//------------------------------// // Of Books and Blades // Story: Where Black Stars Rise // by Corah Il Cappo //------------------------------// The trek across the desert seemed to be dragging on forever. Twilight knew it had only been three days, but it felt so much longer than that. The days were hot, with the sun beating down on her back like a molten hammer upon an anvil. The nights were cold, and the thin blanket she had been given barely did anything to stop the frigid night breezes from chilling her to the bone. Blueblood seemed to be faring a bit better than she had, or at the very least, he was better at hiding his discomfort from her. She did notice that he seemed to be talking a bit less, and that his hooves seemed to be fixing his mane a lot more often. Twilight really wished she knew where the caravan was traveling; it would have been so much easier for her to fly, or to have taken Blueblood's airship to find the Kitab Al-Azif rather than walking the entire way. Compounding matters was the breakneck pace that the camels traveled at. They were up at the crack of dawn, sounding loud horns to wake all those in the camp for the day's march. They would break down and pack up the tents and supplies within an hour, leaving nothing behind. Once they began walking, they simply didn't stop, save for a small break at midday, when the sun was directly above. Other than that, they marched from sun up to sundown, with minimal food and water throughout the day. It was exhausting to say the least. "Its only one more day to go." Blueblood mused as they crossed the crest of a sand dune. "We're nearly there. I can hardly believe it." "I just can't wait for this to all be over." Twilight said with a shake of her head. "One day until we've found the book, and hopefully gotten the answers we've been looking for." "If we end up finding proof, do you think we'll be allowed back into Canterlot?" "Its hard to say. I mean, we'll have proved we're right, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a wanted criminal, and I committed high treason to get you out of prison..." "Its beginning to dawn on me that even after this is done, we may never get to return home." "Don't talk like that Blueblood." Twilight replied in a tone that was more exasperated than cheerful. "I'm the Princess of Friendship, and you're a Prince of Equestria and not to mention Celestia's nephew! She can't banish us forever!" Blueblood was silent for a moment after that, before finally speaking up once more. "Twilight, if you think Celestia can't replace her nephew, you're extremely deluded." "What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight glared at him. It had been a while since he'd said anything truly insulting. Some snarking here and there, but deluded? "The little stallion who drew up maps of Equestria and started training to speak High Griffonic didn't last long as her favorite." Blueblood said dryly. "All it took was some upstart filly to hatch a dragon egg, and Celestia forgot all about that one. Didn't matter that he was her relative. Didn't matter that he showed potential. Didn't matter that he wanted it more than anything. He'd go on to be Prince, and then everypony would forget his name." Twilight paused. She wasn't sure what to say really. Luckily for her, Blueblood was all too quick to speak in her stead. "I'm guessing she never told you." He said quietly. His voice for once had lost the spiteful and sarcastic bite that it usually had. Now he just sounded hurt. "It doesn't surprise me I suppose. Celestia doesn't speak much of those days. I'm still seen as a success, albeit a success that tends to whine frequently. But now she has a young Princess of Friendship under her wing, with no time for little Princes." "You were one of Celestia's students?" Twilight said, almost in disbelief. "Never made it that far. I caught her eye at a young age because of my propensity for charts and maps. They wanted a diplomat, and I seemed to fit the bill. But then some other filly caught her eye because of her magical talent, and I was passed off to various handlers to finish my schooling. Upon graduation, I was crowned Prince of Equestria, and took a new name. Prince Vladimir Blueblood the First." "I... I had no idea." Twilight said softly. "Blueblood, I'm sorry." "There's nothing to apologize for." Blueblood said bluntly. "Politics is a game, and I suppose you won in the end." Twilight was quiet a moment, before blinking a few times and glancing over to the Prince with a slightly bewildered look. "You said you took a new name?" "Blueblood isn't my real name." Blueblood swallowed hard, a sheepish grin