Voyage

by Comrade Bagel Muffin

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Death, Original Character, Bat Pony, Adventure, Griffons, Sex
Length: 39725

This is how far a unicorn is willing to go to get home.

How far would you go to get home. Would you travel to the ends of the earth?

Inspired by Imploding Colon's Epic.

(only the Chapter titles are in French. The story is entirely in English.)

Extra Tags will be added as they appear avoided for spoilers.

There will be no clop.

Published 2018-11-27 00:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-04-20 16:57:00 UTC

L'Université

Escutcheon graded the papers of the Cartography class in the back of the lecture hall. It had been nearly been half a year since he and Dusk had started working at the Uni. The two of them had nearly two dozen gold coins between them. The soldiers and the surveyors that Professor Atlas had sent out still hadn't come back yet. He sighed as he floated the last paper into the graded pile. He sat there at the back of the room while the professor worked on his research. Which he knew that Atlas would continue until nearly the end of the evening. He rested his head on the table using his hooves as a pillow His coat and trousers kept him warm like a blanket. He soon found staying awake an impossible task.

"Well now, today has been very productive, don't you agree Escutcheon?" Atlas got up from his desk finishing his research for the day. Escutcheon wiped his eyes and agreed with a yawn and nod. Atlas laughed at the young colt. "Well what do you say we go get your friend and head on home, come on get up." The professor stood up, and the two of them headed out. "So what did you think of the students' papers?" Atlas asked as they walked across the campus. A few ponies looked over at the two of them. Even on the campus Escutcheon stood out for his constant wearing of close.

"They were okay most of them would benefit from Golden Quills theory of simplicity and design." He stopped so that he could cover his mouth when he yawned the professor stopped just a bit ahead of him. "So many of them were trying to be elaborate and complex. I think they believe it will make them seem more distinguished."

"We might have an author with similar philosophy in our library, but we won't have any from that author or any other that you know about." Atlas continued as soon as Escutcheon caught up.

"I can check I guess, though I'm not sure that anypony could match Golden Quills ability to express complex ideas, in as few and simple words, as him."

"I understand, there are a lot of ideas to express in map making and we always have to forego one thing for another which is a shame that there will never be a perfect map, until we have a perfect globe." The two of them walked up the stairs up to the library, which was on the top of a hill on the opposite end of the campus, from Professor Atlas' office. The Library was made with with magically polished white stones. It was renowned across the country as the Tivi's Northern White Gem. The two of them walked into the library. Dusk was waiting in at the check out counter her golden eyes lit up at seeing the two of them.

"Hey." She half jumped half flew over the counter, and quickly ran over throwing her hooves around Escutcheon who caught her. His normal white cheeks were a soft red. She nuzzled his cheek. "You fell asleep on the job again." She stepped back with a smile.

"No I didn't."

"Then why's your mane all messed up?" She jumped over him and started chewing on his ear. Escutcheon struggled to keep his laughter down.

"Okay, okay, okay. I give up. You win. You win." he said as softly as he could. "Now stop it please or they'll ban me from the library for being to loud."

"There's nopony here is there boss?"

"Not right now, give the colt his dues for sleeping on the job while you have to stay awake all day. Aren't you suppose to be the nocturnal one," a light blue unicorn, the head librarian, answered from behind a desk. Getting permission from her boss to be as rowdy as she wanted she immediately tripped her teasing.

"Dusk. Stop! PLEASE I'M SORRY!" Escutcheon fell over laughing as she chewed on his ticklish ear. "I'll make it up I swear. I'll get you mangoes for a week." He slowly caught his breath as his fillyfriend relented.

"It's okay." She rolled off of him. "I know you've been burning the midnight candles to get the Exam papers graded, so I'll let you off the hook this time." She leaned in and gave him a small peck on the cheek making his white face go pink. Atlas went over to talk to the Head Librarian as the two of them talked to each other. "You at least finished getting the papers graded right?" she asked as the two of them stood up.

"Yeah I got the last paper graded a few hours before the day was done." He nuzzled her softly, causing her to blush. "So, now I'm good until the start of the next semester." She leaned against him they'd gotten a lot closer over the half year that they'd been living together with professor Atlas at his family's estate. Recently they'd taken to calling each other coltfriend and fillyfriend. Though, Escutcheon thought that Mother and Father would say that he was far to young to have a fillyfriend or be a coltfriend. For that matter there were a lot of things that he was doing now that his parents would either not agree with or flat out disapprove of.

"What's wrong Escutcheon?" Dusk's question brought him back to the here and now.

"Oh nothing about that Dusk, I was just-" He trialed off he knew that he didn't need to say more.

"It'll be fine you'll see Escutcheon we'll get the money together Dad's already sent a letter saying that the colony is making a massive fund drive to help us. To help you. With the colony's help you'll see, we'll be crossing the ocean in no time flat." She nuzzled him again and led him outside. "Come on, a little fresh air will do you a lot of good okay?" He nodded.

Author's Note

Releasing this around a month early.
Hazaa!

L'Arrestation

"Escutcheon are you okay?" Dusk asked softly as the two of them sat down on a bench outside of the university library.

"Yeah." He gave her a halfhearted nod and smile.

"Please don't do that Escutcheon. Please don't lie to me." She scooted up next to him. "I know that at least something is on your mind."

"I think it's something that we should talk to the professor about." Escutcheon looked at her, his face softly blushed at how close she was. She started to giggle which caused him to start to laugh. He loved her laugh. "I'm sorry for lying Dusk. I'm just, I'm just a little anxious to get moving again. I'm sure that you want to go home soon."

"So long as I'm with you. I'm okay." She closed her eyes and rested against him. They were alone like that for about a minute before Professor Atlas came out and found them resting on a bench over looking the eastern part of the university. Her ears perked up as she heard the professor walking up behind them. She sighed and opened her eyes.

"Are you two love birds ready to go home?" he asked with a happy little smile.

"Dusk?" Escutcheon asked. She nodded her head and opened up her eyes and took of her enchanted necklace as she looked into the encroaching night. She put it in her bag and the three of them headed down the hill to Atlas' family estate.

***

The sun had set over the ocean to the west before the three of them entered the professor's home. Turkeylegs was waiting for their return in the open first floor. When they came in Turkeylegs looked over the colt and filly nuzzling each of them and giving a happy half moan half chirp.

"It's good to see you Turkeylegs." Dusk laughed as the large bird tickled her cheek. She patted the bird just as Escutcheon had done before her, knowing that it was the only way to get the affectionate bird to stop. After looking the two of them over Turkeylegs went over to the table sitting down. Even sitting down the birds long neck was enough to look over the table. The three of them walked into the home and together began working on their dinner.

It took them a only half an hour to finish their supper and set the table Turkeylegs was given a few cooked fish. The the three ponies had fish, lettuces, and for dessert they had cooled mango much to Dusk's delight. "Atlas, I was wondering something." Escutcheon began.

"Yes Escutcheon?" Atlas looked up from his plate across to the colt that was seated on his left. Dusk took a quick and stealthy spoon full from the professor's mango hers was already gone.

"I was wondering about the expedition that you sent out how long will it take them to get back? It's already been half a year. They should have been back several months ago."

"Well yes, but they need to gather interviews to substantiate your claims, it would help to get funding from the government if what you said you did was true. That would go a long way to funding your trip across the ocean." The was a knock on the door. The three of them looked at it.

"Are you expecting somepony?" Dusk asked her ears perking up.

"No not at this hour." Escutcheon got up as the professor put an empty spoon in his mouth. "Odd I thought that I had mango already scooped on this spoon."

"Hello?" Escutcheon opened the door. He only had enough time to register the guard who was about to cast a spell before said guard loosed a bolt of magic knocking him half a meter back into the house. He slowly lost consciousness, as he watched several more bolts fly into the dinning room. Everything faded away.

Téléporter

A Jolt woke Escutcheon up. He stood up becoming aware of the chains and shackles holding him to the iron floor. A small amount of moonlight filtered in through the bars of the prison wagon. Causing Dusk's golden eyes to glow in the soft silver light. "Dusk are you okay?"

"Escutcheon, you're awake." She took a step forward. He heard the sound of chains going taunt.

"Yeah I'm fine are you okay? Do you know what's going on?"

"I'm fine, but I'm not sure what's going on. Professor do you have any idea why they attacked us during our dinner?"

"I wish I knew." The Atlas spoke up from a corner of the prison cart. Escutcheon tried to us his horn to light up the cart to see what was going on. He felt his magic begin to ricochet, and was thrown against the wall of the iron prisoner wagon. He could have sworn that he heard somepony laughing outside as he tried to still the pain in his head.

"Escutcheon? Are you okay?" Dusk asked in the darkness of the wagon. Her two yellow eyes seemed to glow in the small amount of moon light that filtered through the bars. There was a soft hum from the other side of the cell. With Dusk and the professor.

"Ugh, yeah I'm fine." Escutcheon leaned against the wall, his head throbbing. "What happened? How did he get here?" he asked in the direction of the other three, and the pair of glowing yellow orbs.

"I wish I had an answer for you this is an outrage." Professor Atlas' voice rose in the darkness of their cart. "This is a massive over step of anything that would be tolerated. We've been charged with espionage against Tivi in the service of Slo. The mere thought that the university would house spies is complete madness."

"Careful professor these are the king's orders that you are calling madness." A voice from the outside called out.

"That's completely ridiculous we're not spies!" Dusk screamed in frustration. "We've never even seen Slo! How could we be spies for them?"

"Well if that's true then the two of you and your pet bird have nothing to fear, but if your lying. We'll be having chicken for dinner after we're done pinning the to of you two to crosses." Another voice this time from Escutcheon's side of the wagon spoke up with a laugh.

The air around them began to glow with the tell tail signs of magic. Which allowed Escutcheon to get a good look at this three companions. To his relief Dusk was completely unharmed. Her leathery wings were, however, were held fast by two ropes that dug into her midsection. Her other other limbs were cuffed and connected with small chains to the prison wagon. The professor was more or less in the same condition. His limbs were chained with looser chains. He was also wearing a cancellation ring. Escutcheon assumed that he too was wearing a similar ring as well. These cancellation rings weren't like the ones back at home they seemed to do more than the canceling magic. Turkeylegs was chained next to Dusk a color keeping the large birds head low.

"What's going-" was all that Dusk was able to say before there was a blinding flash, and the feeling of being teleported. There was a loud band. Escutcheon fell down to the floor feeling like he was half dead. The ring around his horn still glow as it finished siphoning away his magic.

Garde-Chiourme

Escutcheon woke up in a dark room he could feel two hoof cuffs holding his forelimbs to a table His forelegs pulled wide open. He tried to move his hind hoofs only to find that they too were cuffed to the iron chair that he was sitting in. After a second he came to a horrifying revelation. He was naked. In a panic he started fighting against his bonds in mortified shame trying to cover himself in some way.

The door on the other end of the stone room opened flooding Escutcheon's cell with blinding light. Escutcheon closed his eyes looking away. After a moment he became us to the new light level, and he looked up as three stallions came in. He bowed his head in shame as one the stallion in the middle eyed him up and down. The two stallions on the right and left walked behind him. One of them lit a touch behind him.

"So the reports are true, a colt that's ashamed when he doesn't wear cloths." The stallion took a seat in front of him. Escutcheon didn't look up. "Why so distraught. You're not exposed, you have fur after all. It doesn't matter." He nodded his head. Escutcheon looked up in panic as he felt a collar clasped around his neck. "Now what's your name?"

"Escutcheon." he answered softly against his will still looking down completely ashamed.

"Speak up and look at me when I speak to you." Escutcheon's head jerked up as the collar around his neck glowed a deep ruby red.

"Escutcheon." he said louder. He jostled in his cuffs again trying to cover himself.

"Stop that!" His body tensed up as the collar lit up again.

"Please stop. Please." His voice cracked.

"Your going to answer my questions honestly, and I might take the collar off of you, or I might have you march up to the gallows. Depending on you answers of course. Where are you from?"

"Equestria." Escutcheon answered.

"Don't lie to me. Tell the truth!" The collar glowed it's deep ruby red.

"Equestria I'm from Equestria."

"Tell the truth."

"I am!" Escutcheon screamed back a defiant look taking away the look of shame from his eyes. Escutcheon didn't even see the stallion move before he felt his hoof slapping him the force tipped the chair nearly pulling his foreleg out of socket. The pain and anger were enough to over shadow the shame that he felt.

"You are a spy sent from Slo!"

"No I'm not I've never been there."

"Your working for the bats that have set up a colony in the DMZ. Your all plotting an attack on our country, and they sent you here to find weaknesses in our countryside."

"Your insane and paranoid!" Escutcheon struggled to pull the chair back up right. "And the colony doesn't want any part in anything they only want peace. I'm not a spy none of us are!" The sound of a door slamming shut from the outside the cell reverberated through the cell.

"Put out the light keep the collar on him. We'll see if the filly is as stubborn." The torch behind Escutcheon went out.

"Don't you dare touch Dusk!" He focused his magic he could feel the rings on his horn rebounding his spell on him even as he cast it. He fought to maintain control as a bolt of golden aura hit the stallion. It was only a light tap but it stopped him in his tracks. Escutcheon panted as he fought of unconsciousness, before looking up his mane matted in sweat. "Don't you dare touch her."

"That's enough." A deep voice demanded as the cell door opened again. "The Wahrheit is done." An old stallion with a beard and a long face looked over Escutcheon with concern evident in his blood red eyes. He turned his attention back to the other guards. "Neither of the other two have elapsed during the Wahrheit. We'll deal with them later. Besides I think it would be best to have a colt like this as an ally instead of an enemy. Now move it."

"Yes sir. " The two guards behind him quickly undid his cuffs.

"Warden you can't." Escutcheon's instigator began to protest.

"That was an order." The older ruby stallion turned and left as two more guards came in.

Faire Appel

/Escutcheon sat on a bed in a stone room with wooden floors. He was wearing his clothes again they had been on the bed. His bags were in the corner. They had apparently been seized earlier that night, as evidence for his charge of espionage. The cell was as nice as an upper scale inn. The only reminder that it was a prison cell were the bars that were on both sides of the only window that was to high to be looked out of. He sat exhausted on the bed the little sapphire shard in his hooves, its blue light barely lighting up his body. He wasn't going to sleep until he knew that Dusk, Turkeylegs, and professor Atlas were all safe. He refused to lay down despite how painful sitting was. He knew the second he lay down he'd fall asleep.

His ears perked up the second he heard the key turn on the door to his room. The moment the door opened the room was filled with the soft blue light of the sapphire, as he saw Dusk. The next thing he knew he was being tackle on the bed by the bat filly. "Escutcheon your okay!" He winced slightly but wrapped her in a hug. He didn't answer her he only closed his eyes and started drifting to sleep.

"Good night Dusk," he said softly the sapphire in his hooves glowing brighter.

"How does he still have the magic left to do that?" He heard the guard ask as he closed his fell away. "He already broke to restraint rings. Not even the prince has that kind of power." He didn't stay awake long enough to hear the rest happily falling asleep in Dusk's hooves on a reasonably soft bed. He heard Turkeylegs come into the room giving a few happy chirp like sounds, and felt the large bird nuzzle the two of them. It was the last thing he felt before slipping a way into a peaceful sleep.

***

The sunlight filtered through the barred window of the cell Escutcheon woke up with a soft yawn. Dusk still held close to him. She groaned softly waking up with him. She rubbed her eyes.

"Escutcheon?" she asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Could you please get me my Eclipse Amulet. I hope it's with the rest of our stuff over there." She pointed over to the corner where their bags were laying. Escutcheon nodded and got up rubbing his eyes. The professor was already up. He was sitting in a corner eyes closed. Escutcheon knew enough to know that he was focusing on a problem, and shouldn't be disturbed. Turkeylegs had fallen asleep at the foot of their bed and was still soundly asleep. He ruffled through Dusk's bag before pulling out a gold necklace with a black opal. He softly walked back over to Dusk and gently put the necklace on for her.

"There you go." He smiled.

"Thanks." She rubbed the black opal which glowed for a brief moment before she opened her eyes. He yellow eyes dilated for a moment before returning to normal. "So what should we do about this?" she waved with a hoof to their cell.

"I'm not sure. I don't even know why they thought that we were spies." Escutcheon hopped back up on the bed taking a seat next to her. "I mean at least with the colony they had some kind of reason."

"You don't think that it could be another one of those gem monster things do you?" Dusk asked. "I mean if there were three of them then there could be more right."

"Three how do you know about the Sphinx?" He looked away not wanting to meet her gaze. He was still mortified with how he broke. How he'd almost lost everything. How even when she wasn't there she'd saved him, pulled him back to himself.

"I saw the aurora." Dusk looked down to meet his gaze. "Escutcheon are you okay? Does this have anything to do with why you don't want to be naked anymore." She asked. "It's okay you can talk to me."

"I've got it!" The professor exclaimed. Causing to two of them to jump, and waking Turkeylegs from its sleep.

"You know how we're suppose to get out of here?" Dusk asked looking over her shoulder.

"No I figured out how to respond to a letter I received last week from the director of the Geology department about ore veins and how to map them out. I can't tell you Dusk how much sleep I've lost over that question." he answered sheepishly. "Although I admit that now might not have been the best time to focus on that. Though I suspect that we shouldn't have to worry about anything."

"Professor were still in prison. They came in the middle of the night and arrested us. They even used heavy interrogation tactics during a Wahrheit." Escutcheon answered. Dusk looked at him not knowing what he meant. "During a Wahrheit you're not suppose to question a witnesses testimony nor try and force a confession according to The Second Doctrine of Justice." He explained she continued to look at him with a confused expression. "Sorry I'm an egghead."

"I have no idea what that means." She smiled and nuzzled him.

"Your right, but how did you know that?" Atlas looked at his assistant.

"One of the law student's asked me to review their essay, so I had to read about thirty essays and five books." he answered the professor. "And I'm not sure why you think we don't need to worry."

"You need to teach me that study spell one of these days. Your mother must be an amazing teacher to have a spell like that." Escutcheon only nodded. "As for my confidence after the my Wahrheit I appealed to the Crown. We have a meeting with his majesty at noon." Turkeylegs went over to the door and pecked it softly. A moment later the sound of the key turning the lock could be heard. A guard walked into the cell.

"The meeting is going to be early. Will the three of you, and your pet." The guard looked nervously at the large bird. "Please follow me."

"Of course the sooner the better." Dusk and Escutcheon got off of the bed. Turkeylegs quickly picked the two of them up and put them on its back. They followed closely behind the guard who lead them out of the jail and to the palace.

Roi

Around the capital city were large Quartz walls that glistened and sparkled in the late morning sun. The every forty meters along the top of the wall there were towers. Escutcheon had heard about the capital of Tivi from students from the university that had visited the city for their classes or were originally from the capital city which shared it's name with the country whose capital it was. The streets were paved with a white wash all around the city. All of the buildings were made with the highest grade stone and wood. It wasn't as grand as Canterlot, but Escutcheon certainly thought that it gave the capitol city of Equestria a run for its money. The guard took them down the streets and grand boulevards to the Palace of the Tivi royalty. A large alabaster building with highlights of bismuth. The palace was in the middle of the city, with a wall of Marble around it, They walked though the one of the gates of the outer palace wall by one of the main boulevards of the city.

"Wow this city is amazing!" Dusk looked around the palace complex. She looked over her shoulder to Escutcheon behind her. "How aren't you excited by all of these amazing buildings?"

"They're nice, but they're not like the Palace of The Two Sisters." Escutcheon answered. He looked around at the palace and it's walls and towers. "Don't get me wrong this place is amazing and awe inspiring, but it doesn't have a certain gravitas to it. This place it's like it's trying to hard to be awesome."

"I don't know about that. This place is pretty awesome." Dusk looked back at the grand palace as she rode Turkeylegs into the building. She took in everything. In floors were black marble. The walls and pillars were well decorated everything was ornate and well detailed. The guard lead them to a pair of gigantic double doors of dark spruce.

"It'll be a moment before the crown hears your appeal." The guard looked at the group. "Would you be kind enough to put three of these on." The stallion offered Escutcheon three restraint rings. His tone told him that he wasn't allowed to refu"se the request.

"What why does he need to put those on." Dusk's voice was immediately defensive. Her eyes narrowed on the guard. "Escutcheon just teleport us away." Three guards looked up at the two of them.

"It's okay Dusk. It's okay." Escutcheon put his hoof on her shoulder. "Just put them on." He said calmly. The three restraint rings were slid on to his horn. Immediately he could feel his magic being cut. It wasn't like a burn out. It was like something was actively redirecting the flow of his magic. He took a deep breath, and gave Dusk a weary smile.

"This is completely stupid we're innocent and they all know it." Dusk frowned. "We should have just left."

"You appealed to the crown, and now the crown will hear your appeal." The guard pushed open the door with his off grey magic. The door opened up into a great thrown room. That was designed to seem more imposing than awe inspiring. They were lead toward a great polished bismuth throne on which sat a white aged stallion.

"Escutcheon, Dusk, and Professor Atlas. Appealing to the crown" A pony in armor announced. Escutcheon wasn't sure if his coat color was natural or if the armor was enchanted like the guard armor in Equestria. Escutcheon slid off of Turkeylegs' back and knelt low. Dusk grumbled to herself but did the same. Atlas following behind the two of them did the once he had caught up. Turkeylegs tilted it's head and walked up to the two of them putting itself between them and the crowd that had gathered around.

"Rise." The king raised his hoof. "Escutcheon, I've not heard about you until last night and from what I've heard from my most faithful of guards is that you are a powerful unicorn that has not once but twice helped the ponies of my domain. For this I thank you."

"Then you can let him take those rings off of his horn," Dusk said standing up.

"I'm afraid not." The king answered. "While I do admit that from what I've heard he has been good to my people his will toward me and my kingdom can not be so easily determined." The king stood up. "I've received reports that you came with a large company of bats that have now settled in the boarder DMZ." He stood up.

"My colony is a peaceful people. We don't want anything to do with war or conflict." Dusk spoke up again.

"And I've heard that you've already toppled a kingdom to the east."

"That was a kingdom built upon oppression and slavery!" Dusk screamed taking a step toward the throne. The guards moved into halt her advance. "You're lucky that he stopped it when he did or eventually that thing would have eventually come for you and your kingdom."

"And now that I see you face to face I'm impressed that a unicorn so powerful that: he has the magical reserves to teleport a prison wagon of four and it's entire unit from our northern coast to here, who has toppled a power mad storm cloud, defeated a dragon and his army of cultist,saved countless Tivi foals, and had the power that when wearing two restraint rings could still use his magic, chooses to be silent and let his fillyfriend do all the talking.

