#fuse based on my casual cosplay of him

[ursacircusart]

Sharing some stories and a drink 🍻

I like to think that bh is going bald from T. Hi.

[ask-de-writer]

FORTRESS CANTERLOT!  (Part 2 of 3), An MLP Fan Fiction

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FORTRESS CANTERLOT!

Part 3 of the TRUE HISTORY OF EQUESTRIA!

by

De Writer  (Glen Ten-Eyck)

© 2017 by Glen Ten-Eyck

11936 words

Writing begun 03/29/14

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.

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Prologue: This tale takes place about 3000 years in the past of the modern MLP canon. During this time, Celestia and Luna are still fillies, though close to grown physically. The events here recorded are the foundation of the modern legends of a time when unicorns regulated the heavens.

This story takes place roughly two hundred years after the events of FROM DARKNESS TO DAWN.

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For more background information on the canon of this tale, please read:

De Writer and the Orb of the Ages

From Darkness to Dawn

De Writer’s Tale (a narrative poem)

The Coming of Tam O’Canter and Heather Bloom O’Red Hoof to Ponyville

Hearthwarming Eve / Starvation’s Night

De Writer canon (part 1)

De Writer canon (part 2)

.PART 1 is HERE     PART 3 is HERE

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Looking about nervously, obviously not used to being flown from place to place, Justice said, “I do hope so.”

Seriously, Luna asked him, “What, good Justice, is the greatest range of a unicorn's magic?”

Doubtfully, he replied, “Perhaps five or six hundred feet.”

“Correct. If a number of them are working together, how far can their magic reach?”

“Maybe as much as a thousand feet?  I am not sure.  I have never seen any reach further than that.”

With a smile, her wings beats solid and untiring, Luna replied, “You are correct again.  That has everything to do with where we will meet the Sunlord's army.”  Following her sister Celestia, Luna began a climbing turn, spiraling higher and higher.  The mountain side's mostly barren rock passing below the two alicorns as they climbed.

Soon they passed above the wide ledge with its small spring, cave, woods and meadow.  They alighted in the meadow and Celestia said, “Here we are, Father.  Back at your Canter-lot!  Can you think, offhoof, of a better place to meet the Sunlord and his henchmen?”

Trotting casually over to where I could look down the slope, I said, “Just over a thousand eight hundred feet to the nearest useful point for staging an attack?  Humm . . . We have already seen that we can defend from aerial assault if he has any pegassi.  No, my daughters, I really can't think of a better place.  We should begin the building of a stone shelter which can safely stop air dropped rocks and other weapons.”

Justice pointed out, “Whatever we do, it should be soon.  I can see the dust cloud of the Sunlord's army over there.”  He pointed with a hoof to a place close to the horizon and near to the route that we had taken when coming here.

Sure enough, there was the rising dust cloud, with a wide front, showing the approach of the Sunlord's army.  Traveling along the ground, like that meant that they would actually need several days to arrive.

I offered, “We need to make up a steeply sloped heavy timber roof so that pegasus dropped stones or weapons will bounce off.  Stone walls won't hurt either.  I suggest that we build it right over there where the spring comes out of the cave.  If we surround the cave entrance with it, we can use the mountain for one wall and secure our water supply at the same time.”

I have to admit that I was surprised when Justice suggested, “Mister De Writer and I can begin selecting stones for building from the rubble along the edge of the ledge and mountainside.  Celestia, Luna, you could start going down to the woods at the mountain's foot and bringing up the timbers.  That will not only save the ledge timber for our uses later, it will deprive the army of both firewood and camping materials at the same time.”

Actually happy to have something to do, the mares leaped from the ledge and soared down swooping in big circles to the woods below.

Justice and I turned to the base of the cliff, along the ledge.  There were many loose stones there, rubble from many  seasons of freezing and thawing breaking the cliff face.  Most of it was small.  We were busily sorting the stones and piling the ones suitable for building when Justice said one of those comments that change everything almost by accident.

