The Black Company in Equestria

We stood around in the drizzle while Crystal and Cinder argued with the guards atop the gate.

“You'd think we'd be more credible with all these ponies around us, not less.” Flick observed.

“Would you let us in if you were them?” I asked.

“Point. How bad do you think the fighting was around here?”

“No bodies or gear that I saw,” Priest said. “Just a lot of damn mud.”

“A siege, then,” Lamb spoke up. “But how do you besiege a city where the people inside can fly?”

I glanced back at the guards hovering over the gateway, noticing for the first time that they and the wall they guarded were perfectly dry. So, weather control. Impressive weather control. My respect was somewhat blunted by the fact that, while they were warm and dry, we were standing around in ankle-deep mud getting thoroughly soaked.

In the end, they let us inside. There was a great deal of fuss and excitement: drums rolled, reserves were called out, torches were lit, messages went up the chain of command and back down again. When we passed through the gate, our little band was greeted by a double line of pegasi hovering on either side of the archway, spears lowered and ready. A big white stallion landed in front of us.

“Don't move!” he barked. “Drop your weapons!”

“Can't do both.” Flick helpfully pointed out.

The pegasus blinked but resolutely stuck to his script. “Lord Cirrus Nimbus has ordered you to be brought before him. Give up your weapons at once.”

“That's harsh,” Jacky Boy complained. “All we've done and you don't trust us enough to-”

“Quiet.” Lamb growled at him. “Do as the pony says.” He unbuckled his sword belt, laying the weapon carefully on the pavement. “All your weapons, mind you.” His right hand made a quick gesture as he reached behind his back to unsheathe a long knife. I smiled to myself as I followed his lead.

Satisfied that we were following orders, the pegasus turned his attention to the ponies in our group.

“Sergeant Dazzle! Get these ponies to the infirmary immediately. Have the doctors check them for injuries, and see that they're cleaned up and fed.”

A yellow pegasus saluted and swooped down to land in front of our bedraggled companions.

“Right this way,” she said, “We'll get everyone taken care of, sure enough.”

Crystal glanced back worriedly at us as she followed the rest of the herd.

I winked at her. “We'll be fine, go on.”

She smiled back and trotted after the others.

Between the eight of us, we left quite a nice pile of weapons behind, although there may have been a few small oversights. For one, my boot knife rode snugly in its usual place. Pure forgetfulness on my part of course.

The guards escorted us onwards. They seemed well disciplined enough, hovering a few paces behind and to either side of us. While their spears were still trained on us, they didn't seem eager to use them at the slightest provocation. Still, best not to give them one.

I looked around the city that we were being marched through. A short way from the gate, the road curved up to the first in a series of terraces that stair-stepped up the mountainside. As we wound our way upwards, I noticed that there seemed to be remarkably few buildings for a city covering this much land. Most of the ground was dedicated to crops of one kind or another.

“Looks like you're expecting some rain.” I said cheerfully to one of the pegasi on my right, pointing to the towering mass of clouds covering the mountain's peak.

“No talking!” the captain growled.

“I was just...because the clouds. They look like a castle.” I finished lamely.

“No, they look more like a fish.” Jackal opined.

“You must be shitting me.” Jacky Boy chimed in. “That's clearly a ship.”

“I said no talking!” the captain shouted.

We lapsed into silence. “Bastard.” Jacky Boy grumbled.

It was a castle. A perfect likeness of a castle: gates, walls, towers, and turrets, all sculpted out of cloud. We passed under a cloud gateway with pegasi patrolling along the top. I dragged my hand along the wall. It didn't swirl away like mist or fog, but merely parted like bunches of finely spun cotton. One of our escorts immediately swooped in and brushed it back into place with a wing while another herded me back with the others. So, the clouds were solid for them but not for us. Interesting.

We were marched into the great hall. I noted with some disappointment that it was constructed entirely of stone. A fire crackled merrily in a large fireplace on one wall, and a raised dais occupied the far end. Occupying the dais was a huge gray pegasus, staring us down the whole way.

“So,” he said, stroking an impressive goatee as the guards planted us in front of him, “I am Lord Cirrus Nimbus of Windsoar Castle. You will tell me who you are. And then,” he roared, his wings snapping open, “you will tell me why I should not have you thrown from the highest turret of this fortress!”

Lamb authorized me to speak for us all by rabbit punching me in the kidney.

I took a step forward, bowed.