"F-f-fillyfriend." Dusk stammered her cheeks glowing pink. The king only smiled.

"All though I admit she seems to have spirit enough for the two of you."

"King Awe, I promise you I am no spy. I only want to go home."

"Yes, this home of yours is the most impressive part about you. What is it called again?"

"Equestria." Escutcheon answered as Dusk took a few steps back to his side. The king locked eyes with the colt, not breaking his gaze.

"I believe you." He nodded.

"You do?" Dusk and Escutcheon asked in unison. The king nodded before returning to his bismuth throne.

"Yes and now I have one request to ask of you." He took a deep breath. "I need a everybody to leave everybody except you and you." He pointed to the ruby red unicorn stallion with a beard. The warden nodded. "You may stay as well Dusk, and professor of course you may stay." After the room was cleared the king spoke again. "I need something of you, and in exchange I'll give you a boat and crew to take you across the ocean."

"What do you need?" Escutcheon asked.

"I need you the two of you to deliver a letter to the king of Slo."

L'affectation

"Wait you need us to deliver a message to Slo?" Escutcheon sat down. "But didn't your guards just arrest us because they thought that we were spies in the employment of Slo?"

"Escutcheon, Dusk, how is it that the two of you have worked at a university and lived with a professor, and yet neither of you know the complicated history of our two kingdoms." The king looked between the two of them. "Do either of you know what peace pact that the two of us have?" Dusk looked to Escutcheon.

"It's an armistice right?"

"What? How many wars have you two had with each other?" Dusk's concern was clear and Turkeylegs looked around seeing if there was anything that should cause alarm.

"Technically we've only had the one."

"What?" Dusk looked between the four other ponies in the room. Escutcheon just nodded. "But, but Pythagorean said that forest was abandoned at the end of the war."

"I don't quite understand it myself." Escutcheon looked to King Awe. The king gave a long suffering sigh.

"It's not the easiest thing to explain, but there could be a very big problem." He looked at Dusk. "Your colony's arrival has changed the status quo. Both of our kingdoms are jumpy right now and both I and King Titanium are both barely holding the reins right now. As the two of you and the rest of the professor's expedition party have experienced first hoof."

"What but your king you have all the power! That's what being king means!" Dusk stood up. "What's going to happen to my colony? My people?"

"Right now nothing." King Awe answered. "Currently your colony is being used as a sort of stable testing ground for trade between our two kingdoms, but We're both fighting hard against war hawks on both sides coming from very high born aristocrats and generals. We can't just kill ponies that we disagree with we're kings not tyrants."

"That makes since." Escutcheon nodded.

"No it doesn't. He's king just order your ponies to leave the colony alone!"

"Dusk it's like your council. He has all the power, but he still has to listen to the higher ups. It's even like this in Equestria, though it's never about war."

"Then what are we suppose to do."

"Deliver that message. It's a good start." King Awe answered. "Now I need to attend to pulling in the reins on a belligerent second cousin and a war mongering general. I'm doing everything I can and that letter has the plan that will save your people. Now please go, and know that Tivi as a whole wants nothing but peace for you and ourselves. Now go you can take the professor and my friend Red Wine. Good luck." Dusk swallowed not sure of what to do or say, before bowing her head.

"Fine." She jumped up on Turkeylegs back. "Come on the sooner we get this done the sooner the Colony will be safe and the sooner we can get you home Escutcheon. Let's just go."

"Good luck your Highness." Red Wine the old stallion nodded a bow to the king. "The letter will be delivered."

"Thank you my old friend." King Awe bowed his head back. The two gave each other a sad look before Red Wine lead the small group out.

"I guess this palace isn't all that great after all." Dusk said looking over the palace complex as the group headed down the southern boulevard that lead all the way to the southern gate to the southern road to Slo.

La Route du Sud

The group left the great city of Tivi and followed the southern road out of the city. The sun was still making it's way to zenith when they left out of the southern gate out of the city. The road to the south was busy as traders, travelers, and residents moved into and out of the city. Everyone they passed cast glances at the group as they left giving the colt and filly on the large bird odd looks, not sure what they were seeing. The crowds continued until they passed the industrial section that surrounded wall of the city.

"Tivi is always such a busy city. I'm sorry that your first view of my capital was such a sad one." Professor Atlas said as the group continued down the road Wheat farms on either side of the group. The whole road was theirs and there wasn't a single pony in sight, aside from the occasional farmer working his field. "It's a shame that you didn't meet Prince Splendor. He would have loved to meet the two of you. He's much more of a scholar than his father. He would have loved to learn that spell of your's Escutcheon."

"Prince Splendor? Sounds like a perfect name for a stuck up jerk." Dusk said.

"That is no way to talk about the prince." Red Wine spoke up glaring at the bat pony. "The young prince is a great and noble pony, and will make a fine king."

"Just like his dad I'm sure." Dusk returned his glare with one of her own.

"King Awe is a great king." Red's voice became harsh.

"Right some king he can't even keep his country in check. His incompetence is putting my colony in harms way."

"Dusk it's not his fault. The princesses couldn't even keep the aristocracy from ripping the country apart, and they were practically worshiped for raising the sun and moon." He put a hoof around Dusk. "I'm sure that King Awe is doing the most that he can to protect your colony. Beside the ponies in Tivi are good ponies. Your colony is going to be okay. Okay?" Escutcheon nuzzled her softly, trying to reassure her.

"I know. We just want peace," she said softly.

"I know." She sighed. "I'm just worried even if this works it's only going to be a short fix. Once we leave this will just happen again."

"I'm sure that there are ways for a lasting peace." Red Wine's voice became softer.

"Red Wind, can we take a day off in both, Reci and Livar?" Escutcheon looked to the stallion. "I'd like to stop at their libraries. Maybe there's something that we can do about aristocracy. Some old law that's never been done but never been revoked either."

"Sure we can afford two days, provided that the mountain passes are passable." Red Wine nodded. "And for this journey please just call me Red." The elderly stallion said.

"We should stop by a few towns and villages before then, however, a few of my old students are members of the aristocracy. Perhaps you could use their private libraries if we stop at them for the night. Just because I enjoy sleeping outdoors doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy a nice room or bed."

"The first aristocratic estate we will arrive at will be that of Baroness Flower. We should arrive there on hoof around an hour before sunset."

The group continued on in peace along the southern capital road. Red and Atlas discussed the routes that they could use to get to the capital of Slo. Dusk and Escutcheon both dismounted Turkeylegs and trotted next to each other. The sun was starting to set when they found themselves coming upon a small village surrounded by apple orchards and a few barley fields. The group made their way to one of the larger homes that was closer to the middle of the small village. The home was made of stone with wooden accents the roof like the accents were all made of apple wood.

"So this mare is she one of the war hawks that king Awe was talking about?"

"No she's actually one of the more vocal aristocrats who is arguing for a sustained peace." Red spoke up. "But first I need to talk to her before you go in just give us a few moments."

Baronne Flower

Red Wine knocked on the apple wood door of the house. After a few seconds a young blue earth pony colt with a soft purple mane opened the door. "Greetings." The young blue colt bowed his head in respect to the group. "I'm sorry, Chief Office Wine I was not expecting your arrival. Should I alert the mistress?"

"It is quite alright Blueberry Kompot. I wasn't expected, and please do alert the baroness to our unexpected arrive. Could you please escort my associates to the library I would like to talk to the baroness and the rest of the staff in private."

"And the bird?" Red Wine gave him a nod. "Of course Chief Officer Wine, I'll fetch the mistress and inform the staff to meet with you in the kitchen." Again the colt bowed his head when he turned to leave he had a small proud smile. "Please follow me to the library." . Red Wine left the group heading down stone stairs to the kitchen of the estate. The young blue colt told two maids and a butler that Red Wine was wanting to discuss something with the house hold staff and the mistress in the kitchen. Escutcheon, Turkeylegs, Dusk, and Atlas followed the young colt to a small reading room that could only barely be described as a library. The room had four medium sized book shelves on the side walls. The wall opposite the double doors had a window looking out over the small village. There were three chairs sitting around a small round breakfast table. "I will announce your arrival to the Mistress after our discussion with Chief Officer Red Wine." The colt bowed his head before backing out of the room and closing the double doors.

"Is it me or is that colt weird?" Dusk asked hopping into one of the chairs.

"Oh Blue's probably just happy that his grandfather's come by. He's probably trying to impress him by acting very professional." Atlas said sitting next to Dusk. Turkeylegs walked over to Dusk and sitting between the two of them.

"That old stallion has kids?"

"Had. Blue is his only surviving relative, and he's Blues only surviving relative as well." Atlas answered. "It's a terrible shame. Both of the colts parents died during a plague." Dusk's ears flopped back.

"Oh." She looked over her should at Escutcheon.

"Could we stay here an extra day maybe? Give him a chance to spend time with Blue?" He asked floating around a dozen books off of the shelf.

"I think he would prefer to just finish this assignment." Atlas shook his head, We could stop here a few days after we've delivered the letter.

"Yeah that makes sense." Dusk leaned back in her chair.

"I thought you didn't like Red Wine." Atlas asked.

"I don't but I know what it must be like for Blue. Dad's the only family I have left." She looked over to Escutcheon. "What are you doing? Do you really think that this small book nook will have anything we're looking for?" she asked.

"No not really." Escutcheon's horn lit up as the text from the books floated around him. He closed his eyes focusing on the books. "But I might be able to find something to reference when we get to the library at Rici or Livar." He opened his eyes and looked around at the floating text. He sighed. "Most of this is isn't really helpful." He floated the books back on o the shelf as he floated more down to him. After a quarter hour the he had read every book in the library, and was walking to sit opposite Dusk when the doors opened and a soft yellow mare walked into the book room. She was wearing a beautiful green dress.

"Hello. Were you admiring my collection?" The mare walked into the room a grey stallion brought in a fourth chair for her. "Would any of you like anything to eat or drink?" she asked sitting down opposite Atlas.

"Is Blue spending time with his grandfather?" Dusk sat up straight.

"Something like that yes. Now how about some apple tea, our little village is famous for our apples. Kettle would you please bring our guest some tea?" she asked the grey stallion.

"Of course ma'am." The stallion bowed and left the room.

"Your collection is nice. Especially the political sciences of Hobbles and Lock. On opposite ends of the room." Escutcheon smiled.

"They are opposite theories of course."

"Have you ever read them."

"Yes just now." Escutcheon nodded. Dusk got up and switched places with the professor to sit closer to him. "They both make interesting points."

"Just now?" She looked to Atlas who nodded.

"He's quite the speed reader." Kettle came back in with the tea, and sat it on the table. Dusk squirmed in her seat trying to look past the stallion.

"Dusk are you okay?" Escutcheon asked.

"Is that Blue?" Dusk pointed out the window. Out side in the dark a small shape could be seen running out into one of the apple orchards.

"Oh dear, Kettle, could you please escort our guest to their room after they've enjoyed there tea. I'll go and see if I can't calm the poor colt down."

"Yes ma'am." Kettle nodded. Flower took a quick sip before setting down the cup and heading out. After five minutes they had finished their tea and headed to their rooms. Dusk was slightly upset that she wasn't going to be sharing a room with Escutcheon, and was instead going to be sleeping across the hall from him with Turkeylegs.

"What do you think that was about?" Escutcheon asked as he lay back on his bed. Trying to drift off to sleep in an unfamiliar bed and room.

"I'm not sure?" Atlas answered back. "He would certainly have to be distraught if he left his grandfather," Atlas answered. There was a soft knock on the door. "Two copper pieces says that's Dusk wanting to trade beds with me?" Atlas joked.

"I wouldn't take that bet for anything." Escutcheon laughed, as the professor got up to answer the door. There was another knock.

"Just one second Dusk-Oh baroness Flower?" The baroness looked slightly pale behind her were Dusk and Turkeylegs.

"Could you please help me find Blue Kompot. I still haven't been able to find him the rest of the staff, and a few of the villagers are out looking for him now.

"Of course." The professor nodded. Escutcheon hopped out of bed.

His horn already focusing a tracking spell. It would be a lot simpler than the one that he had, had to use to find Plum. He knew Blue couldn't be to far away. The group of five headed out to join the rest of the town in the search. "This way," Escutcheon said as he headed into the orchard. Dusk followed close behind with Trukeylegs. The two adults staying close behind.

"I hear him." Dusk spoke up joining Escutcheon in the lead. "He's crying." He golden eyes darted around in the darkness of the night. She put a hoof out stopping Escutcheon and the rest of the group. "He's in that tree." She pointed ahead. Escutcheon's ears perked up at the soft sound of sobbing coming from the apple tree's branches.

"Kompot?" Flower asked approaching the tree. "Kompot please come down the whole town is out looking for you."

"I'm sorry mis-mistress Flower."

"It's okay." She looked over her shoulder. "You can go back now. I'll tell the town he's been found. We can discuss things over breakfast." Escutcheon and Dusk nodded and hopped onto Turkeylegs. "Blue, come here sweetheart. I know I know. Shhhh. It'll all be okay." The baroness got quieter and quieter as the group made their way back to the Estate.

Bon Martin

Escutcheon slowly woke up as morning sunlight filtered into the bedroom. He yawned and rolled out of the soft bed onto the apple wood floor. His horn lit up as the bed he had just gotten out of remade itself. "Good morning Escutcheon, did you sleep well?" Atlas asked from his bed.

"I'm fine," he answered rubbing his eyes. "Just still a little tired."

"That was a very interesting tracking spell that you cast. We would have been up all night without it." Atlas looked up from the book that he was reading. "It didn't look like a spell that your mother would have taught you. From what you've told me she was a lot more focused on her books and scrolls."

Escutcheon shook his head. "That was a spell that Father taught me."

"Your father?" Atlas closed the book that he was reading and sat up. "Is he a scholar like your mother?"

Again Escutcheon shook his head. "No Father is the captain of the guard."

"You must have had an interesting life back home, but that must have been hard to spend time with them."

"It was." Escutcheon said softly. "I wish." Escutcheon started shacking.

"I'm sorry." Atlas' ears flopped back. "I know you're very home sick."

"It's okay." Escutcheon tried to calm down. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get that." Atlas' horn lit up the door opened in his white aura. Kettle nodded to Escutcheon and the professor. Behind him Dusk and Turkeylegs were already out of their room.

"Breakfast is ready. I was sent to fetch you, and inform you that Chief Officer Red Wine and Blueberry Kompot would not be dinning with us. Are you ready to be escorted to the breakfast nook."

"Yes please," Atlas answered. Kettle nodded again and led the group to a beautifully decorated breakfast nook.

"Good morning I was wanting to send you off on a full stomach. I hope that this spread is to your liking." Baroness Flower said. Kettle took this as his cue to lift the lids of half a dozen platters. Revealing an entire spread of fruits, buttered breads, freshly baked pastries, and a few fresh meats. "Please eat your fill." She sat down. "That will be all Kettle."

"Yes ma'am." Kettle bowed his head and left the room. with the kettle lids.

"I hope that this spread is to your liking. She looked between the two foals who happily took to the fruits and pastries. Escutcheon a lot more reserved and formal, Dusk who happily took a plate full of pastries and fruits first. She smiled as she found a point of polite breakfast conversation. "Escutcheon I would like to ask a question."

"Yes Baroness Flower." Escutcheon looked up from his plate. Dusk deftly snuck a mango slice off of his plate Atlas grabbed a plateful of fruit, meat, and buttered bread. He floated a few pieces of meat to Turkeylegs who gladly devoured the slices of meat.

"I was wondering why it was that you're wearing cloths and Dusk is not?" Escutcheon froze as all eyes focused on him. He looked down.

"Escutcheon never told me what happened." Dusk said softly.

"I-I don't want to talk about it." He swallowed hard trying to calm down. He felt dirty with all of them looking at him. He felt just as worthless as he did back in the jungle. Just a piece of meat no different from the food on the table.

"Was that a faux pas. I'm sorry."

"He's rather touchy about that. He's not having a good morning right now." Atlas answered.

"It's fine, I'm fine." He tried to calm down. He grabbed some food off of his plate, and took a few small bites. "I'm fine." Dusk leaned close to him. Turkeylegs looked of from eating another piece of meat.

"Escutcheon." Dusk said softly.

"I'm fine." He didn't look away from his plate. She gave him a sad smile and quick nuzzle. Resolving to talk to him about it later. When the two of them were alone. He wasn't fine, but this wasn't this the place. A few minutes of silence Escutcheon looked up from his plate. "Baroness Flower. May I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Lock or Hobbles? Both of them are in your library. Which one do you agree with most?" Flower leaned back in her chair thinking the question over for a moment.

"Lock. Completely with Lock. I know that that sounds odd given, I'm an aristocrat, with servants in my employ, but they are in my employment. And I care for them, each of them very much." She looked over her food. "And before you ask your next question which do you agree with?"

"I'm fifty/fifty on them." Flower raised an eyebrow.

"Well I'd love to read a political theory written by you." She gave him a soft smile. "I assume that you had a follow up question?" He nodded.

"How can we deal with the aristocrats that are war hawking to keep the Colony safe."

"If I knew that I would have done it a long time ago." She gave Escutcheon and Dusk a sad smile. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. We'll figure something out. I know Escutcheon will. He's always done the impossible." She smiled back Escutcheon's cheeks glowed a rosy red. After half an hour breakfast was finished, and taken off of the table.

"Well I'd love to send your off now, but I think Blueberry would like a little more time with his grandfather. Do you mind taking a bath, and buy him a little more time."

"A bath would be nice," Dusk said. "And I don't mind letting Blueberry take as long as he wants."

"Thank you all of you. I have a gift for the two of you. It'll be in your rooms when you get out of your baths. Atlas, can we talk?"

"Of course," Atlas answered as Kettle came back in and lead Dusk and Escutcheon to their separate bathrooms. Escutcheon sighed with content as he climbed into the tub of hot water. Half an hour later he dried of and put back on his old cloths before going back to his guest bedroom. On the bed was a well made saddle bag with three pairs of clothes laid out on the bed. He changed into a one of the cleaner sets, and put the others into his bag just as Dusk came in wearing a beautiful, simple, white dress.

"How do I look?" she asked excitedly.

"Beautiful." Dusk giggled at Escutcheon's reaction.

"I love it." She spun around.

"I'm glad that you like it. It was one of my old casual dresses. I'm glad that it's going to be worn again. It hurt me to see it just collect dust in my closet," Flower said from the door. "Red Wine, Atlas, and your bird are waiting for you at the door. Both of you be safe, and good luck." She gave them a small sad smile. The two expressed their gratitude and said their good-byes. Before joining the others and returning to their mission.

La Vieille Auberge

"So were you able to find anything information that would help you manipulate the aristocrats to get a standing peace?" Red asked as the group continued to down the southern route. The small village long since behind them as the noon day sun shinning down on them. A few clouds blew in from the west.

"No, not really. But I did find some terms and old books in the bibliographies, that I'll cross reference when I get the chance to. Hopefully there will be a lot more in the library." Escutcheon sighed. "Still though it's a good start."

"Escutcheon will figure it out." She smiled. "He's an egghead." She nuzzled him softly. Causing the colt to blush a little.

"Shouldn't you take your dress off?" Atlas asked from behind the two of them. "It's a white dress. You don't want to get it dirty. It might be best to take it off."

"I'll wash it as soon as we get to were we're going. Besides it feels nice with the sun and the breeze." She ran up to a medium rock sticking out of the ground and jumped up on it. The wind caught her mane and dress. She took a deep breath, and let it out with a long happy sigh.

"Can you smell it?" Red asked as the group caught up to her.

"Smell what?" Dusk took another deep breath through her nose. Escutcheon did the same. "No I don't smell anything? Do you Escutcheon?" Escutcheon shook his head side to side.

"No I don't smell anything." Escutcheon looked around. "Should we be smelling anything or are you just pulling or legs?"

"The clouds are coming in from the west, so there bring in all lot of moisture coming inland from the sea," Red answered he looked up at the sky watching the clouds coming in. "It'll likely start raining soon." Dusk looked up at the sky before quickly taking off her white dress and putting it in her saddle bag.

"We should get to a road side inn, but I'm, not sure if there's any this close to the village." Atlas looked up at the sky.

"There is one it's on a side road to the east."

"Well what are we waiting for let's hurry up and get there." Dusk jumped onto Turkeylegs' back. They quickly started heading south, After half an hour the sky had completely gone black and the soft breeze had picked up into a strong gale, as the first few drops of rain started to fall. "How much further is it?" Dusk asked as the drizzle started to intensify.

"There is the fork fork in the road." Red Wine's horn started glowing as continued down the road providing him a small shield. Atlas was soon shielded by a soft grey shield. Escutcheon's golden magic shielded him, Dusk, and Turkeylegs from the rain. They rushed down the side road. "Hopefully it'll only take us fifteen minutes!" The rain continued to get harder and harder. There was a flash of lighting lighting up the road on the side of it was an old run down looking building. Dusk squeaked and grabbed Escutcheon.

"Were almost there!" Atlas shouted over the peal of thunder. They tripled their speed, and quickly got into the inn. Red opened the door as they ran in.

Chambre pour la Nuit

"Well that was an escalation," Atlas said looking out a window to the now heavy down pour. "I'm glad that you knew about this inn." Red nodded. There was a soft crying that caught his attention.

"Dusk are you okay?" Escutcheon asked as he held onto her. She was softly crying as she shook like a leaf. "Dusk, did you get hurt?" Escuthceon asked. Turkeylegs looked over to the distraught filly on its back and leaned it's neck back nuzzling her softly. She didn't answer but held hugged Escutcheon tighter. Red Wine's horn lit up wrapping the filly in his magical aura.

"Whatever is wrong it's nothing physical. She's completely unharmed." Red Wine's magic died down. "I'll let you handle this Escutcheon. I'll see if I can find the innkeeper and get us rooms until the storm is over." Red Wine walked through the lobby and up the stairs, to the second floor.

There was another close flash of lightning followed quickly by a boom of thunder. Dusk skreed and squeezed tighter around Escutcheon. "Dusk it's okay." Escutcheon softly nuzzled her.

"Is she going to be okay?" Atlas asked looking over the two of them.

"I think it's the storm outside, I think it's triggering some bad memories." Escutcheon answered as he stroked her back trying to comfort her. "She was trapped under Storm Peak for a long time." She softly whimpered as he rocked her back and forth. "I'll take care of her you should help Red Wine find the inn keeper." Escutcheon softly nuzzled her trying to help her calm down. Atlas nodded and headed down the stairs to the inn's cellar. Calling as he went down for the inn keeper.

