From Dusk to Night

by KuroiTsubasaTenshi

42 - Distant Paradise

We didn’t wake until dawn, when Star came in to check on us. Even then, I could still feel the previous day’s toll, eclipsing what energy I did have. It was just that sort of general exhaustion that transcended bodily rest. As if that weren’t enough, my stomach was deeply unhappy that I had skipped supper.

As such, after hastily adding Star’s new purchases to our packs, Night and I spent a good few minutes inhaling about two breakfasts each. The vegetables weren’t exactly the freshest around, but I was hungry and we were out in the middle of nowhere.

Sparing only a moment to reassess our gear, we took the rear gate out, traveling up the foothills along the mountains. While the terrain still looked about as hostile as the rest of the Badlands, there were at least two more comforts: the packed, trodden trail and a fortress at our backs. This was a more controlled environment, though by just how much, I couldn’t say.

Once we’d been walking about ten minutes, I turned to Star. “So, find anything?”

“Nothing definitive. The innkeeper recalled a few red unicorns, passing through anywhere between one and three days.”

I nodded. Even with her familiarity, I doubt the investigation was easy. One can only get so specific before it starts to arouse suspicion. “I hope it’s not three. We’ll never catch her if that’s the case. Assuming we’re only a day behind, what’s the plan?”

“We will follow the trail into the valley, and then move north once we have a more direct path to the Forge. Within the borders of Ostfriesen, we should be far safer.”

“How much safer?” I couldn’t help but glance back past Fort Rhenish, toward what was supposedly a safe path. “If the bulette is any indication, we can’t let our guard down.”

Star gave Night and me an apologetic look as she nodded. “I agree, though that was outside the ring of our influence. Once we reach the valley, you will see.”

“Okay. Would…” I glanced about. There was no one else around, but it was best to get into the habit of not using Merriweather’s real name “... Dame Lunaris have really come this way?”

With a heavy sigh, it was Star’s turn to look back. “I should hope so. There are a couple other, shorter routes that go straight through the mountains, but the pace required to outstrip the highway would be very dangerous.”

I nodded. “I just didn’t know how close she’d want to get. But this definitely seems too sensible a route to pass up.”

We continued on for about half the day before the hills became more of a uniform incline. Either way, thanks to the surefootedness that the path afforded us, the terrain did little to slow us. As we neared the crest, I noticed that the plant life was growing greener and more numerous. Surely, the valley must have been right ahead. I briefly wondered if it could live up to the hype.

Star stopped at the top of the path, a blue-ish tinge highlighting the green of her coat. “The forts and the outlying territories are one aspect of Ostfriesen, a part of our lives we must always be aware of. This is the other.”

She motioned down, into parts yet unseen. As I trotted up beside her, I wondered, briefly, if we’d somehow been transported back to Equestria.

Given the state of what we’d seen thus far, I’d expected the conversion to be much more gradual. However, there seemed to be an exact line where the sparse vegetation became a blinding carpet of green.

The road slid down amongst the wild grass, before surrounding itself with trees, then breaking out into the plains again. Colourful flowers and ponies of all kinds brought variety to the endless green. The path navigated this pattern a few more times until it disappeared into the distance. It was there that many of the fields began, their finely ordered borders visible even from here. Just beyond the crops was a large blue lake, refusing to be eclipsed by the plants as it glinted under the sun.

Of course, there was no competing with the castle in the middle of the lake. Its walls were a pure white, dwarfing everything around it. Tiny dots marked said walls at uniform intervals, and after a moment, I realized that they must be flags or banners. The place was easily bigger than Canterlot.

“Ostfriesen…” I whispered out to the valley—not that I expected it to respond. But the allure was strong. Were we not in such a hurry, I would have perched here all day, taking in every inch of this strange, yet not-so-different, land.

“This is the Tanzen Forest.” Star pointed to the nearest grove. “Beyond that, the Dressur Plains serve as the breadbasket of Ostfriesen. That castle in the center is usually called Ostfriesen Castle, though the town upon which the castle is built is called Oasis. Further east lies the Coral Vale along the coast, the city where Merriweather and I were born.”

“It's... beautiful.” Night’s eyes were everywhere. “To think... all this, hidden here beyond the Badlands.”

