They entered what in a less stressful time would have been an elegant sitting room. It was open and airy with a number of benches around the perimeter, and a variety of lavish couches and chairs scattered about. The walls were covered with richly colored tapestries. The far wall had three sets of double doors. They were all open, allowing easy access to the high balcony outside.
The princess strode to the center of the room and stopped. "Thank you for your assistance." The two unicorns allowed their magic to slowly fade and moved away. The princess adjusted her hooves as the extra support diminished. Lifting her head high, Celestia headed towards the doors leading out to the balcony.
"Princess," the Captain called out. "Please..." She paused, glancing back. "The attacking forces do not know of your status. If you step out there now, they will see you and have time to consider what that means. If they change their strategy and decide to attack from multiple points... It would be best to wait. If you appear once they have committed to a course of action, they will not have time to think. It will sow fear, uncertainty, and doubt into the ranks. They will have to make a snap decision to proceed, or to abort and retreat."
"Very well. We shall wait for a time." She walked to a nearby couch and sat down.
Ann started moving towards the balcony. "If you're going to look, stay low," Thunder Surf cautioned as he followed her.
The balcony was wider than the room behind it. The railing was solid with the occasional vertical slit. Perfect to use as cover while being able to observe activity below. She looked up and noticed the balcony was covered by a solid yet beautifully carved awning that would provide protection from the rain, as well as attacks coming from the air. Much of the castle was probably built with this same type of dual functionality.
She moved just close enough to the railing to get a view of the parts of the courtyard close to the outer wall. She gasped at the scene. There were already three phalanges of ponies inside the wall. Another group was marching in through the gate, and she could see a fifth approaching from the outside. Each phalanx consisted of a couple score of Republic troops arranged in six ranks.
She turned towards Thunder Surf. "There are so many. How many troops do we have?"
"Just under a hundred. I’m not confident we can hold off that many if their commanders have half a brain for strategy."
She scanned the scene again and then declared, "I have an idea." She spun and took off at a gallop through the room.
Thunder Surf followed, but paused when he got to the princess. He glanced between Celestia and the departing Ann while biting his lip. The princess looked at him and tilted her head in the direction Ann had gone. "Remain with Windflower." He took off in pursuit.
As Ann galloped through the halls, there was a sound like thunder of surf at the shore coming from behind her. She smiled and glanced back to see Thunder Surf closing the gap. "Stop running in the house," she called out. In a few more strides he caught up with her, a slight grin on his face.
"We going to the lab?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to make?"
"Still working on that part."
As they entered the lab, Ann levitated her saddlebags off and set them on an empty table.
Having stopped just inside the door, Thunder Surf asked, "What can I do to help?"
Without glancing back, Ann replied, "Take out all the smoke bombs I made. Line them up on the table and open each one where they are tied at the top." She skidded to a stop in front of the shelves of ingredients.
She paused. If I mix equal parts of those two, I'll have a fast-acting poison effective over a broad area. Or I could use those three to make a mixture to incapacitate the attackers. It's almost as fast, but won't affect as many ponies. She pawed at the floor as her gaze jumped between the various containers of ingredients. She glanced at Thunder Surf. No, I need to figure this out myself. She looked at the shelves again. The poison is easy to mix, the measurements don’t even have to be that accurate. The other mixture will have to be more precise. That will take me longer.
And then she remembered her master’s words: Do not be in a rush to learn how to take away something that you do not have the power to return.
"I know what I'm going to make," she called out as she levitated three containers off the shelf.
Thunder Surf was halfway done opening the bombs. "What?"
Ann set the containers down on one of the tables. "Something to save lives."
She grabbed a measuring bowl and poured in the first ingredient. Ann glanced at the scale. No time, my estimates are good enough. She dumped it into a larger mixing bowl and repeated the process for the next two ingredients.
Thunder Surf called out, "They're all open and ready." He backed away from the table.
Still mixing, Ann levitated the bowl to the other table. "Please grab my saddlebags. As I seal each one, put it in the bag." She then went down the line, adding the mixture to each bomb, stirring it in, and re-sealing it. The bowl was empty when she finished the last bomb. She paused. "I hope I can get back to clean this up before my master sees..." she said as she dropped the mixing bowl on the table.
Thunder Surf closed the saddlebags and put them on. "Let's go!" They raced back to the tower.
