Part Three
Truth.
It was the last thing that Ironforge had expected from the enemy and yet..as things had turned out that is exactly what he had gotten. He had not believed it at the time of course - who would? But that did not alter the fact that the brown mare's words had been proven.
A deep breath as the white stallion watched the lightning crack across the night sky. It was a long night, not the first of his life and likely not the last but long none the less. It had been a long time since an attack by his memories and he wasn't entirely sure what had triggered this one - except perhaps the time of year, always at this time of year he began to think back, to recall..to regret and it made fall the worst time of all.
Long experience told Ironforge that tonight's horrors were not yet finished, there was more yet to come, the memories once released never stopped, never abated until he had concluded the entire journey..and there was yet one more step to go.
Falling asleep was out of the question and so these last memories often came as more of a waking dream born of exhaustion then anyways else, the visions dancing over eyes still open, memories written across the stormy sky until they seemed more real then reality.
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The visit from the brown mare was hardly the last of his time in captivity. The brown mare - Queen Sylva - had told him that he was to be returned home and yet this did not seem to be the case. Ironforge was not surprised , the mare had said many things and the majority of them he was sure were lies, things said to break him. It was strange however that no one had come to ask him any questions. Interrogation he had thought was always the only reason which made sense for why he had been spared.
But no interrogation seemed to be forthcoming, instead he was left, guarded but alone, fed but hungry, alive...but painfully wounded. A shell of his former self, weak, thin, once luxurious coat a ragged matted mess, the wounds recieved in that last battle still oozed, some were painfully swollen. If Ironforge knew that he was indeed to be returned home he might have spent more time worrying about how those wounds were healing and what it might mean for the future.
As it was such things were not foremost in his mind, the white stallion honestly did not expect to live and worrying over such things seemed like a pointless use of the time he had left. Days seemed to drag by, an endless cycle that grew foggy and ill defined until when, at long last, the day of his release appeared Ironforge wasn't entirely sure how long he had been captive. It could not have been more then half a moon cycle judging by the progress of his wounds healing.
It was almost a surprise when the day came, when the guards hustled him to his feet and forced him from the dank,dark cave in which he had been kept only to thrust him blinking and stumbling into the sunlight to the sounds of stomping hooves and jeering tones.
"Behold citizens!" Came the voice of the queen form somewhere up above him but when he stopped to turn and look for her he found himself rudely pushed forward by the jabbing horn of his unicorn guard, normally such a jab would not had done much to the massive fluffy stallion but Ironforge found himself so weak that even this small jostle has him stumbling to one knee...much to the joy of the watching crowds who cackled and laughed in glee at his struggles.
"Yes behold citizens, the white mountain, the stallion once feared now reduced to little more then a mewling colt, hardly capable of keeping on his hooves." Came the taunting voice of the Queen. Having learned that looking for her meant getting shoved Ironforge merely got his feet back under him and with more not so gentle prodding began to walk down the opened pathway before him, His progress was slow..and made even slower by the Queens subjects who heckled him with kicked stones, nips and jostles as he went. She was trying to humiliate him, Ironforge knew this...but there was nothing he could do about it in his current condition and so he merely flattened his ears and went on.
It took a while to leave the jeering, laughing crowd behind and Ironforge half expected to be rounded up and returned to the cave she had kept him - that this 'release' of her was merely another trick to further dishearten him. But with each step he put more distance between himself and the vicious queen and with more distance Ironforge was forced to realize that he was in fact free. Or as free as a failed General ever was, the cries of his fallen brethren would forever chain him, that he had already figured out..but at least he could return and tell the families what had happened.
It was a slow trek this walk home, some days he barely managed five miles, others he went ten, the weather played as much of a factor as his wounds and both slowed him, they were like partners working in tandem to bring his freedom to a sudden but perhaps welcome end. That end would have to wait however - no matter how much Ironforge wished to give up and die he knew that he could not...not until he had completed his self appointed mission to bring closure to the mates and children of his fallen troops. Even slow progress was progress and while it took him far longer then it ever should have Ironforge at long last crested one last ridge and found himself looking upon the sheltered valley in which his Queen was supposed to be living. Whatever remained of the herd and her Kingdom would be with her and while it looked to be a vibrant valley it had to be woefully overcrowded.
"Ge-general Ironforge?" Came a voice from under a nearby bush, a voice that seemed to be disbelieving his existence.
It was a voice he knew well..and Ironforge was in equal disbelief to be hearing it as the Wopletinger was apparently at seeing him alive. Lowering his head Ironforge peered under the bush. "Prospector?" The Wopletinger had been a scout with his unit, he hadn't been aware that any of them had made it out alive..but it was good to see that he wasn't the only survivor.
"Yes Sir, Is it really you?...we were promised your release but it has been so long that we were beginning to think that you hadn't made it." The Wopletinger replied as he crawled from the bush, standing on his haunches to get a better look at the stallion before him. "You look like hell.." He finally remarked.
