My Little Teelo: Masquerade

by Ardwolf

Belligerency

In which a different side of the Royal Sisters is revealed.

---

Teagan frowned as she settled into her own chair at the table. The council members wore uniformly grim expressions, all aimed toward the sole pony council member. His expression was somber, ears half-folded and mouth in a hard straight line.

This could be very bad, Teagan thought with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

One of the trolls rose and addressed her, fortunately in Equestrian.

“Min Dronning, my name is Sannheten of Clan Inngang. I bring a serious matter before the council. A troll of my clan has raised her claws against a member of clan Hest. We are gathered to hear what each may say and pass judgment on the matter. Given your well known views concerning Clan Hest I felt it best if the Council dealt with this quietly before knowledge of it spread.”

“When did this happen? How badly was the pony injured?” Teagan asked in a poker voice, her expression carefully blank.

“Last night. Her husband stopped her before death was dealt,” Sannheten replied in a flat tone. “The member of Clan Hest was taken to the pony infirmary where his injuries were tended to. He will be limping for some time but I am told he will not lose the use of his leg.”

“What prompted the attack?” Teagan asked calmly, even as her stomach was doing flip-flops.

“Theft,” Sannheten said quietly, “is her claim. The pony claims it was a misunderstanding.”

The absolute quiet around the table made Teagan uneasy. She quickly took in deepening frowns of the trolls at the word theft. Some were watching Sannheten, others the pony ambassador, but the one that unnerved her was Vismeg, he of the plain harness. He was staring at her in a disapproving manner.

Fjell saw Vismeg’s expression and spoke up.

“Har du noe å legge til, Vismeg av klanen Langtpunkt?”

The troll shifted his attention to the king.

“Ikke ennå, Kongen,” he answered. His voice was flat and unemotional. Teagan had to suppress a shiver. She thought she and the troll were good after she’d answered him during the last meeting. It didn’t help that Vismeg kept watching her.

“Fjell asked if Vismeg wanted to say anything. He said not yet,” Søyle murmured softly in Teagan’s ear.

Teagan nodded her thanks to the troll and addressed Sannheten.

“I am not familiar with Trollish trials. How is it done?”

Sannheten paused, clearly surprised.

“We bring both parties into the chamber and let their own clan heads question them as to what took place. Once each has spoken their piece each is then given a chance to dispute what the other has said and offer proof of their own words. After this they leave and the council decides.”

“What happens if half the Council believes one and half the Council believes the other?” Teagan asked.

“In the past the Kongen’s voice would be the final weight,” Sannheten replied. “Now that Clan Hest has joined us, your voice would be final.”

Teagan did a quick count. “There were ten clans, with Hest making eleven. What clan do I represent on the Council?”

“You speak for all, min Dronning,” Sannheten answered. “You are not a member of any one clan, as the Kongen is. Clan Hest is part of your clan, but your Clan O’Gara is a separate thing. Thus you have a clear weight that is not part of any other clan. So there will always be a way to decide when the Council is split. But such a split is a very rare thing. It has not happened since I joined the Council.”

“What about witnesses?” Teagan asked, trying to figure out any differences between Earth courts and troll ones.

“If there are witnesses each is questioned by their own clan head, after the two have had their say.”

“And if it’s a non-troll, like a minotaur?”

“Then their questioning would fall to you or the Kongen,” Sannheten replied.

“Thank you, Sannheten,” Teagan nodded her head.

“Værsågod, min Dronning,” Sannheten replied. He motioned to Truth Speaker, who rose to his hooves and accompanied the troll to the doors, which the troll opened.

“Let the parties come before the Council to be judged!” Sannheten bellowed. Soon a pair of trolls and a pony entered the chamber. Sannheten led the two trolls to the left of the council chamber while Truth Speaker led the badly limping pony to the right.

Teagan winced when she saw the bandage covered the top of the earth pony stallion’s thigh, to mid leg. It hid his cutie mark and straps ran over his rump to form a sling under the other leg. He was a deep gold color, with russet mane and tail. It was clear the injured leg wasn’t bearing very much weight, giving him an odd jumping gait that was reminiscent of a human on crutches.

“The Council has heard that you raised your claws to a member of Clan Hest,” Sannheten began abruptly, “after he stole from you. This is all we know of what you say. Tell us what happened.”

