managed to convince Midnight Chaser on his marching order. Apparently even Nightshade couldn’t pierce the pride of the Royal Guard, because even the suggestion that legionnaire scouts acted as the vanguard was met by stern refusal. Chaser refused to let anyone but his own lead the army, and so, they marched in parade order, with what Elias knew was a weak formation. Having the strongest elements of the army at the front and rear wouldn’t have been thing if they hadn’t placed precious cargo in the form of three vulnerable alicorns in the center. A single precise strike could panic the center of the column, snatch away all three princesses, and then disappear before either the Legion or the Royal Guard could respond.
Elias tried not to let that fact bother him as they marched. He remained near the wagons, content to let his centurions drift about to gauge the overall morale of the legion. Every hour or so one would drift by him, giving him a report on the boredom that was rampant, but otherwise, there was nothing wrong. The legion’s mood was hopeful, excited even. To the ponies, they were embarking on a grand adventure, despite the peril they faced. The excitement had even inspired a song, one that had lasted for nearly an hour.
Perhaps it was the length of the song, but somewhere around the half hour mark, Elias caught himself humming along. Once he had realized, he found that he couldn’t stop. Any time he tried, his throat caught, like it wanted to speak for him. Something told him that if he opened his mouth however, something much worse than humming would happen, so he kept his mouth shut, and he continued humming. He hummed when Snowball buzzed to his side, singing his heart out, and he hummed when Night Flash and Book Binder joined them. The ponies clearly noticed his slight addition to their musical number, and while they were smart enough not to bring attention to it, aside from what they were forced to by the magical harmony, he knew that Luna would have been doing everything in her power to draw song out of him. When the song began coming to a close, Elias made a silent promise to himself that he would die before he was ever caught singing.
The bout of musical harmony finally finished just as they reached the forest edge, and even Elias found himself slightly intimidated at the massive wall of trees. Fingers scratching the sky wasn’t an apt enough metaphor to describe the trees. The massive evergreens were more like thick talons, their tops tearing a green swathe in a bright blue sky. Had there been any clouds, Elias imagined the treetops would have cleaved them apart as well.
A wide, clearly marked road continued into the trees, and the column didn’t slow its march as it walked into the shade the of the forest. Day became twilight as the pines did their best to block out the sun, and as he crossed the borderline, Elias immediately felt eyes on his back. He looked around, looking for any sign of spies, but he found nothing amongst the trees. The forest was merely quiet, with only the sounds of distant birdcalls, and the marching of feet to break the silence.
The feeling of being lasted the entire length of the quiet march. The sun rose, and then began to set as they walked to their first pre-determined castra site. The maps of the Saddle Arabian trade road were well marked, so Elias, Scarlet, and a few of the legion engineers had already planned out where they would stop each night, evenly spreading out the massive distance they had to walk. They would march at a brutal pace by human standards, but a rather moderate pace by pony standards. Each day would consist of twenty-five miles marched over eight hours, ending the day early to set up the castra. A castra that only his troops knew how to set up.
It was the duty of each guard force to gather their own water, firewood, and to arrange their own latrines, and tents. On top of these duties, the legionaries had to cut down trees to build the castra walls, dig the trench around the camp, and then construct the walls and the temporary watchtowers at each corner of the camp. Additionally, the legion’s engineers had to lay out the interior tent layout of the castra, ensuring that all of the guard forces were placing their tents appropriately.
The seemingly massive workload would have been worrying to anyone else, but Elias knew his legionaries were prepared. During their specialized training sessions, the ponies had become quite adept at constructing a castra from top to bottom. Their record was just shy of an hour. Even by adding in tasks like water retrieval, Elias imagined it wouldn’t take his legionaries much more than two hours to be finished their days work.
His estimate turned out to be correct when they arrived at their temporary home. With orders from Centurion Granite and Centurion Blossom, the ponies went to work, tearing into the trees surrounding the natural clearing. Specialist Wood Chop oversaw most of the engineers as they set up a mobile lumber mill, while Book Binder and rest of the engineers marked off where the castra walls would be set. Once the area was marked, she began directing the placement of the army’s tents.
