North and South

by Tempest Wind

Chapter Two

Author's Note:

We continue in the pre-war stages. The Next Chapter will also be prior to the war's break out. Chapter four, however, will see us through to the beginning of hostilities. Soon, my pretties!

Blog Post Here, Please read!

Spring, 1861

“Well, your ma-Generalship, they’re supposedly calling up a militia. So far the Southern Jungles and South Coltalina have drummed up near five thousand between the two states.” Belldandy stated over the morning coffee within the officer’s mess. A case of unlit Puerto Caballo brand cigars rested on one end of the table nearby extra utensils, spices, and the like, as the Guard’s mess cooks continued preparing the morning’s breakfast. Fresh eggs, hay bacon, hash browns, and a fine smattering of fruits such as oranges, lemons, and of course, apples.

The troops would of course get the same meal, considering that they were still in barracks, though this would likely dissolve into field rations - for both enlistees and officers alike, to be fair - once they were called out of Canterlot and onto the march.

Speaking of March, the month had finally moved over from February into March itself - not that the weather had improved any, yet. Drilling was still essentially impossible, as the weather pegasi were still busy sending down the final winter snowfalls of the year’s start, before the spring rains began in full. At least in Spring, they could drill, rain or no rain. Twilight supposed she could call for a drill in the snow, but that was a surefire way to upset everyone involved - herself included. Snow was too cold, too wet, too everything, for a proper drill. So, drills would wait.

“Yeah.” Twilight began finally, after taking a sip of coffee, frowning, and dipping a sugarcube into the offending drink before proceeding to stir it gamely. “Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me. They need infantry support if they plan on shelling Fort Summer, and while their guns complement was good enough to work with their navy and get the place blockaded, they were never going to fully cut it off without infantry. I give it a week before they fully cut it off.”

“I think I agree, ma’am. Fort Pickens down in the South Jungles actually saw off their blockaders with warning shots, apparently. Came in with the morning news.” Belldandy hummed, sipping at a glass of water and nodding to the folded newspaper beside her, as Twilight nodded in mild concern.

“Good to hear, but I’m not sure how long that can hold up. We have no easy way of resupplying either fort, but Pickens is even farther away than Summer.” Twilight added, with a frown, as Annette nodded in agreement.

Whatever she’d been about to say however, was interrupted, as a familiar pony to Twilight - and likely the guard as well - stuck her head into the mess hall. Catching Twilight and Annette’s eyes, she made her way through the mess, occasionally greeting the odd Royal Guard trooper who gave her a good morning between her moving towards the officer table.

“Raven Inkwell.” Twilight began, warmly, offering Celestia’s overly put-upon aide-de-camp a seat and some coffee. With a nod, the earth pony mare took the seat, declining the coffee, as she gave Twilight and Annette warm smiles in return.

“Twilight, Captain Belldandy. Good morning, you two. How’s the regiment settling in? Everything good? I know the guard has been operating at quarter strength, so if you need any supply requests, you can send them my way.”

“I appreciate it, Raven, but we should be okay for now.” Twilight started, after checking with Annette momentarily. “We’re short on proper uniforms still, but we’ve got enough vittles and rifles for everypony- and I’ve okayed Colonel Belldandy’s request for more ammunition from Canterlot Gunworks.”

“That’s good to hear. I come bearing further news, however.” She smiled softly, as she produced a small clipboard, placing it upon the table with the pair. “Firstly, a gift from Her Majesty, Celestia Solaris, long may she reign.” Raven would begin, speaking formally and properly towards her liege’s station. “Purchased directly from Whinnyapolis Manufacturing, import rights for the guard to purchase Whinneyfield Rifle muskets, musketoons, and I think more of interest to you, Whinnyworth Rifles - designed and built by Messers Whinneyfield and Whinnyworth themselves. Accordingly, Her Majesty has given to Messers Whinney and Whinny fourteen million bits from the Royal Treasury, so as to fund a purchase order of ten thousand Whinnyworth Rifles; to go towards the expected expansion of the New Army of Equestria.”

“I- wow, that’s, that is-”

“Furthermore,” Raven would continue, cutting Twilight off and giving the new General a soft smile. “I am to serve, for the duration of the war, as your personal aide-de-camp, with Chancellor Neighsay temporarily taking over my duties as Her Majesty’s aide, in addition to his job as Equestria’s Inspector General. I’m here to help with paperwork, help disseminate orders, and help you keep everything neat and orderly, your highness.”

“I… Thank you, Raven. I’m happy to have the help, even if Celestia will likely miss your presence in the Royal Court.”

“Oh, I think she’ll do fine, Twilight. She’s found some new resolve, I believe. She came into the throne room today with a… not quite a fervor; that’d have been troubling, but with a determination about her. Equestria will see this through, one way or another.”

=#===#=

Princess Luna Solaris arrived from the Castle later in the day, entering Twilight’s office with barely a knock as Twilight and Raven were busy getting all the old and new paperwork sorted properly. Both mares nearly scrambled to greet the Princess properly, but the Mare of the Night simply giggled tiredly, before waving the two back to their work and closing the door behind her.

“Well met, Twilight Sparkle; Raven Inkwell. How are you two doing this morn’?” She began, levitating over the empty chair from Twilight’s desk, and propping it up in a corner near the door - Luna had long since learned that coming between either Unicorn or Earth Pony and paperwork was a terrible idea, and was doing her level best to not get in the two mares’ way as they worked.

“We’re doing well, Luna, thank you.” Twilight began, greeting her friend warmly. “We’re essentially in the middle of taking stock of what we currently have, what we expect to need, and who we can acquire or purchase it from. A lot of what we’re currently missing is fresh uniforms, but both Baltimare and Manehattan have good seamstress unions- and Baltimare even has a clothing factory we’re likely going to make use of. Past that… We’re going to need lots of rifles, we foresee.”