“I am Meisel of Clan Inngang,” The troll woman spoke loudly, staring her rulers straight in the eye. Søyle began speaking in Trolsk as she continued, clearly translating since Meisel was speaking Equestrian.

“I am well known as a maker of small statues. Some weeks ago Winter Gust of Clan Hest came to me to create a statue to be given as a gift to his kjæreste. He brought many pictures to let me see what she looked like so I could make a statue to capture her kvintessensen. It is my gift to do this thing. Upon making the statue I sent a message to him to finish our business. After many days I still had not heard from him.

“Last night he came to my shop and told me he did not have the money to give me for the statue. My kamerat heard him say this thing and can speak to the truth of my words. Winter Gust then said he wished to break his word to me and turned to leave.”

“Is this not the Law?” She demanded in a bellow. “Once a promise is made, it is a thing! Winter Gust of Clan Hest is foresworn! He is a thief, and thus I attacked him as the coward turned to run. I would have taken his life for the theft he committed, as the Law requires! But my kamerat held my arm, telling me Clan Hest was newly come to us and might not know the Law, that it would be better to let the Council deal with him.”

“Thus I come demanding justice. Let him pay for what he has done, either in gold or with his life, I care not.”

Then Meisel fell silent.

Emma’s jaw fell, her eyes wide as she stared at the troll who stood with crossed arms. Only Søyle’s hand on her shoulder kept her quiet. Teagan didn’t say anything either, keenly aware of just how ignorant she was in this situation. She didn’t know troll law but from the reaction of the other Council members Meisel hadn’t demanded anything out of the ordinary. That worried her.

Vismeg was still glowering at her too. She suspected the troll was just waiting for her to put a foot wrong so he could pounce. She had no idea why, but since trolls weren’t normally subtle the what was glaringly obvious.

“One side has spoken,” Sannheten said with slow heavy emphasis. “Let us hear the other.”

“I—my name is Winter Gust,” the earth pony said nervously, his ears flicking forward and back, a slight tremor in his injured leg. “I did ask Meisel to make a figurine and was going to pay for it, I swear. But my sister’s house burned down and she has two fillies and is raising them by herself. If I hadn’t sent her all my savings—including the money I owed Meisel they wouldn’t have had any place to stay. Our parents passed on several years ago and she can barely make ends meet as it is. I try to help her as much as I can but my salary doesn’t stretch very far, even here. That’s the truth. I guess that’s it.”

“I have one witness to the events, Einar, husband of Meisel. He was there during the thing and intervened,” Sannheten said. “Speak, Einar. Tell the council what occurred.”

“It is as Meisel and Winter Gust have said,” Einar said with no particular emotion. “I know the Law and it is true that Winter Gust foreswore himself. But I also have heard our Dronning has brought Clan Hest into the Trolls, yet they are newly come, and still strange to us. The way of this thing is beyond my knowing and it was my thought perhaps all was not as it seemed. Therefore I stopped Meisel from killing Winter Gust, even though it seemed lawful to take his life.

“Yet the taking of life is no small thing, and I do not claim to be as wise as the Alene. Yet it seemed to me the threat was not urgent. Once he had been lamed Winter Gust could not run away. It was clear we had time to seek advice, and so I intervened.”

Teagan watched Einar with interest. This was the first time she had ever heard a troll practice restraint without prior orders.

Once it was clear Einar had finished speaking Truth Speaker stepped forward. “I bear witness that Winter Gust did indeed send a large sum of bits to his sister two weeks ago. The payment was shipped via the regular mail chariot, the proof of which I have collected and have made available to the Council during our deliberations.”

When the ambassador stepped back Sannheten spoke loudly.

“Both parties and witnesses have spoken. Let them leave the chamber that the Council may discuss this matter and come to its judgment.”

ooOoo

Once the doors had closed behind the aggrieved parties both Sannheten and Truth Speaker returned to the table and sat down.

Vismeg spoke up, saying something in Trollish, clearly addressing Teagan.

“Vismeg is curious to hear your voice on this matter,” Søyle translated. Teagan kept a neutral expression and spoke quietly.

“I’m the new kid in town, so I’d prefer to hear what everyone else thinks before I say anything. I’m not all that familiar with Troll law and will probably need to ask a lot of questions before I can decide anything.”

Vismeg nodded when Søyle translated and sat back in his chair.

First volley returned, Teagan thought sourly. What is his problem with me?

