Fortress Canterlot!

by De Writer

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Celestia, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Princess Luna, Original Character, Random, Adventure
Length: 12044

Returning after about a hundred years of training in the use of their Creator Magic, Celestia and Luna find that a cult of unicorns is claiming to be responsible for the fixing of the heavens. War ensues.

Part 3 of THE TRUE HISTORY OF EQUESTRIA

Celestia and Luna, along with their step father De Writer, return from the Sunrise Isles, where they have been trained in the use of their Creator Magic for correcting the heavens.
They find that a cult of unicorns led by the "Sunlord" are claiming credit for the fixing of the heavens. The Cult Leader opposes them.
Gaining some followers, they return to the big ledge where they sheltered a hundred years ago. There, they build the earliest parts of Fortress Canterlot.
They succeed in defeating the forces of the Sun Lord, founding a kingdom with their creator Skyglow, Titan of Life Creation as the titular Queen and accepting to themselves the role of Princesses.

Published 2016-02-24 21:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-02-24 21:40:01 UTC

Fortress Canterlot!

Author's Note

Prologue:

This tale takes place about 3000 years in the past of the modern MLP canon. During this time, Celestia and Luna are still fillies, though close to grown physically. They have only recently returned from a century of training to use their Creator Magic while staying with the Titan of Life Creation in the Sunrise Isles.

The events here recorded are the foundation of the modern legends of a time when unicorns regulated the heavens.

For more background information on the canon of this tale, please read:

De Writer and the Orb of the Ages

From Darkness to Dawn

Fortress Canterlot!

Fortress Canterlot!

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

/////////////////////

“Shove off! Your kind ain’t wanted here!” Snapped a burly unicorn. The others at his back where whickering assent. “Not wanted. We got the locals paying us and you ain’t horning in on our game!”

Celestia looked at the pale green unicorn as if he were an ugly but interesting bug. “OUR KIND? What kind is that, exactly? We are trying to leave. You told us to halt. Make up your mind, if you have one.”

Luna ignored them entirely. She partly raised her right wing and scratched with a hind hoof at her wing root.

The old white bearded blue unicorn with them raised a lip on the left side and spat expressively on the ground between the two groups.

He chuckled mirthlessly and it seemed like he flickered in place several times. Giving the pale green leader of the group a sideways look, he said quietly, “You can quit trying to delay us until your ponies are in position, SUNLORD. Your assassins are unavoidably delayed.”

His horn glowed briefly and a small pile of weapons and camouflage cloaks floated out of the woods to their right and landed in front of the group’s leader. The knives snapped down into the ground point first, driven into the earth all the way to the crossgards. The crossgards were so close to his hooves that the metal of them clicked against the Sunlord’s solid hooves.

Celestia turned her head to look at the blue unicorn and said, “Well done, father. Did you have to hurt them?”

Luna stopped her scratching to say, “Knowing father, no. They are not injured.” She bared her teeth in a grin and added, “Embarrassed, yes. Probably very embarrassed.”

Striking an obviously fake innocent pose, De Writer said, “Who, me? Why would I want to embarrass somepony? Surely the simple fact that they were trying to murder us where we stand is no provocation for such an extreme measure!”

Then he stopped pretending. In a stern voice he demanded, “Sunlord, or whatever you want to call yourself, YOU get out of our way or I shall have to get unpleasant.”

He started forward with such assurance that the green unicorn backed up a few steps. Realizing what it must look like to his followers, he stopped and tossed his head impressively as he prepared a huge aura of green magic about his horn. Releasing the blast, they all watched horror-struck as it enveloped the old blue unicorn. The very ground where he had been standing smoked from the force of it. There was no visible trace of his target left.

Just behind the Sunlord a quiet voice said flatly, “You missed.”

As the Sunlord started to look around, he was hit solidly in the rump by a powerful double hoof buck. He pitched forward face first into the smoking dirt. The unbelieving green unicorn had to blow earth out of his nostrils before completing his look behind him.

With a twisted lip sneer, the old unicorn’s blue magic flared almost gently. The so-called Sunlord’s front legs sank into the turf, all the way up to his barrel. The soil firmed up around them, a pale blue fleeing away from the affected dirt.

Another flare of blue, again, not seeming to be strong at all, lifted his hind quarters up by the tail. He was set down, hind legs sinking in into the turf up to the hocks.

“There. Now you have all the dignity that a confidence artist deserves. We will be on our way!” Stepping close, the old unicorn bent his head down to be on a level with the struggling “Sunlord.” He added, with a meaningful snap of spark-like blue to the rump, “Unless you WANT me to hang around. Being a teacher of of fractious foals has taught me LOTS of other fun tricks!”

The “Sunlord” demanded, “At least have the decency to use those crazy wings of theirs to fly away! Don’t let our followers see those flank marks! Those ain’t painted on! Besides, those fillies are an obscenity! They are deformed! Their horns are too long! They got wings! Their legs, everything about them is wrong!”

Celestia and Luna both gave the entrapped “Sunlord” a look of disapproval. Gracefully, they stepped close. Celestia tilted her head disdainfully. “I will have to tell mother Skyglow, the Titan of Life Creation, that her work is a deformed obscenity. We have the absolute authority of the Sunlord on it.

“That aside, you mentioned horning in on your game? With a title like Sunlord, I am guessing that you ponies noticed that the heavens were fixing themselves. You decided to use it to convince the locals that they had to pay you to keep the heavens in order? Quite a scam. What have you done, set yourselves up as some sort of priests? Got a Temple?

“This could be fun.”

Even buried up to his barrel, rump upraised, Sunlord tried to gather his magic again. A sharp snap of blue magic, just under his tail, spoiled his concentration.

De Writer reminded Celestia and Luna, “Come, my daughters, we have wasted enough time with this oaf and his followers.”

They nodded agreement and trotted away down the grassy, stone wall lined lane after their foster father. Going deeper into the lands of the “Sunlord.”

Behind them there was a considerable commotion as his followers tried to free the Sunlord from the ground.

Luna commented, “I never saw that trick with the dirt going soft before. Did you ever have to use it in the school, father?”

Looking back over his shoulder, De Writer replied, “Nope. The foals that I was teaching were better behaved than that fool.”

Luna smiled at that. “Even Reacher, when you stuck him to the roof beam by the hooves for a while was better than that Sunlord? That is funny.” Suddenly, she started to cry. “He was in Evanescence. He died trying to protect his family. I could not save any of them.”

Celestia’s large white wing gently enfolded her black as midnight sister. Gentle many hued magic added its comforting touch. Blue magic joined it.

De Writer said gently, “We all tried to save them. The invaders were too many and the attacks too well planned. Even those that we did not care for, like Reacher, we tried to spare. We all failed too many times. We did the best that we could.

“You cannot do better than your best. It was not your fault that Reacher or his family died.”

Sniffling some, Luna replied, “I know that. I keep hoping that if I tell myself that often enough, I will believe it, someday.”

Softly, Celestia agreed, “We all hope that. As fast as father can be, he was not fast enough either. We all lost so many. The only consolation that I have is that we did save as many as we did.”