"I'm sorry," Dusk said with a squeaky voice, that was barely audible above the grey noise of the rain beating down on the roof of the old inn. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Dusk. It's not your fault." Escutcheon held her close to him. "Your fine."

"I'm not fine." She shook her head. "I thought that I was past this. Stupid thunder. There weren't any storms when we were in Marine."

"Marine's to far north for thunderstorms like this, and It's just now starting to enter spring again." Escutcheon held her close. "There's going to be a much higher chance for storms like this, until we hit the mountains of Slo."

"Red Wine!" The Professor's voice boomed through the entire inn causing to two of them to jump at the suddenness and worry of the Professor's voice. "In the Basement quick!" The sound of galloping could be heard above them as Red Wine soon appeared running down the stairs back to the one room first floor.

"You three stay there." The old unicorn continued to sprint down the stairs with remarkable speed for a pony of his age. He rushed down the stairs. The two sat in quite on Turkeylegs' back with nothing, but the grey noise of rain beating down on the inn. After a few minutes the professor came back up his face paler than it normally was.

"Is everything okay Professor?" Dusk asked rubbing her eyes.

"Not, not exactly no." Atlas wiped his forehead. "We've got a room. Up stairs. The two of you and Turkeylegs should head up there. Red Wine and I will join you in a little bit." He said before heading back down stairs. Escutcheon and Dusk hopped off of Turkeylegs' back and went up the stairs.

The second floor was a small hallway, with four doors. Two on the left side and two on the right. "So which one of these is our room?" Dusk asked unsure her voice still wavering.

"I'll go down and ask them." Escutcheon looked at Dusk. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah I got Turkeylegs." She hugged the giant bird.

"I'll be right back then." Escutcheon hurried down the stairs to the cellar of the inn. A closed of space was glowing red with Red Wine's magic. He made his way toward it not thinking to announce himself. As soon as he turned the corner Atlas screamed in fright, and Escutcheon was assaulted with a horrible smell.

"Escutcheon!" The panicked professor tried to catch his breath. "What are you doing down here? I thought I told you and Dusk to go up stairs to our room."

"You didn't tell us which was ours." Escutcheon said his face going a pale white as he looked past the professor and Red Wine to the corpse of a very elderly earth pony, that was mostly decomposed. "What, what happened?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out." Red Wine answered, his magic enveloping the entire room. "Professor you're clearly not up to this. Go upstairs with the foals." Red's voice was neutral and flat. "This might take a little bit, but from what I'm seeing, this was not a murder. I'll be up in a little bit."

"Right you heard him Escutcheon. Come on let's leave the officer to his work." Atlas hurriedly ushered Escutcheon out of the cellar and back up to the second floor.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Escutcheon lied. "Just, just a little bit of a mess is all. That one on the right is our room come on." Escutcheon walked past her and Turkeylegs trying to regain control of his body, which was still reacting to the memory of the half rotted corpse that was in the cellar.

The room that they walked into was a little under a quarter of the size of the first floor. There were four beds and a single exposed bathtub, as well as a single dresser. "I guess that this place doesn't see much traffic," Atlas said his voice still a little on the shaky side. There was a constant dripping as the rain came in from a small hole in the roof, and there was a strong smell of mold.

"Never mind, it was the left room sorry about that." Escutcheon quickly shut the door and cast a small barrier spell around the door. Blocking the putrid smell. He hurriedly walk past Dusk and opened the door the room had the same lay out as the other one including the open tub.

"Come on what's wrong?" Dusk looked between the two of them. "You're both clearly bothered." She wiped her eyes.

"The uh-" Atlas began.

"The inn keeper is dead." Escutcheon finished, for him. "It wasn't a pretty sight." Dusk deflated a little. "It looks like it happened about two or three months ago."

"Three and a half." Red Wine corrected coming into the room. "And it was a complete accident. The aging inn keeper was trying to get a jar of tar from the top shelf probably to fix the leaking roof, for the bedroom next to ours." Red said. "I'll inform the authorities in the next town we visit." He walked over and took the bed closest to the door. "I suggest the two three of you get some rest, or get a bath. But you shouldn't leave this room." The three of them nodded. Turkeylegs' already having claimed a corner of the room to sleep in.

Author's Note

Sorry Everybody I got a new Steam RPG game and it's kinda devoured my time. Please forgive me for my sporadic post.

Le Fantôme

"This place is haunted!" Dusk screamed grabbing Escutcheon her heart racing in his chest. Escutcheon closed his eyes focusing his magic. His horn glowed bight as his golden aura enveloped the group They flashed away, but not to the outside and the storm drenched field. They reappeared into the room that was covered in mildew, rot, and mold. They gagged and hurriedly left back into the hall.

"Why'd you take us into there?" Red asked the colt as Escutcheon leaned against the wall trying to get the smell out of his nose, and trying to regain his bearings.

"I don't thing that he had planned for us to go there." Atlas said looking at door, scratches started appearing on the door. Let me leave "I don't think we're getting out of here until the inn keeper's soul is given peace."

"And how are we suppose to do that? If we can't get out how are we suppose to bury him?" Dusk got as close to Escutcheon as she could. Her face was becoming paler and paler by the second.

"I think we could Cremate him." Escutcheon looked like he was about to throw up. "But I'm not sure if that'll help us or not." The two older stallions nodded to each other.

"Escutcheon you and Dusk go back to the room Red and me will try to handle this," Atlas said softly. Dusk nodded quickly and grabbed Escutcheon and nearly dragged him to another room. It was identical to the one that they had been staying in. Turkeylegs followed the two of them into the room then took a seat at the door to the hall. Their feathers puffed out.

"Are you okay Dusk?" Escutcheon asked. "I've never seen you this frightened."

"Of course I'm frightened. How are you not?"

"I am." He said softly. She looked at him.

"You're not acting like it." She said softly.

"Honestly out of everything that we've been through this doesn't really enter into the top ten."

"You seemed pretty scared earlier." She sat down next to him his statements and leveled head calming her nerves. "When you came teleportation back into our room."

"Of course I was horrified." He looked down at the floor. "You screamed."

"Well of course I did the water in my tub had turned to blood," she answered. "You would have screamed too."

"Yeah but you screamed." He looked up at her. "That's what scared me. I was afraid something bad had happened to you."

"I can take care of myself you know." She bit her bottom lip before nuzzling him softly. "I am kinda glad that you're here though." Before Escutcheon could say anything the floor began to violently shake. "What was that?" Turkeylegs let out a loud squawk.

"It must have been from down stairs." Escutcheon stood up. "Let's go." Dusk gulped and nodded.

"Right behind you." Dusk followed close behind him walking up next to his side. Turkeylegs went in front of the two of them. "Are you two okay?! We don't need to come down there do we?!" Dusk yelled as soon as they opened the door.

"LET ME LEAVE." The voice boomed around the inn.

"What did you do?" Dusk got as close to Escutcheon as she could. Escutcheon ran down the stairs. Turkeylegs went in front of them.

"Apparently Cremation was not enough to send this spirit away." Atlas answered his horn was lite as was Red Wine's. The two of them had shields up containing the blazing inferno coming from the fire place.

"LET ME LEAVE." The specter's voice boomed through the inn again shaking all the walls off the inn. A drop of water dropped onto Escutcheon's nose. From the leaking floor above. His eyes lit up in understanding.

"It's not the body." Escutcheon said softly. "Dusk come on. Escutcheon ran down to the basement. Dusk ran right behind him.

Repose en Paix

"What do you mean it's not the body?" Dusk asks running trying to stay as close to him as she can. Behind them Turkeylegs squawking loudly and angrily into the inn's main room.

"It's not the body that needs taking care of that will put the spirit at rest." Escutcheon said. "They're trapped here until their work is complete." He ran skid to a halt at the supply closet.

"And what is his work?" Dusk slams into him from behind. "Sorry."

"The leaking roof." Escutcheon answered looking through the closet. He quickly scanned the top shelf. "That was what he was trying to fix when he died. The leaking roof. Aha! There it is Pitch!" Escutcheon's horn lit up as he grabbed the bucket and floated it down to them.

"Let me out!" The specter's voice shook the inn.

"We're trying," Dusk yelled back. Escutcheon grabbed two masks and quickly tied them around his and Dusk's mouth and nose. She quickly grabbed some brushes and a few brooms. In a moment they flashed away in a golden flash. Instantly they reappeared in a mold covered room. "I'm going to want a nice hot bath after this." Dusk heaved as water came in from the hole in the roof.

"Dusk could you try and get me up there and get stuff taken care of." Escutcheon said as he got floated the pitch and a few planks of wood up to the top. "I really hope this spirit isn't pick about how much of the hole we get patched up." He said as he tried to get the hole covered. She grabbed him and started flying the two of them up there.

"Next time I pick where we stay at." Dusk says over the roll of thunder. She screamed and froze the two of them fell back to the floor they held their breath trying not to breath in the thick smell of mold.

"Dusk." Escutcheon struggled back to his hooves.

"I'm fine. I can do this. I'm not afraid of thunder." She grabbed him and flew as hard as she could getting them off of the molded and half rotted floor. Escutcheon's horn lit up as he tried to fuss the wood to the roof and seal it with the pitch.

"This isn't exactly my first choice." Escutcheon wheezed. Another bolt of lightning lit up the room. Shadows danced and the inn shook with a ghastly roar.

"I'm not scared. I'm. Not. Scared." She clenched her eyes shut, and strained trying hard to keep the two of them in the air as the smell of mold slowly suffocated her.

"Almost got it almost got it." Escutcheon said his vision slowly fading as the smell and the mold pollution. He slowly blacked out.

"Escut-" Dusk fell back down to the floor. The last thing they saw was the shadow of an elderly brown earth pony stallion. The two of them blacked out on the suffocating smell of mold.

***

Escutcheon slowly woke up with Dusk laying next to him. The two of them were laying on one of the inn's beds with Turkeylegs wrapped around the two of them. He slowly came to. "What, what happened?" He looked around. Turkeylegs woke up and started nuzzling him moaning softly.

"The two of you nearly died of mold poisoning." Red Wine looked down at the two of them.

"We had to change your clothes and get the two of you washed off. I hope that won't be a problem." Atlas looked over at them from the window. "We had to burn the out fit that you were wearing."

"It's fine," Escutcheon said softly. He looked over the outfit he was wearing now. It was a simple plain white pair of paints and shirt. "And the ghost?"

"It seems he's at peace." Atlas answers.

Route de Baume

Escutcheon and Dusk rode on Turkeyleg's back as the two older stallions walked just ahead of them. The heavy rain had stopped halfway through the night, and the group had continued out on the road south first thing in the morning. The dirt roads had been turned into giant muddy bog.

"That place was by far the worst inn I've ever stayed in." Dusk complained. "Only two stars out of five."

"Two out of five?" Escutcheon looked at her. "Even with the bad mold, no service, and the haunting."

"Yeah, but the hot bath was nice. And the beds were nice." Dusk smiles and snuggles up against Escutcheon as the two are carried along the muddy road by Turkeylegs, until an hour later they get onto a small cobble stone road.

"Well hopefully we'll be staying at a better inn tonight." Atlas smiled looking up at the blue slightly cloudy sky. "If we keep up this pace we'll make it to the half way point inn."

"Half Way Point Inn that's an odd name. What's it half way to?" Dusk cocked her head. "Why, do you know somepony in that inn?"

"No, but half way point inns are normally better than off the road inns." Atlas answered. "And it's no not a name it's a type of inn. Tivi is such a large nation that the kings built inns every 65 kilometers. They're called half way point inns. They're normally supplied by the local aristocrat and a small portion of the national tax."

"They're actually very nice and the ones on this road are certainly in the top tear of the half way point inns."

"Why's that?" Escutcheon asked.

"Because this is the road to Balm. It's one of the richer towns in the kingdom, and the local aristocrat is a very liberal stallion. He supplies the inns near his town with a good amount of food and money."

"So he's not one of the war hawks?" Escutcheon asks.

"No and he is a very respected aristocrat, if you can convince him to go against the conflict. You'll get a good pull toward peace."

"So he's still in for war," Dusk said sourly.

"He's for self defense," Red corrected.

"Can you tell me what you know about him?" Escutcheon asked. The next three hours were spent with Red Wine and Atlas telling Escutcheon and Dusk everything that the two of them knew about the liberal and slightly eccentric stallion that they would likely be meeting tomorrow evening. It was an hour before night fall before they arrived at the road side inn. The group was escorted to a table and given a meal before being showed to their room.

"Amazing this room is just amazing," Dusk said hopping onto one of the plush beds.

"And the bathroom is really nice too. I call first." Escutcheon went into the bathroom, and enjoyed a nice hot bath. Before joining Dusk and the others who were already asleep in the other room.

La Vieille Baume

The group continued along the road south until they reached the northern edge of a fairly decent sized village. There were multiple fields of grain and a apricot orchards. The breeze was coming done from the mountains that were now just becoming visible to the south of the town. "If those are the mountains then does that mean that were close to the boarder yet?" Dusk looked up at the snow capped peaks that were just barely visible in the early crisp morning air.

"No not quite," Red answered as they walked down the cobble stone streets between the farms and orchards. "The boarder is further into those mountains. With a large town on either side of the boarder. This town's produce and trade actually benefit substantially from being this close to the boarder."

"Do you think that Golden Bricks will be willing to listen to us about not going to war. What arguments should I even use, if he's only in self-defense he should be entirely against any war efforts shouldn't he?"

"He's for a strong army believing strength is the best deterrent, and no he's completely fine with fighting a hard and aggressive defensive war. Though I've sent him letters about the bat colony he's excited about the prospects of further international trade believing it to be a net positive in a none shooting solution."

"So even if there is a war my people will be safe."

"I wish I could say yes but no." Red Wine answers as they make their way into the town of Baume. The cobble streets widened up as small shops and houses were now on either side of them. Many of the stores were already open and the town was slowly coming alive.

"What do you mean no?"

"If Slo amasses their army near your colony. We will of course act in kind."

"What?!"

"Then any move the colony makes to either appeal or evacuate could be seen as a hostile action and they could be slaughtered." Escutcheon says. "You have to see that this entire premise is flawed."

"What? They can't we don't want to fight we just want to live and let live. Why is it that hard?" Dusk stops in the middle of the road tears already streaming down her eyes. Turkeylegs quickly picked up the bat filly and put her on its back as a small crowd started to gather at the small scene. "We just want to live in peace."

"I know Dusk calm down it's fine we'll make sure that, that, happens." Escutcheon patted her while trying to keep the large bird from pecking at the crowd.

"That's why we're doing this now to stop such a catastrophe from happening."

"Is something wrong?" A dark grey unicorn stallion asks coming up to the group. He was easily in his fifties, and wore a very fashionable dress suit.

"She's a little concerned about the possibility of war." Red Wine answered. "I wasn't expecting for you to be out and about. I glad we met you we were heading to your estate."

"And I wasn't expecting you to arrive so soon, or to be traveling with a bat pony. I take it she's with the delegation from the colony from the DMZ?"

"She's actually with me, or rather she's with Escutcheon and Atlas."

"Oh." He says a little saddened. "Well I'm sure she would still be willing to tell me more about her colony." He brightens up. "Well come with me I'll personally escort you to my estate. We have a small feast set up for your arrival." Golden Bricks lead the five of them through the town. Every street was made of high quality cobblestone. The main street, that lead to Golden Brick's estate which was a large mansion in the center of town, was lined with nothing but the highest quality shops. "Welcome to the Brick Estate." Golden said as he lead them though the front gate and into a large plaza and garden that seemed to be used as a public gathering place.

"This town has a lot of ponies in it." Escutcheon looked around it's almost as big as Marine."

"Well I'm glad that you think so. I've done my best to bring ponies here and to keep the trade routes open between Tivi and Slo." He looked around. "I've been accused of doing it out of selfish means, and I suppose that with all the wealth it could be seen that way, but I honestly believe that if we could trade with Slo we could make a strong trading tie and not a heritage of war. I've sent several merchants to your colony in a hope to meet a delegate from your people in hopes that they could act as a second front in my peace efforts." His butler opened the door for them. "And were war brings only death, trade brings all of this." He waves his hoof to the city all around them.

"It's nice. So why is it my people are in danger?"

"Because war breads revenge. We can talk about that inside." He nodded to his butler who closed the door behind them, as he led the group to a small study. There were several dozen bookcases loaded down with books breaching every topic from war stratigies to political theories, there were several desk with very ornate kerosene lamps, and seven yellow cushioned chairs arranged in a half circle. "The feast isn't quite ready yet. But I assure you you will greatly enjoy it, but until then. Please, let's talk."

Comte de Baume

Escutcheon and Dusk spent the better part of five hours trying to convince Golden Bricks from bringing any war to the forest with the bats. The biggest problem though was that he didn't want to see the war start at all let alone to bring it onto Dusk's colony; however, he wasn't going to take anything off of the table for fear that Slo might use it against them, and if that meant that they'd have to he would. He refused to budge on that point.

"We don't want war we just want to live in peace." Dusk was nearly at the point of tears.

"I promise you Dusk I want nothing more than to just live peacefully, but if Slo continues to antagonize then we will have no choice but to answer in kind."

"Wait how have they antagonized?" Escutcheon asked. Golden Bricks paused a second and bit his lip.

"There have been a few issues lately." Gold Bricks rubbed the back of his head. "Currently we're hoping that things will be resolved by political means."

"That's why we're going to Slo," Red Wine said standing up and going over to the window and looking out to the mountains that were just at the horizon.

"Just a few. You would wipe out my entire colony for just a few."

"Only if it meant that not doing so would endanger us." Golden Brick corrected. "As I said, I don't want the DMZ to be militarized, I'd much rather deal with this issue civilly. If this peace assignment is successful then there is nothing to worry about."

"And what is this peace assignment trying to solve?" Escutcheon asked.

"Well the issues."

"What issues. We've been here for nearly half a year and I've not heard of anything that would make the country want to go to war. What's so bad that it could justify that."

"Well you see news travels slow and-"

"It doesn't matter." Red Wine interrupted.

"'Doesn't mater' I beg to differ it matters a lot!" Dusk lost her and jumped off of her chair. "If my colony is on the line it matters a lot." Red Wine didn't look away from the mountains off on the horizon.

"Then make sure this mission doesn't fail." He turns and looks down on the bat filly.

"Then how should we go about this?" Escutcheon asked hopping off his chair and getting next to Dusk's side.

"We just need to deliver the letter this should all resolve itself," Atlas spoke up from his chair. He smiled and put a hoof on Dusk shoulder. "Once you've dealt with as many aristocrats as I have, you learn fast that they always over think things."

"The same could be said about you academics."

"You don't need to fret Dusk." Golden got up. "I'm doing my best to get a meeting with a representative from your tribe and some of the more trustworthy members of the Slo government." He gave the filly and then the colt his best winning smile I assure you. Maintaining peace, and to a lesser extent trade is my top priority. Now let's put this troubling talk of war be hind us and go get something to eat I'm sure that my village is finished with this first part of our feast tonight."

Golden Bricks ushered them out of his study and back out to the front yard of his estate. The town had set up several large tables in "L" shapes. Nearly a hundred ponies were busy and at work setting food on the tables and getting the last few dozen chairs set up. The smells of fruits, vegetables, freshly baked breads, and juice roasted meats permeated the air. It looked as though everypony in the town would be eating with the group.

"Did you have to invite the entire town?" Atlas looked over the large gathering of ponies.

"Of course I'm not like those soot hearted mongrels that hoard all of the wealth to themselves. When I throw a feast I, make sure it's an event to remember."

"Even under circumstances like these." Escutcheon's ears perked up at the the older stallion's whispered comment. Red Wine gave him a sideways glance.

"Especially in circumstances like this." He could barely hear the aristocrat's reply over the noise of the feast and all of the town's foals running to great them and to look at Turkeylegs.

Le Voyage à la Montagne

The feast lasted the rest of the day and well into the night. There was a strong southern wind coming down from the mountains chilling the air. It was midnight when Golden Brick ended his feast. His butler led the group to their rooms in his estate. Turkeylegs carried a sleeping Dusk and Escutcheon on its back, and allowed Atlas to float the two of them into their beds in their shared room.

The group awoke early the next morning and were escorted though the town with cheers and waving hooves from the town ponies. Almost like they were returning war heroes. Both Escutcheon and Dusk were being carried on Turkeylegs' back. The five of them made their way down the street all of them except Red Wine were confused by the crowds sending them off. Red Wine led the way down the streets, lost in thought the crowds being the furthest thing from his mind. As they advanced further and further south the mountains on the horizon got closer and closer, larger and larger. The air also was getting colder and colder as an icy wind rolled down from the mountain.

"I wish that he had actually given us cloths for this cold weather." Dusk rubbed her forehooves together. "We aren't even up the mountain yet and it's freezing." Turkeylegs gave and soft chirp.

"Once we get closer Atlas and I will cast a small ward against the cold that should make things more bearable," Red Wine said from the front of the line looking over his shoulder. "But it'll still feel colder than what your feeling now."

"It's still concerning." Atlas looked up at the mountains. "We shouldn't be this cold yet. There might be a blizzard or a storm on the other side. We might want to go around."

"We don't have time for that we're expected on the border if we're not there, things may start to escalate."

"If there's a storm then they should expect a delay."

"I doubt that. Keep moving." Red continued to go up the mountain. They continued for several hour, until they arrived at the base of the mountain. The temperature dropped like a rock. It was lightly snowing, and there was evidence of a recent rock slide down the side of the mountain toward the mountain pass.

"Maybe it didn't block the pass?" Dusk asked hopefully.

"I hope so." Atlas walked up to Red and the two of them lead the way toward the pass. After a few minutes the two five of them arrived at the pass the narrow part had been blocked by a small mountain of rubble.

"I don't think I could lift all enough for us to get through." Escutcheon looked over the rock pile over four stories high. "How old is this."

"It could have happened as recently as last night. Damn it." Red Wine grit his teeth.

"Then we need a way around." Dusk said. "We have to. Where's the next pass."

"To far away." Red kicked a small rock. "Start heading up the rubble we'll go up the wall and find another way down."

"In this snow that might not be the best idea." Atlas said. "We might be able to bypass this and most of the mountains."

"And how would we do that?"

"There's a small cave that leads to one of the Half Way Inns." Atlas looked around. "We could be there before nightfall tonight if we go there right now."

"And how would you know about this? And why don't I?" Red Wine turned toward the old professor.

"I discovered it on my last expedition out here. As for why you don't know I got side tracked from writing my report." Atlas said calmly. "Your choice." We could spend hours banging our head on this wall trying to navigate up it, and then back down it, and there is no way we can guarantee that it's safe. The cave is close, and should be safe. That or we could risk several metric tons of rocks fall on us."

