Unicornia was the jewel of the North. Its tall walls of white granite gleamed in the sunlight as the city rose off its mountain top. The roofs of the city looked almost to be delicate in their intricacy, the eves of carved stone gently curving into majestic swirls and facades of filigree. Banners of all colors hung from the various high towers. Signifying which Noble House they belonged to. But from the highest tower, which was in the very center of the city, waved the flag of the Crown of Unicornia.

The distant gate closed as I watched from a nearby ridge.

As it shut, a translucent shield flickered into existence, forming a bubble around the whole city, and shimmering as it fully stabilized in the bright sunlight.

"Orders General?" Captain Short List asked from my side.

While he wasn't much of a fighter, he had been most excellent managing the upkeep of the camp during the Siege of Pegasopolis.

"Make camp behind this ridge and out of direct sight." I began. "Dig a trench along the ridge, I don't suspect we'll be using it as often as we did in Pegasopolis, but it'll serve as a fine defensive measure should we need it. Catapults and siege engines behind that. Prioritize the trebuchets because of their range." I listed off. "And fly my banners. I want them to know I'll be having none of their Sun worshiping nonsense."

"As you wish Ma'am." he bowed slightly, backing away to pass along my orders.

"Captain Flash." I called out.

The stallion that had surrendered Pegasopolis to me stepped forward.

"Ma'am?" he asked.

I hadn't been too sure about him at first, but Comet had vouched for him as his own replacement while he had taken Pegasopolis back South. His reason was something about being in bootcamp together. And thus far Flash had not disappointed me.

"I want a patrol of Pegasi around the city. Watch for anypony trying to run. If you can, I want the troop numbers inside the city, but keep your distance. I don't want to lose a whole patrol because somepony got cocky."

"Yes Ma'am." the stallion nodded.

"Captain Bright Shine." I called next.

"General." the mare dourly nodded.

"How sure are you of your soldiers' shields? We'll be needing them more than ever here."

"I'm not entirely happy with their state, but given the circumstances and the amount of training we've had to do I can't complain."

"Set them in Short List's trench then. I want them to keep the fire off our camp."

"Yes General." she nodded again, stepping back.

"Captain Appleflower?" I called next.

Appleflower steped forward, her new Casúrdomhainian steel prosthetics gleaming from fresh polish.

She was the one I wanted here the least. While I didn't want Tia here either, she at least wasn't a cripple like Appleflower. But I hadn't been able to dissuade either of them.

"How are your recruits? Could they handle a charge?" I asked.

"Aye. I'd reckon they'd do just fine." she nodded.

"Position them in the trench then. Provide a deterrent in the form of a possible counter-charge." I explained. "It'll be the exact opposite of Pegasopolis. The Crown is going to hold back and pound us until their defenses are broken. Then and only then will they take to the field."

"Aye General Lu." she nodded respectfully.

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. Appleflower was a Pony I considered my friend, and I really did not like treating her like a soldier.

"Captain Hurricane? Smart Cookie?" I called finally.

Cookie and the former 'Commander' stepped forward. Hurricane saluted smartly.

She had accompanied Tia when she had brought the reinforcements. I would've been a fool to waste her experience.

"Aye General." Hurricane said as she saluted.

"Would you both care to accompany me as I ask for parlay?" I asked.

"Wouldn't miss it." Cookie smiled.

"Aye Ma'am." Hurricane reported.

"Excellent. Shall we then?" I asked, pulling out my freshly cleaned white flag from my cloak.

And like that, the three of us descended the hill we had topped.

The valley between us and Unicornia was a grassy plain. A welcome change from sunbaked rock and wet mud, although I wasn't sure how long the grass would last.

It was about two thirds of a mile to the City walls, and the three of us spent the time quietly as we trotted across the distance.

The city's shield glimmered as a smaller door in the giant gate was opened, producing four Ponies in gleaming gold.

We stopped our trek at about half way to the gate and let the four Ponies approach.

"You are trespassing on the sovereign soil of Unicornia! Turn back now or suffer the consequences!" cried a mare's voice as they drew near.

"Well well well." I tsked sarcastically when I realized I knew two of the Ponies before me. "Look who it is."

While two of the gold clad Ponies had held back, likely because they were there as merely guards, the two mares that had stepped forward were ones I knew exceedingly well.

Emerald Gleam and Sapphire Shine stood before me, now fully grown and bearing the helmet crests of senior officers to the Crown.

