The Equine Scrolls: SkyFiM

by FireOfTheNorth

Chapter 20: Embassy Infiltration

“You want us to do what?” I asked, utterly shocked at Scarlet’s suggestion.

“It’s easy,” the Blade explained, “You’ll sneak into the Blackwing Embassy near Seclusion, snoop around until you find what we need, and then get out.”

“You’re coming too, right?” Steadfast asked.

“Too risky,” she answered, “The Blackwings already know what I look like, and they’ll be searching for me, but they don’t recognize you yet.”

“I don’t know,” I said, “How are we even supposed to get into a fortress of highly trained killer pegasi, much less sneak through it?”

“Ambassador Stratus is holding a party tomorrow night,” Scarlet explained, “She’s invited ponies from all over Horizon to attend. I have contacts in Seclusion that can get you on the guest list under false names. Then, when the party is going on, slip away to Stratus’s study and do a little snooping.”

“All right,” I said, “I guess we can help you with this. I just hope we’re able to find something that makes this all worthwhile.”

“Who are we supposed to meet in Seclusion?” Steadfast asked.

“There’s a dappled pegasus who spends most of his time in Seclusion’s tavern. Goes by the name of Bruinin,” Scarlet explained, “He’ll be serving drinks at the party, even though he’s no friend of the Blackwings. Talk to him, and he’ll let you know everything you need to know about the mission.”

“Great,” I said, “We should be able to make it in plenty of time if we leave tomorrow morning.”

“Now all we need is somewhere to sleep tonight,” Steadfast said, pointing up toward the inn above us.

“No worries,” Scarlet said, “I can take care of that.”

The next day we made our way to Seclusion and the tavern built just within the gates. The Skeever Hole, it was called, but it seemed in significantly better shape than any other tavern I’d seen. Why, there wasn’t even a hint of one of those disgusting giant rats.

It wasn’t hard to find our contact. Sitting in a secluded table in the back was the only dappled pegasus in the place. He shifted to let us in as we approached.

“Thank the Twilight Guardian,” he said as we sat down, “I was starting to think you wouldn’t come.”

“Bruinin,” I said, “We were told you’d tell us everything we needed to know about the embassy.”

“Oh, I know it all,” he assured us, “And I’ll get you on the guest list as Winter Dusk; remember the name.”

“And me?” Steadfast asked.

“I wasn’t told there’d be two,” Bruinin protested, “It’ll probably be best if you stay back anyway. Less ponies there are, the less chance you’ll get caught.”

“Oh, no,” Steadfast argued back, “There’s no way I’m letting a friend of mine go in there surrounded by Blackwings alone.”

“Listen,” Bruinin said, “It’s just not a good idea.”

“You’re not listening to me,” Steadfast put his hoof down, “If she’s going, I’m going with her.”

“Fine, fine,” Bruinin backed down, “But if anything goes wrong, don’t blame me, Skychaser.”

“Skychaser?” Steadfast asked.

“Yeah, do you want to be on the guest list or not? Because if not, there’s no way you’re getting in.”

“What can we expect inside?” I asked Bruinin.

“Well, considering it’s a party, the main building will most likely have minimal guards, just enough to keep Stratus safe if the party guests get rowdy. The rest of the complex will most likely be heavily patrolled, however. Luckily, its design was made to benefit pegasi, so you’ll easily be able to sneak around to Stratus’s study so long as you keep out of sight.”

“Now, you can’t enter the embassy heavily armed and armored. I can get party clothes for you to wear, but any weapons I’ll have to sneak in for you. I’ll probably be able to sneak in a few potions too if things go south. Still, if that happens it’s probably best to just get out of there.”

“We have a few Blackwing uniforms, actually,” I recalled, rifling through my saddlebags.

“That’s great,” Bruinin seemed surprised, “I’ll try to sneak these in for you too. Anything that can help you blend in is perfect. What weapons do I need to sneak in?”

I thought a moment before unstrapping Calcion’s Cleaver and floating it over to the dappled pegasus. Steadfast pulled out his warhammer and slid it across the table.

“A warhammer? Are you kidding me?” Bruinin commented, “There’s no way I can sneak this in. It’s gotta be smaller.”

“Here,” I said, pulling a steel mace from my saddlebags, “You can borrow my mace, Steadfast. It’s the closest thing I have to a warhammer.”

“I guess it’ll have to do,” he said, picking it up in his mouth and giving it a practice swing.

