and
This takes place the day of the diplomat's death, later in the afternoon.- - - - - -
Virtue slowly makes her way up the stairs to the third level of the main living area where their rainbow pony guests were staying. She wasn't at all convinced this was a good idea, but she needed to talk to somepony about what had happened. Somepony who might be able to help her. She pauses in front of the door and raises a hoof. After taking several moments to calm herself and convince herself this was the best thing to do, she nervously taps at the door. "Mr. Gregor?" she asks in a trembling voice. "Are you there?" After a few moments, the door opens to reveal Gregor standing just inside. "Lady Virtue?"
"G-good... you're here," she responds. She takes a few moments to level her voice. "D-do you mind if we speak about something? S-something else has happened... I... I think you may be the only pony I can turn to for advice..."
"Dad, who's at the door?"
"It's the lady Virtue, she wants to talk for a moment. I'll be stepping out for a bit, Mari. Tell your mother if she comes back."
"Alright dad." With that, Gregor steps out the door with Virtue. "Yes, I had heard rumors that something else had happened, but nothing concrete."
She nods slowly and gestures for him to follow. "Yes... there... there has been another... death..." She leads them down the stairs toward her office. "Perhaps we should talk in private..."
"...In that case, yes, we should talk in private." As she leads them inside, she asks for Fuscina to leave the two fo them alone for the moment. "You say you've heard some rumors... what have you heard?"
"Well... that the Rainbows killed somepony, that another diplomat died, that the diplomat blackmailed you into..."
She perks up a bit. "Blackmail...?"
"...
mmmoving right along. What actually happened, if I may?"
She decides to drop the comment and complies with the request. "Um... yes... well... the diplomat was killed. She was the only one, thank goodness." She sighs and tries to picture what must have happened. "She... attacked our mayor, and one of the soldiers killed her."
"...I see." He ponders for a moment. "Was there any provocation? Why did she attack him?"
"I... well... I wasn't there, but he said she was overly insistent on seeing me. When he denied her, she struck him. Then she drew a dagger..."
Gregor sighs heavily. "I... was afraid of something like this."
Virtue looks surprised. "You... expected this? I don't understand..."
"Do you want my honest opinion miss Virtue?" She pauses for a moment before nodding cautiously. "Yes... please... if you think it would help."
"I believe that the reason this mare was soo insistent on seeing you and you alone, is because she was sent here to assassinate you."
Her blood runs cold and her eyes widen. She says nothing. "...Miss Virtue?" Gregor looks concerned. He approaches, laying a hoof on Virtue's withers. She blinks a few times and shakes off the mental stun as best she could. "As-ass-assassinate m-me?" Glaive was right. He was *right*. She didn't want to believe it... but he was right... "F-for... b-but I... I d-didn't..."
"You're the dutchess of Dawnpick. That's all that matters to them. If they went after you, it's because they want to send a message: nopony gives the Shadowglazes a bloody nose and gets away with it." Virtue says nothing for a few moments. It made sense, in a morbid sort of way. She rests her head in a hoof.
"Wh-what... what can we do? What can we expect?"
"Once they get word of her failure, they either try again, or come in force. If they attack, I'd expect... moderate paramilitary assets? Not quite on par with an actual army, but still a significant threat." That wasn't much of a consolation... but it was /something/ at least.
"How many? Do you think we stand a chance?"
"Based on what I've seen of your militia? Aye, I think so. A fairly good chance, at that." She breathes an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. "That... that's good I suppose."
She looks him in the eye. "Do you think there will ever be peace between us again?"
This question seems to confuse Gregor a bit. "...With the Shadowglazes? No, I think not. You've damaged their pride, and I don't think they'll soon forget it."
Virtue slumps into her chair. "Then we've made an enemy... one we'll never mend relations with." She hangs her head slightly. And she and her family would never be safe again. Actually... "What about my family? They... they want me dead. What about my children? Are they safe?"
"I... couldn't tell you. Even among our people, foals are off-limits. There are a handful who are just underhanded enough to go after somepony's foals, but I just don't know enough about these Shadowglazes to tell if they'd do it."
"I see..." If something happened to her children... her will to live would be gone in that instant. She had to hope that would never happen. "...th-thank you.. for what you've told me so far. Do you have... any advice? Anything?" she asks, with a guarded hope in her eyes.
Gregor is deep in thought for several moments, obviously debating something. Finally, he speaks. "Miss Virtue... if I offered to lend some of my own security forces to Dawnpick,at least for the short term..."
"Your security forces?" She thinks for a second. "I... Ireally appreciate the help... but I don't know how I feel about endangering your men..."
"It's their job to protect ponies. Thattypically means putting themselves in harm's way."
"Yes, I suppose so." She considers the option. Theyneeded all of the help they could get. "If you're willing, then I think wecould use their help. We'd pay you for their assistance, whatever the price."
"Thank you, ma'am. I will send word to mydaughters as soon as possible."
She nods, imagining that she felt a little safer with helpon the way. "Thank you for offering." She sighs. "I just hope they makeit in time... how long do you think it might take?"
"It took us about... two months formLaceabbey to Dawnpick, but we made many stops for several days at atime. So allowing for a straight march... maybe half that?"
"A month..." She considers the logistics. It was faster than she could have hoped for anyway. And help she didn't expect in the first place "...that should be fast enough I think. Again, thank you for the support."
"That's a month
after the letter arrives, so allow a few weeks."
"Oh, yes, of course. Still, I think that will be timeenough. I assume by them sending an assassin..." she says withdifficulty, "...that they might not have a large force nearby. Maybe... but I hope not."
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
She thinks for a moment before shaking her head. "No... no, I don't think so. You've been a big help... but I think it's up to us for the moment."
"Very well. I hope the rest of your day is farless eventful, miss Virtue." He bows stightly, and leaves.
"So do I..." she whispers under her breath as he leaves.
Author
Topic: Dawnpick (My Little Fortress) (Read 236417 times)