When War is Close by

When War is Close by
Chapter 3
A Cold Winter Morning

“Miss Sparkle!”, an abrupt stallion voice could slightly be heard from downstairs, through the sound of knocking on the front door.

Twilight sighed and let herself slide off the bed, that she had been about to tuck herself back into, landing on her hooves and trotting downstairs into the library at a fast pace.
She wanted to get this over with as fast as she could so she could return to the warmth in the bed sheets.

“Miss Sparkle!”, the abrupt stallion voice shouted again while the voices owner was still knocking on her door.

What would anyone want on this cold early morning anyway?
The library wasn’t supposed to be open until about 2 hours from now and besides nopony else who came seeking the library’s wisdom would normally be showing up at the library until after lunch.
Other than that she hadn't made any appointments for this early in the morning.

As she opened the front door, grumbling over who it could be, it surprised her to see a pegasus wearing the royal guard armour standing just outside her door. She only got more surprised by what he said.

“Good morning, Miss Sparkle I presume?” The guard nodded at her not waiting for an answer.

“Princess Celestia has requested that every citizen of Ponyville meet up in front of town hall so she can speak to everypony about the current events of the war between our ally the Griffin Kingdom to the north of here and the neutral half-dragon kingdom Thaczil even further north.

If you have questions please relay them to the Princess herself or a lieutenant of the royal guard.
If you'll have me excused I have more citizens to inform”.

Having relayed this information to her, he took off leaving her almost stunned for a few moments.

She shook her head and gathered her thoughts then she galloped back into the library and into the bathroom to brush her untidy morning mane and her teeth, thinking heavily.

War... What could this mean? There had been peace in Equestria for longer than a millennium and suddenly now there was war?
Do we even know how to defend a country anymore? Would her own brother take part?
What about herself and her friends?

Even if Rainbow Dash had moved back to Cloudsdale two and a half year ago, when she joined the Wonderbolts, and Rarity moved to Canterlot a half year later, to boost her business, it still worried her and what about Spike and Scootaloo?

The two of them had planned to stay in the in the Griffin Kingdom for a bit longer to see things or that's what the letter said, that Rainbow Dash had delivered to her at her home coming from the aerial Olympics in the Griffin Kingdom a month ago.

She grabbed a scarf, quill and ink and jumped out of the front door, tucking the scarf around her neck.
As she set off in light gallop towards the town square and the round building with flags standing tall in the middle of it.

The town square was already filled with worried and talking ponies when Twilight arrived and more ponies were drifting in by the minute.

She could see her mentor, the Sun Princess, standing on the veranda of town hall, talking to one of her guards as she was leaning over the gathering crowed.

As if it had been her cue the princess took a step forward when she made eye contact with the purple mare and started to speak.

“Citizens of Ponyville”, her regal tone was loud and somewhat worried yet determined and strong.

“Grave times are nearing. War is upon us.

The half-dragon army from the kingdom of Thaczil stands at our door step.
They during a single attack last night, in one quick sweep, conquered the throne and more than half of the Griffin kingdom including the capital Gryphus, granting them safe passage to enter Equestria.

Our enemy is ruthless and brutal. They are on march towards Ponyville even as I speak to you now. And aim to take Equestria by force.”

The Sun Princess paused for a few seconds. Worried whispering had broken out amongst the gathered crowd.

All Twilight could do was stand there and look. What could they do? What could be done? She had read books on Equestrian war history but never on actual combat and warfare.

What could we hope to do against such a strong army? An army that in a single night had conquered most of a country.
What would become of Ponyville? What would become her, her beloved friends and family?

It was as if all these worried thoughts had become a bubble inside her brain, blocking her from taking any actions, making her just stand there slightly shaking. Looking at her mentor, worry-filled eyes.

With hard step forwards The Sun Princess silenced the crowd in front of her as she started to speak again with a stronger and more determined voice.

“But do not worry my children. To defend ourselves and defeat our enemy, I have rearranged most of the royal guard to become part of the Equestrian army!

Hence forth, until peace returns two of the royal guard captains will be high commanders of the Equestrian grounds.

I'm placing a large delegation of the Equestrian army as well as one high commander Lucas Blackmane to take control of Ponyville and its forces.

To defend and protect, as well as halting the enemy's advance deeper into Equestia and hopefully repel them back where they came from.”

The crowd had broken out into racket of worried chatter and questions from right to left.
It had started out as whispers when Twilights mentor had been mentioned the name of the new 'leader' in Ponyville.