“Pity that you can't make stone go soft like you did the dirt that Sunlord was standing on!” he said, “Then we could just mash little ones together to make good building stones.”  He was making two stockpiles of the stones.  Mostly they were too small for the stout walls that we were going to need.  They went into one pile.  The good sized ones went into another, much smaller heap.

I looked up in utter surprise that I had not thought of something so simple.  My blue magic picked up a pair of smaller stones and seeped into the stones themselves.  The surfaces, held by the magic, did not visibly change until I pressed the two stones together.  Stone flowed into stone.  I thought for a moment of what we needed.  The surfaces of the now single stone squared up and became a properly dressed builder's block.

Justice watched in puzzlement as I fitted the new ashlar to the stout stone of the cliff.  It clung without mortar or support.  He picked up a pair of stones and tried to reproduce my work.  He failed.

I saw what he was doing and laughed slightly.  The teacher in me came to the fore.  I added my magic to his and said, “Now, follow me.  See, instead of just gripping the parts that you can see, you sort of feel your way right into the stone.  Once your magic is inside the stone, you have to work by feel alone.  You loosen the particles from each other and let them flow together.  Only do enough of it to get the result that you want.  This method works with other things too.”

Justice thoughtfully focused his green eyes on the stones.  Nothing.  Then he closed his eyes.  The green of his magic seeped slowly into the stones.  He pressed them together and they flowed into a single, neatly squared stone.  

He put it in position.  Then he closed his eyes.  Green magic seeped between the stones and it was done.  The rock was fused to a single piece. Justice opened his eyes in delight.

Making the rough stones into blocks that we could fit was far more tiring than the gathering of rubble to use for material, so we took turns at gathering and forming.  We were laying out a smallish fortress but it did have one larger room that we planned to make into a throne room of sorts later.  For now, we needed stout walls as swiftly as possible.

Looking up from our labor, I saw Celestia and Luna, working together, bringing up two whole trees.  These they added to an impressive pile.  Tired, they trotted over to where Justice and I were making and laying the stone of the small fortress.

They watched our work for a few minutes.  I saw Luna pick up a pair of smaller stones, and then a third.  She brought over the result of her labor and fitted it to place.  Her dark magic seeped in between the parts and the stone was locked into place.

Celestia watched too.  Instead of getting stones, she turned to the now large wood pile.  Shortly, her many hued magic brought us a large beam, neatly squared and free of any defect.  She placed it, with help from all of us, to be the central roof tree beam.  As it found its place in the structure, delicate seeming, many hued magic flowed into the joints between the wooden beam and cliff face.  Her magic also found the joint of the beam and the wall that we had built.  When her magic was withdrawn, the beam was one piece with both cliff and structure.

We were all cheered by the placement of that beam.  As we paused our labor to admire it, a pegasus in full war harness swooped close overhead!  It banked sharply about and came back over us.

She swept to the ground in a dramatic landing.  He spear was held in a defensive posture.  When we offered no attack, she rose carefully out of her combat ready stance.  She spoke in a cool, reserved tone, not to us, but to Justice.

“Master Justice, the Sunlord is most unhappy at your defection.  What have you to say?”

Justice returned coolness for coolness.  “Wing Leader Swift Feather, I have followed what is true.  You know my talent.  The Sunlord used me to find those who lied to him.  He lied to us all but I was not permitted to say so.”

Swift Feather considered carefully what she had heard.  Finally, nodding, she replied, “We hoped that was the reason.  My wing and I have known that the Sunlord and his phony priests are liars for a long time.

“For ones claiming to fix and regulate the heavens themselves, their combined magic could not reach us if we flew high.  The Sun and the Moon remained far above us.”

Justice calmly said, “I have seen you test that.  I wondered why you followed him.”

Swift Feather asked instead, “Am I safe while we speak of these things?” She gestured at Celestia, Luna and me.  “They have made no move against me but I ask you because I know that you do not lie.”

