Just because the 'hard' part was over, didn't mean the rest was easy.

The rain started again that night, but no lightning or Pegasus sneak attack accompanied it. It was coming down so hard, the watch Ponies looked like they could never hope to be dry again.

In a way, it was a tactic similar to my erecting the Moon banners that same night. To eat at our morale.

The next morning, I took my breakfast once more underneath the city, at Breakfast Outlook. I couldn't think of a better name so I just combined the best two.

No Pegasus came down to join me, but they didn't attack again either.

If there was any response to the Moon banners fluttering in the gale the city didn't show it. But I kept them up anyway.

As hours turned into days, and days weeks, we all settled into a sort of routine.

Raids were common, Pegasi would swoop from above to deal whatever damage they could. Their main objective however were our food stores. But they were well hidden and kept small on purpose, so the raiding Pegasi never got away with more than a few hooffuls of food before they were driven off.

Lightning and trebuchet Shots would be exchanged on a semi regular basis, but never for very long. Just enough to keep the other side distracted while wasting as little as possible.

The rain however never stopped.

It pounded the ground so much that the underground rooms had to be regularly sealed to be watertight with various tars and saps harvested from local trees.

Above ground, you could scarcely believe there were thousands of Ponies nearby. If it weren't for the occasional chimney for air or smoke, or the watch Ponies keeping an eye above ground for Pegasi trying to dig their way in, you wouldn't have realized there were any Ponies at all.

When on duty, Ponies would patrol the trenches, guard the trebuchets and entrances, and keep watch on the city. When off duty, the soldiers lived in the underground rooms. It was like a miniature city all around the lake. Everything from bakeries to blacksmiths was present. The fires from these workshops helped drive away the damp cold that the rain tried to drive inside. The soldiers slept in barracks, went on duty outside, and would retire at the end of their shift to various commons rooms, which were used as a communal space to eat and entertain themselves.

Music was common, as many soldiers kept some sort of instrument on them as we traveled. Some soldiers started offering various services to each other, like farriering or darning clothes. Some took to gambling, but while I personally didn't like it, I allowed it to happen. Provided it was all monitored by disciplinary officers.

A few enterprising Ponies started breweries. That was the hardest 'disciplinary' decision I had to make. My personal opinion aside, I did not want my soldiers drunk and unable to fight. It all came to a head when some Ponies got into a drunken brawl.

I put the brawlers on latrine duty for a month.

As for the stills, I had confiscated and given to Gold Note.

My ruling was that one ration of alcohol once per week per Pony would be supplied by the Quartermaster's staff.

No Pony was happy with that, but they didn't complain when I pointed out I could ban the substance entirely.

Thankfully, it was rather rare for Ponies to be brought before me for disciplinary measures. Most of the Captains could handle the more minor cases, only giving the worst to me for dealing with. They would come to my quarters, I would interrogate them for a bit, and sentence the guilty party. Most often they came in for fighting each other or stealing from the stores, which I strictly prohibited due to my strategy of attrition. I would put them in a stockade, that usually was enough. But I did have to sentence another hanging. The culprit had murdered one of his comrades.

I left his body to hang from the gallows all day, so everypony in the army would know the consequences as they walked by.

As for my quarters, I managed to get a cot to go along with my bedroll. As well as various stout logs to use as chairs around an empty crate I had commandeered, on which permanently sat a map of the area, underground tunnels and trenches included.

My day usually went something like this.

I would wake up, just after dawn. Go have breakfast underneath the city with the white flag I had started to keep on my person. When I was done, I would return, give the extra breakfast to the first Pony I saw. Which was usually Stygian or Gold Note. I would then walk a lap around the lake, personally checking to see how each section was doing. When I got back, I would look over any of the nonurgent reports, and plot. I usually skipped lunch, It didn't feel right for me to have an extra meal when the common soldier only got breakfast and supper. I would try to hold a meeting with my Captains, listening to any concerns or ideas they had. One of the ideas I approved of was an old Earth Pony invention. When Pegasi and Earth Ponies used to wage war, the Earth Ponies would take a long copper rod, and stick it into the ground to draw away the Pegasi lightning, protecting themselves.

I had them put up several of the copper rods, mainly protecting the areas around the trebuchet batteries.

It worked like a charm.

I would then usually have my dinner, stay up late going over the day's reports, and then fall asleep. Only to repeat the whole process the next day.

Of course, I was often pulled away from this routine. Usually by something urgent like another raid or an inspection.

It was on such an inspection where I made a mistake that would haunt me.

Next Chapter: Chapter 112 The Memories Part 71 Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 16 Minutes