“Who is that commander actually?”, a younger pegasus had asked at some point. No one seemed to be able to give him a full answer.
But everypony seemed to have heard something about him. The whispers increased in volume every time someone let go of a rumour...

“Rumour has it that he murdered his own parents and set his home on fire in the dead of night to cover it up” An elderly brown earth pony croaked.

“Yea, I heard that too”, a mare who worked at the spa followed up “Some even say his coat used to be white but it got so heavily stained with the blood of his parents that he won't even be able to wash it off!”

Her stallion-friend nodded and even added, “Rumour is that he also gained his cutie mark the very same night.”

“I heard that during the Discord incident, Captain Blackmane went on a rampage and killed several innocent ponies” said a white stallion with a top hat.

“The horror, the horror!”, the flower sisters echoed not too far away.

Twilight was engulfed by the crowd. The loud chatter swallowed most of her thoughts and blocked her ears.
She looked up towards her mentor, who was still standing tall on the veranda of town hall.
The one guard, who the princess had been talking with before her speech, had stepped up next to her again.

The carvings on his steel white armour or for that matter his armours style which seemed cover his body to the fullest except for his red muzzle and eyes. A cut short black tail and finally, his horn which stuck out through the helmet plate below the helmets black décor.

It didn't look like anything Twilight had seen before and for a stallion, even for a unicorn, he wasn't that tall or buff looking ether.

This well decorated, steel covered guard spoke a few words to the Sun Princess that Twilight couldn't hear through the crowd of noise. As a response the Sun Princess took a few steps back and gave him a nodding 'yes'.

The guard took a few steps forward as he slipped his helmet off, fully revealing his face and a slightly messy mane whose colour seemed almost obsidian black.

“Citizens of Ponyville!”, the red unicorns voice cut through the crowds wild chatter like a hot butter knife through butter yet it was velvet soft and deep toned, silencing the crowd, fixing everyponys gaze upon him.

“We have tasks ahead of us that must be completed on time. As Princess Celestia have commanded me I'll be taking care of leading and defending this town from here on in until the war is over.”
He trotted off the veranda slowly into the uneasy, yet silent crowd, which split in two in front of him.

“There isn't much time, I know this is sudden but we need to remove some buildings and reconstruct others to compact the living space of Ponyville for the building of walls to better defend ourselves.”

The red unicorn guard halted his advance amidst the crowd that kept at least a meters distance yet encircled him.

Twilight stood not too far away from him.
She noticed the air around him felt strange to her, almost bizarre, as if the the air was vibrating, yet there was no strong magical force nor anything that felt like a static electric charge or discharge anywhere.

“To do that”, he continued in same soft but now almost commanding tone.

“We firstly need to clean up winter. The soldiers of the Equestrian army shall be helping you so winter wrap up should done lickety split.”

The crowed was so silent that the clicking and squeaking of the metal joints in the neck section of the red unicorns armour could be heard a mile away as he looked around at everypony.

“After we are done with winter wrap up, I need most of you, or at least those you who live at the outer part of town, to go pack the necessities for staying at a temporary camp for at least a months time.
Most of you should be able to move back into your reconstructed and moved homes within a mouth or so...
If you have any questions just about anyone from the royal army should be able to answer them.

Now, Miss Twilight Sparkle.”

The purple mare shook her head in surprise of the red unicorns mention of her name. She could feel the crowd around her eyeing her and giving her sidewards questioning nervous looks as if they felt sorry for her.

“I need to have a word with you, the rest of you are dismissed! Off to your duties!” he finished, as he turned around and trotted back to the veranda of the town hall.
Other ponies starting to take off around him to perform winter wrap up.

Twilight had sat down wondering as all of the others had gone off to wrap up winter. What did the commander want from her and why?
Hopefully she didn't have to take part in battles or for that matter command and lead a battle.

But now she stood in front of the small group of guards that had stayed behind to escort the princess and the red unicorn commander, who had taken it upon himself to conduct the winter clean up. Finalising some notes of places that needed to be cleaned up first for the winter clean up team leaders.

“Good morning, my most fateful student” beamed a familiar voice somewhere behind her.
Twilight turned her head to look for the familiar voice's owner and looked directly into a pair of void black opals surrounded by magenta irises.

“P-Princess!” Twilight shuttered as she drew back in surprise.

Her regal mentor had somehow managed to sneak up so close behind her without making a sound. Her mentors face had been so close that Twilight had felt a slight wind of breath on her muzzle.

“It's a bit chilly”, The princess giggled, “But a nice weather we are having this morning, isn't it?”

