//------------------------------// // Thirtytwo // Story: Under The Northern Lights // by CoastalSarv //------------------------------// The urox warmed Luna's heart yet made her want to cry at the same time. Her heart was warmed by the old spokesbull’s formal rhetoric as he gave his speech and the ancient ideals of honor and valor he showed as he introduced his little herd. He reminded Luna of people she had known long ago, before she became jealous and angry and insane, when she and her sister were younger. Modern cattle in Equestria didn't behave like that. It was like a little window to a happier past, even if Luna freely admitted that progress had been made while she was gone. She wanted to cry because of the recurring theme in his speech: The size of his herd. The last herd of urox. They had been dying as a people since about the time Luna had started her sojourn to the moon, if she had understood him correctly. The reindeer had made war on them since then... until a century or two ago, when the urox had been so hard pressed that most of them had given up. They left their fields and meadows and emigrated to other lands, most often to Equestria. The few that remained were no real nation, no real country. The war ebbed out. Peace was never really made, the reindeer just stopped fighting them. “They got what they wanted,” said the old bull with his drawling Bovine. “The reindeer had it, mmm?” “Had what, sir?” said Luna. “Our lands,” he said. “They had the river valleys, for the urox had died or fled. That was when the reindeer had the whole of Tarandroland, mmm?” “I see,” said Luna. “They came from the tundra, and they chased everyone away,” said the bull. “First, the skoll from the lower mountains, with fields of dwarf birch and reindeer moss, up the glaciers with the ice-wargs, serves them right!” He spit for emphasis, not because he needed to. “Then, the stalu from the forests, from green juicy needles and black tarns, deeper into them, made them invisible, poof! Then, us from the river valleys, with meadows with grass and fields of barley, across the ocean, to Equestria, hmmmm?” He looked at Luna with his big brown eyes. “And the Russ, the Russ had come and made trading posts, and the reindeer trotted in and said 'these are our cities now',” he said, and made his voice thin and high-pitched to imitated a reindeer. “The Russ sent word for the armies of Equestria, but by then your noble sister had decided it would be wrong to march on other lands. So no armies came.” He snorted. “The Russ, they stayed, since no reindeer could handle a city. They are just barbarians, they don't know wealth,” he said. “Not many uroxi stayed, so they couldn't grow much on our lands. Reindeer don't have the hooves, hmmm?” “On my fields,” and he swept with his horned head to vaguely indicate their location somewhere in southern Tarandroland, “on my fields I grow more barley than on all my neighbours fields, though they are many times bigger, hmmm?” “You feel the land, then, just like some of our little ponies,” said Luna. Just like I do, she thought but didn't say out loud, because she didn't want to boast. The bull proudly nodded. “Many of the reindeer chieftains – they took earth pony tenants to work their lands, to make something of it, something like uroxi can make, something like we can make,” he said. “They, like us, don't pay no taxes to the reindeer king. We pay tribute to his vassals, hmmm?” “And the practical difference is?” said Luna. “When the king foolishly lowers his taxes, we don't get to keep more money,” the bull said and grinned widely. “That is why we are here.” “I... don't quite understand, sir,” said the Princess. “Winter is coming, and we have things to prove,” said the bull. “We have our pride yet we are weak nowadays.” He looked at Luna. “You want to... join the fight against winter, right?” Luna guessed. The bull nodded. “Despite not really being morally bound by it, because according to this semi-feudal accord you have, you have paid for protection from the reindeer chieftains by your vassalage,” she continued. He nodded again. “And also, despite being a small people with little resources, you will join anyway,” Luna. He continued to nod. “Because by doing this you feel you prove something to the reindeer,” she said. “You feel your act would be more noble and more daring than theirs. It would restore some of the honor lost by your ancestor by... losing.” “You have, I see, understood our thoughts and goals, Your Highness,” the bull said. He is from another age alright, she