Carved logs were steadily driven into the ground as the legion’s soldiers constructed the earthen rampart around the camp, their shovels tilling the earth with ease. Elias couldn’t help but marvel slightly at that, and at some point, he shed his gear and picked up a shovel merely because he wanted to feel how easy it was. The trench formed up in no time, finish at almost the same time as the castra walls. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, and depositing his shovel in the appropriate wagon as it passed into the camp, Elias ordered a pair of legionaries to act as the first watch gate guards, then moved to help unload the water barrels, gathering his equipment along the way.
By the time that task was finished, the interior of the castra looked like a small city. Tents filled every corner, and while the majority of them were for sleeping, the larger ones weren’t. Near the center of the castra sat the command tent, where the generals would meet every day for planning meetings. Near the southern castra entrance was the food tent, and already Elias could smell fires alight in preparation of dinner.
Outside the north entrance was the latrines, while just inside the western entrance was the medical tent, which sat quiet and empty. A massive yellow plus decorated the side of the tent, and the sight of the symbol made a temporary twinge of regret flash through Elias’ brain, but he ignored the sensation, instead letting his belly guide him to his next destination.
Dinner was a boring fare of potato soup; made only slightly more interesting by a few slices of the beef he had bought in Bordertown. Elias ate in silence with Snowball, who largely ignored his soup in exchange for staring hard at Elias’ arms. A silent deal was made once Elias’ bowl was empty, and Snowball chirped happily as the human held him to his chest with one arm, while the other lifted Snowball’s ignored soup to his mouth. The second bowl lasted no longer than the first, but Elias felt full enough to move on from eating. With a small tap on the loveling’s rump, Snowball moved away, and Elias rose to his feet. The human collected his gear and moved to the command tent, his bad eye twitching with mild irritation almost as soon as he cracked the tent flap.
The tent was relatively simple inside. Lanterns lit every corner with brilliant light, and the floor was grass and dirt. At the center of the tent was a round wooden table, on which was a feast fit for a party, not a military operation. All of the generals were at the table, taking choices from every food item available, of which there were numerous, colorful options.
Behind the table was a tall pile of pillows, forming a pseudo-throne for the trio of alicorns to rest upon. All three were smiling and engaging one another in conversation while sipping at goblets filled with what Elias imagined was wine, while they snacked from trays piled high with treats. Elias mentally reminded himself that the food wasn’t a waste, that nobody had to carry it, that it had been magically delivered straight from Canterlot’s kitchens, but the thought offered only slight comfort. The soldiers were eating crappy soup, but the generals and the princesses got special treatment? They couldn’t spare a single fresh fruit or sweet for their troops? Even the normally high level of respect he had for Luna dimmed somewhat as she bit into a cupcake.
The human took a breath, chastising himself for being immature with his judgement. The generals deserved a bit of his ire, but the princesses, despite his issues with two-thirds of them, did have reason to be treated with special provisions. They were talking immense risk for their ponies, and though he still believed the attempt was misguided, they were far more long lived than he was. He had to trust their judgement. It was their world after all, their kingdom. He was just a human that was good at fighting.
Elias took one last breath to calm his irritation, then walked into the tent, letting his ruck fall to the side, followed quickly by his scutum. While he pried a pilum from his shield, Lionheart looked his way with a grin and a raised wine glass.
“General! Where have you been? We had to start dinner without you.”
The too-happy tone of the pony’s voice grated on Elias’ nerves, but the human ignored the irritation, letting it all in the simple motion of stabbing a pilum into the grass. He removed his helmet, glad to be rid of the sweaty thing, and placed it atop the javelin’s butt.
“There was work that needed done, so I made sure it was,” Elias said calmly. “It is my responsibility as general to see that my troops are set up, fed, and safe for the night.” His eyes flicked to the table. “But I found myself directing ponies from other units as well, so it took me additional time to make sure all the camp tasks were finished. Duty comes before dinner.”
Elias noticed a small droop from Nightshade. The thestral focused hard on a fresh orange that was sitting on her plate, while next to her, Chaser let a scowl slip onto his face, clearly offended at Elias’ words. Lionheart, however, took the thinly veiled insult in stride, and he laughed and turned back to his fellow golden clad generals.
