The Siege Of Canterlot

"Your Excellency!"

Starswirl looked up at the sudden and impolite intrusion on his private chambers, half accommodation and half alchemical laboratory, with scrolls and books and scientific instruments scattered about all over the place as though a tornado had recently passed through. A member of the Royal Guard had rushed in, a letter clutched in his hand.

"Forgive me, Your Excellency..." he bowed his head. "A letter from the Princess!"

"Ah, yes..." Starswirl nodded, rising from the vast and ancient tome he had been perusing, the musty pages as aged as he was. "Thank you." He took the letter, breaking the royal seal and examining it.

My Most Loyal Starswirl,

I received your latest missive with great concern. However, before I address that issue, I must inform you that we have struck the first blow in the east, and defeated a Changeling force on the plains. They have retreated toward Saltsburg, and we had begun to pursue. This new information, however, gives me cause to hesitate. If the southern border has been breached and the Shadow Army marches upon our lands, then we face a new and grave threat not solely confined to our eastern flank. I empower you to take whatever actions you deem necessary to protect the capital. I will send another letter tomorrow once I have decided on the course of action the Holy Army will take. Saltsburg must be retaken, but the protection of Canterlot is paramount. Inform me by messenger at once if Canterlot is threatened directly, or once that circumstance is imminent and inevitable, or if you believe you have insufficient forces available to prevent such a situation from developing.

Time is critical. Do not waste it. If you believe a siege of the city is likely, make any and all necessary preparations as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Her Most Serene Highness, Princess Celestia

Starswirl dismissed the guardspony and read the message. It was to be expected; the Princess had a dilemma now. Proceed to relieve Saltsburg, or march back to Canterlot? Could the lines hold without her and the Holy Army? Maybe, maybe not. Could Saltsburg be relieved without them? Unlikely, at least not for weeks until they could marshal troops from Baltimare. It may well be too late by then, with the city fallen to the enemy. If they continued on, however, they might relieve Saltsburg, only to find their own capital city had been taken from them.

The grand strategic decisions were not Starswirl's immediate concern. Celestia had command of the Holy Army and would do what she wished with it, though he could advise her for or against certain courses of action so long as the lines of communication held. Canterlot was his priority.

Another knock came at his door and it opened. This time, General Hawkeye entered, greeting him with a brief nod of the head. "Your Excellency. We have news."

"Indeed we do, General." Starswirl held up the letter from the Princess. "Her Highness has won the first victory of the eastern campaign."

Hawkeye frowned. "That is not the news to which I am referring, though it pleases me to hear it. I have just received a message from the Henbane line."

"And?" Starswirl questioned.

"It has been breached," Hawkeye replied bluntly. "They are across the river."

"I see..." Starswirl nodded slowly. "A momentary high, replaced immediately by a crushing low. The fleeting nature of happiness, one supposes. Somepony should spend a lifetime studying that effect."

Hawkeye had no time to listen to Starswirl's babbling. "Your Excellency, you do understand what this means? The enemy have crossed the Henbane. There is nothing now standing between them and this city except open country and the peasant militia of a dozen small towns. We must inform the Princess at once, and prepare Canterlot for a siege."

"Yes, yes, I understand it well enough," Starswirl replied. "But you need have no fear, despite the threat. I shall keep Canterlot quite safe."

"And how do you aim to do that, Your Excellency?" Hawkeye questioned dryly. "Your prowess with a sword is perhaps a well-kept secret?"

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of one of high rank such as yourself," Starswirl reproached. "You fight with sword and musket, General. I fight with magic, and it is magic which shall keep Canterlot protected if the enemy should come here."

"Be that as it may, Your Excellency, I shall order the garrison to take appropriate preparations," Hawkeye replied. "We must be ready. I will not stand by and see this city subjugated because we were not prepared. If the enemy take us by storm and shot, so be it, but Canterlot will not fall because we failed to understand the magnitude of what we are facing. Your Excellency, General Summerstrike's latest letter estimated the enemy force at anywhere up to one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. Do you know how many we still have here in the city?"

"From your tone, I would estimate fewer than one hundred and twenty thousand," Starswirl mused.

"Six thousand," Hawkeye snapped. "Six thousand two hundred and eleven regulars. One thousand five hundred Royal Guard. Four thousand militia. That makes less than twelve thousand total armed ponies, which means the enemy could outnumber us ten to one if they reach our walls."

"Mere numbers are no guarantee of success, General," Starswirl replied sagely. "There are other factors to consider also."

"Firepower, for example? Indeed," Hawkeye nodded. "We have three hundred cannons, Your Excellency, but we have gunners for only two hundred. Her Highness took the rest as part of her artillery train with the Holy Army. Some of those guns are older than me. Many have not even been fired other than for ceremonial purposes."

