The Necro Walk

by WorldWalker128

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

We spent the next several days looking around the castle. Jackylin had not been here before and wanted to know the layout for a 'just in case' situation, and for Applejack and mine benefit, she had us accompany her.

From the outside, and from the front, it appeared to be the size of the castles of legend from Earth, from behind or the sides, however, it was actually quite a bit smaller, and possessed rounded walls rather than that of the typical rectangle pictured wither in stories or computer games. But then, an arch is often a stronger structure form because the entire frame provides support to the rest at all times if pushed against. Certainly it would be stronger against siege weaponry such as a battering ram or a hurled boulder because a corner could be chipped away at and eventually an opening made, but a smooth curve provided no purchase to work against. A good design, but in a society where challenges from individuals are far more likely to occur than an all-out siege, this wall seems a bit superfluous to me. I thought as we walked along it. Several guards passed us, largely ignoring us other than to gawk at Applejack after we'd passed one another.

After circling the entire outside we began moving inward in as close to a spiral as we could manage, which wasn't easy. This place is a freaking maze! I grimaced as we entered yet another area that looked the same to me as the previous three. If we ever need to make a hasty escape, I sure as heck ain't doing it on foot! It being a maze was probably another anti-siege tactic, but again, I really did not see the need for it.

“How in tarnation is anypony s'posed to find their way around this place!?” Applejack complained aloud.

“Several months of going through it, I suspect.” Jackylin replied, turning left to get us back on the semi-spiral tract we were trying to continue. “We don't have several months, so we'll just have to learn faster unless we want to be late to the meeting hall when the other representatives arrive.”

“But we've been walking around for hours and haven't run into it yet!” Applejack continued. “What, did he build it underground or something?”

“Our current king did not build this castle, nor did the nine previous kings. This fortress has been standing here for countless centuries. We've been performing repairs on it when necessary, but no one knows who originally built it, or when. The meeting hall could very well be underground. I've heard rumors that this place has secret tunnels leading out from under it, and passageways in the walls or ceilings for spying on others.”

“Our 'guest' from the other day confirms the second one.” I commented, ducking under a doorway too low for me. Jackylin nodded.

“I doubt the king knows where all of them are, and even if he does, he probably does not have time to make full use of them with all that's going on in both Mythica and here on Gaea.”

“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked as we began descending down a flight of spiral stairs.

“While most of the hunters and raiders on Mythica can, for the most part be left to their own devices, food is growing ever more scarce here with each passing day. In the far past it was not a big deal because nearly everyone was nomadic or else lived next to our ocean and fished for their food or raised domesticated animals, but as we became better at hunting and setting and concealing traps and also at preserving food we caught or killed more of them more often and we were able to expand our populations a bit overall. Ideas spread around as the nomadic groups traveled and soon everyone was using the same tactics and everyone's populations were growing. More people meant more animals that could be caught and fed upon, but it also meant that more needed to be caught. From there the vicious cycle until available food began to become an issue.”

“And that would be when fights for dominance began.” I said. Jackylin nodded.

“At first entire tribes or towns would battle one another for ownership of a hunting ground, but then alliances and agreements between other competitors would be made and they'd work together to wipe out a common enemy and then divide the resulting territory accordingly, or then turn on one another. For a few thousand years this continued, but even with all the bloodshed that occurred population was still an issue because of those peoples that refused to get involved.”

“So then all that killin' was fer nuthin, and ya'll wuz still in the same situation.” Applejack concluded. Jackylin nodded.

“But then something happened around eight hundred and fifty years ago.”

“An Alicorn came to Gaea.” I said. Jackylin raised an eyebrow at me, then nodded.

“Yes. Though the details have been lost to time the short of that story is that after many of our kind died we finally slew it. Our queen at the time consumed its remains over the following week.”

“Ya'll did what?!” Applejack shouted, baring her teeth at Jackylin. “Your kind et an Alicorn?!” I clapped a hand over Applejack's mouth and got bitten for my trouble. Fingers, now bleeding, I cradled my hand and set to healing the damage. In the meantime Applejack got as close as she could to getting nose-to-nose with Jackylin, who glared back, not the least bit intimidated.

