Mount & Blade : the New World

by BoarHide

Chapter 2 : Frozen Curtain

Princess Twilight searched from book to book in her library. She had been looking for any clue related to Falcon and Calradia. The sultana'a claim was unbelievable, but she wanted to know the truth.

The Cutie map had also been bugging Twilight a lot in her sense. The map had sent Starlight to Equestria border first. She found Falcon and brought her to the celestial princess and everything just happened.

"Is Calradiam empire actually ever existed?" Twilight thought.

Twilight felt lost. She double-checked her books, but nothing had been found. The forth princess hit her head against a shelves, admitted there is no benefit from searching her own library. She looked at a children book on a table as the only sign of her hope. Twilight levitated it up and read it briefly.

---

Starlight watched Falcon practicing her bow in a barrack of the castle. The sultana was surprisingly good with any weapon known to Equestrian. Falcon shot her arrow. It hit right in the spot on a target. Her pony challenger jaw hit the ground, shook his head and waved his hoof. He walked away and complained to his fellow royal guard he should not underestimate Falcon in the first place.

"Marvelous!" Starlight said, "I can not believe you can do that without magic. Look, all arrows just landed there in the middle. No shot has been missed."

"Thank." Falcon said, fiddled with a bit she got from betting. She had plenty more in a pouch, "I've learned archery through my entire life. This is just benefit."

Starlight grinned. She remembered Twilight word and decided to pursue their goal. "Falcon." Starlight said.

"Aye." Falcon replied.

"As your last challenger is already defeated." Starlight said, "May I competed you in a bow contest?"

Falcon narrowed her eyes, stared at Starlight. "You want to bet too?" Falcon said.

Starlight smiled. "I will." the pupil said, "But, with no bit."

A bow and a quiver were levitated with Starlight magic. They floated around the unicorn like a puppet. "As you are an honor guest of princesses and a friend of mine, I found you to be fairly cold toward us all." Starlight said, aimlessly drew with her hoof on the ground. "I know I'm not actually your friend or anything, but if I win this contest - can I win your friendship?"

Falcon tiled her head. "Then what's happen if you lose?" Falcon asked.

Starlight panicked. "I... well, I will buy you some tea?" Starlight said, sweated.

The unicorn locked herself to Falcon, avoided to be suspicious. Starlight felt relief as Falcon raised her bow and prepare for a bow contest with her. The unicorn stretched herself, aimed at the target, which had been replaced with a new one.

"First of all, no cheating." Falcon said, "I don't know what kind of sorcery you have, but everything must be followed the rule of bow contest in this barrack."

"You know it right, young mare!" one of the guard yelled at Starlight. Pony guards around started to look at the contest.

Starlight frowned. The unicorn had no problem to follow the traditional rule of bow contesting. She raised her bow up and quickly found it is harder than it look even with her magic. Falcon shot first, the arrow landed preciously on her target. Starlight took her turn. She aimed as precious as she could, but her arrow betrayed her right in the spot.

The contest continued. Falcon managed to hit her target like nothing, unlike Starlight. She tried to figure out how to aim and ended up wasting her shot with testing arrow. Some pony guards shook their head, knew the contest is already be decided at the start. When both of them have only one arrow left, Starlight only manage to hit three out of ten on the target - no bull eyes, the result was overwhelming.

Starlight lowered her head, but decided to fight to the end. "come on, I got this!" Starlight thought. She focused on her target, nearly broke her bow. She prayed her arrow will hit the target. She released the string. The arrow flied across a field, landed on the target, but no bulls eye.

"It's over." Starlight said, lowered her head. Her bow and arrow hit the ground as well as her hope. The unicorn was about to ask what tea Falcon would like, but she quickly noticed Falcon had yet filed her arrow. The sultana grinned, dropped her bow and quiver. Starlight was confused.

"The result is here." Falcon said, "I forfeit."

Falcon took her sword, put on her hood and headed to the exist. Everypony there had the same feeling as Starlight. The unicorn stared blankly at her friend before picked up her saddlebags and kept up with her and asked.

"Does this mean..." Starlight said.

"Yes," Falcon said, "you don't have to buy me a tea."

"Oh, that's right..." Starlight said.

"But one more," Falcon added, "I accept your fellowship."

"You will!" Starlight beamed.

"Aye," Falcon said, "but remember, friend should respect each other. Even we are friend, you should not insist an answer we do not want to say. So, please remind that."

"...Okay." Starlight said.

The duo left the barrack, talked about their next destination at Ponyville. Falcon agreed to share her bits from the contest with Starlight to buy a ticket to the village.

---

Ariel's troops had arrived at a frozen shore. She stared at her fleet waiting for her command and readies to move at any moment. The empress commanded her troops to go aboard the ship, spread her command the fleet will move out soon. Her men followed the order with little hesitating. They got on the boats with everything they need while Ariel got in her boat with her horse. She stared at the horizon where her fleet will head to. It was covered in frozen mist, blocked her visual what is behind.

The time was here, Ariel commanded the fleet to move forward, headed to the mist. The longboats sailed off the frozen shore and headed toward the unknown. Many people there feared what is behind the mist, but the order of the empress was much more fearful.

The fleet kept heading north as Ariel's wish. The mist was getting closer and closer.