Letting out a soft laugh, Star joined us in staring. “It was not always so beautiful. Once, this land was as brutal as the Badlands we crossed to reach this point. This is the result of a thousand years of fighting, striving, and determination to make this lands ours. We have reaped many rewards for our efforts.”

I blinked, trying to fathom just how much earth pony magic that must have taken. “It’s amazing.”

“Every Ostfriesen citizen looks out upon this paradise in pride, knowing how hard won it is.” Star smiled widely.

Stealing a glance back at the Badlands, I had to ask, “I can see why. How did anyone even survive long enough to turn it into this?”

“Necessity.” Star closed her eyes. “Long, long ago, Ostfriesen was settled by refugees from a terrible famine. Their lands were engulfed in unending ice and snow, and they abandoned it, in need of a new home. They left their nations, their peoples, and journeyed across the Badlands, in search of paradise.”

The parallels to Hearth’s Warming felt more than a little strange, even if they made perfect sense. Perhaps it was just a carryover from hearing the tale with a foal’s mentality. After all, it would be pretty arrogant to think that the whole of the three original nations came to Equestria.

Night nodded, his words almost coming out as a whisper, “It seems like they found it.”

“In time. Many of those refugees did not trust one another, but they traveled together across the Badlands. Monsters and salt quagmires and worse cost them lives at every step, but they grew stronger as they traveled. They learned how to fight the creatures here, and how to navigate the land. They learned to work together and they survived despite all odds. Eventually, they reached their destination, a simple watering hole surrounded by sparse vegetation, clinging to life in a sea of death.”

“And they settled there? They made that castle?”

“It was not so grand, then. A simple village, sewn from leather and reinforced with clay, they named it after that single source of comfort. Oasis. Fresh water and sustainable food. The earth ponies had brought seeds with them on their journey, and the first fields were planted there.”

“So similar to Equestria's story,” I mused, though there was one key difference that bothered me. “But if they’d already come together, why did Tapioca have to fight a war to unify everyone?”

Star let out a sigh. “Stubborn pride. They prospered as one, but the unity was fragile. Old grudges still boiled underneath the surface, and all it took was one terrible incident to shatter the town. On the first day of the harvest, as the ponies began to gather food, a terrible black shadow fell over the town. A great dragon descended upon the fields, burning the crops and killing many. In the wake of that destruction, facing famine and death once again, the ponies turned on one another. Soon, many left Oasis, splintering out into the various clans across Ostfriesen.”

Perhaps the difference wasn’t as large as I originally thought, though the dragon sounded like more of a brute than the Windigos. I wondered what could have provoked such an attack.

“There... there are dragons in Ostfriesen?” Night mumbled.

A low laugh escaped Star’s lips. “Maybe there are. It is hard to say, these days. This is their land, after all. The large depression there, that pathway through the Dressur Plains that leads directly to Ostfriesen Castle is named for the incident, the Path of Dragons.”

I should have guessed that it had been a territory problem. My sample size was very limited, but even someone as mild mannered as Spike showed a strong possessive instinct—one that had caused rather significant property damage. With that settled, it struck me as rather weird to name their main road for one of their greatest antagonists. That would be like calling the Ponyville incident ‘Spike’s Birthday Smash’.

“Ostfriesen chooses strange ways to cope with tragedy.”

Star gave me a slight shrug. “If you spend enough time, you may find that my fellow countryponies share a rather dark sense of humor. Dragons are of much less concern to us now, since Tapioca slew their master.”

Considering the general nature of the Badlands, I supposed there was little surprise in that.

“She... she was amazing. Just, had a presence to her... I could certainly believe she had slain a dragon.” Night’s eyes drifted, lost in the distance beyond the sky. It was an odd mix of the looks he got when he was daydreaming and conversing with Bellerophon. I didn’t even know what to say, though, luckily, I didn’t need to; as his eyes drifted past me, he snapped to. “Err... just, remembering something I saw. Something I guess Bellerophon showed me.”

I wrapped a wing around Night before turning back to Star. “So that's when Tapioca united the ponies of Ostfriesen?”