“Yea? How dost thou figure such a thing?” Luna began, temporarily slipping back into her more archaic forms of speech. She still worked regularly with elocution teachers to bring her phrasing and verbage up to more modern verbal norms, but occasionally she slipped. Not that anypony really minded; it was just one more thing that made Luna, well, Luna.

“Latest news as of today, the Seventh.” Raven began, as Twilight searched the currently chaotic and paper-covered desk, before snagging the offending newspaper, and offering it to Luna with her magic. “J.D. Neighvis- of these so-called ‘Confederate States of Equestria’- has signed an act to allow for a regular army of up to Sixteen thousand - and a formable militia of one hundred thousand.”

“What? An army of a hundred thousand?” Luna recoiled, shaking her head. “Then we shall have to expand the Army of Equestria to match. Even if the majority of that are volunteers. We shall simply have to do the same. And hope that we can at least match their force.”

“That’s assumin’, yer majesty,” a familiar voice would call, as she opened the office door, smiling widely at the assembled ponies, “That we don’t jus’ beat ‘em straight to th’ punch as-is.”

“Applejack!”

=#===#=

“Honestly Applejack, I can’t believe you’re actually here. Are the girls okay? How about Spike? The Friendship school?” Twilight pressed, having acquired a few extra chairs at Applejack’s recommendation from a neighboring, currently empty office. Supposedly two more Staff officers were right behind AJ, meaning her office was about to get cramped.

“Ah, shucks, Twilight. They’re still all there, ‘sides the crusaders. You remember they’d gone and got themselves enlisted after that whole Badlands War fiasco, ah’m pretty sure they’re jus’ busy mustering regiments right about now.” Applejack shrugged, removing her ever present stetson, and resting it gently on her lap as she settled into her seat. “In any case, ah’ve been elected to lead Ponyville’s volunteer militia. We ain’t exactly Royal guard material, but Granny and Mayor Mare got to talking, and with Ponyville’s proximity to Virginia, we all figured it’d be better to muster a fighting force before the trouble starts, and we get stuck up there alone.”

“Reasonable of you, Lady Apple.” Luna began with a nod, frowning shortly after. “Unfortunately so, considering the suspected loyalties of the Virgin state.” Virginia after all - so named after Celestia’s elegant reign- was anything but loyal these days. “How many ponies hast - have you mustered under your command?”

“Well, we’ve got about two hundred from Ponyville, another three hundred from Bales, another two hundred from Shire, and fifty from Green River, yer highness. Seven hundred an’ fifty total.”

“Enough for a regiment. Do you have armaments?” Raven inquired as Applejack shook her head.

“No ma’arm. A few of us brought scatterguns an’ fowlin’ pieces from home, but for the most part we need some equipment.”

“I’ll make sure to set you up with some rifles. Uniforms will have to wait - we’ve already slated the extras we have on hoof for the Manehattan Royal Guard, but we’ve got Maresissippi rifles to spare. They’re good, rifled guns, and accurate out to near five hundred yards due to the 1:66 rifling on the barrel. The sword bayonet is quite nice, too.”

“Ah, shucks. The rifles are fine enough. My militia folks don’t need no fancy pants uniforms if you don’t have ‘em available. Winter gear will be nice, but I reckon we’ll have that for the end of the year.”

“As you say.” Luna nodded agreeably, before opening the office door once more, hearing the knock upon it. “I believe our last two guests have arrived.”

With a blink, the two mares standing outside would gaze into the cramped office, before the light blue earth pony in Guard Dress uniform would snort, and shake her head. “I will stand outside, thank you.” She would reply curtly, gesturing for Derpy Hooves, of all ponies, to enter the room.

Derpy - or Ditzy, depending on whom you asked - would enter the room with aplomb, removing her older Royal Guard helmet in respect to the assembled officers. An eyepatch covered her right eye - not because she needed it to cover a wound, per se, but likely to cover the pegasus mare’s well known wall eyed gaze. “Your highnesses; Miss Inkwell, Miss Apple. Good morning. I apologize for my tardiness, I had to make some arrangements before I arrived.”

“Quite alright, Lady Doo.” Luna would nod, before shooting a grin over to Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight, might I introduce you to a pair of mares who served quite distinctly with my sister during the Badlands Campaign? The standoffish one outside,” Luna would begin with a curt smile, as the earth pony in question gave the princess a severe frown, “would be Lady Alesia Snezhnaya, heir to the throne of St. Petershoof. And of course, you know Lady Ditzy Doo quite well. Lady Snezhnaya is to command the Equestrian Old Guard - a volunteer regiment raised from veterans of the Badlands Campaign I’m told, and Lady Doo is to take command of the entirety of your first division, as Brigadier General.”

“I see.” Twilight would nod, first at Luna, and then at the two mares. She knew Ditzy well enough, and Alesia, she could get to know better - later, after her regiment was integrated into Twilight’s Corps. “Well, welcome to Canterlot. Come in, get comfortable, and let’s discuss the coming month. We’ve got a lot to cover, these days.”

Comments

[shining paladin]

nice chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter

[Tempest Wind]

11482394
Thank you!

I'm making it a point to play the game end of things while I wind down for bed, and type while I'm fresh and awake in the AM with my morning coffee.

So far so good, and I plan to keep that up

[Sharps]

Another good Chapter! And I love to see Ditzy make an appearance.

[Tempest Wind]

11483119
Glad you enjoyed Ditzy! <3

[PonyList]

Oh god is there going to be a Cadet battalion raised from the Friendship School? On the one hand, fucking based. On the other, noooo not the poor children

[Tempest Wind]

11514237
i.imgur.com/UfuYiP0.png

No Comment. :)