Macintosh of Arabia

by Crisis_Vyper

The Verbal Joust

"Do you really want to know my fancy talk?" Nurse Redheart looked at Big Macintosh resolutely. Big Macintosh raised his eyebrow, rather curious from this weird turn of events.

"Come on you know you want me to talk fancy......" Big Macintosh is not liking this cheeky nature of Nurse Redheart one bit, but his curiosity demands that he knows. Besides, those eyes are now very much stoking the fiery stallion nature of his heart. Before he could say anything reasonable, his lips had once again took over.
"Eeyup, try me." Big Macintosh cursed in his heart but then Nurse Redheart now looks at him with her azure blue eyes, and for a moment Big Macintosh is entranced by her beautiful eyes. He would have loved to stare at them for a considerable amount of time if not forever, but then his view of her eyes was interrupted by the mare's own eyelid. It was then that the mare puts her other hoof on his shoulder, and pulls him closer. He could now feel her breath getting stronger around his left ear as she comes closer, and his heart pounded like a tree being applebucked by Applejack. Slowly but surely, she whispers to him seductively.

"You want to know something?" Nurse Redheart's whisper caresses his ears like fine silk.
"Eeyup? Big Macintosh swallowed nervously.
"That title that they gave you? It means Rhinobucker." Nurse Redheart pushes the farmpony away from her,smiling smugly with a satisfied look on her face while she waits for his reaction. Suffice to say it was a classic. Big Macintosh's eyes are wide with disbelief and also great stallion disappointment, utterly flabbergasted by the rather steamy nature of the whisper just to tell him what they said to him to the point that his jaw dropped. If he were Pinkie Pie, his jaw would have felled straight to the floor. The experience is further enhanced with his weirdly twitching eyes. But then Nurse Redheart realized the tears and she thought that perhaps she had gotten too far and she wanted to say sorry to him, However, the farmpony interrupted her.

"Haaaaahhhhgggggg?" Big Macintosh was suddenly talking in a very spastic manner, and pointing at his jaw. Nurse Redheart was wondering what is wrong. She then stared at Big Macintosh until she realized there's even more tears in his eyes and immediately burst out into laughter as she realized that Big Macintosh had dislocated his jaw. With a single push of her hoof, Nurse Redheart pushed the red stallion's jaw back in place before the damage is permanent. With a loud snap, Big Macintosh's jaw is back in its place. Relieved that his jaw had relocated itself, he then looked at Nurse Redheart, his pride wounded.

"Sure beats my own title, Al- Lai' Hama.......'The Flaming Midwife'. Your title as a whole means The Red Kicking Slayer of Rhinoceros from Equestria. If they decided to give you a title, that means you have done a deed in their eyes that is worth commemorating for a lifetime. You will never see the end of this now that there is a poem about you." Nurse Redheart shrugs while trying to comfort the stallion.Big Macintosh could only facehoofed from this, but then he laughed at it. It was then that he noticed that the white nurse is now looking at him with inquisitive eyes.
"What?" Big Macintosh asked, and honestly in his heart, he did not want to get played around again by the beautiful mare..
"I heard that the Sheikh said that you said something about being a beacon of hope or something after the battle, but the words are quite vague. What did you say to him exactly?" Big Macintosh is now scratching his mane, with redder cheeks than before with his hoof and then he takes a deep breath before he tells Nurse Redheart what he said to the Sheikh.
"A true friend helps a friend in need. A friend will be there to help them see the light that shines from a true friend." Big Macintosh said confidently. Nurse Redheart smiled at him, and that smile lightens up his heart again and making his cheeks a much darker crimson than before.

---

The celebration died down after a considerable amount of time and as the rest of the Saddle Arabians started cleaning the dishes, the two Sheikhs are now looking at each other with an intensity that made both Equestrians uneasy. The Sheikhs muttered something, and the rest of the stallion and mares that are around the large platter excused themselves. The Equestrians are about to take their leave until both of the Sheikhs uttered the same thing at the same time.

"Equestrians, stay. We need you to join in this conversation." Both the Equestrians are now looking at each other, wondering what is going on. It was then that both of the Head Janissary joined them, sitting down in their odd rickety way. Big Macintosh now realized that they are about to get into a political conversation.

