The White Duchess

The vast sea of black erupted in a sea of shrill ringing.

“... please no.”

Unfiltered by the plea for mercy, the screech continued ever-onwards.

My eyes snapped open wide as I bolted upwards. Fueled purely by hatred, I yanked up the source of the infernal sound and aimed it at a nearby open window. A feral growl bounced around my chamber.

“Ahem.”

I paused mid-hurl; my cobalt hoof dropped back down to my chest, alarm still firmly clutched. I turned my head to the room’s doorway.

“Put the clock down, Cross.” My eyes glanced between the mare and my hoof. “Now.” Silently, I clicked the still ringing alarm off and set it back down on the nightstand. “I suggest you get dressed; the general is waiting.”

Stumbling off of my bed, I stood tall above the mare. “Since when?!”

“Ten minutes ago.”

She watched with a sadistic smile as I scrambled about my quarters.

“Crap, crap, crap…”

“Is there an issue, captain?”

“Not a captain,” I shot back on reflex. I breathed a sigh of relief as my closet revealed my armor. “Oh thank Celestia.”

The mare ignored my celestial praise. “Wasn’t your promotion yesterday?”

“I certainly didn’t sign up for it.” After slipping completely into my officer’s armor and securing the straps, I continued. “We’ll talk about it later, Golden.”

Golden Form’s visage became strained. “If you didn’t want the charge, then why did you take it, Cross?”

The front plate’s clasps sealed shut with two sharp clicks. I stood before Golden again, fixing her with a stern frown. “Later,” I repeated.

With a frown of her own, Golden Forms stepped out of the way, and I trudged out into the hall. The little mare pulled up beside me with a capricious trot; I gave her a wary glance, but she just smiled.

“I gotta get this meeting over with first, alright?”

We passed a pair of tall pane windows that watched over the town of Ponyville to the south; I had to raise a hoof to block a stray ray of sunlight pining for my eyes. “Did we really have to schedule the meeting for this early in the morning?” I questioned wryly.

“Yes, we did. The general has other ponies he has to meet with today.”

Golden Forms was my new assistant, and in less than a day of her being in my company, she had already proven that she did the exact opposite of what her title suggested.

“You’re not exactly living up to your job’s title.”

She rolled her eyes. “I woke you up, didn’t I?”

I glared at her and moved a stray strand of my ash-black mane back into place. “The alarm clock woke me, not you.”

A grin split across her buttercup-colored muzzle. “Hush, you.” Golden prodded me lightly, her cheeks lit lightly. “You are a very grumpy pony, Captain Cross.”

“Lieutenant.” I lowered my head and huffed. “Dang it.”

“Better kill the reflex before it becomes a habit, Captain Cross.” I bit my tongue. A full-hearted giggle filled the air. “You’re adorable when you’re mad, captain.”

“You are the worst pony,” I breathed, standing tall again. “We’re here.”

I gave a brisk salute to the two guardsponies. The meeting room doors were pulled open by their magic once they’d reciprocated the salute. Golden slowed down and fell into step behind me as we approached the round table in the center of the room. On the opposite side of the table the general sat patiently, hooves folded over one another on the oak wood. I gave another, far more crisp salute to the general. The doors eased shut behind us with a soft ‘thwoom.’

He returned my gesture with a nod. “At ease, captain. Today’s meeting is all but formal.”

I took a seat on my side of the table, while Golden quietly excused herself to go get a servant. “I trust your train ride to Canterlot was well, General Ironhoover, sir?”

“Again, today is all but formal; no need to ‘sir’ me. And to answer your question, yes, the first class was as pleasant as always.” The Brigadier General shifted uneasily in his seat. “How’s your promotion, son?”

I hesitated, just barely able to avoid slipping into my usual professional tone. “It’s only been a day, general.” There was a pause between us, and I chuckled. “I’m still getting used to the office, at least.”

“Ironhoover, and it’s bigger, isn’t it?”

“Yessir.”

Golden returned with a servant and a tray of tea right as silence fell over the table. The servant set down the tray with the teakettle and three porcelain teacups. Golden left the room again with the servant, leaving me alone with Ironhoover. The meeting room was hot and stuffy, and I couldn’t help but tug at my armor slightly as sweat worsened the already awkward situation.

