//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Long Live the Queen // by Balancer //------------------------------// Long Live the Queen Rose Bud walked into lecture hall A of Celestia’s University for Gifted Unicorns, full of trepidation. Today she would be starting a history paper and had one Professor ‘Dusty’ Tomb as course coordinator, the subject being the civil war and Her Majesty the Queen’s rise to power. She had always enjoyed that portion of history at school (she even played some period authentic ARLARP in her free time) but she held no doubts that Ol ‘Dusty’ would somehow make her favorite time period seem duller than the complete scholars guide to rock farming. She had just finished setting up her recorder and opened a link to the infoweb, when an icon appeared in her peripheral vision indicating she had a message. Looking forward to the lecture. So fun -.- The ID tag indicated it came from Ice, a cute unicorn that usually sat three rows back from her; she turned round to face him and waved. As she opened a tab to reply the doors to the lecture room opened and the familiar wrinkled shape of ‘Dusty’ par walked part shuffled into the room to the desk set up the front. He smiled as he gazed around the room with half focused eyes, licking his lips in an absent minded way. 'Dusty' was something of particularity in the modern age, having decided many years ago that he wouldn't undergo any additional cosmetic rejuve treatments, opting to age and eventually die via old age. He touched a screen built into the desk, as it lit up the crest of the university appeared in the air, hovering just above the center. At the same time the wall behind him lit up as welcome sign appeared with the date of the history period they would be studying underneath it, data scrolled along the students peripheral vision as their VPA's registered the influx of new data. The professor cleared his throat, checked that the mike woven into his coat collar was synced to the podium and started to speak. “Students today we will cover a period of history that everyone in this room should know. This particular period is undoubtedly one of the most fundamental times in Equestrian history, it being of course pivotal to the course of our modern lives.” He stopped to take a breath. “The period of 1004 to 1028 is often quoted by many historians to be incredibly critical to the rise of our Queen and the empire. She herself has said on many occasions that without those unique conditions she would have never taken control of the Equestrian throne and we would still be under the rule of a Diarchy.” The old pony looked up from his desk where he had pulled up a list of quick notes he was using for his lecture. Some of the students were tapping onto screens projected from their tables taking a couple of notes, most were just watching the wall behind the Professor, letting there VPA's recorded every word for later analysis. “Today we the periods we will be covering will include the Celestia riots, the invasions and the event commonly referred to as the Ascension of Nightmares. After that we will look at the Noble civil wars, called so because of the large number of Noble houses who rebelled not because it was in any way noble, with exception to Prince Shinning Armor of course.” The Professor chuckled at his little joke. “The farmer’s movement, also know as the White Apple front, lead by the then former Elements of Harmony and lastly the Retribution, all of course in later lectures.” “Before we begin I would like to take the time to make a couple of announcements. Firstly for the duration of this paper it is advised that you use the recommended data-texts in your revision, you will find a list of texts in your inbox after the lecture. Secondly I will not be taking you for the duration of this paper.” Rose Bud blinked in shock, the Professor turning down a lecture was unheard of. “Instead you will have a special guest speaker; one who I am happy to admit has far higher qualifications than myself to talk about history.” Rose Bud was beginning to freak out, it was one thing for the Professor to turn down a lecture but another entirely for him to actually admit inferiority to any living pony. “Without further ado it is my delight to welcome your new speaker, Ladies and Gentlestallions I introduce…on second thought I would rather that she introduce herself. You may come in whenever you wish.” He called out the door. Rose Bud didn’t recall seeing anybody on the way in and no AR avatar was materializing so he hadn't outsourced the lecture somewhere else, maybe the old coot had finally lost his marbles. A quick glance around the room confirmed that most of the other students had come to the same conclusion and were discussing it among themselves. Then the discussion dropped faster than a unicorn as the speaker entered the room. She must have been using a cloaking spell in the hall way, Rose Bud thought. The speaker shuffled a stack of paper notes, something nobody used now days. Well almost no pony. A deep feminine voice addressed the room. “Greetings everypony I hope you will not find my taking of this class too disturbing, we have much to cover.” With eyes of darkest purple Queen Sparkle surveyed the room and smiled.