---

"For the sake of the Equestrians, we shall conduct this meeting in their language." Abu Hamza said. The burly stallion nods his head, while the two Jannisary remained as silent as the night around their camp.

The Sheikhs have brought them to a camp where the leaders of Sheikh Fahd's caravan would gather to talk about matters. The crystal in the center glows brightly, lighting up the room. But to Big Macintosh's eyes, it appears to further insinuate the darkness of this conversation as he could see the shadow falling around them.The burly Sheikh plays around with his beard, staring intently at the other Sheikh. Big Macintosh had received some warning from Abu Hamza before about the way Arabian diplomacy works. It must be done by at least two ponies on each side. With three ponies on each side, Big Macintosh could see that this meeting will be quite a serious one. Nurse Redheart however is thinking about why is she getting involved in this, for mares in Saddle Arabia rarely participated in meetings, let alone a foreigner like herself. It was then that Nurse Redheart asked everyone in the room.

"Well.....um.....may I ask......what am I doing here?"
"Since Sheikh Abu Hamza have expressed the intention to bring another equine into the meeting and an Equestrian no less, I exercise my fair right to bring in another pony, in particular an Equestrian pony who will know the ways of Equestria." Nurse Redheart is now looking at Big Macintosh, but Big Macintosh is now absorbing all of this into his head.
So, it appears that they would have to have an equal number of ponies with very similar backgrounds on the table to have a fair round of talks..... The red stallion finally understood why his help would be a great boon to Sheikh Abu Hamza in his counsel with the elders. With an Equestrian on his side, the Sheikh's rival would not be able to match up. An odd diplomatic process indeed.

"So....Fahd, why did you agree to bring the mare to Aqqabasta?"
"A client request me to escort her to the capital and indeed I shall. Is there something wrong Abu Hamza?"
"Is it not for the fact that our physicians are inferior to that of an Equestrian physician?"
"I do not know what you are talking about, young Sheikh. What are you trying to imply? Would you share it with me?"
"With an Equestrian physician, you could have a great hold on the Emir yourself as her skills may heal the Emir from his ailment. He is an ailing old stallion you see.....If your Equestrian chess piece is able to heal him, you would have earned great favor with the Emir and you could have a bigger chance of getting the Emir to elect you as crown prince." The burly blue stallion could only smile before he retorted back eloquently.
"What about you my Sheikh? What of you and the red stallion? What role will he play in your bid for power? Nurse Redheart could you tell me about this pony?"
"Well, he is a farmer at Sweet App....." Sheikh Fahd shakes his head.
"No, no.....tell me about his connections, and his blood. Come on, tell me. You know something......" Big Macintosh is feeling a certain commanding air from the burly equine, and the pressure he is putting on Nurse Redheart is almost unfair. He wanted to say something about this, but the Equestrian nurse finally spoke out.

"Big Mac.....he is related to Applejack, one of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony....and he is the grandson of Granny Smith, the matriach of perhaps the largest clan of ponies in Equestria. They are everywhere, farming apples and their apple products and selling them to every pony." Nurse Redheart felt very uncomfortable as she told the sheikh about Big Macintosh's history. But in the company of those that are willing to do anything in a split second that anything went wrong, she decided to comply. She looked at Big Macintosh, truly feeling sorry for what she had done. Big Macintosh could only shake his head, with eyes assuring the mare that what she did is alright.

"Ah.....so he is well-connected both politically and financially. That's even better than your idea that I seek to take advantage of the ailing health of our Lord. Promise the other Sheikhs wealth and connections and they will eat out of your hooves like pigeons." Sheikh Fahd is now looking at Sheikh Abu Hamza with accusatory eyes.
"Nonsense. You know as well as i do that all business deals must go through the elders first."
"Indeed, indeed." Soon enough both the Sheikhs are laughing, but the Equestrians are finding themselves in a very uncomfortable position. Big Macintosh at least is forewarned about his role in their politics, but Nurse Redheart is definitely shocked and hurt by this sudden jousting of words, as she now realized that perhaps the Sheikh is not as kind as he seems in offering her a trip to the capital, Aqqabasta. Big Macintosh really wanted to go to the mare and comfort her, but alas the situation is rather sticky for the moment. The two Jannisary appears to be on high alert, their toes already on their scimitar. Both Equestrians are now afraid that this would go down the deep end.