thought. I am certain few would fault him for his ancestors' losses. I am certain few would fault him if he sat this one out. “Pray tell me, sir,” she said, “have your people oft joined the War On Winter?” she said. “Not in a long time,” the bull admitted. “Not since they crushed our kingdom.” “What makes you think it a good time to do it now?” she asked. “It might be the last war,” said the bull. “You must take your chances, Your Highness, hmmmm?” It is a foolish thing to do, she thought. He could spell doom to his whole people. To the single herd that remains. “But also because we heard Equestria might be involved,” the bull said somewhat anxiously. “It is my belief that King Ukko might have turned us down.” Tia would have said no. She would have reminded him that sometimes it is braver not to fight. That his kin is unproven in combat. She might have reasoned with him, to show that he makes them no favor by killing of the last of his bloodline. “You are most welcome, sir,” she said and smiled towards him. “And you are right that this might be the last battle, if Winter wins this round.” He smiled, he relaxed, he was obviously relieved. She could see his entourage also smile, nod, look at each other and stretch with pride. “That is wonderful!” he said. “We must return to our farms, but I will leave one bullock here as a liason. Just give the word, and we will gather our arms and join you in battle, where you so desire, Our Lady of the Moon!” I am not Tia, she thought. This will do more good to him and to Tarandroland, even if they cannot do much with their single herd. If nothing else, it will hearten the many cattle living in Equestria. Many of their ancestors came from here. They will remind my little ponies that they live in a bigger world. She thanked the urox. They wouldn't “return to their farms” right away, of course. They would have lunch together, and then the urox would presumably run a thousand errands here in the capitol before going back home. They would have time to talk a bit during dinner. She would get to talk to the other urox when they were less formal, and hear what the younger ones thought about this. What the cows thought about this. And what he meant by 'arms', she thought. I have never met a bovine who didn't think his body mass and his horns would suffice. Or maybe he meant 'armaments'. My Bovine is rusty. It doesn't matter in the end how they do it: they are willing to help in our cause. I can only hope those Twilight are talking to are equally amenable.   The bartender at the Ailing Mariner swirled in the air yet again, like he was part of some gyroscope of bolted-together reindeer. He screamed horribly, his scream cut off by vomiting yet again and spattering the walls with reindeer puke. When he stopped and just hung in the air, he alternately sobbed and panted, enveloped in purplish magical energy. “Spike, please,” said Twilight Sparkle. The little dragon who was by now pretty horrified with the whole thing hurried over and used some paper towels from the bar to wipe her face, careful not to ruin her makeup. “Thanks, Spike,” said Twilight, her mouth a hard line. “Now, will you listen to me? And not make insinuations to my mother's profession?” The bartender nodded weakly where he hung. Twilight put him down on a chair in a sitting position. “I know your employer uses this place as a way to buy and sell stolen goods,” Twilight began. “I don't really care. What I do care about is that he does business with those pirates, including their leader. I'll be generous and give your employer one week. In that time, I will have a date and a place from him regarding when and where I can meet Jarl Ahto. You can simply send a note to me at the palace; I've seen to it that my mail is not read or interrupted.” The bartender looked up and nodded weakly again. “Within one week,” he mumbled. “If not, this place will burn down in a mysterious fire which won't hurt the surrounding buildings,” Twilight added. “With every employee and customer inside. Oh – and it won't happen in one week to the day. It will happen when I feel like it. Sleep tight, sir!” She turned and trotted out of the tavern, her head held high, a nervous Spike in tow. She knew the bartender and his family lived on the upper floor. She also knew how many thousands the owner of the establishment made from it in a week – and that was only the legal money. If Lord Eminence's notes were correct, the whole illegal business would be crippled if the owner had to dismantle his fencing operation here. “Twilight...” Spike