The Kingdoms of Man

Later that night, the camp was lit up by fires fueled by the very creatures that had caused quite a stir. The soldiers around the campfire laughed and picked at their new wounds and splinters, hoping that these new scratches would scar and add to their prestige and battle-honor. The fires burnt bright well into the morning.

................

The next morning, a group approached the camp. They consisted of Orator and the greeting party of ponies from yesterday. They were exchanging pleasantries when they noticed the slightly damaged camp. Rushing the rest of the way there, they met Marce, where they asked what happened. Marce said,

“Honorable Orator, we had only just finished the fort when beasts from the forests attacked us. I’m glad to report no casualties and . If I may say so, sir, this has been a real morale booster, seeing as the men can unwind after such an uneventful journey.”

Orator had a smile on his face, while the ponies were flabbergasted. They considered fighting dangerous creatures fun? What kind of society would have to fight for so hard for so long that they would expect to fight for their lives as sure as they’d expect the sun to rise? The ponies were brought back to the current situation as Orator asked them something. He tried asking again, “My ladies, are you alright?”

Nervous nods answered the man, and the group went into the camp proper. Injured, jolly humans lied on cots here and there, chatting with friends and showing off their injuries. The more severe the injury, the more praise and attention they seemed to get from their fellow Legionnaires. Twilight asked Orator, “I hope they’ll be alright.”

Orator looked back with a smile and said, “Your concern is appreciated, but unnecessary, Princess. A couple of days and those scratches will be but a fond memory.” Twilight blinked. It would seem that these humans were quite hardy. A good trait to have, considering.

The Legionnaires inside the camp regarded the group with salutes, waves and smiles. They weren’t kidding about the morale being raised. A few soldiers sparred with thick sticks and the large shields they carried. They seemed to be quite rough with each other, which was almost understandable, the way they had to fight every day. The level of commitment that they seemed to go to war with, though, was frighteningly high. Fluttershy spoke up. “Um, Marce?”

The party stopped as Marce looked to Fluttershy expectantly. She then said, “Is there anypo-anybody that’s really hurt? I know you can probably deal with these injuries on your own, but if there’s anything I can do to help...”
Marce nodded, then said, “Element Bearer Fluttershy, we do not require medical assistance, but if you feel the need, go ahead. These men would consider it an honor to be attended to by such a healer of high standing and quality.”

Fluttershy shrunk behind her mane, but went off to attend to the injured. Rainbow Dash broke off from the group to go accompany Fluttershy as she flew from man to man, seeing to them as best she could. Rainbow Dash just admired the humans’ tolerance to pain and injury. It seemed that the worse the injury, the more cheerful and envied the man was. What a weird lot they were, to be sure.

The rest of the group went along camp until they came upon a man standing next to a large tent, wherein laid packs and bags, holding lists upon lists upon lists. He must have been the quartermaster. Upon their arrival, the man noticed them, and greeted them. “”

Marce greeted the man back. “”

The Quartermaster held out his list to Marce and said as Marce accepted the list, “”

The Quartermaster then looked to the ponies. Twilight Sparkle, being the only one that understood them, blanched at the true extent of their diet. The Quartermaster then bowed low to the ponies, greeting them the best he could.

Marce addressed the Quartermaster by asking, “”

The Quartermaster pointed to behind the tents, and replied, “”

The Quartermaster then turned back to his lists and checked his supply stock again.

The group then walked by a cooking area, which Applejack and Pinkie Pie took an interest in. Just before the two ponies were out of earshot, Twilight heard Pinkie say, “Oooh, you guys! What’s this diracarnis you guys talking about? It smells soooo good!”

The group finally came to what apparently was a command tent, being more decorative with golden fabrics weaved into the fabric of the tent to make designs befitting such a place. The group walked in and saw several simple chairs around a table. They sat down, and Orator addressed the ponies. “What do you think of our little home away from home so far, Princess?”

Twilight nervously responded, “Well, there’s not much to say of this place. Rarity, what did you think?”

Rarity, in her neverending quest to act ladylike and to value things of an aesthetically pleasing nature, looked around and critically scanned the area, looking for things that were pleasing to the eye, and said, “Well, it’s all very austere... but it is a military encampment, after all. Practicality is first in this line of work, after all.”

Marce nodded, but Orator spoke out. “I was hoping to speak to Princess Celestia about these talks. May we get in contact with her?”

Twilight then said back, “She’s already talking to the emissaries of the other nations. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to talk to me.”

Marce and Orator glanced at each other, but Orator nodded, and Twilight began a rehearsed talk. “I, Princess Twilight Sparkle of the Equestrian Kingdom, do hereby officially begin the peaceful process of negotiations between The Kingdom of Equestria and The Kingdoms of Man.”

Orator smiled, and said back, “As the representative of the Kingdoms of Man, I recognize Princess Twilight Sparkle as the representative of the Kingdom of Equestria. Shall we begin?”