After pondering the existence of the third cup over a sip of my earl grey, I broke the silence. “This is about the west, isn’t it?”

Ironhoover sighed, a tired smile gracing his lips. “Yes it is, Cross.”

I gestured around the room. “Then why the private meeting?”

“Because I wanted you to speak with a certain pony you might remember.”

I was unable to prevent a confused murmur from leaving me as the doors behind us opened up. Standing, I prepared myself to salute the visitor, but froze instantly. Walking up with a serene smile on her lips, the blue-eyed mare gave me a nod.

“Hello, Mister Cross.”

“Miss Velvet?” I bursted out with a stutter. Twilight Velvet took a seat on Ironhoover’s side of the table. She politely accepted the cup of earl grey that the general poured for her.

Velvet addressed me again. “My coltfriend says thank you. About saving me, I mean.”

I had been on my off-time, set on beginning my day at a local donut parlor, when a cart had slung past me at a ridiculous pace. From a quick survey of the situation, I learned that the taxi-stallion had been thrown up onto the carriage alongside his passenger, and thus was unable to prevent the cart from zooming down the cobblestones. As I’d turned to run after the cart, I’d noticed a mare standing stock-still in the middle of the road. Had I reacted a second later, the cart would have not only smashed into the mare, but slammed into the other pedestrians behind her.

I bound forward, earth pony strength surging through my hooves as I landed right behind the cart. My teeth sank deep into the rear bumper of the vehicle, filling my mouth with sharp splinters of wood, but I held on nonetheless. Adrenaline pounded in my ears as my hooves ground against the stone, bumping with each groove I passed over. My heart beat with the sound of thunder as the cart and I finally slid to a stop, leaving me keeled over and spitting splinters from my mouth.

I remembered Twilight Velvet rushing over from the other side of the cart. She’d helped me up and brought me to the nearest clinic to have the splinters removed. Surprising me then and even now, she had waited for me in the waiting room to make sure I’d been alright. After walking her home, we’d gone our separate ways. This was the first time since I’d seen her last, but it certainly wasn’t an undesirable visit.

I ran my tongue over my dry, and still aching lips, reminded of the splinters. Shaking my head, I reclaimed my seat at the table.

Velvet still had a smile to her small white muzzle. “So, I heard that you refused to take a post on the edge of the Undiscovered West.”

I raised my eyebrow. “And why would you know that, Miss Velvet?”

“Duchess,” the general stated simply.

Blinking, I turned my eyes to Ironhoover. “Duchess...?”

“Duchess Velvet.” He fixed his gaze on the mare beside him. “She became one quite recently, or so I’ve heard.”

She nodded. “You would be correct.” Velvet’s teal eyes locked onto my own amber orbs. “Captain Cross—”

“Lieutenant.” She paused, looking to Ironhoover in befuddlement. Blushing, I quickly fixed my mistake. “Sorry. I am a captain, to make that clear.”

Ironhoover snorted. “You’re certainly showing that it’s only been a day.”

Twilight Velvet tittered behind a hoof briefly, the sweet sound bouncing around the room’s walls. “Anyways… captain, I must ask for your assistance.” She paused.

“I’d be happy to help,” I prodded gently.

“Well…” She took on a thoughtful look. Then, with a wave of her faint pink magic, she levitated a neat manilla folder out from a saddlebag. She set the folder down and brought out a freshly-printed scrawl of parchment. Unfurling the paper, she began to read it aloud.

“On behalf of her royal majesty, Princess Celestia, the Crown presents Noble Twilight Velvet with the fiefdom of Halihoof.”

My jaw dropped. My voice sank low, my mind in disbelief of what I was hearing. “Halihoof?”

“In recognition of Noble Twilight Velvet’s diplomatic ability, personal allegiances to her royal majesty, and generous work for the Crown, the Crown deems Noble Twilight Velvet worthy of the title Duchess Velvet. In accordance to this ruling, if Noble Twilight Velvet is accepting of the title Duchess Velvet, a census of the Halihoof region will be documented and filed to the Canterlot Registry by July 21, 972.” As Twilight Velvet finished, I shook my head disbelievingly.