began. “Yes, Spike?” she said and turned towards him. She tried to smile, but neither the smug fake smile of the Dark Enchantress nor the normal honest smile of Twilight Sparkle wanted to manifest. She looked sadly at the little dragon. “Was that... really necessary?” Spike said nervously. “To...” He didn't even start the sentence, he just made a spiral in the air with his paw. “Yes it was, Spike,” said Twilight. “I told you if you followed me, you'd see things you wouldn't like.” Spike was still clearly ill at ease. Twilight turned back and started to walk away. He could do nothing but follow her. “Actually, I feel worse about Paki,” Twilight said after a long sad silence. “Why?” said Spike. “You didn't hurt him.” Twilight turned back, a bit flustered. “Paki was guilty of nothing, except possibly some dishonesty in his business,” she said. “That stag in there works at a place where you sell things you get by threatening and hurting and maybe even murdering not only ponies but reindeer as well. Unlike some of the thieves, who can argue that they are poor and unemployed and hungry, he has a regular business as well. He has no reason except for pure greed in doing what he does. And unlike those pirates, who you could view as being bold adventurers, he is just a cowardly creep!” Her voice was starting to get loud, and Spike had to shush her. “Sorry. Anyway, I threatened and scared Paki, at most a rogue, even when I could at least have tried to ask him nicely first, all in the name of this ghastly charade...” Twilight said. “That... leech in there, he probably deserves worse than getting shaken a bit.” “But... it's not like you did it to stop him doing his job, right?” said Spike, relentless. “No,” said Twilight. “Sadly no. I wish some policedeer would simply walk in there and take him in instead, get rid of that sad place in a just and neat way. Maybe that will happen later, but not now. I simply must speak to Jarl Ahto. This is my only sure lead, and Ahto must believe that I'm not in league with the ruling power in Tarandroland. Who controls the police, even if it's a lousy police.” “If you say so,” said Spike and sighed. “But doesn't he have this crimeboss figure who gives him orders? It's not like he can just ignore those. And why didn't you whirligig him instead?” “Believe me, I'd have done that if I only know who he was, but even 'he' is a guess. It could be a vaja for all I know,” Twilight said. “That reindeer keeps their identity well hidden. Besides, 'somepony told me to do it' is one of the worst reasons ever to do something, good or bad.” “Now you sound like Rainbow Dash,” Spike said and smiled. “I do? Well, maybe you should obey your parents and teachers...” Twilight said with an added smile. “I don't like this anymore than you, Spike, but somehow I have to do it.” “If you say so,” said Spike, less dejected this time. “So, what's next?” “A meeting with some of the Companions to discuss things,” Twilight said. “You can come if you like and be my secretary, but it will probably be even less fun than this... and I cannot promise there won't  be any violence.” “Violence?” said Spike. “Those five reindeer are crazy,” Twilight sighed, “and not in the friendly Ponyville way.” “That doesn’t matter, I can come if you need me,” said Spike. “I mean, what else is there to do?” “You could go hang out with Saga and Vigg,” said Twilight and smiled. “Since I need a message taken to the Hrimfaxi temple anyway, you would even be working.” “Who's the message for?” said Spike. “Kvalhissir,” said Twilight. “What? Is this about moose magic or something like that?” Spike asked. “I wish! No, the moose comes later in my evil plan for world domination,” Twilight joked. “I simply need him to relay a whole bunch of questions and proposals to that old moose cow Vigg and Saga spoke to, who seems to be some sort of elder.” “About what?” said Spike. “Well, one of the many problem we face is getting enough reindeer together to fight Winter, even with the king on our side. So I'm going to recruit every non-reindeer I can get a hold of,” Twilight said. “He's a good kid,” said Vigg as they watched Spike leaving the temple. Spike was riding on one of the worshipers who was also leaving the temple. The reindeer had jumped at a chance to earn some extra coin carrying Spike back to the palace, and she came with a recommendation from Eira. Saga giggled. Vigg turned to her. “What?” “Y-you sound so old!” she said and started to laugh. “Like you were thirty or something!” Vigg wrinkled his nose. “I wish I was older!” “You