“The matter is simple,” Sannheten said. “Winter Gust is foresworn. Meisel was within her rights. The Law is clear.”

The non-Equestrian speakers waited patiently for Søyle to translate.

“I agree that Winter Gust owes Meisel the money, but he can’t pay her if he’s dead,” Truth Speaker said. “It profits no one to kill him. What of his sister and her fillies? Without his assistance they would be extremely hard pressed. It was an emergency. Does Troll law not recognize emergencies?”

“Then Winter Gust should have been prudent and not committed to such an extravagant gift,” Sannheten retorted. “Meisel extended a kindness in not requiring payment before completing her work. What of her? What of his promise to pay? What of the fact he is foresworn?”

“We’re talking about a thousand bits,” Truth Speaker protested. “Admittedly it’s a fair sum but hardly worth a pony’s life.”

“Sannheten,” Teagan interjected, “what exactly would satisfy Meisel? Didn’t she say she’d be satisfied with the gold?”

“She would be,” Sannheten replied, nodding to her. “But Winter Gust does not have it to give.”

“And what is the worth of his life?” she asked, tilting her head. “Truth Speaker is right; a pony’s life is surely worth more than a mere thousand bits. Wouldn’t Meisel be shortchanging Winter Gust by killing him?”

“He is foresworn, min Dronning!” Sannheten protested. “His life is worthless. Would you have us tolerate one we can never trust? That is forbidden!”

“Let’s say we let Meisel kill him,” Teagan said calmly, much to the shock of both Emma and Truth Speaker. “How does Meisel get her gold then? And what of the thing she made, what did you call it?”

“A dukke kvintessensen, min Dronning,” Sannheten replied. “You would say statue, although Meisel’s art is seldom larger than two hands across.”

“So what of the little statue? Will she keep it? Sell it to someone else? What?” Teagan asked.

“She must destroy it, min Dronning,” Sannheten replied. “To do otherwise would invite disaster. Such a thing would draw the Deepest Dark into itself. Blood debt, the vengeance of the foresworn would fall upon anyone who possessed it. ”

“So, Winter Gust dies, the statue is destroyed and Meisel doesn’t get her thousand bits? That sounds like a very bad deal for everyone.”

“This is so,” Sannheten agreed gravely. “Trolls do not take such things lightly, I have said this.”

“Let us say that Winter Gust pays Meisel what he owes,” Teagan said. “What then?”

“Then Meisel would have no claim on his life, the statue would be his,” Sannheten replied. “But he is still foresworn. He would be banished from the World Below. But this is only false speaking, min Dronning. He has said he does not have the gold.”

“Does Troll law require the gold to be his alone?” Teagan asked.

“I do not understand. How could it be otherwise? If he has it, it is his. If it is not his, it means he took it from someone else. He would be a thief twice over, and his victim would kill him.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Teagan said with a small smile. “Do trolls understand the concept of loans?”

“I do not know this word,” Sannheten said finally.

Teagan looked around the table. Truth Speaker was smiling broadly. The other trolls all looked puzzled, waiting for her to explain.

“That’s brilliant, Teelo!” Emma said, her momentary doubt in Teagan’s sanity vanishing.

Vismeg spoke up and Søyle dutifully translated.

“Is this a human thing, my Queen?”

“Human and, I’m guessing from the look on Truth Speaker’s face, a pony thing as well,” Teagan said in satisfaction. “Meisel would be paid; Winter Gust lives and gets the statue so there’s no blood debt. Everybody gets a much better deal.”

“And this loans is some kind of spell craft to make gold appear from nothing?” Sannheten asked, with a furrowed brow. Several other trolls were clearly leaning toward the same conclusion and didn’t look happy.

“No magic at all. A loan is a promise made with things. A lump sum is given by one person to another. The person getting the lump sum agrees to pay the first person back over time in several smaller payments, spanning anywhere from several weeks to several years, depending on the amount.”

“Winter Gust is foresworn, min Dronning! Who would trust him to keep to such an agreement?” Sannheten objected.

“Truth Speaker, would the Crown be willing to cover the loan? Act as the loan guarantor?” Teagan asked.

“Absolutely, Your Majesty!” Truth Speaker said happily. “I would have suggested it but as his Clan Head I could not do so without appearing to condone his actions. Although I can sympathize, Winter Gust’s actions were foolish.”

“What is a guarantor?” Fjell asked suddenly.

