Mori Pro Imperio: The Story of Pliton Calleius

We walked out of the castle, and mounted two large, black horses. I for one found this hilariously ironic, because even though they called themselves ponies, they rode horses. I had put on my Daedric Armor, and I think I looked pretty intimidating.

“Shining Armor!” I heard from behind me. I turned, and found Shining Armor’s wife, Princess Cadence, running after us.

“Shining Armor,” she said again, “Wait! You don’t want a goodbye kiss from your wife?”

Shining Armor rolled his eyes jokingly, and dismounted the horse. He walked over, and embraced Cadence.

“Honey,” he said, holding her chin with his hand lovingly, “My Cadence. I know you want me to stay, but I’ll be all yours when this is over and I return.” She began to tear up, and he said, “You don’t think this is hard for me? We’ve been married for years, but we've only been in each other’s company for a fraction of the time. I promise you, I will make it up to you, and I will make sure I will come back to you.”

“Shining Armor,” she said, “I don’t want to wait.” She then dragged him into a warm and loving kiss. He was surprised at first, but then he closed his eyes and absorbed himself into his bride’s affectionate kiss. He rubbed her back with his hand, and had his other behind her head.

After a span of ten seconds, Cadence let go of her husband. She waved goodbye as he mounted the horse. I looked away and rode off with Shining Armor as we rode down the main avenue of Canterlot.

When we rode down, the entire city was awake, and wishing us goodbye and good luck. Bands were playing, confetti was falling, and people were cheering. It was as if it was a victory parade and not a farewell to a deploying army.

As we marched through Canterlot, I looked, and found the Doctor and his family, which had let me stay at their inn for free. He waved, and lifted Dinky on his shoulders. She waved enthusiastically, and I couldn’t help but smile. I waved back as we rode past, and she beamed as only a child could.

We rode through the gates, where Princess Luna and Cadence wished us off officially. They both wished us the best of luck, and instructed us to fight to the last pony to liberate Equestria from the grip of Molag Bal, Mehrunes Dagon and the Daedra. We nodded, and saluted as we rode out of the gates.

We rode into the fields, where the army of eleven thousand Equestrians was organizing to march. A white Unicorn with light brown hair and blue eyes rode up to us to greet Shining Armor and myself.

“General Shining Armor,” he said pompously, “Come to wish your brother-in-law off, and what about him, who wears the black armor? I’ve not seen him before today.”

“No, I’m not” Shining Armor said, “I’m commandeering your forces, Prince Blueblood. Luna’s orders.”

“What?” He scoffed, “Auntie Luna always preferred you to me. But you can’t do this; these troops are under my command!”

“Not anymore, Blueblood.” Shining Armor said, “And my friend here ranks higher than you as well, Captain. Ready the troops, we leave for Baltimare, now.”

Blueblood glared at him, and said, “Yes sir. We’ll leave as soon as possible.” He giddied his horse, and it galloped off.

“Sir,” I asked, “Might I ask, what is with him?”

“He’s distantly related to Celestia and Luna.” He said, “But he acts like he’s the heir apparent, when it looks like Cadence and I might be the rightful heirs to Celestia’s throne. He’s not even my brother-in-law, he just thinks everything’s about him.”

“I understand sir,” I said, “But do I really rank higher than him?”

“Yes you do, Legate,” he said, “Only Spitfire, Luna, Celestia and I rank higher than you. Now that we got that over with, men, forward, march!!”

The huge army of cavalry, men-at-arms, halberdiers, archers, spearmen, mages and Wonderbolts moved all at once. We began marching, and soon, Canterlot was only a distant view.

As we were riding, I saw Twilight riding with her friends. I rode forward, and caught up with her.

“Twilight,” I called, but she didn’t respond. “About last night…”

“Legate,” she said, “Good to see the spell worked, sir.”

The coldness of her statement startled me. She never called me sir, let alone Legate. I now saw that she was really hurt by what I did. She didn’t even look at me, apart from addressing me.

“Look,” I said as she turned away from me, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get that drunk; I didn’t know what that meant to you…”

“So my own brother can’t even keep a secret?!” She lashed at me, “Pliton, I may have liked you, but to go behind my back, and do that. That tore at me, don’t you see? I may have liked you, but you showed me that I can’t trust you around a simple drink!”

She tried to ride away from me, and I tried to follow her, but Fluttershy stopped me.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to talk to her now,” she said, “Applejack and I will try to work it out. Just don’t talk to her; it’s just going to make it worse.”

I sighed, and said, “Alright. It’s just that I needed to unwind, she just doesn’t understand.”

“She does,” Fluttershy said, “But from what she told us, you made her look like an unsophisticated wench. And in Canterlot, when that happens, it isn’t easily forgotten.”

“I get it,” I said, defeated. “Well, how is Rainbow Dash doing? I was going to see her, but after what happened, it slipped my mind.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy said, sounding like she could cry, “She’s in a coma. We don’t know if she’s going to awake. Even if she does, she has fractures all across her body. Both of her wings are shattered, and she has six broken ribs, and a collapsed lung. She’s only alive because of intensive magical therapy and life support.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said guiltily, “This is my fault. I could’ve controlled her. She could be with us right now.”

“It’s not your fault,” she said, “Nopony can control her. She’s brash, arrogant, and overconfident at times. But, she still loves us all, and that’s why I was so attracted to her. Now that she’s in this condition, I’m glad that she will have somepony by her side, holding her hand when she awakes.”

Fluttershy using the word “when” instead of “if” showed how determined she was to find a way to save her. I sensed that now was the time to leave her alone, as tears were now running down her face. I could see how much she loved her, the way she talked of her showed true love, not just sexual attraction.