wanted to say something,” Saga stated as she finally stopped laughing. “I could feel it earlier, but you didn't say it. What was it?” “I thought I was the mind-reader,” Vigg mumbled. “Your brainpan might as well be glass,” said Saga. “I’m worried about Lady Sparkle,” he said. “I didn't want to say it while Spike was here, because I didn't want to sound... mean.” “Why the worry?” she said. “She was lying the other day. She acts strangely. Just like Princess Hrimfaxi, she tries to stall us from finding the Sampo,” he said. “You think so?” Saga said. “What else could it be? She has nothing to gain from it otherwise,” Vigg said. He frowned and wrinkled his nose at the same time. “You also said earlier she didn't have any ill-will in her heart,” said Saga and nuzzled him. “Well... it's just that she might want to do something I don't want, but she thinks it's the best for me,” he said and tried to ignore her. “Have you ever Looked at your mother?” said Saga. “What?” said Vigg and turned to her. “How do you mean?” “Well... I guess you'd then have a sample to compare with. If she’is like any typical mom she wants what she thinks is best for you but it’s totally not what you want,” she said. “I... yeah, you're probably right,” Vigg said and groaned. “Using this... using this and thinking, it’s giving me a headache!” “Aw, you've used it before!” Saga said. “Not with my brains on!” Vigg said. “It's different. It feels wrong Looking so much... and it can't be good. Daddy always said grandpa Looked too much.” “At what?” said Saga. “That's kinda... private... but...” Vigg sighed. He put his mouth close to Saga's ear, as if somedeer would have been able to overhear them. “They always said... not outright... grandpa can see weakness.” “Like what?” said Saga. “What weakness?” “I think they meant literally... he was a warrior, you know? So he could see like an opening or a weak spot. But that it could also be anything... where its weakness is.” Vigg said. “But he has never told me himself, this is just hints and guessing...” “So that's why he's such a grumpy old fart?” said Saga. “He keeps Looking and Looking and Sees only how everything sucks?” “It's just a guess,” Vigg said. “And anyway, it's not like it is an excuse. It's just a reason. I mean, your grandma Sees sideways well enough that people pay her for it, and it's not like she's stopped being here because of it.” “Does he ever look at himself in the mirror?” said Saga. “Look, let's just change the subject, OK?” Vigg sighed. “Sure!” said Saga and produced a smile. “So, what do you want to do?” “Do?” said Vigg. “We can't leave on our Quest yet, because we promised Mistress Sparkle to wait, and it's not like we can start digging without her,” she explained patiently. “So, what do we do while we wait?” “I have school and you have a... a job, isn't it, here at the temple,” he said. “My Goddess, you are boring!” she burst out and butted him. That made him laugh. “Not the whole day, I suppose... Don't you have anything you want to do?” he said. Saga suddenly smiled maliciously. “Weeeell, you promised me we would go clubbing if I went skiing.” Vigg groaned. “Oh no...” “Hey, you might like it!” Saga protested. “And you promised! And I want to show off my new boyfriend!” “Yeah, yeah... It's just that I’d like to be a bit incognito, you know?” he said. “Clubs are pretty public places.” “Oh, I don't need to brag that you are a prince or anything, you're a great guy anyway! It's not like white stags are uncommon or Vigg is an uncommon name.” Saga said and smiled maliciously again. “Besides, when I'm done with you, your own mother won't recognize you!” “Oh manure!” Vigg moaned. “I forgot that part! Oh... alright! What kind of place are we talking about? Remember, I've never done this.” Saga thought deeply. “There are several places we could go. It would be fun if it was somewhere wild yet cheap...” “And why would that be?” said Vigg. “Well, first because I like them, and second because there's a lesser chance somedeer will recognize you and bother us,” she said. “Of course, in any case we'll have to break some rules...” “What rules?” said Vigg. “Well, maybe laws, even,” said Saga cheerily. “I'm not certain how that works. But seriously, I'm two years your senior, and I'm kinda young for that kind of place!” “Saga, I can't get in trouble normally, and we have sort of special duties right now...” he said. “Don't worry! I've done this before,” she said, though she didn't reassure him much. “Nodeer will know.” “I sure hope so,” Vigg sighed. “I'm so much in trouble