Behind them, a twig cracked. Two Alicorns and an old blue unicorn whirled about in combat readiness, magics gathered at their horns.

Unnecessary. It was a young, though grown, brown unicorn. He had a flank mark of a pair of scales balanced across a sword’s edge. He said carefully, “I am called Justice. I can hear the difference between truth and lies. That is my talent.

“When you said that your mother was the Titan of Life Creation, you were telling the truth.” He hung his head and said, “I followed the Sunlord because, though he is a liar, he was bringing something of order to the land.

“We desperately need some kind of order. Since we came here, a lot has gone wrong. Our leaders told lies about the rich, empty land. Hungry bellies wanted to believe them.

“Some of us have found the remains of dead ponies out in the brush and forests. Others found strange jewelry and tools in the burned places that we were told were beacon fires.

Justice looked at them beseechingly. “What I just heard confirmed the worst suspicions that any of us had. Our leaders and their warriors took this land by sudden war. We had no hoof in that. I would follow you, if you will allow it.”

Justice abased himself before Celestia.

She regarded him carefully for a moment and asked gently, “Won’t this break your oaths to the Sunlord?”

Justice replied with assurance, “No. I would not take any oath of service to a liar. I only followed him because he seemed to be bringing some order to this whole area. The warrior pegassi are at odds with him and the other unicorns. The earth ponies are being blamed for the crop failure this year but it isn’t really their fault.

“We were all told that the big meadows of crop grasses and grains were natural and would just spring up on their own again. When they didn’t, somepony came up with the idea that Wendigoes, whatever they are, were ruining the crop. They still blame the earth ponies for not protecting the crops better.

“I am afraid that it will break up into violence again, like it did where we came from.”

Celestia nodded her head and then turned to Luna and De Writer. “Sister, Father, shall we take this pony, Justice, to our service?”

De Writer considered thoughtfully. He took out the Orb of the Ages and muttered softly, “The future is forbidden.” The Orb began its ghostly, pale green glow. Scenes came and went within it so swiftly as to be almost invisible. De Writer put the Orb away.

Turning to Celestia, he bowed in a courtly way and said, “This good pony speaks the truth. If he says that he will be loyal in his service and do whatso we ask of him, then, yes. We should take Justice to our service.”

Luna cast a pale web of midnight blue magic, set with pale stars in it. The web settled over Justice. He did not flinch. Instead, he smiled.

Luna nodded too. “I cast a dream web over him. He had no nightmare, but did have a good dream of his hopes for the future.” Standing proud, she raised her horn high and spread her impressive black wings. “I say yes, Sister of the Sun. Let us take this unicorn named so well, this Justice, to our service.”

Celestia raised up onto her hind legs, spreading her wings, her horn so high that it seemed to pierce the sky itself and said, “Justice, you have honorably sought out our service. We, Celestia, Luna, and De Writer, Chronicler of the World About Us, are agreed. Arise, and be, of your own will, Justice Truth Keeper. The first of our followers.”

Justice rose from his posture of abasement and said, “If you will hear me, it would be wise to hie thee from this place. The Sunlord, though not yet free, has sworn that you shall be hunted down and destroyed by his army of unicorns.”

Seeming to be utterly calm, Luna replied, “It will not be the first time that we have been hunted, nor do I expect it to be the last.”

Celestia looked over her shoulder at Justice and smiled angelically. “If they are going to pursue us with an army, it would by only courteous to make it easy for them to find us.

“Good Justice, I shall carry you in my magic. Dear sister, would you please fly father for us?”

The two young Alicorns took to the air in a thunder of hard driven wing strokes. Both their foster father, De Writer, and their new follower, Justice, rose into the air along with them riding in safe cocoons of magic.

Celestia swooped gracefully to a landing on the steps of the Temple of the Sky, in a village called Morgan’s Howe. It was only a few miles from where they started.

As Celestia struck an impressive pose, Luna called out, in a voice just short of a bellow, “Citizens of Morgan’s Howe! Subjects of the false Sunlord and his henchmen! Hear us! He is pursuing us with an army. Join Him!

“You will see for yourselves the falsity of his empty words!”

They flew off before any could stop them. They repeated the performance at every village that they passed near as they approached the mountain where we had rested on the way to the Sunrise Isles (for that adventure, read From Darkness to Dawn).

Worry in his voice and face, Justice asked, “Are you not raising a great army against you? Will this not make it simple for the Sunlord to find you?”

It was Luna, her mane streaming like a dark flag in the wind of their flight, who answered. “Father has not said much but he is wise. He taught us the the best way to win a battle is to not have to fight at all. He also taught us that if you must fight, choose both the enemy and the battlefield. We are doing all of those things. You will see.”

Looking about nervously, obviously not used to being flown from place to place, Justice said, “I do hope so.”

Seriously, Luna asked him, “What, good Justice, is the greatest range of a unicorn’s magic?”

Doubtfully, he replied, “Perhaps five or six hundred feet.”

“Correct. If a number of them are working together, how far can their magic reach?”

“Maybe as much as a thousand feet? I am not sure. I have never seen any reach further than that.”

With a smile, her wings beats solid and untiring, Luna replied, “You are correct again. That has everything to do with where we will meet the Sunlord’s army.” Following her sister Celestia, Luna began a climbing turn, spiraling higher and higher. The mountain side’s mostly barren rock passing below the two alicorns as they climbed.

Soon they passed above the wide ledge with its small spring, cave, woods and meadow. They alighted in the meadow and Celestia said, “Here we are, Father. Back at your Canter-lot! Can you think, offhoof, of a better place to meet the Sunlord and his henchmen?”

Trotting casually over to where I could look down the slope, I said, “Just over a thousand five hundred feet to the nearest useful point for staging an attack? Humm … We have already seen that we can defend from aerial assault if he has any pegassi. No, my daughters, I really can’t think of a better place. We should begin the building of stone shelter which can safely stop air dropped stones and weapons.”

Justice pointed out, “Whatever we do, it should be soon. I can see the dust cloud of the Sunlord’s army over there.” He pointed with a hoof to a place close to the horizon and near to the route that we had taken when coming here.

Sure enough, there was the rising dust cloud, with a wide front, showing the approach of the Sunlord’s army. Traveling along the ground, like that meant that they would actually need several days to get here.

I offered, “We need to make up a steeply sloped heavy timber roof so that pegasus dropped stones or weapons will bounce off. Stone walls won’t hurt either. I suggest that we build it right over there where the spring comes out of the cave. If we surround the cave entrance with it, we can use the mountain for one wall and secure our water supply at the same time.”

I have to admit that I was surprised when Justice suggested, “Mister De Writer and I can begin selecting stones for building from the rubble along the edge of the ledge and mountainside. Celestia, Luna, you could start going down to the woods at the mountain’s foot and bringing up the timbers. That will not only save the ledge timber for our uses later, it will deprive the army of both firewood and camping materials at the same time.”

Actually happy to have something to do, the mares leaped from the ledge and soared down swooping in big circles to the woods below.

