Chapters The days were getting shorter and colder the nights were longer and colder. Something was afoot. The fire kingdom had never known cold like this, mainly due to being built near a volcano. But this cold was unnaturally evil. It was no secret a war was coming but nopony expected it. Well, nopony except Zina, the ruler, Brave Soul her husband and finally Thunderbird; a simple sellsword working for the highest bidder.
As he entered his house he saw that the fire was already ablaze, with less of the fire salts than was normal. As he looked around he saw his wife, cooking dinner for herself. Silently he set his bags and weapons down then opening his arms said, “I said I would be back in time for dinner.”
Not looking back at him his wife replied, “And what part of the godforsaken ‘Bad lands' did you go to?” After this she ran to him and hugged him tightly.
The day passed and was very uneventful. The entire village was shut inside to keep warm, it was so silent that you could hear a mouse walk along the floor. However, the silence could not last. A knock sounding very urgent on the door caught Thunder’s attention. Slowly he rose from the couch and walked to the door. When it was opened a guard was standing there. No words were exchanged, only a letter, then the guard walked away to the next house.
Once Thunder got back to the couch to rejoin his wife, he looked through the letter. His wife did also.
Several minutes later Thunder dared to speak, “So… we are at war.”
“No Thunder. You are at war. It’s a stallion's war, not a mare's.”
Even more time passed, then thunder tried again. “I have been drafted.”
“I know.”
“There's nothing I can do about it, it’s a royal order.”
“I know.”
For the first time Thunder could remember in ages,he began to tear up. “I will miss you.”
His wife also began to tear up. “And I will miss you… and your stupid honour.”
“I will send letters as soon as possible.”
“You better… be safe Thunder… come back as soon as you can.”
“I will… I will be back in time for dinner”
He wiped away his tears and gave a cocky grin. “How about some noodles?”
His wife laughed, “okay…”
The next morning thunder woke early and began collecting his belongings and weapons. With hesitation he wrote a note in the event of his death, to be delivered to his wife by the army. “If you are reading this, I am most likely dead. Know that I always and will always love you, nothing will ever change that. Your loving husband, Thunder”.
Brave Soul woke up with a lot on his mind, the order he was forced to give last night and the aftermath of a war. The kingdom was struggling as it was and making all the able bodied stallions go and fight would cut the workforce. He only could see one logical thing to do:go to war as well. He waited for his wife, Zina, to get back from addressing all the soldiers and giving them her blessing. “Blessing for what?” he thought, “Getting killed, making colts and fillies grow up with no father? Making wives widows?” Brave was deep in his thoughts and nearly missed Zina walk in. From the look of her face the same questions were going through her mind.
Now the question on Brave's mind was, how do I tell her? I could die out there. Nevertheless he spoke, confident and strong
“Zina, I am going to march with the stallions out there, lead the army.”
Much to Brave’s shock, Zina nodded slowly and in a calm voice, responded
“I understand. Many of them have seen either too few winters or too many.”
Then she walked to her private area to de stress herself.
A few hours later Brave had joined the ranks of the army, posing as a new recruit. Only a few ponies in command had been told of this. He was attached to the regiment that would push forward and gain time for the rest of the army to train, getting somewhat ready for war. Thunder was also attached to this force.
At this point in time Zina was still in her chambers, thinking of a peaceful way to end this war. Despite knowing it was impossible, she, no the kingdom, had to go to war to prevent the much needed fire salts from being taken from the kingdom’s ponies. Everything had grown too reliant on the fire salts for too long. Zina’s ways were taken advantage of and now war.
Her maid came into the room. She too looked sad, distraught even.But her stallion had a duty to do and so did she.
“Princess, is there anything you require?”
She gave a reinsuring smile.
Zina noticed this allowing her to talk to her maid, to talk her mind ,“May I ask you something? You have always served me well. You have always been able to give better counsel than the actual council. Was this war the right thing to do?”.
Her maid looked shocked at Zina. This was not like the headstrong mare, so she decided to play it on the safe side.
“Permission to speak my mind?” Zina nodded, “I feel that the kingdom has been taken advantage of for far too long, I know that you would have tried to find a non-violent resolve. But, if I may ask why did you order all the stallions to fight?”
This knocked Zina slightly back. It was true that the kingdom had always been taken advantage of and it was true she tried to find a non-violent resolve. After a while she replied.