Justice smiled, “You will be safe so long as you are with us in peace.  You will be permitted to leave when you wish.”

To my surprise, Swift Feather set aside her spear and small targe shield and sat.  Turning to us, she asked, “Is the Myth of the Creator Titans real?”

Celestia smiled and replied seriously, “I don't know what your legend is, so I can't say if it is true or not.  

“What we can say for certain is that this world was made by Creator Titans but it was never fully finished.  The Titan of Life Creation made my sister and I for the purpose of keeping the heavens in proper order because that is part of the work that was not finished.”

The pegasus mulled that over for a while before asking, “Could you not simply fix the heavens so that they work properly and be done with it?”

Luna barked a short, sharp laugh.  “I wish that it was so simple!  The heavens are not the only thing left undone.  The other things, some very subtle, drag the heavens back out of proper regulation.

“If we do not fix them each time that they go out of kilter, the error will soon grow so great that every living thing will die.”

Swift Feather turned to Justice, who had been listening to the whole exchange.  “Justice, can you tell when somepony believes what they say but what they believe is wrong?”

“Yes, Wing Leader, I can.”

“These things are all true?”

“They are.  What will you do now that you know what is real?”

Candidly, Swift Feather replied, “I will tell my Wing what I have found out. We will choose who to follow by lots.  I shall bring all of those who wish it here.  We can assist you in the raising of this fortress.  It is well placed and looks stout except for the lack of mortar.”

Justice laughed and offered, “Try to dislodge any of those stones!  They are stronger laid than mortar could hold them.”

In spite of her belief in Justice, Swift Feather did just that.  When she could not budge a single stone of the top course, she nodded, satisfied.

“You build well, Justice.  I could not loosen any stone.”

Justice pointed at us.  “Those are the ones who have done this thing.  I but followed their orders and used the arts that they showed me.  The great white Alicorn, as their kind of pony is called, is Celestia. The dark Alicorn is Luna.  This elderly blue unicorn is De Writer and was made foster father of the two for his wisdom and honesty.

“The art that makes it possible to build without mortar is his.”

Swift Feather rose to her feet and gathered her weapons.  These, she laid at Celestia's feet.  She knelt and offered, “As you are the truth of things, I, Swift Feather, Wing Leader of the Warrior Pegassi, will serve you faithfully, if you will have me.”

Celestia, nodded her head and touched Swift Feather on the shoulder with her horn.  “We, Celestia and Luna, do take your service.  Arise, Swift Feather, Warrior of the Sun and the Moon.

“I hope that you know that, while we will fight when needed, we seek peace above all else.  Order is our task and we shall do what we must to bring it about.”

Swift Feather replied, “All true warriors know, more than any other, both the value and the cost of peace.”

Bothered by a thought, Swift Feather asked, “Warriors and many others prefer a title for their leaders.  Shall I tell them that you are our Queens?”

Both Celestia and Luna shook their heads.  After some thought and discussion they reached an agreement.  “The true Queen, for whom we do our allotted tasks and rule in the name of is the Titan of Life Creation.  As her daughters by creation, we shall be the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.  Will that suit your need for titles?”

Bowing deeply, Flight Leader Swift Feather replied, “My Princesses, it will do perfectly.  It shows both your Authority and, as you do not claim the true throne for yourselves, your humility.”

She armed herself and turned to leap for the skies.  “I shall return, my Princesses, with all of those who will follow me faithfully.  Expect us within the day.”

Justice watched her go and said, “Come, we have a fortress to build.  It will not get done by empty wishing.”

The four of us began to gather stones and timbers.  Celestia's adaptation of the stone forming and fastening technique provided a steady supply of timbers.  Soon, those timbers began to be far more expertly sized and shaped.

Like with the stone work, there was not a scrap of unused timber in her work area.  What was not used in one timber became a part of another.

