Virtue's Diary - 16th Limestone, 255
I went to talk with Panacea this morning and found that Grapple had left the hospital, despite having injuries. From what I gather it was never his idea to enter the hospital at all, and once he woke up he refused to stay and immediately headed off. He's definitely a strange pony, but I hope he's alright.
7th Sandstone, 255
Yet another monster in the caverns below, based on what ponies have been hearing. I'm glad we have the caverns walled off, but at this rate, I think everypony is starting to get restless. Arbalest's plans to move the catapult down there haven't even been begun yet, and I don't know what we're going to do about it. I'm really afraid to try anything at this point, but I'll keep thinking on it.
20th Sandstone, 255
Today is one of the proudest moments in my time of running Dawnpick. The moat has finally been dug out! There's nothing in it yet, but it's still deep and wide enough to give any invaders pause and hopefully give us a chance to spot thieves before they get too close to anypony.
I was also told by our masons that we're running very low on stone. That's unfortunate, since the miners are rightly afraid to head down to the quarries to dig any up. I managed to convince them to head down to the first stone layer and start chipping some out. They seemed reluctant, but the knowledge that the militia was standing by at a moment's notice calmed them a bit. We managed to get a fair bit of gabbro moved up here to start working on more projects, thankfully.
Now that the moat is done, we might be able to focus our attention on the catapult underground again. I'll start taking a look at my map and try to get a plan together. The masons will have a lot of work to do down there.
But, I almost forgot the most important thing today! Harvest Moon proposed to me! We're finally going to be married after all of these years of working and living together in Dawnpick. I'm so happy I think I might explode! There's so much planning to do, I'm not sure how I'll be able to plan anything else for the next month.
21st Timber, 255
A bit of an oddity today. A diamond dog was spotted near the gatehouse today by Detergent, but as soon as he saw her he bolted for safety. The guard didn't even have time to get their equipment together before he was gone. Maybe he'll let his friends know that trying to steal from us is a bad idea. The badger ponies haven't got the message yet, but the diamond dogs seem to be smarter about things. It worries me sometimes.
24th Timber, 255
Today was the big day! Harvest Moon and I are officially wed! I didn't think I could get any happier when he proposed to me, but I was wrong! We'll be moving into his room tomorrow, and freeing up mine for somepony else.
I can't think of paperwork right now though, I'm too excited!
26th Timber, 255
Another diamond dog showed up today, this time spotted by Arbalest. Just like the last one he was gone before we really knew he was here. I hope him showing up so soon after his friend isn't a bad indicator. The guard are on higher alert, and we're watching for badger pony thieves too.
8th Moonstone, 255
Well, the pumps were finally set up to get some water from the brook into the moat. Flux was overseeing the operation when something went wrong. Water was spewing everywhere, but thankfully nopony was hurt. Flux is taking a look at the designs now, and he says that it shouldn't be hard to fix.
Whoops. Forgot to seal the opening to the pump. A quick fix.
6th Opal, 255
Storm Cloud is officially old enough to be a stallion today. I was surprised to hear that he wanted to join the guard, but we need more ponies in the guard so the help was welcome. I sent the paper work to Partisan to look over, but I don't think there will be any problems.
The other good news today is that the moat is mostly filled. With water as another layer of deterrent, I think we'll stand a much better chance against those thieves. They'll have to come in through the trapped gate, and the militia will be waiting on them. I saw Halberd and Naginata giving them some more drills on a response to invaders. They all hopped to in short order, and I think we're really shaping up to have a proper defensive strategy.
Which reminds me that Naginata gave birth to her third foal today. She had to cut the training short when she went into labor abruptly. The baby was a pegasus filly like her mother, named Aurora. She was adorable. I can't help but think about foals now that Harvest Moon and I are married. All good things in due time, I know, but it's hard to wait!
22nd Opal, 255
Now that the moat is finished, we started on Grapple's church as promised. It's not going to be much, but if it gives him something to do and helps keep spirits up, I think it's a reasonable use of our materials. It won't be finished for some time yet, and we've still got housing to worry about, but it should be done before too much longer.