“We are the Black Company, Lord Cirrus. We are the enemies of your enemies and the friends of your people. The rescued ponies in your house speak for our allegiance and the trail of bodies behind us speak for our skill.”

I repeated the bow, stepped back into line.

“Damn.” Lamb whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “Didn't know you had that on tap.”

“Read it in the Annals.” I whispered back.

“You'll forgive me if I'm somewhat skeptical.” Cirrus sneered. “Since your kind first appeared, you have done nothing but ravage our lands and enslave our people.”

“My dear, if you spent more time with the prisoners and less in the sky, you would know that their kind are called humans.” A second pegasus entered from a side door to stand beside Cirrus.

Jackal stiffened like a hound catching a scent. “Prisoners?”

“Lady Stratus, I presume?” I bowed again.

“You may.” she smiled. “But come, you have me at a disadvantage. I must know the names of the brave humans responsible for rescuing so many ponies.”

“My name is Marus. These are my brothers: Lamb, Jackal, Priest, Marsuf, Egg, Jacky Boy, and Flick.”

“My, such a large family.” She made a kind of curtsy. “I am Lady Stratus Nimbus, and this is my mate, Lord Cirrus Nimbus. You are most welcome in our house.”

“They could be spies!” Cirrus protested. He wheeled to face me, jabbed a hoof in my face. “You. Prove you are not a spy.”

“With pleasure.” This pegasus was starting to irritate me. “Lady Stratus, how many prisoners do you have?”

“Only two. We captured them when they first attempted to storm Windsoar's walls. We have kept them safe in the dungeon, but beyond proclaiming their allegiance to another human named Grayborn, they have been quiet. I have tried to speak to them many times, but have learned little about them.”

“Or why they persist in attacking us.” Cirrus growled.

“I'll wager you weren't asking nice enough.” Jackal said. He saw where I was going with this.

“If you would, Lady, please have one of the prisoners brought up here.”

“Very well, Marus.” She nodded at a guard. “Do as he asks.”

I turned to the others as the guard zoomed off. “I'll handle this. Jackal, can I count on a little wizardly intimidation if I need it?”

Jackal grinned like a child clutching a new toy. “Count on it.”

The clinking of shackles preceded the appearance of the prisoner a few minutes later. I looked him over as he entered. Small, dusky, and dirty, like most of the men we'd fought back in the mountains.

I strode over as the guard prodded him forward.

He blinked up at me, startled. “Who're you? You here to get me out?” He noticed the others behind me. “You lot work for Grayborn? Did we win?”

“No and no and no.” I flipped back my cloak, exposing the Company badge pinned to my breast.

He stared at it, the color draining from his face.

“Got it in one.”

His mouth flopped open. He started babbling something, maybe a prayer or a plea. I cut him off.

“Shut it. I ask the questions, you answer them straight. Or maybe you'd rather talk to Jackal?”

Jackal grinned, waved. Something long and black and chitinous with too many legs curled around his upraised hand, vanished back up his sleeve. The prisoner started shaking.

“Now then,” I said, pacing the floor like an inquisitor. “Tell our hosts who we are.”

“You're the B-Black C-Company.” he stammered.

“Good. Now, are we your friends?”

“N-no.”

“And are we Grayborn's spies?”

“No.”

“Well, there you have it.” I spun on my heel to face the two pegasi. “I submit that we are not spies.”

“Perhaps.” Cirrus said grudgingly.

Stratus smiled. “Of course they are not, dear.” She waved a hoof at the guard, who led the shaking prisoner away. “I never doubted you for a moment, Marus.”

She glided down from the dais, struck a formal pose. “Allow me to welcome all of you to Windsoar Castle. I would speak to you at length, but I believe such conversation is better left until tomorrow. I would not wish to subject you to an interrogation while you are still tired and hungry. While our more luxurious apartments here are inaccessible to non-pegasi, we will have accommodations prepared for you as soon as possible. You must be quite exhausted after such a daring escape.”

I glanced back at the others. Lamb made an emphatic affirmative gesture.

“We humbly accept, lady.”

“Wonderful!” She rose into the air, hovering effortlessly. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters to discuss with my mate. The guards will show you out.”

I bowed again and fell in line with the others as we filed out.

Our quarters proved to be a large storeroom that was being emptied out for our use. The guards kept us corralled in an antechamber while the preparations were made. Either they didn't want us big scary humans frightening the staff, or they were testing which of us would be the first to snap and start eating a guard to stave off starvation. Thankfully they got things ready before we had to test that theory. We trooped inside, found bedding set out on one side, a plank table with food and drink on the other. There were even several basins of water for washing up. Everything we needed. Well, almost.

