Sisu

by Ebony Gryphon

Chapter 12. Deeds done in darkened halls

Gale gnawed her bottom lip fretfully as she regarded the bed before. After Amal had been taken onto her mothers home and granted the clan name, Arron had been offered a place as well, though not granted title. As such, he had been given a bed in the barracks till a place as a second foal could be granted . The night before the two had shared a meal, plans being made that the human would accompany Gale as she walked through Canterlot. But in the morning, the mare found her friends bed empty.

Ears turning towards the sound of footsteps, Gale looked over her shoulder. Seeing who it was, she turned, and said "Uncle Amal..."

Chuckling, the human doubled back, and walked into the barracks.

"I told you Gale.... Amal is fine."

Mouth turning up in a smile, Gale shook her head.

"I could call thee father again..."

Waving his hand dismissively, Amal snorted.

"Thy clan has their tails in a twist that thy dam has made me a Kicker."

Gales smile faded, her eyes narrowing slightly..

"Amal... thou art the first not of the three tribes to be granted a pegasi title... Does thou not know of the pains my mother has wrought upon her house by this..."

Seeing the humans face turn sorrowful, Gale sighed.

"Cry pardon, Amal. Thou needn't concern thy heart with matters of Kickers thick skulls. Tis a small matter as she is the leader of both the Guard and tribe, but thou should know of her favor for thee by that alone..."

Smiling back, Amal walked forward, and kneeling down, put a hand on the mares head and ruffled her mane.

"Gale... you and your dam mean more to me then any aside from Ruth and my son... And whether Kicker or no, I love you as I would my own daughter."

The mare frowned again.

"Then why be false about your family..."

Slowly Amals hand slipped away, his previous face hardening. Eyes showing her hurt Gale continued "I know thy reason for thy false name was nonsense, thy own creed and philosophy in direct contrast to thy lie. So... why is thy foal in the care of another stallion."

Sighing, Amal scratched his chin, and said "I trust thee Gale. Please do not speak of thi to another but..."

Shaking his head, the human rose, folding his hands behind his back.

"The truth is... Matthew, our elder, did not bless me and Ruth in our love. In truth, he despised me, believing me weak and untrue to the creed. When he learned of his daughter with child, he had me brought to him, and made his offer. I could die then, my wife and child with me. We could flee, though I know we not survive alone. Or..."

Gale took the humans the humans hand, her eyes wide with sympathy. Squeesing it, Amal sighed.

"Or he could be raised by another. Not as an Assassin, but a scholar, or a healer. Matthew swore both he and Ruth would be cared for, neither would know want or hunger."

Gale gently lowered her hoof.

"Thou... thou forsake thy own pride, thy duty, thy right as sire... to protect them..."

Amal nodded, and gave the mare a scratch behind the ear.

"I would do anything for those I love Gale. I fight not for the favor of rulers, or honor or pride. I fight... I kill... for home, and family."

Gale shook her head, and looking down at the stone floor. Since she had been taken in by Shadow, Gale had been... reluctant to take on many of her clans customs and beliefs in matters of pride and honor. While Shadow had entered the sparring ring or taken her blades to some fools barded jeers, her foal had regarded them as just that... mere words. In her mind, honor could only be lost by ones acts or failure there of, and her sleep had not been lost so much as one instant over others thoughts of her. The only ones whose words had been valued was Shadows, and now Amal and... Gale jolted in realization.

Arron....

Shaking her, Gale stood up again.

"More of that later Amal... I called thee to ask if thy know of Arrons whereabouts."

Brows knitting together, Amal shook his head.

"Nay Gale. The last of him I beheld was last eve."

Turning back to the bed, Gale knawed her lip again before softly saying "His beds unmade... He was here..."

Walking forward to stand at her side, Amal rubbed his chin as Gale poked her head under the bed, then slid under it.

"Mayhap he is at the mess hall..."

Gale wings fluttered at her sides anxiously as she whimpered. Sliding back out, she held out the humans sword and hidden blade bracer in her hoof. Looking up at Amal, she softly said "Without his arms..."

Amals picked the bracer up, his eyes brimming with new blooming dread.

