My Little Fortress: Dawnpick

by Paaaad

Virtue's Diary, 9 Obsidian, 259 - 20 Felsite, 260 137

Virtue's Diary - 9th Obsidian, 259

While I was eating with everypony today, I overheard that Stiletto and Glyph were leaving Dawnpick. When I tracked them down and asked them if it was true, they confirmed it. Stiletto told me that she has pressing matters back home that she must attend to, and Glyph wanted to go with her wherever she went.

I'm not happy to see them go, but she has to do what she must. Glyph I suppose I could have ordered to stay, but after speaking with him I think it's for the best. We'll find somepony else to run the stables.

And thankfully the militia has been overkill for our needs so far. Stiletto and Glyph leaving probably won't hurt our military readiness too much.

I just hope the best for them, wherever they end up.

21st Obsidian, 259

The dragon caused damage on a scale completely unlike anything we've ever seen out here. No badger ponies have really even made it inside the walls. The pump accidents just got a few ponies wet. But that dragon destroyed quite a lot. We've started the clean up process and have replaced most of the damaged statues. Most imporantly, we've replaced the drawbridge and can actually get outside or let others inside if we need to. Which we do! The rainbow pony caravan was spotted on the horizon, and they wouldn't be able to get in like things were. Our home caravan should be soon behind them.

Now, if only we'd finished replacing the trade depot. That's the next thing on the list. Once it's repaired, we'll only have fairly minor things to take care of.

1st Granite, 260

I thought I was upset before. I thought when Brook died I was upset. I thought when Barley died I was upset. I thought when Amber nearly died I was upset. And I thought that Indigo taking such offense to Stiletto upset me. I've never been upset until today.

Today has been horrible beyond words.

So much blood...

It started with the rainbow pony diplomat dying in the dining hall. That led to one thing after another, that led to a crossbow being shoved in my face and my life being threatened to Sarissa stepping in to protect me. Then a dozen rainbow ponies were dead. Just trying to think about it is making me nauseated again. I can still hear their dying screams... see their faces as the life left them. Gods above... if I never have to see that again in my life it will be too soon.

All of the merchants are dead. The diplomat is dead. Kat is hurt... I managed to get her to Panacea somehow. I still don't remember how that happened.

Then... just when I thought things couldn't get worse, more rainbow ponies were discovered in the main warehouse. We had a stand off... I don't blame them for being scared. One of them was injured, and when Panacea was looking at her, Sarissa tried to jump in on my behalf again. I... I ended up hurting Sarissa with the rainbow pony's weapon. I feel... sick again... thinking about it.

I've already thrown up half a dozen times today from it all.

The only remotely good thing about today is that those three survived. Gregor... Gregor Spreadstyles was his name. He and his family were traveling to Glitterglen to see his son. It's a fair distance away, so they won't be leaving for a while yet. I've offered them a place to stay for now, and I'm going to make sure that nopony bothers them.

I need to go see Panacea... maybe she has something that can calm my nerves. I doubt it. I won't be sleeping at all tonight.

2nd Granite, 260

Indigo came to see me today. I was afraid that was going to happen. I was more afraid he'd chew me out again for one thing or another. I was surprised when it turned out he's almost as broken up over this mess as I am. He looked terrible.

He asked me if we were investigating the diplomat's death, and I assured him that Partisan is doing just that, but he hasn't uncovered much of anything yet. He also volunteered to help reorganize the supplies from the caravan (I still don't know what to do with them), and help relocate the dead. To that end, I asked the miners to dig out another wing of the crypt to bury them in. It's not much. But it's all we can do for now. We've moved the bodies down there already, temporarily at least. Properly burying them will take far longer.

Indigo also volunteered to make a memorial to their loss. I gave him my blessing, and he shuffled along on his way.

He looked just as bad as I do. I sometimes wonder if he has as many emotional problems as I do.