“I did that to show the kingdom is not weak. We are outnumbered ten to one, by doing this it gives us the best chance we could have. Besides,” She was then silent for about a minute and then she spoke; more confident than before ,“besides, the king is fighting too. He is worth ten of an ordinary soldier. I understand your concern for your husband… and you have my word that, if anything was to happen to him, you can have as long as needed away from here,”She smiled, but also with tears in her eyes.
The maid nodded before exiting the room.
chapter two: war and it's spoils
CHAPTER TWO
War and it’s Spoils
Written by Thunder_Bird
Edited by Equis Ferus Callabus
Several days later, Thunder was a part of a scouting party. It was a very boring one. With no new information of the enemy and, as a side effect, no up to date information on their main army, the fire kingdom’s vanguard was left open. Brave was lucky to avoid arousing suspicion of who he was; despite having many late night meetings with the high command. Allowing him to more pro-actively serve his kingdom without risking the chance of being found out by any enemy spies, making sure he wasn’t going to be assassinated. Finally, Zina was keeping the kingdom working, proving to be the strong and wise leader the kingdom needed in times of great pain and suffering. But this was just the beginning; the true challenge was still to come.
Thunder’s scouts were on their way back when the group got surrounded by hostiles, soon a battle started. During the conflict Thunder was separated from the group, but the hostiles were defeated due to they weren’t expecting a strong resistance. As Thunder walked over the battlefield he saw a friend and a foe laying next to each other, this was not the first time he saw the dead but deep down it felt wrong. He spent the next few hours laying the dead to rest, and looking if his allies had prepared any letters to give to friends and family if they were to fall.
He found some, most of them were the same as his but one stood out.
If you are reading this Velvet, then I am dead. Know that the last thing I would’ve thought of was our unborn child and you. Kiss him for me, tell him about me and whatever you get told, I died a hero. Or at least I hope I did. Your ever loving husband, Low Breeze. Keep me in your dreams and prayers.
Once Thunder had stopped reading the note he packed it away into his saddlebag. Collecting his belongings and those of his fallen comrades he began to make his way down the road to where he hoped he would find his allies; he found something much worse.
Brave Soul was in the camp talking to the soldiers when the scouting party came back from scouting. they were battered and lacking much of their equipment, it was obvious that they were attacked. When he looked closer he saw that many of the original soldiers that went out where missing, and likely dead.
“Hey, Hard Knocks. What happened?”
The leader of the group approached Brave,“They jumped on us, most of us died before we knew what happened.”
“Did you get a look at the attackers?.”
“No, I was too busy fighting for my life.”
“You will be.”
And with that Hard Knocks was gone into the commander's tent to give his report. Another stallion approached Brave, “his brother fell in the battle, his name was Low Breeze. He had a wife who was pregnant with his first son”.Before Brave could respond the stallion was gone.
A few hours later Brave entered the commander's tent, where he saw that the vanguard was bound to march into a cavern. Upon seeing this Brave felt it was necessary to give his opinion.
“Why are we going to make the stallions march out into ambush lands? we have no idea where the enemy’s armies are. all we know we are marching into a death trap!”
All the commander’s looked at him and then a pony named Grave Walker slowly said “Sir, we are to hold the fort north of the pass. it will prove to be a strategic point in the coming battles”
“And if we get ambushed? With the supply train cut off? What then, Grave?”
“We fight?”
“You’re not too sure about that, are you? We should go around the cavern.”
Now it was the turn of the second highest ranking officer to interrupt.
“But, Sir! That would take too lo-”
“SILENCE!” He roared, silencing the officer. “We go AROUND or OVER the cavern. Not through. DO YOU UNDERSTAND!?
The officer took a step backwards, then nodded.
Brave then took his leave before any of the commanders could say anything to him and before any passing ears could hear his voice or name.
Thunder was looking at something he hoped he would never see - A prisoner train. But this was no normal “prisoner of war” prisoner train, no, it was one that was full of soon to be slaves. Slaves that would have to do whatever their master wanted them to do, no matter how perverse. Upon investigation he found that his wife was there. What is she doing here? the war has only been going on for a week, this was racing through his mind.
Soon he found himself flying down to talk to her, he had no idea how or why he was doing this; it was very likely he would die if he was found. Luckily he was not caught, he approached her transport cage, for some reason she was alone.
“Shh. It’s me.” She looked at me, pain evident in her eyes. “What happened? How did you get here?”
She managed to talk but the pain she was in was shown in her voice “T-they came in the night-” she said inbetween sobs, “-they b-burnt the village to the ground and, t-they they...” She broke into tears. Thunder could only stare as he watched his wife cry. He bent down to comfort her, but was stopped by a few quiet footsteps. Thunder turned around lightning fast, and looked at the guard standing behind him in surprise.