They galloped through the room and out onto the balcony. As Ann slid to a stop, she pointed at the railing. "Put the bag down there." She looked over the railing and gasped. One phalanx was already moving towards the inner gate. A second was just starting forward to fall in behind the first.
She flipped open her saddlebag. There was only time to levitate two of the smoke bombs on top of the railing. She glanced at the lead phalanx again. They would reach the inner gate in seconds.
One at the front, the second at the back. She focused on her target. There was a flash as the bomb teleported into the midst of the troops and exploded. The smoke spread rapidly. Ponies coughed, and the ranks began to break. Another flash and the second exploded a little behind the first. The two clouds of gray smoke expanded and merged. Ponies started to collapse
Ann repeated the process with two more bombs and the second phalanx. More ponies stumbled and collapsed.
Ann noticed activity outside the main gate. A half dozen unicorns from the Royal Guard were sneaking forward. She saw their horns flare. The gates began to glow under their combined magic and then swung closed with a bang. Ponies in the rear ranks turned and looked at the locked gate. Officers yelled orders to get back in formation, but they too eyed the cut-off escape route.
Ann saw movement to her right and glanced over to see Princess Celestia calmly step up to the railing. Hundreds of eyes in the courtyard looked up at the balcony.
Everything paused. A visible wave of unrest moved across the courtyard. The captain muttered, "That's exactly what I was hoping for."
The moment passed. Phalanx commanders started barking out orders. Ponies pointed at the balcony. Two blasts of magic hit the awning above the princess. Bits of plaster and rock rained down on her. Another blast hit the railing in front of Ann. She flinched as chunks of it hit her face and neck.
Ann shook her head and looked back towards the courtyard just in time to see a crossbow bolt flying straight towards her. There was no time to react, or even blink. Death was a fraction of a second away. At the last moment the bolt veered slightly to the left, flying past her head. The fletching stung her cheek as it went by. A loud thunk accompanied it embedding into the overhang above her. She turned to look and touched the necklace of protection she still wore every day. Thank you master.
"Shields!" the captain yelled. Two unicorns moved to either side of Celestia and a curved shield spell formed in front of her. Two more blasts hit the shield, causing it to shimmer. Another unicorn moved up to Ann's right and threw up a shield. Its surface rippled with energy, slightly distorting the view of the courtyard.
"No!" Ann called. "That's too high. I need to clearly see my target with no magical interference in the way."
Thunder Surf moved closer. “Can’t you just levitate them down there?”
“Yes, but if they see them coming… The bombs need to just appear without warning.”
He shook his head. "We can’t lower the shield. That will leave you exposed. It's not safe."
She glared at him. "If I can't finish this, nopony will be safe."
He nodded at the unicorn who lowered the top of the shield until it was even with the railing. Ann levitated two more bombs to the railing and prepared to send them.
There was a flash of magic to her left. She jumped as the teleport magic washed past. A unicorn in Republic armor towered over her. His magic held a long curved sword high over his head. Her mind went blank as she looked into his cold eyes. The sword began to arc down to strike.
A sudden blur of fur smashed into the unicorn. Thunder Surf brought his full earth pony strength and weight against the attacker. They slammed into the railing and fell into a pile of thrashing legs. Thunder Surf recovered first. As the unicorn started to rise, he was struck by a two-hoofed buck. He flew against the railing, grunting as the air was knocked out of him. The sword clanged as it fell. He struggled to get his legs under him. Thunder Surf bucked a second time. The railing gave way, and with a yell the unicorn fell from view.
Ann looked straight down. The unicorn lay there, a dark red pool expanding around his head.
"Miss Ann." Thunder Surf reached out with a hoof. "You're okay. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."
Ann looked up at the courtyard. The scene before her dissolved. As it became clear again, she was standing in her hometown, a score of excited foals jumping and yelling before her. She set off another smoke bomb accompanied by a chorus of oohh's and aahh's. She glanced behind her to see the alchemist watching the show, a slight smile on his face. But the yells of the foals were wrong, distorted. There was no delight, only urgency and anger. She looked forward again and saw the ranks of troops in the courtyard below. This was no magic show. A failed trick would not result in a few sighs of disappointment. The stakes were too high.
Ann scanned the courtyard. There were three formations left, one phalanx on the left, two on the right. She felt a slight breeze against her cheek. Four bombs in the groups on the right and let the wind carry the smoke. She grabbed the bombs and without pause detonated them on target. A few more seconds had the last two delivered to the remaining phalanx. More than half the attackers were down. Those that remained were quickly dissolving into chaos.
