Alea Iacta Est

It was cold, damn cold. While there was no snow, the winter air was still harsh that night. Thousands of ponies stood completely still, as steam emanated from their muzzles as they breathed, and listened.

They say the silence before the storm is worse than the storm. To veterans like Romulus, it was the sound of approaching battle. Knowing that in any moment, the clash would happen, and from there, one had to make split second decisions. Decide on both life and death, and knowing any decision would carry such prices.

Right now, Romulus would have welcomed the silence. Instead as he stood on the wall his legions had constructed, looking out into the darkness, hearing the horrible sound of thousands of minotaurs marching, no, running towards them. The terrible sound of their roars and growls, their war cries.

Soon their huge forms would penetrate the darkness, and they would see the rebel army rush towards them like a tidal wave. Romulus didn't need to look at his legionnaires to know their thoughts.

They had been through so much together, that now they did not fear death. They had left such fear on the battlefield years ago, seeing themselves as already being dead, and not alive until the horns of victory would blow.

The rumbling was much closer now, at any moment they would see them. Romulus looked over the wall, into the field before them that was lit by the torches on the wall. They'd had weeks to prepare for this fight, and now it was finally time to see if all that preparation had been worth it.

"Come on, come on, come on..." A legionnaire whispered eagerly under his breath, jumping just a little in place.

Finally, the minotaurs broke out of the darkness, and into what little light their torches provided. They roared as they ran and jumped over whatever obstacles Romulus had placed out there. Romulus just smiled, seeing how they avoided the most obvious obstacles, only to be divided, and funneled into the paths he wanted.

Calmly, Romulus raised his hoof high. In response, several selected archers stepped forward, each one having a single fire arrow each. All along the 18 kilometers long wall, several such archers appeared, waiting for the signal. Romulus narrowed his eyes, watching, calculating. Just a few more steps and... NOW!

Romulus waved his hoof forward, bellowing the command to fire!

The archers who heard fired the arrows not at the minotaurs, but at the small trenches dug several meters from the four meter tall wall. The arrows cut through the air, and archers along the wall saw them as a signal to start firing at the trenches.

Romulus could not have asked for a better result. As the arrows hit their marks, the burning tips of the arrows hit the oil that covered the trenches, and spikes. Walls of fire roared out of the trenches, swallowing up any nearby minotaurs, and dividing them even more!

Mass panic and confusion spread through the minotaur ranks. Some had passed the trenches, but were now trapped between the wall of Romulus, and the wall of flames. Those behind the flames were cut off from each other, their escapes cut off all around them. Those who were either too close to the flames, or had stepped in some of the oil caught fire, and spread even more panic and confusion!

The screams and smell that followed would haunt Romulus forever, but he didn't let it affect him. They were up against a much stronger foe that also outnumbered them greatly. He couldn't afford pity, not now. The survival of the stallions and mares under him depended on him.

Besides, this small trick was only enough to stun their enemies for a moment, and take out the first wave. The battle had barely begun, but he knew many hours, if not days worth of fighting still laid ahead.

He needed to be ruthless...

30th of the Maple Moon, 877 CE.

"Sir?"

Romulus awoke to the sound of one of his officers calling him. He blinked a few times, and slowly sat up in his bed. "Mm, yes?" He said with a tired expression.

The officer stood to attention, and gave a crisp salute. "Sir, we have a messenger from Canterlot."

Romulus eyed the officer, raising an eyebrow. "For this you wake me? Take the letter, and put it on my desk." He said, trying to keep the annoyance from his tone.

The officer cleared his throat a little nervously, clearly having picked up on the fact he had iterated his general. "S-sir, they are demanding to speak to you. They are Royal Guard ponies..."

Now that caught Romulus's interest, his mind quickly shifted mental gears. "Are they now? Hm, well, I better not keep them waiting. Good work."

