//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Price of Amber // by De Writer //------------------------------// Celestia spoke from her Throne, “As welcome as your news is, We of the Thrones do wonder why you left your command to bring it to Us in person. Would not reports by Magic Net have sufficed?” “I would have thought so, your Highnesses, but I had to follow the orders issued to me by Canterlot's General Command. I have here my orders and the rail pass that was sent with them by the courier.” She produced an order flimsy and a rail pass that she gave to Princess Luna. “Since it was delivered by courier, I demanded and got this delivery receipt.” She gave another paper to Princess Luna. Princess Luna peeled her lips back in a snarl as she read the documents. Rigidly controlled, she gave the lot to Celestia. She too went near rigid with rage. She quietly gave the documents and some whispered comments to one of the courtiers grouped close to her throne. They turned as one to face Arianne and stated, “Good Corbiestep, we do not doubt you and so far as we can tell, you have done no wrong. We are having certain aspects of your summons to come here verified. If you would be so good, get behind the large Magic Net mirror where you will be out of sight until we ask you to come forth to give testimony.” Shortly the herald announced, “A representative of the Royal Intelligence Service wishes to approach the Thrones of Equestria with information and two prisoners guarded by five of the Royal Guard.” Up in the balcony, Dawn Fire's eyebrows almost rose to his horn! He recognized the two prisoners. They were the Generals Nullit and Neighsmith who had earlier been confined to Canterlot for trying to hijack Countess Arianne's campaign. The unidentified RIS official gave a folder to Princess Celestia. He silently retired to a small group by her throne. Celestia opened the folder and gave the contents careful scrutiny before passing it to Luna. Luna also examined the folder with care. Looking up, she stated, “General Nullit, General Neighsmith, the evidence presently before Us compels the opening of a trial under the Royal Wing. The charge against you both is Treason against the Realm of Equestria. “We will present the evidence that you face and truly do hope that you can explain your actions to our satisfaction. If you cannot do that, the least penalty under the Law will be the loss of all titles, honors, ranks, duties and twenty years at hard labor. The worst penalty will be the loss of all titles, honors, ranks, duties and the Traitor's Drop. “Do you understand what the charge is and what the penalties are?” General Neighsmith replied in a haughty voice, “We do understand the charge and the possible penalties. What we do not understand is why such a charge has been brought against us. Simply examine our General Staff files. We have done nothing wrong.” Sighing, Princess Luna replied, “We have examined your files and they appear to be in order. APPEAR being the critical word. “I shall now lay our case before you and this Court. Four days past, you and General Nullit jointly had drawn up an Order to Appear. In violation of Law and Procedure, you had the scribe prepare only a single original, with no copies made for the files. You personally, General Neighsmith, took possession of the single copy. “We have been given that copy and located the scribe. He gave the RIS the information that I have just presented. “General Nullit went to the Canterlot Central Rail Depot and purchased with cash a one way civilian rail pass from the County Corbiestep Terminal to the Canterlot Central Depot. We have the rail pass and traced the circumstances of its purchase. “General Neighsmith then got a pegasus courier for the purpose of flying to Corbiestep with a sealed envelope containing the improper Order to Appear and the rail pass. The courier was given orders jointly by you both to deliver the envelope to Countess Arianne between two and three hours after her troops started to move through Corbiestep Pass. This he did. Due to the confusion of the night attack it was actually delivered about four AM. “The courier was intercepted on his return flight by an agent of the RIS. He gave the Royal Intelligence Service his evidence and a copy of the delivery receipt. These We received by Magic Net mirror. “Countess Arianne did not use the rail pass, which would have taken her two and a half days, simply to get here. She arrived at nine thirty five AM this morning. Besides giving Us a war situation briefing, she gave to us the Order to Appear, the rail pass and her copy of the delivery receipt.” Luna paused and gave her evidence folder to the generals. “This is the evidence given to the Crowns of Equestria. It demonstrates a plot to derail Equestria's offensive against Prance by removing Countess Arianne from active command for the five days that her round trip by rail would have taken. “We are fortunate that Countess Arianne chose a far faster means of transport than you anticipated. Her arrival here by those means in only five hours exposed your plot which could have cost Us hundreds or thousands of good troops and given Prance the excuse to invade Us again. “Please show Us in what particulars We are mistaken.” General Neighsmith gestured to the situation report mirror and snorted, “That whole campaign is a monstrosity. I saw in the Crier that she has taken three camps and an arms depot. “That battle must still be raging, since Prance had a large army in those camps. The plan showed on that Magic Net mirror is hopelessly optimistic. All of those bridges will have to be taken one by one by a hard fought infantry campaign. That will take at least two to three MONTHS. All of those agricultural valleys will have to be taken by a scortched earth campaign to deny their supplies to the enemy. “You are looking at a six month hard fought campaign to pacify the area. It will need tens of thousands of troops to hold it secure.” Celestia, sitting on her throne, nodded. “I see, General. Your assessment of the campaign to come leads me to call Our next witness. “Will the Ambassador from Prance please approach the Thrones? We understand that We cannot compel you to make any answer and that what you tell Us is purely voluntary. “Please tell this Court Under the Royal Wing of Equestria, is that a map of the campaign to come or is it a current situation report?” He took a deep breath while deciding what to say. “Your Highnesses, as you know, you have been courteously allowing me private Magic Net communication with my government. That map was an accurate situation report as of 9:00 AM. It is now 11:30. In those two and a half hours, we