The inner gate opened, and a score of royal guards rushed forward. The attackers’ forward progress was lost. Panicked orders were yelled, and a group from the lead phalanx hastily formed a defensive line. The charging Guard hit the line to the sound of crashing armor. Blasts of magic crackled in the air. A second charge of guards exited the gate. They veered slightly to the left and broke through a weak point in the line.
Pegasi from both sides circled above the battle. Like two flocks of birds fighting over territory, their movements were chaotic and violent as they clashed for dominance of the skies. A blast of magic from below slammed into a Republic pegasus and he fell to the ground with a heavy crash. Ann watched as two pegasi charged at each other. At the last second, they both spun and jogged in flight. One of them dropped from the sky. She couldn't tell which side he belonged to.
The Republic troops were starting to panic. Some turned towards the main gate just as it flew open. A score of royal guards charged in to attack from the rear. They blew through the startled ponies leaving a trail of bodies. At the same time, a third wave emerged from the inner gate. They swung to the right heading for what was left of the two groups on that side.
There was no order left in the Republic forces. No ranks were formed, and no defensive lines left intact. Small groups of troops huddled together surrounded by the Royal Guard. As the Guard closed in, the defeated soldiers began to drop their weapons and surrender. The battle was over. The sounds of conflict were replaced by the cries of the wounded and the silence of the dead.
Ann saw the chief medical officer emerge from the inner gate followed by a dozen other staff members. An earth pony mare slipped on a puddle of blood and fell, sliding along the ground. She recovered her hoofing and continued to run towards the wounded. Her entire side, flank, and hip were covered in blood. It dripped off her as she ran.
Ann heaved and bolted to the far edge of the balcony. Her breakfast was long gone, but that didn't stop her from trying to lose it. Thunder Surf rubbed her back as her body convulsed. Finally, her body relaxed, and she stepped back. She looked at Thunder Surf with tears freely flowing. "I had no idea. It's so..." She squeezed her eyes tightly closed. "Horrible."
He moved in close, almost cheek to cheek. "There is no glory in battle. There are only those who live, and those who don't." They stood for several moments. Ann sobbed. He turned towards the door. "Let's get you inside. You don't need to see any more of this." As they moved towards the door, they saw Princess Celestia jump over the railing and glide down to the courtyard.
Ann was visibly trembling as they walked into the room. Her heart raced, and her breathing was fast and shallow. He guided her to one of the benches along the wall. She sat, leaning forward with her head down. She stared at the floor.
Thunder Surf asked, “Are you okay, Miss Ann? You’re so pale.”
“I’m scared... I can’t breathe... I think I’m going to be sick...” Her face was tight with fear.
He moved directly in front of her and sat down. “Look at me. Right here,” he pointed to his eyes. “You’ll be okay. I know exactly what this is. You’ve just come out of a battle, as surely as if you were fighting yourself. Your body is full of adrenaline. What you’re experiencing is normal.”
He reached out and took one of her hooves in his. He could feel it tremble.
“Just breathe. Take big slow breaths and let them out.” He paused as she inhaled deeply and blew it out through puckered lips. “Good, another. Nice and slow. Focus on what I’m saying.” He gently patted her hoof a few times.
“This is what happens as you come down from an adrenaline rush. Even experienced warriors have these feelings, but they are trained to control them. Keep breathing. Deeper... Slower…” Ann sat up a little straighter.
He gave her hoof a little shake. “You did great out there. The attack was stopped almost as soon as it began. A lot of pony lives were saved today. I know the princess was relieved. I saw her while you were… distracted. She’s very good at masking her emotions, but when you’ve been a personal guard for a while, you can still read them.”
Ann shut her mouth and breathed through her nose. She wiped the sweat from her brow, and leaned back against the wall. A slight smile appeared on her lips.
He slowly nodded his head. “That’s better. You’ve calmed down a lot in just a few moments. See, you’re learning to control your reactions better already. How are you feeling now?”
Ann closed her eyes, took another slow breath in, and then let it out. She opened her eyes again. “I think… I think I’m doing better. Yes, I know I’m doing better now. How did you do that?”
Thunder Surf smiled and leaned back a bit. “I had a sergeant do the same thing for me once after an... incident. Well, without the hoof holding.” He chuckled. “It’s about shifting your focus from what you just went through, to what you are experiencing right now, and helping you control it.”