“I guess our human compatriot still hasn’t learned the power of delegation.”
Shattered Shield was the only other pony to fully laugh with Lionheart, while Dragon Eye and Everfree let out polite chuckles, still eyeing Elias nervously. Lionheart smiled brightly at Elias and waved him over with a hoof.
“Well you’re here now General, come eat with us! Even you can’t argue that today has been a complete success!”
“Success?” Elias echoed.
He moved toward the table, and Everfree and Nightshade made a hole for him. The thestral’s eyes flicked between him and the table, her wish for him to take some of their food for himself so obvious it was almost a need, like she needed validation from the human. Elias took the spot, but crossed his arms, not bearing the food on the table a look. It was all bright, colorful, and was almost certainly delicious, but Elias refused to put himself above his legionaries. If they would eat potato soup, he would eat potato soup. Anything else would spit on the lessons he had taught them.
“Of course!” Lionheart said, pouring more wine into his glass. “We successfully completed a full fifteen-mile march into minotaur territory without opposition. No Equestrian army can boast the same, and not just because there hasn’t been an Equestrian army in almost a thousand years. No, it’s because we have such strength that the cows fear us! The little spies they had planted in Bordertown likely fled back to the tribe lands as soon as they saw our great march.”
Only one part of the unicorn’s rambling mattered to Elias.
“So their spies have already begun reporting back to their leaders? We can expect a response within a few days then. Likely a diplomatic approach fronting a military campaign.”
He glanced to the princesses.
“If they’re already on their way, then we need to make a plan. We already drew up the basics of a battleplan, but we need to determine who will lead the army as a whole.”
Before either of the three princesses could speak, Lionheart scoffed.
“Business can wait until after dinner General. We will need to be at our best, and while we have been recovering our strength, you still haven’t eaten a thing.”
His muzzle curled in disgust.
“And you could use a bath as well. That nasty rag you wear just absorbs sweat, and you frankly stink. How you got so hot without fur is a mystery to me, but well, I can have one of my guards draw up some hot water for you after we have finished.”
The unicorn’s eyes flickered over the table, then lit up. His horn charged up and a plate loaded with bread and bacon levitated to Elias.
“Here you are General, I believe this is specifically for you!”
The plate set down before Elias, who glared at it for a moment before looking back up to Lionheart.
“I already ate,” he said flatly.
Lionheart scoffed again.
“Hopefully not that slop the common ponies are eating. That stuff isn’t fit to feed to dogs.”
Elias’ bad eye twitched.
“If it’s slop, then why the fuck did we chose it as their rations?” he growled.
If the tension had been roiling in the air before, it immediately became visible as Elias glared daggers at Lionheart. Before the unicorn could say something that set the human off, Luna cleared her throat, the sound whisper soft, yet able to immediately cut through the air. All eyes looked to the small blue alicorn, who smiled sweetly.
“General Lionheart, my cup is empty, and I find that I’m in the mood for something a bit more… exotic. You wouldn’t happen to have brought along anything from that marvelous wine cellar of yours, have you?”
The unicorn stared at her in utter, excited shock. His muzzle flapped for a second, then his head bobbed, and he straightened, very nearly saluting the alicorn.
“O-of course my Princess! Would you prefer the Manehattan 26 PNMMR, or perhaps something from my personal vineyard? It may be young, but I promise that the Gold Standard Green Grape wine will light up your palate like it was made a century ago.”
Luna gave the unicorn a wink, and her smile seemed to flash.
“Well, if your recommendation is so stellar, I think I will try the latter.”
Lionheart’s tail flicked with excitement and his head bobbed up and down again.
“Of course my Princess, I shall fetch it immediately!”
He sprinted from the tent, and Luna glanced to Elias.
“Forgive his words General, General Lionheart is merely used to a higher standard of food quality, and he’s just excited, as are we all. Yes, there are likely trials ahead, but we cannot discount the success of today because we worry for tomorrow.”
She looked toward the food table.