With a nod, Star started down the path, her eyes scanning the landscape as though she could see the story unfolding before her. “When Tapioca was born, it was our country's darkest time. Many pegasi had fled to the mountains, broken into various bandit camps and war parties which then resorted to raiding to survive. The unicorns sequestered themselves in their cities upon the western shore, refusing entry to any foreigners, and bickered amongst one another in a constant war. Meanwhile, the earth ponies cowered in Oasis. They farmed as best they could, fighting off the raiders and the monsters to preserve their lives, offering tribute to the dragon that had long ago destroyed their home. They suffered under the yoke of a cruel master, kept divided by our own prejudices and hatreds.”

The more I heard, the more I felt like Equestria and Ostfriesen were long-lost sisters. “Sounds a lot like when Equestria had to deal with Discord.”

“Judging by historical accounts, an apt, if not perfect, comparison.” Star paused. By now, we were far enough along that the castle was starting to fall behind the trees. She stared up at one of the spires. “Tapioca wanted to return to that age of cooperation, when ponies worked together and were the better for it. She wanted to see her people stop living in fear and hate, and to see them prosper. So, she began to train, and to fight, and to defend her village. Her influence grew, and she quickly turned her passion to others, organized them, training them to fight as well. She would unite all the disparate clans, and to do so, she needed a symbol. Something to give every pony pause when she entered a room.”

Holding a hoof up, Star drew a line from that spire to a mountain range perched atop the far side of the valley. Even though the face was clearly inanimate, it had this odd, toothy look, like it yearned to swoop down and devour us. “The dragon. She went alone, not willing to risk the lives of her village in this gambit, and wanting to ensure her home remained defended, even if she died. There, they say, she confronted the eldest dragon and forced it to her will. She returned to her village triumphant, carrying a symbol of the dragon's oath with her, a pact that from that day on, the dragons would no longer interfere with the ponies who settled here. Tapioca was their chosen, blessed by the dragon to lead Ostfriesen into a golden age.”

“Blessed by the dragon?” Confusion crept across Night’s face. “It's... so is the dragon evil? Or, um... good? You make it sound like it was a monster, but then it sounds like Tapioca needed its blessing?”

I was starting to see the picture. The more I thought about it, the more unlikely it seemed that the tales of Tapioca defeating an elder dragon in single combat weren't true. This wasn’t to say she wasn’t a good fighter, though. By comparison to Ostfriesen’s culture, as well as Star’s and Bellerophon’s fighting abilities, her power would be undeniable. But there is more than one kind of power and her willingness to negotiate with Bellerophon showed that she was not above diplomacy. Perhaps, in her youth, she still valued such power.

Star shrugged again. “A little of both, perhaps. Surely, the truth of the dragon’s motives, and how Tapioca overcame it has been mythologized, but to this day, the unbroken scale of a great black dragon rests behind the throne of the Queen. There is little doubt that it was given, not taken. Tapioca won the dragon’s word through her valor. An earth pony overwhelming a dragon. That of itself is all we need to know.”

As Star confirmed my thoughts, I couldn’t help but agree with hers. Certainly, such a feat in diplomacy would have been equal, if not more challenging, than a duel. At least, I knew that, despite all my dad had taught me, I wouldn’t even know where to begin in negotiating from such a disadvantageous position. In my mind, single combat had taken place—even if it wasn’t quite as advertised.

“Saying you have an ancient dragon backing you would certainly help rally support.”

“Not as much as she hoped. Still, it enabled her to forge an alliance with one of the unicorn cities upon the coast, combining their magic with her clan’s strength. That army was enough to win her victory after victory, consolidating her power amongst the earth ponies and unicorns. At the end of her campaign, she turned her attention to the pegasi raiders in the north, but they had not been idle. This is where Bellerophon entered the story, a warlord who had been working in parallel to her, uniting the northern bandits into a military force to oppose Tapioca’s rule.”

“I, um... I guess we know how that turned out.” Night let out a nervous laugh as his eyes stopped just short of meeting mine.