"Abu Hamza, we are both caravans from the same clan. We are also travelling to the capital. Would you be willing for Big Macintosh to follow my caravan to the capital? It would be a nice thing indeed for make it easier for these two ponies to travel together. Trusting a clanspony is better than trusting anypony else right?"
"I could say the same to you."
"Your caravan is tired from a long journey, while mine are well rested for days." The blue sheikh's words are laced with a subtle threat, one which Big Macintosh could sense. The way in which the threat coils around the words like a poisonous serpent is almost sickening to the red stallion.How could he say such grievous threats so easily?
"Very true. But then do you want us to all be very tired and be sleeping 'deeply?" Nurse Redheart now realized the bigger picture of what is going on. All she wants to do is to get out of this alive with Big Macintosh.
"Indeed. So now where do we go now?"The burly Sheikh said.
" What do you say Big Macintosh?" Sheikh Abu Hamza asked the red stallion. Big Macintosh was speechless and could only point to himself.
"Yes you, Al-Mah'dib. Also Al- Lai'Hama, what would you suggest?" The burly stallion asked the mare.
"There is nothing wrong with travelling together isn't it Sheikh Fahd? A large caravan is better than two little ones right? Wouldn't you agree Sheikh Abu Hamza?" Nurse Redheart smiled weakly as she said so, her voice as pale as her white coat. Of course, she knows that all Saddle Arabians are willing to fight if given the opportunity, unlike ponies. Both Sheikhs started laughing again, and the Equestrians just got more uneasy as they realized that they just either just sealed their fate or just escaped from certain doom.

"Wise words indeed." Fahd said.
"Indeed. Shall we go to Aqqabasta together?" Abu Hamza extends his forearms out. The other sheikh stared at it for a while before giving off another hearty laughter. Both of the Sheikhs then clops their hooves together, apparently sealing a deal or something. How did the situation turned from a dangerous play of see-saw diplomacy to that of an alliance? Those are the thoughts of the Equestrians when they saw the conclusion of the diplomatic process between two clanspony. It was then that the burly sheikh started talking again.

"So pray tell, have you heard about the rumors?" Fahd gives a smirking smile.
"Whatever do you mean my friend?" The tone of Abu Hamza is rather condenscending, but it is hidden in a cloud of hospitality.
"They say that from the east, a Sheikh is rising in power. A Sheikh who became wealthy due to the discovery of what he calls 'Black Water'. With the profits he got from it, he is arming his forces for something we have no idea about." Of course, Big Macintosh and Nurse Redheart could sense that lie from a few miles away, and know what is it that the other Sheikh is about to do. Of course they stayed silent, as they are utterly clueless about the way in which Saddle Arabians handled their political affairs. Soon enough, the silence is once again present in the room, and in Nurse Redheart's mind, it appears that the room is now much more colder and darker than it was before.

"Do you know of this Sheikh?"
"That I do not know. But what I have heard is that the Sheikh is utterly ruthless. The Al-Dhannam clan have been expressing interest in allying with this Sheikh. "
"That Sheikh is known to be a very cunning one, they could convince one of the strongest clans in Saddle Arabia to have an interest in an alliance." The burly stallion coughed a little before continuing on.
"If he did, his clan would indeed be the most powerful in whole of Saddle Arabia. A clan united under such a Sheikh would be a formidable threat." It was then that Big Macintosh noticed that a deep frown is upon the face of Sheikh Abu Hamza, as if he was saying why is Sheikh Fahd telling him this. Big Macintosh could also see a rather sly smile on the other Sheikh's face, as if he was answering Sheikh Abu Hamza with a very simple question; why not?

Author's Note:

This is a very dialogue-heavy chapter, but it comes with the politicking.

Comments

[MC BR0N3]

And so the dirt-raking and power play begins.
Why do politics make things so complicated?

[TheSexyMenhir]

Is this story influenced by "Lawerence of Arabia" (never watched it so I can't tell)? Cause I'm pretty impressed with the story so far. It's one of very few stories that leave me clueless as to where it's going. ^^

[Crisis_Vyper]

@drunkfilisoph: I was inspired to an extent, but the plot is not based on the movie.