“Sorry to break it to you, Applejack, but we're carnivores! Why wouldn't my kind have done that? It'd have been a waste, otherwise, and in case you haven't been paying attention, our planet's food-budget is rather tight, and has been for centuries!”

“I oughta-”

“What you should do is cool your head, Applejack!” I interrupted. “What happened to Mantle happened a long time ago. Beating up the person who's responsible for the attacks against your hometown stopping won't help anypony, and would probably get you executed, which I won't allow without a fight, which would ruin Jackylin's chances and our own for-” I caught myself and reworded my sentence in case we'd brought along another spy in the walls somewhere. “keeping your family safe!”

Applejack looked at me a moment, then turned her head back to Jackylin and narrowed her eyes, then removed her forelegs from Jackylin's chest. I sighed, relieved. That could have ended very badly for everyone. And might still if a servant or a spy really was listening. I'm sure they'd find it odd that one of their kind would defend a creature they consider to be a possible meal.

After that incident we walked in silence until a servant came to us as the sun had begun setting and informed us that the king had summoned us to his throne room. Jackylin nodded and we followed the servant for ten minutes before arriving at what appeared to be a banquet hall. I guessed it to be this because of the delightful smell wafting up the hall. I took several deep sniffs and then poked my stomach when it growled. Oh hush, you! Be patient! Jackylin looked over her shoulder at me and grinned.

“It does smell good, doesn't it?” I nodded as we stopped outside the door. “Now, remember, remain standing unless our king gives you permission to sit, and speak only when spoken to by another.” She looked down at Applejack. “The same goes to you, though I may ask you to pour me wine from from a decanter from time to time if we are offered it.”

“But...isn't wine made from fruit or other plants?” Applejack asked. Jackylin raised an eyebrow and frowned slightly. “-milady?” Applejack added. Jackylin.

“Perhaps back in your world, but not here. Really, it is probably better if you do not know what it is derived from. Also, as I have told my bodyguard, do not speak unless you are spoken to, and as always, mind your tongue if you must speak. I may have a need for you to keep your tongue, but these others will not, and would not be against removing it themselves. Now,” Jackylin said, returning her attention to the large wooden door before us. “Servant, open the door. Pull it outward.” Applejack walked forward and hooked her forelegs into a large hoop that acted as the door's handle and pulled it outward, backing up on her hind legs. When one door was open all of the way, she also opened the second door, and then Jackylin and myself entered. My eyes moved from one part of the room to another, taking in the thirty or so people that were present at the table, not including the one at the head of the table opposite to the side of the room we were entering from. Most of them seemed to be waiting impatiently, and looked at Jackylin and myself with varying degrees of annoyance, dislike, or outright hostility. Their line of sight changed quickly at the site of the doors being pulled shut once more from the inside as Applejack set to it. Their expressions also changed. Some of them alternated their gaze from their empty plates to her, others simple stared in disbelief.

One however, stroked his beard curiously, and then rose to his feet. The others at the table quickly did the same, but he bade them all to sit back down again.

“An interesting choice of companion, Darkfist.” The king stated. “Why do you bring one of the prey into our world as a bodyguard?” Jackylin smiled and bowed to him, and I did the same. “And an elder?” My face twitched in annoyance, but thankfully my face was angled down and I doubted that anyone had seen.

“The pony is not my bodyguard, Great Alpha, but rather my servant. I will give you the full story later with my update, unless you should wish to hear of it now.” She straightened, and I did the same. “The elder is here because he wanted to see the castle at least once in his life, and I couldn't find it in me to refuse him.” I put on a bigger smile and nodded.

“Well then, elder? What do you think of my castle so far?”

“It is very....big.” I replied. “Big, and a perfect symbol of our people's strength.” The king nodded.

“That is why I chose it to be our meeting place. But come, take a seat and make yourselves comfortable.” He motioned to a servant near himself and he came to Jackylin and led us to a seat. Applejack followed along behind us, not looking happy that she was being denied a seat.

The chairs had three legs instead of four, and had no cushioning, and, in fact, looked (and felt) as if they had been uncomfortably constructed on purpose. It probably has a subtle meaning to it. A life lesson or something. I considered as we sat down.