"I know." Ironforge remarked in a weary fashion, though he kept the remainder of his reply to himself. There was no point in admitting to Prospector that a part of him had continued to hope he wouldn't make it. "Are you on duty?" He asked the Wopletinger "I must report to the Queen, if your free I wouldn't mind the company.."
"Afraid so, but I'll find you later and see how it went..just.just don't expect to much.." The Wopletinger warned him in a sad sounding voice before disappearing back into the brush before Ironforge could ask him what he meant.
With Prospector gone Ironforge turned his attention to making his way further into the valley. It was not long before he was met by several of the Queens guards, young stallions that Ironforge did not recognize..but from their brash and bold attitudes he assumed they were only recently appointed and quite full of their new positions in life. "Sir Ironforge..her Majesty would like to see you." The head guard informed him in an important sounding tone.
"I would like to see her as well." Ironforge replied, his voice kept carefully neutral. "But I did not realize that I needed such an escort to do so."
"No offense Sir..but you were with the enemy for a great deal of time." One of the guards replied. "You can not blame the Queen for being careful now can you?"
Ironforge was somewhat taken aback by this statement..not only was it absurd to think that he, in his current state, could pose any sort of threat to the Queen...but it was highly offensive to have it even implied about him. He was Ironforge, trusted General, beloved servant...friend, to both the herd and the Queen. Or..he had though he was. Something was wrong and while the words of the enemy echoed in his mind when he thought this...he still refused to believe that any of the evil Queens lies could be true. A large part of the shaggy stallion, the proud part, wanted to bluster and act offended at the guards implications..but an even larger part desired to see his queen and make this right. If he needed to be escorted to her like a common prisoner in order to do that then...he would. "Very well, take me to her at once." He commanded in a tone of steel and was somewhat pleased to see that the younger stallions came to attention at his command. It was nice to know that he still had some of his old influence.
Surrounding him the young stallions escorted him swiftly to the Queen, falling back but remaining close as they reached her. Looking upon her Ironforge would never have known she had recently lost a battle - but then, like most royalty Ironforge was sure that she had never actually seen any of the fights which were fought in her name. Bowing as low as his battered body would allow him Ironforge gave the Queen his greeting. "Your Majesty...you wished to see me?"
"You of course..good Ironforge. We had begun to think you lost to us."
"Like my troops?" Ironforge replied, rising after the Queens greeting to look upon her.
"Yes, quite a pity that the ruse did not work. I'm sure they were all fine fighters and the herd will miss them." The Queen assured him but the look on her face did not match the sympathy in her voice and Ironforge's eye narrowed slightly.
"Ruse was it? They were more then fine fighter's, they were good loyal creatures - the best of the herd and all you can do it offer your fake sympathy? Your not even telling the right Soquili! You should be assuring their families that their sacrifice was appreciated..was for something greater then a failed plan, a plan that I could have told you wouldn't work - if only you had warned me before hand...I could have saved them all..." Ironforge returned, his argument started out strong but ended in a mere whisper as he recalled the end of his fellows. But if Ironforge was broken by the fate of the other Soquili, the Queen was barely moved. If anything she looked angry..not at their loss but that Ironforge would dare speak to her in such a manner.
"Come now, you have been through much but you are being foolish..perhaps you are still delirious from your wounds. You know as well as I that such things are necessary in times of war." The Queen replied sternly, glancing at the guards who took a half step closer in a thinly veiled warning.
"Foolish? No, it is not my words now that are foolish..I can see now that you are little more then a petulant child, your father before you was a grand King but you..you are nothing and my only foolishness was in serving you at all." Ironforge told her, bravely glaring at her and ignoring the guards and their angry looks.
"That is treason Ironforge, I have bargained back your life and this is the thanks I receive?"
"I wish that you had not, my death in that place would have been an unequal payment for the lives of my fellows..but at least it would have been something more then your own hollow words."
"If you feel this way then so be it. I ought to have you killed but I am not without mercy, leave these lands you battered, broken old fool..you are are hardly the Knight my father thought you to be, doddering and senile it's about time you were put out to pasture." The queen had snarled at him, vicious anger marring her otherwise lovely face..and while the ugly look did not match the pretty face Ironforge had the feeling that this was the first time he had seen her for who she really was. "Run him off!" She ordered the guards "And don't be gentle about it!."
Ironforge could barely recall the remainder of that fateful afternoon. The guards had attacked quickly, seeking, as far as he could tell, to kill rather then simply run off as the Queen had commanded. They had almost succeeded - his body had hardly been in the condition to fend them off and although he had made it from the clearing where he had met the queen they had quickly toppled him over outside. They were young and inexperienced however and a diversion - thanks to Prospector, whom had come running at the disturbance - had allowed him the chance to escape.
Never again, Ironforge had sworn to himself..never again would he serve someone else's goals.