Justice was quietly watching the design of the fortress as he helped with the construction.  Finally he spoke.  “De Writer, you and your daughters seem to have a lot of experience at fortress design.  How has that come about?  Our armies encountered no such places as this or they could never have deceived the rest of us.”

The old blue pony looked up after laying and securing the latest stone.  “It is not experience that we have.  It is much thought about such things precisely because we did not have them when we needed them.”

Instead of an answer from Justice, Luna came streaking from where she had been helping Celestia.  Her dark magic pushed both her father and Justice down a stair and under cover.  She joined them and said breathlessly, “Pegassi coming!  If it is not Swift Feather, the attack is beginning!  We are not ready!”

There was a hard rattle of sling stones on the flooring above.  We heard the thump of of aerial dropped spears striking the timbers or glancing off of stone.  There was the rattling smacks and wood tearing strikes of arrows.  The sounds answered all questions.

Even unfinished, the fortress was already serving its designed function. Puzzled, I watched as Luna sent fine, almost invisible tendrils of her magic out to the unfinished portions of the fort.  Soon I had my answer.  She was dragging the spears, arrows and slingstones of the enemy in to us.

As Justice saw what she was doing, his magic joined hers in retrieving the fallen weapons of the enemy.  It was becoming quite an arsenal of deadly things.

We heard the trample of hooves as pegassi landed on the flooring above.  Luna began to smile.  It was a nightmare smile.  Sharks seeing it would have quietly swum away.  Not afraid, mind you, just being totally sensible.  

Thin tendrils of her magic reached up through the flooring overhead.  She seemed satisfied by what she found.  I was beginning to figure out what she was up to.  A spear, gripped in her magic, slid smoothly to a particular spot in the boards overhead.  I saw her magic penetrating the wood itself.  A hole opened.  The spear slashed upward.  Blood cascaded down around the shaft.  The spear yanked down and the hole closed.

There was no further sound from the flooring overhead.  The attackers had fled. Checking by both magic and her eyes, Luna sprinted up the stairs and returned, dragging the unconscious form of the pegasus that she had speared.

She looked at me with haunted eyes.  She asked in a little filly voice, “She is still alive.  Can you save her, Father?”

I had to admit, “I don't know.  I will try.”

My blue magic slid into our enemy, following the path of the spear thrust. There was a lot of damage.  There were things that I could do.  I pulled severed blood vessels together and sealed them as if they were stones, not living tissue.  As fast as I got the worst of her bleeding stanched, I began finding the ends of guts and binding them together the same way.

There was a lot of spilled gut contents.  I swept it out as well as I was able and hoped for the best.  I pulled membranes and muscles together. Finally I bound the skin to itself.  Her body was as whole as I could make it.

Blood was another matter entirely.  I could do nothing about that.  We moved her to a sleeping stall with soft straw for her to lie on.  Since she was still unconscious, I took water and guided it down her throat with my magic.  I slid in some easily digested clover as well.

All that I could do now was sit by her and watch for infections.  I was sure that there would be some.  Raising two rambunctious fillies had taught me all too much about that sort of thing.

Luna joined me, deftly melding her magic and mine in the watch over our wounded enemy.

Justice was keeping watch near the stairs to the upper level.  He came quietly over and reported, “There is battle going on.  Some pegassi have attacked the first group from behind and above.  I think that Swift Feather has returned.  I am not sure of that, though.

“How is Flight Leader Bright Cloud doing?”

Luna looked up from where we were battling another swiftly spreading internal infection.  “Bright Cloud?  Is that her name?  A Flight Leader?  We did not know.”

I looked up myself, and stretched.  This sort of magic really takes a toll on the user.  I said, “All that Luna knew was that Bright Cloud was important to the attack.  Once she was down, as far as Luna was concerned, she was just another pony in need of help.”

I shrugged, “That is how my daughters are.  Do what is needful and then take responsibility for the outcome.”  I smiled and gave Luna a pat on the neck with my magic.

Justice, retreating to his watch post, observed, “I have seen that already in many things.”