After he came to me though, Glaive came and informed me of something somewhat disturbing. He told me that he was concerned for my personal safety. I hadn't considered the possibility, but he made a lot of sense. If the diplomat really was killed to spark a war, I might be the next target. Even thinking about it has my nerves frayed again. He suggested I start a personal guard, and since it was his suggestion and I trust him so much, I offered it to him. Thankfully he accepted. He and Storm Cloud. I imagine I feel a little better... but it's probably just hopeful thinking.

This isn't going to get better for a long time yet.

3rd Granite, 260

Fauchard visited me today, and I must say that today has been some of the first good news I've heard in a long time. Seems he wanted to adopt little Friesden. After Glyph and Stiletto left, I neglected to make sure that anypony was watching after her. Kat had been, as far as I know, but now she's hurt. Fauchard offered to adopt her, and she agreed. I feel a little warm just thinking about the expression on her little face.

At least a little happiness can shine through the fog of sadness that grips Dawnpick right now.

When I talked to Glaive today, he expressed some concerns about expanding my personal guard. Not that I needed more ponies protecting me at any time, but so that they could have more time off. That's more than reasonable... I hadn't considered that either when I accepted his offer. He suggested that Falcata be one of the new ponies for the position, and explained his change of mind. I agree with him wholly. I think Fuscina will be next, but I'll have to think about it.

I also got an update from Partisan today. It seems Panacea and Wool finished examining the body of the diplomat, and as far as they can tell, he died of natural causes. Over a dozen ponies are dead now, for nothing.

It's beyond tragic. I of course wouldn't have wanted to know that there was an assassin living among us, but to know that so many are dead for no reason whatsoever sickens me again. I once thought people exaggerated when they said they were so upset their were sick. Now I'm starting to forget what it feels like to not be so upset.

Also, this happened, never seen it before:

4th Granite, 260

All of the repairs have been finalized today. And our home caravan arrived today. I traded fifty thousand bits worth of steel to them for the usual. A few ores we don't have here, some variety of food, but most importantly some pig tail seeds. We can finally start producing thread and cloth here ourselves.

I don't feel like writing much today. I still feel awful.

5th Granite, 260

As if the deaths of the rainbow ponies wasn't enough, I spoke with our liaison today. I knew something was wrong when I saw him arrive with the caravan, but he kept it to himself until today. He knows about the rainbow pony deaths, but that wasn't the main thing he wanted to address. He handed me a letter from King Golud in Coupledye.

Letter from Coupledye

I've known that I've screwed up a lot of things in Dawnpick, but to hear it from the king himself was a blow unlike anything I can really relate. By granting me the title of baroness, he trusted me to do what I had to do. I was required to uphold the law, and I didn't do that. I've failed. I couldn't handle giving out justice, and now I've been shown the repercussions. I stand to lose everything I've worked for out here, and I suppose I deserve it.

Under my leadership, two ponies have died, we've built a church to foreign gods, and criminals have been given laxity that they weren't allowed. What have I done? The liaison was absolutely clear when he spoke to me. Political corruption would not be tolerated. Corruption... something I would never in my entire life believe I'd be guilty of, but it's plain as the ink on the letter.

I couldn't even manage to hold in the crying until he left. I broke down in front of the liaison like a filly whose candy had been stolen from her. What sort of example am I setting here? Glaive must think I'm insane or juvenile. The look on his face when he came back into my office, finding me sobbing like that... he's a kind pony... he didn't say anything about it, but there's no hiding that I just don't have what it takes to do this. I've shown such breach of my duties that Indigo thought it was important enough to tell the king how bad of a job I've been doing. And he's right.

I wanted to just tell the liaison right then and there that I'm through. That I couldn't take any more, but he told me, much to my shock that I was being granted the title of countess. The decree had already gone out, he said, by the time the bad news of my performance reached Coupledye. I stand to lose it if I don't shape up soon.

To that end I asked him to send a judge back to Dawnpick. I can't judge ponies. I just can't do it. We need somepony else to do it.

I feel sick all over again. We may be at war with the rainbows, and here I am bawling my eyes out again just thinking about what happened earlier today. What sort of example am I showing to everypony here? That it's okay to just cry and hide when things get tough?

I don't know when I'll be able to face them again. Maybe the day after tomorrow. I hope...