Jaxler’s journal
8th Sandstone, 255
Well today is my birthday. So, I’m gonna go binge drinking in celebration of my 72nd year after guard duty. well cheers to another year of stabbed wings, picking fights, and binge drinking.
8th Sandstone, 255
We’ll I’m rather confused right now. I woke up five feet from my bed with my face in the ground with a nasty head ace and a half empty keg of booze. All I can remember about last night was walking into the meeting hall with a barrel of rum. also I think I’m about an hour or two late to guard duty.
20th Sandstone, 255
Well, everypony seems happy as hell now that that moat is finished. Finally the masons can work on more housing instead of that moat. Damn I can’t wait till we get more houses up, sharing a room with somepony else is really starting to get annoying.
24th Timber, 255
Virtue got married today. I didn’t get invited to the party though, but it’s fine seeing as I probably would have gotten drunk. I’m glad that she is getting married, she deserves happiness for what she does for us all.
6th Opal, 255
Well today a new recruit came and joined the guard. He’s a stallion named Stormcloud. He just officially became old enough to put himself in danger on a daily basis. But I’m concerned a bit as to what Partisan is gonna do with the new recruit. I’m pretty confident that the next time I show up an hour late to training with a hangover he might just demote me and give the rank of second command to a pony who’s young enough to be my son. If that happened I’d probably punch partisan in the face and leave the guard. what the hell I'm a thinking? Partisan wouldn't do that to me.
22nd Opal, 255
I'm pissed off, today Virtue decided to make Grapple a church. If I knew we could make such huge demands I would have asked for a golden bed and a garden of platinum statues. But the the worst part is that we're giving a mad stallion his own building when we don't even have enough housing. All the pony is gonna do is sit there and ramble on about the "holy sisters" and there holy might wile WE sleep in the dirt. Why I'd go bust in Virtue's office door right now if I wasn't sure Partisan would demote me for it.
Flux' Journal, Sandstone 20
Looks like the moat is finally finished! Still working on the pumps, though. Getting them properly sealed is a bit of a pain, so taking it nice and slow.
Timber 24
Virtue and Harvest Moon were wed today! It was a lovely ceremony, and the cake was really good. I didn't stick around too long, though. There's always steel to be smelted or machinery to be set up. I was also a bit worn out from dancing with Stiletto. She really likes to dance, and she's really good, too!
Moonstone 8
I should have known those seals wouldn't hold. We tried to start filling the moat today, but the pumps just sprayed water everywhere! Nopony was hurt, but I'm a bit embarrassed about this failure. I hope Virtue will let me try to fix this problem.
Moonstone 14
Got the seal problem fixed! It's a bit slower going to fill the moat than I had hopped, but it's filling! Hopefully this will help keep the badgerpegasi out. I've heard that large pools of water make flying weird, something about the thermals. Either way, I really hope this helps to give us at least a little more security.
Stilettos' Midpony writings
Flux and Glyph have told me that writing in midpony will help me to learn it. I will write words onto these pages and become better.
Limestone 17-255
When I talked to madam Panacea today. Grapple will not let his hooves be treated. I will talk with him, remind him that blood soaked hooves will slip off the gates to the lands of the twin sisters. They would see us in joy, not in pain.
Timber 23-255
Lady Virtue will be married to gentlestallion Harvest Moon tomorrow. All my dresses are in Deutschmeinland. I will wear this DimondDog leather skirt. One does as one must.
Timber 25-255
I danced all of the night last night. First with Flux, I tired him out so I asked Glyph. He to needed to sit down as well when we finished. I asked Ballista next, she moves divinely I must say, but why was she so scared excited nervous? She must not dance often. I asked Lady Virtue aswell, she said Harvest Moon had all of her dances that night. I finish the night dancing with Billows, so drunk I had too catch him three times.
Opal 22-255
Today I was able to do a great thing. Lady Virtue has told Grapple that now he can build his church. I helped him move all the materials he had been allowed. As I was working I came across the planes for one my great grand uncles' Riesen-Bezwinger. I gave it to Lady Virtue as fast as I could. I hope it will help to get the stone works moving again.