“The guarantor is the person who will absorb the loss should the loan recipient be unable to pay back the loan,” Teagan explained. “Princess Celestia would absorb the loss should Winter Gust not be able to. Will you accept her promise? As far as I know she’s never broken one.”

“The Pony Princess would risk Winter Gust’s treachery?” Fjell asked, astounded. “Why?”

“I’m thinking ponies have loans down to an exact science, am I right, Truth Speaker?” Teagan said, grinning at the pony.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Kongen Fjell I can assure you there will be no trouble in obtaining the loan or in Winter Gust’s paying it back. Meisel will be paid, you have my word.”

“What of Winter Gust being foresworn?” Sannheten asked. “That is not so easily dealt with.”

The entire council stared at her, waiting to hear what she would say. Teagan considered, behind her neutral mask.

“Well, clearly Winter Gust cannot continue as part of the Equestrian embassy,” she said at last. “While I don’t think he intended theft he is foresworn and can’t stay in the World Below. Truth Speaker, I’m sorry, he has to go, even after he pays Meisel.”

“Agreed,” Truth Speaker said briskly. “I understand completely, Your Majesty. His actions were extremely foolish and might have caused a rift between Hejm and Canterlot and that cannot be tolerated. Once his business with Meisel is complete he’ll be put on a chariot and sent back to Canterlot. No doubt Princess Celestia will want a word with him, and then a quick transfer out of the diplomatic corps to some less sensitive post seems in order.”

“Sannheten, I’m not familiar with Troll customs. Would this be acceptable to Meisel, to Clan Inngang, and to you?”

“I ask for an hour of the Council’s time to discuss this thing,” Sannheten said. “It is a new and strange idea, and we must look at it carefully. But if it should be decided this loan is not dangerous I believe the matter between Meisel and Winter Gust could be ended without death.”

The discussion that followed was in parts quiet and thoughtful and in others lively and loud. Every clan head wanted to make sure their concerns were heard and dealt with.

It didn’t take an hour—it took nearly three.

But in the end a consensus was reached. The Council agreed to allow Winter Gust to get a loan, but would wait and see how things went before any further loans were allowed. Further, Truth Speaker would have to have a meeting with all ponies living in Hejm and let them know exactly what Winter Gust had done and why no other pony would want to make the same mistake.

ooOoo

“Let the parties come before the Council to hear the Council’s judgment!” Sannheten bellowed after he opened the doors.

A clearly terrified Winter Gust quickly limped over to join Truth Speaker, who refused to say anything. Meisel and Einar joined Sannheten.

Fjell rose and began to speak.

“Meisel of Clan Inngang, Winter Gust of Clan Hest, the Council has considered this matter most carefully. We have threaded new caverns in search of a peaceful way to resolve this issue. Let it be known to all gathered here that more than a simple theft occurred this day!

“Meisel, for all that you acted within the Law and though none of the Council fault you for your actions, it must still be said that you endangered the peace of the World Below. You could not know this, and so we hold you blameless. However, as this day proves, Einar acted wisely in keeping your claws from Winter Gust’s throat.

“Winter Gust, you acted as Clan Hest has always acted, but in so doing you too endangered the peace of the World Below. Like Meisel, you acted in ignorance of the full consequences of your actions, and for that you bear no guilt.

“However, you have still broken the Law and must pay a price for doing so. Therefore hear the judgment of the Council against you, which comes in two parts.

“First, your debt to Meisel must be paid. Truth Speaker has said he will give you something called a loan that you may pay Meisel in full. Meisel, you will in turn give him the dukke he commissioned from you. That will mend your hurt, and end your part in this matter.

“Winter Gust, you are foresworn, of this there is no doubt, and there is no mending what you have torn asunder. Once you pay Meisel and she gives you the dukke you will be banished from the World Below for all time, never to return on pain of death. I am told you will be returned to Canterlot by way of the flying chariots, where you will discuss your actions with Princess Celestia. No doubt she will then remove you from the ranks of the Snøskred and find some other place for you so you may repay your debt to Clan Hest.

“This judgment has been said! Truth Speaker, take Winter Gust back to the embassy and guard him that he does not seek to escape. Meisel, tomorrow morning you will take the dukke to the dwelling place of Clan Hest where you will receive your due.”

Meisel nodded to the Council and she and her husband left. Truth Speaker led Winter Gust from the room and the doors were closed.