"Then lead the way." Red motioned. Atlas turned and lead the group out of the pass. The weather started to worsen as they made their way around the base of the mountain. By half an hour pass noon they arrived at a stallion sized hole in the face of the mountain."

Author's Note

Grotte Dans la Montagne

"Well let's get go." Atlas said motioning toward the cave. Turkeylegs let out a loud noise of alarm, and took a few steps back, with Dusk on its back. "What's wrong Turkeylegs. It's just a cave come on."

"Turkeylegs doesn't like going underground. When I met them we were underground in a giant shrimp cavern, by a lake, and we were about to be made lunch for the giant crustaceans." Escutcheon softly petted the large bird. "I don't think that they want to go anywhere that's underground." He patted Turkeylegs' side, as the snow started coming down a little bit harder.

"We don't really have a choice," Red said. "I'd rather not go through a tunnel, especially one that I didn't know about until only moments ago, but at the moment we don't have any other options. It looks like what ever storm is going on is coming down this way." Red walked into the cave. "So either it comes into the cave or it freezes to death." His horn lit up and the cave was lit up with a little red light. Atlas followed quickly behind Red to get out of the falling snow.

"Come on Turkeylegs. The underground isn't that bad." Dusk softly patted the large bird's head. "I can see really good in the dark. I'll be your eyes until we pop out okay?" Turkeylegs only answered with a low moan giving the cave entrance a wary look. "Come on we can't stay out here." She patted the bird one last time before hopping off into the snow and walked a few steps toward the cave.

"Come on the snow is only getting worse Turkeylegs." Escutcheon walked next to Dusk. Turkeylegs gave them a soft chirp and took a small step forward.

"That's it come on Turkeylegs. It's okay." Dusk continued to back up with Escutcheon doing likewise as they led the large bird into the cavern. "There see it's a lot better in here than outside right?" Dusk asked as she fluttered back onto Turkeylegs' back. Atlas and Escutcheon's horns lit up adding a bit more light to the cave system.

"The cave opens up into a large chamber a little further in with a series of slopes going up the mountain," Atlas said as he started walking in front of the group. "I believe that they were made back when the Empire ruled over this part of the Continent." The group followed him as he led the way. Turkeylegs walking right next to Escutcheon and giving a glance at Dusk every couple of seconds. "It goes all the way up to the top. Popping up in the basement of the Half Way Inn that's currently run by Gallium Coin. Which was once an inn during the old Empire." His voice took on a more echo quality as they made their way into a giant main chamber. The combined light of the three unicorns forming a small dome of light in an all consuming void that rose instantly above them.

"The Gallium Coin's Half Way Inn. I knew it was old but I didn't know that it went all the way back to the Empire." Red Wine followed Atlas as the elderly unicorn led them to the base of a 35 degree incline going up the inside of the mountain.

"What Empire?" Dusk asked from Turkeylegs' back as they began ascending the mountain. Their steps echoed up and down the large cavern.

"It was what ruled everything from the ocean to the desert before the kingdoms of Tivi and Slo," Escutcheon answered as he cast two additional lights to give them a bit more light as they made their way up. "Hmm." He looked down at the rock between the floor and wall.

"Hmm?" Dusk asked as they continued up the mountain.

"It's nothing." Escutcheon looked back up. "The collapse of the Empire in this area is what has caused so many of the conflicts between Slo and Tivi." Escutcheon and Atlas took turns talking about the old empire as they made their way up. After a few hours they found themselves at the a small landing at the top of the cavernous expanse.

"There should be a door leading to the Half Way Inn just around the corner." Atlas lead them across the landing and around a few of the corners and up a small set of stairs. At the end of which was a solid wood door. Red Wine went up and knocked on the door. He continued for several minutes until they heard a deadbolt being undone on the other side. The door flung open and the group was greeted by a slightly smaller than average mare with earrings. Her coat was coke-cola red with a silver tail and mane. She gave the group a warm smile.

"I wasn't expecting you to come through this way. Come in come in," she said ushering them them into the wine cellar of the inn. "I was told that you were coming. Your rooms aren't ready yet, but I've got a table for you right next to the fireplace. There's a blizzard so the fire is extra warm. I was a little worried to be honest."

Author's Note

Gallium Coin is an OC belonging to PinkieDP.

Auberge de Gallium

Gallium Coin lead the group through the wine cellar. Their hooves clopping on the cobble stone floor of the well stocked wine cellar. The door leading into the cave was on the opposite side of the large open room from the door that lead up into the inn's main room. The inn had a very open first floor with two balconies above it on the second and third floor. There was a large roaring fire in a very decorated fire place with a two booth tables next to it. There were booths all along the walls of the first floor. The windows looking out were glazed over with thick sheets of ice. Outside they could hear the sound of the wind wiping at the building. The inn looked like it could house up to a hundred ponies, but at the moment there was only around a dozen ponies. A couple of earth ponies sitting in chairs in front of the fire, and a unicorn with a couple of earth ponies at a bar. "So, I can imagine that all of you are hungry, so what can I get you, and if you need seconds please don't hesitate to ask. Especially, you two," Gallium Coin said to Dusk and Escutcheon.

"I'll take the soup special." Atlas slowly took his seat next to the outside wall at their table.

"Same." Red Wine sat opposite him. Turkeylegs lay down next to the table.

"I'll take the same and two plates of whatever kind of meat that you have." Dusk said sitting down with her back to the fire. "Turkeylegs needs something to eat too."

"And let me guess same for you too sugar?" Gallium asked Escutcheon as he sat next to Atlas and across from Dusk.

"Yeah soup and a salad please. And could I have a glass of your oldest wine?" Escutcheon asked. "I read that wine is good for staying warm."

"It sure is sugar. I'll get you all a small glass of our oldest bottle it's from the first year of our inn." She smiled and wrote their orders down with a stick of charcoal. "Okay so four vegi soups, two plates of meat, one salad, and one bottle of wine I'll get that to you in just a bit." Gallium turned and walked back to the bar/kitchen of the inn.

"Great, there's a blizzard. We might be late, unless you have any other secret tunnels that you'd like to share with me." Red Wine looked at one of the glazed over window. "We can't afford this blizzard. Damn it."

"Well I mean Slo will have to know about this blizzard so it's not like they can't Blame us for being a little late in delivering the letter. Can they?"

"They can and likely will. Slo is full of nothing but the lowest denominator of scum and villainy," Red said under his breath glaring at the bad weather on the other side of the glass.

"Oh come now, don't be so harsh on them. I've worked with a good number of their academics, and I can assure you that they are just as reasonable and civil as we are in Tivi." Atlas said with a smile before giving a sigh. "Although they do have their trouble makers, that can be just as bad as our own."

"Is there any way that we can get to Reci quickly then?" Dusk asked.

"Perhaps Red Wine and I could teleport us to Reci. I mean we shouldn't be further than Marine is from Tivi." Escutcheon offered with his best smile. "I'm sure that the two of us could do it. Though to be honest I really don't like teleporting anymore," he said.

"Let's wait until the morning before we start thinking about doing anything rash. We might just get lucky and the storm will blow through before the end of the night," Atlas said.

"Yeah I hope." Dusk looked over her shoulder at the large fire place. Turkeylegs raised its head, and gave her a soft nuzzle on her cheek. "Thanks Turkey." She patted the bird softly.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Gallium Coin asked as she came over some how balancing a platter on one of her forehooves with four bowls and empty cups, and one platter on her back perfectly balanced on back with the two plates of meat, the salad, and an old looking bottle of wine.

"It's this storm, we're on a tight schedule," Atlas said as Gallium Coin passed out the bowls of soup with perfect earth pony grace.

"Well fretting about this isn't going to help anything sweetie." Gallium grabbed the platter from her back and put the it's content onto the table. "I've got friends on both sides of the boarder sweetie and some of them are in high places. And I've got a couple of magical items that allow me to keep them very close. I'll see if I can't get them to be a little understanding that you're on your way but got a little held up. Now don't pout not even a bit. Okay, snookums?" Dusk nodded. "There we go. I don't know if you've ever had wine but it's not something you drink while upset." She popped the bottle open with ease and poured all of them a glass. "If you need anything just ask." She walked back to the ponies at the bar that were waving her back over to her with a small hop in her step.

"Is she always so...happy?" Dusk asked as Gallium walked away.

"She's a very friendly and open mare." Atlas said with a smile.

"A little to friendly. She shouldn't be as open as she is to those from Slo."

"I'm glad she is. If she wasn't then we might be in trouble," Escutcheon said after taking a sip of wine. He scrunched his nose. "Is this the bottle she promised?" He asked sipping it again.

"Of course it is why?" Red Wine asked.

"Nothing." Escutcheon started eating.

"Well, to be honest, she can be a fair bit nicer to colts and fillies. She doesn't have any of her own, so I think she likes to project on the foals that come by." Atlas started eating his soup. "We should finish up soon. I'm sure the staff will have our rooms done before to long. And we still have a days walk to Reci."

"Yeah. I warm fire, warm food, and now a warm bed that's enough to get rid of the snowy chill." Dusk took a gulp of her wine and gagged a little as she swallowed. "It burns a little."

"Don't drink it to fast, it's still alcoholic," Escutcheon said. After the five of them ate in relative silence, with conversation rising and falling with every time that Gallium Coin came around. After they finished their meal Gallium Coin came by and led them up the stairs. Dusk was happily leaning against Escutcheon just a little tipsy. Their rooms were on the second floor of the inn and were the first four rooms. Each room was the same. Well furnished with a warm fire pot in the corner and a large plush bed with a quilted white comforter with flowery patterns.

"I'll get you at the start of the morning." She said as she closed each of their doors. "Do try and get some sleep. I'll see what I can do to buy you a bit more time." Escutcheon laid down in his bed. It was just as comfortable as his bed was back at home. The fire in the fire pit slowly died but by that time the colt was already asleep under the comforter and several other blankets, with a plush pillow under his head.

Le Saphir Parle

Escutcheon jerked awake a little after two hours past midnight. He looked around the room it was bathed in the soft blue of his sapphire. The fire in the room's fireplace was dead and the blizzard was still raging outside. He shivered and wrapped his blanket around himself. It was so cold that he could see his breath and the breath of everyone else. He rubbed his eyes and slowly rolled out of bed. "What's going on here?" he asked as he looked around for his saddle bags. They were right where he had left them in the corner of the room. He started fishing around in his saddle bag for the sapphire. "Where is it I know I put it in here somewhere." It took him nearly a minute until he finally found the sapphire, and pulled it out of his bag. "Why are you glowing you're going to wake everyone up."

"The storm isn't real."

"What?" Escutcheon looked around as the blue glow slowly faded from the room. Leaving him sitting on the floor next to his saddlebags as the blizzard beat against the small mountain inn. "The storm isn't real?" he asked looking out the window. "It feels real." He pulled the blanket tighter around himself, and walked over to the window. His horn started to glow as he looked out at the white out just on the other side of the glass. "What the?" Escutcheon took a step back. He looked over at the others and quickly and quietly snuck out of the room and headed straight down the stairs. The main room of the inn. The main room which had been full and lively when they had come in was now completely empty. The main fire had completely died, and the entire inn felt like it was about to freeze over. He pulled the blanket tighter to around him but even with it and his pajamas he still felt the cold stabbing through his white coat.

"Isn't real? It feels plenty real to me," he said. "What am I doing this is completely insane."

"You are not insane." The sapphire says glowing. "The storm is a conjuration, a lie. There should be no storm blowing out there. It has only just been conjured a few days ago."

"But who would. Somepony's trying to sabotage the talks." He looked out at the storm. "But that kind of power."

"Give to me your power for just a moment." The blue glow filled the room. "I know the spell, I can break this spell and make certain that it can not be cast again for quite some time."

"And why would you do that Tempest Storm?" Escutcheon asked. "Why would I trust you?"

"I am not Tempest Storm." The voice whispered from everywhere. "You seek what I seek. The destruction of the gems. You are marked for it. And you wish for this storm to end to help the bat. I can do that for you. But I need you to give me your power for just a moment."

"Fine." Escutcheon looked out the window. "Just this once and just to help Dusk." He gulped and set the Sapphire down. His horn began to glow as the sapphire was enveloped in his magic. He slowly felt his consciousness slipping away from him. He fell limply to the floor. A blueish figure beginning to manifest from the Sapphire a blueish pony figure.

"It will be just a moment. Hold on child." That was all that Escutcheon heard as the world fell away into blackness.

Gouverneur de Rici

"Escutcheon! Escutcheon please get up!" Escutcheon groaned slowly opening his eyes. "He's opening his eyes. He's okay. He's okay." Dusk wrapped her hooves around him.

"What happened? Where." He put a hoof around Dusk. Turkeylegs softly nuzzled his cheek. He looked around he was back in his room the snow storm outside was completely gone. Red Wine and Atlas were both next to the door talking to each other, and Dusk was next to his bed. He was under several extra sets of comforters and the fire in the room's fireplace was blazing hotter than it was last night. "What happened?"

"That's something that we want to know too." Red Wine turned around and walked over to him. "You were found this morning on the first floor with the door wide open. He glared down at Escutcheon, though admittedly every time he looked at anypony it looked like he was glaring at them. "There were scorch marks on the floor around you and right in front of the entryway. "Why?"

"I-I don't know." His hoof moved slowly under the coves to his chest. He nearly sighed in relief when he felt his necklace with the sapphire.

"What matters is that Escutcheon is safe and the storm is over." Atlas walked between Escutcheon and Red Wine. "Honestly what does it matter. What he was doing down there. So long as we can move out in the hour we'll make it to Rici before the end of today."

"Then help him get packed," Red Wine grumbled before walking back to his room.

"What's his problem?" Dusk glared at the red stallion as he left the room.

"Well he is a little stressed we should have been at Rici already." Atlas sighed. "Things are pressing as well, he thinks Escutcheon was trying to sabotage our mission," Atlas said quietly.

"That's insane, Escutcheon is one of the reasons we're on this peace mission."

"Somepony is trying to sabotage us though," Escutcheon said. "That wasn't a natural blizzard." He sat up and looked out the window to the calm skies outside.

"Why do you think that?" Atlas asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just a hunch." Escutcheon looked back to Dusk as he lowered his hoof from the sapphire. She was about to say something but when she saw the look he gave her she gave a small nod and stayed quiet.

"Well let's not tell him that unless we actually have evidence. Red is wound up enough as it is." Atlas looked over at the two. "This entire thing is a bit stressful and thinking that somepony is actually trying to undermine us is not going to help us in any event." Dusk and Escutcheon nodded.

"Why don't you go ahead and pack your saddle bags professor." Escutcheon sat up a little. "Dusk can help me pack mine. If you want?" She nodded.

"Alright then." He nodded leaving the room after a few seconds Escutcheon's horn lit up and the door slowly closed. He gave Dusk a look and nodded.

"Let me guess something happened with your sapphire last night." He slowly rolled out of bed and gave her a soft nod. "And so you fought some kind of giant snow monster with some kind of gem stone and blew it up and then passed out again?"

"No nothing like that." Escutcheon rolled out of his bed and opened one the dresser drawers with his horn floating out his clothes. "It kind of talked to me last night. It told me that the storm outside was a spell."

"A stormspell?" Escutcheon nodded. "I've never seen you use that kind of magic."

"It's not something that unicorns do. In Equestria all of the weather is controlled and regulated by the pegasi." He paused a moment. "You know I haven't seen any pegasi here."

"What is a pegasi?" Dusk asked as she helped him pack his bags.

"They're like me but the have wings instead of a horn." He finished packing his saddle bags with her help. "Also I think we should keep what the gem between ourselves." Dusk nodded. "For the time being anyways." He closed his saddle bags and waited for Dusk to leave to pack her own bags before he changed from his night gown into his traveling clothes. He looked around at the inn room one last time. He looked to Turkeylegs who gave him back his own curious look.

***

The roads were anything but abandoned as dozens of ponies were taking their chance to move down the mountain after the snow storm had delayed them for a day. The closer they got to Rici the more crowded the roads were. Unlike most of the other cities of Tivi, Rici did not have fields around it's edges instead on the outskirts of Rici were dozens of mines. which mined ores, as well as large quarries, which is where Tivi got most of its dressed stones. Rici was built as a defensive stronghold was built on and in the mountain that it was located at. The only way to get to it from any direction was across large cobblestone bridges.

As the group approached the city gate at the end of one of the bridges coming from the north. They were stopped by several heavily armored earth ponies and a single armored unicorn. "Halt," the unicorn said. "His excellency lord governor Maelstrom. Has requested that you be escorted to his palace."

"We don't have time for this," Red Wine said through gritted teeth.

"That was not a request." Red Wine ground his teeth in frustration but none the less nodded. "Come with us." The guard lead them through the city. The buildings were nearly as nice as the ones that had been in the capital.

"What is this all about." The guards completely ignored Dusk's question. As they lead them to a large palace structure on the very top of the mountain. Escutcheon thought he saw a flash of light from one of the windows. The group was lead into the palace which had been built using dressed and polished stones. While it didn't have the awe inspiring atmosphere of the royal palace it still inspired a since of regality, and just a bit of dread. They were lead with absolute haste into the audience chamber, which could easily have been mistaken for a throne room. A cobalt stallion looked down from his chair on a raised platform over looking his audience chamber.

"Greetings Red Wine." He smiled and got up. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Why are you detaining us on our mission." Red Wind managed to get the words out through his gritted teeth. Escutcheon and the others remained behind the older red stallion and let him do the talking to the governor.

"Prestige and image." Maelstrom answered. Coming down to meet them, his unkempt silver and copper mane bouncing with each step. "You've visited every other minor lord on your way here. If you didn't visit me for at least as long then I could lose quite a bit of face. And I don't want that. Which means that you don't want that." He stood in front of Red Wine either not knowing or just not caring that the red unicorn was glaring daggers at him. "So you shall be my guest tonight, and tomorrow shall continue on to Slo. Come now. There are things I'd like to show you." he walked out of the audience clearly expecting them to follow.

Author's Note

Governor Maelstrom belongs to DrAxtonMD. Thank you for letting me use him.

Méchanceté Aristocratique

"You know that his majesty king Awe, has sent us on a very tight time scheduled, correct?" Atlas asked as the group followed behind Maelstrom, who took his sweet time showing them around his palace. "I understand that you want us to be here but perhaps you could just let us have a feast and then send us on our way?"

"Hmmm. No. That just simply won't do, not at all," Maelstrom said after making a show of mulling the idea over. "You shall stay here for at least one night. Maybe longer, after all if you stayed with the minor lords and ladies of the plains you should stay with a higher ranking noble longer."

"Longer?!" Dusk said. "No, we're not staying longer! My entire village is in danger of annihilation, and I'm not going to let some ego maniac stop us form saving my people."

"Impressive the bat can speak our language." He looked over his shoulder looking Dusk over like she was a dog that had just done a trick. He then sighed. "The pony I hired told me that you spoke with chirps and unintelligible clicks and other bat like noises. Good help is just so hard to find these days." He then turned and continued his tour of his palace. "Come now I just simply must show you the alchemist labs that I've recently added to the North Tower."

"Excuse me you owe Dusk an apology." Escutcheon glared at the blue unicorn. Turkeylegs gave a threateningly low moan like sound of agreement.

"For what she's impressed me. Which is shocking given her being a lesser breed." He continued on. Escutcheon grit his teeth at that. Atlas looked over and shook his head before motioning for them to get closer to him. He slowed down as they caught up to him.

"What's this stallion's problem?" Dusk half hissed as quietly as she could to still be heard by Atlas.

"Yeah, I thought that this might be a problem, but Maelstrom is a bit of an aggravating pony but he is the second highest ranking lord in the kingdom, so please Dusk turn the other cheek. We will need his help if we're going to avoid war. And we're going to have to change his mind, since he is one of the loudest proponents for war."

"I already didn't like him." Dusk snarled.

"I know you don't like this stallion and neither do I, but we need to play this carefully," Escutcheon said quietly. "I've had to deal with ponies like this one many times before. We just have to deal with him for now." They continued to follow Maelstrom as he continued to give them the tour of his palace. It was nearly sundown when he lead them to his dinning room a large banquet had been laid out for them with for chairs at a large stone table."

"No we shall dine." Maelstrom took his seat at the head of the table. "Escutcheon, I'm told that you're a pony of status in your from your home do sit here nearest to me."

"There are only four chairs here." Escutcheon noted as he made his way to his seat.

"Well there are only four unicorns."

"What about Dusk?" Escutcheon asked freezing, Atlas and Red Wine doing likewise gazing at Maelstrom's statement in stunned silence.

"She can eat in the stable with the rest of the animals, unless she's a servant in which case she may eat in the servant quarters," Maelstrom answered.

"She isn't a-"

"And the servants quarters are where?" Dusk asked cutting Escutcheon off.

"Stone, Show her to her dining area." A grey earth pony stallion nodded and left. Dusk gave Escutcheon a nod before following the stallion Turkeylegs going with her.

She was lead to a very dingy looking room with a few wooden chairs. Some stale bread was on the table there was a pile of stale hay in the corner. "You'll eat here." He motioned her into the room. When she and Turkeylegs walked in the door was shut and barred behind her.

Évadez-vous à Slo

After their dinner Escutcheon was lead with to his room by several armed guards. His room was he assumed, deliberately separate from Red Wine's and Atlas' room which were on the other side of the castle. Maelstrom was getting completely out of hoof with his antics on keeping them at his castle. He felt uneasy about Dusk, and what kind of room that she was sent to, their host had had a very narrow view of ponies, and during the conversation at dinner it was apparent that not only was he fine with the bat colony being lost in a war, he viewed it as little more than pest control. His blood started boiling just thinking about what was said. Atlas had just barely calmed him down. Dusk, he was convinced that she would have had a conniption, and rightly so. The guards lead him to the highest part of the western tower. The room was nicely furnished with canopy bed, a wardrobe, a desk three inn tables, and what looked like a very plush and soft couch, and of course only one way in and out unless he wanted to hurl himself off of his balcony.

The guards were about to shut the door when Escutcheon had an idea. "Excuse me, could I have a book please?" he asked. "Really anything will work. I just need something to read before I go to bed."