“Anything else you can leave in the chest in my room,” he said, motioning toward a door at the back of the tavern, “I’ll be back in a moment with your party clothes and falsified invitations.”

“I feel ridiculous,” Steadfast complained as we trotted up the path toward the Blackwing Embassy, “These clothes were meant for a court jester.”

“Oh, stop it,” I replied, “I think you look quite dashing.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes, I’m sure all the mares in Horizon think so.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if they were blind.”

“Oh, ha ha,” he pretended to laugh, “You can joke about it because you got clothes actually from this century.”

The party clothes Bruinin had gotten us had come straight from Bits and Pieces, Seclusion’s one and only clothing store. They were of a semi-casual style that was supposedly what pegasi chose to wear at such events. They weren’t bad; in fact the craftsmanship was marvelous. Still, they just didn’t look right on a born warrior like Steadfast.

He was forced to stop his complaining, however, and put on his best noble-pony act as we neared the Blackwing Embassy. Imposing stone walls surrounded the complex, though the entryway was lit cheerily. Several wagons were parked out front, the ponies hired to pull them gathered around swapping stories and playing games now that their rich bosses were inside.

A pegasus in full-on, gold-plated Blackwing armor halted us as we neared the doorway. I passed our invitations on to her, hoping she wouldn’t catch on to the fact that they were fake.

“Winter Dusk and Skychasher,” the guard said, scrutinizing the parchment, “Enjoy the party.”

Giving a slight bow, I passed the guard and entered the embassy. An ecstatic pegasus obviously in charge of planning the party led us down the hall and into the main reception room. I caught a glimpse of Bruinin at the bar as we passed by, but he waved us on, not wanting to seem suspicious. Once we were in the reception room, our guide rushed off to greet other guests.

I surveyed the crowd of very important ponies. The vast majority were from Horizon, and that meant the vast majority were earth ponies, though there was a liberal sprinkling of pegasi and unicorns throughout. Luckily, Steadfast and I didn’t stick out at all.

“Falling Skies!” an earth pony with a simple crown and fur robes greeted another near us, “It’s been too long.”

“Always a pleasure, Sibli,” the other replied, “Do you think the other loyal Imperial Jarls will show?”

“I doubt it,” the first replied, who I now recognized was the Jarl of Foalkreath, “Radiance never leaves the Blue Palace anymore, and I heard Glamus had some trouble with the Cloven Hoof.”

“Him and those goats,” Falling Skies said, “Will he never give up on his war?”

“Probably not, it’ll be the death of him. So, how are things in Marethal?”

“Oh, you know how it is, the Equines hate Hjaaltrot. Just the other day some of my soldiers found a dead hydra lying in the middle of the path.”

I had no time to listen to the rest of the conversation, as I suddenly found a golden-coated unicorn mare trying to get my attention.

“Well, hello there,” she said, shaking my hoof rather vigorously, “I don’t believe we’ve ever met before.”

“I’m Winter Dusk,” I bluffed, “And this is Skychaser.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Steadfast said, also shaking her hoof, “Your name is?”

“Why, Golden Bullion of course,” she said, acting wounded, “Surely you’ve heard of me. You’d have to leave the Northlands to find somepony who didn’t know who I am.”

“You’re head of the East Empire Company,” I said, thinking back to what I already knew and what I had overheard from those two travelers I had passed on my way to Whitetrot, “Aren’t you to be married soon?”

“Oh, yes,” she said, blushing, “As soon as things settle down here in Horizon a bit, Francis and I here are to be married.”

She motioned to the granite-grey earth pony standing beside her who gave us a nod.

“Francis Ironshod?” Steadfast asked, “Heir to the Ironshod Shipping Empire? Why, your marriage would form the largest shipping conglomerate that’s ever existed.”

“Yes, and we’re so pleased about that, aren’t we Francis?”

“Yes, of course dear,” he replied, though he didn’t seem quite as enthused about it as her.

Our conversation was suddenly cut off by the clinking of glass. Everypony in the room turned to look at the mare that had called our attention. Dressed in party attire with a distinctly Blackwing style to it was a pegasus whose coat was entirely pitch-black, no need for her to dye her wings. Her mane was a mess of coppery curls streaked with grey that cascaded down her neck.