“We hard our way with them.” The guard said with a vicious smile. For Thunder, the world stopped. The guard’s words echoed through his head.
“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” He roared. “I”LL KILL YOU!”
“Is she your wife?” The guard continued. “Let me tell you-” He leaned in close, that smile never leaving his face. “She moans like a who-”
He never finished his sentence, as Thunder smashed his back against the wall.
“Listen to me you monster.” Thunder hissed, holding his dagger against the guards throat. “You will pay for your crimes, in the most painful way i can think of. UNDERSTAND?” Thunder roared.
“P-please don't!” The guard whimpered.
“And why shouldn’t I?”
No response.
“Exactly, now than off with your ball-”
Thunder freed his wife, and then went to kill the rest of the attackers in a similar way, but he left one to go to his master to tell him of how merciful the Fire Kingdom is.
Zina was on her balcony looking over to fireflair village, her maid was at the door with a letter from her husband, Low Breeze, knock knock .
“come in”
Her maid entered with a smile upon her face, “Princess Zina, I have received news from my husband. He says all is well and that he has been attached to a scouting force”
“You see Velvet? He is well like i said he would be.”
“It seems my worry was misplaced.”
“Hopefully he will be home in time for our son being born.”
“Yes, he will be. you have my word.”
Chapter three: Home Fires
Back In Time for Dinner
Chapter Three
Written by Thunder Bird
Edited by Equis Ferus Callabus
Thunder was going to the last known destination the army was moving to. If he couldn’t meet with the force, he would look for them. He knew that they would make a stop at the fort, but which one he was not sure. Brave was facing a hard choice: tell the army who he is or stay in hiding. Both plans had their pro’s and cons.. Zina too facing a hard choice. The moral of the home front was dropping, and she needed to do something but she wasn’t sure what.
Zina was in a war council meeting with individuals such as The mistress of coin, The King's Guard Captain, her Spymaster and the quiet but caring hoofmaid Velvet Song. After the expected opening greetings the one everypony feared came, yes it was a war council but the idea still felt wrong in some way or another.
“I have gathered you here today to discuss how we are going to support the troops on the front lines and the home front. When the war gets to it’s darkest days we will need plans in place to help everypony who is a member of the kingdom.” Zina looked around the room from face to face, none of the ponies seemed to be listening to her. “Unless we have any other business that is more important than the preservation of the Fire Kingdom and our lives.” This made all the ponies look toward Zina. “Thank you.”
A stallion with a red mane and a dark brown coat, who had the title Captain of the King’s Guard spoke next. “Princess Zina, all due respect but all the stallions are out fighting, but your husband hasn’t been seen. Where is he?”
Zina hesitated for a moment.
“That is...private information”
“And we are your most trusted servants, correct?” The Captain asked.
“Correct.”
“Then where is he?”
Zina sighed, she knew that she wouldn’t win
“He’s fighting on the front lines.”
A murmur went around the table, then the Mistress of Coin she was a young mare, with a blue mane with an electric blue stripe going through it and her coat was a less bright shade of blue with a hint of green, spoke.
“Princess, as you know we don’t have much money spare since this war started. We didn’t have much to start with, where do you suggest the money to make the preparations for the future come from?”
Silence.
The Spymaster who many ponies didn’t know what he looked like due to his robes spoke.
“To get knowledge of enemy caravans is the armies job. But, I could get some of my little birds to plant a seed in the enemy’s camp. Princess...”
Not many ponies understood the spymaster, and less knew his name. but they knew one thing, he could get a job done.
Zina looked to Velvet “Velvet, you’ve been awful quiet anything on your mind?”
“Well...I am wondering”
She was cut off by the Captain of the Guard
“What will she know? She is but a maid!”
“And how many are fighting?”
“They are protecting yo-”
“So that’s what, none?”
He lowered his head.
“I apologize for my outburst, Princess”
“It’s okay, times are hard” she then turned to Velvet. “Go on dear.”
“No, really, I insist. Go on.”
“If the capitol is attacked and the stallions are fighting. Who will save us?”
The ponies in the room went quiet. Too quiet.
The stallion spoke “But that will never happen”
“But what if it does? Commander of the guard, what will you do?” questioned Velvet
He was once again silent. Than Zina spoke
“My dear, I am not called the princess of fire and heat for nothing.”
Velvet looked reassured, “Yes princess, sorry for asking.”
“Don’t be, my dear. Now is they any more business?” She paused for a moment, looking around.
“No? Okay then, good luck everypony.”