"But we do have magic, General," Starswirl posited. "Can magic not win battles by itself? History will show you many examples. The Battle of the Needles, the second Battle of Bull Creek, the..."

"I know my history, Your Excellency," Hawkeye replied, becoming increasing exasperated. "But magic can only do so much. Besides which, Her Highness is not here with us. Her magic, I would have faith in."

"But not in mine?" Starswirl mused, tapping his chin through his gossamer beard. "Magic is magic, no? It matters not who wields it so long as the possess the strength of will and mind to use its power appropriately."

"Your words border on blasphemous, Your Excellency..." Hawkeye warned him. "It is a good thing the High Ecclesiarch is not here, or else..."

There was another knock at the door, and a new arrival. Ferdinand Firetail, the military architect, entered the chamber, his sober black doublet and hose contrasting with the bright and vibrant red of his body and the mix of fiery colours that formed his mane and tail. "Forgive the intrusion...I could not help but overhear raised voices from down the hall as I approached," he explained cheerfully. "I was told I might find you up here, General. If you are not too busy, perhaps you could fill me in on the latest news?"

Glad of a reprieve from the insufferable mage, Hawkeye turned to him. "Yes, Sir Ferdinand. With pleasure..." She quickly read out the contents of the latest letter from Summerstrike, skipping over the part where he again insulted Starswirl, bringing Firetail up to speed.

"It seems we face a grave situation, then," Firetail nodded grimly. "Yet I could not help but overhear you talking of magic saving the day, Your Excellency."

"Indeed, I did," Starswirl nodded. "Fear not, Sir Ferdinand. I am sure the General here will find some use for your prodigious talents."

"Forgive me, Your Excellency, if I may make one small point..." Firetail scratched the back of his neck. "You say that magic shall save the city and that magic has won many battles in the past, correct? But from what I recall from my course studies at university, all of those battles had one thing in common, did they not?"

"And what, pray tell, was that?" Starswirl asked, seeming to be as irritated with the arrival and intrusion of the precocious and relatively young architect and minor noble as Hawkeye had been with the mage mere moments earlier.

"They were fighting armies without magic of their own," the General interrupted before Firetail could reply.

"Exactly! Well remembered, General," Firetail smiled. "The Battle of the Needles, for instance. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, if I may speak her name within these hallowed walls, struck a hammer blow against the Griffons by themselves. All the army had to do was mop up the survivors. But I am sure that I do not have to remind either of you that both the Changelings and the Shadow Army are quite adept at using magic for their own purposes. Both Changeling drones and officers can enact spells, as can unicorns."

"They can, yes, but they do not possess the knowledge and strength in their understanding of magic that I do," Starswirl replied dismissively. "They shall not be able to harm the city, but if it makes you feel better, General, then make all the preparations you need. The city must be prepared for a siege, even if not for a battle. Please take Firet...excuse me, Sir Ferdinand...with you."

"I will...Your Excellency." Hawkeye bowed her head before leaving the chamber with Firetail.

"That went well, I think," Firetail mused. "His Excellency made some cogent points."

"His Excellency is a deluded old fool..." Hawkeye muttered under her breath. "I do not know why the Princess left him in command. He is half senile. Perhaps it's the mercury he uses in his experiments, or maybe the lead...arsenic? I am not even sure what other shit he burns and melts and inhales daily."

"You are a little harsh on him, I think!" Firetail chided as they walked. "He bears a great responsibility, not just for the city but for the whole of Equestria."

"The Princess bears that burden for all of us," Hawkeye replied. "Starswirl is merely a locum, and one who is letting that temporary power go to his head. No matter how good he may be at magic, he cannot be the equal of the Princess, and he alone will not save Canterlot. That is our task."

"It is a task I am more than willing to help you carry out, General!" Firetail smiled. "Just tell me what to do, and I shall get to work right away."

"Draw up plans," Hawkeye replied. "Anything, everything. Whatever you can think of. Put them to me and I will tell you what we have the resources and ponypower to carry out. Focus on the city. Nothing grandiose elsewhere. We cannot plug up the valley and we cannot stop the enemy getting onto the plateau, not without the Holy Army. Just keep them out of Canterlot. Our walls are strong, you know that. You designed the damn things. But we need more. Something has to make up for our deficit in numbers. Maybe Starswirl's magic will do that. Maybe it won't. If it doesn't, then I need this city ready. A city that is ready is a city I can defend."

"Understood, General!" Firetail nodded enthusiastically. "I shall do my level best. You can count on it. The city will be ready. You have my word."

"Very good, Sir Ferdinand." Hawkeye shook his hand. "Magic or masonry. Let us hope one or the other is sufficient, because if they both fail, then the Princess might not have a capital to return to."