Justice and I turned to the base of the cliff, along the ledge. There were many loose stones there, rubble from many seasons of freezing and thawing breaking the cliff face. Most of it was small. We were busily sorting the stones and piling the ones suitable for building when Justice said one of those comments that change everything almost by accident.

“Pity that you can’t make stone go soft like you did the dirt that Sunlord was standing on!” he said, “Then we could just mash little ones together to make good building stones.” He was making two stockpiles of the stones. Mostly they were too small for the stout walls that we were going to need. They went into one pile. The good sized ones went into another, much smaller heap.

I looked up in utter surprise that I had not thought of something so simple. My blue magic picked up a pair of smaller stones and seeped into the stones themselves. The surfaces, held by the magic, did not visibly change until I pressed the two stones together. Stone flowed into stone. I thought for a moment of what we needed. The surfaces of the now single stone squared up and became a properly dressed builder’s block.

Justice watched in puzzlement as I fitted the new ashlar to the stout stone of the cliff. It clung without mortar or support. He picked up a pair of stones and tried to reproduce my work. He failed.

I saw what he was doing and laughed slightly. The teacher in me came to the fore. I added my magic to his and said, “Now, follow me. See, instead of just gripping the parts that you can see, you sort of feel your way right into the stone. Once your magic is inside the stone, you have to work by feel alone. You loosen the particles from each other and let them flow together. Only do enough of it to get the result that you want. This method works with other things too.”

Justice thoughtfully focused his green eyes on the stones. Nothing. Then he closed his eyes. The green of his magic seeped slowly into the stones. He pressed them together and they flowed into a single, neatly squared stone.

He put it in position. Then he closed his eyes. Green magic seeped between the stones and it was done. The rock was fused to a single piece. Justice opened his eyes in delight.

Making the rough stones into blocks that we could fit was far more tiring than the gathering of rubble to use for material, so we took turns at gathering and forming. We were laying out a smallish fortress but it did have one larger room that we planned to make into a throne room of sorts later. For now, we needed stout walls as swiftly as possible.

Looking up from our labor, I saw Celestia and Luna, working together, bringing up two whole trees. These they added to an impressive pile. Tired, they trotted over to where Justice and I were making and laying the stone of the small fortress.

They watched our work for a few minutes. I saw Luna pick up a pair of smaller stones, and then a third. She brought over the result of her labor and fitted it to place. Her dark magic seeped in between the parts and the stone was locked into place.

Celestia watched too. Instead of getting stones, she turned to the now large wood pile. Shortly, her many hued magic brought us a large beam, neatly squared and free of any defect. She placed it, with help from all of us, to be the central roof tree beam. As it found its place in the structure, delicate seeming, many hued magic flowed into the joints between the wooden beam and cliff face. Her magic also found the joint of the beam and the wall that we had built. When her magic was withdrawn, the beam was one piece with both cliff and structure.

We were all cheered by the placement of that beam. As we paused our labor to admire it, a pegasus in full war harness swooped close overhead! It banked sharply about and came back over us.

She swept to the ground in a dramatic landing. He spear was held in a defensive posture. When we offered no attack, she rose carefully out of her combat ready stance. She spoke in a cool, reserved tone, not to us, but to Justice.

“Master Justice, the Sunlord is most unhappy at your defection. What have you to say?”

Justice returned coolness for coolness. “Wing Leader Swift Feather, I have followed what is true. You know my talent. The Sunlord used me to find those who lied to him. He lied to us all but I was not permitted to say so.”

Swift Feather considered carefully what she had heard. Finally, nodding, she replied, “We hoped that was the reason. My wing and I have known that the Sunlord and his phony priests are liars for a long time.

“For ones claiming to fix and regulate the heavens themselves, their combined magic could not reach us if we flew high. The Sun and the Moon remained far above us.”

Justice calmly said, “I have seen you test that. I wondered why you followed him.”

Swift Feather asked instead, “Am I safe while we speak of these things?” She gestured at Celestia, Luna and me. “They have made no move against me but I ask you because I know that you do not lie.”

Justice smiled, “You will be safe so long as you are with us in peace. You will be permitted to leave when you wish.”

To my surprise, Swift Feather set aside her spear and small targe shield and sat. Turning to us, she asked, “Is the Myth of the Creator Titans real?”

Celestia smiled and replied seriously, “I don’t know what your legend is, so I can’t say if it is true or not.

“What we can say for certain is that this world was made by Creator Titans but it was never fully finished. The Titan of Life Creation made my sister and I for the purpose of keeping the heavens in proper order because that is part of the work that was not finished.”

The pegasus mulled that over for a while before asking, “Could you not simply fix the heavens so that they work properly and be done with it?”

Luna barked a short, sharp laugh. “I wish that it was so simple! The heavens are not the only thing left undone. The other things, some very subtle, drag the heavens back out of proper regulation.

“If we do not fix them each time that they go out of kilter, the error will soon grow so great that every living thing will die.”

Swift Feather turned to Justice, who had been listening to the whole exchange. “Justice, can you tell when somepony believes what they say but what they believe is wrong?”

“Yes, Wing Leader, I can.”

“These things are all true?”

“They are. What will you do now that you know what is real?”

Candidly, Swift Feather replied, “I will tell my Wing what I have found out. We will choose who to follow by lots. I shall bring all of those who wish it here. We can assist you in the raising of this fortress. It is well placed and looks stout except for the lack of mortar.”

Justice laughed and offered, “Try to dislodge any of those stones! They are stronger laid than mortar could hold them.”

In spite of her belief in Justice, Swift Feather did just that. When she could not budge a single stone of the top course, she nodded, satisfied.

“You build well, Justice. I could not loosen any stone.”

Justice pointed at us. “Those are the ones who have done this thing. I but followed their orders and used the arts that they showed me. The great white Alicorn, as their kind of pony is called, is Celestia. The dark Alicorn is Luna. This elderly blue unicorn is De Writer and was made foster father of the two for his wisdom and honesty.

“The art that makes it possible to build without mortar is his.”

Swift Feather rose to her feet and gathered her weapons. These, she laid at Celestia’s feet. She knelt and offered, “As you are the truth of things, I, Swift Feather, Wing Leader of the Warrior Pegassi, will serve you faithfully, if you will have me.”

Celestia, nodded her head and touched Swift Feather on the shoulder with her horn. “We, Celestia and Luna, do take your service. Arise, Swift Feather, Warrior of the Sun and the Moon.

“I hope that you know that, while we will fight when needed, we seek peace above all else. Order is our task and we shall do what we must to bring it about.”

Swift Feather replied, “All true warriors know, more than any other, both the value and the cost of peace.”

Bothered by a thought, Swift Feather asked, “Warriors and many others prefer a title for their leaders. Shall I tell them that you are our Queens?”

Both Celestia and Luna shook their heads. After some thought and discussion they reached an agreement. “The true Queen, for whom we do our allotted tasks and rule in the name of is the Titan of Life Creation. As her daughters by creation, we shall be the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Will that suit your need for titles?”