I collared one of the guards on his way out.

“I don't mean to complain, because you've done a great job getting everything ready for us, but you wouldn't happen to have some beer on hand, would you?”

“Beer?” He looked confused.

“Brown beverage. Strong. Cures life's ills.”

He looked like he couldn't decide whether I was putting him on or being deadly serious. He decided to err on the side of caution. “Err, yes sir, I do know what beer is. I don't believe there's any in the castle. There may be a keg or two in lower Windsoar, but I don't know if I could lay hooves on them at this hour.”

“What about wine?”

He perked up “Ah, yes sir. What vintage should I ask for?”

“Oh, don't trouble yourself about that,” I chuckled, “just send up a couple of skins.”

The guard's face wavered between confusion and horror as he beat a hasty retreat. I belatedly realized that a race of near-pacifist herbivores would probably store their wine in something other than goat skins. Truly, I had been in the desert too long.

I chose to wash before tackling the food, as did most of my brothers. You can usually find food while campaigning, but a hot bath is rarer than roc's eggs. Speaking of eggs, I was relieved to find that we were not expected to subsist on hay and various varieties of herbs. All in all, the food was superb, although I had a sinking feeling that I had seen the last of red meat for a while. The others realized it too. Some of them took it better than others. The return of the guard I had sent out for wine lightened the mood. He presented us with four dusty bottles, eyed the decimated buffet with a glimmer of apprehension, and disappeared.

“Alright.” Lamb said. “Everyone gather round. Its time for a little council. Jackal, if you would?”

Jackal muttered some words under his breath and wiggled his hands around. “Done.” He snagged a wine bottle, started prying at the seal.

“Marus, what's your opinion of our hosts?”

“Wary. Good potential allies though. They may be underestimating the threat posed by Grayborn's soldiers. I'd say they're baffled by the situation more than anything, although their attitude is more belligerent than any of the other ponies we've seen so far. Not that we've seen many ponies, of course. For all we know, Canterberry is some sort of pacifist enclave.”

“Can they be turned to our side?”

“Yes, as long as we don't present it in those terms. What I mean is, we shouldn't present ourselves as foreigners requisitioning manpower-”

“Horsepower.” Jacky Boy snickered.

Lamb slapped him in the back of the head and took away his wine bottle.

“-but instead as unexpected allies that can solve their problem.”

I looked around the circle. Heads nodded in agreement. Flick worked the cork out of his bottle with a delicate pop. He tipped the bottle back, took a swig.

“What's our course of action?” Priest asked.

“Barring dramatic revelations, we stay here.” Lamb replied. “Our hosts seem friendly enough, and we share a common enemy. Our main goal is still to link back up with the Company, but I'd say we're safer waiting for them here than out in the wilds.”

“How much do we tell our hosts about the Company and our mission here?” I asked. “Even people as trusting as these ponies have been are going to want to know our story and where we come from.”

“We tell them nothing.” Jackal said, tugging on his recalcitrant cork. “Our history is none of their concern.”

Lamb considered. “We tell them as little as possible, but we tell it to them straight. But we don't let on that the Company might show up here. They've been welcoming enough to eight of us, but six thousand of us appearing out of the blue is threatening no matter how you look at it. We still don't know how they'd react to losing control of the situation.”

“They already have.” Marsuf spoke up. “Grayborn's men are on their doorstep and they are welcoming strangers inside their gates. They are reacting, with no more control over events than us.”

“We know what's coming.” Flick passed his bottle to me. “Give us a little time to drill these ponies in proper warfare and I'd say we stand a pretty good chance of making it out of this in one piece.”

“Marus, you play a good diplomat.” Lamb said. “Stick with the lord and lady and make us indispensable.”

“Good thing that won't take much effort on my part.”

“Don't get snarky. I've got a bad feeling that things are about to go sideways. When they do, I want the locals on our side.”

I wasn't done. “I'm not doubting that they'll be on our side, just that our side is looking pretty pathetic at the moment. Eight of us and some flying ponies versus Grayborn and his brigands? Those are some pretty long odds.”

“Come on, Marus,” Jacky Boy said with a look of owlish solemnity, “don't you know you're not supposed to look a gift horse in the mouth?”

“Kick him.” Flick advised. Egg obliged.

“I know the odds could be better.” Lamb said, when order had been restored. “But this place has the closest thing to an army we've seen so far. We get a few months to whip them into shape and we'll be in business.”