The king frowned and sat down. “Now we need only wait for Lady Yishna, and then we can begin.” A few unintelligible grumbles ran up and down the table, and Jackylin rolled her eyes. I considered asking who Lady Yishna was, but my question was answered when the doors opened not two seconds after I had the thought and a muscular woman whom had the look of an Asian about her and looked older than I did walked in followed by a younger woman that seemed to be her daughter and a third woman dressed in light armor strode in. They stopped at the foot of the table and the older woman looked over those that were present, her eyes briefly pausing on me, whereupon her eyes narrowed a little.

“You are last.” The king said simply, his tone deadpanned. His face was neutral, but his eyes said he was displeased. That was almost us that came in last. Clearly, coming in last is not good around here. My gaze circled the room. Then again, 'coming in last' in terms of standing in a pack of wolves means you get the least food from a kill. I wonder if the same will apply here?

“The servant you sent was a buffoon and got lost!” Lady Yishna said, sounding grumpy.

“Excuses are not accepted by me, Lady Yishna. Only valid reasons are, and I make sure that the servants I send as guides all have the layout of my castle memorized, which makes you a liar. I don't like liars.” He growled that last sentence, he eyes narrowing. The others in the room looked back and forth between their king and Lady Yishna, some looking on in anticipation, others in nervousness. Lady Yishna crossed her arms and stared right back.

“Then perhaps it is your servant that has been lying to you.” Suddenly the king's face broke into a grin and he laughed. The others of the room looked at him with confusion on their faces.

“You never did like to admit that you had no sense of direction, Lady Yishna! Come! Have a seat!”

The same servant that took us to our seats also seated Lady Yishna and her two companions, with her being seated next to me. She looked me over with a critical eye, and then poked my arm. I gave her a questioning look, but she offered no explanation and instead tsked and shook her head, looking disappointed.

The king looked at those seated at the table and those standing behind those that were seated.

“Pleasantries aside for the moment, you all know why you have been called here, and it is not simply to eat of my food. We have been raiding Mythica for over ten years now, and we still, to my knowledge, have made little progress aside from forging an alliance with the Gryphons and providing a trickle of food back to our home world. While this 'trickle' is lessening the rate of death by starvation, it is not stopping it, and as such within the following month I will be assembling an army and personally leading them into Mythica to step up from hunts to conquest,” His tone became angry. “since all of you seem to be too incompetent or lazy to take the initiative to do it yourselves!”

The king pounded a fist on the table, startling those closest to his seat. He glared around the table. “We are the Human Race! The dominant predators of Gaea, and you're letting a race of prey hold you back?! The only ones that seem to have made any real progress, and in the shortest time, no less, are those from the town of Boarborne, and they aren't even a town of hunters! Look!!” He pointed a finger at Applejack, who took an uncertain step back. “Jackylin Darkfist has brought a pony along with her! A pony, and it's serving her!” His pointed finger became a clenched fist. “Lady Yishna's people have a good reason, because their purpose on Mythica has been different from yours, but even they have gained more of a foothold during the time they've been in the forest than the rest of you idiots in that world combined! It was Lady Yishna that formed the alliance with the Gryphons those years ago, and it was her people that made the crossing from our world into Mythica safe when they cleared out most of the more dangerous animals in that area!” He sat down and his volume lowered, but lost none of it's displeasure. “The only thing keeping me from having you replaced right now is that I've not yet heard your latest reports in detail. The written overviews I ordered to be sent ahead of you I've read through, and some of them show that you may yet be useful to me.”

Several more servants entered the room from a few doors on the right wall (right, if you had just come in through the large door) carrying trays of meats in several states of being cooked. Some of them were still very fresh. The king looked at them, and then his tone calmed. “After we've eaten, I want each of you to give me the details and add anything you might have forgotten to add in the overview.” He waved at the servants, and they began passing out food as it was requested. Many of those sitting at the table looked rather nervous and seemed to have lost their appetites. Jackylin was not one of these, and she eagerly began selecting her food.