“I declare this session of the Council ended!” Fjell said, slamming his fist on the table with a loud bang. “It is time and past time to fill our bellies!”

There was a loud roar of agreement as the various Council members rose and went their separate ways.

Vismeg stared at Teagan impassively for a moment before leaving.

ooOoo

Celestia shrugged her shoulders to settle the heavy armor more comfortably. She had always hated her armor—the need of it, the purpose of it, what she did while she wore it. But there was no doubt today it was needed, however much she might loathe the necessity.

“Ah dinnae think Ah’d e’er see ye iron-clad, Princess,” Sun Hammer said, standing back and admiring the golden gleam of enchanted metal. “Tis a bonnie sight and no mistake! Yon nyaffs’ ha made their last mistake, so they have.”

“Perhaps,” Celestia allowed, “although I will count the hours until I can shed this overgrown tin can. You of all ponies know the weight I bear, Sun Hammer.”

“Aye, so Ah do,” the scarred pony said with a nod. “But Ah’ll be at yer back. Nae crabbit fowk will catch ye in fholach, Princess! Jus’ let me get me awn armor, twill nae take but two shakes o’ a lamb’s tail.”

“I will aid thee, Sun Hammer,” Princess Luna said, encased in her own dark blue steel. Unlike Nightmare Moon’s armor, which had been largely ceremonial—consisting only of helm, peytral, and greaves, the Sisters’ armor (which differed only in color) fully encased their bodies, unlike the lighter barding worn by the Royal Guard.

Razor-like blades, scaled up to fit, lined the leading edges of their wings. Razor edges adorned all four hooves as well. If the armor hadn’t been enchanted to increase flexibility and reduce its weight, and the alicorns themselves not ridiculously overpowered with enhanced earth pony strength, they couldn’t even have moved.

As it was, they could still fly (with effort) and retained most of their ground mobility and grace, although even their prodigious strength and stamina wouldn’t allow them to gallop for more than the distance of a typical charge.

And while the Sisters could wear the armor for hours if necessary neither was looking forward to it.

With Luna’s telekinetic help Sun Hammer was armored in a quarter of the time it would have taken him by himself.

Captain Strong Shield was waiting at the entrance to the armory when the three massive ponies emerged. He stared at the armored princesses with a look of shock, before remembering himself and bowing.

As the quartet made their rather loud and ringing way back to the throne room the princesses laid out what was happening and what they wanted him to do. Strong Shield split off to carry out his orders long before the rest of them reached their destination.

ooOoo

The princesses found Wind Shimmer waiting for them at the entrance of the throne room.

“Your Highness, we opened the scroll tube found in your bed,” Wind Shimmer said, bowing quickly, and then floated the rolled scroll to the dark blue alicorn, who scanned it quickly.

“It would seem, sister, another ally has joined our cause,” Luna said thoughtfully, weighing the scroll. She passed it to Celestia, who read the scroll more slowly.

“Hast thee opened the chest yet?” Luna asked the unicorn, who shook her head.

“It was being moved to the containment chamber when I came to deliver this, Your Highness. By now they should be performing the final preparations to do so. The scroll might be a trick.”

“Subtle Dancer has rubbed off on you, I see,” Celestia said with a chuckle. The fact her armor hid her expression, leaving only stern neutrality sculpted from metal made the chuckle ring hollow to the unicorn.

“It pays to be cautious,” Wind Shimmer replied mildly. “Especially when a mistake could be so horrifically expensive, Your Highness.”

“True enough,” Celestia replied calmly. “But it is also true that on occasion bold action must replace caution, my little pony. Come; let us see this gift our mysterious ally has bestowed on us.”

With a flash the four ponies vanished, leaving only two gray unicorn sentries to silently guard the massive doors.

Comments

[Verequus]

“What happens if half the Council believes one and half the Council believes the other?” Teagan asked.

“In the past the Kongen’s voice would be the final weight,” Sannheten replied. “Now that Clan Hest has joined us, your voice would be final.”

Teagan did a quick count. “There were ten clans, with Hest making eleven. What clan do I represent on the Council?”

How does this end up with Teagan being the tiebreaker?

[Ardwolf]

8131285
Clan O'Gara would be 12, was her thought... but since clan O'Gara doesn't actually count, there's still an odd number.
But without clan Hest there were 10 clans. Which meant tie breaking would have been important...except now that ponies are a troll clan it's shifted the politics of the council.

The worlds like jewels...