*Inclosed diagram*
C=Cave wall, S=empty space, B=Drawbridge, A=bait, H=chain to hold bait, F=fortification, W=Ponymade wall
CCCCCSCCCC
CBC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CSC
CCBC
CHAC
CWFW
Balista
Missionary log
Limestone, 255
Well, Stiletto talked me into going back to the hospital and at least getting some bandages on my hooves. The girl put up quite the argument as too, even quoted form the book of Faust, "And the pony who fixes his neighbor house while his own is but rubble is a fool." (Faust 7:23) I guess somepoy really has been paying attention to my sermons!
Speaking of Stiletto, she has really taken a shining to the town smithy, an earth pony by the name of Flux. Handsome stallion if I ever saw one. Saw them both with another pony, Glyph I believe, in the dining hall. There was some shouting over that odd blue unicorn and his "Boo". Well, they rushed of to find "Boo" and soon engulf I see all three walking back wet as ship-rats! HA! Reminds me of that one job I did in lower- No. That's not me anymore. That part of my life is buried now.
Sandstone, 255
Well, If it's not bandits in the hills, it's monsters in the deep it seems. Two now. Blag, where did they find the evil to make even one of those things is beyond me. Were running low on stone as well, so were going to have to find some way to stop those things. There are plans being made right now though, but I'll leave them to ponies that know such things. I will prey to the sisters to aid them in there righteous work.
It's not all bad news though! The moat is finally completed! Perhaps now we can all sleep in peace. That's not all! Ms. Virtue is too be wed as well! She's in a flurry of planing now, I wonder if I should offer my services as a chaplain?
Timber, 255
Well the wedding I wrote of before was a smashing success! I am measuring success on the number of drunk ponies of course. Ms. Virtue had me preform the ceremony. It wasn't the "Dan-Nova-Bastard" ceremony they wanted at first, but the one of my own faith is not that different all in all. Things got a little awkward at the breaking the the cup when they both tried to stomp it, but otherwise it went off without a hitch. I excused myself from the festivity's as large amounts of drink tend to make things awkward for me, make me chatty about my past. "All things in moderation" as the book of laughter says. I here Stiletto was quite the dancer.
Also, there were some diamond dogs but who cares?
Moonstone, 255
Trouble all around it seems. I ran out of incense for the festival of Luna's moon, and the town is having trouble with the pumps filling the moat. I am sure they can fix the pumps with no problems at all, but I fear my burnt offerings to the sister of the night sky will be quite lacking. I do hope she understands.
Opal, 255
Happy days! The building of church has begun! Ms. Virtue has graciously allowed me some materials to begin my work and Stiletto is helping me move all of it to the planed site. I can hardly wait!
In other news, a young Pegasus has come of age and has gone off to join the guard. I don't like it. The boy may be full grown but he still has a ways to go till he can be called a stallion. He is still to young to-
That's odd, Stiletto just found some sheet of paper and ran off. Something about a 'Rezen-Bee-winger'? I should have paid more attention to our high-pony lessons at the Missionary.
The sun has almost completed its journey, about to dip below the horizon and put an end to the hours of daylight. The twilight sky is clear as anypony could wish it to be; stars, planets and all else clearly visible against the inky blackness of deep space.
Falcata strides out of the meeting hall, her slight form casting a much larger shadow due to the sun's lowness in the sky. Though the air is chilly, she continues on her way, willingly leaving the warmth and coziness of the hall's interior behind. The pegasus walks with purpose, for she has somepony to meet, and even were a blizzard to descend upon the land she would not let it block her path. The militia is kept on duty as long as they have ever been, and she has no intention of squandering her free time.
Coming closer to the edge of the settlement, she catches sight of a certain unicorn, his bearded silhouette giving away his identity even in the low light. Leaves and other detritus rustle beneath her hoofsteps as she trots up beside Glaive. Her already warm smile increases by an order of magnitude, and she leans into him partly by way of greeting, and partly because it's really quite cold.
"Hi," she whispers, keeping her voice low in accord with the night's hitherto unbroken silence.
Glaive stands near the edge of Dawnpick watching the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon, he looks at Falcata, as she brushes against him, and smiles warmly, despite the cold night air. "Hi, Falcata, how's your day been?" asks the bearded Unicorn softly.