Searching the sky, climbing the steps and searching again, he went to the the floor overhead.  He soon reported back.  “It was Swift Feather. The enemy have been driven from our sky.  There are wounded to attend.”

Luna simply went to the heavy timber door, unbarred it and pushed it open.  She called up to patrolling pegassi, “Flight leader Swift Feather, we need you!”  

One peeled out of the formation and dove like a hawk.  Banging her wings full open at the last minute, Flight Leader Swift Feather landed gently in front of Luna.

She saluted and said briskly, “Swift Feather reporting, my Princess!”

Deep concern in her voice, Luna asked, “My Sister Celestia?  She was caught outside when the attack broke.”

Swift Feather softened a little and replied, “She is safe, Princess Luna, Ma'am!  As soon as we saw the situation from above, we drove the enemy force from her position!  She has somehow made a shelter in the trees.  The branches are grown together into a solid roof!  I have never seen such a thing before.”

Luna nodded gazing over to the beam working area.  Many spears and arrows stood up from the ground.  There was a litter of sling stones between them. She shuddered.

“Since Celestia is safe, bring all of the wounded to the fortress regardless of their side in the battle.  We will tend the most serious first.”

Swift Feather frowned and cocked her head as she received that order. “Even the enemy, my Princess?”

Luna nodded briskly.  “Even the enemy.  They are trained warriors.  If we can bring them to our side, we need them.”

Swift Feather suddenly smiled.  “That is not the whole reason, is it, Princess Luna?”

“No, Swift Feather, it is not.  Perhaps it will be enough to get your followers to bring them in.  It may work to our advantage or not. The important reason is this.  They live.  We serve the Titan of Life Creation.  We will not cast life aside lightly.”

To Luna's utter surprise, Swift Feather bowed deeply.  In a voice shaking with emotion, she said, “Now, I know that I made the best decision in following you.  I go.  We will bring them all to you.”  

In a thunder of hard driven wings, she was gone to carry out her errand of mercy.

Now that it appeared safe, Celestia cantered across the open space toward the fortress.  An arrow flew from the brush behind her!

Five warriors dove on the revealed sniper!

Celestia was down. Her wings spread and fluttering.  She lay there in the grass, kicking.

Before I could stop her, Luna charged out until she was in safe magic range of her fallen sister.  Midnight magic enveloped Celestia and lifted her from the ground.  Luna skidded to a stop and turned back to the fortress carrying her sister.  She did not stop until she was inside. Rearing in her turnabout, she brought Celestia safely through the door.

That was when she saw that there was a living wall of twenty pegassi between her and the small forest.  At least two were injured.  With no hesitation, she directed, “Father, Justice, take care of Celestia.”

Without waiting to see if we were, she was out again.  This time she brought in the two wounded pegassi.

We heard a loud but ragged cheer as she came back through the door with her burden of bravery.  She saw that there were already a number of wounded here.  Swift Feather's pegassi were struggling with the unfamiliar burden of the fallen but bringing them in through the upper floor stairway.

“Justice! Start sorting the casualties by the seriousness of their wounds. Look into them as if you were going to meld stones to see the reality of their wounds.”

Assuming that her request would be carried out, she came straight to me and asked, “How bad is Celestia?  What can I do to help?”

I looked up with a serious smile from where I was extracting the arrow.  “Not too bad, Luna.  She severed a muscle but nothing serious was hit. Help me with steadying her.  She keeps trying to struggle.”

Luna's magic flowed into Celestia's neck, up near her skull.  In seconds she was still.  Unconscious.  What else can I do, Father?”

Utterly surprised at the simplicity of the trick, I gestured at the arrow. “Pull gently and watch that the barbs do not hang up on anything. I will pull things together behind it and close up the wound.”

Working together, it only took us a few more minutes to be closing up Celestia's skin.  The work was greatly simplified by Celestia's sleep.  As soon as it was done, we moved her to share the sleeping stall with Bright Cloud.

