Fauchard +
+ just a bit of
((For the sake of the timeline, this scene is after Friesden first calls Fauchard “Dad” but before the forging of the legendary Excalibunny and the beginning of her training with him.))
Two days after the merchant slaughter. Fauchard goes to visit Lady Virtue’s office alone. He sees his son there standing guard by the door, his first full day in his new position. Glaive stands looking professional, he asks Fauchard about his business and then opens the door a crack. “Lady Virtue. Fauchard would like to speak with you. Should I let him in?”
“Yes, send him in,” she responds. She puts aside the stock records she’d been updating, trying to account for everything left by the rainbows in the slaughter. Things she would try to return to the caravan owners later if she ever got a chance.
The door opens all the way and Fauchard steps inside. Glaive stays in the hall and closes the door. “Lady Virtue.” Fauchard bows awaiting her to begin the conversation.
She smiles at him in turn and waits for him to return his eyes to hers. “Hello, Mr. Fauchard. How can I help you?” she asks, trying to imagine for herself what it might be.
Fauchard speaks, “I have two things I would like to discuss with you Baroness. One involves the whole of Dawnpick, and the other is a personal matter, that involves myself and another of this town.”
Virtue fights to keep her expression straight at the mention that he wanted to discuss something related to the whole of Dawnpick. She didn’t need more bad news right now... she really, really, really didn’t. But perhaps it wasn’t fair to assume everypony was only going to come to her with bad news. She clears her throat and asks, “Alright. What is it?”
Fauchard rises and looks Virtue in the eyes. “First, I would like to talk about the Rainbow situation. I...have experience in the arts of war, and I would just like to offer my expertise to you. I have a few suggestions I would make, if you will hear them.”
So, it was about that. At least it wasn’t worse news about the entire situation. She suppresses the hint of a frown that wanted to edge onto her face, and replies, “O-Of course. I... I must admit I’m still at a bit of a loss over the entire situation. Any advice... anything at all, would be most appreciated.”
Fauchard dives into his advice. “Well firstly, I would say that you have done very well in defending this town so far. I would not desire to be the commanding officer of the force trying to siege this place. That said, I do see a few weaknesses. Firstly, when the dragon came it was able to get inside because the gate was already open. From what I see that is the usual state of it. Where I the Rainbow commander, I would probably try to send some ponies to ambush the gate and destroy the mechanism to raise it before sending in my main force. You should consider keeping it closed whenever possible and keep an armed watch nearby it if it must be left open.”
She nods judiciously. That was a good suggestion... and something that should have been pretty obvious. Maybe she hadn’t completely failed on the defenses, but the gate was undeniably a weak point. “It... was a hassle when we were first setting up the mine to keep the gate open. With Flux’s traps in place we had never had anything actually make it inside... but the dragon was a bit of a wakeup call there.” She thinks for a moment. “Keeping it closed would be a much better option... perhaps we should try to find some way to bridge the mines inside the walls...”
“Hmm, well I’m hardly a mining engineer milady, but perhaps if the outside mine entrance was collapsed we could make a new tunnel inside the walls? That would be a risk if the enemy came to know of it, but if it could be sealed in an emergency, perhaps. My second suggestion was to have some kind of early warning system in place. In most towns a bell, usually manned by a member of the militia or guard would be rung to signal all the civilians of imminent danger, allowing them to know to go wherever they are supposed to go during an attack.”
“That would make sense...” she trails off, trying to imagine the best place to set up such a thing. “So far, we’ve been more or less hiding in the dining hall’s cellar whenever trouble shows up. We don’t have a particularly good method of alerting everypony though... mostly just running around and shouting.” She thinks a moment more. “We could set up a bell of some sort at the dining hall itself perhaps... or the central dorms. Or maybe something magical...”
“Well whichever, we do should work fine, so long as everypony knows about it. But I have one final suggestion. The prison cells are downstairs correct? Would it be possible to expand the basement of the keep so that in case of attack civilians could hide inside it? It is the most fortified building, and the best place for a final stand if that was ever necessary. Preferably with a stockpile of food and drink...and weapons, just in case.”
Also not a bad idea. To be perfectly honest she didn’t like the idea of anypony having to go near the jail, but if it came down to needing someplace to hide, it probably was one of the better places. Expanding it and fortifying it further... not a bad idea. It was close to the food and drink already, which meant it should be easy to expand. “I believe that’s a good idea... yes.” She sighs. “I suppose this would be a good time to finish setting up the crenelations on the keep’s roof too. I’ve been... putting it off for other things... didn’t think we’d ever need to really defend the keep...”
“Unfortunately it is possible that we may need it sooner than we would like. There is one other thing I would like to discuss lady, if you will, but it is of a slightly personal matter.
She couldn’t imagine what that would be about, but she gives him a reassuring smile. Well, the best she could manage with the way she felt. “Of course... if you feel comfortable discussing it?”
“I would like to first ask, about the filly Friesden. I don’t know if I fully understand the situation, but she is without parents, yes?”