"Of course." One of the unicorn guards nodded and left, leaving the other two behind to guard his room. He frowned as he realized that his room was just a gilded cage, and he shut the door to wait for the guard to get back. He walked out to his balcony It overlooked the mountains that formed the boarder between Tivi and Slo, the cold mountain wind chilled him to his bones, and the air was thin, but thankfully breathable, he had been colder, and higher than this, when he had gone on trips to Cloudsdale or the Crystal Empire with his mother and father. He sighed as his thoughts turned to home, but he smiled. Rainbow Dash would have shaken this aristocrat's world view by just being herself hard to say that unicorns are a higher breed when a pegasus just preformed a sonic rainboom. His smile broadened as he thought of her shacking him up in a more physical sense too, given her already uncouth way of dealing with the Canterlot aristocracy. He walked back into his glamorous cell and lay down on his bed. He wasn't able to do anything for the time being, but wait. He floated his combing stick out of his bag and started combing his mane waiting for the guard to get back so he could start working on his escape plan.

The guard returned a few minutes later with a few books floating next to him. "These should give you plenty to read and think on." He said laying them down on the desk. "Is that it?" Escutcheon nodded.

"That's all thank you." He smiled from his bed.

"There will be two guards outside your door if you need anything."

"I won't," he answered.

"You might." With that the guard left leaving the other two to guard him. He sighed and walked over to the selection of books that had been put down on the desk. They were all hard cover tomes with gold leaf pages. The titles were written in gold on decorated covers. Power and its Obtainment, The Horn and the Unicorn, and Cetus: Essay on the Proper Place of Commoners. He looked over the collection as his horn started to glow and the text of the three books stated to literally come off of the page. Mother's speed reading spell was useful, but he had added to it during his time working for Atlas, at the University. After "reading" them he sat them back down. Maelstrom had written hundreds of notes in the margins, and he now very well knew that negotiations with him were not going to go anywhere. He sighed and sat on his bed. His gold magic started to envelop his horn again. In a few seconds he saw himself sitting at the desk reading one of the books that were brought up to him. He cleared his throat and cast his second spell. Then he gulped if it worked it worked if not. He was going to be in a lot of trouble. "Hello!" he called as he made his way to the door to his room.

"What?" One of the guards answered opening the door. He gulped as he moved to the open door hoping the invisibility spell had worked.

"I need a glass of water please." the illusion answered. The guard nodded and began closing the door. Escutcheon seized the opportunity, and hurried out following after him just barely avoiding having the door close on his tail. He followed the guard until he got to the dinning hall. From there he went the direction that Atlas and Red Wine had been lead. He stopped when he came to a stop at a split one path went to the northern section of the palace and the other to the eastern part. He froze for a moment, before seeing a rather familiar guard. Or rather pony in guard armor. "Red Wine?" He asked. The older unicorn stopped.

"Escutcheon? Where are you?"

"Invisibility spell." he answered with a smile on his face.

"You're room wasn't guarded?"

"Illusion spell." He answered. "They won't know I'm gone unless they touch me, well the illusion me." Escutcheon looked behind him. "Was Atlas not with you?"

"Atlas was taken to the eastern tower. I'm assuming Dusk was taking to the southern part of the building. I doubt she's in a tower with her wings she would be able to fly away."

"I'm worried about her," Escutcheon confessed.

"Atlas should be safe at his location. We'll get dusk and get to Atlas, and then figure out what to do." Red Wine nodded. The two of them headed to the southern part of the palace. Escutcheon cast his locate spell on one of Dusk's earrings that he had gotten for her when they were living in Marine. With it they quickly found a stairway going down to the palace's basement. Escutcheon still hidden with Mother's invisibility spell guided Red Wine through the labyrinth of corridors to Dusk's cell. There weren't any guards outside of her door. None were needed there were four planks of wood across it making escape for her impossible. Inside Turkeylegs' soft chirping could be heard, between which he could hear her softly crying.

"Dusk? Are you okay?" Escutcheon asked as his magic threw the four planks of wood to the floor. He dropped his spell and rushed in. Turkeylegs let out a surprised chirp like sound as Dusk looked up. "Are you okay? If your hurt I'm going to kill him." Her tackle and hug were nearly enough for him to fall to the floor.

"I'm fine." She held him tightly. "But I'm taking it that getting him to see reason isn't going to happen?" her voice was a near hoarse and soft.

"No. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Dusk said as Turkeylegs came over to the two of them nuzzling each in turn.

"Damn it. I forgot about the bird." Red Wine looked between the three of them, then nodded. "Escutcheon how strong is your spell could you cast it over Dusk and yourself?"

"Yes, I think I can hold it for twenty minutes doing that." Escutcheon nodded.

"Good that should give us enough time." He looked between the two of them. "Get on it's back with her and cast your spell hopefully your bird will be calm enough to lead to Atlas' room, I'll try and convince them that Maelstrom wanted Atlas to study it." Escutcheon and Dusk got on Turkeylegs' back, it seemed more than happy to have both of them ridding it. The colt's horn began to glow golden before enveloping the two of them. In an instant they both vanished from sight. Turkeylegs gave an alarmed chirp.

"It's okay Turkeylegs we're both still here," Escutcheon said as both he and Dusk patted the large bird. "You just have to follow Red Wine, okay?" It gave a soft moan like chirp which Red Wine took for as much understanding as the bird was able to and began to lead the way back to the Eastern tower, to were Atlas was being held. After a few minutes they arrived to a room being guarded with three unicorn stallions.

"What's going on with the bird."

"I thought that thing was with the bat."

"It was," Red Wine answered as he approached. "The lord wanted to see what Atlas thought of it and told me to bring it to the professor. Now do you mind letting me in?" He asked. One of them opened the door as they were walking in one of the stallions spoke up.

"I don't recognize you."

"So close." Red Wine's horn lit up and the three stallions fell like bricks. He pulled them in and tied them up as Atlas looked up from a book that he was reading.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long to get me. Got Dusk and Escutcheon first."

"Escutcheon got himself. Actually."

"How'd you know I was here?" Escutcheon asked dropping his spell.

"Turkeylegs is acting to calm for you to be missing." Atlas closed the book that he had been reading. "So I take it that we're ready to leave?"

"I still haven't figured out how to do that but I'm working on it." Red Wine said after making sure the rope was nice and tight around the three stallion.

"Leave that to me. I have a plan." Escutcheon smiled. "Do you have a balcony, professor?" he asked.

"Yes I do, but we're a bit high up."

"And it has a view to the south correct?" His smile only broadened.

"Yes again." Atlas nodded.

"Then everypony, and Turkeylegs of course to the balcony." From the balcony Escutcheon could see the other side of the boarder. With his horn glowing he focused and in an instant and a flash of golden light they were in Slo.

Montagnes de Livar

In a flash of golden light they appeared on the cobblestone on the next mountain, now safely on the Slo side of the boarder. Escutcheon smiled his head feeling light, and a moment later fell to the side falling off of Turkeylegs' back and into the snow drift on the side of the road.

"Escutcheon." He looked around his world spinning as Dusk called his name. "Escutcheon are you okay?"

"Uhrg, fine." He rubbed his head and sat up. "I think I'm fine," he said. "That, that one just took a lot out of me. I have a hard time holding multiple spells, and it's not like teleport is an easy spell to begin with."

"That was," Red Wine paused a for a moment. "That was impressive." His horn lit up as a red light slowly spread giving them warmth and light.

"I'm sorry, Dusk." Escutcheon said. "But I don't think that he will do anything but advocate war at this point. If, he was going to do anything else then this will definitely make him a full war hawk." He bowed his head.

"It's not your fault." Dusk pulled him into a hug.

"It will be fine." Red Wine said. "I'll send a letter to the king. He'll hopefully be able to do something about this." He picked the two of them up and put them on Turkeylegs' back. "Atlas, you've been in Slo more than I have. How do we get to Livar from here?"

"I think so." He looked around. "If we follow this road we will make it to Livar by morning." He sighed. "Not that I'm complaining, but I wish that you had waited a bit longer to teleport us out."

"Well it doesn't matter." Red Wine started walking. "If we get there by morning then we'll only be a 12 hours behind schedule. The small group continued their march though the snowy mountain road. Red Wine's light and warmth spell never faded as they moved along the cobble street. They were moving along at a fair pace and it was along one of the bridges that spanned the many mountain valleys when Escutcheon and Dusk fell asleep on Turkeyleg's back.

"Wake up, you two we're here." Atlas said as the sky was beginning to brighten before dawn. "You two should be very careful here," Atlas said quietly, as they came up upon the walls of a massive city. Right inside of the gates the smell of freshly baked bread filled the air. The streets were already being filled with ponies beginning their mornings.

"Why?" Dusk asked with a giant yawn.

"Because of Governess Iron Clad." Red Wine. "She's just as bad as Maelstrom is." Red Wine whispered. "Even for a pony from Slo, she's one of the worse ones," he whispered.

"And the two of you will need to persuade her to not go to war. Because I'm exhausted and I'm sure Red Wine is as well. As soon as we get to her mansion, I'll likely retire to my room as soon as I can." They continued down the cobble street to a large home in the middle of town. "And while I don't agree with Red Wine on much. I do agree on his opinion of her." Escutcheon and Dusk watched as the tiled roofed building came closer and closer.

Manoir du Gouverneur

Livar was easily just as large of a city as Reci, and easily just as big as Canterlot. The city itself revolved around a single point with multiple layers of snow covered walls. Escutcheon had read in one of Atlas' books that Livar had, had multiple points of development and the city would erect a new wall after each such burst of growth in its population. The center of the city was the governess' mansion. A large 7 story home, with several towers. The building had been built out of white stone bricks which the town was famous for mining, and had a beautiful shingled roof. Despite the thin layer of snow that covered nearly every surface at this altitude the Mansion and it's grounds were completely clean, the green grass and blooming trees, stuck out like among the white and grey of the rest of the rest of the city. Iron Clad's mansion looked like it belonged in the plains of Tivi rather than in Slo's mountains. Around the mansion was a wrought iron fence with a single decorative gate that led to the estate. Two black earth pony stallions and a tan unicorn mare in Slo's traditional grey armor with bright red highlights stood guarding the gate.

"Are you lost?" the mare asked as the group approached the gate to the mansion.

"We're here to see Governess Iron Clad." Red Wine said. "We have an appointment and are already late."

"Oh, and who are you?" The mare asked.

"I am Red Wine. Chief and Captain of King Awe's personal body guard," he said angrily. "Now will you please get out of our way?"

"I wasn't told that she was having guest especially somepony like you." Her eyes narrowed. "Search them." She turned to the two stallions that gave her a salute. Her horn started glowing as she phased through the wrought iron gate. One of the two started patting down Atlas and Red Wine the other pulled out their sword.

"You two get off of the bird."

"Yeah we know we've already had to deal with one dirt bag today already." Dusk grumbled as she slid off of Turkeylegs' back. Escutcheon got off following her down.

"Calm down Dusk," he whispered to her as the guards started patting the two of them down.

"You take off your clothes." The guard with the sword said.

"I-I really don't want to," Escutcheon said taking a step back. "Can I at least do that somewhere more private please?"

"Escutcheon is a very modest colt." Atlas answered.

"Fine if you're allowed in the colt will be taken to a side room alone and thoroughly examined then. Is that understood, colt?" The guard asked after patting him down a second time. "So far he's clean." The armed guard nodded. They had just finished searching their saddlebags as the mare was coming back out.

"you two why is the colt still clothed? He could be hiding something." She said as her horn lit back up as she walked through the gate.

"He's agreed to a private search." She nodded.

"Fine." She turned her attention back to the group. "Governess Iron Clad is not pleased that you are twelve hours late. She, however, is willing to see you today." She looked back to the two guards. "Open the gates, you'll both help me search the colt." The stallions opened the gate. "Come!" She ordered and started marching to the doors of the mansion.

"Captain." A guard saluted the mare and opened the door as the group was let in.

"You show them and the bird to the meeting hall. Colt go in there." She opened a side door leading to a small windowless room. Escutcheon nodded and with a gulp walked in. When he stepped in the Mare and the two stallions followed her in and the door was closed. "Put a restraint ring on him."

"Yes ma'am." Escutcheon felt his head jerked to the side and a ring of cold metal slide down his horn. Five orbs of light floated from the mare's horn and lit up the room.

"Put his saddle bags in the corner." One of the guards took his bags off of him. "If you move when I don't tell you, you're a dead colt understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Escutcheon answered as one of the guards took his saddlebags and tossed them to the corner. Her horn started glowing and the sapphire necklace floated off. She examined it, and after scrutinizing it set it on the table.

"The shirt off now." Her voice was cold and harsh. Escutcheon gulped but took of his shirt, already he was starting to shake. "Why are you shaking do you have something you don't want us to find?" Escutcheon mumbled his answer. "I didn't hear you."

"No ma'am." His voice was already hoarse. She turned his shirt inside out several times with her magic in front of him.

"Pants off now." Escutcheon froze. "I said now!" He started shaking and tears going down the side of his cheeks, as he slid his pants down. She snatched them in her magic and started searching through them. When she didn't find anything she turned her attention back to Escutcheon. He was shaking like the last leaf on a tree about to fall quietly crying. "That's enough. You two guard the hall." The two black stallions nodded and left the room. She sat down in front of them. "Are you and the bat foalknapped?" This time her voice was soft. He shock his head. "Did they touch you, or hurt you?"

"Not them."

"Do they know?" She asked his legs buckled underneath him. Fears of her telling them came to the fore front of his mind. They'd know, Dusk would know.

"No, no," he answered sobbing on the floor.

"Shhh," He felt a towel go over him like a blanket. "It's okay. Get dressed wipe off your face and when your ready to meet Governess Iron Clad she's with the rest of your party in the meeting room. I'll lead you there." The lights went out, and she left him there on the floor with a towel wrapped around him. After a few minutes, Escutcheon finally managed to get his body back under his control. He put back on his clothes, and left the room. His mask of composure only slightly compromised by his red eyes and the suppression ring still around his horn.

Author's Note

Iron Clad was given to me By Scribs. She doesn't have a FIM account But I'd like to thank her for the Character.

Souvenirs Noirs

Author's Note

Please thumbs up and leave a comment. I really love Feed Back.

Souvenirs Noirs

Escutcheon paced back and forth in front of the fire place as noon came and went, and still no one came to get him for lunch. Despite the governess’s behavior toward them he didn’t think that she was the type that would ignore her guest, or a schedule. He sighed and sat down on his bed. His room was remarkably barren. He floated out his combing stick and started combing his mane, and then tail.

"You know there is an invention called a brush right?" Myrrh asked walking into the room. Red Wine was right behind her. She was floating a small tray of food with her.

"I've never seen him use a brush just that stick."

"Well it just feels right," he said blushing slightly as he put the stick back into his saddlebag. He sat up on his bed as the tray of food was put down in his lap. The door was closed behind them. Escutcheon looked between the two of them. "What's going on?" He asked. Red Wine and Myrrh looked at each other.

"Escutcheon, Myrrh told me that the discussion with Iron Clad didn't go well." Red Wine as he sat down on the bed next to Escutcheon.

"Yes." He looked down. "I thought, I was hoping that she'd see that the bats aren't a threat. But I think I just shut down anyway of making her come to see that."

"That's not what she thinks, and to be honest she wasn't going to see your point of view anyways." Myrrh said as she sat down next to him.

"Escutcheon there's something else that I want to ask you as well."

"Okay what?"

"While I was reading though your files that Professor Atlas's team brought to us before we arrested the three of you. I read multiple times about your traveling through Tivi, and beyond. They mentioned three odd things corresponding to three incidents of lights in the sky."

"Those were caused by him?" Myrrh sat up in genuine surprise.

"He's capable of casting spells despite wearing multiple restraint rings. So I don't doubt it a bit." Red Wine turned his attention back to Escutcheon. "In there reports one was on a mountain near the griffon settlement."

"Yeah it was an undying storm. It was where I got this sapphire from." He held a hoof up to the sapphire necklace. "I got my cutie mark by cutting it off. I met Dusk under the mountain." He smiled and the sapphire started to glow with a faint blue light. Red Wine nodded.

"And then there was the one in the desert where the bats came from, correct." He asked scratching his chin

"Yeah, it was connected to the Dragon that was using them as slaves."

"Connected." Myrrh asked.

"The gemstones are acting as spell anchors, they seem to form a manifestation, that can't exist independently from the gem itself. The dragon and the storm wolf thing vanished as soon as I cut off the gems.

"And there was a third one correct?" Red Wine asked. Escutcheon felt his heart stop and his blood go cold. He just looked down at the floor and nodded, and wrapped his hooves around him. Red Wine waited a bit for him to answer casting a glance to Myrrh before continuing when Escutcheon remained quiet. "And it was in the forest where the bats moved, if I recall correctly?" Escutcheon swallowed and shock his head side to side, realizing to late what this was about."

"Was it in Tivi?" Myrrh asked putting a hoof on his shoulder. He pulled away and shrank trying to make himself as small as possible.

"I don't want to talk about this." Escutcheon pulled back to the middle of the bed knocking his uneaten lunch onto the floor. He didn't notice, at the moment he didn't care. They both looked at each other. "I don't want to talk about this," he said again his breathing becoming erratic. Myrrh's horn lit up, and the room filled with a soft smell. Escutcheon's hyperventilating stopped, but the odd smell did nothing to help his fried nerves.

"I just want to make sure that you cut it off that everything in Tivi is safe." Red Wine said softly.

"I cut it off. I don't want to talk about this anymore." He felt Red Wine's hoof on his shoulder a second later he screamed and curled up. He hated himself crying like this. Hated how weak he felt. Hated how Myrrh told Red Wine.

"You're okay Escutcheon." He felt odd as Red Wine's horn lit up, a moment later he was drifting in and out of sleep and the two guard captains looked at each other.

"This colt's been though a lot. Whatever happened it's probably worse than I thought." Myrrh looked to him and then Red Wine.

"I'm glad you told me about this, and left the other out of it. Escutcheon will tell them when, or if, he's ever able to," Red Wine said.

"I'd like to travel with you. To make sure that he doesn't have to deal with searches again." Myrrh stood up and her horn lit up as she cleaned up the spilled lunch.

"Under normal circumstances I'd tell you to go buck youself-"

"Under normal circumstances I'd have punted you back to Tivi." Myrrh interrupted.

"But these aren't normal circumstances."

"No they are not." Myrrh said. "I'll join you tomorrow at the city gate to begin the track south to the capital." She got up and left Red Wine followed her out. closing the door on Escutcheon still curled up in a ball, crying as he drifted in and out of consciousness.

La Jument de Slo

Escutcheon woke up some time in the middle of the night. He looked around never remembering falling asleep. The room was dark the half moon's light mostly blocked by the curtains over the bedroom window. He rolled out of bed and walked over to the curtains pulling them open. The moonlight and a few minutes for his eyes to adjust soon let him see everything in the room. Everything was more or less the same except for a plate of food left on his dresser. He didn't realize how hungry he was until he saw the plate of food and his stomach started to grumble. He went over and grabbed the plate in his magic sitting down on his bed he started to eat the salad he was nearly done when there was a knock at his door.

"Can I come in?" Escutcheon's ears shot up at Dusk's voice.

"Yeah," he answered. "You can come in." A moment later the bat filly opened his door and started walking in. "Where's Turkeylegs?" He asked as she sat down next to him.

"Still in my room." She put a wing around him and scooted as close as she could. "I, we, missed you at dinner today," she said hesitantly. "Red Wine said that you needed some time to think about things." He swallowed the last bite of his supper and floated it back to the dresser.

"Was that all they said?" She nuzzled him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah that was all that they said," she answered. "But I know you. I don't know what happened, but I know it hurt you." She bit her lip trying to thing about the next thing she should say.

"I don't want to talk about it." He said nuzzling her back.

"I know, but I don't want you to hurt. Whenever anything is brought up, whenever you're not wearing your cloths. It's like. You remind me of me, when I was alone, and hurt, and scared, under the mountain. It's like you're alone, and I don't even exist to you anymore." her voice broke. The next thing she know Escutcheon pulled her into a hug, his sapphire lighting up the room. She could feel herself blush even as she was quietly crying.

"Dusk. No. I just want to move on." She returned the hug.

"Sometimes you have to take a few steps back before you can go forward. I don't know what hurt you, I don't know how. But please let me help okay." She felt him shaking like a leaf.

"I-" Escutcheon held her as close as he could, it was the only way to keep himself from running away. "When we're done with this." He said softly. "Come and talk to me. I-I'll tell you everything." He finished in a whisper the light of his sapphire had faded away into nothing.

"When we're done then. Until then. Just remember. You're not alone. You've got me. And your stuck with me." Dusk pulled back and wiped her eyes and then wiped his too. "And you're just going to have to deal with that."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He smiled and lay down still holding her close. The two of them drifted away into sleep.

***

"Aw aren't they just adorable?" Myrrh asked as she pulled the covers off of the two of them. Already the sky was lit up by the muted colors of the sunrise. "The colt and filly are all grown up." She smiled. Dusk rolled over and stuck out her tongue. "Maybe a little to grown up." She said lifting them off of the bed with her magic and dropping them on their hooves. "Come on it's time for us to go."

"Us?" Dusk asked.

"Yes us. She's coming with us as an escort and guide." Red Wine looked in from the hallway. "Now hurry up we're already behind schedule."

"Right but we'll be able to make back a few hours if we can make a good days trot down the mountain." Myrrh says as she walks out of the room.

"Yeppie, another captain to be all paranoid and grumpy." Dusk follows her out with Escutcheon next to her.

"Only when I'm on my job." Myrrh looked behind her at the bat filly.

"Speaking of your job don't you have to stay here?" Escutcheon asked.

"Yeah stay here and guard the mayor, or duchess, or what ever she is?"

"No, I'm heading home, and back to my main post." She lead them out of the mansion and down the cobblestone streets going deeper into Slo. "My mom's a captain in the capital, she sent me here for something, I think it was to get you. And if it wasn't though, I'm not working under that bitch anymore."

"You know I change my mind I think I like her." Dusk says as she walks next to Escutcheon. "What are your thoughts?"

"She not bad I guess," he answered keeping his eyes down. Dusk leaned against them as they walked.

"Chin up the next stop is Altosa. The mayor of that city is a lot more likely to side with you. And it should get the bad taste of this place out of your mouth." Myrrh smiled, as she led them south. "We might even make it on time to the capital." Red Wine didn't answer he just continued his march south.

Vallée

"Amazing!" Dusk gasped as they walked along the cobble road leading away from Livar. She gazed at a massive three teared covered bridge made entirely of polished stones. "That must have taken entire mountains worth of stone to build."

"Slo is a country of mountains. Only in the far south with it's boarder to the Empire and the Forest do we have any claims to lumber and fertile fields. Hence why we fought two wars with Tivi over a forest." Myrrh said looking at the bridge. "That bridge was built by King Brimstone. Back during the first war with Tivi."