Swift Feather stepped up behind us quietly and said, “That proves what you told me.  Will it slow anything down to bring a few of my followers and some of our prisoners to see this?”

Actually puzzled, Luna a turned to her and asked, “Why would this be of any importance?”

Bright Feather chuckled and replied, “You just laid your sister Princess next to an enemy who tried to kill you all.  You do not see that as important?  I assure you, those who see it will!”

I saw her point.  “Permission granted.  Not more than three at a time.  See if you can bring in straw to line the large room floor too.  We are going to need it soon.”

Swift Feather simply saluted and left.  Soon a small parade of pegassi were bringing in straw for the big room.  Going out, they went past Bright Cloud and Celestia, laying side by side.

We were busy.  As fast as we had one taken care of, Justice and a few helpers carried the victim away and gave us another.  It was the amazed whispers that drew my attention.  I lifted my horn weary head and saw the reason for myself.  Even I was impressed.

Sometime in there, Celestia stirred in her sleep.  She put a big white wing across her enemy, Bright Cloud.

Finally, working by torch light until far after night fall, we were done.  All that could be saved we had saved.  There were too many dead.  Bright Feather guided us out the door of the fortress.  

There was a fairly large fire going and rations were being cooked. A pegasus stallion in an unfamiliar war kit brought Luna and I a large portion with some delicacies like pickled dandelion heads in sweet sauce.

Luna hit the exact tone again, without meaning to at all.  She did save one dandelion top for herself.  The same for the rest of the feast.

Handing it back, she said, “I am sorry, I do not know your rank to thank you properly for this.  Please take the rest of this and share it as far as it will go, among the wounded.  Pay not a thought to what side. They are all warriors and live.  Their life is precious.”

The stallion knelt in the flickering and uncertain light of the fire and asked, “What shall I tell them?”

She smiled, clearly tired, and replied, “Tell them that it is the gift of Princess Luna.  Thank you.”

Swift Feather knelt in front of her next.  “Princess, why have you done this?  If they were the prisoners of the Sunlord, most would have been put to death for opposing him.  The others would have had bare straw to eat.”

Luna thought carefully, not noticing the silence of the many ponies about her.  She replied, “We respect their courage, honor and lives.  I would guess that is the difference between the Sunlord and us.”

There was a quiet intake of breath all across the field.  Even guarded prisoners had heard what Luna said.  The cheer following that intake was thunderous.  The echo of it rolled off  the mountain side.

It woke Celestia.  Shortly, she came to the fortress door.  Instead of asking what was going on, she came to me, the orange fire light reflecting off her white wings and coat.  She said, “Father, the mare beside me is suffering.  She can not quite sit  up.  What shall I do?”

I replied, “She has lost much blood.  She needs small portions of leafy greens and clover from our store.  She also needs water.  Small amounts of everything but given frequently.”

The same unfamiliarly uniformed pegasus that had brought us our meal asked, “That food was meant for Your Highnesses.  Why would you give it to an enemy?  She lead the attack on you.”

Celestia smiled as she replied, “She needs it.  I have only a sore leg.  I will have many more meals to savor.  If she does not get this she may still die.  Perhaps she will thank me.  Perhaps not.  My duty is to life itself first and privilege second.”  She turned and quietly went back inside to tend to the fallen enemy that she shared a sleeping stall with.

This time the silence was one of thought.  Deep thought.  Some of the prisoners spoke to their guards.  One of the guards came close and laid aside his arms.  He knelt, awaiting recognition.

Luna reached out her midnight magic, so appropriate just now, and touched him.  “Rise, and say your errand.”

“It is the prisoners, my Princess.  They wish to know what charges they will face for being a part of the attack on you and the wounding of your sister Princess.”

Luna shrugged, “For being a part of an attack in a war?  No charges should be made for that at all.  As for that archer who shot my sister, bring him or her before me.  I do have questions.”

A shaky voice out of the darkness said, “Then ask them of me.  I ordered the archer there and planned the whole attack.”

