and
After most of the ponies had dispersed following the short funeral for Sanctuary, Temperance lingers behind to stare at the two grave sites. The not so old one for Millstone, and the new one for Sanctuary. Two of the ponies who deserved this the least. “I just don’t understand...” he whispers to himself.
Redhat was there as well, wanting to wait for all the ponies to clear out. He honestly didn’t come here to give Sanctuary a goodbye, but instead, he wanted a word with Temp. Now that all of the ceremonies were over, he could finally get some time to talk with management. “I’d say good evening, but that seems hardly appropriate.”
“I guess not,” Temperance replies, still looking down at the gravesite.
“You know, It’s also equally inappropriate to say, ‘I told you so’ but it seems I just did.”
Temperance cuts his eyes to him. “What’s that supposed to mean, exactly?”
“You give some ponies a weapon, and they act as if they have an army.” He gave him a slight look. “I believe our last conversation covered my concerns.”
“He didn’t even have his weapon out,” Temperance says, glancing back to the grave. “That’s what Aventail said anyway. Nopony knows why he was out there.”
“I suppose, some ponies aren’t all too brilliant, and others are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, But regardless, it could have always been worse.”
“That doesn’t lessen the sting,” Temperance says, still avoiding Red’s eyes. “Look, armed or not, I think this would have happened anyway. And
that is what I don’t understand.”
“If he was huddled in the tavern like a coward would he be safe?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I believe that was the old policy.”
“Probably.” Temperance sighs. “But as far as we know he didn’t even know we were under attack. That’s the reason we issued the weapons. For unexpected things.” He points at the grave. “Like this,” he says in a weak voice.
“I’d like to believe this could have been avoided with some form of state regulation, but I understand that your hooves were still tied on the decision to change civilian actions in case of emergency by the... degenerate... That I’m forced to work under, regardless of your personal lack of objection towards the proposal.” he gave Temperance a look, and just waited for a few moments to pass, “but I’d like you to consider if maybe it’s for the best if you draw the line between the topics where flamberge gives orders, and the ones you delegate over.”
He shrugs. “There’s already a line, and Flamberge sits squarely on the side where it comes to a civilian militia. I don’t
have a say in this.”
“But every civilian is in the militia, and he controls the army as well. Now pardon me, but, is a civilian given the option to opt out of the militia?”
“Normally, but in exceptional circumstances there is the concept of conscription and all. Being routinely attacked by discordant ponies would fit under most ponies’ concept of exceptional circumstances when there are only a hoof full of soldiers.”
“So, the civilians essentially don’t have that right? And we’re in a constant state of, ‘Exceptional circumstances’ as you put it, he has direct control over the entire population?”
Temperance frowns and looks back at Red. “Honestly? You could look at it that way. We don’t know anything about the discordant ponies who are attacking us, so for now it’s probably the safest thing to do in his eyes. If things came to it, I could write the king about it, but it’s not like Flamberge is trying to control everything.”
“I suppose, but no letter is going to make this pony walk again.”
“No, I suppose you’re right about
that,” Temperance says, punctuating the last word. “The badger ponies saw to that.”
“They do get rather rowdy this time of year...” He looked down at the grave, “They are a barbaric crown now aren’t they.”
“Rowdy?” Temperance asks. “I guess you could call it that. Quite frankly, I wish they’d all just drop dead.”
Red seemed rather displeased by that. “You know, that’s hardly an appropriate way of seeing things.”
“Well, forgive me for not having any more patience for this. They’ve hurt and killed too many ponies. Not just here.” He glowers at the grave. “I’m sick of it.”
“You do realize we’re right in the middle of their land, and that what territory they still own is being wiped away by your countries incessant expansionism? How many badgers do you think were murdered indiscriminately and being considered sub-equins simply to justify your countries atrocities committed in the search for a handsome supply of steel for the grand army’s next campaign? One would think they’ve earned that exact same attitude you have long before this event.”
Temperance silently stares at the grave. After a while, he says, “I think the discordant ponies got here first. Or they picked a bad spot to live. Just like we did.” He kicks a pebble. “Either way, I don’t agree with just taking somepony’s home, but killing an innocent stallion isn’t justified by that.”
“They’re just returning the favor, and it’s not like they stand a realistic chance against you guys anyways. you have steel and iron, they can barely scratch enough together from what they gain in their raid to make a few daggers of copper and silver. Now, I’m not going to say I don’t feel bad for this poor colt, but all they’re trying to do fight back in some way. If an entire of band of them could be wiped out by only one or two of your ponies ponies in full armor, imagine what happens when your country’s forces attack a village.”