“Miss Velvet, you do realize that by accepting the title of duchess—”

“—that I gain ownership of the western fief of Halihoof? Yes, I do realize that.”

I gawked at the calm mare as she flicked open a manilla folder and slid a few papers out. “You don’t know anything about Halihoof if you’re this calm, Miss Velvet.”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

“Then why did—”

“But you do.”

I blinked once. “Excuse me, ma’am?”

“I did perform a smidge of preliminary research on Halihoof—” she slid a decades old census across the table for me to read “—so I know that Halihoof is an… economic backwater of earth ponies.” True to her word, a quick scan of the census showed that there were no unicorns or pegasi in Halihoof, the earth ponies hundreds strong. Of course, I didn’t need an old census to tell me that; I had grown up in a Halihoof, after all. It was with a startling and horrifying moment of realization that I put the pieces of the puzzle together.

“The Crown asked me to lead a patrol around Halihoof because they know I have a background there, and you want me to help you because of said background.”

Velvet gave me a warm smile and a nod. “Exactly.”

I shook my head and pulled back. “I’m not going to—”

“If I may I interrupt, Cross?” Grumbling, I rudely edged my superior on. “You may have forgotten that with your promotion to captain, that you are now the highest ranking officer of your regiment, and as a captain…”

My ears flopped down against the sides of my head. “Oh no…”

“Oh yes,” Ironhoover grinned. “As a captain,” he boomed with heavy emphasis, “you are now not only in charge of your regiment, but a whole new division. The orders and forms have not been signed or sent as of yet, but as a Brigadier General with access to that information—” Ironhoover threw his hooves wide “—congratulations on becoming the first captain of the new Western Guard!”

I rubbed my face with a hoof. “So… this time I can’t just say no, can I?”

His hooves clacked against the tarnished table. “No, you can’t.”

“And this… my division, is going to Halihoof anyway, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” He tapped his chin contemplatively. “Actually, we’ll make that your old regiment, seeing as how your division is currently ordered for a single regiment. That’s considered due to the rather small size of the region.” He blinked. “The size will hold, pending any… unfortunate incidents in the initial expedition, of course.”

I weighed my rather lacking array of options, then sighed. My only way out of this ‘Halihoof Expedition’ at that point would’ve been through a dishonorable discharge, because I’d only done five of my ten years. Heaving a loud, breathy sigh, I slouched forward in my chair, just barely able to stop myself from hitting the table. “Fantastic.”

Twilight gave me an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, Cross. I know this is all just so sudden.”

A headache was coming on. “Why now?” I pried as I began to rub circles into my skull.

“They connected a station in Halihoof to the national rail network a fortnight ago. It’s the whole reason the Crown saw fit to extend the offer of control to me.” She took a sip of her tea before she continued. “I believe good things can come from the ponies of Halihoof, and while I’m sure I won’t need too many advisors, I need ponies who can get things done.”

I mulled over her words. All eyes in the room were on me as I really took the time to chew things over. When my eyes landed on the Equestrian flag hung over the fireplace in the meeting room, I finally relented. “Alright.” I sat up. “Since I’ve got no other choice, I have just one question that needs to be answered, Miss Velvet.”

“Where do I start?”

Smiling broadly, Twilight Velvet tapped the other paper on the table. “I’m currently organizing transportation and supplies with the help of the Crown, so all you really need to do is fill out orders for your new division and pack up any personal items you have.”

I filed that information away in my mind. “Okay… got it.”

Ironhoover finished off his tea and spoke. “Any more questions, Captain Cross?”

I thought for a moment. “Yes, actually; when do we leave?”

“The morning of the thirteenth,” Velvet answered again.

I stared. “That’s tomorrow, Miss Velvet.”

“I am aware of that, captain.”

I sucked in a breath to hold in my frustration. Then, slowly, easing myself out of my chair, I stood. “Well, I have a lot of work to do then. I’ll see you in the morning, Miss Velvet.”

“Of course, captain.”

I turned to Ironhoover. “Enjoy your stay in Canterlot, sir.” With one last reciprocated salute from Ironhoover, I left the room.

“This’ll be fun,” I muttered darkly as the two guards shut the door to the room, leaving the two torturers to their conniving.