“And I would like you to eat something we had prepared for you. You have a ravenous appetite to stay as fit as you are, and I know that potato soup is not enough. Please, eat. Your position does grant you some privileges, to counteract your innumerable responsibilities of course.”
Elias hated how much sense the alicorn made. Already he could feel his belly rumbling again, and the smell of the bacon, still warm, before him was tantalizing. Still, he couldn’t just gorge himself without giving his troops something. He stared down at the plate of bacon for a long moment, then looked up to the colorful centerpiece of the table. An idea popped into his head, and he grinned.
“Well, if the opportunity arises…”
The tension began to escape the air, but it was immediately replaced by general confusion as Elias momentarily ignored the meat in favor of snatching up the centerpiece. He took a moment to check that the fruit inside the basket was, in-fact, real, then began gathering food from the rest of the feast. More fruit, some cupcakes and cookies, anything that was non-alcoholic really, it all went into the basket, filling the wicker object to the bursting.
A glance back found Luna rolling her eyes, a grin still present on her face, while Celestia stared with a look of pure confusion at Elias’ back.
“Are you trying to save snacks for later?” the white alicorn asked. “If so, I promise that we can acquire any food that you may need. Our cabinet works as expected, and we can receive plenty to match even aggressive diets.”
Luna giggled.
“I should hope so. How else are you going to get your midnight cake?”
While her sister blushed furiously, Luna looked to Elias again.
“Should I send for a messenger General?”
The human shook his head.
“That won’t be necessary Princess. We tested, and I’m loud enough to hear throughout the entire castra.”
All the ponies winced as Elias shouted, bellowing Snowball’s name at the top of his lungs. The white loveling appeared in the tent a few seconds later, blinking stupidly like a moth in lamplight.
“Yes General?”
Elias smiled at him and lifted the basket in both hands.
“Take this around to the gate guards for all the shifts. We had a bit of difficulty getting volunteers tonight, and I think that this should be more than enough to inspire more raised hooves next time.”
The basket floated over to Snowball’s side, and the loveling’s ears flickered as he did his best to restrain a smile.
“Thank you General, I’ll make sure everypony gets a share,” he said, turning to leave.
“Before you go Adiutor,” Elias said, “this task falls outside your contracted duties, so I’m afraid you can’t leave without a treat of your own.”
The human slid most of the bacon into a cloth napkin, then wrapped it tight and tossed it to Snowball, who caught the greasy bundle with his magic.
“There, a reward for you as well. That will be all.”
Snowball took a deep breath, and his eyes glowed with magic. The loveling’s ears flickered again as he stared at Elias, but all he gave was a curt nod before he left the tent. Elias snatched the two remaining pieces of bacon from his plate and ate them in a second. Once the bacon had disappeared into his gullet, he looked to the princesses.
“What a filling meal. Can we get to business now, or would you like dessert first?”
Luna snorted, and hid a giggle, while Celestia stared Elias down, scanning him from foot to forehead. He stared back impassively, knowing full well that she was trying to find some negative justification to criticize his action. After a few more moments of staring him down, the white alicorn sighed.
“I suppose if everyone is finished, we can begin our planning meeting.”
She looked to the other generals, who all nodded silently, or mumbled their agreement. Celestia’s maid, Open Flame, began clearing plates, holding them all within her magic, while Soft Touch and Feather Duster began preparing cups of tea. Each of the generals picked a few more items from the buffet, placing them on plates that they kept near them, but the rest of the round table was cleared, and once it was free of crumbs and juices, Elias laid out the road map. Lionheart came crashing back through the tent flap as the tea was served, and the look of disappointment was clearly visible on his face when he realized that dinner was done.
The sight almost made Elias smile, but luckily, he was more professional than being that petty. He merely stared at the map, combing over it like he had so many times before. Cushions were laid out for each pony, with Soft Touch even offering Elias one, an offer the human declined, opting to remain on his feet. The table was designed for ponies that rested their forehooves atop it, and as such was only slightly shorter than he would have liked. It was comfortable enough, however, and once everyone was settled, Celestia cleared her throat, drawing all eyes to her.
