The Kingdoms of Man

Twilight snapped back to the current situation and greeted the man. She bowed and said in perfect Classical Equestrian,

“<Welcome to Ponyville, noble one.>”

Feeling confident her studies paid off, Twilight was surprised when the man spoke perfect Modern Equestrian. His voice carried throughout the Train Station as he bowed low.

“It is an honor, Princess Twilight Sparkle. My name is Orator Hominis. I am here to begin the work of negotiation with you and the other nations. They have agreed to meet here, as well. Let me introduce you to my escort.”

He motioned, and his friend came out. He was certainly physically qualified for a bodyguard. From what Twilight could tell, he was very fit. Tall, like Orator, and just as scarred. There was, however, a significant change in attire. Unlike the flowy cape Orator wore, this man had a red tunic that covered his body, from his shoulders to his knees, and he had a curious set of armor on. Strips of gleaming steel overlapped each other, covering the torso and shoulders with plating and gleamed in the midday sun. Instead of boots, this man wore thick sandals, metal bolts dotting the sole of the shoe. A sword hung off his belt, one which would give any would-be enemy pause, sheathed, but obviously sharp. An ornate helmet sat on his head, glistening metal covering most of his head, with solid metal shapes lowering over the top of the head, down the back of the head, and a flat shape covered the back of his neck. Ornate metal shapes hung from the helmet, covering parts of his face. A royal red crest ran across the top of the helmet, from ear to ear, putting any royal guard helmet to shame.

He bowed low, crest bobbing slightly.

“It is an honor, Princess. I am Marce Pullo Vorenius. Please, let me introduce you to my command.”

What?

The crested man gave a vocal signal, and all of the boxcar doors slid out. Out stepped many men, also in red and steel. They carried simpler helmets, armor, and big, red, rectangular shields, all which had designs on them, the most prominent being a gold wreath of laurels. They all had similar swords on their belts, and all stood at attention in a practiced manner, next to one another in formation. Never moving, never flinching. These faces seemed younger in comparison to the wrinkled-scarred faces that Marce and Orator wore. Ponies had gathered to watch this odd event.

He isn’t just a bodyguard. He’s a captain, or a general!

Everypony turned to Marce, who grinned with pride and sharp canine teeth. These must be his finest soldiers. Still, one thing still bothered her. “Why did you bring so many soldiers with you?”

Marce chuckled, “You need at least this many to safely traverse through the wilds which we live in. This way, we don’t get attacked. Often. You won’t find a finer set of soldiers in all the armies of the kingdoms.”

Orator glanced over at him with a neutral expression. “Other than the ranks of the Kingdoms of Abraxas and Lacedas of course, Marce. Your Reman legion, fine as they are, still are only but a part of the defense of the kingdoms.”

Marce winced for a second, before replying. “Of course, sir. I wouldn’t discredit the strength of the two other kingdoms.”

“No, you wouldn’t. The personal army of the Regnator Ligia has ensured that.”

They suddenly tore themselves away from each other and into the situation at hand. They both apologized and Orator spoke, “May we have the honor of knowing your companions?”

Twilight turned to her friends, and pointed them out as she introduced them. “This is Pinkie Pie, the Bearer of the Element of Laughter.”

Pinkie Pie then bounced forward with the widest grin she could manage, offering one of her forehooves. Orator grasped the hoof and shook it firmly. “It is a pleasure, Element Bearer Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie Pie then withdrew back to Twilight’s side, as she introduced the rest of her friends. Orator greeted them all, shaking their hooves, and using their titles as element bearers. The ponies were getting a sense that the visitors were extremely formal, which was understandable, yet was a bit worrying that they seemed so tense.

The column of soldiers stepped forward, allowing more soldiers to disembark from the train. These soldiers seemed significantly younger, but had simpler armaments, consisting of the same signature helmets, the same signature tunics, and the same signature sandals. They had light leather armor, though, along with a smaller, round shield, which held heavy javelins. They fell into line behind the much hardier looking steel-plated soldiers. Together, these soldiers walked into a solemn column in front of the trains. The ponies looked to these soldiers, nervousness and uncertainty covering their faces, while Marce and Orator looked over to them in pride. Twilight looked back to the duo and noticed their prideful looks, then cleared her throat. Their attention successfully regained, Twilight spoke up, nervously, “Shall we get going, then?”

Both men nodded, and Marce barked out several commands to his soldiers. They all lined up, and as the ponies, Orator, and Marce moved throughout the town, the Legion followed. To the passerby pony, it would seem that a military parade was going on, of a kind that was never seen before. Instead of the hooves of the Royal Guard, it was the sound of thudding feet that reverberated throughout the town, attracting attention as the march continued.

Curious ponies gathered on the sidelines, staring in degrees of awe and wonder. Several ponies grew nervous, though, and Twilight could see why. They were, after all, walking with a bunch of strange creatures looking like they could take over Ponyville at any time. Dust started to drift around the marching feet. The rhythmic sound almost seemed hypnotic at the time.

Twilight glanced back at the younger soldiers, and they didn’t seemed to be as discretional with their gazes. Unlike the rigid, steely gazes of the legionnaires, these men occasionally glanced at buildings, ponies, and it seemed to them that this place was indeed one of curiosity.

She then turned to Orator, and said, “How long has it taken to get here?”

He turned to her with a smile, and said, “It took us months to cut through the circle of untamed wilderness that surrounds all our homes. Once on the plain, we made significant progress. I haven’t even seen an airship until the day we... were beset by bandits. It seems danger lurks all around, even in the skies. Nothing we couldn’t live with.” Twilight grimaced, but the man continued. “We finally reached the coast, and we boarded a large vessel, bound for... Fillydelphia, I think it was?”