Twilight couldn't help but smile at her mentor. “Good morning. Yes, it is indeed a bit chilly”.
Then she paused and changed her tone to a more serious one. Looking at her mentor with worrying eyes, “This war... it's really serious?... isn't it?”
“I'm afraid so...”, the princess nodded, “But luck might be on our side. The enemy is only attacking us on feet.

For some reason their flying troops seem to be nowhere near Equestria and they don't have the element of surprise like they had in the Griffin Kingdom.

So we just might be able to push them back off the border.”

“Well, I suppose that's good”, Twilight said as she lifted an eyebrow, “But why would the Half-dragon king of Thaczil start a war now? First against Griffins and now us?”

The purple mare put a hoof under her chin as she started to ponder over her own question and added in self-wondering.
“The history books claim that the half-dragons have always kept distance to others, denied anyone entry to their country and stayed out of any kind of conflict.”

Her mentor nodded. “Well, there was once a time where they would even trade with us. But that is so long ago now that history itself has forgotten...”
With those words the princess turned her head away and up, looking at the blue morning sky as she let out a sigh.

“Princess, are you... okay?” It wasn't the first time she had seen her mentor being sad but it always had an impact on Twilight.

“Don't worry, I'll be fine” the Alicorn looked down at her student with a smile.
“Now, my most faithful student, if you'll have me excused.”

The princess turned and started to trot away, her guards making haste and following her.

“I have to talk with Mayor mare to resolve the formalities revolving mayorship and law enforcement and you should go see what the commander wants from you, my most faithful student.”

“Yes princess”, Twilight replyed and looked over at the armour plated red unicorn who was trying to give a scroll to a frightened pony wearing an earth team vest.
She looked back after her mentor to see her one last time but she was already out of sight.

Not too far away from Twilight stood the commander. She now noticed a rim or belt of a kind over his left flank. Embedded as a part of the belt, from almost the top of his flank and down, were four different kinds of sword sheaths, each containing their own kind of lightweight sword.

Of them she recognized a standard Equestian army unicorn sabre with it's large guard covering one side of the hilt to protect the mouth, in non levitation use.

Next was a classic steel Windlass, commonly used by mercenary and sellswords in current times. Its widespread guard only good to block incoming blades and axes that would run along the blade.

After that hung a blade in a black sheath that she identified as something from across the eastern border. It had a really small guard but should be sharp enough to, as told in 'legends', cut anything and everything.

Last was a blade of a kind Twilight had never seen before. Unlike the others it had no real sheath, only a small strap around the guardless hilt. Done together with a small button to hold it in place on the belt.

This sword was shorter than the others. Its blade thick and flat with a very small and less sharp edge.
The flat mirror bright surface of the blade was inscribed with magic circles and runes.

Twilight recognized the runes as mana stabilization runes normally used to stabilise the flow of mana in larger magic circles to make them easier to control for the single caster.

But it would made no sense, a magic circle only composed of mana stabilization runes would only make a large grid where mana could flow out of the casters body and into the circles. It would dissolve and be a wasted effort on nothing afterwards. There would be no spell to cast from such blade at all.

'What kind of magic could could be produced with such a blade?' Twilight wondered and to make her wonder even more...

The commander had finished a note. Holding it in his left hoof, pointing it at Rose. One of the flower sisters who had a raspberry coloured mane.

“I'd like you to take this note to your clean up team. Pronto.” She could hear him say calmly.

Twilight found this odd... why would a unicorn, a magical sentinel being, use his hooves to carry objects?

Didn't he know how to levitate things or didn't he posses magic at all?

She knew there were a few such unicorns in the world but she had never met one. Was the commander, the commander in control of Ponyville, her home, such a unicorn?
Twilight tilted her head a bit at this thought.

“Come on, take it already. We don't have all day”, he said, his soft deep toned voice was friendly and less commanding than it had been at the gathering just a few minutes ago.

Yet the mare with the raspberry mane could only shutter out a “Y-y-yes sir” and stand there, as if paralysed, wearing a nervous forced grin on her face.

“Ah, you must be miss Sparkle”, the red commander greeted her as she approached them, still poking the scroll at the frightened mare.

“Yes I am but for what would you need me exactly?” she questioned.

“Well...” said the red stallion, the neck bindings on his exceptional steel armour giving off small squeaks and creaks as he turned his head to look at her with his grey irises that carried a hint of green.

His stare gave Twilight an odd, uncomfortable feeling deep in her belly as his eyes made direct contact with her own for almost a second.