“A copper dagger is all it took to kill Sanctuary,” Temperance says in a tense voice. “As I said, I don’t agree with stealing their territory. But our country is looking at slow starvation if places like Duskfields don’t grow enough food for them. Stealing their territory is bad. I don’t dispute that. But raiding, attacking and killing small civilian settlements like this just as despicable.” He takes a deep breath. “And it’s not like the badger ponies are exactly
innocent here. They’ve attacked and killed us for as long as we’ve known of them. And steal foals in the night to do what Nirmek knows to them.”
“Can a copper dagger kill a pony in iron armor, or an entire legion of them? Do you even realize that your own country is killing them off endlessly in the name of putting of the inevitable, and I suspect your country here has destroyed many more civilian settlements than they could ever hope to, and don't you dare tell me that they could destroy any civilian settlement. The could hardly ever hope to take down even a small town with a half decent militia. Furthermore you say “ the badger ponies” as if every single stallion mare and foal are accountable for their ineffective resistance to a foreign invader. I find your willingness to detest a race without taking into full consideration the circumstances they currently face as unsavory and a discredit to yourself.”
Temperance keeps staring into the ground. “Fine. I guess it’s not right to hate them all. But the one who did this? The one who stabbed my wife in the hoof? The one who stabbed Prodd in the eye? The one who stabbed Plastron in the skull, who
did have a steel chanfron I might add? Them? Yeah, I hate them. They can hate me too, but
I didn’t go out there looking to kill them. I just want us to be left alone.”
“Do you plan on becoming a noble like your sister?”
That statement cut through Temperance like Flamberge’s sword. “Why?” he asked, again in a tense voice.
“You know, almost all nobles are evil, pride soaks their souls to the brim, and avarice is the only motive for their continued existence. Very few of them are as pure as they would claim their blood is.”
Temperance looks
distinctly displeased at that. “Virtue’s not like that. She would never hurt even a fly. If most aren’t pure,
she is.”
“I never said she wasn’t. Just know that if you aim to be a noble, the amount of sin available to you on a daily basis and the amount of evil you could do without a single soul having any right to object is enough to ruin even the best of us. Be aware of this, and know even if it’s not you who loses himself, your branding your family with that curse and every first born will half to come to terms with it, given you except your title.”
He shrugs again and says, “Yeah, well, I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that. It’s not my decision, and I’m starting to doubt the king even notices us out here. Otherwise we’d have more protection than we do.” He frowns and deflates slightly. “But I know what you mean. I detest corruption.”
“I agree... just know though, that if you do aim to become a noble and refuse to turn on your morals, you’ll have to learn to stand up for your self...”
Temperance doesn’t reply. He just keeps looking into the ground. He could stand up for himself, but he also knew his place. For now... he was doing everything he could.
“And please, if you're going to be a noble, don’t judge ponies based off what group they belong to.”
All of this talk about nobility was beginning to wear on Temperance’s nerves, but he keeps it in check. “Have I ever?” he asks. “The badger ponies wouldn’t exactly fall under my “judgment.” And I don’t treat anypony here any differently based on where they come from or who they are.”
“I never said badger. Most nobles make a disconnect between themselves and people they’re supposed to protect as a way to justify their greed.”
Yep, really starting to wear on his nerves. “Yes, I know. I’ve given up just about everything to my name to come out here, and even still I work as hard as I can for what often times feels like nothing just to keep this place going and in one piece.” What was Redhat getting at here? “I try
quite hard to give everypony here the respect they deserve.”
“Why are you sounding offended by this conversation?”
Temperance blows out his breath and tries to relax a bit. “Sorry... it’s... nothing. I understand what you’re getting at.”
“What am I implying then?”
“I assume you’re just trying to tell me not to let power go to my head,” Temperance replies. And he was doubting it would matter, but that didn’t need to come up again.
“It’s not the power that gets you, it’s what’ll come with it.”
“Which I again assume you mean to be the greed and lack of care. I get it.”
“Could you please not sound so annoyed, I’m simply trying to let you know where your goal leads.”
“Sorry, I’ve been under a lot of stress lately,” he says, tapping a hoof on Sanctuary’s gravestone. “But I do understand what you’re saying.”
“I understand fully, but I just thought this would be the best time to converse with you over this topic and don't assume I don’t know what i’m talking about, I know more about than you’d expect.”
Temperance gives him a slightly confused look. Right after the funeral was the best time for this? Maybe he could kind of see that... but it still felt peculiar to him. “I don’t know much of anything about anypony here other than what they’ve done here. I don’t doubt you do know something about it though. Many ponies have suffered in some fashion or another because of somepony in power over them.”
“Yes, and I’m glad to say I’m not exactly one of them.”
“Me too,” he says. Well, he certainly didn’t want to be in a position of power and abuse it...
“Well, anyway, I believe I’ve drilled my point in, so I guess this should be good day.”
Temperance nods slowly. “Right. See you around.”
“Well, see you later then.”
Author
Topic: Duskfields (My Little Fortress) (Read 48538 times)