The Outlander's Trial

Luna, finding her sister's anxiety unbearable to watch, finally spoke up, "I know you hate allowing the outlanders into the kingdom, but as long as we keep them only attacking Ponyville, thousands of lives could be spared!"

It was a cold hard truth, allow Ponyville to fall under attack, or risk the whole kingdom. Fortifications were already in place, and there was an exodus of refugees fleeing Ponyville, the most traffic since Cadence and Shining Armours' wedding.

"I know Luna, I just want to protect everypony in my kingdom, and I can't stand the thought of anywhere coming under attack. Still I wouldn't mind knowing exactly why Ponyville is the only area to garner the outland Queen's attention, if she wanted Bow and Breach she could have sent more assassins."

"I agree Celestia. And the thought of Ponyville being the lone town to fall under attack, I sense something deeper in this, but for now we need to continue fortifications. I might also need to mention Shining Armour and Cadence insisted on a trip to Ponyville. They're already on their way."

He couldn't believe it, Captain of The Royal Guard, and he was supposed to allow a war camp of dapple flanks to sit just a few miles outside his sister home! It was ridiculous!

"Shining, are you ok, you've been staring out that window since we boarded the train?" questioned Cadence.

"I'm fine, it's just, ugh, how could Celestia allow this? An invasion of her kingdom, we should be chasing the outlanders right back to the sea!" replied the annoyed stallion, "And my sister, she's in danger and all I was able to do at first was sit and wait, makes me just want to....ARGH!"

"Your sister is strong, and has amazing friends. Besides there's more to this than we realize, I can't see why a whole kingdom would invade for two ponies, it makes no sense, at all, whatsoever."

"And there's the second thing bugging me, Twilly's been hanging around a dapple flank and a daemon, does she even realize how dangerous that is. Why they are even allowed in this kingdom at all its absolute garba..."

"Shining, remember when we were invaded by changelings, and you cast judgment on Twilight without hearing out everything?" Cadence started, "And how bad it nearly got, well trust her this time, she's incredibly smart, and I doubt she'd allow a danger to hang out with her for the past six months. Now let’s get some sleep before we arrive."

Scootaloo had gotten along fine. Aside from a mild limp in her back left leg, she'd been no worse for wear after the incident with the assassins a few weeks back. On top of that, Rainbow Dash had asked if she wanted to live with her and Twilight 'AWESOME' and she was now nearly as famous as her adopted big sis. At first she was bothered by the limp, how would it affect flying and what would the other fillies say?  R.D. helped her get over this worry though, after all she had saved two ponies, and would she have really gone back and changed anything? Honestly, heck yeah, gloating after belting that stallion in the face with her scooter was what got her hurt to begin with, but she'd definitely save Breach and Bow again. Looking back at her first time talking to Bow after the incident was the best proof ever that the mare wasn't any trouble, and it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing how helpful she had been.

"Scootaloo, I thought you were helping get everything packed silly?" questioned Applebloom.

"Oh yeah, course, just had my head in the clouds for a second!"

The Apple family, with the exception of Big Mac and Applejack, oh and AJ's weird cousin from Appleloosa, were leaving Ponyville, and Sweetie Belle had already left. In fact most ponies were leaving. The 'threat' of attack couldn't be that scary, she'd belted a dapple flank right in the face, and he wasn't that tough.

"Scoots, yer doin' it again." remarked Applebloom. The two fillies got about their business.

"Hey there Shy, Ah just thought Ah'd come along and see how all your animals were getting along." remarked a rather worn Applejack. How could two ponies garner some much blasted attention from one kingdom? Now she'd been bucking apples and getting her family ready to leave. The whole world had gone crazy!

"Oh, they're getting along pretty well, most have left already, but a few want to help, I was thinking, that is if you don't mind, that these eagles could help transport food for everyone. Then you wouldn't be so busy all the time." came a whisper from the rather quiet mare.

Applejack stepped forward and gave the mare a nuzzle. She loved this pony, and this all but reassured her that Fluttershy was her mare-friend.

"Shy, Ah've been thinking, with the upcoming fight. Well Ah just don't want you near the frontlines at all. And this i'n about yer timidness at all, Ah want to make sure you don't get hurt."

"Applejack, thank you for your concern, but you really don't need to worry about me. I'm going to be helping the corpsmen in the medical station when everything happens. I know I'd be no good in a fight." replied the yellow mare.

"Ah love you Fluttershy and Ah'll be sure we get a nice an' long vacation when this is done and over with."

"I love you too, Applejack"

"C'mon you guys, this should've been finished hours ago, Scootaloo could move 10x faster than that, and she'd get it done 20% better!" Dash yelled. She had been put in charge of operations in Cloudsdale, which she hated for two reasons. First, she hated chasing after these ponies, and second, she'd rather be at Twilight’s side and be watching after Scoots. The past few years had been hectic, the royal wedding, Scootaloo getting sick, her and Twi hooking up, oh yeah not to mention the two new friends that'd shown up almost a year ago now, and now a war

"Completely uncool, why do the outlanders want Bow and Breach so badly?" wondered the chromatic mare. Just then there was a tell tale crash. "Deeeerrrrrpyyyy!"