Bowing deeply, Flight Leader Swift Feather replied, “My Princesses, it will do perfectly. It shows both your Authority and, as you do not claim the true throne for yourselves, your humility.”

She armed herself and turned to leap for the skies. “I shall return, my Princesses, with all of those who will follow me faithfully. Expect us within the day.”

Justice watched her go and said, “Come, we have a fortress to build. It will not get done by empty wishing.”

The four of us began to gather stones and timbers. Celestia’s adaptation of the stone forming and fastening technique provided a steady supply of timbers. Soon, those timbers began to be far more expertly sized and shaped.

Like with the stone work, there was not a scrap of unused timber in her work area. What was not used in one timber became a part of another.

Justice was quietly watching the design of the fortress as he helped with the construction. Finally he spoke. “De Writer, you and your daughters seem to have a lot of experience at fortress design. How has that come about? Our armies encountered no such places as this or they could never have deceived the rest of us.”

The old blue pony looked up after laying and securing the latest stone. “It is not experience that we have. It is much thought about such things precisely because we did not have them when we needed them.”

Instead of an answer from Justice, Luna came streaking from where she had been helping Celestia. Her dark magic pushed both her father and Justice down a stair and under cover. She joined them and said breathlessly, “Pegassi coming! If it is not Swift Feather, the attack is beginning! We are not ready!”

There was a hard rattle of sling stones on the flooring above. We heard the thump of of aerial dropped spears striking the timbers or glancing off of stone. There was the rattling smacks and wood tearing strikes of arrows. The sounds answered all questions.

Even unfinished, the fortress was already serving its designed function. Puzzled, I watched as Luna sent fine, almost invisible tendrils of her magic out to the unfinished portions of the fort. Soon I had my answer. She was dragging the spears, arrows and slingstones of the enemy in to us.

As Justice saw what she was doing, his magic joined hers in retrieving the fallen weapons of the enemy. It was becoming quite an arsenal of deadly things.

We heard the trample of hooves as pegassi landed on the flooring above. Luna began to smile. It was a nightmare smile. Sharks seeing it would have quietly swum away. Not afraid, mind you, just being totally sensible.

Thin tendrils of her magic reached up through the flooring overhead. She seemed satisfied by what she found. I was beginning to figure out what she was up to. A spear, gripped in her magic, slid smoothly to a particular spot in the boards overhead. I saw her magic penetrating the wood itself. A hole opened. The spear slashed upward. Blood cascaded down around the shaft. The spear yanked down and the hole closed.

There was no further sound from the flooring overhead. The attackers had fled. Checking by both magic and her eyes, Luna sprinted up the stairs and returned, dragging the unconscious form of the pegasus that she had speared.

She looked at me with haunted eyes. She asked in a little filly voice, “She is still alive. Can you save her, Father?”

I had to admit, “I don’t know. I will try.”

My blue magic slid into our enemy, following the path of the spear thrust. There was a lot of damage. There were things that I could do. I pulled severed blood vessels together and sealed them as if they were stones, not living tissue. As fast as I got the worst of her bleeding stanched, I began finding the ends of guts and binding them together the same way.

There was a lot of spilled gut contents. I swept it out as well as I was able and hoped for the best. I pulled membranes and muscles together. Finally I bound the skin to itself. Her body was as whole as I could make it.

Blood was another matter entirely. I could do nothing about that. We moved her to a sleeping stall with soft straw for her to lie on. Since she was still unconscious, I took water and guided it down her throat with my magic. I slid in some easily digested clover as well.

All that I could do now was sit by her and watch for infections. I was sure that there would be some. Raising two rambunctious fillies had taught me all too much about that sort of thing.

Luna joined me, deftly melding her magic and mine in the watch over our wounded enemy.

Justice was keeping watch near the stairs to the upper level. He came quietly over and reported, “There is battle going on. Some pegassi have attacked the first group from behind and above. I think that Swift Feather has returned. I am not sure of that, though.

“How is Flight Leader Bright Cloud doing?”

Luna looked up from where we were battling another swiftly spreading internal infection. “Bright Cloud? Is that her name? A Flight Leader? We did not know.”

I looked up myself, and stretched. This sort of magic really takes a toll on the user. I said, “All that Luna knew was that Bright Cloud was important to the attack. Once she was down, as far as Luna was concerned, she was just another pony in need of help.”

I shrugged, “That is how my daughters are. Do what is needful and then take responsibility for the outcome.” I smiled and gave Luna a pat on the neck with my magic.

Justice, retreating to his watch post, observed, “I have seen that already in many things.”

Searching the sky, climbing the steps and searching again, he went to the the floor overhead. He soon reported back. “It was Swift Feather. The enemy have been driven from our sky. There are wounded to attend.”

Luna simply went to the heavy timber door, unbarred it and pushed it open. She called up to patrolling pegassi, “Flight leader Swift Feather, we need you!”

One peeled out of the formation and dove like a hawk. Banging her wings full open at the last minute, Flight Leader Swift Feather landed gently in front of Luna.

She saluted and said briskly, “Swift Feather reporting, my Princess!”

Deep concern in her voice, Luna asked, “My Sister Celestia? She was caught outside when the attack broke.”

Swift Feather softened a little and replied, “She is safe, Princess Luna, Ma’am! As soon as we saw the situation from above, we drove the enemy force from her position! She has somehow made a shelter in the trees. The branches are grown together into a solid roof! I have never seen such a thing before.”

Luna nodded gazing over to the beam working area. Many spears and arrows stood up from the ground. There was a litter of sling stones between them. She shuddered.

“Since Celestia is safe, bring all of the wounded to the fortress regardless of their side in the battle. We will tend the most serious first.”

Swift Feather frowned and cocked her head as she received that order. “Even the enemy, my Princess?”

Luna nodded briskly. “Even the enemy. They are trained warriors. If we can bring them to our side, we need them.”

Swift Feather suddenly smiled. “That is not the whole reason, is it, Princess Luna?”

“No, Swift Feather, it is not. Perhaps it will be enough to get your followers to bring them in. It may work to our advantage or not. The important reason is this. They live. We serve the Titan of Life Creation. We will not cast life aside lightly.”

To Luna’s utter surprise, Swift Feather bowed deeply. In a voice shaking with emotion, she said, “Now, I know that I made the best decision in following you. I go. We will bring them all to you.”

In a thunder of hard driven wings, she was gone to carry out her errand of mercy.

Now that it appeared safe, Celestia cantered across the open space toward the fortress. An arrow flew from the brush behind her!

Five warriors dove on the revealed sniper!

Celestia was down. Her wings spread and fluttering. She lay there in the grass, kicking.

Before I could stop her, Luna charged out until she was in safe magic range of her fallen sister. Midnight magic enveloped Celestia and lifted her from the ground. Luna skidded to a stop and turned back to the fortress carrying her sister. She did not stop until she was inside. Rearing in her turnabout, she brought Celestia safely through the door.