appearing on his face to match the slightly red tint of his cheeks. "I took a more regal sounding name when I took the throne. Its a fairly common practice in Canterlot. I was surprised to hear that you kept your name." "So... What's your real name?" Twilight prodded, a smirk starting to play on her lips. "It's not important." "Is it Prissy Pants?" She giggled softly, watching the Prince only grow more flustered at her words. "Bossy Boots? Persnickety Prince?" "No, no, and no." Blueblood quickened his step slightly, as though he could simply trot away from the discussion. Twilight's horn lit up, before she suddenly appeared directly in Blueblood's path with an audible pop. "I can keep this up all day, Blueblood." She said with a smug grin. "You better just tell me." "Or we can drop the topic and move on with our lives." The Prince replied coldly. "Not likely. Celestia always said I was too persistent for my own good." "There's always a chance to grow up." "You're one to talk." "Touche." "So how about it?" Twilight fell into step with the Prince, her saddlebags jingling softly. A thought crossed her mind, and she decided to run with it. "After all, we're friends now, right?" Blueblood let out an exasperated sigh, his hooves rubbing his temples. "If it will finally shut you up, then I'll tell you." He said, giving Twilight a glare. "My name is-" As Blueblood opened his mouth to speak, the deep bellowing of horns suddenly cut him off. He glanced back to see Husam sounding the alarm with long blasts of the shofar. His soldiers were already engaged with what appeared to be a pack of dogs, though even at this distance he could tell these were no wild curs. They stood upright, and fought not with tooth and claw, but with spear and dagger and sword. As the shofar sounded again, a wave of panic set in among the caravan camels. The camels began to form circles with their bodies, surrounding their precious cargo with a defensive perimeter. Another sound reached Twilight's ear above the rumbling blast of the horn. It was a bizarre mix of howling and yipping, and when she turned to face the direction of the furious din, she could see a second wave of dogs descending upon them from the crest of a nearby dune. They reminded her of the Diamond Dogs that had held Rarity hostage years ago, albeit smaller and less stocky. These were lithe creatures, with slim builds and short, smooth fur that ran the spectrum from black to tawny. "What are-" Twilight barely had time to think before Blueblood responded. "Jackals." The Prince unsheathed the sword he had concealed in the folds of his thaub. It flashed in the midday sun as he gave it a flourish, his magic suspending it just ahead of his body. "Get behind me!" Twilight ordered as her horn ignited with a soft shimmer. Blueblood looked at her incredulously, as if weighing some option in his mind. The Princess' gaze flicked between her and the approaching horde of slobbering savages, before Blueblood finally relented, taking a few steps back to position himself behind his ally. Twilight took in a deep breath through the nostrils before she released it, along with a trail of red hot flames, from her mouth. In that moment she looked like one of the dragons of old, with fire spewing from her jaws and setting the sands before her ablaze. Yelps and whimpers could be heard above the crackling of the flame, and through the rising smoke she could already see dogs fleeing in terror. Twilight coughed a bit, a few smoke rings emerging from her mouth each time she did. Before Twilight could pat herself on the back for such an impressive spell, one of the dogs suddenly leapt through the wall of fire and smog, bringing a bronze axe to bear on the Princess. Without time to dodge, Twilight projected a reddish shield of magic ahead of her, catching the blade and stopping it short. The impact of the weapon shook her however, and she could feel a sharp ache at the base of her horn. She staggered backward, her head reeling as her attacker pressed his advantage, bringing the axe down once more. This time, the clang of metal on metal interrupted his blow, as a hovering rapier deflected the axe. Twilight stepped back to bump into Blueblood, who steadied her for a brief moment before he recalled the sword to his side. Undeterred, the jackal snarled and charged the pair, and Blueblood said a prayer that he hadn't forgotten his fencing lessons. The axe swung again in a wide, sweeping arc, and Blueblood's blade met it once more. This time however, he followed up his parry with a swift riposte, his sword finding its mark in the belly of the Jackal. The dog howled in pain as the