“I think it should be almost obvious, Miss Sparkle”, his voice was calm and soft.
“Your abilities to organise and your knowledge of Ponyvilles citizens and surroundings made you the best choice for the position of my second in command.”

He turned his attention to the frightened mare again and once more hinted her to take the note off his hooves. His patience seemed to wear thin with her as he continued to speak to Twilight.

“That and the fact that the princess herself recommended that I get your help, at least for today’s tasks.”

Hearing this made her raise an ear and blush a bit. “Actually I don't want to be part of the army but if the princess recommended me I guess I can't really say no.”

The commander nodded at her understandingly.
“Very well, you don't have to join but it would be nice if you could help me, at least for today, as my note taker and advisor so things can get started and set right the first time.”

Twilight shook her head. The Princess had recommended her and what could go wrong? He didn't seem like a bad pony and this was for Ponyville... no, for all of Equestria.
She could endure a little uncomfortable belly feelings for a day if it would help Equestria.

“Okay, I shall do my best but just for today”, she nodded agreeing, feeling slightly happy that she had avoided joining the army.

“Good, I'll get one of my men to fetch a check board and a pen with running ink for you.”

“Now”, he slightly raised his voice at the frightened mare in front of him, “If you would take the damn scroll already so we can get on with things. We don't have all day and we are very busy.”

Rose took a few steps back at the small outburst from the armoured red stallion.
To Twilight it looked like as if the raspberry maned mare was shaking in fear, not daring to lift a hoof and take the scroll.

“Please Rose.” Twilight pleaded, levitating the scroll out of the commanders hoof and onto the raspberry maned mares head, “The commander is in a hurry.”

“B-but, he--” Rose began but Twilight cut her off.

“No buts”, she got close to the raspberry maned mare and continued in a lower voice.

“I heard the rumours and saw how you and the others acted and I don't feel comfortable around him myself ether but...”

Rose looked into her eyes, giving her a sceptical yet nervous look as she carried on her small speech.
“It's not going to help. The Princess herself appointed him as the commander and that aside he doesn’t seem to be that bad of a pony.”

“O-okay, i-if you say so, I'll try.” The raspberry maned mare stuttered and then trotted off back to her clean up team with the scroll.

“Finally” the commander sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “We better get going, the workers from the company, commissioned to build the walls, should be here soon and we need to discuss the building progress of where and how.”
The commander put his helmet on again as he turned around and started to trot off towards the train station.

“Right behind you, sir”, she replied and so she followed him down the road, flanked by two guards as an escort.

Meeting up with the ponies from the building company, discussing and finalizing the building plan. That would transform small Ponyville into a relative compact fortress or to be more exact,
to transform Ponyville into a well-defended, stone-walled town.
A transformation that would start that very same day and continue gradually for the next half year until it would be complete.

After talking with the builder ponies, the commander insisted on going to Fluttershys cottage. Twilight didn't question why but she had a feeling it was to secure the element bearer in some manner and she had been quite right.

The commander had gently introduced himself and made his 'request'. That Fluttershy should move into Ponyville so that, in case of an attack, she would be safe from harm.

But without success. Fluttershy had heard the rumours, maybe even seen him before, and upon hearing his name, the shy and already frightened, butter coloured mare had grabbed a few pillows and barricaded herself behind them while hiding under her couch.

After getting the commander to leave. Twilight had joined her frightened friend under the couch and managed to convince her to tell her animal friends to take refuge in the south and then move into the library, to live together with her in Ponyville.

After convincing Fluttershy, Twilight and the commander went down to Sweet Apple Acres where the commander struck an odd deal with Applejack to provide the army with food provisions for the next 3 years in the form of, well... apples, in exchange for a large monthly sum of bits, securing the future of the farm for an even longer time.

They were also forced to have six guards stationed to patrol and secure the area until the war would be over.
As a final contrition the commander requested that Granny Smith should be moved from her home at the farm to Ponyville retirement village.

At first the old mare hadn't liked the idea but the large sum of bits that the commander had with him to pay them 'up front' and Twilights continued reassuring that this unpleasant vibe giving, red Stallion in steel plates really was the new grand commander of the Equestrian army, appointed by the princess herself, finally reeled in the old green mares trust.

So she allowed Applejack to seal the deal with the traditional spit on hoof that the commander gladly accepted by taking off his left hoof armour, spitting on his own hoof and pushing it against Applejacks spit wet hoof.

The check-list were at an end and the sun was about to reach it's top point in the clear winter sky indicating it was almost noon and soon to be lunch time.