“Mares and Gentlecolts, I would like to express my congratulations, and my gratitude. As General Lionheart said, we have completed the first day of our long journey successfully. That is no small task, and you have yourselves to thank for such an accomplishment.”
While the ponies around him puffed up slightly at the praise of their princess, Elias remained impassive. The lack of chest swelling caught Celestia’s eye, and the magenta orbs shined as she met his gaze.
“As General Bright as noted, however, there is still much ground to cover. Dangerous ground. It is for that reason, that I believe we will need a dangerous man to lead our campaign to success.”
Her eyes flickered over to Midnight Chaser.
“I’m sorry General, but while you are my most loyal Royal Guard, General Bright is the clear choice for this endeavor. He has more fresh military experience than any here, and despite our,” her eyes flicked back to Elias for the barest of seconds before shifting back to Chaser, “disagreements on method, he is a stern leader that wants only what is best for this march. I trust nobody more as our battle commander.”
The gray pegasus smiled at the alicorn.
“I couldn’t agree more Princess. General Bright is a capable fighter, and a good combat leader. He’s a perfect fit.” Chaser snorted. “Though he has the diplomatic skills of an avalanche. A bit terrifying, but his tactics are always blunt force. I’d be concerned if I hadn’t seen firsthand that he can back up threats.”
Elias didn’t know whether to accept everything Midnight Chaser had said as compliments or not. On one hand, he liked the sound of good combat leader, and being named an avalanche, while a bit crude, was pretty cool, but a capable fighter? He was far more than capable.
He quickly realized how childish his thoughts were, and he squashed them, listening intently as Celestia spoke again.
“It is for the very reasons you have addressed that I will be appointing a different pony to act as our representative on the diplomatic battlefield,” Celestia said. “General Bright will control all facets of the army, particularly on the battlefield, but when it comes to negotiations, I thought General Lionheart would be a better fit.”
Elias noticed more fur puffing out as the red-maned unicorn swelled with pride. Stepping away from the table, Lionheart offered the princesses a low bow, his muzzle nearly brushing the grass.
“I am honored Princess,” he said. “I will do my utmost to see your kindness represented in our every encounter.”
Celestia smiled and offered him a nod.
“Rise friend. Though it may be temporary, you are now functionally above even my sister, niece, and I.” She looked to Elias. “You both are. Though it will only be for the duration of the march, and we expect you to utilize the advice given by your fellow generals, the two of you are now in full control of Equestria’s fate. I cannot understate the direness of that fact.”
Elias tapped the table impatiently.
“Then perhaps we can move on from this little ceremony and get to work. If I command the marching order, then things are going to change, and they’ll be changed by tomorrow morning. That means we can get started now and still get to bed before the midnight, or we can simply work straight and march dead on our feet.”
He glanced at the other ponies.
“Any takers on an all-nighter?”
He waited for a few silent moments, then nodded and looked back to Celestia.
“That’s what I thought. Thank you for my updated position, Princess, but if you’d like, you all can go somewhere quieter to rest. I have no doubt that tonight will be somewhat… difficult.”
“Difficult?” the white alicorn echoed with a tired sigh.
“Just a little pride that needs to be stomped out,” Elias replied. “Don’t worry. I won’t start a civil war that quickly. This isn’t Rome.”
The reference flew clear over all the ponies, though Luna looked like she desperately wanted to understand his joke. Celestia still looked a bit irritated about his non-Lionheart-like kissing of her ass, but her weariness won out and she let out a sigh before rising.
“Very well General, I believe we shall take our leave. I do hope that our marching schedule shall not be changed? I don’t wish to raise the sun on the move.”
Elias cracked a grin.
“No such thing, just a few adjustments to make sure we balance our strength. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Celestia sighed again.
“Very well. Good night then my ponies.” She snorted as she leaned on Open Flame. “Unfortunately I can’t call you my ‘little’ ponies at this time for obvious reasons.”
A light chuckle passed through the tent, shared by all save for Elias, and Cadence, with the pink alicorn frowning at the human as her eyes flickered with the signs of intense thought. She rose to her hooves as Celestia climbed down from the stack of pillows, then spoke just as the white alicorn began for the tent exit.