"I'm surprised you survived the Windegos Sapphire. I thought everypony who ran away didn't make it." I grinned, happy as happy could be that these Ponies in particular would be my opponents. "But I guess everypony can be wrong can't they?"

While Emerald's eyes hardened, Sapphire's eyes grew wide as she began to shake.

"L-L-L-Lu-" she stammered in fright.

"Begone from our land Night Traitor!" Emerald snarled. "We know what sort of monster you are!"

"Oh interesting." I commented. "And what, pray tell, kind of monster am I?"

"Do you think me blind?! I can see those Moon banners of yours!" Emerald exclaimed, pointing behind me.

I looked behind me to see that indeed, my Moon banners were being raised above the hilltop.

I looked back at Sapphire and Emerald.

"And?" I asked.

"And? What do you mean 'and'?!" Emerald screeched. "And nothing! You're a heretic! A filthy heretic! I'm going to enjoy crushing you all and hanging you in particular from the gate!"

At least we could agree on that. I was going to enjoy taking my vengeance on the two before me.

"So you aren't surrendering then?" I grinned.

"What?! No we're not surrendering!" Emerald exclaimed angrily. "If anything you should surrender! Maybe I can convince the Queen to be merciful and only burn you at the stake!"

"Sorry Emerald. I must decline." I grinned. "You see, I have things I need to do that don't involve being burned or hanged. Come on guys. We're wasting our breath here."

I turned and walked away, straining my ears for the tell tale scrape of hooves on the ground.

Oh please. Please give me a reason to draw my sword right now. I may be here to prevent Eternal Winter, but I'd be lying if I said fighting Emerald and Sapphire wasn't the cherry on top.

But they didn't attack when I turned my back. Instead they huffed and returned back to their city.

Cookie and Flash followed me, not having said a word the whole time.

"So uh..." Cookie started when we got out of ear shot. "I take it there's some... Bad history between the three of you?"

"Bad history?! I'm surprised we didn't see the start of a blood feud!" Flash said in awe.

"That's one way to put it yes." I nodded. "We were born in the same village, and they tormented me the whole time I was a filly."

"Ah..." Cookie sighed. "I guess that explains your end... But what made them hate you so much?"

"No clue."

We made it back to the burgeoning war camp without issue.

"Change of plans." I announced when I passed by my waiting Captains. "I want a rotation of Unicorns and trebuchets hitting that city at all hours." I stated, trotting past. "Pegasi, see if you can rustle up a few thunderclouds. I want you to squeeze as much lightning out of them as you can get. If that shield isn't being pounded day and night then I'm going to be very upset. Dismissed."

I continued my trot, towards the nearest form of the setting up trebuchet.

"Luna?" called a familiar voice.

I stopped with a sigh.

"Yes Tia?" I asked without turning around.

"What happened? You seem... Tense." Tia remarked.

I guess she'll learn sooner or later anyway.

"... Guess who's the commanding General for Unicornia?" I asked.

"Uh... I'm not sure I know anypony who would-"

"It was both Emerald and Sapphire." I stated, fighting down a growl that threatened to escape.

"... Really? Aren't they a little young to be commanding Unicornia's forces?" Tia replied.

"Look Tia. I don't know what to tell you. They're the ones who came to parlay, and they both wore high rank marks."

"Lu please. I'm only trying to understand." Tia said sadly.

I sighed.

She was right. Tia wasn't the one I was mad at.

"I'm sorry Tia." I admitted softly. "I know it's not fair to you. I just need some space is all."

"... What are you going to do with that space then?" Tia asked.

"I'm going to help erect the trebuchets. And then I'm never giving anypony in that city a chance to rest or sleep until they give up or break." I admitted.

"Be careful Lu. I gave you this duty to make them surrender, not slaughter everypony in those walls. I don't want you to condemn all the innocent Ponies inside because of two Ponies you happen to know."

"I know Tia." I said sadly. "I'm trying."

I didn't give Tia a chance to respond, I continued on my way, now feeling slightly deflated.

But...

Letting the ghosts of the past rest be damned. Until they gave up... I was going to make Emerald and Sapphire suffer.

Now, with some wind back in my sails... I strode forward once more.

"Hello." I called out to the foremare of this trebuchet battery. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Oh General!" the mare looked up from where she was unspooling a length of rope. "Um... If you want to help, you can help me thread this rope through the loops."

"Yeah. I can do that." I smiled.