She had followed the commander back to Ponyville where everypony else were in the middle of the traditional winter wrap up lunch break at temporary tables in the middle of the snow cleared town square.

He took a vacant seat among the soldier ponies, inviting her to join him, as he slipped off his helmet and reached out for the served meal.

“Miss Sparkle, I do remember you declining my offer and I don't mean to impose”, he began while chewing on the edge of a daffodil sandwich.

“But no one knows Ponyville and it's citizens any better than you and...”
Twilight could feel where this was going already but she sat still, chewing on some food of her own, not interrupting him.

“Truth be told”, he continued, his eyes were now resting on hers while seemingly enjoying his food, giving off the uncomfortable vibe again that she had felt several times during the last few hours.

”My intention is to take to the front lines my self and command it head on in the heat while my second in command would stay here to take care of everything in Ponyville.”

He paused, rubbing his chin while looking away, as if he was thinking about how to formulate himself, then his eyes returned.
“And I believe that having you as my second-in-command would yield the best result since you simply care more than some randomly promoted Canterlot General.”

Twilight let out a sigh and looked away. “But can I handle it? I mean, I don't have any combat experience or experience in commanding battles at all”.

“I know and as long as I can keep the enemy at bay then you won’t have to join combat at all.”
He halted to take another bite of his sandwich leaving space for Twilight to think.

The Princess had entrusted her home, Ponyville, to this Stallion and if the princess had enough faith in him to hand him the task of keeping Twilight and Ponyville safe, by preventing the enemy from advancing further into Equestria, then it must mean something.
Let alone, that with the vice commander status, she might be able to do something to keep her friends safe.

“But regardless of whether or not you take up the post as my vice commander, I still can't guarantee that Ponyville won’t be attacked. That aside--”

The commander had started to ramble again, trying to convince her, but she didn't need convincing any more.

“Sir!”, she almost shouted as she stood up as a responds to the sudden out break the commander jumped onto his hooves in surprise.

She made eye contact, looking him straight in the eyes and for once she wasn't met by the uncomfortable belly feeling. “I have made up my mind. I'll be your vice commander.”

“Oh I'm so sad to--”, the still baffled commander began then shook his head and gave her a confused look.
“Wait... what? You?”

“Yes, you heard me”, she exclaimed making a serious frown.

“Well, I just didn't expect you to change your mind.”
The commanders eyes were fixed on her. He was still wearing the same confused expression.

“War is dirty business and, even if I know your brother is my superior, I figured somepony like you wouldn't ever want to take part in any of such things if it could be avoided...”

“Well, it seems like there won’t be much avoiding it for me”, she shook her head casually, “But if it can help Equestria then I'm willing to do my part... but I am mostly doing this for my friends.” She ended with a heavy sigh.

The commander gave a short smile and nodded, “Of course. Well, then...”
He put on his helmet and raised his voice.

“All rise and salute!”

The noisy lunch eating crowd around them quickly fell to silence. The commander had managed to drawn in the attention of everypony as his command had made the Equestrian soldiers rise up and salute her.

“Miss Twilight Sparkle”, the loudness in his voice carried itself over the crowd with elegance and a sort of solemnity.

“I hereby bestow upon you the title, rank and status of Vice Commander of the Equestian army under my command!”

The commander had taken out a small medallion with the Equestrian symbol and engraving of rank status on and gestured her to bow her head.

He hung the medallion around her neck as she followed his command obediently.

“This medallion will work as a temporary clarification of your current rank.”
His voice was now quiet and lowered to the point of normal speech.

“Your real clarification, written army promotion and certificates will arrive sometime next week along with somepony who will set you up with a set of armour.”

“Yes sir.” She nodded in response.

At that the commander took a step back and raised his voice again, this time to give out orders.
“Now, Vice Commander Sparkle, I command you to manage and defend Ponyville.”

Her attempt to salute, ended with a clumsy result as she responded: “Yes sir, I shall do my best, sir!”

“Good”, he nodded, “I'll be counting on you then. I have already sent a large portion of soldiers north to stop the enemy's advance and set up camp.”

He turned around and signed for some of the soldiers around them to ready themselves to leave for the battlefield.

“I will head there myself and join the camp to take command of the field.
I shall take most of the soldiers who are here with me as well to increase our strength in the field.
I shall return every Thursday for a few hours to receive a full report of everything relevant that have happened here in Ponyville.”

“Yes sir”, she replied again maintaining her clumsy salute for the, now leaving, commander who shortly saluted goodbye and then set out in gallop, leading the most of the soldiers out of town.