Egg said. “They have courage and discipline. They lack only experience.”

“And that, we can provide,” Lamb said, “as long as Marus gets us in with the bosses.”

“No pressure there.” Flick grinned at me.

“Easier than busting raw recruits.” I retorted, snagging a passing wine bottle.

“Egg and I will handle that.” Lamb said. “Priest will be in charge of supplies. Flick, you and Marsuf will be responsible for scouting and intelligence, Jacky Boy and Jackal take care of arms and munitions. We've got a great big wall out there, no sense in not having plenty of stuff to throw off the top.”

“Our soldiers can fly.” I reminded him. “We can drop stuff from anywhere we please.”

Lamb grinned as the realization struck him. “Shit. We've got a whole other set of options to play with.”

“This is big.” Priest had downed almost a whole bottle and was feeling contemplative. “I mean, step back and think about what we've done. I know we've been fighting and running and bushwhacking every step of the way for the past week or so, but we're in another world. A whole other world. And not just that, but we've found a race of talking ponies that can fly and do magic and all kinds of shit. And on top of that, they want to be friends with us so we can take down a wizard.” He jabbed a finger at me. “That's one for the Annals right there.”

I felt I had a duty to play it cool. I shrugged. “Stranger things have happened, back in the day. Some of the old Annals talk about a whole ring of gates, connecting different worlds.”

“Yeah, back in the day.” Priest retorted. “I'm talking about now. Doesn't matter what I do for the rest of my life, this'll be what I remember.”

“What happened to the gates?” Jacky Boy wanted to know. “Our world's never had some invasion from another world, least that I know about.”

“Not all invasions are hostile.” I reminded him. “Technically speaking, we're invading this world.”

“No shit.” Flick said contemplatively. “Hey, do you think there's some kind of reward? You know, for exploring a new world.”

“Its not really new.” I protested.

That sidetracked the conversation for a bit. Jacky Boy was dispatched to find more wine when our stock ran out. He returned with an armful of bottles and a worried guard investigating the sudden demand for alcohol.

“Official business.” I assured him.

“But-”

“Official. Business.” I shut the door in his face.

“Um, sir?” a muffled voice said from the other side of the door. “You just shut your hand in the door.”

“...knew that.” I closed the door properly, examined my injured hand. Clearly, more wine was needed to dull the pain.

A great drum was beating somewhere. Its relentless echos thundered through the stone halls, reverberating off the walls and causing the very air to pulse to its beat. I cracked an eyelid. No, it was just my hangover.

“Good morning, Marus.” Egg thrust a cup of water into my hand. He was one of those infuriating people who never seem to suffer ill effects from heavy drinking.

“Mrgg.” I levered myself upright and managed to get the cup to my mouth on the second try.

Beside me, Flick elected to make the journey to the water basin on his hands and knees.

We were mostly presentable when the guards came to collect us. They goggled at the state of the room, although I couldn't say what startled them more: the staggering number of empty wine bottles or Jacky Boy depositing his dinner on the floor before them.

We were marched into the great hall under heavy guard, although they bore no visible weapons. As before, the lord and lady faced us from atop the dais at the end of the hall. This time they chose to receive us sitting down. Their seats weren't exactly thrones, but their positioning certainly lent them a royal air. Subdued enough to satisfy a jealous sovereign, but majestic enough to proclaim their owners' power.

“Good morning, humans. I trust our hospitality was to your liking?” Lady Stratus was all smiles and sunshine.

“It was, my lady.” I stepped back into my role as spokesman for the group.

Lord Cirrus spoke up. “We have discussed what to do with you. We believe that, despite all that we have suffered at the hands of your kind thus far, we may yet find common purpose with you.”

He leaped down from his seat and began pacing the platform.

“We find ourselves faced with a situation unlike any we have ever encountered. These humans are a foe of which we have no knowledge and which have thwarted our best efforts to expel them from our lands. As much as it pains me to say it, I admit that your experience outweighs ours in these matters. Last night you said that these humans were your enemies. I must ask you to prove that now and stand with us.”

“These are your fellow humans.” Lady Stratus chimed in. “If anyone can provide a resolution to this problem, it is you. We will fight if necessary, but I hope a peaceful resolution may yet be reached.”

Flick suppressed a guffaw. Jackal didn't bother trying.