I was still eating when the king finished his plate and turned to the closest man to him and ordered him to begin giving his report. Most of what he had to tell involved forays into Dragon territory. They did not always find a Dragon's den, and when they did it was almost always unoccupied. He theorized that either the Dragons were retreating further into their territories, or else they were finally forming a sort of army to combat them directly instead of using burn-and-run tactics on their supply trains going to and from Gaea. The Gryphons were helping to defend them from such raids, but a Gryphons was a sparrow to a hawk in combat competition with a Dragon, and their allies often suffered heavy losses in the attempt to fight them off when they were attacked by three at once.

“We're developing a sort of large heavy crossbow that will be able to punch through a Dragon's armor, but as of right now, distance is still a problem. They already have the impact power to kill a Dragon, but adjusting its aim and luring the creature in close enough is proving difficult.”

“And your mapping of the area? How is that going?” The king inquired. The man pulled a large scroll out of a oiled leather tube by his seat and unrolled it and presented it to the king. Handing it to the only bodyguard he'd brought, he took one side of the unrolled map and pointed at a red area on the map and followed a slender borderline and then a thicker one. The king nodded.

“Not bad. May I assume that the 'X' marks are where you've found dens?” The man nodded. “Abandoned, or inhabited?”

“The 'X' marks are the abandoned or conquered ones. The green circles are the dens that are still being lived in as of this moment. This one here,” He tapped one that was drawn near a blue triangle. “we shall be attacking upon my return.”

“Truly?” The king asked, resting his head on his hands, his fingers interlocked to make a bridge. “Why did you not leave someone in command in your absence to take care of it now?” The man fidgeted.

“I told them to focus on developing the Dragon-crossbow. Was that a wrong decision, your highness?”

“Perhaps not.” He replied, his tone neutral. “Continue.”

Continue he did, for another hour, and then the next person was 'interviewed', and then the next, and the one after. Through each new batch of information the king's face remained neutral, and I took the opportunity while he was distracted to study him. He looked to be in perhaps his thirties, though given that the Humans of this reality aged differently than mine, he could be anywhere from twenty six to thirty three. Or it could have simply been that he aged well. Either way, I'd never been much good at judging a person's age.

His skin was darkly-tanned, as were most of them that I'd seen so far. His eyes, one of his more notable physical traits, were two different colors. One was blue, and the other was gold. His hair was dark green, though I had no idea if it was natural or not. I knew that most predators local to an area had coloration that allowed them to naturally blend into their surroundings, so a Hunter-Human to have skin the color of tree bark and hair the color of the local tree leaves was not a theory that was entirely out of the question. His jawline was strong and his facial hair covered most of his lower face, though it was not very thick. He was very muscular, but not so much that he looked like a body-builder like Muscles from Jackylin's camp. He's probably more agile for it, too.

I jerked slightly in my seat. He'd noticed me observing him and was staring right back at me, unblinking, his face still neutral, but making direct eye contact with me. I averted my line of sight for a few moments, and then looked back. He was still watching at me and gave me a ghost of a smile when I looked back. The king raised on hand and the current representative stopped speaking.

“Miss Darkfist, I would like to hear your report now.” He stated.

Jackyling jumped; she had not expected him to suddenly pick her when another was already giving a report and had not yet finished.

“At once, your highness!” She acquiesced, and began telling her fabrication. He stopped her several times and asked her questions or occasionally asked her to repeat herself. While she did so the previous representative failed to disguise a look of agitation directed at Jackylin, which was shared by several others. That he had suddenly gone from hearing reports on order from the closest to him and moving farther down the table to suddenly asking someone on the opposite side made it seem as if he approved more of her than of the others' actions, which he'd already yelled at them for earlier. Him doing something similar probably seemed to them as if he were rubbing it in their faces. This could make a few new enemies for us. I'll have to watch our backs when this is over for the evening.

“And you actually managed to capture one of the large blue bears as well? Quite impressive! Clearly, you know what you're doing.”

“It's not just myself, Alpha. I could not have accomplished it without the guidance of my grandfather, and the group efforts of my people.”