“Auntie, shouldn’t we at least have some oversight? Just because we’re containing most of our power doesn’t mean we’re suddenly not princesses.”
Celestia smiled at her.
“I’m surprised Cadence. Usually it is Luna who is overly suspicious of others in power.” The blue alicorn squeaked in protest. “Still, I trust our Generals, especially General Lionheart and General Bright. Do remember that it was General Lionheart our treaty with the Zebras bordering our south, and that it was General Bright who sacrificed life and limb to save you and Luna on separate occasions.” She glanced Elias’ way. “He may be rough at times, but General Bright has more than proven his loyalty. I think that paired together; they can accomplish much good.”
Cadence shot another look toward Elias.
“Do you remember that… thing I talked to you about?”
Luna snorted, still unrisen from her place on the pillows.
“Dear niece, that is enough. We already discussed this decision at length, and made clear that General Bright is trusted. If it will put your mind at ease, I shall remain here and keep watch to warn you of any coup attempts.”
She flashed a coy smile at Elias.
“I, for one, know the mighty General’s weaknesses, and can use them to great effect.” She looked back to Cadence. “So worry not.” She waved a hoof at the pink alicorn, shooing her away. “Away with you. I have gotten much sleep during our ride, but you and Celestia spent the entire ride chatting like a pair of hens. You need sleep.”
Cadence looked unsure, but a nudge from Soft Touch, then the encompassing wings of Celestia finally guided her from the tent, still throwing the occasional look Elias’ way. Once she was gone, however, Luna merely settled back onto her pillows with a smile and a nod his way.
“Do carry on General. I can enjoy watching for the moment.”
Elias’ brow furrowed in mild confusion, wondering what she meant, then realized that it didn’t matter. He had work to do. Ignoring the alicorn’s stare on his back, Elias focused on the task of the night.
*****
Re-arranging the army, both in its marching column, and on the battlefield, took hours to complete, mostly because Elias had to spend the time putting his newfound authority to use. Protests to his plan ranged from seniority to acclaimed superiority, but he brushed past every excuse. He had spent countless hours analyzing the fighting styles of each section of the army, and he knew who went best where. Only once it became clear that he wouldn’t budge, and that he officially had the backing of the princesses did work finally start to get done.
The end of their meeting was largely silent, dissatisfied grumbles, but Elias was overall happy with the progress they had made. He bid everyone goodnight, then stayed behind for a few precious minutes, making additional markings down on the map, while also making private notes on other areas of the army that could potentially use additional improvements. Improvements that would be far harder to implement, but could always be kept on the backburner until he could actually implement them.
Luna and Feather Duster left when he did, with the blue alicorn attempting to steal a rule breaking goodnight hug. The prank was mild, and she showed no sign of disappointment when the human refused, deciding to blow him a kiss instead before she was led back to her carriage. Elias did his best to ignore the butterflies he got from the motion. The best strategy he could find to squash the sensation was finding his tent. Though they weren’t too far outside Equestria’s borders yet, he could already feel the stark contrast in temperature. The forest air caused his breath to turn to fog, and though his sleeping bag could keep him alive for the night, he preferred to rest with other warm bodies nearby.
He walked slowly down the main path of the castra. The fortification was lit up like a small city, with the light of magical lamps mingling with the torchlight available at the main intersection. Most ponies were already in their tents, hiding away from the frigid night air, and there were a few tents that were dark. The sound of snores told him that sleep was already king amongst the dark tents, and the thought of the cute little ponies, curled into snoring, fuzzy balls, brought a smile to his face.
Elias looked to the small slip of paper Book Binder had given him. He had no idea who he was supposed to be tenting with, having spent the first week of the march sleeping beneath the stars. He looked to the numbers on the sides of each tent and began walking down the north facing path. The numbers ascended as he walked, and he eventually found a tent marked 243. Its flaps were closed, but light and quiet whispers emanated from within. Elias double checked both the paper, then the side of the tent, then, with the number confirmed, he knocked on the tent post before throwing back the tent flap.
