Mount & Blade : the New World

The wind blew in a cold Dhirim court through a small window, softly lifted a young maiden's hair. She worn a male clothes and a chain mail. The maiden silently sat on a stone step, fiddled with her short bow. Calradian knew her as 'Ariel' - the name that strikes in a heart of all mortals.

Despite for Ariel who was a solely and only queen of united kingdom of Calradia, she found the floor more comfortable than her throne. She touched the bowstrings. The queen and her companions had been taking a day off. It's had been awhile since they've reunited Calradia. The empress and her followers met their success. They nearly had everything and anything - money, glory, renown... anything they could imagine In Calradia.

However, Some of them wasn't...

Many days ago, The empress and her cavalry had visited the Firentis' brother grave. Firentis never forgot what did he do to his brother. Ariel understood, empathized with his pain, for she was the one who suffers the most.

The end of senseless war had brought the greatest renown and honor toward the young maiden, but it costed her dearly. Many of her men she had put on the line, her friends and good people she had met during her journey, benevolent lords she had known and her most beloved friend...

They're all gone...

Ariel messed her head. She had told the guard to go out the count, so she can stay alone. However, staying in the room alone made her feel worse. She sighed. Ariel looked aimlessly on a lifeless ceiling. A burden of Calradia and her past was crushing her alive. Ariel took a deep breath and dropped her head. the count's door was opened. Ymira stepped in the room. She looked at her liege and slowly closed the door.

"Ma'am?" Ymira said. She walked to her liege. "Are you okay?"

"Not really." Ariel said, messed her hair.

"Ma'am, are you feel sick?" Ymira said. "You look ill."

Ariel shook her head. Ymira wasn't convincing.

"What's happen, ma'am?" Ymira said. "You've change a lot since I've met you."

The empress sighed. She dusted off her clothes and roughly combed her hair. Ymira sat beside Ariel. The empress looked around the room, then stared at her bow.

"Ymira."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ariel briefly looked at her bow, then put it away. "The war is over," Ariel said. "but, is that worth it?"

Ymira paused, then slowly nodded. "Ma'am, Calradia can't be any better." Ymira said. "We've liberated this land from a senseless bloodshed. People are free now."

Ariel sighed. she felt empty. "I know." Ariel said. "Anyone would say the same as you, Ymira, but I'm aware it's a lie."

Ymira was silent, tried not to say anything further. The door was opened again and five men entered the throne room. They quickly noticed something wrong with Ariel. They looked at each other. Bunduk, an ace knight and Ariel's right-hand man, spoke to his liege first.

"Sister, what's the matter?" Bunduk asked.

"What's wrong with our boss?" Borcha said. "Probably a food poison, you need me to bring some medicines?"

"It's fine." Ariel said. "I'm just a bit upset."

Yrima indicated the men to sit down on stone steps. They complied, talked quietly.

"Silence." Ariel commanded.

Everyone talked no more. Ymira was scared a bit. Ariel stood up and tidied her clothes.

"I know it's our break, but I'm afraid it's over." Ariel said.

Everyone nodded. Ariel sat back on the stone step. The empress looked at one of her followers, Marnid.

"Marnid." Ariel called.

"Aye, ma'am." Marnid replied.

"I know the economy inside Calradia has gone plummet lately." Ariel said. "You know the root of its problem?"

"Of course, ma'am." Marnid replied. "Our realm has been known for a long savage war within and become a bandit's heaven and merchant's hell. Merchants outside the realm have avoided to get in our territory to evade Nordic pirates and Khergit raiders. Establishing patrol and cutting down tariff is the best way to solve the problem in short term, but I would recommend to build a good trading reputation within our nation and find an uncharted land to built a colony. Both solution will restore this country to its former glory."

"I see..." Ariel said. "I've already found my patrol regiments to watch out brigands and cut down tax. But, how a trading reputation is formed within our nation and where should I build my first colony?"

Marnid nodded. "Recently, I've known the Nordic merchants have found an entire continent at the far north sea" Marnid said. "We should make our own explorer's fleet and found our colony there. The northern sea is known to be harsh and dangerous, but the new land is very promising. In case the exploration is failing, being the first empire exploring the norther sea will bring us a great reputation. Otherwise, we will kill two birds with one stone."

Ariel nodded. Marnid continued. "I've my longships back in Sargoth. We can buy or build more. As I've some experience in the northern sea, I can provide you some help in this exploration."

"I can help, too." Borcha said.

"What's about our horses?" Ariel said.

"We can assemble the fleet and the caravan to move along on the coastline. With both of them, we can explore outside the Calradia on land and sea. In my calculation, we've enough supplies to find an uncharted land within a month." Marnid said.

Ariel nodded "So be it, then." Ariel said. "I will spread my words to my vassals. For you two - Bunduk, Firentis, I appoint you in a position of colonist's field commander. Artimenner, Marnid, Borcha, make sure the fleet and caravan are ready."

"As your command, sister." Bunduk and Firentis said.

"Your wish is my command, boss." Borcha said.

"As your wish, Captain." Artimenner said.

"Aye, ma'am." Marnid said.

"Then, let's move out," Ariel said.

Ariel's companions nodded, then left the room. Ariel indicated Ymira to follow her.