if anyone at the palace learns about this... It's not like I'm locked up, even if I think Mom considered it when she heard about you, but...” “Don't worry your pretty little head,” Saga mocked him. “They’ll never hear about our awesome night out!” “Now that we have settled who is the fastest at vodka chugging, can we go back to business?” Mustikka said with a pained expression. “I thought we were sort of finished,” said Heikko. “We have the maps, the schedule...” “We don’t have the current rolls of whatever passes for an army, so we need to talk to some high-level army muckety-mucks before we can enter into that,” said Skiold. “Skiold, you lead the army,” said Mustikka, hoof placed firmly in face. “Well, it’s somewhere in my office, then,” said Skiold casually. “Nevertheless, we cannot continue with that thing right now.” “Your office look likes a burial mound,” said Kol. “Everything is covered with eons of dust, and if you try to remove anything, the wights of ancient office workers rise with a moan and attack you.” “Really?” Heikko perked up. “Can we go there?” “Nevermind - the point is we are done here,” Skiold shrugged. “Unless anydeer has any new points to address.” He looked at the meeting as if daring them to have any more business. Galderhorn cleared his throat. This caught everyone’s attention, since the sorcerer hadn’t spoke yet during the long meeting. “There is one thing we haven’t thought of,” he said. “And that is, Master Galderhorn?” said Twilight. She had a migraine. Her horn hurt from the root up. “Well, one central part of the offense against the pirate stronghold is a common call for arms,” he said. The others nodded. “A common call for arms means we must tell everydeer in the kingdom that they must gather to fight,” he continued. The others nodded again. “That, after all, is the very point of a common call for arms. But the pirates are just citizens who have gone a-viking. Most of their families didn’t follow them. They live by trading their plunder with other reindeer. Many of them were part of the army or navy and so lived here in the capital.” “What are you getting at?” said Mustikka. “All those reindeer won’t give up the bonds of family and herd and friendship,” Galderhorn continued. “If we tell everydeer in the kingdom about the advance against the pirates, somedeer will warn them. And one courier travels faster than an army. Especially if we have to organize things first. While everyone wanders around wondering in what order they march, the pirates can put up defenses or just take to their ships and leave.” “They wouldn’t get far,” Skiold observed. “No, but the attack would still be a failure,” Galderhorn said. Everone fell silent. “Do we really have to tell them the purpose of the call for arms?” said Twilight. “Yes, Lady Sparkle,” said Kol. “Anything else would be against the law.” A king who has to follow the law. Fancy that, Twilight thought. “Must we tell them the true purpose?” Twilight asked. “What do you mean?” said Skiold. Lying and cheating just gets easier and easier, Twilight thought. “Well, the main reason to gather all those allies is to save Tarandroland from Winter,” Twilight said. “So if we say that the War on Winter begins there, it’s not even a lie. Then, when the first offensive is against the pirates, the King can explain it as part of the bigger war - the easiest part first. We can even continue after that, straight ahead with the War on Winter. The only thing we’ll be lacking anyway is a place to make a stand, but we can try to clear the forests north of the coast of any nidhoggs and the waters of any tursus and then go on inland.” “That could actually work,” said Mustikka. “Mustikka agrees with somedeer!” said Skiold. “I know, I’m scared too,” said the stern scout and grinned. “But she is right. Better one white lie than messing this thing up.” “Ukko won’t like even a white lie,” Heikko frowned. “If we cleared the world of all the things Ukko didn’t like, it would be a very very empty place,” said Mustikka. “He’s also a pretty lousy liar,” said Skiold. “Keep him in the dark as long as possible, keep Kol and Heikko talking to deer instead of him, and when he has to face it, keep him sober so he has his antlers on straight,” said Mustikka. “That’s the way to do this. Listen to Lady Sparkle, she has handled things like this before.” The others nodded reluctantly. I wonder if hurting someone for information also will become easier and easier, Twilight thought unhappily. As usual, thanks a lot to my proofreaders LadyMoondancer and Wheelwright.