"That's a war bridge?" Escutcheon asked as they walked along the road.

"Not anymore it's now used as a high way to move stone and food through the kingdom. It's part of the Całkowity Highway. A level bridge that spans the entirety of the mountain range."

"It was a major target throughout the first and second war." Red Wine looked over at the bridge with a mix of admiration and disgust. "Thousands of spells and soldiers were used to try and destroy it, but Brimstone built things to last and Slo's engineering is as strong as the stone they use."

"That almost sounded like a complement." Myrrh joked.

"It's the closest he's likely to give" Atlas chimed in.

"If that bridge spans the entire empire why don't we use it?" Escutcheon asked.

"Two reasons, one. If we did you'd miss the three towns that have extended an invitation to you, and two." She paused.

"It would be the pinnacle of stupidity to let us use it. If Slo and Tivi go to war," Red Wine said. Myrrh sadly nodded.

"Who are the ponies that we're going to be meeting?" Escutcheon asked. "What can you tell us about them?"

"Well Snow Caps is the Governor of the next province he's the last pony that you'll see before you arrive at the capital. He's a loud proponent for peace and has the king's ear. Rumors are that he has a plan to force a peace, but those are just rumors for now. Pick Ax is the mayor of Black Mountain." She looked between the colt and filly. Don't drop your guard around him. Ever."

"He's nasty one," Atlas said. "Even my scholarly correspondence in Slo warn me about him and his spies when ever I enter Slo. Myrrh nodded.

"Our next stop though is the valley city of Altosa, and the mayor there is Silk Touch. A genuine mare and kind in every way." She smiled. "She's not wanting a war but she'll fight if it comes to it. But so long as we aren't provoked then she'll maintain peace and peace only."

"Just like Golden Brick." Dusk said.

"Yes I've heard she'd just like her brother." Escutcheon and Dusk paused.

"Wait. An aristocrat in Slo has an aristocrat brother in Tivi?"

"Of course," Red Wine said.

"And your just willing to go to war?" Dusk said.

"If need be they will fight for their country." Myrrh nodded.

"I'm so confused. Does she have a library I could use?"

"Well I can't give permission, but she does have a library." Escutcheon nodded. "Don't they have international aristocratic families from where your from?"

"Yeah, but Auntie Cadance would never attack Equestria!"

"Well I mean it's not like we want war. Well not everyone anyways." Myrrh looked out over the valley they were descending down to. "Who would want to when they have this?" She gestured to the the town in the valley. A fairly large town with a couple hundred buildings built with stone, and accented with clay shingles. Everything that wasn't the town had been converted into fields, farms, and orchards. "Welcome to Altosa the main food producer for Livar and home to Mayor Silk Touch. Hopefully she can explain things to you."

Ville de Pierre de la Vallée

The group made their way up to the gate of the small valley village. "Hello." Myrrh waved to one of the guards standing at the gate. "How are you stallions doing?"

"Captain Myrrh?" The two stallions looked at her. "Weren't you suppose to be stationed up the mountain?" They looked over the group. "Who are these ponies?"

"We're the delegation from Tivi." Atlas answered as they got closer to the two earth ponies guards. They both immediately stood at attention.

"You need to wait here until that the mayor learns that you are here." One of them blocked their way into the village as the other rushed into the city.

"Is this going to be a trend?" Escutcheon asked.

"Probably," Myrrh said. She then turned her attention back to the guard blocking their way. "Can't you at least let us in so we can get breakfast?"

"I'm afraid not captain. At least not until the mayor knows that the delegation has arrived," the stallion answered not budging. "I'm sure you understand." Red Wine nodded, and after a few minutes passed the other guard returned, walking behind him was a small mare in soft green dress, and behind her were several more guards. The ponies in the street had stopped and were staring at the procession as it passed. The guard saluted and stepped aside as the mayor passed and stopped, standing in front of the group.

"Hello, Red Wine, Atlas ." She nodded as she greeted the two stallions. "Who are these two Captain Myrrh?" Silk Touch gestured to Escutcheon and Dusk.

"Yes Ma'am." Myrrh stood to attention. "This is Escutcheon and Dusk. They're representing the Bat Colony. And this is Turkeylegs, their guard bird." She smiled. "Dusk is the only child of one of the leading members of the colony, and Escutcheon is a highly valued friend of the colony."

"I see." Silk Touch looked at the diplomatic party. "I'd like to personally welcome all of you to my town. I'm afraid I won't beadle to meet with you until lunch. Please explore the village until then. Except for you, Red Wine would you follow me please?"

"Yes ma'am I'll give them the full tour." Silk Touch nodded and left back to her estate, followed by Red Wine and her guards. "Well come on. Let's go and get breakfast, whatever the mayor needed Red Wine with I assure you he'll be fine," Myrrh said, walking past the two guards. They followed her, turning down a side street being followed by stares from dozens of earth ponies. They walked down several cobble stone streets to a small stone building nestled between the wall and an identical stone building. "This is the best bakery in Slo." Myrrh opened the door for them and let them in.

There was a ringing of a bell as the door opened and the smell of baked bread and freshly made pastries filled the air. A soft tan earth pony waved in greeting from behind the counter. "High praise coming from you Ms. Myrrh." the earth pony gasped as Dusk and Turkeylegs walked in. "By the king's peppered beard. What is this you've come with?"

"This is turkeylegs." Myrrh said.

"I mean the filly. A pony with wings. Why I've never thought I'd see anything like that. Begging you're pardon but do you fly?" she asked.

"Oh-uh yeah." Dusk answered blushing slightly at suddenly being the center of attention. "And I-I'm ah thestral. And yeah your fine."

"One of the bat ponies that moved into the forest." Myrrh said.

"I thought that was just silly babbling. And yet here one is in my bakery. Please take a seat, take a seat. What would you like?" The baker mare asked.

"Four morning pies, please," Myrrh guided them to a corner table and sat down. "I'm sure that they'd enjoy that."

Vieux Amis

Several hours after breakfast and wondering around the village a guard pony slowly approached them. "Captain Myrrh," he said with a salute. "Mayor Silk Touch is ready to see the visitors from Tivi."

"Great." She looked over her shoulder at the four of them. "Well let's try not to keep her waiting." She started to lead them down the cobbled streets of the village. "So what do you think of the village?" She asked Dusk as they made their way to the center of town.

"It's nice," Dusk answered looking around at the town. "I'm having a hard time believing that they'd want to kill everyone back home if they had a chance." Her tone was more surprised than accusatory.

"Well no pony here want's the war." Myrrh looked over at the bat.

"Neither do most of us in Tivi." Atlas patted Dusk's head. "So I don't think that you have much to worry about a couple of blow hard war hawks aren't likely to prevail against more level heads."

"Right." Escutcheon nodded walking along side her. "King Awe doesn't want this war and I'm sure the king here doesn't either it would only hurt them and their people." He gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry. I'll make sure everything works out okay." As they approached the mayor's estate the guards quickly rushed and opened the door for them.

"Knock knock!" Myrrh sang as she knocked on the door. An elderly unicorn opened the door. "Hey Grey good to see that your still up and kicking." She gave the mayor's master butler a warm smile as he opened the door for them.

"The mayor and her guests are waiting for you in her library. She's been told that Master Escutcheon enjoys books. Please follow me." He turned with a grace that would have been thought impossible for a stallion of his age and began leading them into the house. As they approached they could hear whispering coming from the room. The butler entered the room before them. "Mayor Silk, Your guests have arrived."

"The horn heads here?" Escutcheon's ears perked up at the tomboyish voice.

"Escutcheon, good to see you." Gildan's eagle head poked around the door frame.

"Yeah glad to see your still walking." Gilda said walking into the doorway. "We were just talking about you. From what we've heard you've been really busy."

"Yeah, I want to hear this straight from the pony's mouth." Gildan waved him and the others into the library. it was a large and spacious room with several arm chairs and sofas, There were a good number of inn tables, and a large number of books on the book shelves that wrapped around the room.

"Come on horn head fill in the gaps for us what have you been up to since you left Storm Peak." Gilda took a seat next to her brother. Red Wind and Silk Touch were sitting in arm chairs opposite each other.

"While I'd ask you to tell me your story with quite a bit more tact and grace, I am certainly just as eager as these two griffon's they've told me quite the tell over the past couple of days." Silk Touch said gesturing for Escutcheon, Dusk, and Atlas to take seats on a sofa. Turkeylegs looked at the two griffon siblings, and the mayor's hoof and sat between Dusk, and Escutcheon and the rest of the room. "Well please do tell me everything."

"I guess you both want to know how your mom died," Escutcheon said.

"Mom's not dead." Escutcheon's ears perked up.

"You mean she's alive."

"Yeah, duh. Do you think we'd have been as happy to see you if you hadn't magicked mom back too us? Gramps said that if you hadn't had teleported her to us when you did she might have. She's fine and keeping Gramps and Griffa company back at Griffon Rock." Gilda rolled her eyes. "For a smart pony you're pretty dumb." Gildan hit his sister over the back of her head. "Oww. What the heck."

"Sorry Sis mom's ghost must have possessed me to do that." Gildan said with a smirk.

"Shut it hatchling."

"Both of you be quiet!" Red ordered the two griffons immediately stopped their bickering, and Myrrh stifled a laugh.

"Myrrh please sit between the two of them to keep them in line, and Escutcheon please, start you're account from when you teleported their mother back to them." Silk Touch said as the unicorn mare sat down between the two bickering sibling. "Thank you Red. I can't tell you how many times they've done that." The mayor turned her attention back to Escutcheon now please Escutcheon, you may begin."

Nuit Étoilée

After several hours Escutcheon had related his tail to mayor Silk Touch. He covered everything that he had with all of his other retaleings, of his story, only leaving out the sphinx everything that happened in the sphinx's jungle. Silk Touch and the others listened to him completely enraptured. And the mayor watched his every move. At the end of it there was a long moment of silence which was then quickly ended by the two griffon sibling. "Damn horn head that was pretty freaking amazing!" Gilda burst out.

"Yeah so you've taken on a living storm and a dragon, what was the third one?"

"Hey, yeah you skipped that one come on nerd what was it? Behemoth, Giant pony monster?" Escutcheon froze his white face going pale.

"He'd prefer to not talk about that one." Dusk put a hoof on Escutcheon's shoulder. "And you two should respect that." The two griffons paused for just a moment then nodded. Escutcheon looked down at his hooves.

"It was that bad, huh."

"Sorry about that horn head." Gildan stood up. "But hey that's why Griffon Stone sent us. To help you out and make sure that bad stuff doesn't happen to you again."

"Sorry we were late, but hey you got to be the hero for you cute bat pony mare friend," Gilda said causing the two of them to softly blush. "And don't worry. If anyone can fix this situation it's Escutcheon."

"Yeah, I keep telling him that too." Dusk smiled.

"Well it's time for dinner." Silk stood up. "Escutcheon, you can stay here in the library. Every book I have here you can read if it will help you find a solution to this." She stood up and motioned for everyone else to head out of the door. "As for the rest of you, please follow me to the dinning room."

"I'll join you all in a minute," Escutcheon said. "As soon as I finish these books."

"That will take you at least several days." Myrrh said following Silk.

"He has his ways." Atlas smiled and walked past her following the mayor to the dinning room. "I'll save your seat." Escutcheon nodded and his horn started to glow, and the books on the shelf. The words began flowing out of the books and into him, as he began to use his mother's speed reading spell. Ten minutes later he stood up. Turkeylegs looked up at him still sitting where they had been when he had started the spell.

"Come on Turkeylegs, let's go to the others." He head out the door, and Turkeylegs followed close behind him. They made their way down the hall and into the dinning room. "Hello. Did you save me my spot?" he asked as he walked in.

"Indeed I did right next to Dusk."

"Yep, she fast, she's poached nearly everybody's mangoes." Gilda said.

"Yes, yes I am, and yes, yes I did." She smiled waving at Escutcheon. "Did you find anything?"

"I mean what is there to find?" Myrrh asked.

"Lots." Escutcheon answered. "But none of it still makes any sense." He started to eat his salad. "Nothing is adding up."

"What's not?" Red Wine asked.

"Everything. The wine and the inn. The histories. The aristocracies. None of it makes sense." He sighed. "I'm starting to think that everything is all wrong, but I'm not sure why it would be, but I'm starting to get an idea, and even it doesn't make any sense." He sighed.

"Inn and wine?"

"Gallum's inn and wine." Red Wine clarified.

"Right." Escutcheon nodded. "That wine and that inn were not a thousand years old. They were closer to seven hundred, and I'd bet my combing stick on it."

"He still has that stupid thing." Gilda snickered.

"Yeah," Dusk said. "He does, and that's fine. It's all fine." She finished her supper quickly and headed off. Leaving everyone else to finish their meals. Escutcheon didn't feel like talking and soon finished his own plate and followed after Dusk. Leaving Atlas, Red Wine, and Myrrh to deal with the finer points of the diplomatic mission.

"Dusk?" Escutcheon asked as the butler opened the door for him to Dusk's room. The door to her patio was open letting the chilly valley air blow into her room. He slowly made his way inside with Turkeylegs following behind him. "Dusk?" He asked as he walked onto her balcony. She didn't answer just looking up at the crystal clear night sky. And them millions upon millions of stars shinning down on them.

"Hey how was dinner?" she asked wiping her eyes.

"It was okay." He sat down next to her. Turkeylegs coming up form behind and wrapping the two of them in their flightless wings. "How are you?"

"Scarred." She looked to him and then back to the sky. "Really scared." She leaned into him. "Everything could be lost, and there's nothing I can do."

"Dusk. Everything is going to be okay." Escutcheon promised as he looked up into the night sky. "I promise you that."

Le Poney Sans Cœur

Escutcheon and his party walked down the black cobbled streets of Pick Ax's town. The ponies of this town looked more down trodden than the slaves under the dragon. He didn't think that that was possible but as he looked from each face there was no mistaking the desperate looks on each face.

"Why do any of these ponies stay here they look absolutely miserable." Dusk asked as they moved up a series of cobble steps to the next tear of the city. Black Mountain, was built up into the mountain, and was formed by multiple vertical tears each on several dozen meters higher in elevation than the last all leading up to, what was the largest Fortress Escutcheon had ever seen.

"They can't," Myrrh answered looking away from the griffons. "Black Mountain is a hard place to live even if it weren't for the tyrant Pick Ax. They wouldn't be here if they could survive anywhere else." They continued up.

"I'm glad that I don't live here that's for sure." Dusk looked around from Turkeyleg's back. "Why don't the just walk away and build a life else where?"

"Stubbornness. That's the simplest answer." Red Wine never looked away from the path that they walked. "The ponies of Slo are the most stubborn creatures that ever existed. They'd view moving away as giving up, so instead they brace themselves for the misery and keep going." Escutcheon nodded. Despite how big the city was there were no sounds of play nor any chatter, the streets were dead silent with the exception of hooves hitting cobble. They soon made their way up the next series of stairs to the next tear the black stone fortress' presence becoming more and more oppressive the close to it they got.

Even the small amount of noise that was made came to a hushed halt as several guards came toward the group. "Captain Myrrh, it is good to see you and our guest. We were becoming concerned that you had lost your way." The lead guard's smile was colder than Red Wine's glare ever could have been.

"They were delayed several times coming here, but we're making good time. Sadly we'll have to leave as soon as possible to make it to the capital on time." She smiled back. "Did Pick Ax send you to meet us."

"Yes we've come to escort you to the manor, show you you're rooms, and guide the delegates from the DMZ to a private meeting with his lordship. Now please don't move." The flash of several horns soon filled Escutcheon's vision the next thing he saw was the door to the large fortress.

"Wait so Pick Ax lives in the fortress?" he asked.

"Yes now come along." The guard in charge looked to one of his subordinates standing by the door. "You show them to their rooms I'll escort the bat and the colt to the grand library. Once you all have seen that your rooms are to your liking you can wait outside the library until the private meeting is concluded. Come here you two."

Dusk and Escutcheon cast Myrrh and Red Wine a small glace, but after a small nod from the two of them, and they followed the stallion into the fortress heading straight up the stairs as the rest of their party headed to the right on the first floor of the fortress. On the third floor the guard lead them to a large set of double doors and opened them revealing one of the best stocked libraries Escutcheon had seen outside of Marina's library since he ran away. The book shelves lined the walls and there was a grand fireplace on the opposite wall, the warmth from which gave the room a cozy glow. By the fire place were several ornate chairs and a few tables.

Sitting in one of the chairs was a hard and harsh looking earth pony, with a face as unrelenting as flint standing on either side of him was a guard. With a flick of his hoof, the two guards left leaving Dusk, Escutcheon, and Turkeylegs alone with the noble.

Pierre Noire, Coeur Noir

"Hello." Escutcheon hesitantly walked up to one of the other chairs facing toward Pick Ax and the fire. "Mayor Pick Ax, I presume, my name is Escutcheon and this is Dusk. We're here to stop a war from occurring. I was hoping that you would be open to disusing this with us, and reaching a sustainable peace."

"I am well aware of who you are and what your goals here are." Pick Ax nodded. "Bat please do take a seat as well." Pick Ax watched as Dusk got down from Turkeyleg's back and made her way over to the chair closest to Escutcheon's. "Now, I have no intentions of granting peace, but I will of course give you something to think over. I don't care where the armies of Slo and Tivi meet only that they meet."

"Why? What would a war profit you?!" Dusk demanded.

"Don't interrupt me when I speak." Pick Ax tone didn't change, but the glare he gave Dusk would have frozen hell over. "Now as I was saying. I don't care where the war is just that the war is. I will make you a deal. You will go to the palace as intended, and then you will abduct the princess. Bring her here and then continue back to Tivi, I have spies that will guarantee that you will get through the boarder, and I equally guarantee that the armies of Slo will follow close behind you. The armies of Tivi will rush quickly to meet them and in the confusion the two of you can go back to your home. Safe in the knowledge that all the fighting and death is miles away."

"And you return the princess back to the king and are awarded a higher position after the war." Pick Ax's laugh sent a blood freezing shiver down Escutcheon's spine.

"Don't try to guess my motives colt, they're nothing as petty as prestige." His smile was just as mirthless as his laugh and had the same effect. "Now however if you should fail, and not accept my offer, I can assure you that your colony won't be able to fly fast enough. If you tell anybody about this, I will know, and that would be a far graver mistake."

"Is that a threat?" Dusk's eyes narrowed.

"No, Dusk it is a promise." He tapped on the polished black stone floor. "One that I am more than able to keep." The doors opened and the others where let in. "I'm sorry but I won't be able to entertain you for the time being, however, you are allowed to read whatever you'd like in my library, until dinner we will dine in my main dinning hall." He headed out of the room.

"Escutcheon?" Dusk looked to him worriedly. He gave her a weak smile.

"We'll talk about things after dinner," he answered softly. "Until then, I'm going to read and see if there isn't anything in these books here." His horn started to glow as the books came off of the selves.

"I hope there is." Dusk softly started patting Turkeylegs on the head as she watched him and Atlas going throw the books Escutcheon using his magic, and Atlas doing it the old fashioned way. If she tried hard enough she could almost trick herself into thinking that they were, grading first year papers back at the university.

Lumière Bleue et L'insecte Jument

After dinner Escutcheon and Dusk were guided to their room by a couple of guards. Escutcheon and Dusk lay down on their beds and Turkeylegs lay down between them and the door. "Did you find anything?" Dusk asked looking over to Escutcheon from her bed.

"I think so, I don't know," Escutcheon answered looking up at the black stone ceiling. "I don't know, there's something odd going on here. More than just mayor Pick Ax. Are you cold?" He looked over to Dusk.

"Yeah, but I can fix that." Before he could say anything she jumped over to his bed, and snuggled up close to him. "Well I think that's better." The sapphire tied to his necklace started to glow filling the room in a blue light, Dusk stiffened a laugh. "I guess you think that's better too, huh?" She nuzzled up next to him.

"Yeah," He closed his eyes for a second before there was a soft knock on the door. He looked up. "Who is it?"

"It's me, just checking in on you two." Myrrh walked into the blue light of Escutcheon's sapphire. When she did her body went translucent, and underneath the translucent form of Myrrh, was a black insect like pony hybrid. The two of them sat straight up, and Dusk gasped in frightened surprise, which caused Turkeylegs to jolt up. "What's wrong?" the changeling asked in Myrrh's voice.

"Wh-what are you?"

"What do you mean Dusk?"

"You're a changeling." Escutcheon sat up more interested than afraid. "But how are there changelings all the way out here?"

"A what?" Dusk and the changeling asked, the changeling then looked at their hoof and froze. "What-what is this, what magic are you using." The changeling looked up in fearful surprise and took a step back. "I knew that this was a bad idea." They turned to run not noticing Escutcheon's horn glowing as a bolt of magic fired out. The changeling's body went numb and the hit the floor. Escutcheon rushed the door and shut it.

"Dusk, help me get it on the bed there. They won't be out for long." Dusk hurried and helped Escutcheon get the changeling on the second bed. She then produced a rope from her saddle bag.

"Should we tie this thing down?" She asked looking at it equal parts fear and confusion. "You don't think that this thing ate Myrrh do you?"

"No but, I am concerned for her." Escutcheon hurried and tied the changeling down. A couple seconds later the changeling woke up, causing Dusk to jump back startled.

"Oww my head, what happened?" The changeling tried to move quickly learning that they were tied to the bed. "No-no-no-no I'm going to be in so much trouble."

"Who are you?" Escutcheon asked. "And what did you do to Myrrh and the others?"

"I'm just a drone, please let me go, I didn't mean to get caught. I'm Drone 51737." The changeling said in a distinctly feminine voice, I wasn't even suppose to come in here, I was just so hungry and there was so much love in the room , and I just wanted a snack."

"You wanted to eat us?" Dusk asked slightly more afraid.

"No just your love." Dusk looked at Escutcheon, the look on her face conveying her confusion.

"This is a changeling, they live by eating love, well feeding on love, they don't actually eat love." Escutcheon explained he turned back to the changeling. "Where's Myrrh?" He asked.

"In the basement with the others. Please let me go please." The changeling started whining.

"Others?" Dusk asked looking between the insect pony and Escutcheon.

"The other ponies you came with. They were to be replaced with operatives to make sure you did what you were supposed to do."

"Escutcheon, I have a question." Dusk looked back to the bug pony. "These things feed on love, so why would they want to start a war?"

"Wars allow them to easily replace loved ones."

"That's not true, it's because Pick Ax is an inverted." The changeling said. "While we drones still feed on positive feelings, he feeds on negative ones. The fighting that would break out would feed him enough for him to likely ascend." The changeling looked between the two of them. "Please let me go, I'm sorry I interrupted you."