Bright Cloud staggered into the light.  Celestia was alongside her carrying a large bundle of straw.  She shot us a concerned look and explained, “When she heard that her fellow prisoners were to be tried, she insisted on coming out.  She refused my help in carrying her here.

“I brought straw for her to lie on.  It was all that she would permit.”

Bright Cloud, standing on trembling legs, said, “I should stand to hear the judgment against me and my troops.”

Luna curled the corner of her mouth in a half smile.  “Then lie down on that straw.  There will be no judgment against you.  We do have questions for you and, I am sure, you have some for us, too.”

Celestia settled beside Luna.  The biggish fire cast red and orange dancing highlights across their coats.  Luna almost seemed a creature of flame alone, the highlights flickering across her dark blue coat. Celestia's white caught the flame lights and appeared to be almost on fire.  It was an intimidating sight.

Celestia cocked her head at Luna.  “Go on, Sister.  So far all that you have said is good.  I will accept all that you do here.”

Luna nodded acceptance and ordered, “Bring the archer here.  Gently.  Offer him no harm.”  

Looking puzzled, guards went to do as their Princess had ordered.  The archer was brought before the Princesses, their glossy coats with highlights from the fire before them, lending an almost diabolical look.

Luna's words belied that.  She said, loudly enough to be heard by all, “You are the archer who shot the Princess Celestia, who is here beside me?”

He quailed, expecting to be struck at least. “I am.”

Luna smiled and said, “It was your duty to do so.  You honorably did that duty. While we must keep you a bit longer, know that we have forgiven you the shot.

“We consulted with our battle leader, Swift Feather and she is of one mind with your battle leader.  If the roles were reversed, she too would have guarded that door.

“So far as the rest of the attack is concerned, she differs from Bright Cloud only in minor details.  The needs of war remained the same for each of them.  Thus, you and the balance of the prisoners have done no wrong.  When we can, you shall be given full freedom.

“For now, you must remain with us.  If you will it, you may assist us with tasks like clearing all of the edible browse from near the mountain's foot.  There are also tasks such as finishing the fortress.

“If you will take an oath of loyal service, before my sister and I, verified by Justice Truthkeeper, you may join our battle force under Flight Leader Swift Feather.”

Swift Feather came before the Princesses and bowed.  “Princesses, I sent out a night-scout.  She has just come back.  Her mission was to find out what happened in the Sunlord's camp after the failed attack returned.  I have not heard the report myself yet.”

Luna nodded gravely.  “Bring her here and let all hear how the Sunlord treats his troops.  I am betting that it is not well.”

Taken aback, the scout asked, “You already have this information?”

“No, we do not.  Our one encounter with him was sufficiently unpleasant that I fear for those you are reporting of.”

The scout knelt before Luna and said, “You are wise.

“The Sunlord was very angry that the Flight failed to dislodge even single stone of your fortress.  He called it a worthless pile of unmortared stones.  

“He yelled over their attempt to explain that the stone of the fortress was stoutly secured in some way unknown to them.  He pointed out that even the best of mortar would not have had time to set.

“Then he ordered that the entire flight have every fourth feather removed from their wings for cowardice and weakness.  When that was done, he demanded that the officers all be put to death by cutting their throats carefully so that they could no longer swallow.  They are to die of thirst and starvation.

“I left while the first of them was being cut so.  I knew him.  I hoped that you could somehow save them so I came back at once.”

Luna turned to the brown unicorn beside her.  “Good Justice Truth Keeper, was this report true?”

“Princess, it was true in every particular.”

Luna stood, impressive not only for the firelight reflecting from her coat, but the outrage in her stance.  Wings raised, her voice rolled out over the whole group, warriors and prisoners alike.

“This evil must not stand!  I am calling volunteers for an immediate night raid on the Sunlord's camp!  Seek no battle beyond what is needed to bring these brave and maltreated warriors here.”

//////// TO BE CONTINUED ////////