"No... Wait here Gale... Shadow must be told..."

Handing the weapon back, Amal ran from the room. Holding the bracer to her chest, Gale turned her gase to the window, her eyes troubled as her voice trembled.

"Arron... where are thee..."
...........................

Arron was dragged into the open circle of the cities aqueducts, his eyes covered with burlap, his mouth gagged, and his arms bound behind his back. Forced into a kneeling position, Arron blinked as the weak light assaulted his unadjusted eyes. Looking around, his eyes adjusting to the torchlight, he grimaced. Around him stood several of his order, faces hidden under hood and black cloth over the bottom part of their faces. Before him, in her Assassin gear, stood Ruth, a bundle in her arm. Next to her stood Matthem, his once warm face cold and impassive as stone. Nodding, he wave a hand. Face pained, Ruth undid the bundle, revealing a soft glowing cube engraved with lines. Kneeling, she whispered "Forgive me..."

With a ffft sound, Arron arm bindings were cut, one arm quickly pinned, the other forced forward. Taking the struggling young man by the wrist, Ruth firmly pressed his palm to the artifact. Screaming behind his gag as the cube dimmed to dark blue, then back to its bright sky color, Arrons eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body convulsing. Letting his arm drop, the young man slumping onto his side, Ruth whispered "Thou have played thy part, Arron..."

Standing, Ruth walked to her father once more, wrapping the cube up again, her face growing stern as she said "And now... tis time for us to play ours..."

............................

Midnight looked up the human as the walked through the city. That morning he had come to the home she and Mother shared, and surprisingly asked if he might borrow the filly for the day. And more shockingly, Sunbeam had said yes! After a quick loading of her saddlebag, Midnight and David had begun their trek. When she had asked where they were bound, he merely smiled and promised it a surprise. Midnight stopped short as the human paused, and looking down said cheerfully "Today, my young lady, is a day of lessons."

Cocking a brow, Midnight asked "What does thou wish to teach me Lord David."

Smiling, David knelt and patted the fillies neck.

"To survive."

Standing, he reached into his pocket.

"The first lesson is in regards to deeds put in motion by our Princess. She hast brought Assassin's to this place, and has put them to work."

Nodding, Midnight followed close behind as they moved through the crowd.

"As such, we have been tasked to remedy an err yon Assassin did make. He failed to kill all the Guards around his target, and failed to silence the servants who beheld him. Therefore..."

Coming to a raised platform, David nodded towards the earth pony on it, who was in the process of speaking.

"OY YEAH, OY YEAH! AS TOLD BY OUR HONORED MARES AND STALLIONS OF THE GUARD AND NOBLE HOUSES, DUKE WELSBOTTOM WAS FOUND SLAIN IN HIS HOME! WIDOWED BY LADY PRIMROSE AND MOURNED BY HIS TWO FOALS, THE GUARD REQUESTS THY ASSISTANCE IN THE KILLERS NETTING AND EVENTUAL TRIAL! IF ANYPONY HAS SEEN A HUMAN OF ABOUT SIX FEET, GREEN EYED AND BROWN SKINNED CLOAKED IN A BLACK OVERCOAT AND HOOD, REPORT YON CRIMINALS SIGHTING AND LAST KNOWN PLACE TO YOUR LOCAL GUARD OF GENDAMERY OFFICER. THY LOYALTY TO THE CROWN WILL BE WELL REWARDED!"

Walking forward, David leaned down, and whispered something to the pony. Midnight frowned as she watched the human slip his hand into the ponies robes, the bits in his hand left behind as he pulled away. Taking a drink, the earth pony ponched his lip out in thought. Turning back to the crowd as they walked, he cleared his throat.