That was when she saw that there was a living wall of twenty pegassi between her and the small forest. At least two were injured. With no hesitation, she directed, “Father, Justice, take care of Celestia.”

Without waiting to see if we were, she was out again. This time she brought in the two wounded pegassi.

We heard a loud but ragged cheer as she came back through the door with her burden of bravery. She saw that there were already a number of wounded here. Swift Feather’s pegassi were struggling with the unfamiliar burden of the fallen but bringing them in through the upper floor stairway.

“Justice! Start sorting the casualties by the seriousness of their wounds. Look into them as if you were going to meld stones to see the reality of their wounds.”

Assuming that her request would be carried out, she came straight to me and asked, “How bad is Celestia? What can I do to help?”

I looked up with a serious smile from where I was extracting the arrow. “Not too bad, Luna. She severed a muscle but nothing serious was hit. Help me with steadying her. She keeps trying to struggle.”

Luna’s magic flowed into Celestia’s neck, up near her skull. In seconds she was still. Unconscious. What else can I do, Father?”

Utterly surprised at the simplicity of the trick, I gestured at the arrow. “Pull gently and watch that the barbs do not hang up on anything. I will pull things together behind it and close up the wound.”

Working together, it only took us a few more minutes to be closing up Celestia’s skin. The work was greatly simplified by Celestia’s sleep. As soon as it was done, we moved her to share the sleeping stall with Bright Cloud.

Swift Feather stepped up behind us quietly and said, “That proves what you told me. Will it slow anything down to bring a few of my followers and some of our prisoners to see this?”

Actually puzzled, Luna a turned to her and asked, “Why would this be of any importance?”

Bright Feather chuckled and replied, “You just laid your sister Princess next to an enemy who tried to kill you all. You do not see that as important? I assure you, those who see it will!”

I saw her point. “Permission granted. Not more than three at a time. See if you can bring in straw to line the large room floor too. We are going to need it soon.”

Swift Feather simply saluted and left. Soon a small parade of pegassi were bringing in straw for the big room. Going out, they went past Bright Cloud and Celestia, laying side by side.

Sometime in there, Celestia stirred in her sleep. She put a big white wing across her enemy, Bright Cloud.

We were busy. As fast as we had one taken care of, Justice and a few helpers carried the victim away and gave us another. It was the amazed whispers that drew my attention. I lifted my horn weary head and saw the reason for myself. Even I was impressed.

Finally, working by torch light until far after night fall, we were done. All that could be saved we had saved. There were too many dead. Bright Feather guided us out the door of the fortress.

There was a fairly large fire going and rations were being cooked. A pegasus stallion in an unfamiliar war kit brought Luna and I a large portion with some delicacies like pickled dandelion heads in sweet sauce.

Luna hit the exact tone again, without meaning to at all. She did save one dandelion top for herself. The same for the rest of the feast.

Handing it back, she said, “I am sorry, I do not know your rank to thank you properly for this. Please take the rest of this and share it as far as it will go, among the wounded. Pay not a thought to what side. They are all warriors and live. Their life is precious.”

The stallion knelt in the flickering and uncertain light of the fire and asked, “What shall I tell them?”

She smiled, clearly tired, and replied, “Tell them that it is the gift of Princess Luna. Thank you.”

Swift Feather knelt in front of her next. “Princess, why have you done this? If they were the prisoners of the Sunlord, most would have been put to death for opposing him. The others would have had bare straw to eat.”

Luna thought carefully, not noticing the silence of the many ponies about her. She replied, “We respect their courage, honor and lives. I would guess that is the difference between the Sunlord and us.”

There was a quiet intake of breath all across the field. Even guarded prisoners had heard what Luna said. The cheer following that intake was thunderous. The echo of it rolled off the mountain side.

It woke Celestia. Shortly, she came to the fortress door. Instead of asking what was going on, she came to me, the orange fire light reflecting off her white wings and coat. She said, “Father, the mare beside me is suffering. She can not quite sit up. What shall I do?”

I replied, “She has lost much blood. She needs small portions of leafy greens and clover from our store. She also needs water. Small amounts of everything but given frequently.”

The same unfamiliarly uniformed pegasus that had brought us our meal asked, “That food was meant for Your Highnesses. Why would you give it to an enemy? She lead the attack on you.”

Celestia smiled as she replied, “She needs it. I have only a sore leg. I will have many more meals to savor. If she does not get this she may still die. Perhaps she will thank me. Perhaps not. My duty is to life itself first and privilege second.” She turned and quietly went back inside to tend to the fallen enemy that she shared a sleeping stall with.

This time the silence was one of thought. Deep thought. Some of the prisoners spoke to their guards. One of the guards came close and laid aside his arms. He knelt, awaiting recognition.

Luna reached out her midnight magic, so appropriate just now, and touched him. “Rise, and say your errand.”

“It is the prisoners, my Princess. They wish to know what charges they will face for being a part of the attack on you and the wounding of your sister Princess.”

Luna shrugged, “For being a part of an attack in a war? No charges should be made for that at all. As for that archer who shot my sister, bring him or her before me. I do have questions.”

A shaky voice out of the darkness said, “Then ask them of me. I ordered the archer there and planned the whole attack.”

Bright Cloud staggered into the light. Celestia was alongside her carrying a large bundle of straw. She shot us a concerned look and explained, “When she heard that her fellow prisoners were to be tried, she insisted on coming out. She refused my help in carrying her here.

“I brought straw for her to lie on. It was all that she would permit.”

Bright Cloud, standing on trembling legs, said, “I should stand to hear the judgment against me and my troops.”

Luna curled the corner of her mouth in a half smile. “Then lie down on that straw. There will be no judgment against you. We do have questions for you and, I am sure, you have some for us, too.”

Celestia settled beside Luna. The biggish fire cast red and orange dancing highlights across their coats. Luna almost seemed a creature of flame alone, the highlights flickering across her dark coat. Celestia’s white caught the flame lights and appeared to be almost on fire. It was an intimidating sight.

Celestia cocked her head at Luna. “Go on, Sister. So far all that you have said is good. I will accept all that you do here.”

Luna nodded acceptance and ordered, “Bring the archer here. Gently. Offer him no harm.”

Looking puzzled, guards went to do as their Princess had ordered. The archer was brought before the Princesses, their glossy coats with highlights from the fire before them, lending an almost diabolical look.

Luna’s words belied that. She said, loudly enough to be heard by all, “You are the archer who shot the Princess Celestia, who is here beside me?”

He quailed, expecting to be struck at least. “I am.”

Luna smiled and said, “It was your duty to do so. You honorably did that duty. While we must keep you a bit longer, know that we have forgiven you the shot.

“We consulted with our battle leader, Swift Feather and she is of one mind with your battle leader. If the roles were reversed, she too would have guarded that door.

“So far as the rest of the attack is concerned, she differs from Bright Cloud only in minor details. The needs of war remained the same for each of them. Thus, you and the balance of the prisoners have done no wrong. When we can, you shall be given full freedom.

“For now, you must remain with us. If you will it, you may assist us with tasks like clearing all of the edible browse from near the mountain’s foot. There are also tasks such as finishing the fortress.