“Modesty? Such a rare thing, that. But I must wonder why you chose an elder to come as your bodyguard. The pony I can understand, as far as indirect bragging goes.” All eyes turned on me, some curious, others hostile. One chunky man in particular was glaring daggers alternating between me and Jackylin.

“Believe it or not, Alpha, he was one of those who helped to capture the Ursa Minor.” His eyebrows rose.

“Really?” He turned his face to look at me. “What role did you play?”

“I was bait.” I replied simply. This caused several murmurs around the table.

“The bait? From what I'm told those creatures are supposed to be large enough to be a threat to this castle. Did you volunteer for it?” I shook my head.

“There were five of us chosen for it, but only three of us were needed. I and two others drew the short sticks, and of the three of us, only two survived it, and I was the only one in good enough condition to walk.” He nodded.

“I see.” Without warning and almost faster than I could see he snatched a knife from the table and threw it at me. I reacted on reflex and grabbed a serving tray from a servant standing next to me to use as a shield. The knife stabbed an inch through the tray and stopped. As I lowered the tray I saw that with the exception of the king, everyone attending, including the servants stared wide-eyed first at the king, and then at the tray, and not necessarily in that order. “Well, you certainly have quick enough reflexes for such a task.” he said as he scratched his beard. “Well done.” He returned his attention to Jackylin, who eyed the knife. “A good choice after all.” He shrugged. “Continue.”

“I was surprised you did not attack him back!” Jackylin exclaimed after Applejack shut the door behind us. “Great reflexes, by the way!”

“Is that leader ah yers right in the head?” Applejack asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs. “Why I the werld did he go an' throw a knife at Jacob?”

“To test him, obviously. He survived, so he probably passed!” I disagreed.

“No, I don't think that's why.”

“Why not?”

“While those people were prattling on and on I took the chance to observe him. He caught me watching him. I think he did that as a message to me. He probably thought I was studying him out of more than just curiosity.”

“Like he thought you wanted ta fight him?”

“Maybe. Or maybe he just doesn't like people that look old.”

“Not many of my kind do unless they're relatives, and usually not even then. The elders remind us of what we'll one day become. Getting old is one of the few things we fear; we can't run anymore, our nails get weak, sometimes our teeth fall out...” She shuddered. “The thought of one day ending up like my grandfather...I love him, but I don't envy him.” She's not alone. I'll be sixty soon. My family usually lives from their early eighties to their late nineties, which means I've still got quite some time ahead of me unless I die of a disease or being murdered or something, but even now there are some things I could do really well when I was younger that is hard for me today. We live longer than her people do, but all that means is getting old happens in slow-motion.

“What? What's the look of sympathy for?” It seemed my thoughts were on my face.

“Just reflecting on a few facts of life.” She smirked.

“Maybe you really are an old man after all!” She said, laughing afterward.

“Well, none of us are gettin' any younger, ya'know.”

I poured myself a drink and offered the girls some. Both accepted and two more glasses were filled.

“I probably sound like a broken record, but when are we going to make a move? You said to wait a few days and we have, and then we had dinner with the king-”

“Ya'mean, ya'll had dinner. I had to stand and try not ta get sick on the floor!” Applejack commented with a disgusted expression. “Speakin' o'which, I'll jus' be eatin' some of my packed food now.” Applejack retreated to her saddlebags and removed a bag of hay, some oats, and, of course, a few apples, and some carrots. These were several things I was starting to miss on my dinner plate.

Don't get me wrong, I like meat as much as the next guy, but like with anything, have to much of it, and you start to not like it anymore, and I'd been consuming nothing but meat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ever since we'd arrived. When I get back to Ponyville, I'm going to eat a whole cornucopia of fruits and veggies!

“The reports should last for another day. In truth I have another reason for delaying. If I hear everything that's going on with the different groups now, it'll save me having to listen through it again once we've taken care of our business here.”

“That doesn't answer my question.”

“It wasn't supposed to. We eliminated one place a spy could spy from, but this doesn't mean that there aren't others. The door's keyhole is one such place.” Applejack and me looked at it. “Don't worry though, I can't smell anyone other than you and Applejack. Suffice it to say that you'll know when.”