Twilight nodded, and the meeting began in proper.

.......

Meanwhile, Celestia scribbled on a piece of magical parchment furiously. Mild anger furrowed her brow while distress softened her eyes. The negotiations on her end had been utterly disastrous. Fear and superstition were evident in the demeanor of the various representatives that she just spoke to. She thought that the elected and trained ambassadors that were sent by the various races outside Equestria would be civil and well-collected.

What she witnessed was a bunch of children spouting ghost stories about the Kingdoms of Men. If the Griffons were to be believed, Men could throw lightning and cast boulders the size of homes. If the Dragons were to be believed, Men could outfox the very gods that founded the world. Diamond Dogs firmly believed that Men accessed the very core of the world, pawing at its untold riches. If what the Minotaurs say is true, then Men can run for hours and not faint. According to the Kobolds, Men drank acid and crafted steel titans. Somehow, even the reclusive Goblins had tall tales to tell about the so-called “tall war-demons”. It seemed that superstition and distrust ruled the day as Celestia failed to soften the hearts of the ambassadors.

This was why she was writing to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

.......

In the militaristic setting that was the meeting between representatives of Equestria and Mankind respectively, the gathering of goodwill and well-intention was interrupted as a flash of golden light materialized a letter in front of Twilight Sparkle. She unfurled it, and a gasp escaped her. She then said, “We’ve got a problem.”

Orator, Rarity, and Marce looked on with uneasy anticipation in the pit of their guts as Twilight read the letter aloud.

“ Dear Twilight Sparkle,

My faithful student, I must extend my apologies, as I have failed the Kingdoms of Man. Superstition runs rampant throughout the lands, and I fear an attack is imminent. Extend my apologies to Orator, please, and advise him to return to his lands post-haste.

Your mentor,

Princess Celestia. ”

Orator and Marce stood up, demeanor changed to one of seriousness, rather than one of hospitality and friendliness. They traded looks, then Marce charged out of the tent, shouting in Classical. Orator bowed to Rarity and Twilight and then said, “I’m sorry, Princess. We must busy ourselves with our departure. We will keep in touch, Princess. May I escort you out of camp?”

Rarity and Twilight said nothing, instead choosing to follow Orator outside and into the camp. It seemed like chaos outside. Men were running everywhere with equipment, the wooden walls being felled, tents being taken down and packed up. Even the wounded seemed to pack up in haste.

In short order, the group found Pinkie Pie and Applejack helping pack up the provisions. They bid farewell to their Legionnaire friends and joined up. Next, they found Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, fussing over the severely wounded as they made themselves ready for travel. Reluctantly, Fluttershy broke away from her treatment of the wounded, whom was tailed by Rainbow Dash, interested more in the men themselves than their wounds. There was something about their demeanor that she found awesome. She also overheard some of the phrases that were offered to the injured. Phrases such as,

“Dolor nihil sed antecessor gloriae est.”

She would have to ask Twilight what they meant when they said that.

.....

Attius the Legionnaire was in a rush, as was the rest of the Legion. The order came down from Centurion Marce that they were to be in the Kingdoms yesterday, and that an attack by the simpletons next to the kingdom’s borders was not only possible, but possibly imminent.

Everyone then made sure to keep at least their swords close.

And then the run began.

Everyone was in a line, including the wounded, and they ran. The ones who couldn’t run were on stretchers carried by upwards to ten men. But they ran.

.....

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were walking through the streets of Ponyville, having been escorted out of the military camp by Orator, and now were glancing amongst themselves, trying to speak without words how they felt about the unfolding events that were occurring.

Then their ears twitched as they heard and tried to identify a strange rumbling sound that reverberated throughout the ground. Almost like a...

“Stampede!”

The group then turned around to see who had said that, but as they did, they caught sight of something else.

It was the entire Reman Legion barreling through the streets.

Their metal-studded sandals thudding on the dirt roads of Ponyville, the surprisingly swift runners of the Legion raced through the streets, winding to the train station. Ponies stood aside, awash again with awe and curiosity as the Legion again made its way through the town. It could even be a mesmerizing sight, seeing the coordinated march proceed through the street. The soldiers carried all their kit and their wounded comrades, running just as fast as the next man. Such a display of synchronized racing hadn’t been seen in Ponyville before. These bipedals were running next to each other carrying so much and yet weren’t stumbling on the ground or each other.

The train that carried them there hadn’t departed, but was on standby at the station, ready to take the Legion wherever they wanted. Which, at that moment, was out of here. The pony train conductors and engineers were lounging in one of the train cars when they saw the storm of people that showed up. Marce walked up to them and instructed that they start the train and make it ready for departure immediately.

While the ponies got the boilers going, the wounded were loaded, and the equipment stashed away. The last ones on the train were Legionnaires like Attius who had formed a perimeter with their swords and shields while the train was loaded. The cargo train, having all its doors closed and all its passengers secured, the train departs, hastily making its way to the east coast of Equestria.