That was a bit of a sore topic. She’d mostly managed to forget about that horrible night by now, but seeing the filly reminded her of it sometimes... “I... I’m not really sure, if I’m perfectly honest.” Which made her feel worse, come to think of it. She knew Glyph had left Dawnpick, but hadn’t followed through to ensure Friesden was with somepony... “She had been staying with Glyph, but he left with Stiletto around a month ago. I... I assumed she was staying with Kat... but I’m not sure...”
“Yes, she has been staying with Kat, whom she calls Scary-Lady, for a while, but she has been visiting my home an increasing amount and...well she reminds me of the daughter I lost, which was only made stronger when yesterday, she called me “Dad.” I would, if it is possible, like to adopt Friesden, to make her officially my foal.” Fauchard looks Virtue in the eyes, his expression hopeful.
She’s taken by surprise by that. “Oh... if that’s what you want, then... yes, I’d like to help you there. Very much.” By what about Friesden? Did she really call Kat Scary-Lady? “She’s still a minor... but does she want this too?”
Fauchard nods, “I think she does yes. When...when she saw the bodies at the Depot two days ago, she came running to me, and she hugged onto me and cried till she fell asleep. When she woke...she called me Dad, for the first time. I haven’t
asked her about my adopting her, but I didn’t even know if that would be possible yet. If you want to speak with her first. I can fetch her for you, or...”
“Hmm...” she raises a hoof to her chin. Technically it wasn’t even Friesden’s decision. All she had to do was sign off on a piece of paper and it was done. But the poor filly had been through enough. She wanted to make
certain that she’d be happy. “Maybe it would be for the best? I’m more than happy to help make that happen, but I do think it would be best to have her opinion.”
Fauchard nods, “I understand. Would you like for me to go bring her here?”
She nods. “Yes, if you don’t mind?”
Fauchard stands, “Not at all,” and exits the door behind him.
_____________________________________
Several minutes later, Fauchard returns to Virtue’s office with Friesden. After Glaive let’s them in Fauchard turns to the Baroness. “I have brought her as you asked, would you like me to wait outside?”
She thinks for a moment. Perhaps that was for the best. “Yes, for just a minute, please.”
Fauchard takes his leave, leaving the filly and the baroness alone in her office.
Friesden sits there nervously, not really knowing why mrs Virtue wanted to see her. She didn’t speak, waiting for her to start talking.
Virtue smiles at her, trying to give her a calming expression. “Hello Friesden. I’ve got something I wanted to ask you...” She makes sure that Fauchard is out of the office before continuing. “Do you like Mr. Fauchard?”
“Uh-huh,” Friesden said. “Da-Um. Mister Fauchard is really nice and tells me all the best stories...And...And he makes the nightmares go away.”
She nods. “That’s good to hear. He came to me a little while ago and asked me about you, but I want to ask you too. He wants you to come live with him. Would you like to do that?”
“Uh-huh!” nodded Friesden enthusiastically. “That’d be nice!”
Her smile widens a bit. “Good, I’m glad to hear that!” She looks at her a bit more intently. “Now... he asked me something else too. He... wants to be your dad. If you’d like that... I can make that happen.”
Friesden couldn’t help herself. She started jumping up and down in excitement. “Really? Really? Can you? Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with bunnies on top?”
She nods enthusiastically and grins a bit. Seeing the filly so excited was doing wonders for her depression. “I certainly can. Hold on just a moment and I’ll do just that.” She goes to let Fauchard in, giving him a big smile as she motions for him to return with her. As she returns to her desk, she sifts through a few forms stored in a nearby cabinet and places it on the desk. “All I have to do is sign off here.” She places her signature on the paper and turns it to Fauchard. “And you too, if you agree to adopt her?” she says with a smile.
Fauchard a wide smile across his face, grabs for a quill with his magic, “Of course, I do.” and he signs his name in the appropriate spot, before passing the form back to Virtue.
Friesden continues jumping up and down, before jumping onto Fauchard and giving him a big hug after he signs. “Thank you Dad!” she says, happiness in her voice.
Virtue gives a small grin to them both and tucks the paper away. “Alright then, it’s done! Mr. Fauchard is officially your daddy now.”
Fauchard returns the hug Friesden, no his daughter, was giving him. “Thank you Virtue. You have done a truely good thing for us today?” He looks down at his daughter, “We should go tell your big brother Glaive, and sister Falcata the good news. What do you think?”
“Uh-huh!” says Friesden with a nod. “That sounds good, dad!”
Fauchard stands, “Thank you again Lady Virtue” and the two ponies head out the door.
Glaive makes a mental note to himself to see about making the baroness’s office more sound proof but that was second to the current situation, his father had adopted Friesden, and he couldn’t be happier about that. As Fauchard and Friesden walk out door they see Glaive waiting he smiles at them. “Hello Father, sister. Your meeting with Virtue went well?”
“Uh-huh! Fauchard’s my dad now!” says Friesden in happiness, almost bouncing up and down in her sheer joy.
Glaive smiles. “That is wonderful news, Friesden. I am happy to be able to call you sister. You should go and tell Falcata, she’ll be happy to hear the good news.”
“Uh-huh!” says Friesden happily. “We’ll see you later, big brother!” She jumps up and gives him a big hug first.
Author
Topic: Dawnpick (My Little Fortress) (Read 225529 times)