"So wait, your leader's feeding would actively starve you wouldn't it?" Dusk asked, pity slowly slipping into her voice.

"Yes, but the hive's elites are all inverted, so the rest of us work to help them, it's our place."

"Is the entire town full of changelings?" Escutcheon asked.

"About half the town is."

"And who's your queen?"

"Queen?" the changeling's voice betrayed that she had no idea what Escutcheon meant by that. "We might look like bug monsters, but we're still mammals, well mostly anyways." Drone 51737 said slightly indignant.

"Really, you don't have a queen? The changelings back home have a monarch."

"Well our hive doesn't."

"What should we do with her?" Escutcheon and the changeling looked at Dusk. "I mean we can't let her go but we can't keep her here." She looked back at Drone 51737. "Fifty-One, can I call you Fifty-One?" The drone nodded a little scared. "What would happen if we told Pick Ax that you told us all of this." Escutcheon was impressed, he never knew that changelings' faces could go pale, and Fifty-One started crying. "Right. I thought so, so here's the deal, if we let you go and you betray us, we'll talk, we're also going to try and rescue the others. So, it's in your best interest to help us get them and get out without getting caught got it?"

"Yes I understand." The drone nodded.

"So you'll help us?" Escutcheon asked.

"Yes, just please don't tell Pick Ax I said anything. Please, please, please." The drone was on the verge of tears again.

"Deal." Dusk quickly moved to untie the changeling mare. "Alright Fifty-One, if you would please lead the way to the basement."

La Rauche

The changeling drone, Dusk, and Escutcheon headed down the halls of the the black stone, mansion. They had kept Turkeylegs in the room after Fifty-One assured the two of them that the changelings of this hive were not able to change into anything beyond pony shapes, and while Turkeylegs was many things stealthy she was not. Fifty-one lead them down several side halls as quietly as she could, in the form of a maid. After several twist and turns they arrived at a dead end.

"What's going on?" Dusk demanded.

"Nothing it's just, w-well, this is, is the way into the hive." Fifty-one looked at the dead end. "If I take you past this point I-I-I'm going too be beyond the point of return." Her horn lit up and the dead end faded away leading to a dark hallway that sloped downward into the mountain.

"We're going in. We have too." Escutcheon's horn lit up. "We get the others, get back to Turkeylegs and then get the heck out of here, and you're going to come with us. So don't worry about that."

"Wh-what?" Fifty-one and Dusk asked.

"You're going to go and confess, to the king, what's been going on here," Escutcheon said.

"I didn't agree to that."

"It's the only way to guarantee your safety, and you can Identify changelings even in there disguised form can't you?" he asked.

"Well yes."

"Then yeah you're coming too."

"Not just will you be able to point out any of Pick Ax's agents, and it's the only way to guarantee that you'll be safe. Even if you're not caught helping us, I doubt that you're going to be able to hide it forever." Fifty-one's face went pale again.

"I-I could. Maybe," she began. Escutcheon stared walking down the hall.

"No you couldn't." Dusk followed her coltfriend. "I don't think your a good liar, and you're really bad under pressure. Now come on. We'll keep you safe."

"What makes you think you can stand up to Pick Ax?"

"I've killed an eternal storm, killed a dragon ending a slave empire, and fought an island of harpies, I can't guarantee that you'll be safe, but if you come with me I'll do everything I can to keep you safe." Fifty-one hesitated for a moment before nodding and following closely after them quickly catching up and then began leading them down the snaking tunnel.

After several minutes Fifty-one grabbed the two of them by their tails and pulled them into a small crevasse. A few seconds later three drones passed by their hiding hole. Fifty-one waited a few seconds before getting them out and then heading out.

"Your friends are in holding cells in the basement." Fifty-one whispered leading the way. "At the end of this hall we just take a left and then go down the stairs, and then we're there."

"They're that close to the surface?" Dusk asked. "Wouldn't you be afraid of them escaping."

"Getting out you need changeling magic, so there's normally no risk of an escape." They continued in silence as they descended down the hall. Fifty-one stopped as they neared the bottom. "Oh-no I forgot about the guards. They won't leave their post."

"It's fine, I got this." Escutcheon's horn lit up a second later he jumped to the bottom, and fired. The room filled with a blinding light. Dusk and Fifty-one cautiously made their way into the room. The guards were knocked out on the floor and Escutcheon was standing were he landed. Around the room were several large green goo doors behind a few them were Red Wine, Atlas, and Myrrh, each in their own small cell.

"Good job Escutcheon." Atlas clapped his hooves.

"Look out there's one behind you." Myrrh pointed to Fifty-one.

"It's fine she's with us." Dusk said, "This is Fifty-one she's going to help us get out of here."

"That's great but what is she?" Red Wine asked.

"I'm a changeling, and I'm going to help you out, then you're going to keep me safe right?" she asked.

"Of course, we'll be best friends for life just get me out of this thing. Mom's going to be thrilled to hear about this." Myrrh said. "On the plus side Escutcheon your job just got a lot easier." Fifty-one's horn lit up and the goo doors evaporated.

"Now let's get out of this mess," Dusk said. "Before something goes wrong."

Sur le Chemin de la Liberté

"Alright, let's move," Red Wine started moving. "Myrrh, you hold the front, I'll guard the rear. Whatever you are, if you're leading us into a trap you're dead. With that in mind move." He pointed to the stairway. Fifty-one gulped, but nodded and started moving up the stairs Myrrh walking next to the changeling drone, Dusk and Escutcheon following right behind her. Atlas followed right behind his two wards, Red Wine followed right on his tail. They made their way to the top of the stairs without incident.

Fifty-one's horn started glowing. and the path opened up for them. She looked at the clock on the wall. "Oh no," she said quietly enough for everyone behind Myrrh to not hear.

"What?" Myrrh asked just as quietly. Fifty-one looked back at the group.

"So we might have a little bit of a problem. You two were supposed to be in your room, the others were going to check up on you once every two hours, they would have already made their first check."

"Hmm, they won't assume foul play though." Escutcheon rubbed his chin. "After all if we were going to run we would have taken Turkeylegs with us, and we'd have no reason to not take the others with us. "So all we have to do is have a good reason to have been missing."

"I can think of a reason or two, and it would be helpful to get the impostors out of the way early. Or at least get a head start on them." Dusk smiled. "Escutcheon do you think that you could take them?"

"With the element of surprise, yeah I could certainly take them, but to make sure that I get them all, I'm going to need the you to get Turkeylegs out of the room, I'm going to use a sleep spell that should put them under. Then it's up to you to find a way out."

"That won't be a problem." Myrrh looked over her shoulder to Red Wine. "How far do you think you could teleport us?"

"Not far, we'll get out the old fashioned way. Bug, I assume Pick Ax has several back passages leading out to the city correct?" Fifty-one nodded. "Good, we'll take that way out and then keep moving going through the gate and making our way out back toward the capital."

"I really hope this goes well." Fifty-one sighed. leading the group slowly back to Escutcheon and Dusk's room. As they rounded a corner she paused and opened another door. "We can wait here," She walked into an empty guest room.

"Right, good luck Escutcheon." Myrrh walked in past Fifty-one

"I've got my eye on you bug, even a hint that you're about to back stab us and I'm going to put you down." Red glared at her walking into the room horn glowing. Fifty-one's face somehow paled.

"I'd wish you luck Escutcheon, but I've worked with you long enough at the university to know that you don't need it." Atlas patted Escutcheon and Dusk on the head before heading into the room. The door shut behind him.

"Right how do we do this?"

"We go in if there is no one in our room we get Turkeylegs and get back to the others. If there are, get Turkeylegs out under the pretext of a walk, and I'll cast a sleep. I'll be out for about ten hours but so will they." The two of them turned the corner and opened the door to their room. Inside were Myrrh, Red Wine, Atlas, and Turkeylegs.

"Where were you two," Red Wine looked between the two of them.

"We went on a small walk," Escutcheon answered.

"I wanted to go on a longer one, but Escutcheon needs his. So I'll just take Turkeylegs." Dusk shrugged.

"What did we tell you about this city." Red Wine glared at the two of them. "It's not safe normally let alone to be out and about at this hour."

"It's fine we were with each other, and besides I'll have Turkeylegs with me. What could possibly show up that Turkeylegs couldn't handle? If it makes you feel any better I'll stay in the mayor's manor." Dusk rolled her eyes and coaxed Turkeylegs up. "Is that okay?"

"I'll tag along make sure your safe." Myrrh stood up from laying down on the bed.

"Sure, come on." Dusk fought the urge to shoot Escutcheon a nervous glance, not wanting to set things off, or risk giving them away.

"Before you go can I ask you something Myrrh?" Escutcheon asked as Dusk walked out of the room.

"Of course what is it?"

"Now." His horn lit up, and Dusk shut the door as the spell went off. Escutcheon stayed conscious just long enough to see the changeling hit the floor their disguises falling as they blacked out. His world faded quickly into blackness as he saw the door opening back up.

Author's Note

Sorry it took, so long. For those that are reading what do you think of the story so far? My goal for this week is well defined I want to publish three chapters this one included before next Saturday. Stretch goal five chapters, but we'll see.

Radiesthésie

Esctucheon groaned as his eyes opened up. The sky above him was bright and clear. "Bright." He held his hoof up trying to shield his eyes as they adjusted.

"You’re up that’s good,” Myrrh said walking into up to him. “You had me worried there, kid, not that I doubted you.” He looked around Myrrh was resting next to him in. They were in a small clearing surrounded by underbrush and small mountain trees. He looked around; it was just the two of them.

“Where are the others?” he asked slowly getting up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as the last vestibules of the sleep spell faded away.

“Honestly I have no idea.” Myrrh looked up to the sky. “I’m certain that they got out too, but apart from that, well, I don’t know.” Escutcheon’s heart fell into his stomach.

“What happened?”

“Lay back down kiddo this is going to take a while,” Myrrh sighed. Escutcheon nodded and lay back down. She looked back down to him; she looked tired. “We were doing pretty good getting out. Made it out of the Pick’s manor pretty easily, and were working our way down the side streets and alley ways to avoid the guards.” She paused for a minute. “We were about half way down Black Rock Mountain when the alarm went off. Things got complicated then, Atlas is old and not as fast as a stallion in his prime, and Turkeylegs is, well noticeable.” The wind blew through their small shelter, it felt unnaturally peaceful. “It didn’t take long before the city guard found us, and the fire fight erupted.” She closed her eyes there was a long pause before she began again. “Red Wine lived up to his reputation and position. The spells he was using were scary.”

“Why don’t you get some rest right quick.” Escutcheon offered as Myrrh struggled to keep her eyes open. “You can feel me in on the rest when you wake up.” She nodded and yawned. The second her head hit the ground she was out. He sat there for several long minutes not knowing what to do. He felt completely lost if it weren’t for Myrrh being there it would have been just like when he woke up that first night after running away. This time though the pit in his stomach wasn’t for himself. He was terrified for Dusk, Turkeylegs, Atlas, and even Red Wine. Despite their poor first introduction Red wasn’t bad, just completely untrusting. After a few minutes the anxiety faded. He needed to find his friends. He grabbed his combing stick from his bag and started working the tangles out of his golden blond mane. He dumped the contents of his bags onto the ground and started shifting though it.

It was about noon when Myrrh’s yawn snapped him out of what he was doing. “Oh, it wasn’t a dream. That’s, that’s unfortunate.” She looked over at him and the sixteen small piles he had made of his stuff. “What’s all this?” She totted up next to him.

“So you know how dowsing works right?"

"I know the fundamentals of it yes." She walked over to his side. "But I don't recall any of those basic principles being inventory management."

"I'm looking for something to use as a focus for a search spell my mother taught me." Escutcheon answered as he looked over his piles. "The focus needs to be something of value to the pony that it's from." He pointed to the first row of four. "These are all my things." He moved to the next column of four. "These are Dusk's, but I don't have anything to special that belongs to her. At least nothing that would lead me right to her. I'm having the same problem with Atlas and Turkeylegs too, I have feathers, but they aren't exactly valued by Turkeylegs."

"Really, I'd think she would have some attachment to this bracelet here, given the necklace and earrings she wears." Myrrh tapped a small silver bracelet made of elaborately twisted silver wires.

"She's not seen it yet." Escutcheon answered his cheeks becoming flush a bit. Myrrh gave him a knowing look and patted him on the head.

"I'm sure she'll love it." she looked at the rest of the things. "I mean could you still cast the spell on what we have?"

"I'm going to have to." He conceded. "It'll give us a direction at the very least. But it may be off by kilometres."

"Hey a direction is a place to start. I was never good at tracking spells so I'm glad you know one at the very least." She got up. "Now let's try and get everypony back together."

Escutcheon nodded casting the spell on one of Dusk's earrings it floated up pointing to the south west of their location. He put everything back into his bag, and the two started heading off.

"Myrrh, could you tell me what happened after the alarm was raised?"

"Well we're going to be walking for a while, I don't see why I shouldn't."

Author's Note

One more down just one chapter left till I meet my weekly goal for this week. HAZAA. Stretch goal might not be such a stretch after all.

Regroupement

Escutcheon and Myrrh moved through the small mountainous trails. Myrrh took a deep breath before she began to recall what happened. "After the alarm was called it was pandemonium, like I said." She looked up to the sky. "We made it down a few more side streets before we were caught, and a fire fight broke out. A town guard fired up a flare before we could drop them."

"I mean at least that would signal to Gilda and Gildan that something had gone wrong right?" Escutcheon asked following he gaze. Myrrh stared blankly at the trees for a while.

"Yeah I guess, but if they made a move to help the other I don't know, things escalated quickly after that. Red Wine covered our escape as I tried to push us toward the gate. I got Dusk and Atlas about four blocks down before I got pinned down in a fire fight. Fifty-one took off down a side alley, not that I blame her. And Atlas took Dusk, Turkeylegs, and you and ran off."

"But what then how did I end up alone with you?"

"I know how I found you, but how you ended up away from Dusk and Turkeylegs I don't know. Red Wine caught up to me and we blasted our way out. Then we ran after Atlas, but everything was off, he might have been using a spell to confuse his pursuers, of maybe it was just the fog of war, but we couldn't find them. Instead we ran into a large group of guards, it was a long running skirmish, and by the end of it I was alone on the wall."

"So you teleported down."

"I wish I don't know that spell. I had to jump. Fortunately there was an irrigation channel and I made it into there, and on the edge of that is where I found you, unconscious and alone." She sighed. "I wish I could say that I was thinking clearly, but they were still shooting bolt. I grabbed you and galloped as hard as I could into the mountains."

"So you don't know what happened to anybody else?"

"Sorry Escutcheon, but no, even if they weren't shoot magical bolts at me I when I found you, I wasn't thinking, I was just reacting." She gave him a sad smile. "I was never good at keeping my cool under fire or coming up with or sticking to plans, sorry."

"Dad always said no plan survives first contact with the enemy, so it's good that you can at least move, instead of freezing up." She smiled at that.

"Thanks kid, but I'm not sure my mom would like your dad. In Slo plans are to be followed by the book with a stubborn and unyielding efficiency."

"Well that's dumb."

"It's how we do things. If you punch a rock enough times eventually it will break." She smirked. "It's not sophisticated but it true." She looked up to the sky and smiled. "Escutcheon, shoot up a flare, because either I just saw Gildan or that was the biggest hawk in Slo."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, what if Pick ax has his changelings out looking for us."

"Then we'll fight them, but I'd rather do that in a group than just the two of us." He nodded.

"I didn't see anything, but alright." He fired a golden bolt of magic into the air it whistled as it flew up popping like a fire cracker above the tree line. A second later Myrrh was tacked to the ground.

"Gotcha, thought you could pull one over on me bug pony."

"Get off of me Gildan."

"Gildan stop, that's Myrrh." Escutcheon's horn started glowing.

"How do you know, how do I know that your not a bug horse monster thing too?"

"They're called changelings." Escutcheon said. "And they aren't bugs in a technical sense."

"Well at least I know that it's you, but I also know that this is a changeler thing too. Because Myrrh is with us."

"And you know it's the real Myrrh how?" Myrrh asked struggling to get up from under the teenage griffon. He paused. "Now get off of me and just take us to the rest of the group." He sighed.

"Dang it." He got off of her and started moving. "But if you are the impostor you're getting it."

"You know I have a spell to drop the disguise of weaker changelings."

"Yeah but your still suspect to." Gildan looked back at the two of them. "I'm sure Turkeylegs will know if you're the real Escutcheon or not." Escutcheon and Myrrh looked to each other both a little more at ease.

"Well if you have Turkeylegs then at least you have the real Dusk, I hope. From what Fifty-one said changelings can't become not pony creatures, at least as far as she knew." After after another half hour of walking Gildan led them into a larger clearing. In the middle everyone else was gathered, including another Myrrh.

Author's Note

Goal met. HAZAA.

Des Beaux Jours

"Flattered though I may be that somepony wants to look just like me, I'm going to ask you to drop the disguise, my poor mother would have a heart attack at the thought of two of me." The Myrrh standing next to Escutcheon calmly looked the other Myrrh up and down. The other Myrrh just looked her up and down as Gilda and Gildan moved to either side of her and Escutcheon.

"And how do we know that you two aren't insect abominations?" Red Wine looked between the two of them. "Escutcheon why don't you let Turkeylegs put you to the test." Dusk led Turkeylegs slowly over to him.

"Sure." Escutcheon slowly moved forward. In a few seconds Turkeylegs chirped happily and vigorously nuzzled, before grabbing him with its beak, and putting him on its back before quickly doing the same with Dusk.

"It's definitely Escutcheon!" Dusk pulled him into a hug. "I'm so happy you're okay. Are you okay? I was worried that you were hurt, you didn't get hurt did you?"

"I'm fine I'm fine." He hugged her back.

"Now, which one of you is a bug?" Red Wine looked between the two Myrrhs.

"Please don't hurt me!" The Myrrh standing next to Atlas jump behind the elderly stallion. "I-I didn't want to, but you were murderous, and-and they would know that I helped you, and I-I'm sorry."

"Fifty-one?" Dusk asked.

"Wait we were with the bug monster?" Gilda asked.

"You abandoned us."

"You started shooting and everyone was doing things and I-I was scared!"

"It's okay Fifty-one." Myrrh walked over to her. "Honestly, I don't hold it against you." She sat down next to Fifty-one who still had the disguise up. "I just want to know one thing? Now that we got out, what do you think Pick Ax is going to do?" She asked patting the changeling on the back.

"I even want to think about it." The other Myrrh put her hooves over her eyes. "He won't be happy and I'm going to be in so much trouble when he finds out all the things I did."

"No. You'll be fine. We're going to keep you safe." Myrrh smiled.

"But if you run away again, you will be treated as an enemy."

"Don't worry Fifty-one you're safe with us just stay near by okay?" Myrrh asked.

"Wait are we sure this Myrrh isn't a bug too?" Gilda asked

"Yeah she seems really happy to be traveling with a bug monster." Her brother nodded.

"Please you two don't make Red Wine more paranoid than he already is, you know he's going to be insufferable for the rest of the trip right?" She glared at the griffon siblings. "Now Fifty-one, What is Pick Ax likely to do now that, his plans to use Escutcheon and Dusk have gone up in flames." Fifty-one looked at her for a long moment.

"He'll likely try and consolidate his forces back to Black Mountain, and try another means to start the war unless you ponies don't start one without him."

"Well I'll let mom know see how he deals with that." Myrrh smirked. "We should head out."

"Fine, But I'm watching the two of you." Red Wine grumbled.

"Escutcheon can't you use your spell to check her?" Gildan asked.

"Yes I'm on it." Escutcheon's horn cast a golden light on Myrrh after a few seconds he smiled. "It's Myrrh."

"Well at least we don't need to be paranoid," Atlas said. They started heading off staying to the game trails, they made their way to the capital.

Site de Camp

Nightfall was quickly approaching as they continued along small game trails and paths across the mountainous country of Slo. Fifty-one had long since changed into a nondescript looking earth pony. The clouds in the sky lit up with oranges and reds, which glowed on the even more vibrant azure. "How far do you think we are from the capital?" Dusk asked.

"If we keep a brisk pace." Myrrh shook her head. "I don't know, either tomorrow at twilight or the day after." Myrrh continued down the path her horn lighting up. "Red Wine, Escutcheon, go ahead and light up your horns, if I'm right we should be near, a small mountain camp site, mom used to take me here every year when I was a little filly then we'd go off the paths and just disappear for a week."

"That sounds nice."

"Camping roughing it out in the mountains, that sounds like an adventure."

"I wish we had mountains back at home and not just flat savannas."

"I can't believe that you two are capable of agreeing on things instead of constantly arguing." Atlas smirked, everyone stifled a laugh at the griffons' expense.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Why don't you prove him wrong, and fly ahead to see if you can't see the small camping site." Myrrh asked.

"Oh night flying, I want to go too." Dusk shot up. "It's been forever since I've gotten to have a leisurely flight under the moon."

"Think you can keep up with us?" Dusk rolled her eyes with a grin. "Please, think you can keep up with me."

"Just remember to be careful, and head back to us in two hours whether you find the campsite or not." Red Wine said.

"Yeah we know old timer." Glidan took off.

"Since you don't want us arguing I guess I just have to agree with him." Gilda laughed taking off right after him.

"See you in a couple of hours." Dusk took off after the two teenage griffons.

"Finally some quiet. Don't you agree Fifty-one." Myrrh smiled as she continued walking.

"I-I guess," the earth pony said looking down. "I'm just scared."

"That's fine." Atlas nodded. "That Black Mountain put us all on edge, but I can't imagine what it must have felt like to you. If you ever want to talk about things I'm all ears. I hope you wouldn't mind my probing your mind on your kind. We've never heard about changelings before, this could be a very helpful thing if you publish a book about it. The university would love it."

"I-I don't know maybe." The group continued moving in Myrrh trying to have small talk with Fifty-one as they moved through the mountain woods.

"Stop everyone quiet." Everyone stood still Red Wine. "There's movement up a head."

"It's probably the camping grounds." Myrrh slowly moved up ahead a bit, after a few minutes she came back, It's the camp site. Come on." She waved them into the clearing. They were getting there bags off moving to the campgrounds tents. They were half way done when the griffons and Dusk landed.

"How'd you find it before us?! Are you serious?"

"Maybe we would have found it sooner if you two didn't start wrestling in the air like that."

"He pulled my tail how am I not supposed to retaliate to that?"

"You started it by calling me a slow poke."