“If you will take an oath of loyal service, before my sister and I, verified by Justice Truthkeeper, you may join our battle force under Flight Leader Swift Feather.”

Swift Feather came before the Princesses and bowed. “Princesses, I sent out a night-scout. She has just come back. Her mission was to find out what happened in the Sunlord’s camp after the failed attack returned. I have not heard the report myself yet.”

Luna nodded gravely. “Bring her here and let all hear how the Sunlord treats his troops. I am betting that it is not well.”

Taken aback, the scout asked, “You already have this information?”

“No, we do not. Our one encounter with him was sufficiently unpleasant that I fear for those you are reporting of.”

The scout knelt before Luna and said, “You are wise.

“The Sunlord was very angry that the Flight failed to dislodge even single stone of your fortress. He called it a worthless pile of unmortared stones.

“He yelled over their attempt to explain that the stone of the fortress was stoutly secured in some way unknown to them. He pointed out that even the best of mortar would not have had time to set.

“Then he ordered that the entire flight have every fourth feather removed from their wings for cowardice and weakness. When that was done, he demanded that the officers all be put to death by cutting their throats carefully so that they could no longer swallow. They are to die of thirst and starvation.

“I left while the first of them was being cut so. I knew him. I hoped that you could somehow save them so I came back at once.”

Luna turned to the brown unicorn beside her. “Good Justice Truth Keeper, was this report true?”

“Princess, it was true in every particular.”

Luna stood, impressive not only for the firelight reflecting from her coat, but the outrage in her stance. Wings raised, her voice rolled out over the whole group, warriors and prisoners alike.

“This evil must not stand! I am calling volunteers for an immediate night raid on the Sunlord’s camp! Seek no battle beyond what is needed to bring these brave and maltreated warriors here.”

She reared and called, “Have we any weather-workers here? If it can be done, make clouds to carry the injured home to safety. What we can do, that we WILL DO to heal them!”

Hit by a thought, I called, “Bring all of the fallen feathers that you can! Depending on how they were removed, we may be able to restore some of the injured to flight!”

Luna settled back to all fours and demanded, “Swift Feather and Bright Cloud, attend us. We are going back to the fortress to discuss plans.

“Bright Cloud, if you try to stand again, before Father says you are ready, I shall be most disappointed in you.” Luna’s magic scooped up both Bright Cloud and the straw that she was laying on.

Bright Cloud had the most bemused expression that I have ever seen. She was, after all, a commander of an enemy force, not yet formally surrendered to us. She was being taken to consult on attacking her own sworn lord. To save her troops from further injury or disgrace at that lord’s command. And she was, though torn in loyalty between her sworn leader and and the Princess, she had no such issue about saving the ones that she led. A true leader, her troops came first.

It was not long before they sent for the scout. Soon after, Swift Feather emerged and asked again for volunteers. A night raid from the air was dangerous, after all.

She need not have worried. Even the prisoners stepped forward. She swiftly organized her forces. Weather-workers set to building the clouds that the pegassi would need. That, thanks to our altitude and the season, was swiftly accomplished.

Pegassi flew up and settled themselves. As soon as all was in readiness, Swift Feather set those with experience in cloud moving to driving the ungainly but concealing transport toward the Sunlord’s camp.

We turned from watching the force leave to the task of placing more straw on the great room floor. We were going to need it.

They returned later than we expected. When we were called out to assist with removing the wounded and tortured, we could see the glow of the flames in the distance.

As soon as the last were safely on solid ground, Luna aimed a hoof at the visible disaster and asked, “What has happened, Swift Feather? This is not the rescue of prisoners alone, is it?”

A weary Swift Feather pulled herself to attention and reported, “No, Princess it is not. While we were striking to recover the tortured and recover the cut feathers, the expected outcry arose. We created a defensive perimeter to secure the safety of our charges.

“They asked where they were being taken. I had to make up a name for the fortress. Your father said that it was taking up most of his exercise cantering lot. I called it Fortress Canterlot.

“The name spread like wild fire among them. The Sunlord’s torture tactic backfired on him. A revolt started among the Sunlord’s army because we were taking the injured to be healed. We lingered to bring as many of the injured as possible. The weather-workers had to make two more clouds.”

She paused to wipe an eye. Apologetically, she offered, “Must be the smoke. I was saying, I left a small group to provide air cover for a mixed force of unicorns and earth ponies retreating toward Fortress Canterlot. They are being harried by the Sunlord’s troops.

“They are going to need munitions and soon. Stones, spears, arrows. If it can be used to effect from the air, we need it.”

Luna heard it all and then, with many listeners to hear, said dryly, “Smoke, I am sure. Was it as bad as reported?”

“Princess, it was worse. That is why we need all the munitions that can be spared. I have fifty volunteers to return to battle. They will carry all that we can give them.”

Princess Luna did not hesitate. “Strip the armory. We can replace most of it swiftly later. Take all that your troops can use.

“Who is going to lead the volunteers?”

Pulling herself up, Swift Feather replied, “I am.”

Luna’s magic enveloped Swift Feather. As it pulled back, Luna told her, “Water and at least a twenty minute rest. Add five of the biggest water bags that your strongest fliers can carry. Your troops will need it. Force them to take short breaks in rotation to keep them fresh.”

With a smile for her force leader, she added, “You may count the sorting and gathering of munitions as a part of your rest. Go.”

With a smile at the Princess’ concern, Swift Feather saluted and left. Luna returned to the fortress. As she expected, without pausing his work to rescue as many of the gravely injured as possible, her father, De Writer got a chuckle out of the name given to their fortress.

The work was ghastly. The worst of the tortured had been disemboweled and left to die. Some died even as she, her father and Celestia tried to save them. They all knew that some would die later but they had to try.

Justice was working with the lesser injuries. He was especially deft at melding portions of cut feathers to the stumps where feathers had been removed.

While he was hard at work, melding the tiny barbs of a new feather vane to the cut parts, a large pegasus barged in, yelling, “What kind of healing do you call this? These feathers do not match my pattern at all! If you don’t fix this travesty with feathers that match, I will …”

Justice’s horn flared with his green magic. The pony fell.

Looking up from his delicate work, Justice asked those waiting patiently for their turns at having the Gift of flight returned to them, “I need witnesses. Did you all hear this pony refuse the feathers given him?”

Besides the expected rumble of assent, one voice said, “He is a priest’s nephew, named Coeward. He was not supposed to get cut as a reward for his “bravery in battle.”

“He was set to be a sky watcher because Bright Cloud expected enemies to come on us and did not trust him in any combat role.

“He abandoned his post to try capturing the White Winged Unicorn mare to be his “whorse.” Because he abandoned his post, Swift Feather caught us by surprise. He was among the first to flee, crying disaster. He triggered the rout of our forces.”

Justice nodded. “You have said the truth of this matter. Who are you to know so much?”

The mare stepped out of the line to have feathers restored. “I am Sunset and I was Adjutant to Bright Cloud. I gave him the order myself. Now that you know, you will not want to restore me.” She hung her head.

