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Chapter 1: Preleude to War. 1,880 words
Chapter 2: War on the Horizon. 1,679 words

Chapter 2: War on the Horizon.

Degrelle was walking through the hallways of the Carthage capital building with his SK soldiers guarding him like black armored hawks. The walls were beautifully decorated with paintings and sculptures of many famous anthros and humans of Carthage’s past years. There used to be pictures of King Ivan and his son Arthur but Degrelle had them removed shortly after he seized power for obvious reason. Along the walls were paintings and busts of Julius Scipio, the human general who founded Carthage over a thousand years ago and whom the capital was named after.

Degrelle was a great admirer of him and he talked very extensively about him in chapter 4 of his book, The Carthaginian Struggle; particularly his strategic victory over the ponies during the Battle of Dead Mare’s Gulley during the Lunar-Celestial war a thousand years ago. Degrelle and all of his military officers personally carried a copy of Scipio’s famous strategy guide, The Majesty and Way of Warfare. Even though it was written when the humans and furries marched into battle with halberds, spears, and swords, many of his strategies and logistical tactics still held up for modern warfare. It was a must read for any skilled commander of an army. According the military intelligence, even a few pony commanders in Equestria had a copy which they studied.

Walking next to Degrelle was a middle aged human named Dieter Malickovich. Malickovich was an old friend of Degrelle and they both served together during the Great Carthage Civil War. While at first they both distrusted each other, they soon bonded and formed a personal friendship after they saved each other’s lives. After the war, Degrelle helped Malickovich to join the Sasha party and because of his expertise as a commander of special forces, Degrelle personally had Malickovich appointed as head of the SK brigade. Dieter was dressed in a black Carthage military officer’s uniform with war decorations and medals on his chest. He wore a black cap with the Carthaginian cross centered at a piece on the front of it. And more famously, he wore his red and black striped sash, the symbol of the Sasha party.

“My Caudillo, that was an excellent speech!” he congratulated his old friend. Degrelle smiled back and nodded in a rather friendly gesture.
“Ah yes that was. I can’t’ tell you the many hours of sleep I lost practicing and prepping it.” He laughed back. Malickovich smiled and giggled in response.
“I am afraid you will lose much more sleep soon my friend.” he answered. “The military council has been bickering and arguing these past few days.”
Degrelle frowned and nodded his head. “I presume over the plans of war?” he asked with concern.
Malickovich nodded back sadly. “I’m afraid they disagree on too much.”
But Degrelle’s smile returned and he patted his friend’s shoulder. “No matter, I understand that they will have differences. However, I recently had a discussion with field marshal Solomon a few days ago.”
Malickovich tilted his head with question. “The high commander of the 10th Army?” he asked.
Degrelle nodded back with a smile. “He told me he has a plan of attack which will surely impress the military council.”
Malickovich smiled back and nodded in reply.
“I am looking forward to hearing it.” He answered back.
Degrelle then suddenly stopped, his bodyguards stopped with him and stood guard. He once again placed his paws on his friend’s shoulder.

“Dieter my friend I must ask you something,” he said with a serious but excited tone in his voice.
“Yes sir anything.” Dieter replied.
“I won’t be able to make it to the meeting today.” Degrelle said with seriousness.
Dieter was shocked and awed by this. Degrelle had never missed a meeting on important issues.
“But Aljesandro why?!” Dieter asked with worry. But Degrelle smiled back and nodded.
“It is my daughter Desdemona.” He answered. Desdemona was Degrelle’s daughter whose beauty was famous throughout Carthage. She was a faired haired wolfess in her early twenties with silky black blue hair and soft fur. Degrelle raised her by himself as his wife had been tragically killed by a communist terrorist attack.
“Oh how is she?” Dieter asked very politely. “Is everything alright?”
Degrelle laughed and smiled back. “Of course she is.”

He then turned away as his bodyguards watched his back. “As you are aware, her womb is pregnant with child. She has a doctor’s appointment today and I wish to be there with her.” He answered back with pride.
Malickovich congratulated his friend and asked, “But how will you keep an eye on the council?”
“Simple.” Degrelle began, “where is my son Romulus?”
“I’m right here father!” a young human man suddenly addressed in the distant hallway as he approached Degrelle with a bright smile.