Late-night. Such a wonderful time for sleeping! Well, unless someone was breaking into your room and trying to kill you. Then it wasn't so nice.

I was startled awake by a loud crash and clatter and was up on my feet in seconds before even being half awake.

“Wake up you two! Someone's broken into our room!” Came Applejack's voice, still sleepy. I sat up and rubbed on eye that itched, and then had a knife jabbed at my throat. He missed, thankfully, when Jackylin threw her own knife and it stuck in the same arm.

My assassin yelled in pain and then I launched myself up from my cot and tackled him to the floor where we fought one another hand-to-clawed hand. I received multiple scratches including one across my face, at which point I decided to stop playing fair and adding some additional punch power with magic. I struck his right shoulder and heard a sickening crack, and he screamed again and instinctively placed his other hand on it, leaving him completely vulnerable. I hit his broken shoulder again, and this time he fell over, unconscious from pain. I got to my feet and made a light with magic in time to see Applejack buck the second assassin out of the only window. He screamed as he fell, and a few seconds later there was a faint clang as he landed on something metal down below.

Jackylin brushed her hands off and walked to the window and looked out. The moon was only half-full, so the natural light wasn't spectacular, but several guards carrying torches had run to the site to see what had just happened. Jackylin spit out the window and then turned away.

“Not the first time someone's tried to kill me.” She looked at the guy on the floor. “Let's see if the assassins were stupid enough to carry something on their persons that will tell us who sent them!” A few moments of rifling through his pockets later, she smiled smugly and pulled a letter from an inside-pocket. She unfolded it and rolled her eyes. “Faltos. I might have known. Boy, will he be in for a surprise tomorrow!” She looked down at the injured man and then pulled her sheet from her bed. “Help me gift-wrap him, will you?”

The following day (with no more nightly interruptions) we arrived at what had once been the banquet room and waited to be let in. Jackylin wore a 'it's a good morning' smile, and I carried the now-awake-and-in-pain guard over a shoulder, stripped of his armor and any weapons and money he'd been carrying.

“Now, like I said before-”

“You go in alone, and then Applejack comes in ten minutes later blaming our being late on me being weighed down, and then we come in and you offer him as a gift. Yeah, I remember.” I grumbled. She smiled sweetly at me.

“Good!” A guard standing at the large door opened it. “See you soon!” She held onto her smile, and walked into the room and I presumed took a seat. The guard closed the door and said nothing about the man on my shoulder. I guess he's seen this kind of thing before...

We waited for what I'd estimate was maybe six or eight minutes Applejack started to the door. The guard looked down at her blankly, then commented that we'd been told to wait for ten minutes.

“It's not really any of my business, but gain or loss can be made from timing. She might be working up to something that you might ruin by going in early.”

“Really? How much time do we have left ta wait?”

“One minute and thirty two seconds.”

“Ya really wuz countin' the whole time?” Applejack cocked her head at him and raised an eyebrow.

“I used to be a servant before I moved up in the world. Knowing what time it was was part of my life. Some people really did not like their food or laundry being late.” He rubbed the side of his face below his right eye.

“Why tell us this?” I asked. He raised his eyebrows.

“I was only telling her. How could you not know that already?” Uh oh.

“I've lived in Boarborne almost my entire life. Never really had much in the way of ambition.” I shrugged. “Had everything I wanted already.” He nodded.

“I've heard similar things about that place. Guess that explains it.” That was close!

We waited in silence for about another minute, and then the guard opened the door and Applejack trotted in, looking impatient. She stopped and looked back at the open door and waited. Making it look like I was having more trouble than I really was, and the guard whimpering from the sudden movement I also entered the room.

“Hmph! It's about time you got here! What kept you?” Jackylin asked loudly from her seat. Applejack pointed a foreleg at me.

“T'aint my fault, miss! The elder was weighed down by that guy he's carryin'!”

“Was he, now?” She said rhetorically as I carried him in. “Well, he still got here.” She turned to look at the chunky man I recalled from yesterday. “I believe this one is yours, Faltos. Do take care not to lose your bodyguards so easily next time.” Her face spoke of innocence, but Faltos' face had turned bright red, and judging by his bared teeth it wasn't in embarrassment, or at least not embarrassment by itself. “Lighthand, if you would be so kind as to carry his bodyguard over to him?” I nodded and did so, setting him down leaning against an empty chair. The guard gasped in pain again as I released him and left.