Justice reached out with his magic and the green glow cradled her head, lifting it. “Return to your place, Sunset. You shall receive the best match to fly with that we can, just as the rest are getting.

“As for the priest’s nephew, he has refused what we could do. I will speak to the Princesses about him.”

Shortly he returned, Princess Celestia with him. She looked at the fallen priest’s nephew. She said, “I am sure that what I heard was correct but I wish to hear a confirmation from you, who witnessed this.

“Did this pegasus, Coeward, hear what we told you all before we began? That you would receive the Gift of Flight for so many of you as we can get feathers for. We also said that those feathers would not match your original ones except by luck alone.

“Did you all hear that? Did he hear that?”

There was a rumble of assent. “We heard it, um, Princess. I was standing by him when he heard it. He got one of the first sets of new feathers by crowding the line, claiming his privilege for being Temple Connected.”

Celestia gave the fallen one a hard stare. Then she looked at the raggedly cut pegassi before her. Her heart melted and hardened at the same time.

Turning to Justice, she said quietly, “Coeward has refused Our Gift of Flight. Take away the feathers that we gave him. Give them to one who will be grateful to fly again.”

Without another word, green magic lifted the prostrate pony to a working table. The quiet snipping of shears announced the end of flight for Coeward, the Nephew of a Priest of the Sun Temple, until a moult should return him new feathers. The collected feathers were added back to the stockpile being maintained by his assistant. The hapless pony was carried away to grass outside for an unattended recovery.

The next morning, he was found dead. His throat had been cut. Both Princesses and I were called to the scene by the guard who had tried to awaken the sheared pegasus on the grass.

Knowing that there were all too many suspects, I quietly retired to a secluded spot. Pulling the Orb of the Ages from its place, hidden in the True Instant of the Present, I breathed, “The future is forbidden.” The orb glowed of its own light. Scenes came an went. I was curious about far more than a richly deserved, if wrongly done, death.

Luna found me. She waited patiently for me to finish. “So, father, who did it and why?”

“What? Oh, the murder? Well deserved indeed. It was Bright Cloud’s Adjutant, Sunset. Seems that the attack was nearly broken by Bright Cloud getting speared. They had just got things together to resume combat when Swift Feather showed up.

“It would have been a really hard and bloody battle except that Coeward, panicked and flew away, screaming about disaster.

“He was one of the first ones back to the Sunlord’s camp. He spun a fabrication about his bravery and the cowardice of the others. Shearing them all was HIS idea. He got included by accident.”

Luna thought carefully and then went to find Celestia. Together they found Sunset and led her to Bright Cloud.

Bright Cloud was now eating on her own and had a plate of fresh greens with some crisp water cress on the side. She gazed up at her Adjutant and said, “Sunset, I have been hearing tales that someone killed Coeward. May I have your complete report? We have not yet formally surrendered to the Princesses, so this is a matter for our military law.

“Just before I was speared, I saw Coeward abandon his post. I was in the midst of ordering him taken for deserting his post when I was stabbed. Begin your report there.

“We have been loaned Justice Truth Keeper for this. I do not expect him to be needful. You have always been honest with me.”

Sunset saluted her Flight Leader and began. It was a clear and detailed explanation of what we already knew to be the case.

She finished, “Pursuant to our laws regarding abandoning his post, his cowardice in the face of the enemy that surprised us due to his negligence. Compounding this was his dishonorable lies to the Sunlord and other officers, resulting in the Loss of Flight for nearly all of the Wing and the death of a fourth part of our officers by torture.

“These crimes were further compounded by his behavior after receiving the Princesses’ Gift of Flight. He violated Hospitality, interrupting work on a good warrior to demand better feathers.

“At the order of Princess Celestia, his Gift of Flight was taken back. He was placed outside. I had previously faced him about the prior charges and he brushed them off as “Unimportant to one of HIS STATION.” He further claimed that leadership of the whole assault should have been his. A Direct Mutiny.

“With him unconscious from the feather removal procedure, I executed him painlessly.”

Bright Cloud did turn to Justice. “I trust my Adjutant Sunset. Has her report been true? Was any left out or distorted?”

Justice calmly replied, “It was all true.”

She considered carefully, and then asked the Princesses, “Other than our planned attack, an act of war, have my troops violated your Hospitality?”

“No, Flight Leader, Bright Cloud, they have been well behaved. Some of ours, taking the example of Swift Feather, donated some feathers to get your troops as well healed as possible.”

“I see. May I address my troops?”

We carried her out on our magic. We all had a horn in it, so to speak. It was a moving ceremony. Too many could not receive their Valor Stripes. Either dead or still healing in the Great Hall.

Bright Cloud in her bed of magic, turned to us. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, no unit of mine has ever surrendered.

“I refuse to surrender now. My troops were betrayed by the Sunlord and his priests. That betrayal has freed us of any obligation to him. If you will accept us, I will put my troops under your command.

“We know, from direct experience, that you will not betray us. That we may die in battle or after is a thing that we, as warriors live with. We know that you will use us well and fairly. We can be sure that you will fight in the surgery to save as many of us as you can.

“Will you take our service?”

Luna turned to Celestia, who nodded. “On a single condition, Flight Leader Bright Cloud. We accept the offer made by you. Each of your troops must speak their willingness to accept this change of command before both us and Justice.

“No pony serves us of Fortress Canterlot except by their freely given choice. Your troops are fine ponies of the sky and we saved or restored their flight without condition. We will be honored if they choose to serve our cause. We do swear on our part that if they choose us, so also do we choose them to lead them and heal them as well as our power permits in war or peace.”

She turned her head to Justice, who affirmed, “The oath just given was honest and given without reservation.”

That caused a major buzz among the listeners. It was unheard of for a ruler to swear their service of Fealty first.

There was a rustling and small trampling as they formed up into their parade units. There were many gaps in the formation where those dead or too injured to be present should have been.

Without needing other orders, they began coming forward. Row by row, they came, and standing proud, stated their names, their thanks for the restored Gift of Flight and pledged their allegiance to the Princesses.

Flight Leader Bright Cloud stood proudly by as it was done. At the end of the swearing in, She was embraced by Flight Leader Swift Feather.

Bright Cloud turned on her soft support of magic and faced Celestia. She questioned, “Princess, when you lay beside me as we were recovering from our surgeries, you put a wing over me. Why did you do that?”

Celestia smiled softly and said, “I was dreaming. I dreamed that I was beside a friend and she was cold. I shared my wing to help her be safe and warm.”

Many had seen the sleeping Celestia’s wing over the wounded Bright Cloud and they nodded understanding. It fit right in with all of the other things that they had seen or were seeing.

Celestia surprised them all again. “Swift Feather, I am sure that you have scouts out. What of the retreat of Earth ponies and unicorns from the revolt in the Sunlord’s camp?”

Saluting her Princess, Swift Feather reported, “They are nearly to the foot of the mountain, Celestia. We have a force with emergency carrying stretchers watching. We are both supplying the retreat and providing as much air support as we can.”