10th Granite, 260

I finally left the keep today, for the first time in nearly a week. I didn't want to see anypony but my family... but I knew I had to go outside eventually. I saw Indigo today. My first instinct was to hide from the pony who thinks so little of my rule here, but then I saw how terrible he looked too. He doesn't look like he's eaten in a week. Nor slept. I suppose we really aren't so different.

I worry about him. I hope he doesn't get sick over this... or hurt himself. I couldn't take that right now. Please....

26th Granite, 260

We finally managed to finish burying the dead today.

Can't put them in coffins, and I just [d]umped the bodies, so they stacked them up in the crypt. I'm planning on making some slabs for them eventually.

It's not much, but it's a proper burial for them. It's the least we can do for their needless deaths. I felt less bothered by the thoughts about it than I thought. Maybe I'm finally coming to terms with it all. I've actually managed to get more than a few hours of sleep a night lately.

I almost forgot we had a few migrants arrive today. I guess the liaison returned my request to Coupledye.

The first was a pegasus stallion woodcutter named Pine Needles. We also had a pegasus mare arrive today, who said her name was Kit. I thought she looked a lot like Kat, and it turns out they're sisters. I'm glad she has some family here now. I don't know where she'll end up, but hopefully somewhere she's happy with. Lastly, a unicorn mare named Jury arrived, and sure enough she was a judge sent from Coupledye to help my settle legal disputes. She's also a mason, which is good since I dare say we won't need her legal expertise frequently.

That reminds me that Granite is a stallion today. The family had a nice celebration for it, and he started his first official day of work under Flux. I hope he's happy working in the smelters and the machine shop. We're going to need more of both workers soon enough for our steel demands.

10th Felsite, 260

Patina was only a little younger than Granite, and today was her sixth birthday. The family threw a party for her as is the custom here, and she joined the smelters helping out making charcoal and smelting down raw ores. We're going to need more furnaces to keep up with the work loads I think. Something I'll check on soon.

While I was heading out to take a look at that situation, I noticed Friesden was occupying one of our craftshops. After having seen it dozens of times by now, I knew she was experiencing one of those strange moods, and after I saw that Glaive and Falcata were looking after her I went on my way. She'll be fine.

13th Felsite, 260

Today was probably one of the most interesting birthdays I've seen. Little Friesden isn't so little anymore, turning six today and officially becoming a mare. But even better, she finished the project she was working on. She ended up making a grate out of some of the bones from the butchered animals. I must admit I never pegged her for a bone carver, but that's the cutie mark she got. I have no idea what we're going to do with the grate, but we'll probably find a use one day. And I suppose this means Friesden will be joining Totem as a bone carver, but I wonder if it's what she really wants in life?

20th Felsite, 260

Just when I thought I was beginning to get over all of the stress from the past year or so, something terrible happens. We're still not sure how it happened, but one of the monsters managed to squeeze out of the caverns today. Wool was nearby, and it dragged him in. He didn't survive.

The militia and guard immediately galloped off to face the monster as it flew out of the mines, and we all rushed to hide under the dining hall as usual. I'm thankful that they managed to kill it at least, and nopony was seriously hurt. Naginata, Partisan, Kukri and Kris engaged it in melee, and were all caught in a burst of strange dust from the monster. They're all in the hospital now, covered in blisters and in severe pain. Panacea says they should recover soon... but I still feel bad for them.

Again... again my negligence has cost somepony dearly. Wool is dead, and the ponies in the hospital are there because I never bothered to make sure that the caverns were safe. Poor Panacea was torn apart by this worse than I am. She's grown to become good friends with Wool over the years, and now he's dead, and she has to tend to the wounded alone, and every moment she's going to remember Wool isn't there to help her.

I don't know how I'm going to preside over his funeral tomorrow. I haven't had to actually deal with somepony from Dawnpick dying in years... and after everything else lately... I just don't know...

Author's Note:

Save: Dawnpick.zip

Note that a blog post was used for the letter as the spoiler function on the forums hides the text under a collapsible box, while the same function here merely covers the text with a black box. This was the closest thing I could do.