The king looked questioningly at Faltos, and then sighed.

“Even during a simple summons and with free food no less you cannot put off your grudges. Still,” he continued, rising from his seat. “how can I begrudge my subjects their bickering when I myself once did the same and it gained me my position?. Tell me, Jackylin Darkfist, do you bear him any ill-will for this?”

“No, sire I do not. After all, if he considers me threatening enough to send assassins and not come himself, then that means that he is afraid of facing me in person or calling for a contest of champions lest he lose and further damage his reputation, such as it is.” She shrugged while Faltos turned a darker shade of red at the insult and began to tremble. “It is privilege enough to be respected enough that he'd consider me worth getting rid of.” Faltos jumped to his feet and slammed his fists on the table.

“You do not have my respect!! You have nothing I want, and what's more, you're a woman!!” Lady Yishna gave him an icy look, but he did not notice. “Do not think that your grandfather's shadow reaches so far as to protect you here, wench; if I really wanted you dead, I'd have challenged you myself!” Jackylin laughed at him.

“Given your failed attempt last night, and your cowardice during our previous meetings, I doubt that.”

“Wench! You go to far!!!” He pointed a shaking hand at her and I turned my head to look at Jackylin, who did not look bothered in the slightest. What's this guy's problem? I wondered. Murder does not seem to be as big a deal in this world as it is in mine. Why doesn't he just challenge her to a duel and be done with it? Jackylin drank the rest of her water and set the mug down.

“No, I think you're wrong there. I think that I haven't gone far enough.” Jackylin looked away from the fuming Faltos and looked at her nation's ruler. “Your majesty?” The king yawned.

“Yes?” The king lifted his own mug and began drinking.

“Falots has nothing that I want, but there is someone here that does have something I desire.”

“Truly? Whom and what may this be?”

“You. I want your throne.”

The king choked on his drink and dropped his mug, the water splashing across the table and dripping down to the floor. Faltos's red face of rage suddenly became one of disbelief, then glee. Lady Yishna, her daughter, and the others sitting at the table gasped at varying volume and all stared at her in disbelief. My own face was a little surprised as well. I thought she wanted to wait until the reports had all gone by. I wonder if it was that ass of a man changed that her mind, or if she just wanted to catch everyone off guard?

When the king could breathe normally again he looked at Jackylin with an amused expression. Most likely he thought her to be joking and decided to humor her.

“Well, I don't have too much to do later this afternoon, but what brought this on? Surely not simply because he-” The king pointed at Faltos. “showed a bit of disrespect.”

“Not at all, Alpha. I've actually been planning this for quite some time but never could get a champion to volunteer for me, since, I admit, I lack the physical prowess to best you. Now I've got one.” The king looked around the room and raised an eyebrow briefly.

“Really? Is it someone present?”

“Of course.” Jackylin did not volunteer to elaborate, so the king had to ask.

“And whom would you have fighting in your stead? Surely not the pony?” he asked with a still-amused smile. Jackylin laughed.

“No, of course not. Although, given that she was the one that dealt with the other assassin by herself, I have no doubt she could handle any one of us with exception to you with relative ease.” Once more all sets of eyes fell on Applejack, but not of hunger, but rather disbelief or wariness. “No, Lighthand shall be fighting in my stead.” She explained, pointing at me. More expressions of disbelief, but none of wariness. Instead, their faces quite clearly said 'you've got to be kidding'. “Or, if you prefer, he could just kill you now and we'll call it a day.” The king sighed and shook his head slowly.

“Alright, miss Jackylin, your joke has run its course and is no longer amusing.”

“I am not joking.”

“You are aware that if you go through with this and when he fails that you will die along with him, as well as your entire family as dictated by our people's traditions, correct?” She nodded.

“I'm not worried.”

“Fool.” Faltos muttered quietly, yet still loud enough that everyone could hear. Ignoring him, the king sighed and looked at me.