"OY YAY OYAY GOOD PONIES OF CANTERLOT! TO OUR SHAME, WE HAVE ERRED IN OUR WORDS AND HAVE SENT DISMAY TO ONE FOR IT! NEW WORDS HAVE REACHED US FROM OUR BELOVED GUARD OF THE KILLERS BODY BEING FOUND IN A LOCAL RAVINE! THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN INTERRED FOR THE TIME BEING, AND WILL BE BURNED AS IS BY LAW. PUT THY HEARTS AT EASE, FOR WE ARE NOW ASSURED THAT THIS MARE DID WORK ALONE! FURTHER INQUERIES MAY BE MADE AT ANY LOCAL GUARD HOUSE OR DIRECTLY FROM CELESTIA'S STEWARD! THANK YOU FOR THY PATIENCE!"

Midnight gaped up at the human as he walked up, and stammered "Thou bribed a crier... but they... are honored members of the House of Lords..."

Frowning, David waved a hand.

"And are the bottom of the pecking order. They are poorly paid and often abused by both nobles and common who bear them ill will for merely being the messenger. And when they are not abused, they are given no notice or gratitude for their task. Theirs is a thankless duty."

Shaking her head, Midnight trotted behind David.

"Do they not fear the noose or ax> What does a few bits mean in the face of shame as traitors."

David continued on, not looking down as he spoke.

"When thou hast a foal, my dear, thou will know. When thy larders and cupboards are bare and thy art unable to be rid of the debt, and are in peril of losing all, then thou will not be so concerned of thy honor."

Coming up to the Kickers clan hold, David paused across the street. Telling the filly to wait, he walked to some humans lounging in front of a building. Indicating to a young human colt, he leaned down whispering. Nodding, the boy pocketed a bit, then picking up a rock, ran to the front of the clan hold. Two of their order stopped talking and glared at the human as he walked up, their red armor glinting in the sun. Cocking his arm, he bellowed "OY! You lobster twats, have a bit of this."

Both guards dodged the rock easily, then snarling, chased after the foal. Waving to the filly, David said "If thy enemy is of a passionate temper, anger them. The way is clear for us."

Nodding, Midnight's eyes widened as they walked. While Gale had often gushed of her clan, to see them in their hold was... Midnight shook her head. All the Kickers she'd met had all been like Lady Shadow... stern, grim faced, humorless and dedicated. But in their hold... Color of armor shifted from gold to red or in reverse as the ponies there went on and off duty. In a sparring wing, two pegasi dodged and weaved, wooden blades making a dull thunk against each other as the parried. Foals joined their elders in their exercises or sat quietly as a veteran spoke. As they walked up to a gray building, Midnight muzzle puckered from the whiff of heavily sprayed perfume and sweat wafting from the door. Whistling, David tossed the madam the bit pouch, and grinning, the old mare nickered. Midnights jaw dropped as mares demurely walked from the building, manes and tales shorn.

"What is this place..." the filly asked weakly.

"A brothel..." Midnight blushed furiously. She may have been naive, but Gale had done all she could to see she knew something of the world outside the gilded cage her mother had built. As David spoke to them, Midnight sighed. From what she could see, most of the brothel workers were earth ponies or pegasi who, from where she sat and saw, had broken or ruined their wings. Gale had often fumed at her clans profit from them, but Midnight had always thought that they were merely following their cutie marks or perhaps enjoyed their employ. Looking at them now though... At least though the Kickers protected them, Midnight thought. Still... what trials have brought them to a place like this...

As the group left, David followed, waving at Midnight. As she trotted up, David paused at a buildings corner and pressed a finger to his lips.

"Wait... be still my student... Watch..."

Midnight tilted her head as the group of mares walked up to the two stern faced stallions, who decidedly became less so as the throng drew close. After a few giggles and eye flutters, which instilled half flared wings and grins, the two pegasi followed the mares behind their building. Shrugging, David walked to the entrance to Shadows home.

Sticking out her tongue in disgust, Midnight learned a life lesson along with what David had shown: stallions were gross.

And with that thought, she followed the human into the house. Looking up, Midnight asked "Why did thou do this David>"

"As I said, to teach thee to survive. Beasts and monsters are not only in yon woods, my student, and thou must be ready if law is lawless. Do not fret. Thy will wish for this time when thy hast spent a time with me learning to live of the land."

Midnights eye twitched.

Author's Note:

A bit of something about second foals: pretty much means your a clan member, but you don't bear the name Kicker.