"I just don't know what went wrong?"

Dash shot off to clean up this latest mess.

"Rarity making tents, check, Pinkie keeping moral up, check, Zecora working on medicines, check," my mare here to keep me level head, nope. Twilight was missing Dash quite a bit. Dash had a way of massaging the one spot on the back of her neck that cleared her head and made all life’s troubles that much easier to handle. There was also watching after Scootaloo, which she didn't mind. She loved having the filly around, and was happy that she'd finally found family.

Bow was helping out Breach with his current problem, and the relationship of the two had grown exponentially. Her brother was going to be here the next day with Cadence, so that was going to need taking care of. Twilight was also getting reports from Owlicious, who'd been trying to help her figure out exactly why there was a war party after two measly ponies. Owlicious had managed to intercept a couple of carrier pigeons, revealing troop movements but that was about it.

'I need to go pick up Scootaloo from the Apples now anyway' thought Twilight as she turned and trotted off towards the farm.

"Breach, stop fidgeting, how am I supposed to apply the salve if you keep shifting around?" growled Bow.

The stallion in question was leaning over to give his mare a good angle to reach his right eye, or at least where his eye had been. The outlanders sent in a group of saboteurs to tamper with the food, and rather than call for help he confronted them on his own. The ponies hadn't been fighters and he knew that. This in turn caused him to be careless. He'd kicked one into a wall while he handled the other two, not a hard job in itself but the first outlander had regained his footing and attacked him from behind. The cheap shot caught him right across his eye, effectively destroying it. He mopped the floor with the offending saboteur and then took care of the other two. Lyra, who had heard the ruckus, called for help and when the guards had rolled in he was found in his present state, couple new scars and minus one eye.

"S'not so bad anyway, I can use magic to detect things around me, and my spatial awareness isn't too screwed up." Breach replied in a casual tone. He personally didn't care too much; he'd kept his friends safe.

"Well, you might not think it's bad but you scared me clean out of my hide. Have you not stopped and looked at it from my perspective. I walk into the med bay after hearing your were hurt and see blood pouring from your face! I didn't know what had happened or what was wrong, for all I knew you could have been dying!" replied the upset and flustered mare.

Breach immediately recognized the err in his thoughts. Sure he wanted to keep everyone physically safe, but Bow's emotions needed just as much protection. Their relationship had blossomed since that odd moment at the train station. Without words, just seeing how much the two of them had tried to look good for the other. That had caused them both to realize how much the other had cared. It was actually pretty amazing how much you could show you cared without words.

"I'm sorry, Bow, and you're right, I shouldn't have done something so foalish. I promise I won't let anything come between us again."

Bow loved him, and loved how he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. She loved that she felt the same way. She also had to admit that his new eye patch gave even more of a roguish appearance when coupled with his scars and broken horn 'which I still haven't heard the story of' she thought. Anytime they'd had off they'd spent together. Whether it was dinner, or a hike, talking, or even just staring at each other, they'd had an amazing time. It was a shame they'd brought so much trouble to this land though. Her and Breach even tried running away but they were stopped by the girls, specifically Rainbow Dash, who'd become a steadfast friend. It was good to know that they had such good friends, just a shame to know that they were in so much trouble.

"It is getting late Bow; perhaps we should get off to bed?"

Bow didn't even verbally reply, she looked at him, nodded and crawled into the clouds that made up they bed.

Breach followed and curled around the little mare.

'If I am to die' he thought, 'At least I had Bow, if only for a little while'

"The outlands Queen is a fool to think that her plan will succeed, muttered Siobhan.

"I agree 100%, she's not even acknowledged the other towns, she only after this one. And do you know why?" replied the pensive Baener.

"Honestly, I don't think anypony know why, I mean it's just two ponies!"

"True Siobhan, two ponies, specifically two mares."

At this Siobhan gave her leader and friend a confused look.

"Ah, I see you don't know. Our glorious Queen wants revenge on Bow for escaping, but she's also after a mare from Ponyville who made a fool of her. The Queen hasn't always been the same mare; the last one was murdered by this one in an attempt to gain enough power to destroy her arch enemy."

Siobhan sat there a contemplated for a second before her reply came. "So what do we do then?"

"Survive, as always."

"At last, my plans have come to fruitition. I had no idea the wretch still lived in Ponyville with her friends. I'd've thought she'd be hiding under Celestia's gown, but no this is so much better, now I'm going to kill both of the mares, and all their little friends!" declared the Queen. "Guards! Bring out some slaves; I want to see them fight to the death."