Prince withdrew the blade, before the dog fell lifeless upon the sand, a muffled death rattle exiting his throat. By now Twilight's firewall had ceased to be an obstacle to the encroaching jackals, who now hurled themselves through it, rolling on the sand to douse the flames of their fur before resuming their assault. Twilight moved her hoof in a circle, leaving a trail of arcane runes in its wake as her horn lit up once more. She took aim at a small group of dogs, before she let loose a bolt of lightning that tore through them in a flash. Before she could ready another spell however, the horde was upon her. Twilight ducked under the arc of a scimitar, which sailed so close to her that she was sure it trimmed her mane. "Hold that pose!" Came a sudden call from Blueblood, as his rapier shot just over Twilight's head, delivering a swift thrust through the Jackal's ribs. Before he had a chance to scream, Twilight fired off a burst of magical energy from her horn, which tore a clean hole directly through her attacker's chin and out the back of his skull. The jackal fell limp as Blueblood tore the sword from him, cleaning it with a flourish. The Prince and Princess were soon forced into a whirlwind melee, as jackals began to assail them on all sides. They were side by side in the midst of a storm of snarling, howling curs, but they held their ground. With blade and hoof and spell they fought, pushing back against the onslaught as best they could. However, both could see that it was futile to fight on. They were trapped, and knew that their stamina could only last so long. That is unless... "Do you trust me?" Twilight shouted over the din as she caught the tip of a spear against her shield of magic. "I... what?" Blueblood's voice wavered as he locked swords with one of the Jackals, straining as his strength wavered. "Do you trust me?" Blueblood grunted, the glow on his horn beginning to flicker as he blocked an incoming dagger thrust. In a voice that Twilight was barely able to hear over the raging battle, his reply came. "I trust you." That was all the permission Twilight needed. She grabbed Blueblood, pulling him into a sudden, tight embrace. The Prince yelped slightly, before letting out a string of expletives from his lips. It was only a split second later that a white flash surrounded them, as Twilight teleported the both of then straight up into the air. Blueblood flailed a bit, before grabbing hold of Twilight as she spread her wings. Although it was shaky, Twilight managed to keep both of them aloft. Twilight's wings were beating furiously and her horn was burning brightly as she wove another spell. She focused all her efforts on one point amid the dogs that had once surrounded her, and a small speck of light marked the spot. She unleashed a powerful concussive burst from that mote, sending the Jackals sprawling in all directions. The few of them who got up after that howled in pain and began to limp away, snarling and muttering curses in broken Sarabic. From her vantage point, Twilight could see that Husam and his guards had already hacked their way through the Jackals on their end, and had now begun a furious countercharge that sent the remaining curs into a panicked retreat. She might have taken a moment to give herself a pat on the back for her part in turning the tide, had she not felt Blueblood's hooves clawing at her back. "Twilight! I'm slipping!" He said frantically, as he tried to cling tighter to her as he dangled off of her neck. The shifting weight caused Twilight's wings to shudder a bit, and as she tried to adjust herself to get a grip on Blueblood, she sent herself into a tailspin. Her wings shook as she futilely attempted to right them, but to no avail. Both she and Blueblood spun wildly out of control, before crashing down onto the sand with a muffled thump. Twilight skidded to a stop, kicking up a small cloud of dust as she rolled. She lost her grip on Blueblood, who was sent careening off on his own collision course with a nearby sand dune. He rolled over and over, sand and grit flying in all directions before he landed flat on his back, choking for air. Twilight shook her head, trying to clear the grit from her mane as she rose to her hooves. She spit out a small mouthful of sand, gagging a bit at the taste it left behind. "Blueblood?" She called, quickly scanning the area for him. "Are you alright?" "I hope you're happy!" The Prince shouted as he rubbed his eyes, trying to scrape the dust off of his eyelids. "You've ruined my mane!" "You're fine." Twilight said as she appeared beside him in a flash of light. She extended a hoof to help him up, which he took