“Thank you for all coming here tonight,” the pony who was obviously Ambassador Stratus announced, “I hope you enjoy the festivities provided by the Pegasari Dominion. It is always a pleasure to work with such fine ponies such as yourselves, and I look forward to continuing that in the coming year. Together we can work to bring peace and justice to the Northlands, stamping out the unholy worship of Talhooves and restoring the rightful order. That is all, enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Everypony slowly went back to their celebrating as Stratus finished her speech. Golden Bullion had found somepony else to talk to, so Steadfast and I were left standing alone again. Looking over at the bar, I could see Bruinin was motioning for us to come over. Signaling Steadfast, I began to casually make my way to the bar.

“All right,” Bruinin said when we made it over, “The coast should be clear now. Just down the hall to my right there’s a door marked for staff only. Come on though to the kitchens. Your gear’s in the pantry.”

“Thanks,” Steadfast said, “And we’ll be back for drinks.”

“Back for drinks?” I asked as we trotted down the hall.

“Sure,” he replied, “Assuming the party’s still going by the time we’re done.”

I rolled my eyes and led the way to the kitchens. They were bustling with activity as the chefs worked to prepare food for the party guests. Apparently, they had no will to stop two of the guests from entering their pantry, or to stop the two Blackwings that left it.

“All right,” I told Steadfast as we exited back out into the hallway, “Let’s get through here as quickly and quietly as possible.”

“What?” he said, “I’m the master of subtlety. Besides, how much racket can I cause with this potato masher you gave me for a weapon?”

“I hope we don’t have to use our weapons at all,” I said, making sure my hood covered my horn, “Unless we run into other Blackwings.”

“Then they could be a problem,” Steadfast said, pointing down the hall at two of the approaching Pegasari agents.

“Hey,” one said, “Don’t think you’re going to get away with this.”

“Well, I-” I tried to think of an excuse for what we were doing, but none came to mind.

“You’re not on party detail,” the Blackwing berated, “Get out there and patrol the courtyard, now!”

“Yes ma’am,” I stuttered out before heading down the hallway toward the courtyard.

“You handled that well,” Steadfast commented sarcastically.

“I thought we were dead,” I admitted honestly, “Let’s just get this over with.”

When we exited into the courtyard, a light snow was falling, sprinkling the ground with white powder. Multiple buildings stretched out into the distance, real Blackwings patrolling the area between them. I saw what Bruinin meant when he said it would be relatively easy to sneak through without being detected, but this place was a maze.

“Which one’s Stratus’s study?” I asked, looking out at the different structures.

“I don’t know,” Steadfast answered, “Pick one, I guess.”

Luckily for us, the clouds mostly blocked out the moon, making sneaking around easier. Keeping close to the wall, and in the shadows, we sneaked around to a pathway that would lead us to the first building. A Blackwing challenged us as we reached the outer pathway.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing over here?”

Seeing nopony else nearby, I quickly stabbed my sword into the pegasus’s chest before she could react. Steadfast held a hoof over her mouth to silence her scream as her life faded away. Rolling her into the ivy and out of sight, we crept down the walkway, skirting the perimeter of the compound.

We reached the place where the path split off to the nearby building without bumping into any more Blackwings. However, as we were preparing to sneak out to the building, one landed in front of us. We clung to the shadows even more so as the mare looked around, folding her wings across her back.

I slowly let out a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding, hoping to stay quiet enough she wouldn’t notice us crouched just around the corner. When she didn’t seem to be moving anytime soon, Steadfast crept out into the open, keeping out of her sight. Creeping up behind her, he smacked her on the head with the mace I had given him.

Grabbing her body as it fell, I pulled her out of sight. Concealing her body in one of the wall’s alcoves, we moved on. It was a risky venture trotting down the path. On the other end of the compound where it stopped, a Blackwing was standing guard. For the moment, he was facing a different direction, but if he turned around we would be seen for sure.

Having my bow would have been really helpful at the moment, but taking the guard out would probably alert others, so it was probably for the best I didn’t have it. Turning away from the guard and down the last stretch toward the target building, we found ourselves facing a stallion in Blackwing robes standing in the doorway. Giving up on sneaking around, I strode toward the lone sentry.

“We need to enter,” I told him as we approached.

“Why?” he asked, eyeing us suspiciously.

In reply, Steadfast crushed his head against the door with his mace as I stabbed him through with my sword. As I watched to make sure no other sentries could see us, Steadfast rolled his body off the path and into the bushes. Carefully, I pushed open the building’s door.

Inside was a sitting room adorned in the fashion of the Pegasari Dominion. Across the room stood a single Blackwing peering through a doorway. As quietly as I could, I crept up toward him, my sword ready. My heart almost stopped as the floor creaked beneath my hoof and the Blackwing pricked his ears up.