He set her hoof down on her leg, and with a final pat, let go. “You’ll be okay now. These thoughts may come back, especially late at night or when you’re alone. Just remember to breathe and that you’re alive and well. You did what was needed, what was expected.”
Ann took another deep breath. “Thank you. You’re good at what you do. Do you mind if I give you a hug?”
He nervously glanced back at the two guards by the door, then invitingly extended a leg towards her. Ann hopped off the bench and wrapped both forelegs around him in a tight hug. He returned the embrace. She didn’t linger, releasing him and hoping back up on the bench.
“Thank you. I’m okay now.” She carefully studied the floor as a slight blush colored her cheeks.
Thunder Surf stood up. “Very good, miss Ann.” He stepped back a few paces and resumed his position as her escort. The other two guards didn’t do or say anything.
Ann leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. She allowed her mind to drift back to simpler times. She saw herself in her master’s house, studying texts or working on assignments. Things she enjoyed, where no pony’s life was dependent on her.
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open. “The lab…” She hopped off the bench. “I’ve got to clean up the lab!”
Thunder Surf smiled. “Miss Ann, I’m sure that can wait a bit--”
“No, it can’t. Never leave the lab a mess. That’s one of my master’s most important rules. If he found out what I did… what I didn’t do...” She headed towards the door.
“Please, you really should rest here a bit longer.”
She glanced back. “You rest. I’ll rest after I’ve cleaned up.” She exited the room.
He glanced at the two guards who both just shrugged. Shaking his head, he trotted after her.
When she reached the lab, she paused. “What a mess.” She pointed at each table as she rattled off the source of the disorder. “The poison analysis, mixing the antidote, mixing the sleep agent, filling the bombs. Oh, I hope he doesn’t see this.”
“It’s not that bad, Miss Ann,” Thunder Surf assured her. “Time was critical, you couldn’t delay to brush up a little spill.”
She spun to face him, her eyes pleading. “You won’t say anything, will you?”
He chuckled. “I promise, the secret of your little indiscretion is safe with me.” He scanned the room. “Can I help?”
She let out a relieved sigh. “That would be great.” She pointed at one of the tables. “You can start by wiping down that work surface and sweeping the floor?”
Working together, they had the entire lab cleaned in about a dozen minutes. Once done, Ann plopped down on a bench at one of the tables.
Thunder Surf walked over to her. “Shouldn’t we go someplace where you can rest now?”
She looked at him and smiled. “I am resting. I’m never more relaxed than when I’m in a lab. Stick a bed in the corner, and I could happily live here.” She looked wistfully at the shelves full of ingredients. “The research I could do here…” She crossed her legs on the table and laid her head on them.
They sat quietly for some time until they heard a noise at the door. They both turned to look.
“Master!” Ann jumped down and bolted across the room towards the alchemist, then jerked to a stop. His neck and shoulder were covered in dried blood. His mane was disheveled, and his cape had a large tear in it.
“Master!” she shrilled. “You’re hurt!” Thunder Surf rushed to assist.
The alchemist raised a leg. “Please, be calm. This is not mine. I am uninjured.” Ann stood, her focus jumping between his face and all the blood. “Unfortunately, the serpent did not want to cooperate. It turned… unpleasant. In the end we were forced to behead the serpent in order to stop it.” He glanced down at his bloody shoulder. “I wished it was not so.” He closed his eyes for a moment.
He looked up at Ann again. “The princess is waiting for my report. However, I saw the aftermath of a great battle outside and had to find you first to check on your well-being. Are you uninjured? Are you safe?”
Ann nodded. “I’m fine. I had somepony watching out for me.” She glanced over at Thunder Surf.
“Were you able to be of assistance to the princess?”
“Yes, I was able to provide a little help.” Thunder Surf rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“I’m pleased. I knew you would be able to aid Celestia. But I must go. It’s not good to keep the princess waiting.” He started to turn.
“Wait…” Ann called. She trotted over and gave him a hug. “Thank you for coming back safely.” She released him. He smiled, and then left the room.
Thunder Surf cleared his throat. “A little help? Are you kidding me?”
“It wasn’t really that big of a deal. I’m worried about him and what he just went through. There will be plenty of time to talk later. And speaking of later…” She patted her belly. “It’s been a long time since that muffin I had for breakfast. Do you think we could go get a little something to eat now?”