gladly. Blueblood attempted to toss back his now frazzled mane, but to no avail. It stuck out wildly in all directions now, a far cry from the perfect coif it had been mere moments ago. "Other than your mane, you're fine, right?" "Nothing broken at least." Blueblood said as he ran a hoof through his mane, cringing at the amount of sand that fell from it. "I suppose I'll just have to muddle through until we return to Sutaf." "That's the spirit." Twilight smiled, looking a bit worse for wear herself. Her mane had been wrecked, having frizzed up into a sandy mess. Blueblood took a small bit of solace that she looked nearly as bad as he did. "Any idea why the caravan got attacked?" "Because Jackals are savage, remorseless devils." Twilight turned to see Husam standing just behind her, cleaning the bits of fur and blood from his scimitar before he sheathed it. As the sword returned to its sheath, Twilight noticed that a small gold band around the captain's left foreleg glowed for a brief moment, almost as if it had cast a spell. "They seek out treasures and baubles to add to their hoards, and were probably looking to raid the caravan for something shiny." Husam said as he straightened himself out to his full height once again. "Sort of like dragons?" Twilight replied. "Sort of. Jackals don't necessarily need their hoards to be valuable. I've seen them loot forks, bones, teapots... Doesn't matter what. They'll collect most anything." He paused for a moment, looking the prince and princess over before going on. "I was impressed by how well you handled yourselves. The guard and I are in your debt." "It was my pleasure to bear arms for Saddle Arabia, captain." Blueblood said, trying to maintain his regal air despite his appearance. "I assume your troops are..." "All but one." Husam replied, glumly. "Let Shihab know that my soldiers and I would like time to bury our dead comrade. I'm sure he'll take more kindly to you then me." "I'll let him know." Twilight gave the horse a nod, who gave a small bow in reply. The camels seemed to already be breaking out their tents for the night as she and Blueblood descended the crest of the dune, weaving their way through the maze of half set shelters to find Shihab. He had just finished pounding in the last stake to support his tent when the pair approached, and moved to stand in the shade as they drew near. "I see you've both made it out alive." He said coolly. "I wanted to thank you both for your actions today. You acted quickly and decisively, and protected my caravan with your lives. For that, I cannot repay you enough." "Oh it was nothing." Twilight smiled somewhat bashfully at the camel's words. "Are we setting up camp already? Husam wanted time for the guards to bury one of the soldiers who... erm..." "Indeed." Shihab laid down on the cool sand with a sigh. "The captain and his horses will have all night to tend to the dead. This is as far as our expedition goes. The final leg of this journey is yours to make. In the morning, I will lead you personally to the resting place of Alhazred's book." There was an eerie silence that blanketed the conversation at the mention of the Kitab Al-Azif. "But tonight," Shihab went on. "Tonight is the end of a journey, and ought to be celebrated as such. Once camp is set up and our fire lit, I'll prepare a feast that would make the Sultan himself drool." He chuckled softly, as both Blueblood and Twilight seemed to light up at the mention of food. After three days of hardtack, dates, and water, anypony would be salivating at the thought of a feast. Especially the sort that Blueblood had described. Both bid a quick farewell to Shihab, before scrambling off to set up their tent and help get a fire going. The sooner they did, the sooner they would have their reward after all. The fire roared as the cauldron of rice set atop it bubbled and burbled like a babbling brook. Everything was just as Blueblood had described it. The pot had been stuffed with rice, wildflowers, dates, oats, and a whole medley of spices that produced a tantalizing cloud of scents that permeated the entire campground. The pot was pulled off of the flames and set atop a bed of coals, as everypony gathered around, sitting on the sand as they anxiously awaited the meal. Twilight rocked and bounced excitedly in her seat, feeling as giddy as Pinkie Pie on a sugar rush. This was the first time she'd truly been immersed in another culture after all. It felt alien and a bit strange to her, but that was part of the fun, wasn't it? Blueblood seemed more reserved than his companion, though Twilight could still see how he licked his lips and craned his