//------------------------------// // 16 Hope And Faith // Story: Trials of A Princess // by Rose Quill //------------------------------// I marveled at the interior of the castle as we walked out of Archmage Twilight’s other teleport foci. I was used to the multi-hued crystalline walls of Cadence’s palace in my world. Her palace was made of pinks and purples and a myriad of hues in-between that sometimes made my eyes hurt. The palace of Sombra, however, was much softer in intensity, fewer colors spawned among the matrices and it had more sharp corners in the corridors as opposed to the gently curving paths in our world’s. Low ceilings were polished to a mirror brightness with warm lamps glowing along the centerline. “Father might have information about Umbrum in his private library,” Sorla said as we walked. “After his encounter with them, he wanted to make sure that he knew all he could to keep the kingdom safe from their predation.” “It’s curious that he would have texts that my counterpart wouldn’t know of,” Twilight said. “The way her library is, I thought she’d have anything a pony could ever want to read.”  I covered my mouth with a hoof to keep my grin hidden. Twilight had been extremely reluctant to leave the archive. I’m sure that if my Twilight had been there, I’d have wound up dragging her out. A pang went through my heart at that moment, and I gazed out a window at the cool light of the moon, mind drifting backwards. I felt the crack in my heart shiver a bit and shook my head before going to catch up with the other two mares. “I know all too well what forbidden knowledge can do,” Sorla said. “I’m lucky to even be alive. I don’t know how I got this second chance, but I’m not going to let it go to waste.” We approached a set of double doors, fairly innocuous, set with iron hinges. A pair of Pegasus guards stood before them and I gawked. Both had prosthetic limbs, something that would’ve mustered a guard out in Celestia’s retinue. One Pegasus had the lower part of her back leg replaced with a light metal brace and the other had one of her wings missing as well as one eye clouded over with a scar running along the brow just above the bridge of her nose and below where it melded in with several other crisscrossing scars on her left cheek. The wing prosthetic was made of solid pieces of what I recognized as the steel and orichalcum alloy that Archmage Twilight’s rings were made of.   “Lieutenant Brass,” Sorla said. “It’s a bit unusual for you to be standing guard.” The Pegasus with the prosthetic wing nodded. “I was feeling restless, milady. Kerfuffle also had some qualms that needed reassuring.” “Ah,” the heir of the Empire said, glancing at the other pony. “Still hurts?” Keffulfe nodded, ears folding back slightly being the only sign of her discomfort. “Sometimes, when I’m in bed it feels like I’m still in the timberwolf’s jaws. Sometimes it passes, sometimes it stays for an hour or more.” I shuddered at the thought of laying awake feeling like my leg was being gnawed off. I could still remember all too well the nights of sitting and laying gingerly as the scars from Acerak’s talons healed. I missed some of the conversation as my eyes drifted back to the moon. “Shall I take it that since you are standing guard,” Sorla said as my attention returned to the group ahead. “That my father is back?” “Not quite,” Brass said. “Queen Hope returned to retrieve a volume on water tables to confirm some information. His Majesty is concerned with her safety.” “As always,” Sorla sighed. “Time to meet the Queen.” I had no idea what I was expecting, but a small, unassuming crystal pony was not among them. Her heliotrope coat shimmered in the moonlight, reflecting off her arctic blue mane. Her cutie mark of a caduceus surprised me, as it was an unusual mark for a Unicorn. “Hope,” Sorla called, trotting into the small study. “Sorla,” Radiant Hope said, turning slightly as a book hovered in her aura. “Archmage. What do I owe the pleasure?” “These ponies wanted to borrow one of Father’s books,” the princess said, gesturing to us. “They have problems stemming from Umbrum, apparently.” Hope frowned, her face turning dark.  “That’s not possible,” she said. “They were sealed and the doorway destroyed years ago.” “Sealed,” I echoed. “Sealed how?”  “I banished them and Sombra destroyed the crystal gateway that allowed them access to this world,” Hope said. “There is no way they are causing trouble in this realm.” “We aren't from here,” I snapped. “We’re from a reality removed from your own..” “A reality…” Hope’s eyes widened and took on a new life. “You mean Starry’s theories on alternate realities were true?” Her horn flashed and a new book appeared in her magic, Starswirl’s mark on the spine.  “You have to tell me what you can,” she breathed.  Excited, she flipped through the pages, coming upon a blank one. Though before she could work a soft hum rose from nearby “Hope,” a baritone voice intoned. “Please do not interrogate my daughter’s guests.” We turned to find a large mirror glimmering off to the side, the image of Sombra within. His face was soft, humor sparkled in his eyes as he chided his friend. Twilight gaped at the massive difference in what her mind held and what lay before us. “Sombra, please,” Hope wheedled. “This is a rare opportunity — “ “One that can be addressed after their request,” he finished, waving a hoof. “Sorla, I’m afraid that your friends won’t find what they need in my library, I have lent them out to another location that needed the information to lock away a similar threat. I will contact them and let them know you’re coming.” Sorla bowed her head. “Thank you, Father,” she said, a smile gracing her face. It was different from the ones I remembered on her from the war; calmer, more at peace with herself. “Of course,” he continued. “Anything to help Celestia’s two prized pupils.” My eyes flew open as Twilight’s head snapped up. “What?” Twilight whispered. “You think I wouldn’t recognize the two fillies that Celestia talked often of when we could talk?” he chided. “Surely I’m not forgotten by her.” I shook my head. “But…” “She still regrets having to sever the pathway to you,” Twilight whispered. “I heard her talking to Philomena about you one night when I was her student. Her heart aches even today.” Sombra lowered his head. “It still pains me as well, every time I look in on her.” He raised his head and called out. “Rose Brass.” The Pegasus with the prosthetic wing stepped in.  “Your Majesty,” she reported. “Send word to the Calico to be made ready. We’ve some business in Saddle Arabia and I want all speed made available to these guests of state.” The Pegasus saluted and made her way out, the door closing behind her. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” the king asked. I hesitated, doubts going through my mind. “You said you looked in on Celestia,” I mumbled. “Is there a way I could look in on someone?” He smiled.  “Of course. Just touch the frame of the mirror we’re using and think their name and imagine their face.” I stepped forward and placed a hoof on the gilded frame, my eyes closed and Sunshine’s face fixed firmly in my mind. As the moonlight floated into the room, the mirror shimmered and I saw an image of my wife sitting around a table laughing with Moondancer, Starlight, and Rarity. And then she turned and looked in my direction, confusion on her face. “Whatever is the matter, darling?” Rarity asked. “I don’t know,” Sunshine said. “It just feels like there’s something desperately missing and I keep expecting it to turn up.” “I’m sure it will turn up,” Starlight said. “Nothing important is ever truly gone.” Sunshine nodded, turning back to her tea. “You’re probably right,” she said as the image faded. “I just wish I could remember what it is.” As the image dimmed and vanished, I found I had tears on my cheeks and Twilight was rubbing my shoulders. “We’ll get you back to her,” she whispered in my ear. Three hours later, I was leaning into the wind of an airship, a hoof curled around a stay and my mane whipping in the wind. The Calico was a long carrack, sails and envelopes painted with crystal hues that reflected on the deck in bright splashes. The crew rushed hither and tither to follow the orders of surly Unicorn with a plum coat and fuschia mane. If not for the fact that the cutie mark was of a sailing ship instead of the firework bursts of the Tempest Shadow I knew, I’d never know there was a difference. She certainly ran the crew as hard as she had been on the trainees of the Castle Guard. The ocean glittered and flashed in the predawn light. It was three days to Saddle Arabia, and once there I was to meet with a Moon Rose, an herbalist and healer, though I was told to expect her to be a touch odd. Wait for me, Twilight, I thought. I’ll be home as soon as I can. *** Sunshine froze for a moment while walking to her room, looking up at the moon, ears swiveling. “Something wrong, my Lady?” the Thestral escorting her asked. “I thought I heard someone say my name,” she answered. “As though they were right beside me.”