Orator turned to Marce, who nodded. “Fillydelphia, then. We boarded a train, then, bound for this place, and here is where you find us. Now, where are you leading us?”

Twilight blinked, but said, sheepishly, “We’ve made accommodations in the nearby inn, though we cannot take in your soldiers there. They’ll have to make camp.”

Marce nodded, and curtly replied, “Where can we find an area suitable for encampment?”

Twilight thought a bit, but then said, “Near the Everfree Forest. I warn you, though, it’s quite dangerous to go in there, as there are all manner of monsters. From what I hear, though, it’s quite the norm for you.” She then drooped her head, contemplating the undoubtedly rough existence of these beings, and didn’t notice the first few times Marce asked her something, but she snapped out of it, and heard him out.

“Where can we find this forest, Princess?”

Twilight pointed in the general direction of the forest, along a street to the left, and Marce barked out an order which caused the entire formation to halt. Having been used to the sound of marching feet, this silence seemed eerie, as weapons and armor gleamed in the morning sun. Marce barked out another order, and gave a hand signal, pointing down the street. The legion started up again in their machine-like movements, moving in the direction of the forest. Marce turned to Orator, and asked, “<I must see to the safe encampment of my men, Orator. Permission to leave thy side?>”

Orator nodded, and the Reman Centurion marched with his men. Orator turned to Twilight and asked, “So, where will the accommodations be, then?”

........

After several minutes of walking, a quaint inn came into sight of Princess Twilight and Ambassador Orator. She pointed to it and said, “Look, it’s the Quaint Inn! I’m sure you can rest your battle-weary bones here, Orator.”

After her outburst, Twilight shrunk back a bit as Orator looked a bit incredulously at her. He shook his head, and smiled. “Your kindness is appreciated, Princess.”

With that, the duo walked into the inn, where a curiously-dressed pony greeted them. “Hallo, and welcome to ze Quaint Inn! I am yer Quaint Innkeeper. My name Quaint Innkeeper zhe 12th. Ah. I haff zhe reshervation for zhe... Orator, wazzit?”

An angry voice sounded from another room, “Quaint, if you’re trying to use the accents and convince everypony that you’re Quaint the 12th again, I swear to all that is holy...”

Another pony walked into the inn reception, and upon spotting the visitors, she changed her demeanor instantly and greeted the visitors with a cheerful smile. “Hello! May I show you to your room, Mr...?”

Orator shook himself out of his trance, and observed these ponies a bit more closely. They both had a brown coat, with autumn yellow manes, with streaks of bright yellow here and there. Orator assumed they must be siblings. He said, “My name’s Orator Hominis. Might I have the pleasure of learning your name?”

The pony said, “My name is Hostess. Hostess Innkeeper. I sometimes make treats for guests. Would you like one?”

Orator shook his head, politely declining in favor of just finding a room. Together, the group went to find the reserved room. Upon finding it, Hostess fished a key out and handed it to Orator. He thanked her and bade her farewell. Twilight then returned to her home, thinking about the events that she thought would lay ahead.

......

Meanwhile, Reman camp “Ponyville” was running just on schedule. Trees were felled from the nearby forest, and fortifications erected. A line of trunks served as a makeshift wall that would protect the tent city within.

Attius, an Auxiliary with tanned skin and dark hair, was hard at work, whacking a particularly tough tree with his two-handed foresting axe. He didn’t know what to think of the current situation. He had been travelling long, fighting hard against the wilderness that seemed to hate him and all his friends in the Legion. In his short life span, he’d been under great struggles, toils, and had fought monsters that he knew could kill hundreds of men just like him. Only... he wasn’t quite a man yet. Experience notwithstanding, he was still only a junior auxiliary, waiting for the time he would become a fully-fledged Legionnaire, and a man of the Reman Kingdom. That he would look forward to.

At last the tree fell down from his whacking, and he set aside his large axe in favor of a hatchet that would be more easily handled as he whacked off the branches. He thought of the parade earlier in the day. A deliberate attempt at wooing the populace and an attempt to show off the military power of the Reman Kingdom. Auxiliary Attius had been instructed to act as a proper Legionnaire, and to act disinterested in his surroundings. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, though, and he spared a few glances at the buildings and the populace, curious as they were. He even locked eyes with them sometimes, sharing curious looks. He remembered his training, and kept his eyes to the soldier in front of him.

It was curious, he thought. Curious that such a peaceful place could exist. These houses were a far stretch from the ones that he had seen back home. It all seemed so safe, and tranquil. Clearing his head of these thoughts, he focused back on his work. As soon as the trunk was bare, he tied rope to the end of the trunk and started the grueling task of dragging it back to camp himself.

Hours later, and after some more work, the construction was finished. The wall extended all around the camp, save for several entrances that could be blocked off with shields and swords if need be. Auxiliary Attius rested in his tent, having had his fill of rations. He thought some more about the current situation. It... seemed so very odd to the young man. The Legion hadn’t been attacked for some time, and everybody was joking that the longer between attacks the more severe the next attack, but it almost didn’t seem to be the case here. It seemed incredulous that this place could be indeed very peaceful, something very alien to Attius. Soon enough, the young Auxiliary fell asleep.

A sudden noise woke Attius up. The sound of struggle. The camp was under attack. Peering out of his tent, he saw what appeared to be wolves made of bark and timber attacking men left and right as they struggled against the foe. He got up and out of the tent, unsheathed his knife, and shouted with relief, “<It’s like everything’s normal again!>”

He then joined the melee with his friends.