//------------------------------// // Endgame Moves // Story: Chessboard Gambits // by Ebonysdagger //------------------------------// About three days after Twilight had arrived in Canterlot there had been a break in the missing mare from the murder of Oblige. Luna had been given a report from her guards that they had found a scene of a fight where some of the Solar Guards had fallen in a battle with something and the copious amounts of changeling resin in the room lead them to believe it was a changeling. Even as she reported the findings to Celestia backed up by some of her own guard’s delivering a similar report she had to admire Twilight’s thoroughness at staging these scenes. No one would ever know that one of them had his mind ripped out if they did not know beforehand. It was officially ruled that the changeling who had been at the scene had probably been trying to lead the admiral on and then had been caught up in the scuffle. She had probably escaped her captors to be found by the soldiers and had fought with them in a panic misunderstanding their intentions. While this did resolve the issue of the kidnapping they still needed to prevent a possible incident with the boar king. Twilight was going to be meeting with him on one of the isles off the coast as a neutral location given that the boars had no officially recognized nation or embassy and his lack of trust in either of the two sisters. Twilight set off that evening to meet in the morning with the king and his son. She took with her Spike and her maid but before she set off her parents dropped off to give her a necklace. One that just happened to contain a small pendant on it made of the metal they had arranged to smuggle from the boar’s lands. They also gave her a box containing a peace offering for the king in good faith. The following morning Twilight met with the boar king and his son in order to hash out the issues of the pirate raids. While the king denied any knowledge of any assaults by his people within Canterlot he did recognize that their raids on the isles were perhaps not the wisest of reactions but his people had been outraged at their lands being disrespected and plundered. Twilight apologized on behalf of Equestria for the greed some of its citizens displayed and discussed for a time about possible ways for the country to perhaps pay for what was lost. As the king was about to accept the proposal the light happened to catch the pendant Twilight was wearing just right so as to draw his attention. Realizing what she was wearing the king grew angry and attacked. Twilight’s maid, the disguised Mesmer, got between him and her mistress taking the goring wound to her midsection. Twilight froze up in shock at the death of her servant and the king began to take advantage of it only to wind up shocked himself as claws capable of slashing through crystals sliced through his neck. “No one touches her.” The last thing he heard as he faded away was the anger of a dragon in rage. The king’s son had been frozen in his seat unsure of what to do. He could not hold it against Equestria even as he too realized what the pendant on the alicorn’s neck meant. It did not help that the dragon was the one to kill his father as dragon attacks had been ruled as acts of nature ages ago by the other races of the planet given their somewhat aggressive nature and lack of concern for the other races ways of life so he had no legal way to blame Equestria and only a soon to be dead fool declares vengeance on a dragon, baby or not. In light of this event the talks were called off for a day so they could clear their heads and arrangements could be made for the dead. In Twilight’s suite of rooms at the hotel that was hosting the meeting she walks over to the bed holding her maid. After a moment or two of Spike verifying no one was spying on them she nudged it a bit and then projected some energy into the lump on the bed. After only about a minute the lump stirred and began to move as Mesmer set up and used the love energy Twilight was projecting to heal her damaged shell. “That went better than expected. You better clear on out of here, Mesmer. We’ve already got your retirement lined up. You’ll be replacing a noble by the name of Grey Earl. He had an accident on his way to Canterlot involving some rather nasty weather and a flash flood. Here is his file so you can read up and know who is important to him.” “Thanks mistress. That did a bit more damage that I expected when I volunteered for this.” “Thank you. Now we can officially tell Celestia her spy on us is dead while no blame falls on us, you no longer have to run around pulling in marks for us and in exchange get a cushy long term job and Equestria profits from House Noblise being under our control. Now get on out of here.” The changeling nods her head and takes the form of a pastel pink unicorn with yellow hair before leaving the room through a side door. Not ten minutes later another side door opens and the prince of the boars slips in. “Ah, nice to see you Princess Twilight. I can’t thank you enough for helping me out.” The boar bows his head to her. “It was nothing, dear King. I trust our deal will hold yes? We put you on the throne and you help pave the way for better relations with our people?” Twilight smiled at the now current king of the boars. “Of course, Princess. The deal will go through. I’ve already got things in the works to help warm my people up to a less isolationist viewpoint. I hope not many of your ponies died while mine assaulted your navy. Thanks for that information by the way.” “Nah, most of the sailors made it out fine with no more damage than their pride. There were a few that had some complications from dehydration but nothing too severe. Oh, here by the way.” She levitated the package her parents had sent her to the king. He opened it to find it contained a very ornate ceremonial sword bearing quite a few gems each of which glowed with an inner fire. He noted it was made up entirely of materials native to his homeland though obviously Equestrian crafting was used in its formation and the spells engraved into it. He smiled up at her in gratitude. “I and my people thank you for this. It shall become one of our treasures to the crown I think. A symbol of the unity of our people, if you will. A shame I’ll have to hide it for a few years yet.” “Take care of it, yourself, and your nation, young King.” Twilight recommended to him. The boar nodded and then said his goodbyes before leaving. Tomorrow the two would carry on the charade of negotiations that were resolved years ago between them when he had been an exchange student in Canterlot and then be on their way. Spike’s dealing with the king had prevented other countries from calling foul on Equestria even if it had pained Celestia to hear that the king had tried to attack Twilight and that she had lost her agent once Twilight had returned home and reported what had happened. Twilight and Spike had not informed their friends of what had exactly happened during the negotiations and only told them that there would be no pirate raids as some of the more trashy rags had been trying to stir up a panic over. The boars had only been reacting to a wrong done by some greedy business ponies and they had gotten somewhat out of hoof. They had managed to resolve the whole thing but had to leave the poor admiral’s death as officially a sad loss as there would be no accounting of who was responsible for it. The night after they got back to Ponyville they joined in with the rest of their friends in a grand party celebrating the birthday of that pegasus that Spike still couldn’t remember the name of. Shortly before leaving to the party Twilight had found two letters on her desk awaiting her. One from Ein telling her about their new business and where its head quarters was located in Ponyville so Twilight could set them to task and another from Mesmer as Grey Earl officially entreating House Star entry for House Noblise into the Lunar Court. A secondary letter written in invisible ink on the back informing her of Blueblood’s rather heavy hoofed attempt at coercing her into backing him was unpleasant but not unexpected. It was time to deal with him Twilight thought. The party lasted long into the night and Twilight simply kicked back and enjoyed time with her friends. It was good to finish a job that she had been working on for years finally. At one point during the party though she needed to take a moment to herself and clear her head as someone had slipped something in the punch. “Legon, prepare the conversion room.” Chrysalis orders to her right hand general. “Are you sure this is wise my Queen? Surely she will resist.” Legon looked up at his Queen as she stalked about her throne room. “It is the best way. This way I have my revenge and keep an ally. She’ll just have to remember that I’m in charge not her. Besides, it would be a shame to lose such a powerful one.” The queen began to prepare a letter to invite Twilight to the hive to celebrate their alliance. She would have it passed onto Lyra who would deliver it to Twilight. “As you wish my Queen.” Legon answered as he set out to do as he was bid. “As you wish my Queen.” Twilight repeated with a smirk on her face as the green in her eyes faded. Hijacking a changeling was rather easy once you had torn into their physiology as many times as Twilight had with her disguise removal spells. Well that did not take too long Twilight thought though at least Chrysalis wasn’t going to kill her. Seems she would have to pay up to Spike on that bet.