“Indeed. With the war ended, and the country united, Tapioca returned to Oasis, and began the construction of Ostfriesen Castle to serve as her new country's capital. On the ground level, the original oasis remains, and is open to all to visit. Since then, Ostfriesen’s territory continues to grow. Year after year, we fight for every inch of land, seizing it and wrestling it under our control. In another thousand years, perhaps our descendants will have eliminated the Badlands altogether, and they may reach out to Equestria to trade in good faith across safe passages. That is the spirit that burns in the heart of our country today.”

A smile crept up my face, entertaining the thought that, were we to help from the Equestrian side, perhaps it could be sooner. It seemed like a shame that such beauty was locked behind mortal peril.

“It’s certainly inspiring,” Night said. “You’ve done so much to make it… to make it a home.”

Star nodded. “Every adventurer, every knight, this is what they are fighting to defend. Our Oasis.”

“I… I’m sorry.” Night deflated a little at ‘knight’.

“You should not be. You may have made a fine knight had you been born in Ostfriesen.” She pressed a hoof against his shoulder. “You make a far better friend.”

---

Star hadn’t been kidding about the safety of the highway. Not only that, but once we got further into the valley, the construction was quite superb. To cross about half of a country in less than two days of hoof travel was crazy. Of course, a good portion of that was the ability to just camp anywhere after pushing the daylight to its absolute limit. There were so many preconstructed campsites just off the path that I began to wonder if Ostfriesen wasn’t just one long, recreational camping ground.

The sun was already dipping behind the horizon by the time we arrived in Fort Mareginot. This meant that if we wanted to set out first thing in the morning, we’d have to do all our restocking and intel gathering before the shops closed down for the night. Not to mention that there was also the matter of finding a place to stay. As such, we split up.

Of course, each of us would keep our ear to the ground, but Star definitely had the advantage in actively pursuing information. Supplies were something I’d handled numerous times, which left Night to tackle the inn. I really hoped he’d be okay on his own.

Fort Mareginot was a lot like a larger Rhenish, right down to the liberal use of unshaved logs. However, under the waning light, I caught a glimpse of dull grey. Upon closer examination, I realized that some of the structures were built on a heavy stone foundation—the kind suited to warding off prolonged attack. Given the fort’s location and that the material seemed more worn than raw, I guessed that it must have dated back to the unification war.

I shook my head. Now was not the time to get distracted. Yet, I found my eyes wandering as I searched for an open shop. While I did genuinely want to know more about the fort, I had to admit that I was a little nervous. Sure, we’d passed more than a few Ostfriesens on the road, but our conversations rarely went beyond “Hail!” Here, I was bartering with foreign currency for foreign goods in a foreign country, which left me feeling a little lost. It didn’t help that the majority of the buildings in this section were dark and locked up.

After a couple more minutes, a lit window caught my eye, and I knew I couldn’t afford to delay. A wooden sign hung above the door, though its words were lost in the darkness. I squinted as I trotted up the steps. ‘Poppy’s Ultimate Emporium’.

The place was more of a hole in the wall than an emporium, but considering that every inch of the wall was covered in shelves, it certainly tried. The crampedness almost reminded me of Terra’s shop, if the wares were composed entirely of travel and combat goods.

It took me a few seconds to find the counter, behind which was a bulky, brown earth pony with nearly a dozen scars crisscrossed down her muzzle. Her mane was cut unusually short, to the point that it was nearly a mohawk. She was staring at me rather intently, and as I met her gaze, I worried that she was suspicious of me.

“Uh, hi?” I kept my voice as level as I could.

Her expression changed in an instant, the amount of cheer permeating her smile approaching Pinkie Pie levels. “Hi, there! I’m Poppy, the proprietor of Poppy’s Ultimate Emporium!”

“Nice to meet you, Poppy. I’m Duskwing, apprentice of Dame Solanum.”

Poppy’s eyes lit up. “Oooo, a greenie, eh? Running errands for the boss?”

I nodded.

“Well, rest assured, we’ve got everything a knight could ever need, plus a bit more. Perhaps you’d be interested in our magic rations?” She motioned to a shelf packed with what looked like normal rectangular rations, but wrapped in colourful paper. “Not only does it taste good, but you’ll find yourself stronger and faster for the rest of the day!”