Ariel and her companions put on their armor and got on their Charger battle horse. The empress and her companions worn a red coat of plates, gauntlets, Swadian plated boots and winged great helmet. Only Marnid worn a red mail with surcoat, gauntlets, mail chausses and spiked helmet. Ariel assigned one of her man to carry her order to Sargoth, then set off with Swadian Knights, her companions and her men. The cavalry were decorated with Ariel's banners and flag, knew to be a banner that united Calradia - unstoppable and frightful. The black lion on red banner and flag was swayed along a peaceful breeze, like a beast's playing with their prey. The cavalcade was elegant and lordly, however, they stayed humble. Townsmen occasionally greeted their mistress and Ariel always greeted them back. Before their left city gate, a young child ran toward the empress and gave her a wild flower. Ariel stopped. She took off her helm, bowed herself down and received the flower. She smiled to the child and put it in her quiver.

The cavalcade moved out from the city and went through a grassland. Bunbuk looked at Dhirim, then turned back to his captain. She wasn't changed a bit since they had met in a tavern - strong and humble. The right-hand man rode his horse beside his captain and spoke.

"Townsmen are familiar with you, sister." Bunduk said. His voice echoed in his helm. "Too familiar, maybe."

"Hold your tongue, Bunduk!" Ymira said. "A liege supposes to be close with their subject."

"But, lady. Our captain are an empress." Artimenner said. "She should keeps some distance."

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this..." Borcha said.

"It's fine." Ariel's companions turned to their mistress. "I expect my people to relax when I'm around." Ariel continued. "Most tenant in Dhirim knows me as a famous tournament champion. I've won the competition there many time. It's not strange that townsmen recognize me. A velvet enterprise there is mine as well and a guild master is my acquaintance."

Ariel looked at a small patch of flower beside and chuckled. "I was nervous when I sat on the throne of Calradia for the first time. You may not know, my friend, it's rather a burden than a reward... However, this land need an one solely leader. If I abandoned my duty, this land will be shattering."

The empress sighed. "I would rather be called as a 'princeps' (first citizen) of Calradia, but still, an united kingdom need to be ruled by an emperor or empress, not a first citizen. However, despite from my political status, people still treat me like the first day I'd become a mercenary captain. They make me feel alive."

The empress chuckled and rode her horse forward. Her companions looked at each other and sped their horse up.

The cavalcade reached Sargoth next few days. Ariel sent her companions to prepare a fleet and caravan. She overseen the preparation by herself. With an excel trader and engineer, the fleet and caravan were organized within a week. A news of exploration campaign was spread in Calradia like a wildfire. The campaign quickly occupied every topic in taverns and households. Many people decided to join the quest. Some merchant donated their denars and tools to assist the campaign. Some farmer volunteered to follow the caravan in order to assist the exploration.

The preparation continued steadily, Ariel looked from a Nordic castle at her fleet and caravan. Soon, the exploration will begin.

A candle inside a dim room was swayed along a breeze from a castle window. A servant brought a plate of fruits and placed it on a wooden table. The servant bowed to lords, then left the room. A lord on a chair picked an apple and sighed.

"I know Ariel is pretty bold." the noble said. "But 'reckless' would be fitted her more."

"But her plan is decent." another lord said. "The colony will bring us wealth."

"She's a dead man as soon as she's stepped out Calradia." the third lord said. "Or I would say, a dead lady."

"Calradia need a strong male leader like her. But, unfortunately, there is none." the first lord said. "The empress need to stay in her empire and keep it safe, but she's chose to leave it. Well... to be fair, she's not even a royalty or Calradian to begin with. A Swadian army just simply put her in the throne. Too bad, Ariel's army wouldn't listen to anyone but her."

"We don't have much sane people nowadays." the second lord said.

"I see." the third lord said. "But, the empress' nature is also a good omen."

A strong wind blew in the room and put out the candle. The third lord walked to pick up the candle. He lit it with a lantern nearby and put it back. Other lords talked quietly about their political and patrician business.

"May heaven safe the queen..." the third lord said.

The third lord chuckled and left. The wind blew in again and put off both lantern and candle. A smoke floated up toward an Ariel's banner above.

Starlight had made a tour for Falcon around Canterlot castle. Everything should had went smooth and harmless if some pony didn't get involve in the tour, especially with their magic. Starlight put everything she has in order to make the tour under control. After the tour had been done, She had been preparing a schedule for tomorrow. Twilight will switch with her while she'll be going on a journey next day.

Since their first met, Starlight found Falcon to be a very interesting human. Falcon was smart, elegant and strong, similar to royalty. Starlight's pretty sure Falcon didn't lied about her origin, but the human's intention still had been bugging Starlight. The sultana had warned about 'Calradia invasion', but Starlight wasn't sure how it's possible.

Starlight packed her saddlepacks, prepared for her next travel. She looked at a Twilight dancing music box. She didn't say anything this time. Starlight guessed Twilight probably makes herself ready for the next day. The former villain glanced at Falcon. She had been studying the Unicorn glyph on her desk. Starlight was glad to see somepony, who isn't a pony, has interested in the pony culture. The former villain knew Twilight will get along with Falcon well.

Checked her belonging for the last time, Starlight was ready to travel back to where she'd found Falcon.