//------------------------------//
// 122 Aftermath Part Three 
// Story: My Little Fortress: Dawnpick 
// by Paaaad 
//------------------------------//

Virtue leads her two guests inside her office and gestures for them to take a seat across from her at her desk.  She sits heavily and fights for words for a moment before saying, "...I... I want to apologize again... you... you just don't know how sorry I am for this..." 

The stallion takes his seat across from Virtue, while the little mare pulls her chair close and sits leaning against her father. "I don't believe what happened in there was any fault of yours, milady." 

The extremely stressed expression on her face eases ever so slightly at the words.  That was... unexpected, but she'd take whatever she could get at this point.  "...then I'd like to apologize on Sarissa's behalf... she... she was... she was just trying to protect me..."  She hoped, anyway. 

"I... thank you.  I don't believe I've properly introduced myself." He reaches his hoof out across the desk. "Gregor Spreadstyled. This is my daughter, Marilee." 

She is a bit surprised at the friendly gesture, but decides to snap up the opportunity to help repair the damage, no matter how minor those repairs might be.  She reaches out and takes his hoof, trying to give him a warm expression but surely failing at it.  "A pleasure.  I suppose you already know me..."   A pleasure?  Well, she didn't know what else to say. 

"Aye, I've heard a little of you.  Dawnpick has been on the maps for a little while, and new settlements are always potentially lucrative ventures." 

And look what that had gotten the traders who were alive yesterday.  "I... I suppose so.  We've traded a fair bit over the years, especially when we were still growing quickly."  Wait... "...but I suppose you've lost a lot more than just bits here... nothing can replace their lives..." 

"Oh? No ma'am, as tragic as their deaths were, these ponies were not my employees. I did not come here to trade." 

That was a relief.  Well, it didn't ease her nerves too much.  They were still dead, but at least she didn't have worry so much about the consequences right this moment.  "Oh... I see... were you just traveling with them then?" 

"Aye ma'am. It wouldn't have been safe for us to travel alone, and drawing on company assets for a personal trip didn't sit well with my wife, so we chose to follow the caravan." 

Virtue
"I could understand that," she replies.  All of it.  Clearly traveling alone was dangerous, something they's just proven in spades.  "Where are you from?  Were you traveling far away?" 

"We come from Laceabbey, one of the western provinces. We were travelling down this way to visit my son, in another settlement near here." 

"Laceabby?  That is a fair ways away."  She extrapolates which direction they were heading and fails to guess where their destination might be.  "You were heading to visit your son?  I must admit I can't think of any large settlements nearby.  Nowhere that the caravans would stop at normally anyway." 

Gregor's expression darkens. "I had feared as much. That Shadowglaze bloke claimed he knew where Glitterglen was, but more and more I began to doubt him..." 

"Glitterglen?"  Now, that did ring a bell.  "I... have heard of it.  I thought it was a penal colony of some sort..."  Her eyes widen as she realizes that she'd just accused their son of being a prisoner, although possibly not wrongly. 

"I am well aware of what sort of place it is, and why my son was sent there. I stand by his actions... though a part of me still thinks him a fool for going to that city..." 

She nods and hopes to deflect the poor choice of wording on her part.  "Ah... yes, I'm sorry..."  She tries to picture the map of the area in her head.  "...but you were headed in the right direction.  Glitterglen is a two week journey from here... I believe..." 

"You know the way? That's a piece of good news. Thank you. Though, as I'm sure you're aware, it may be a while before we can depart." 

"It was on one of the maps the liaison brought last year..." she replies, fishing through a pile next to her.  She retrieves the map and sets it on the desk.  "...I... suppose I understand your concerns.  Even if I could spare the ponies to escort you to Glitterglen I understand that you wouldn't feel comfortable about it..." 

"Oh no, no, it isn't anything like that. I would hate to put any of your ponies at undue risk." 

She nods, thankful that he didn't seem offended the thought anyway.  "I suppose you'd prefer to wait for the next rainbow coalition caravan... or for your own people to come for you?  I'll do whatever I can to make sure your stay here is as comfortable as possible in the meantime..." 

"I appreciate your hospitality. Though, I somewhat doubt you will be recieving another Rainbow caravan any time soon..." 

She quirks an eyebrow.  "Well, it would be another year... I would think..."  Wait a second... was he saying... 

Gregor ponders for a moment. "...Say. Seeing as the Shadowglazes won't be doing business with you anytime soon... might I be able to interest you in a deal?" 

"A deal...?"  She maintains the inquisitive expression.  "What did you have in mind?" 

"Well, Dawnpick is an up-and-coming settlement, and a prosperous one at that. If I could get a letter back home to my elder daughters, perhaps we could work out a contract that would be profitable for both of us." 

Virtue considers the offer for a second.  If it would remotely help their relations with the other rainbows... specifically those harmed today, she'd accept.  She was still a bit surprised he trusted them after what just happened, though.  "Of course... I... I suppose normally we'd send such correspondance with the caravan.  But I'm sure we could find a way.   There are aways things we need... and I'd do anything to help repair relations at this point..." 


"Repair relations? With the Shadowglaze family? That will be incredibly difficult, I think." 
"I... was afraid of that.  I take it you have no relations to them... and I'm at a loss on what to do..." 

"I am not sure what to tell you. I never had much experience with the family until this trip, to be honest. I don't know how they might react." 

She lowers her head slightly.  "I see... I don't even know who to speak to about it.  Or what to say."  She lets out a small pained sigh.  "But... I suppose if you don't know them then can't I ask anything of you.  Not that I'm in much of a position to anyway." 

"Believe me, milady. If there were anything I could tell you that would be of use, I would do so without hesitation." 

"Thank you... there may be little I can do about the caravan at this point... but at least you and your family are alright."  She forms a tiny smile.  "Your wife will be okay.  Panacea is an amazing doctor." 

Gregor smiles at this. "Thank you, that eases my mind greatly." 

She considered for a moment offering to go see his wife, but Panacea was probably still busy tending to her.  Best not to interrupt that.  Then she notices the young mare clinging to Gregor has nodded off to sleep, and another idea strikes her.  She makes a small motion toward her and says, "It... it's been a stresful day for all of us.  Perhaps we should go see about finding someplace for you to stay while you're here?  We have a few unoccupied rooms you're welcome to."  And she'd pass word to Partisan to assure that nopony bothered them. 

Gregor looks down at his daughter. "Aye, I believe some of us could use the rest." He gently nuzzles her awake. "Come on Mari, let's get you into bed." 

Virtue stands weakly and leads the two outside.  "They're right this way.  Sorry, but they're on the third floor..."