“My lady...” I tried to think of a way to enlighten her without being downright insulting. “...they...aren't looking for a peaceful resolution. They're here to kill you, take your lands, and enslave your people. Maybe peace could be made if it was just the few hundred out there, but its not. There's ten times that number a week's march away and their master's with them. And he's not backing down because he has no down to back to. I told you last night that we belong to the Black Company. Well, back in our world, we were hired to kill this wizard Grayborn. He fled to your world, and now the rest of our brothers bar his exit. At the time, we didn't know your world existed, we just thought Grayborn had gone to ground in some caves. But then we found the gate to your world and here we are.”

“I...see.” Cirrus said slowly. Stratus whispered something in his ear. He nodded.

“This situation is clearly more complex than we thought. If you would join us for breakfast, we wish to hear the whole story.”

Two other ponies joined us in the dining hall. Cirrus introduced them as Storm Front, captain of the guard, and Inkwell, trusted adviser. The latter, I noticed, was a unicorn, not a pegasus. Guards manned the doors and served us our meal. “There is no hiding that fact that there are humans in Windsoar.” Stratus explained. “We simply wish to minimize premature contact with the populace.”

I told them our story. I told them a little about the Company, picking the parts they needed to hear. I told them about our contract and how we executed it. I told them about the desert and the mountains. They were intrigued by our suspicions that Grayborn had found a way to use unicorn magic, although Inkwell scoffed.

“Magic is part of our very essence.” he said. “You cannot teach it to a non-unicorn, and you could more easily take a unicorn's horn than steal his magic.”

I told them about the caves and about how we found the gate. I told them about finding ourselves in their world and about Canterberry. Storm Front became angry when I told about what I saw there, and about rescuing Crystal and Moonbright.

“I told you we should have tried again!” he growled, slamming a hoof on the table. “We failed our people! Now they suffer for our weakness!”

“That decision was mine, captain.” Cirrus said wearily. Noticing my questioning look, he elaborated. “We attempted to relieve Canterberry some months back. I led the captain and a full company of our best fliers south. We failed to take back the city and lost a dozen good ponies in the attempt. We tried twice more, suffering heavy losses each time.”

“It can be done!” Storm Front insisted angrily.

“Captain, please.” Stratus said gently. “It will be done. But this is not the time nor the place for such outbursts.”

Storm Front subsided and I picked up my story. When I finished there was a thoughtful silence. Cirrus was the first to speak.

“I misjudged you, and for that I apologize.” he said frankly, looking around the table. “I see now that we share an enemy, one that we both wish to see defeated. To that end, I wish to formally offer your company an alliance with Windsoar. Our resources and soldiers are at your disposal. All I ask in return is that you use your experience to help defeat our enemy.”

Lamb stood up. “I accept you offer on behalf of the Company. Together-”

Jackal gagged.

Lamb shot him a dirty look. “Together I think we can defeat this bastard.”

Now it was my turn to shoot him a dirty look.

Jackal gagged again, clawed a napkin off the table. Holding it to his mouth, he hocked up a throat-full of blood. The four ponies scrambled to their feet in alarm.

“Should I call for a doctor?” Storm Front asked.

Jackal waved them off. “I'm fine.” He pressed the napkin to one nostril, then the other, snorted out more blood. “Damn, Chains never could send a message right.”

I explained for the ponies' benefit. “One of our other wizards back in our world contacted him using magic. Its usually not this bloody.”

“Because Chains is a fucking amateur is why.” Jackal grumbled.

Lamb said. “Alright, so if you're done criticizing your link to the Company, would you mind relaying his message?”

Jackal grinned, displaying a mouthful of bloody teeth. “You want the good news or the bad news?”

“Both, Jackal.” Lamb said patiently.

“Fine. Good news is Grayborn did half our job for us. He got antsy and collapsed the whole cave system. Our boys got wind of it so they were able to get clear in time. So, the gate's buried under a mountain's worth of rock, but so is a good chunk of Grayborn's army.

I interrupted. “And the bad news is the rest of that army, plus the man himself, is over here on our side now.”

Jackal grinned again. “Looks like.”

“Did they give an estimate on how long it would take to dig through to the gate?” Lamb asked.

Jackal shook his head. “Could be weeks, could be months.”

I said. “And we've got what? Two, maybe three weeks before Grayborn is knocking at the gates.”

“Windsoar can withstand a siege.” Cirrus spoke up proudly.

“Yes it will.” Lamb had a fire in his eyes now. He stood. “Lord Cirrus, Lady Stratus. I suggest we adjourn this meeting for another time, we've got plenty to do and little time to do it. Brothers, see to your assigned tasks. We've got a siege to plan.”