“You can still back out, Elder. Last chance.” Young man, I slew a Dragon by myself when I was younger and far less experienced than you. I'm sure I can handle anything you throw at me! I wanted to say that, but I knew that even Jackylin probably would not believe that, so I simply said that I was ready instead.

“Your funeral.”

__ __ __ __ __

Faltos returned to his quarters in a jolly mood. Though he'd been forced to suffer Darkfist's insults, now at last he could be rid of her, as well as the other members of her family! Once gone the next most-qualified person would take over commanding of the hunting group, but more than that someone would be needed to lead their village as well. For the moment the ones in charge were almost all made up entirely of Elders, yet the old traditions still stood and if challenged they would either have to fight to keep their positions, or step down. Either way, he would win.

When he was angry he had declared that she had nothing he wanted, but that was untrue. Her family was one of the more influential ones in Boarborne, and with them gone it would open up the opportunity to take control of it. With Boarborne added to his land territories he would become richer by far in both currency and in food supply. Using that food supply he could gain much influence in the world and perhaps, in a few years, make a grab for the throne himself!

He would not be nearly as foolish as Jackylin had been however, no. Instead he would use cunning and plan a way to have him assassinated and then once the more powerful contenders for the throne had beat each other to a pulp he would step in and clear out the remaining competition, and likely also through assassination until what little competition that remained would be easily handled either through force, influence, or bribery.

Oh, yes! Things are finally going my way! he thought as he took a seat in a soft chair.

He had spent nearly an hour envisioning the power he would obtain in the future when a messenger came to him and interrupted his daydreaming. Mildly annoyed he asked what the messenger wanted.

“One of your spies from Mythica has come back, sir. She says that it has to do with Lady Darkfist.” Faltos smiled and replied that she was to be allowed in as soon as she had arrived. The messenger bowed, and exited. Given that Jackylin's demise was all but certain in the near future he doubted it was necessary, but if nothing else he could inform her that her services were no longer required. Fifteen minutes later the spy walked in and shut the door behind her, leaving her escort behind in the hall. She walked halfway across the room, and then stopped in a shadowed area and awkwardly bowed to him. Faltos smiled and nodded.

“I have done as you requested, sir.”

“And? What have you to report?”

“Several things. First of all, Darkfist has made a deal with the village of ponies that she was given permission to raid. The inhabitants call it 'Ponyville'. While that deal is in effect, she won't raid their village for food.” That would explain why that pony so eagerly serves her. It answers a question, but it's hardly useful.

“Continue.”

“Second, the townsponies have begun construction a wall of thick tree trunks around their village. If they have not completed it yet, they soon will. These ponies are willing to fight to defend their homes.” That does nothing for me now, but it may become useful in the future. He nodded.

“Lastly, and perhaps most important, is that there is an old Human that both Jackylin and Princess Celestia, and her Unicorn student, Twilight Sparkle, have spoken to and seem to trust. There is something...strange about him, although I have yet to discover for certain what it is besides him being able to consume fruits and vegetables. I have my suspicions, though, if you'd like to hear them.” Old? That would be this 'Lighthand', then. thought Faltos, recalling the old man from earlier and the day previous. Certainly his reflexes are faster than most men his age, but that does not really set him apart. Him eating the food of prey, however in another matter. Even so, I doubt he'll be of any serious concern, especially after the king is done with him! Still, one that did not listen to the concerns or suggestions of their underlings tended to not live for long. A subject that was ignored too often grew resentful. It was just such a situation that led to the death of his father, and Faltos' rise to power.

“Very well.”

“There are several rumors I've heard concerning him, as well as a part of a conversation that I eavesdropped on.”

The spy walked forward out of the shadow and into the torchlight, revealing a sea foam-green Unicorn with a lyre for a Cutie Mark on her flanks. “Judging by what I've heard, as well as two Unicorns regaining the use of their horns, I'd say that this 'Jacob Lighthand' can use magic.”

Comments

[shira]

DUN DUN DUN Dun DUUUUUUUUN.

[Deathpony]

OHHH!! Lyra

[Sentinel]

denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw4810-1335908010698.gif