# Ponyfinder: Roots of Stone

## by David Silver

### 67 - When in Rome

A day later, hiking through the warm and increasingly warmer sun as the ground become more and more dry, they spotted a force approaching.

Though Fast readied for battle, that readiness faded abruptly as she saw the colors being flown and the cut of the ponies that made up the band. "Imperialists! Praise the sun! I wouldn't have guessed that."

They marched in strict lines, each the same distance from one another as they made their way towards the group. At their front was a black-furred pegasus in gold or brass armor, much like the rest. He led them silently until they came close enough to speak, held up a hoof, and his entire group of ready-looking ponies came to a halt. "Fast Shadow, we had given you up for dead, and here you are, where few ponies would care to be." He held up a hoof towards himself. "I am Rome Silvanus, loyal to the Queen and not her pretenders. I trust your loyalties remain steadfast?"

Paul looked over the armored ponies. "Who in hell are these folk, Fast?"

Fast waved it off gently. "One moment, Paul. Yes, it's me, Fast Shadow. I'm not dead yet, and I have something of great interest for the empire."

"Oh? You had my curiosity, then stole my interest. What do you have?" Rome stepped forward, ears upright and directed at her before he paused. "I'm getting ahead of myself. This is no place to exchange information. Fall into formation and we'll return to camp. The area has been secured as best as we can and we can speak freely." He turned away. "I trust you have no objection to this?"

They fell in with the soldiers and began marching. Tabitha moved beside Fast. "You didn't mention you were famous or anything like that. Wait, does him being here mean we're in pony lands officially now?"

Fast shook her head. "I'm surprised to see him this far afield. They must be up to something if they'd come this way. I doubt we'll find out what until we're where he feels ready to speak. As for being famous, I was a mercenary of some renown, and not shy about being in favor of the Queen's time on the throne. Of course, at the time, I thought I was remembering long past times, now I can remember it quite clearly. Throws a new light on things."

Maud tilted her head slowly. "But you were there when she died, and before she became a Queen. How does no one remember you?"

Fast raised a brow. "That's a fine question, but I'm getting the idea the answer involves gods, at least one in particular. As she writes it, so it is, even if she decides to re-use a character." She clucked her tongue. "I'm not sure if that's a blessing or a curse. To be honest, I won't be too upset if my next go around is blissfully ignorant of this."

One of the soldiers strayed close to Tabitha. "Excus--"

"Back in file," barked Rome, glancing back at them with a scowl that sent the soldier quickly hustling back to his position. "Sorry for the interruption."

Tree looked around slowly as they marched. "So, he knows you, but do you grok him? Are you two friends?"

"Never met him," confessed Fast. "But he has the look of someone on the right side of this, so I want to hear what he has to say."

They came into a large camp. Ponies were sharpening weapons, repairing and polishing armor, and generally performing the tasks that kept such a large camp operating in the first place. Rome held up a hoof, stopping his men. "Alright, disperse. Follow standard schedule for duties. I'll be in my tent. We may be making a move, so be ready. Dismissed!"

With the sound of dozens on dozens of ponies saluting in armor, they scattered through the camp, leaving Rome to his guests. "If you'll follow me, kindly."

They followed him to a tent that looked much like the others. Tabitha eyed it skeptically as they approached. "Doesn't look like the leader's tent to me. It's not any bigger at all."

"Good." Rome glanced back at her. "They won't know where to focus their assassinations. I don't need a tent larger than this." He brushed open the flap of the tent with a hoof. "Head in. I wasn't raised in a barn, guests first."

Tree tipped her head at her guest. "Blessings."

"And blessings to you." Rome quirked an ear. "What god do you call to?"

Tree slipped inside with the others, carried in the traffic. "I listen to the song of the trees, of nature itself. I guess you could say I worship that."

"Possibly."

"But I like the Sun Queen, and she's been truly radical for me."

"Then we are well met." Rome stepped inside, letting the flap close behind. "May the Sun Queen smile on a new empire, stronger than the one before. Not to besmirch the name of the Queen, may she rest in peace."

Paul glanced around the spartan tent. "Right, well, name's Paul, nice to meet you...?"

"Rome Silvanus." Rome sat down beside a desk. He looked to Tabitha. "And you?"