“Hope everyone’s decent, because…”
He paused as he beheld the ponies he should have been expecting all along. Snowball and Night Flash looked up from where they were preening Scarlet’s wings, while Book Binder set down the notebook she had been writing in. The green unicorn smiled sweetly.
“Well, well, well, gentlecolts. It would seem that General Bright has finally decided to grace us with his presence.”
Scarlet’s wing fluttered, smacking Night Flash lightly in the face, drawing a snort from the other pegasus.
“And on my turn!” Scarlet squawked, pumping a hoof.
Elias let out a loud sigh and briefly considered sleeping alone in the command tent.
“I really don’t know what I expected from you Adiutor.”
Book Binder giggled.
“You told me to treat you like any other legionary, and I did.” She pulled a thick packet of papers from her saddlebags. “Here,” she said, offering Elias the papers, “I organized the entire legion by section, then rank. From there, I put six to a tent. Since none of us were in a section, I figured that we were the command section, and since there were six of us, we fit in one tent!”
Elias waved the packet away.
“Fine, I believe that you did your job properly. What does Scarlet mean by “his turn”?”
Book Binder shot the red pegasus a glare.
“Well technically he wasn’t supposed to say anything, and now he’s off the rotation for his next night.”
Scarlet drooped.
“Aw ponyfeathers.”
“But,” Book Binder continued, looking up to Elias, “there were some cries of foul play and hogging amongst the army’s officers, so I decided to set up a small rotation to prevent tails from getting stepped on. Specifically, Scarlet, Gray Granite, and Nightshade will trade tents every night so that they can share with you.”
Elias snorted in disbelief.
“Doesn’t Nightshade have a coltfriend?”
Book Binder shrugged.
“General Chaser asked to be added as well, but I thought you wouldn’t be as comfortable with him.”
“How many ponies asked to be added to this rotation of yours?”
Book Binder chuckled.
“Enough. Some were curious, envious, or just wanted to see if a few select rumors were true. I made other arrangements for most, but figured a few choice officers could have a bit of special privilege. For morale’s sake of course.”
Her muzzle curled into a mischievous smile.
“Besides, it gets cold in these woods, and we need to keep you warm General. If you’d like, we can abandon the rotation and have a nice sleeping pile.”
Elias wanted to be angry, but in truth, despite how successful the day had been, he was exhausted. The sound of a pile of ponies sleeping on him was all too enticing, but luckily he had enough willpower to shake his head. He let out a sigh and tossed his bedroll into an empty space.
“Fine. Just know that I get up earlier than anyone, and I am not a quiet sleeper. Stay here at the peril of your sanity.”
He turned around and set his ruck down with the gear of the ponies, then stripped off his sword belt and armor. When he turned around again, he found his bedroll in the center of the tent, with the ponies all gathered around it, their expressions eager. Elias jabbed a finger at Night Flash, whose tail lashed with excitement.
“No snuggling. Sleeping in the same tent next to each other is one thing. Being smothered in pony fluff is-“
A chill breeze raced through the tent, cutting through Elias’ tunic. Suddenly the material seemed far too thin, and Elias felt a familiar, yet utterly foreign sensation. The light in the tent seemed to dim, and he couldn’t get away from the sudden cold he felt. Amorphous fear clawed at the corners of his mind, and the shadows seemed to stretch, flickering with a strange green and red light. Elias shivered, and his mind changed instantly before Night Flash could so much as pout.
“Actually,” he said, lying down, “Cuddle away. My sleeping bag is getting thin anyway.”
Night Flash was already in said sleeping bag at the world cuddle, and he wrapped his strong hooves around Elias’ hips, hugging him tight. The pegasus looked on the verge of tears as he rested his smiling muzzle on Elias’ stomach. Snowball nuzzled up under the crook of Elias’ right arm, while Scarlet settled under the crook his left. While the crimson pegasus spread a wing out over Elias’ chest, Book Binder let out a giggle and shifted the bedrolls to surround them like a fortress.
“Well you’ll certainly be warm tonight General.”
Elias shot her a slight glare, which she only smiled at. She trotted to his head and curled around it before turning off the lamp, allowing them all to drift away.