Suspicion was my first instinct. While such enchantments existed, this didn’t seem like the right place for it. Besides, even if it was legit, I had doubts that I could actually afford it. “That does sound tempting, but—”

“Doesn’t it?” Poppy flourished. “Only two-hundred sovereigns apiece!”

I shook my head. “That’s way out of my price range.”

She frowned, though it only lasted briefly. “Is it? That’s a shame. Oh, well. The essentials, then. What do you need?”

“Twelve standard rations, one quart of lantern oil and four Badlands tent spikes.”

As Poppy dug out each of my requests with blinding speed, I couldn’t help but think of Terra. I hoped that she wasn’t too worried and that things were going okay with Aster. I made a note that, on our first spa date back, I’d have to joke about her sharing a lineage with Poppy.

“There we go,” she said as the heavy metal stakes clattered across the counter. “That’ll be ten each for the rations, twelve for the oil and three each for the stakes, bringing you to a total of one-hundred-forty-four sovereigns.”

“Ten per ration?!” I sputtered, barely even having to play it up. “We got them for six in Rhenish. Why is it so crazy up here?”

Her smile turned apologetic. “Sorry, lass. Big influx of adventurers lately, for some kind of hunting competition up north, so stuff’s been flying off the shelves. Normally, the guild gives us some notice so we can stock up, but this time, we didn’t hear boo. It happens from time to time, but always means we’re scrambling to get more caravans our way.”

Up north? It couldn’t be coincidence. Whatever was going on at the Forge, I’d wager they were stepping up the pace, which, of course, required more resources. “Oh, well that’s unfortunate. What are they hunting?”

“Anything. The prize is for highest cumulative sovereign claim.” She raised an eyebrow, yet somehow retained that cheerful look. “You’re not participating?”

“Mmm, no, I’m still just training and trying to make a living, since I’ve only got one bounty under my belt. How about seven-point-five?”

“That’s still pretty low, don’t you think? I could maybe do nine-and-half. One kill, eh? What’s your claim?”

“It’s what I can do. Even eight would be pushing it. Just a bulette.” Inwardly, I was starting to plan damage control. Poppy wasn’t giving me a lot of room and if she refused to budge much further, I’d have to drop something. I could maybe cut out one ration, but skimping too much on the food was a big no-no. Perhaps we could get away with only half the oil and half the stakes.

“Hah, a bulette! Not bad for a greenie’s first!” Poppy grinned widely. “I can tell you you’re off to a better start than at least half the recruits that come through here. Nine-and-a-quarter.”

“That’s no good. Eight-and-a-quarter is as much as I can afford.”

She paused, giving me a sympathetic look. I was still shuffling my mental inventory, waiting for her to insist on something higher when she spoke, “How much have you got?”

“One-hundred-twenty-five sovereigns.”

Propping her forehooves up on the counter, Poppy’s eyes scanned each of the items once, then twice. “Hmmm. Y’know, just this once, we’ll call it close enough. One-twenty-five for the whole shebang. Consider it a greenie discount.”

“Really? Oh, thank you, Poppy.” I smiled wide as I paid, then did my best to imitate Star’s bow.

“Hey, don’t sweat it.” She tapped a hoof to her nose. “I may not look it, but I still remember what it was like to be a greenie. Now get going. These war trophies didn’t claim themselves, y’know.”

Comments

[Yami Vizzini]

I'm starting to think hunting and haggling are the tandem Ostfriesan national pastimes.

[Shachza]

*Insert travel montage music a la Lord of the Rings*

Moooovin' right aloooong...!

7606382

Haggling is a form of hunting. Hunting for the best deals!

[Meta Four]

Poppy is such a cutie. That appearance and that personality together are a great combination.

[KuroiTsubasaTenshi]

7606382
Hehe, they probably would be if they weren't part of a very large part of the populace's careers.

7606855
Unfortunately, the New Zealand part makes up a much smaller portion of Osty's land than it does Middle-earth's.

7608632
Not everyone living there can be serious and/or a grump. Glad you enjoyed her, as I quite enjoyed writing her.

[Kitcat36]

This is a fun story! I just finished reading it, The Necromancer's Ambition, and Evil's Twilight over the last...week, week and a half or so? It was tense but interesting so I look forward to future chapters!