neck to get a look at the contents of the cauldron. Although he didn't outwardly show it, he was nearly as excited as she was. This was an experience he'd been through once before, yes, but the dreary upper crust lifestyle of Canterlot had numbed him, and the recent events with Carcosa had left him without much time for finery. A night of revelry and feasting was precisely what the doctor ordered to pick him up out of his doldrums. Shihab took his place at the front of the small crowd of camels and their Canterlot guests, arrayed in all the finery he could muster. Long garlands of desert blossoms adorned his hump, and a colorful ring of woven silk rested around his neck. The entire camp hushed as he lifted a hoof, before he cleared his throat and began to speak in Sarabic. Twilight listened idly to the speech, though it being in a foreign tongue made it difficult for her to understand. Occasionally something he said would elicit a whoop or a round of stomping applause from the camels, and Twilight followed their lead. He pointed to her and Blueblood at one point, and his words garnered another cry of elation from the caravaneers. Even if she didn't understand it, Twilight's cheeks flushed a bit at the compliment. Then suddenly, a word in the speech stood out to her, striking her ear like a crack of thunder on a silent night. "Ni'allor Hastad". A chill ran down her spine as her mind drifted back to the tapestry she had seen in Sutaf, with its ancient god and its strangely woven glyphs. Hastad, she had been told, was once a diety in Saddle Arabia. "Merely mythology", the Sultan had assured her as she stared into the blank eyes of that pallid mask. She leaned over to ask Blueblood to translate for her, but before she could open her mouth, Shihab's blessing had ended, and the entire crowd seemed to rush for the cauldron in an instant. Not wanting to be left behind, Twilight leapt from her seat and pressed in amid the camels, managing to squeeze between them and reach the edge of the pot. She saw Blueblood standing on the opposite side, and her jaw nearly dropped at the sight. The crown prince of Canterlot, who had just hours ago complained about his ruined mane, was nearly up to his elbows in rice, fishing around in the mixture with his bare hooves. For the first time, he didn't seem concerned that he was making a mess, or that the edge of his thaub had dipped into the mixture, or even that the heat would surely ruin his manicure. He seemed content somehow, cheerfully chatting in Sarabic as he filled his hoof with rice. Twilight quickly followed suit, digging in with both hooves and pressing the rice into a firm ball as she gathered it. She put the full ball into her mouth, and let the flavor sink in. It was spicy, yet subtly sweet. It was soft, yet not without substance. Honey and flowers and peppers and Celestia knows what else all blended together into a flavor she could barely describe, yet couldn't get enough of. Twilight dug into the cauldron like a filly digging into a cookie jar. She ate and ate until she felt nearly full to bursting, laying back on the sand and looking up at the sky as she finished. The stars twinkled overhead like droplets of dew in the morning light. A crescent moon provided just enough light to bathe the desert in a soft white, making it look like something out of a dream. The sound of sweet music caressed her ear as a few of the camels began to play on their instruments. The gentle notes of the lyre, the rhythmic beating of the tambourine, and the low rumbling of the shofar joined together into a tune that felt somehow beautiful yet lonesome at the same time. The music grew as more and more instruments were added to the makeshift symphony, and a contented smile spread across Twilight's face as she closed her eyes. She had needed this more than she knew. Before she could drift off however, something tapped her hoof. She opened one eye to see Blueblood standing over her, holding out a hoof to her. "May I have this dance?" "I..." Twilight's mouth contorted into a grimace. "You've never seen me dance, have you?" "You call yourself a Princess, and you can't even perform a Canterlot waltz? You've got some nerve..." Blueblood said with a smirk. "I was a little busy with the whole 'saving Equestria' thing to learn to dance." Twilight replied, folding her hooves. Despite her clear protest, the Prince grabbed her by the foreleg, pulling her to her feet. "Its never too late to learn, now is it?" Blueblood said as he and Twilight got into the proper position. "Now, start with the right hoof, and just follow my lead. Ready?" Twilight nodded, mentally preparing