"All right, I suppose. Training and such, as you know; arguing with people in the meeting hall. The usual, you know?"
The pegasus shrugs, that simple motion conveying her tiredness more than any words could. "Halberd is driving us hard these days, hm?"
Around them, the wind picks up and rustles the leaves of the surrounding trees, causing the entire forest to seemingly sway gently.
"Indeed he has, but with the Badger Pony attacks on the rise, and...the recent death. I can't blame him for pushing us hard. We'll need to be ready. But you said you got into another argument in the dinning hall? What was this one about? Didn't piss off anypony important did you?" He chuckles playfully.
"Just some purple twat of a mason," she replies, her scowl visible even in the dim light. "I don't know what he thought he was doing, but he was feeding Arbalest silly notions about space hamsters or something, and getting him all upset. That's just disgusting; the last thing that poor unicorn needs is somepony lying to him like that. And when I confronted him he started spouting nonsense about reworking calculations, singing stones, past military service and that he was only trying to help."
Falcata stamps a hoof to accentuate her point.
"I don't believe a single word of it. Even if I took what he said to be the truth, he's still an interfering, condescending do-gooder with a severe attitude problem. You'd think he was Lord Mortar to talk to him!"
She finishes her rant, and then suddenly begins to giggle.
"So, to answer your question, nopony important "pissed off", as you so nicely put it."
"Well that's good to hear at least. Purple mason you said? That's the unicorn right? It sounds like he was out of line, from what you told me about Arbalest after my 'talk' with him what he really needs is some help, not ponies teasing or making fun of him. It a shame, I don't think Panacea knows anything about healing mental wounds."
Gliave looks up at the full moon, and then looks to the stars. "The sky is really pretty tonight. Look there's Orion and there's Ursa Major." Says the unicorn pointing to the constellations in turn. "My father used to tell me stories about the constellations."
Falcata looks up into the night sky, following Glaive's pointing hoof as he identifies various constellations. Though she could natter on for hours about clouds, weather patterns and other things in the sky, things outside the atmosphere are a bit beyond her scope. Probably a unicorn thing to be thinking about those magical lights so high up, she ponders, but she nevertheless responds with enthusiasm.
"Really? Tell me some!" she implores the unicorn, pressing herself into him to stave off the chill of the night.
"Hmm, my father, taught me quite a few things when I was a foal, he always said, "A good warrior needs a strong mind and body." I'll tell you what he told me about the Ursa Major." Glaive stares up at the sky at the constellation. "Firstly, I should say, the Ursa Major is oldpony speak for large bear, or Great Bear as it's usually translated."
Glaive clears his throat and begins his story.
"Long ago Dan Noval Istbar*1 lusted after a beautiful pegasus mare, of yellow color, who loved nature and all it's wonders. However the mare was already married and had a family of her own. This did not discourage Dan Noval Istbar, as why should he a god, care for the traditions of we lesser mortals, and so did he seduce the yellow mare. Yet when the mare's husband found out, he went to the temple of Vumom*2 Dan's godly wife and reported his wandering. Vumom grew jealous and transformed the yellow mare into a bear. The mare, fearful of what her husband and foal would think of her new form ran into the wilderness where she lived for many a year.
Years later, her foal now nearly grown, was out hunting, and spotted the Great Bear, not knowing that it was his own mother, bewitched by some godly spell, he readied his crossbow to slay the beast. But his shot was stayed by Dan Noval Istbar, who stepped in to avert the tragedy. He could not undo the curse of the goddess, so instead he transformed the son into a bear as well, and put them in the sky. Where they became the constellations Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor.
Now, my father never told me this last part, but Grandfather always added that when they were in the sky the Son told the Mother, that the Father was responsible for her transformation, and that when the Blood Moon is out, the Ursa Major comes down from the sky to look for her husband, destroying pony homes and villages until the sun rises again. But I think Grandfather just wanted to scare me."
"Wow." Falcata's eyes are wide as saucers, entranced by the unicorn's tale. She gazes upwards once more, staring at the pinpricks of light dotting the night sky. "They really have that much meaning? I - I had no idea." She stands still for a moment, pondering the story and its meaning and at the same time trying to think of one she could tell in turn. After a brief pause, she returns her gaze to Glaive, making eye contact and smiling slightly.