He spun around toward me, but I was faster, stabbing my sword up into his chest. He gave a slight gurgle as he died that I barely managed to silence. Carefully, I kept him from falling out into the hallway and pushed him into a cabinet.

“Everything all right over there, Nimbus?” I heard another Blackwing ask from down the hall.

I motioned for Steadfast to conceal himself behind a pot on one side of the doorway, and I did the same across the way. I stood there, my muscles tensed and ready to pounce as the near-silent wingbeats came closer. As soon as her muzzle protruded through the doorway, Steadfast jumped out, his mace swinging up and knocking her head against the ceiling.

She fell from the air, stunned but still conscious. I jumped forward and caught her before she crashed into the floor, readying my sword to take her out. My blade slashed her throat, but not before she was able to flare her wings, sending blades flying out everywhere. One slashed through my cheek as it passed by. I quickly downed a healing potion Bruinin had smuggled in for us, and pulled her blades from the woodwork before stowing her in the same cabinet as the other Blackwing.

Creeping out into the hallway, I made sure the coast was clear. There didn’t seem to be any other Blackwings here, at least on this floor, so Steadfast and I roamed freely. Though we searched every room, none of them seemed to be Stratus’s study. In fact, most of them seemed to be sleeping quarters for Blackwing officers and visiting dignitaries. But our goal was Ambassador Stratus’s study, so we moved on.

The second floor appeared more promising, but there was still a chance of Blackwings roaming it, so we took it easy climbing the stairs. Sure enough, at the top of the stairs was a Blackwing standing guard. There was no way we could enter without her catching us, so I abandoned stealth and jumped through the gap, hoping there wouldn’t be a second one nearby.

Surprise was on my side, and I was able to slash through the Blackwing’s chest before she was able to pull back. Steadfast followed up with a smack to the side of her head as she attempted to draw a sword. I ducked as she flared her wings, avoiding the blades. Swinging my sword up, I slashed through her wing, keeping her from gaining an aerial advantage. Steadfast finished her off with a slam of his mace knocking her head into the floor.

“Aerius?” another Blackwing asked, rushing into the room before we could conceal ourselves, “What’s going on in here?”

<<WULD~NAH!!>> I Shouted, hoping the walls would muffle it as I closed on the Blackwing.

I swung my sword at him, but he brought his own out to block me, pushing me back. Steadfast came around the side, and tried to knock his blade from his mouth, but he was pushed off as the Blackwing flared his wings, revealing hidden blades. The pegasus went on the offensive, forcing me to back off and continue blocking.

Leaping through the air, Steadfast brought his mace down on the pegasus’s blade, shattering it. Now he was confined to his wing blades. Spitting his sword’s hilt from his mouth, he began to call for reinforcements. Steadfast ended that, smashing his jaw with his mace.

Taking advantage of the temporary stunned state he was in, I brought my sword down toward his back. My swing came to a halt as he brought his wing blades up to block. Steadfast’s mace impacted with his face again, and I was able to pull my sword free and slice it around toward the Blackwing’s neck.

At last, he fell to the ground. The rest of the building seemed to be abandoned, but I took a quick peek into the next few rooms to be sure. When the coast seemed clear, I returned to help Steadfast hide the bodies as best I could. It wasn’t easy to find a place to hide two dead pegasi that were pretty thoroughly injured, but finally we found a few chests they would fit in.

The Blackwings taken care of, we took a better look at what was up on the second floor of the building. Turned out, there wasn’t much more than a few better bedrooms and a kitchen. Stratus’s study wasn’t here.

“Onto the next one then?” Steadfast asked.

“Looks like it,” I said, “But at the rate we’re going through Blackwings, we’ll be caught soon.”

“Then we’d better do this fast.”

Sneaking back downstairs, we exited the building on the opposite side we had come in. Thankfully, there was no guard outside this door. Carefully, we sneaked down the walled-in paths. I held back Steadfast as we reached a turn. Just around the corner, I could hear a Blackwing had landed. Quickly spinning around the corner, I stabbed Calcion’s Cleaver into her back and pulled her around with me. Rolling the body beneath a bench, we continued on.

The next building was smaller than the previous one, but it was built in a more impressive style. A guard waited both outside the door on the first floor and the balcony on the second. By now, the snow was beginning to pile up, making it a bit harder to sneak around. Hopefully nopony would see our tracks in the snow before we got away.