herself. This would be a piece of cake. As Blueblood started to take a step back, she took one forward... and stepped right onto his hoof. Blueblood yelped slightly, hissing a bit as he bit his tongue. Twilight's cheeks flushed almost instantly. "I'm so sorry!" She stammered out. "Are you okay?" "Its fine, it's fine." Blueblood said, taking a deep breath in. "Let's try again. Remember, right hoof first, follow my lead." "Got it." Twilight confidently took her position once more, and looked down at her hooves. As Blueblood stepped back, she stepped forward, and this time she missed his hoof! Already a step in the right direction. She took another step, then another, and then- "Twilight, look up. Not at your- OW!" As Twilight took her eyes off her hooves to reply, her hoof collided with Blueblood's shin, causing him to nearly topple over in pain. "Are you alright?" She asked sheepishly, her ears drooping with embarrassment. "Its... it's fine." The Prince rubbed his shin for a moment, before looking back up to Twilight. "Let's try once more." "Are you sure?" "I'm sure." The two ponies prepared to dance once more, with Blueblood taking his first step back a bit hesitantly, as Twilight's hoof landed only a hair's width away from his own. "Sorry..." Twilight looked down at her hooves again. "I've just got two left hooves." "Twilight. You need to let me lead." Blueblood's voice was quiet. "Please. Just this once, follow me." There was a long pause, before Twilight lifted her head once more. "Alright. Just this once." "Close your eyes. Just try to feel the rhythm of the song." Twilight did as he asked, closing her eyes and opening her ears. Slowly she began to feel the tempo in her head, and it worked it's way through her body and down to her hooves. This time however, she waited for her partner to make a move. Blueblood stepped back, and when he did, Twilight moved with him. Her hooves followed his, shakily at first, but as she slowly lost herself in the rhythm, Twilight's nerves seemed to dissipate. "We're going to try something a little more complicated now." Blueblood said as he quickened his pace ever so slightly. "Just keep on doing what you're doing." Twilight's eyes fluttered open. "Just how complex are we tal-" Before she could finish, she was thrown into a sudden twirl, the world around her spinning wildly before she came to a sudden stop. Before she could even take a breath, Blueblood gave her hoof a tug, and she came right back around, spun right back into step as she and the Prince continued their waltz. Even though her head was still in a loop and she felt dizzy, Twilight was able to keep up with Blueblood now. So long as she followed his lead, she could dance as fine as any mare back in Canterlot. "See," Blueblood smiled as they swayed, bathed in the blazing light of the fire and the soft glow of the moon above. "you can dance just fine. All it took was the right partner." "Thanks." Twilight replied, as the troubles that had lead her to this point in time were momentarily forgotten. "Its nice to see you so... relaxed. I never would have expected this from the Blueblood I met back in Canterlot." They both fell silent as the music began to fade. There they stood, hooves clasped for just the briefest of moments. "Its Rose." Blueblood said in a voice barely above a whisper. "What?" Twilight blinked a few times in confusion. "My name... well, my old name. Cardinal Rose." The Prince sighed softly. "Now you know." For just one night, Twilight was able to put from her mind all the thoughts of Kings and Signs and Carcosa. She knew it was a fleeting moment, a pinprick of normalcy amid an all consuming sea of madness, but it was a moment she could savor nonetheless. When the world has fallen into chaos, sometimes it's the little things that can help one maintain sanity, and Twilight needed all the sanity she could muster. The revelry soon died down, as the camels retired to their tents, their energy spent and their bellies filled. Twilight Sparkle and Cardinal Rose soon lay on the sand, staring up at the sky above. For one night, all the world was as it should be. It was so calm and so peaceful that they both ignored the beating of drums and strange chants from the encamped guards in the distance as they buried their fallen comrade. Rose's ear caught some of what they said, but he put it from his mind nearly as quickly as it came. After all, whatever it was they were chanting, it wasn't Equestrian or Sarabic. It sounded vaguely familiar to the Prince, but he wasn't about to dwell upon it. Yet despite his efforts, one fragment of their litany stuck in his mind like a cancerous sore. "Iä!"