Celestia gave Swift Feather a troubled look. “We have had only a few of their injured, Flight Leader. Why?”

Grimly Swift Feather responded, “Because the Sunlord’s harrying troops are murdering the fallen. We are doing all that we can, but we cannot safely get close to battle trained unicorns that can see us. They prevent us from getting aid to the wounded. They need little time to kill the fallen.”

All of the watching troops saw the change. Celestia’s jaw drew tight. Her whole body tensed. They could see the rage in the set of wings.

Turning to Luna, Celestia said with a calmness that her whole body belied, “Sister, you are better at surgery than I. You will be needed here. I am taking Bright Cloud’s brave troops and Swift Feather’s veterans of our service.

“We shall break the harrying of the retreat and destroy the Sunlord’s camp. He shall have no force left able to harm another as he is now doing.

“This atrocity ends here!”

I think that Celestia was surprised at the sudden out pouring of cheers. This was the kind of leadership that these warriors were hoping for. Solid. Decisive. Honorable. And willing to enter the battle herself.

It was Luna who returned Bright Cloud to the Fortress. She and carefully picked assistants set the still recovering Bright Cloud safely in a sleeping stall where she could watch all that went on. Ponies were bringing in as much sleeping straw as they could for the great room floor.

Justice set out his tools for the lesser surgeries. We could hear much going on outside. Celestia was setting her army into order and making arrangements. Some, I did not understand at the time.

“Braid that old sleeping straw tightly around the stones.” “Here, make these thin just behind the striking head.” There were many others that seemed to make as little sense. The warriors, however, accepted her orders without reservation. Celestia appeared to have thought deeply about this, more so than I. I trusted my Foster Daughter.

It took nearly two hours to be ready to her satisfaction. We heard the roar of wings as the force left. It only took about a half hour before the first stretchers full of casualties began to arrive. Our assistants chose the worst to bring us first, just as we had trained them to do.

All too soon, we were immersed in the gory work of trying to undo the harm of war. Luna and I were too busy to keep track of anything but the next broken or bleeding pony set before us.

Too many died while waiting for the surgery that might have saved them. More died during surgery or soon after. Many lived. Most of those would be whole again.

Looking up between casualties, I noticed that Bright Cloud’s stall was empty. As we were receiving the next pony I asked, “Where is Bright Cloud?”

Instead of the assistant, it was Luna who answered without apology, “She is outside, resting on a palate, organizing the arrivals and departures. If we are not to have chaos in the landing and handling of the injured, her special skills of command are needed.”

I nodded, as I began extracting the deadly splinters of some shattered machine of war from the pony before me, “I really expected that sort of disobedience from her. Her troops come first. That is why she is such a good leader and warrior.” The big sharp fragment that I was teasing out of the wound suddenly stabilized. I was having help but it was not Luna. She had her own casualty to work on.

Looking up I saw a gray unicorn who was unfamiliar to me. It was his magic that was helping. There were two more assisting Luna.

I was beginning to wonder if the line of injured and dying would ever end, when it finally did. It was past noon. We were all hungry. Our good troops (actually, it was Bright Cloud, we learned later) had thought of that. Food was brought in. We took it out to eat in the sun.

Celestia was out there, head low, wings trailing, weeping. All around us we were hearing of her bravery. Of ponies saved. Of brilliant tactics that penetrated the Sunlord’s camp and set it all ablaze.

And Celestia was crying her heart out. Food forgotten, Luna put a wing over her sister and also covered her with soothing magic. Celestia was wounded but not in the body.

I joined Luna in comforting her. It was all that I could do.

Swift Feather joined us. She knelt in front of Celestia and caught her eye. She reached out with both forelegs and her wings. She lifted Celestia’s head to look her in the eye.

“Princess Celestia, War Leader. Princess Celestia, Life Saver, Hear me. Today we have won. Thanks to you, and you alone we did not return atrocity for atrocity.

“You see what we have done, and you weep for the fallen. This is a good thing. They need somepony to remember them. You see what we have done and you weep for having to kill. This is also a good thing and all of us know it.

“Now, you must balance the death and the pain that we caused with the lives that we have saved. Did you know that we brought more to Fortress Canterlot for healing than we left behind, even counting the enemy fallen?”

Almost mutely, she was so quiet, Celestia whimpered, “I killed him. I killed the Sunlord. Mother is the Titan of Life Creation. How disappointed she must be.”

Bright Feather was having none of it. “She made wolves too! She made lions and panthers. They kill others of her creation for food.

“What you did was nobler. You killed murderers to save lives and you did! The Sunlord had me in a wing clamp. I was falling. If you had not killed him, I would not be standing here. He began this whole thing. Many others would have died if you had not finished him.

“The war is not over. It will go on for some battles yet. Sun Temple priests escaped and are retreating from Canterlot. We have to stop them.

“You have shown us the way. We shall fight honorably, as you taught us in these two battles. Both strength and mercy go together in your hooves.

“Do you understand what that means?”

Mutely, tears still leaking from her eyes, Celestia shook her head.

“Then let me tell you. Among the casualties here is Commander Hurricane, one of the Sunlord’s staunchest supporters.

“He was injured, brought down by a unicorn wing clamp. The Sunlord’s ponies were moving in for the kill. His own side attacked him and took him down.

“He saw what you were doing and refused his orders to murder the fallen. He and his Wing joined us in defending the injured. We are all still warriors. Now we are fighting to save lives; to prevent injustice.

“You have given us a single and priceless purpose.

“To fight the best and most honorable fight that we can for the purpose of saving all the lives that can be saved.”

Tears glistened in Swift Feather’s eyes as she finished.

Commander Hurricane came out of the Fortress and, looking about, came directly to Celestia.

Amazed, he told her, “I am already on my feet, though forbidden to fly for a few days. The Dark Mare Luna, told me that my case was a simple one. A few broken bones, already knitted. My right wing was broken in two places and both front legs. I should be dead.”

Celestia turned her gaze on him and replied, “No. You should be alive. Mother, the Titan of Life Creation, shaped you. Whether you join us or not, you are being healed without condition.”

Swift Feather gently interrupted, “Celestia, this pony is one that you saved. The reason that we had to save him was simple. He has already joined us in all but oath. His whole wing too.”

Commander Hurricane nodded. “War Leader, we saw what you were doing, driving the murderers back to rescue those who fell. It was clear that you knew that many were from the Sunlord’s troops but you directed the rescue of all. I have never in my life seen such a thing.

“It sounds strange to say it, Ma … um, Princess, but I and mine thought deeply on what we were seeing. We joined forces with Swift Feather to guard the casualties. That is why almost a fourth part of my wing and myself were wing clamped. They tried to kill us.

“You guarded us as fanatically as those of Swift Feather or the Retreat. You and, I am informed, the Dark Mare rule here. My troops have voted already. We are yours.”

He bowed deeply and said, “We have chosen to serve those who will weep at the fall of an enemy. Those whose battle is in the service of Life.

“We have chosen Fortress Canterlot!”

—THE END—