Tabitha sank in a curtsey without toppling. "Tabitha, m'lord."

Rome raised a brow. "Not a lord yet, and may never be, but thank you." He turned his gaze towards Tree Hugger.

She raised a hoof. "Tree Hugger."

"There's a name that speaks true. And last, but I wager not least?"

"Maud Pie."

Rome nodded. "All in the company of Fast Shadow, one of the few Seekers willing to charge directly into the human lands in search of what could cure the empire's woes. Well, did you find it?"

Fast pulled open the flap of her saddlebag with her snout and soon had the crown drawn free. Rome's eyes widened. "By the gods. I'm no incanter, and even I can feel its import." He held out a hoof. "Let me examine it."

She drew the crown close. "I've been given this task by the gods themselves. They've made it clear I'm to see it to the rightful Queen, or King. I'll do just that."

Rome frowned at her. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We fight on the same side, and you are not an agent of her army. Allow me to inspect it."

Before an answer could be given, the wall to the left ripped open as a blade cut through it, revealing a trio of ponies in black that pushed in quickly and quietly aside from the noise of tearing cloth.

Rome made a motion to shout for help, but no noise escaped him at all. All sound vanished from around them. The fight was on. He drew a blade along with Paul, moving to engage the interlopers even as Fast stuffed away the crown.

The ponies seemed to have an interest in Fast and pressed for her, but neither Paul nor Rome were ready to allow that, intercepting two of them with wild swings. The other charged for Fast as Tabitha tried her magic. Like Tree, she was powerless to cast in the quieted area. Unlike them, Bright Feather needed no words to dive at the assailing pony and drive his stone-hard beak into an exposed skull with a strike that surely would have been loud if hadn't been silenced.

The blow was delay enough to turn Fast around, lance brought to bear at her side. With a silent cry, she met her attacker in a spirited charge. The pony rolled off to the side in an agile motion and came up with a dagger in its mouth that skidded across her thick armor in a shower of sparks. Not one to be ignored, Bright kept up his attack on the pony, driving talons and beak into the pony in the midst of what may have been a rousing duel, wearing down the attacker.

Rome drove his blade into the cloth of one of the silent attackers, revealing metal underneath. Paul came down with his heavy blade, knocking the pony back, and catching a dagger across the arm in return. It burned as whatever it was coated in seared through his veins in a hot rush.

Throwing herself at them suddenly, Tree entered the fray as a bear, driving at one of the silent attackers with great, if quiet, paws and gnashing teeth suited just as well for gutting a fish as it was prying apart their metal armor.

The pony facing Fast ducked around her lance and came up, slicing her saddlebag with his blade and sending its contents, along with the crown, scattering across the floor. The pony dove for them, just to catch Fast's hoof as she caught his head between herself and the sandy floor. She drove downward, crushing the would-be thief with a silent snarl.

The other two attackers backed away suddenly before vanishing from whence they came, simply disappearing.

"Damn." Rome frowned. "They must have teleported, or we'd still be silent." He turned on Fast. "Is that one still alive?"

"Afraid not." Fast stepped off the pony even as she scooped her crown back up from the floor. "He underestimated how much I planned to keep this."

Rome waved a hoof. "You did nothing wrong, but questioning them would have been useful. Tree Hugger, I'm guessing based on your name, but you are a druid, are you not?"

"Totally." She moved for Paul. "Hold still." She banished his wounds with a soft whisper to nature.

Tabitha shook her head quickly. "That was just terrible. I couldn't do anything!"

Fast tucked the crown on the other side of her saddlebag. "Oldest trick in the book. Silence spell. It was probably cast on one of the two that ran away."

Rome grunted softly. "It seems even my camp isn't assured safety, but where is, in these troubled times? I'll have a fresh set of bags brought for you. It's more important now than ever that you succeed in your task. Where do you plan to go? The closer you get to the heart of the empire, the more resistance you may face."

Fast's expression soured. "Why? I'm getting them another queen, damn it all. They should be celebrating, not sending assassins."

Rome chuckled softly. "Some would rather keep their petty powers, to say nothing of the pretenders..."

Fast shook her head slowly. "Bring us up to speed on what's been going on while I struggled to fetch this."