“I’ll help you find a way,” I said, “Don’t you worry, Fluttershy.”

“Thank you,” she said, now crying, “I can see why Twilight liked you.”

Again, her word choice stabbed at me. Liked, she liked me, now she doesn’t. I now see how much I screwed up, just how a few drinks with her brother destroyed her attraction to me. I was devastated. She was the only woman I truly loved, and now, I don’t think I can make it up to her.

Of course, I had girlfriends, and met wenches, but the way Twilight carried herself, the way she spoke, her personality just showed kindness, and that was what attracted me. In Cyrodiil, there were few women like her, they were either wenches or sluts, or high-strung and pompous.

I rode back to the General’s bodyguard, and only focused on the task ahead, besieging and liberating a captured city of over seventy thousand.

I blocked myself out of the outside world, and only thought of ways to break through the walls. I figured there would be a Gate to Oblivion right inside the gates, which we would have to take down. There would be thousands of Daedra, but we had thousands of troops, which were much more diversified than Tamrielic armies, even the Aldmeri Dominion and the Legion.
As I was strategizing, I heard fire, and smelled smoke. I turned, and saw green fire materialize into a letter in Shining Armor’s hands. He looked surprised, and began to read it.

“Legate,” he said, “Take a look at this.”

He handed me the letter, and I opened it.

“General Shining Armor and whomever this letter may concern,” it began, “These are my preliminary findings, and the figures are subject to change. As of this day, I have counted over 4500 Daedric infantry, 1200 cavalry and 750 archers. There are two Gates to Oblivion inside the walls, one right in front of the door, and one in the Central Plaza and Outer Harbor area. They are growing restless to the siege, and have begun to round up and execute citizens. I have only remained undetected by staying in the shadows. I have pick pocketed reports from Daedric officers about a large attack on the besieging army. It is imperative that you reach Baltimare in the next few days, or else our forces will be overwhelmed. More reports are on the way, and I anticipate your arrival. From Spike, Head of the Department of Defensive Intelligence and Espionage.”

“What do you think, Legate?” Shining Armor asked, “We are two days away from Baltimare, if my observations are correct.”

“This is what we’re going to do,” I said, “Soarin’, I need you to fly to Baltimare and inform the besieging force we are a day’s march away. Order them to begin archer and onager barrages, and tell them to use fire. We need to double time it, General; we’ve no time to waste.”

“My thoughts exactly,” he said, “Soarin’, go now. Men, double time! We need to get to Baltimare in a day!”

Shining Armor used magic to make Soarin’s horse grow wings, and it flew off for Baltimare. As it flew off, we moved from a leisurely walk to a slow run, and our horses went into a slow gallop to take the front of the force with Blueblood.

“What is going on?” He asked, “What are you doing this time, Shining Armor?”

“We need to get to Baltimare by tomorrow, Blueblood.” Shining Armor said, “We’re going to reach Fillydelphia tonight, where Fancypants has another five thousand men waiting for us.”

“Another pony to ruin my ambitions,” Blueblood said, “Damn it Shining Armor, I was going to be the Hero of Baltimare, but you wanted more glory for yourself!”

“Watch what you say to a superior officer, Captain,” Shining Armor retorted, “I will not be insulted by an inferior officer.”

“Who’re you calling inferior?!” Blueblood yelled, “I am not inferior to a commoner who married into royalty!”

“I may not be superior to you,” Shining Armor said, “But I do have more combat experience than you, and it just so happens that apart from Princess Luna and Celestia, I am the highest ranking officer in the Royal Equestrian Army!”

“Oh there you go again gloating in front of me!” Blueblood snapped, “You know I only was nice to you because I was nice to Cadence! Now, I feel like I should just treat you like the common dirt around here!”

“Do that and I will have you in front of Celestia for insubordination!” Shining Armor shouted, “And I will have you in a twelve-by-twelve cell before you could even think of apologizing! Go, and go fuck yourself, Blueblood!”

“What did you just say to me?” Blueblood said, “Nopony tells me to do that!”

“Well than I’m the first!” Shining Armor replied, “It’s about time somepony told you the truth that you are a pompous, asshole-ish bastard!”

“Well my father wasn’t a drunk!” Blueblood said, and smiled as Shining Armor took great offense. “Oh, it looks like that struck a nerve there.”

“You did you faggot!” Shining Armor said.

“How dare you call me a faggot!” Blueblood said, “That is not the way to treat royalty!”

“You seem to forget that I am royalty as well!” Shining Armor retorted, “This was going to be tolerable, but you had to go thinking only about yourself, which you only do!”

“That’s it, Shining Armor!” Blueblood said, drawing his sword, “I’m going to kill you!”

He slashed at Shining Armor’s horse, which whinnied as it fell onto the road. Shining Armor grinded against the road, and looked really hurt.

“I’ve been waiting for this for so long.” He said, “You’ve always been one to ruin my plans.”

As he dismounted his horse, we all stopped and stared in shock. But as he stood over him, we all dismounted, and drew our weapons.

“Your Highness,” I said, making sure to say that, “You don’t need to do this. Just drop your weapons, and we’ll just take you back to Canterlot…”

“No!” He whirled around, and slashed at me. I blocked with my shield. I countered, but he parried my strike.

He ran at me, bringing up his sword to attack. I sidestepped, and slashed at his side. He screamed, and fell on his knees.

“I guess I couldn’t keep this ruse forever.” Blueblood coughed up blood, and got up. He picked up his sword, and attack me again.

Tell me what you think! I know that Blueblood going loony on us might be a little strange, but I know where this is headed. I am going to try to get the rest of the chapters up, it's been hard with my schedule. So, thanks for reading, and don't be too shy to leave a comment!