"So, aren't you going to tell me the moral of your story?" she inquires, smirking coyly.
Glaive looks into Falcata's beautiful amethyst eyes, before speaking again, "Yes, there are a lot of stories written in the sky, and Unicorns have long looked up at the stars and observed their movements, their patterns, and created such tales about them. But I am a warrior, not a scholar, I know but a taste of what there is to learn about the heavens. However, the moral of this tale is, either, remaining faithful to one's spouse or you shall suffer the consequences, as did both the yellow mare and to a lesser extent Dan, or maybe it is just that the gods are as crazy and flawed as we mere mortals, just with much more power. I'm not really sure which it is. Maybe a bit of both."
Falcata giggles as Glaive waxes lyrical about his tale's meaning.
So serious, she thinks to herself. It's kind of cute.
"You could say that. Buuuuut I was thinking more along the lines of mostly the first one."
She pulls the unicorn closer, hugging him tightly as she moves in to whisper her next words in his ear:
"Don't ever leave me. You are my only light in this world of bloodshed and darkness." The pegasus' voice is thick with emotion, and she continues to hold him tightly as they stand together, swaying gently in the breeze under the sunless sky.
Glaive holds Falcata tight, and nuzzles her as he whispers, "You are my everything here Falcata, I would never leave you for anything in the world or the sky. Without the joy and laughter you bring to my life, I don't know what I would be." He kisses her forehead. "I love you." His voice shakes with emotion when he speaks the last sentence. A pair of shooting stars fly together through the night sky overhead, unnoticed by the two young ponies.
Falcata quivers with happiness, a shiver of joy running down her spine as the two stand entwined with each other. After a long while, they break off their embrace, and she resumes talking:
"So," she begins, still dreamy-eyed, before cutting herself off. She looks to the sky again, raising a forehoof to point at the source of the interruption. "Look!" A comet streaks past the point indicated by her hoof, blazing an azure trail as it speeds across the sky. Falcata is amazed by the sight, but anticipates that Glaive will know what it is. "What is that? Do you know?"
As she continues to stare, waiting for Glaive to speak, the comet passes in front of the moon, and the moonlight from above briefly casts a cerulean sheen on the earth below, instead of its normal white.
Glaive stares at the sight. "I've read about those, but it's been a long time, I'll tell you what I remember. That is a comet. Supposedly the gods send them as glimpses into the fate of the world. There are ways to tell what they mean, things to do with what constellations they pass through or the shape of their tails. Their meaning can be anything from either an omen of doom or a promise of great things to come, but I am not sure how to interpret one though. If I had my father's old books I probably could come up with a reasonable guess. However, it passing in front of the moon like that, seems significant. Perhaps a more educated pony would be able to tell us, if you really want to know."
The pegasus continues to stare at the comet, her interest now very much piqued. You can tell all that from a blue thing in the sky? The two follow the comet's path until it finally passes beyond the horizon, though its trail of icy crystals continues to stain the moonlight.
"Your father sounds like a remarkable pony," she comments. "I wish I could have met him."
Realising the implication in that sentence as well as her own ignorance of whether her lover's father was actually dead or not, she hurriedly adds: "Before we came here, that is." She gives an awkward flap of her wings, wishing she'd handled that one better. Smooth.
"I hope you'll get to meet him then someday, he'd like you very much I think. He lives in my family's home in the capital. He's retired now, spends most of his days reading his books, and he used to spend a lot of time sitting around with his old war buddies playing chess and telling the same old stories. Though he did that much less, after my sister..." Glaive immediately stops talking as the word sister comes out of his mouth, "I'm sorry that's not something I should be talking about now." Glaive rapidly tries to deflect the conversation away from that area, "It's starting to get cold, and we got training early tomorrow. Perhaps we should turn in for the night?"
Falcata shoots him a curious gaze, but doesn't pursue the subject of his sister. "I guess you're right," she agrees, lifting a few inches off the ground. "We should probably head back and, ah, warm up." She grins, her copper eyes glinting in the moonlight.
Glaive walks with Falcata back to her room, without saying much of anything himself. He seems to be lost in his thoughts.