have lost the agricultural region of the Courser River, with its three towns and a military base with arms depot.” His magic picked up the pointer and added the lost area to the growing wedge of occupied territory. He added, “Curiously, we have had no reports of looting or the destruction of any civilian properties at this time.” “Thank you, Ambassador. We appreciate your good honor. That must have been difficult to present to this, the Royal Court of a presently hostile nation.” Luna regarded the two generals askance and ordered, “Countess Arianne, We of the Thrones wish to hear your reasons for not striking at the fields, vinyards, orchards and other agricultural assets that Our experienced generals have said should be destroyed.” Arianne stepped out of concealment and bowed to the Thrones. “If my campaign were fought as they described, that would be needful. “As I am moving my troops and striking forces very swiftly, the capture of the crops is a valuable tool to insure that the populace will give us the least opposition. “If I finish the pacification of the region from the Sunset Mountains to the Grey Flow River as planned, those supplies will feed our army and the local populace as well. “Depending on how peace negotiations go, any of several outcomes are planned. If Prance does not sue for peace in a timely fashion, we will buy our supplies from the local farms and cooperatives at a great savings over shipping them from Equestria. Because of purchasing rather than seizing, we will gain the best favor from the populace. “If Prance does sue for peace in a timely fashion, we will allow their buyers to bid on the crops in fair competition with our buyers. Prance will be allowed to ship what they buy to their markets. Again, the populace of the region will be best served and thereby offer us minimal opposition. “In any case, I will require a sixty kilometer military free zone on the west side of the Sunset Mountains. The land will remain Prance's. They will be allowed taxation, civil police and local governance. Military units will be barred on pain of instant and unwarned attack.” General Nulit chuckled, “Talking about PEACE already? Got no stomach for a REAL war?” Arianne smiled sadly, “A REAL WAR, Sir? You mean a slow and murderous, scortched earth war with thousands dead? Your ego raised up like a hot air balloon fueled by the rising plumes of smoke from burning cities? No, Sir, I have no stomach for that. I can do it but choose not to, at least not unless I must. “I have done what I have accomplished for the purpose of creating peace with my neighbors. I hope that when we are done, I will share a drink and table in friendship with them and no need to fight any more.” Luna spoke compassionately, “Corbiestep, while the final fate of these two who sought to derail your campaign is under the Royal Wing, We, Your Princesses, do wonder what you would do with them, were they under your rule?” Arianne did not hesitate but returned, “I would place their titles, offices, duties and responsibilities in the custody of one of your choosing. I would place the persons of Nullit and Neighsmith in a madhouse until such time as they recover from the present insanity that places their egos above the kingdom and the lives of its soldiers.” Celestia stood before her Throne and demanded, “You have heard the verdict of Arianne, Countess Corbiestep, Force Leader of the Armies of Equestria in Prance. You may choose her judgment or Ours under the Royal Wing. What say you?” They blustered, “You would put our fate in the hooves of that FILLY? Lock us away in a madhouse? No! We will not be so humiliated.” Luna stood forth and proclaimed, “Neighsmith and Nullit are Vacant! Let them be stripped of all ranks, honors, chains of office, and badges of duty. Lay all before the Empty Throne of Our Mother, Skyglow, Titan of Life Creation and titular Queen of Equestria! “You have been found guilty Under the Royal Wing of the charge of Treason to these Thrones. Offered the clemency of your lives, before this Court, you have refused.” Heavy of heart, Celestia pronounced, “You will be given the Traitor's Drop.” Luna stepped across the space between them and laid a dark wing up over the shoulder of her larger sister. “In this hard duty, my sister, you shall not be alone.” Together, the pale pastels of Celestia's magic and the clear dark blue, shot with stars, of Luna's magic picked up the struggling ponies and lifted them out past the parapet. Let to fall, their screams went on and on. It takes a long time to fall 550 meters. Returned to their Thrones, Celestia pointed out, “I do hope that all present understand just how seriously We of the Thrones take any interference with this war effort. We would never have allowed this expedition at all, had Prance simply chosen to be a peaceful neighbor. Instead, they have repeatedly struck at County Corbiestep, destroying the castle, armory and garrison on Hearthwarming last. Countess Arianne drove them off. “Regretfully, they have since actually invaded through other passes and were met again by the just turned sixteen Countess Arianne. She engaged two full brigades, taking many prisoners along with much loot of weapons and monies. In the process, destroying that invasion attempt also. She did not bother to report it to Us until AFTER she took them. “With TWO attacks on Us in just less than six months, accompanied by intelligence that another attack was being prepared, We directly authorized Corbiestep to strike first. Remember, this war was declared here in this room by Prance's Ambassador. In spite of our striking first, we are not the aggressor here.” Arianne politely signaled for permission to speak. “Your Highnesses, since we have all learned that my being here was part of a plot to derail my assault, may I please be allowed to return to my troops?” Celestia nodded agreeably, “Most certainly, Our good Countess Arianne. How will you travel there?” She smiled, “I have spoken to the transportation unit that brought me here. They are rested, fed and provisioned for the trip already. I can be back to the battle fronts in just under five hours.” Princess Luna grinned as she commented, “Please return to your attack. Later, We would be most interested in learning the details of HOW you can travel so fast.” She withdrew to a huge buzz of whispered conversation. Speaking through their Heralds, the Princesses called the Ambassador of Prance back before the Thrones. “My good Lord, Ambassador, did you hear the peace terms that Countess Arianne has proposed?” “I did, your Highnesses. I have used my Magic Net mirror to relay them to my government and King. I have not yet had any coherent answer.”