//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: The Chancellor's Return // Story: The Untold Pageant // by kiheerSEDMAN //------------------------------// Chapter 2: The Chancellor’s Return The pink pony enters through the chimney as her friend dressed after her ancestors walks in, they speak about what to do before it is decided to leave behind the old land and start anew elsewhere. ______________________________________________________________________ A hungry chancellor and her aid Smart Cookie depart the soon to be vacant house. Chancellor Puddinghead was fuming. “Those insolent unicorns and pegasi! They don’t respect us because we don’t have any pretty little horns or wings. Bah! Begone with them!”, she cried into the night. “Yes chancellor, but we must be getting on…” she glanced nervously around, nopony actually knew all the creatures that lurked in the shadows, and she wasn’t going to find out, “the wagon is right there, let’s get inside before we freeze...or worse.” “Nonsense! We will be fine!” the now jovial chancellor cried, “those pesky beasts would never harm us in this cold, they probably are all frozen by now!” The chancellor was a very odd pony, no one really knows why she was elected other than the fact that she looked out for her people fiercely and gave her all in their defense. Even if she was slightly insane, her plans usually worked (to the bafflement of everypony) though they usually involved unorthodox methods like say...falling through the chimney. The wagon they traveled in was one of the last of its kind, wood had been scarce since all but the tallest redwoods shriveled and died, because of this it was now a coveted item for fuel and building. The wagon was on its last hooves anyway, and probably was going to be retired for firewood after this journey. The wagon pullers were huddled in their harnesses, shivering in the bitter cold. When given the signal, they started off on the long and cold trek back to the capitol where the chancellor was going to discuss with the high council a course of action. They huddled inside the covered wagon for a very long time not speaking or moving until the wagon filled with their body heat and the small candle there for lighting was almost to the bottom of the stick. “What are we going to do now that the others don’t look like they can or will help?” Cookie asked gazing up at the chancellor. “We can discuss it at the council, I believe what is left of the Senate will be eager to hear about the proceedings.”, she replied rather cryptically. Soon they began passing cold farms, with their windows shut, everypony inside busy with the impossible task of keeping warm. The farmland surrounding them as they passed was frozen, any not yet claimed by the ice and snow was pale and infertile. The dark skinned slaves that worked the fields had long since left to their own retreats in the frozen woods. The storms had hit the earth ponies the hardest out off all of the three groups. A white haze had descended upon the farms of the hard working ponies. They had become listless and had long since lost hope that any of them would make it out of this alive. The ride was almost coming to a close when the pullers said that they were nearing the capitol. Cookie was eager to get back. She was a simple pony and wanted nothing more than to work on her farm in peace, and working as an aid to the friendliest pony ever to hold office was a great way to pass the time between harvests, though seeing as there wasn’t going to be another harvest, she was now on full time. Looking up at the roof she was trying to figure out how much firewood they could spare for the high council when the screams of the pullers could be heard outside as tearing sounds and roaring broke the night’s stillness like a hammer. Then, with an almighty lurch the wagon tipped over leaving the two ponies inside to scramble to their feet. “Get out!” cried the chancellor, “we must assist them!” They scrambled out of the overturned wagon to find two ragged harnesses lying in the snow with two quickly disappearing blood trails fading into the night. All that could be heard was the soft falling of snow and the mournful wind taking the breath from the duo staring at the disturbing scene. The chancellor acted quickly,“Cookie, follow the road to the council and tell them I’ll be a little late.” “I can’t do that” the aid protested. “That is an order Smart Cookie, now prove your name by skedaddling along to the council!”, the chancellor was not in a chatty mood. The aid gave in after a few more reprimands and walked off all the while looking over her shoulder and wondering just what the chancellor was planning. ______________________________________________________________________ The aid had her doubts as to what the chancellor was planning as the curtain fell, she looked at her friend as the script called for and gave her best worried face. ______________________________________________________________________ Cookie staggered into the council building to met the gaze of the twelve ponies gathered around a table meant to seat twice that number and then some. "The wagon was attacked" she breathed out heavily, "the pullers were killed, the chancellor is...still out there." One of the more aged ponies spoke up first, "and where is the chancellor and why isn't she with you?" Cookie was about to answer when with an almighty crash, what was clearly the remnants of the wagon, a dead beast frozen stiff with blood, and the chancellor fell down the chimney, in that order. "Evening!" The chancellor said to the speechless ponies before her, "I hope Cookie has been entertaining you while I was otherwise occupied?" The high council and her aid simpley gazed at her dumbfounded. After all, it wasn't every day that you saw somepony fall down the chimney. "Oh! Yes, before I forget, I need two new pullers as the current two have...retired six feet under.", she said to the guard ponies standing at attention by the doors. "At once chancellor!", one called before walking off. It was at this point that the council found their tongues and decided to bombard the now seated chancellor with questions as to what happened, accompanied by the merry blazing of a wagon wheel combusting in the hearth. The chancellor looked annoyed by the questions, and ignoring them simply described what happened in an order that suited her. "The unicorns and Pegasus denounced us as they always have done, the meeting has achieved nothing! They are not willing to help. I would like to propose that we abandon this frozen wasteland for more fertile fields in the south!", she declared with much gusto. This announcement went down well with the council and after a few minutes of discussion, it was decided that they would leave their land behind, after all it was all frozen over and infertile. This worried the aid, she wasn't sure this was a good idea, and felt that maybe more negotiations were necessary, but not one to question, she obediently watched as the plans were made as to how to relocate a nation of ponies.