The officer relaxed, then saluted again, and left the general to get ready. As he did, a servant trotted in and filled a bowl with some hot water. Romulus gratefully trotted over, and washed his face, feeling the chains of sleep leave him fully. After drying his face with a towel, he calmly trotted to the tent flap and stepped outside.

The legionnaires standing guard on each side of the entrance stood to attention as Romulus stepped out, but the group awaiting him did not show him the same respect. Romulus stopped, and looked over the group of golden armored ponies. There were only five of them, but the message was clear enough.

"You have a message from the princesses?" Romulus asked.

The leader, a unicorn, took a step forward, his expression grimly serious. "Princess Twilight Sparkle is now the sole ruler of Equestria, General." He answered curtly. "And as per royal decree," out of his saddlebag, he levitated a scroll. "You are hereby ordered to report to her highness within two weeks."

Romulus raised an eyebrow at that, while Skystrike stepped forward and took the scroll held out to Romulus. The royal guard continued. "You are ordered to disband your legions, bring every pony back over the border, and lay down your command."

Skystrike glared at the unicorn. "Two weeks?!"

The unicorn ignored him and continued, his eyes never leaving Romulus. "Failing to do so will be considered an act of treason, and you will be subject to arrest."

Romulus just looked at the unicorn calmly, nodding as he finished his message. "I see, will you give me a moment, gentlecolts?" He turned around, nodding to Skystrike who followed him inside. The unicorn was about to follow as well, but Romulus guards swiftly stepped in front of the entrance, glaring back at him.

Once inside the tent, Skystrike placed the scroll on the desk, while Romulus sat down to read it. "Two weeks? Two weeks? This is a disgrace, after everything we have accomplished here!" He said through gritted teeth. "And where is Princess Celestia in all this? Are you seriously telling me that this brat has just been handed the reins of the entire kingdom, just like that?"

Romulus didn't answer while Skystrike rambled, instead he just read the official order he had just been given. It was no longer a suggestion, or a request, this was an official order, written by the Princess herself. He read the letter two or three times, before he calmly set it aside, took a quill and parchment, and started to write a letter of his own.

"As you say, Skystrike, but these are official orders signed by our Princess." Said Romulus, his calm tone surprising Skystrike.

"But this is bullshit, tell her no."

Romulus glanced up at his friend for a moment. "You're asking me to defy the Princess of Equestria?"

At that, Skystrike hesitated. "W-well, no, I mean... Well what else can we do?" He trotted up to the desk, and leaned forward a little, gesturing to the tent entrance. "Romulus, you can't have us turn our backs to everything here. We've given eight years to this place, eight years of fighting, and loss of friends. Blood, tears... Are we really going to ask the legions to just trot away?"

Romulus held the gaze of Skystrike for a moment, then looked back at his letter. "Of course not," he then answered, continuing to write. "I'm going to advise the Princess, and assume she hasn't thought this one through fully." He explained.

Skystrike let out a relieved breath. "What if she insists?"

Romulus paused, then slowly looked back up at Skystrike, his eyes firm. "Then we have a choice to make..." With that, Romulus finished the letter, signed and sealed it. Without another word on the matter, he trotted outside to the waiting royal guard ponies.

"For the Princess." Romulus said simply, as the guard took the letter and levitated into his saddlebag.

"No message?" The unicorn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, not to you." Romulus replied. "Everything I have to say is in that letter. What is in it is between myself and her. Now, you may go." The tone of Romulus' voice made it clear it wasn't a request.

The five royal guards made a half hearted salute, then turned and left. Romulus watched them go for a few moments, then, without looking at Skystrike said. "Call a staff meeting, and prepare nine of your fastest messengers."

Skystrike looked at him. "Messengers?"

Romulus nodded. "I rather have them hear the news from me, than from the Princess in an attempt to undermine my command." Romulus turned around, and trotted back into his command tent. "You have your orders, legate. Get moving."

Skystrike stood at attention, and saluted. "Yes sir!"