"Only because you were!" Gilda was quickly tackled to the ground as they went at it. Soon the entire camp site woke up and came out of their tents. A couple of earth ponies, and a lone unicorn.

"You two stop it." Myrrh pulled them apart. "Sorry everypony." She said sheepishly. The other campers grumbled and went back into their tents. "You two cut it out for the rest of the week or I'm putting you both in cuffs for the rest of this trip."

"You're no fun."

"Shush." Myrrh cut her magic dropping them both to the ground.

"Myrrh?" The mare froze at the voice of an older mare approaching the group from one of the further tents.

"Hi mom." Myrrh put on her best smile and doing a 'bout face gave her best attempt at a salute.

Royaume de Sol

Escutcheon rubbed his eyes yawning as he woke up, it had been a long night, Red Wine had been paranoid about Myrrh's mother being in the campsite. It had struck Escutcheon as strange as well, but his spell at full strength hadn't done anything Fifty-one confirmed that it wasn't a changeling either. That had brought up several questions, and with some convincing Myrrh got her to drop her disguise. That had sparked a very long conversation. It was an hour before sunrise when Escutcheon finally managed to pull away, and get some sleep, after having explained who he was, who Dusk was, and the detection spell as well. After explaining everything about changelings for several hours they finally got to the DMZ forest. Much the Dusk's delight and his ease she was completely against harming the bats and was content and happy to let them have the forest. Most of the rest of the night's talks were a blur.

"Morning." Dusk yawned rolling out of the small sleeping bag she had crawled into at some point last night. "I can't believe how late that we managed to stay up. It almost felt like we were back at the colony."

"I'm just glad that the Guard Captain of Slo is completely against war." Escutcheon started getting his things ready his sapphire necklace glowing bright. He smiled looking at it. "It looks like things are finally going to go perfectly for once."

"Is that what that meant, I thought it just meant that you were happy."

"What gave you that idea?" Escutcheon asked Dusk just smiled and gave him a small kiss on the cheek his face became bright red and the gem lit up the whole tent.

"Ohhhh, cute foreplay, but if you really want to get the blood flowing you got to warp hooves and wings around him and give him a long passionate kiss." Gilda smirked opening the tent flap. Dusk gabbed her saddle bag and flung it at the laughing griffoness, her own face now glowing a bright red.

"You're terrible!"

"Come on you two, get your things and let's go they have a wagon coming to pick us up, I can show you how to make your filly friend a happy mare. It is a covered wagon after all." Gildan poked his head in, quickly taking Escutcheon's saddle bag to the face.

"Good aim." Myrrh walked into the tent past the two laughing griffons. "Are you two ready?" They both nodded as Turkeylegs looked between the two laughing griffons and the colt and filly. The large bird gave a soft chirp before picking them up and setting them on her back. "The wagons coming along the main road, we'll be taking it to the capital, under a royal escort, so get your things and lets get going." Myrrh left the tent followed by Turkeylegs. Gilda and Gildan tossed their saddle bags back to them as they walked behind the bird still stifling their laughter.

Most of the day was spent on a small trail, with them explaining to Myrrh's mother everything that had happened to them. Escutcheon explaining where he was from, and how he was trying to get back. She took it all in stride, nodding a few times, and then when they finished she just sighed. "Well I can't imagine you'd make that up, and give that I've seen the lights in the sky with my own eye's, and Red Wine isn't one to exaggerate on the power of a spell caster, I can't say there isn't a reason to believe you. And if you're going to go westward via the sea, you'll need all the luck and experience you can get."

"It's like cursed or something right?" Gildan asked.

"Oh for goodness sake, you sound like little Griffa you know that? Cursed ha, they've just never had the benefit of a flyer before. We'll have Escutcheon safely across the ocean and home before winter."

"Well if you two can do that, then maybe you aren't just a pair of noisy birds after all." Dusk smirked. "I'd love to see this Equestria, it sounds like such a lovely place."

"I'm just hoping Griffon Stone is real," Gildan said.

"He's go twenty coin riding on it." Gilda smirked.

"You bet against the pony that saw it?" Atlas asked.

"I'm just surprised that one of them bet that it was real." Red Wine dead panned. A moment later they arrived at a large clearing leading up to the road. Waiting for them were several wagons with guard escorts.

"Private Gemstone!" Myrrh waved to one of the guards. "Come on all of you, this will get us to the capital in no time." Myrrh helped getting them into the wagons. They continued on through the rest of the day and through the night. At morning Escutcheon and Dusk were woken up by Myrrh softly shacking them. "We're here you two, the capital, it's beautiful you've really got to see it." They both climbed out and looked at the mountainous city. The top of the mountain had been cut off and made flat, a pony made mesa. The palace rested on the top there were three layers of walls and the city went up the mountain to the plateau. Every building was made with beautiful stones catching the light of the morning sun.

Le Prince de Tivi

They made their way down the capital's streets. Red Wine had gone off with Myrrh and her mother straight to the palace. For reasons known only to himself, Red had ordered Escutcheon and Dusk to stay in the lower parts of the city until Myrrh came and found them. The two of them were more than willing to do so, as they moved along the streets of the mountain city. The ponies of the shopping area parted for them as Escutcheon and Dusk rod on Turkeylegs' back going window to shop window as Atlas walked by their side, Gilda and Gildan were walking behind them. "I wish we had all day to walk these streets." Atlas sighed. "When Tivi and Slo were on better terms I spent a month trying to make a map of this city, capturing the elevated sections of the city. It was one of my best works when I finally finished it. Gave it to the head of the university here, as a gift. Those were better day."

"Yeah map making I'm sure it was completely exciting," Gilda said.

"It was." Atlas smiled.

"Right, just like stable duty cleaning up Iron Side poop." Gildan rolled his eyes.

"Wow, not judging, but you find some really weird stuff exciting." Dusk smirked looking back at the griffon. His feathers puffed out as his sister started laughing. He paused looking at Dusk in disbelief for a second before glaring at his sister. "Both of you behave now we don't need you fighting in the street. Not while we're away from-eee look at that it's so cute." She looked away from the two griffons and grabbed Escutcheon's leg pointing at a stuffed bat toy sitting in the window. Escutcheon was practically dragged into the building by Dusk.

The shop keeper was a bit taken aback at the bat pony. "What the, what are you?"

"She's a Thestral," Escutcheon answered as Dusk started going through the stuffed toys in the display window to get the little stuffed bat toy. "She's the representative of the Bat Pony Colony that is set up in the woods of the DMZ," Escutcheon said as Dusk pulled the bat out of the pile.

"How much?" Dusk asked.

"There really are half pony half bat creatures in the forest?" The shop keeper looked at Dusk still just as unbelieving despite her standing right there.

"We're full pony we're just have bat wings." Dusk put the plush bat stuffed animal on the counter. "How much?" she asked again.

"Well uh." The shop keeper looked at a lose of words. "Two copper I guess." Dusk pulled out two copper coins from her purse and gave them to the store clerk. "Wait these coins are from Tivi?"

"Yes we're here as diplomats, Red Wine came with use to see us get here. You're okay taking Tivi money?" Dusk asked. "I mean copper coins are still copper coins right?"

"We are now yes." The shop keeper floated the coins into the counter drawer. "We've gotten quit a few since his majesty's arrival?" Before they could ask for any elaboration two guards entered the building with Myrrh standing on the street waving to the two of them.

"Come on, we've got you a meeting with The king's court." Myrrh smiled. "They'll be greeting you soon, and tomorrow you will be talking to His Majesty." Before anything could more could be said they were escorted into a cart Myrrh set to pulling it, and were quickly moving up the mountain side to the plateau at the top. Gilda and Gildan were in a chariot beside them and Atlas was in one by himself, and Turkeylegs running along side Dusk's and Escutcheon's chariot.

Standing at the top to greet them were three ponies. On the right was a rather confused looking Red Wine. On the left An equally confused Frankincense, and in the middle of the two was a Unicorn with the same mane, tail, and coat colors as Escutcheon, but being about 4 years his senior. He had a serine smile and wore a small medallion around his neck. "Hello," He called as soon as they were in ear shot of him. "It's good of you to come, but perhaps not for all the reasons that you might think." He helped Dusk and Escutcheon out of their carts. "I'm afraid my father wasn't being fully honest with you when he sent you here with Red Wine. My letter seems to have caused an undo fright in the palace, and for that and my father's hidden intentions, I apologize. Now Allow me to introduce myself, I am Crown Prince Splendor." He gave a respectable nod to Dusk and Escutcheon. "And It's my honor to meet you."

Espoir de Paix

Escutcheon and Dusk were sitting in the library with a very nervous looking Fifty-One, who was between the two of them. The others had been escorted to other parts of the castle, as Escutcheon and Dusk both worked over what they were going to try to say to the king of Slo, to prevent war. A matter that was greatly eased by the fact that the crowned prince of Tivi was present. "You really needn't worry about a war." Splendor said with a smile. "Red Wine and I will be more than able to clear things up with my father."

"You're forgetting one thing, sire." Fifty-one said. "Pick Ax is going to try and cause a war over this, he's probably already moving pieces to get things started. And-"

"And you needn't worry about that." Announced a Silver coated purple maned unicorn walking into the room. "I've already mobilized everything I have to Black Rock. That traitorous cur will rue the day when he thought he could go behind my back and do such things. You needn't worry, now Escutcheon and Dusk I hear that you've come to me from, the DMZ."

"Yes. But we're just here to request that you not start a war, and that you let us have the DMZ." Dusk nodded. "And you don't seem interested in war, and also it's not like you could defend the DMZ anyways."

"It's not that I can't defend it, but kicking you out would be more trouble than it's worth, besides, you've brought me word that one of my subjects has been plotting to undermine my authority." The king of Slo sat down in an elegant and comfortable chair. "Normally I'd be forced to try and drive you out of the forest, but as you've provided me a service I'm honor bound to reward you, I see a simple solution." He smiled.

"So we can have it?" Dusk asked hopefully.

"And no war?" The prince of Tivi asked.

"No I won't go to war." The room breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good your ancestor would hate to know his son's children were killing each other." Escutcheon smiled.

"What do you mean by that boy?"

"Your kingdoms they aren't a thousand years old. "They're only a couple hundred, maybe five centuries at the most." The king and prince laughed. "It's true the wine from the inn in the mountains, it was as old as your kingdom, and it's not 1000 year old wine. And your family records I've read them on both sides of the boarder." The two royals grew quiet. "You both draw your legitimacy from the same ruler nearly half a millennia back."

"But-"

"He had two sons, and one loved the plains and the other loved the mountains and hills, so he gave to each son the land they loved. You haven't been fighting forever, the wars only started a few hundred years ago."

"About the time the hive moved into the mountain." Fifty-one said, a second later she sank back in her seat as all eyes fell on her. "Never mind."

"I see, well that explains a bit. I have much to think on, Prince, please entertain my guests for me." The prince of Tivi nodded. "You bug-horse-thing, you stay here, I wish to know more about my governor in the mountain." Fifty-one gulped.

"Please be nice to her she's risked everything to tell you this."

"I will but she'll need to tell me more." The king leaned back in his chair. "Meet me in the throne room at evening court. We'll finalize things there." Before either Dusk or Escutcheon could say anything else, the prince ushered the two of them out.

"It will be fine. Come with me I'd like to see Red Wine and Atlas again as well." The prince led them down the hall.

L'Arrivée à Minuit

There was a commotion outside. The guards were being shouted at by somebody up above them. Escutcheon couldn't make out what was being said he could barely focus on what was happening around him. There was a lot more light coming into the prison cell than there was earlier.

"Escutcheon! Escutcheon, are you okay?" Dusk asked getting as close as the chains would allow. Turkeylegs tried to get over to him but the collar kept the large bird from moving.

"I-I don't know." Escutcheon began from the floor. "What happened." It everything was spinning, even talking made him dizzy. "I feel like I've been working in the mines for four months straight." He tried and failed to stand back up. The back of the wagon opened up and the light from a lantern flooded into the iron wagon. Escutcheon turned his head to look and see what was going on.

"The colt's awake after something like that how is that even possible?" one of the two guards asked baffled as he looked into the tired colt's eyes. Escutcheon tried to sit back up. Neither Mother nor Father would have let ponies see them like this he was intent to live up to their legacy. The two guards took a step back as he sat up leaning against the iron cage. He was able to sit up for about a second before collapsing back to the floor.

"Escutcheon?" again Dust tried to get over to him. The two of them looked at each other before stepping into the cart and grabbing him. "Leave him alone! What are you doing to him?" Turkeylegs made a low warning moan as one of the guards undid the unicorn colts bonds, and threw him over their back. "Let him go!" She started thrashing in her chains.

"Calm down wench." one of the guards hissed as they walked past her. Their horn lit up and a bolt of magic hit her in the chest knocking her back. Trukeylegs screeched kicking out at the guard the large bird's talons missing the unicorn by only a third of a meter.

"Leave her alone." Escutcheon said as threateningly as he could given his current condition.

"I demand the right of Wahrheit." the professor said firmer than either foal had heard him speak before.

"Then you'll have it." The two closed the door. The last thing that he saw of his companions before they closed the doors was Turkeylegs softly nuzzling Dusk as she cried against the iron walls. He hissed, cursing himself at not being able to do anything, but be taken away. They took the barely conscious colt into the gatehouse, and threw him onto the table.

"Who is this?"

"The colt that they siphoned to get here. He was able to sit up after that. Put another ring on him and take him to his cell." The guard nodded. A second later Escutcheon felt a magic bolt strike him and everything fell into nothingness.

L'Alerte

They slowly looked around the room. Dusk sighed and walked over to the tub. "Is this real?" She tapped it. "Does it actually work?" She turned the handle to warm and turned it on. She softly squeed, as water started pouring into the tub. "Oh yes." Dusk smiled, and ran her hoof through the flow, until the water was just right. She put the stopper in the tub's drain and crawled into it.

"Dusk what are you doing?" Escutcheon asked. blushing and covering his eyes.

"Taking a bath," she answered. "Oh come on we took baths together before. Remember the small pool in the grove on the other side of the desert?"

"Well yeah but." He stuttered a little.

"But nothing. I get that something happened to you but you, can at least calm down okay. It's just me taking a bath." She sighed. "Escutcheon what happened?"

"It's nothing Dusk. I, I need to go take a walk. I'm sorry." He headed out of the room Turkeylegs looked up and watched the colt head out of the room.

"Escutcheon wait."

"Let him go Dusk." Professor Atlas stopped her from going after him. "I'll talk to him about this okay?" He smiled at her. "You enjoy your bath." He headed out after Escutcheon.

"He's a strange colt." Red Wine looked to Dusk as she slid into the hot water of the tub. "Not just does he prefer to wear cloths. He seems to be very shy about you in some ways and not in others."

"He got hurt somehow, after he left the forest." She looked at the door the two of them had left. "I wish that he'd tell me what it was, but it's clear that it really messed him up, and it hurts that he won't tell me. That he doesn't trust me to help him." She slouched in the tub Her nose just above the waters surface.

"I think it's something he'll have to deal with his own. For now at least." Red lay down in one of the beds.

***

"Escutcheon are you okay?" Atlas asked, as he approached the colt, who was sitting down on the bottom of the stairs. "Dusk is worrying about you. and to be honest I'm starting to worry about you as well." He sat next to Escutcheon. "Something must have happened to you that caused you to become very self-conscious. What was it?"

"I don't really want to talk about it."

"It was that bad?" He put a hoof on the colt's shoulder. Escutcheon nodded. "I won't push it, but maybe talking about it would help."

"I." Escutcheon took a deep breath. There was a scream. "Dusk!" Escutcheon's horn lit up and the two appeared in the room in a golden flash. Atlas took a moment readjusting himself. Dusk was out of the tub all the water was crimson red. She was shacking being cuddled by Turkeylegs. A message was being written on the wall in the same bloody fluid.
LET ME LEAVE

Faiblesse et Force

Atlas and Red Wine were no longer in the sitting room when Escutcheon was led in. Dusk was sitting in one of the several chairs. Turkeylegs was sleeping on the ground next to her. The room was extremely well decorated with statues and painting. An older mare with a very muted lilac coat and a short two tone blue mane sat opposite Dusk behind an exquisitely ornate desk. "Governess Iron Clad, my apologies. The colt has been cleared," the captain said as she stopped and stood at the door. "I apologize for the time it took. There was a slight complication."

"A slight complication?" she asked staring down the captain. "Well they're already twelve hours late, so I guess you count prolonging the delay longer is just a 'slight complication'. Well since you don't value my time, allow me to return the favor. Sit." Iron Clad pointed to an odd looking bench. The captain nodded sat at the bench. The way it was made forced her to sit at a ninety degree angle with her back and hips. "The stallions from Tivi at least valued my time enough to march through the mountains all night. They have taken their leave so you will sit there..." She looked away from her and to Escutcheon. "Please take a seat colt." He nodded and took a seat next to Dusk. "You will memorize every word. And...Tell...Them...What...I...Say. Am I understood Myrrh?"

"Yes ma'am." Myrrh answered shifting her weight.

"Good now sit still and pay attention." Governess Iron Clad turned her attention to Escutcheon and Dusk again. "Now I understand that the two of you are representing the trespassing bats from the DMZ?"

"What?" Dusk shot up. Turkeylegs's head immediately rose. "You weren't there! How can we possibly be trespassing?"

"We weren't there because of our treaty with Tivi, but otherwise we own that land."

"No you don't not even by Slo law that forest is off limits. To the Governments of Slo and Tivi," Escutcheon said.

"It's also forbidden from any other nation." Iron Clad's eyes narrowed. "Besides according to the treaty Article One Section 7b. We own the forest."

"That was from the first war. Not the second. And the bat colony isn't a nation, nor were they when they arrived. I worked at the university of Marine and so did Dusk, we know about the treaties." Escutcheon countered. Iron Clad's eyes narrowed. The following three hours that followed were much the same, Iron Clad saying anything to rile the two of them and justify a war with Slo and Tivi, Escutcheon countering with all of the legal and cultural knowledge he had. After the three hours had finished Iron Clad just glared at the colt and filly.

"Well you seem to know very little about our laws and cultures drawing only from the Tivi side of the argument, and not just were you late, you have also wasted three hours of my time. Myrrh, take these two to their room, and report this to the other two."

"Yes ma'am." The tan mare hissed as her back and hips cracked, as she stood up. "This way you two," she said as she lead them out of the room and up a set of stairs.

"Is she always that infuriating?" Dusk hissed under her breath.

"Only when she's challenged. I don't think she expected you to know as much as you did. But she's the closest lord to the forest so she has a very heavy reason for war." Myrrh said. She opened the door to the first room. Inside was a bed with a lot of blankets and pillows the fireplace was lit and warming the room. "This is your room I'm sorry we weren't expecting you so this is all we have Dusk."

"This is a lot nicer than the last place. See you at lunch Escutcheon." Turkeylegs followed her into the room. And Myrrh led Escutcheon down the hall. "And this is your room." She opened the door. "And this is your's." The room was just as nice identical in every to Dusk. "I have one question." She blocked him with a hoof before he could go in. "Was it the bats?" The blood drained from Escutcheon's face.

"No. It wasn't, and please don't tell them." Myrrh watched him for a second.

"I'm sorry, you won't be disturbed until lunch." She let him in and closed the door behind him.

Murs de Pierre

As they continued down the stone roads of Slo Dusk and Escutcheon rode on Turkeyleg's back. The griffon twins filled Escutcheon in on all the changes that he was leaving in his wake. Each one trying to one up the last ones bit of information. Ranging from new trade with the desert unicorns, the griffons of Griffon Rock heading out passed Storm Peak, and even the desert unicorn rebuilding the city as an oasis in the desert all traces of its slave history now nothing but a memory.

"I'm impressed." Myrrh looked between the griffon siblings and then to Escutcheon. "I mean, you should really sell yourself up, you didn't even tell me about half of this stuff."

"Well I mean to be fair, he's only now finding out."

"Yeah he's been to busy going forward kicking ass and taking names."

"I'm just trying to get home, that's my main goal, and after we fix this misunderstanding up with the king then I'll be heading across the sea."

"You mean across the sea? To the west?"

"Yes, he means to the west." Red continued looking back over his shoulder at the colt. "And to be honest I hope your the first one to make it across. Because no one going that way ever makes it back. Alive."

"I have no intention about coming back," Escutcheon answered. "No offence."

"None taken. I look forward to seeing what's on the other side," Atlas answered. "know a couple of spell that should get my notes back to the University's main research office in good time." Escutcheon looked up at the old stallion.

"Wait you're coming with us?" Dusk asked.

"Why wouldn't I."

"Yeah, road trip." The twins cheered.

"You can't be serious. Escutcheon what's your thought on this?"

"I mean more the merrier." Escutcheon looked around. "But would really prefer that none of you come with me." He looked back to the ground. "I think it would be best if I go alone."

"Buck that idea, I'm going with you too." Dusk glared at him. As if to answer the same question Turkeylegs turn her head and nuzzled him softly.

"Ditto colt. Mom'd be here right now too if she thought she could do it." Gildan nodded at his sister's answer.

"And this would be the greatest research opportunity of my life. My Magnum Opus." Atlas smiled over at the white colt. "If you think that I'm just going to let you and that pass me by then you must think I've gone senile." They crested a rocky hill over looking more of the Mountain range of Slo, and in the distance standing high and proud were the walls Black Mountain.

"Impressive." Gildan said. "How could you have made something like this?"

"Hard work, and hard wills." Myrrh answered. "Remember Pick Ax is the mayor of this city. Don't drop your guard don't stray away from the group. And lock your and barricade your doors when you go to sleep." She looked at the black stone walls of the city with almost a sense of fear. "I really wish you could have turned down this invitation."

"Is he really that bad."

"She's being charitable." Escutcheon and Dusk cast Atlas a worried glance. "We should all sleep in the same room."

"He can't be that bad can he?"

"There have been five hundred independent attacks to incite war for the last two decades and all of them fall on Pick Ax. I have no doubt that if he thought killing you or Dusk would incite war he'd do it in a heart beat." They continued slowly to the wall, and the city within. "If something goes wrong it would be a good idea to have a back up plan."

"Or a rescue team." Gildan smirked. "If things go bad you'll have some bad ass griffons on the outside."

"Or at least one badass griffon and her brother."

"You wanna go?"

"Any time any where." Gilda smirked the two lunged at each other wrestling on the ground.

"A chance to not deal with you two as well as Pick Ax sure," Red Wine nodded. "Stay here, we'll fetch you in the morning if everything is fine, if not. Try and figure something out." Red Wine nodded before looking back to the city. "Great Kings preserve us if you two are our escape plan."