As best we could, we made our way down the path to the building. When we came in range, Steadfast suddenly jumped up and brought his mace down on the guard’s helmet, crushing it. I joined him in helping prop up the dead guard and pressed into the doorway as far as possible. The guard on the balcony flapped down to investigate. As soon as she appeared, I swung my sword up through her neck, causing her to drop into the snow.

We pushed the bodies into the bushes beside the door and concealed the blood stains as best we could. With the snow, it was becoming harder to keep our presence unnoticed. Magically grabbing the handle, I slowly opened the door to the building and crept inside.

The bottom floor consisted of a single sitting room with a staircase at the far end. One Blackwing stood guard near the center of the room. As we stepped inside, she turned to face us.

“The study is restricted,” she announced, “Who gave you permission to enter here?”

It looked like we had found the right place. With a swing of sword and mace, Steadfast and I both took her out. After dragging her body behind the desk a secretary would normally sit at, we headed up the gilded staircase.

The upper floor of the building certainly seemed to be Stratus’s study. An ornate desk stood in the back of the room, shelves filled with books surrounding it. On the wall was posted a large map of the Northlands, landmarks marked out in precise letters. A ceremonial Pegasari sword sat on top of her desk, along with a few stacks of papers.

“Keep watch,” I told Steadfast before trotting around to behind the desk and surveying the bookshelves.

How was I supposed to find what I needed when there were so many books here? It’s not like any were labeled as plots to release Alduin. After looking over Stratus’s collection of books, my eyes turned to the one bookcase that was locked. No doubt that was where I would find anything Stratus didn’t want seen. Taking out a few lockpicks Bruinin had stuck in my uniform, I fiddled with the lock until it popped open.

The case was filled with dossiers covering just about everything. I pulled out the few most promising ones to flip through. The first one I cracked open was labeled Jarl Stormcloud and the Horizon Rebellion. I turned to the last page with writing and began to read.

22nd of Frostfall, 4E 200

UPDATE: Dawnstar has been regained by the Imperials. After a long stalemate, the tides are beginning to turn in Horizon. Current predictions show the Empire could regain the province sooner than expected with lesser casualties. Jarl Stormcloud may not have the resolve or horsepower to continue the war into a second year. Recommend additional supplies be dropped to the rebels to draw out the fighting and weaken both the Empire and the Stormclouds.

I couldn’t believe what I had read. The Blackwings, determined to stamp out Talhooves worship, were actually helping Stormcloud in his rebellion? And then there was that talk of weakening the Empire and the Stormclouds. They really wanted this war in Horizon to go on. After all, the longer it did, the weaker the Dominion’s rival powers would get. Scarlet Shores was right; the Blackwings had an ulterior motive for everything. Speaking of Scarlet, the next dossier I had pulled had her name on it.

26th of Frostfall, 4E 200

UPDATE: Blades agent Scarlet Shores seen out and about in Easttrot hold, but agents lost her trail past the Crest of the World. She is believed to be hiding out in the Riverwood area, but just where has not been pinned down yet. Recommend sending new Blackwing agent to the area. Undercover non-pegasus advised.

Well, that was certainly news I would need to tell Scarlet. They were closing in on her hideout, and sending an undercover agent at that. She would need to find somewhere else to hide instead of the Sleeping Bison Inn.

“Uh, Sapphire,” Steadfast whispered.

“Just a moment,” I said. There was just one more book I had to go through quickly, labeled Dragon Threat.

31st of Frostfall, 4E 200

The dragon situation has gotten direr in Horizon. The great lizards are spreading, and may even begin to cross the borders into the Featherrest Isles and Unicornica. It is unknown how or why the dragons have returned in the first place, but I wouldn’t put it past the Blades to have stirred things up in their reckless exploration of the ancient dragon barrows. Things are more serious than we thought and I have dispatched additional agents to all known Draugr ruins that show promise. We will find who has released the dragons on the Northlands, and we will bring them to justice for the glory of the Dominion.

So this whole trip was a bust. The Blackwings knew even less about the dragons than I did. And they were just as paranoid about the Blades as the Blades were about them. There had to be something else in this book, something helpful.

“Sapphire,” Steadfast said again.

“In a second,” I said, flipping rapidly through the dossier.

“Don’t do anything too suddenly, or your friend will lose his head,” I heard a very distinctive voice say.

Looking up, I saw the room was filled with Blackwing agents in heavy armor, their swords drawn and ready. In front was Ambassador Stratus, holding the sword to Steadfast’s neck herself. My heart dropped into my stomach.

We were caught.