“Romulus!” Degrelle cheered back surprised and full of happiness as he extended his arms and paws to hug his son. Romulus was actually Degrelle’s first child. However, he was not Degrelle’s natural child; he was adapted.

Romulus was born in a very poor neighborhood to extremely abusive parents. He was kicked out at a very young age and lived on the street stealing food and money in order to survive. Degrelle found him trying to pick his pocket and rather than have his SK beat the child, he instead chose to raise him as his own. Romulus loved his step father very dearly and was very loyal to him. At a young teenage age, Degrelle had Romulus trained by his SK and he was a very gifted student. He graduated top of his class and at the very young age of twenty five, he was commander of the SK’s special Jaeger division, the military special forces branch of the SK.

“Ah Romulus you’ve have grown into such a fine young man!” Degrelle praised. Romulus was a very handsome twenty nine year old human with jet black silky hair which was shortened due to the military hair style code. He wore a much decorated SK uniform and had a Browning HP 9mm, the standard issue pistol of the military and the SK, strapped to his right hip safely guarded in a holster.
“My son, I have a job for you.” Degrelle said as he led his son to with him.
Romulus nodded. “Yes father, anything!”

Degrelle smiled and giggled at his son’s excitement. “As you are aware, your sister has a doctor’s appointment to check on the child in her womb and make sure nothing is wrong. I wish to be with her but this will cause me to miss today’s council meeting.” He then pointed to Malickovich. “Well you join Commander Malickovich and record the council meeting for me?”
Romulus gasped with disbelief. “You… you … really want me to?” he asked with a stutter. Degrelle laughed and patted his son on the back.
“Of course!” he said back with delight. “You’ve proven yourself more than worthy of being a great military leader. It’s time you studied with the greatest minds in our military!”
Romulus smiled back and almost squealed with glee, but then he composed himself professionally.
“I will be honored to do so father!” he responded with a serious tone but an excited smile on his face.
Degrelle nodded back and touched his son’s face. “Your sister and I are very proud. And if your step mother were still alive to see you, she would be proud to.”
Degrelle then ordered his guards to escort him and he went his separate ways from Malickovich and Romulus and headed to his private car to pick up his daughter from the university where she was going to school. Malickovich then turned his attention to Romulus.
“Come.” He ordered. “the council is expecting us.”
Romulus saluted back and followed his commander to the war room where the council was preparing for their war strategy.

Princess Celestia was pacing back and forth in the Royal hall of her throne room her hooves making a clopping sound. While normally Celestia was optimistic and calm alicorn, the past few days she had been having horrible nightmares. She was having visions of fire and smoke and her subjects screaming and suffering. It had made her uneasy and she looked out the window very very nervously. She tried to calm her nerves with her royal duties but the nightmares continued to get worse and worse. Her thoughts were interrupted however and her large door entry opened with a loud noise as a white Earth pony wearing shining gold painted armor stepped in.

“Your majesty!” he addressed with surprise. Celestia jumped a little.
“Oh…ah…yes captain?” she asked back in a rather exhausted tone. The captain noticed this and bowed down with respect.
“A thousand pardons your majesty, but your sister Princess Luna is here to see you.” He explained.
Celestia recovered from her shock and reaffirmed her figure.
“Oh okay.” She answered back. “Tell her I’ll be on my way. I need to take care of something first.”
The royal guard bowed in respect. “Yes your majesty.” He addressed back as he headed back to the door.
Before Celestia left to greet her sister, she used her horn to summon a piece of paper and a quill and ink. Holding the paper and inking the quill with her magic, she wrote:

To my faithful friend Twilight Sparkle,
These past few days I have been having troubling thoughts and suspicions. I wish to speak with you as soon as possible.

Your dear friend, Princess Celestia.

Once she was finished writing, with a puff of magic, the note disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. She then gathered herself to meet her sister.
“I just hope my dreams are not correct this time.” She said nervously this time. The last time she had these thoughts was over a thousand years ago, before her sister betrayed her. They were usually a sign that war was on the horizon.

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