//------------------------------// // Checkmate // Story: Chessboard Gambits // by Ebonysdagger //------------------------------// It was the next evening that Lord Blueblood received a visit from his son which was somewhat unusual as the prince rarely bothered to visit his father. However when his son showed him a vintage bottle of wine from around 507 AN he understood. One needs company when they are enjoying fine wine after all. He sat down with his son and engaged in small talk for awhile. As he finished his last sip from his glass he noticed a sad look on his son’s face. “Father, why?” “Why what my son?” “Why did you have to keep crossing her? You had to have known she would eventually get around to dealing with you.” Before he could ask his son to elaborate his vision swam and darkness claimed him. Prince Blueblood looked forlornly upon his father before corking the drugged wine and opening a window. He stepped out before he could see slitted eyes or hear the sound of leather wings. Lord Blueblood awoke to crimson. At first he thought it had been the décor of the room he found himself in but realized it was not the moment he found the body. There on the floor were the torn apart remains of a hippogriff. The same one he remembered seeing a picture of in the paper a noble from the griffon kingdom no less. This was not good at all as he had no memory of how he even got here. He managed to calm his initial panic and started to think of how to cover this up. It shouldn’t be too hard as he had more than a few skeletons in his closet he had put there himself. Just as his heart rate had steadied the windows of the room blew inward and a team of Noctournes entered the room in full armor with weapons drawn. It would seem there would be no time to cover this up and everyone knew you could not pay off one of Luna’s guards even if you offered a mountain of gold, a side effect of their training. “Uh, I can explain?” In short order he found himself in chains and carried out to an armored and barred wagon. The door in the back opened and he was tossed bodily inside. It took only a second for Blueblood to realize he wasn’t alone in the prison cart. There, sitting calmly on a bench waiting for him was Twilight Sparkle with humor shining from her eyes. “You. You did this, didn’t you?” “I have no idea what you are talking about Lord Blueblood. I’m just here to inform you of what has happened. I unfortunately drew the short straw you see. Take a seat if you would.” Twilight answered the irate noble with her laughing voice. “Humph.” Blueblood took a seat across from the princess and waited to hear what situation she had put him in. “Ah, there we go. Much more comfortable than the floor I’d imagine. Now then to business yes? As we speak Solar Guards are looking through your house for anything that might explain what has happened here. A division you have not managed to buy off by the way. They are going to find evidence that you have been funding Diamond Dog terrorists. You know the ones right? The ones who have been causing trouble in the Griffon Kingdoms as I’m sure you’ve already guessed.” Twilight was practically purring as she luxuriated in the hatred of her pouring off of Lord Blueblood. “Naturally this will lead to your son having to disavow you and perhaps a permanent tarnishing of the Blueblood name. Don’t you worry though; your son isn’t going to be left to languish for long. My family will be offering him sanctuary and protection from retaliation should any come about due to your despicable actions.” “No, he will not. I’ll kill myself first before I let my family name be destroyed and my son has to go running to you ponies of all possibilities.” “Funny you should mention that.” Twilight dropped a dagger from her wing onto the bench beside herself. “I suppose that would be the honorable way out. Prove you were stallion enough to pay up for your crimes by your own hooves, perhaps? Still, I wouldn’t recommend it.” Lord Blueblood’s eyes narrow at the implications. “You’re going to kill me and make it look like a suicide.” “Oh no, I couldn’t do that to you. That would be terribly unjust after all. No, I’m just going to leave that here. Your son sends his regards and apologies for the wine. He said it didn’t agree with you. ” She levitates the dagger to Blueblood’s side and then stands up so her muzzle is near his ear. “Yes, that’s right. Your son has been my bitch for years. When I say jump he holds still until I tell him how high and in what direction. Quite an unexpected boon that murder attempt of yours was back at my birthday party, wouldn’t you say? A hoof delivered prince all for the low low price of a slaughtered wet team and his innocence.” She pulled back laughing as Blueblood snapped and yanked the dagger up with his magic and tried to stab her. Even as he attempted it he realized that she wasn’t really there even before the dagger drove itself deep into the wood of the other side of the cart. “Oh, temper temper. That’ll get you killed one day.” Twilight’s projection begins to fade away. “By the way, that dagger can only kill one pony and it’s not any of the guards outside. Have fun.” Lord Blueblood began to realize how much trouble he really was in. The griffons would demand his blood and their executions were not exactly clean or pain free. Perhaps that dagger was a better choice for more than just honor’s sake. Twilight sat back and observed the stars that night on her library balcony. Spike slept in the background and provided her a soothing tone to relax by. After a moment she felt the telltale ripple of an incoming visitor. She immediately bowed even as their form solidified. “Well done, Twilight Sparkle. Well done indeed. You have made allies, crushed your enemies, and secured advancements for our ponies.” Luna said as she made a motion for Twilight to rise out of her bow. “None of that now. You need do it least of anyone.” “I am still a part of the Lunar Court so I must do it at least upon meeting you without prying eyes.” Twilight rose up to smile at Luna. “I thought you would like it. This plan took some time but I knew it would be what the country would need for the most part. It’s a shame about the griffon problem.” “Worry not about it, Twilight. We’ll placate them with Blueblood’s hide. I’m going to have it fashioned into a cloak for their current ruler and he’ll let the whole thing go as its one more trophy of his defeated enemies. It doesn’t hurt that we’ve provided him a list of all those gorilla strongholds of the Diamond Dogs.” “Excellent. I was hoping placing that information would help win them over rather than letting this incident cause too great a stir.” “Yes, it will be regarded as an isolated event caused by a griffon hating unicorn with too much time on his hooves. You did well throughout all of this and my worries about you being able to handle this have been assuaged. Are you sure you do not wish to establish your own court? You’ve more than earned the right.” “No, Luna, not yet at least. Maybe in time but I’ve still got things I need to do here. Live this life with my friends for awhile at least. Spike and I will be around for a very long time so I see no reason to rush it.” “Perhaps that is the wisest choice. Well I must return before Celestia notices I’m gone. I look forward to your continued work.” The alicorn disappears once more into the night as Twilight turns and gets ready for bed. Twilight answered the summons from Chrysalis readily enough and brought Spike along with her. Once she arrived at the hive she was led inside and brought to a room made over for a party where she and Spike, along with several of Chrysalis’s guards and the queen herself, tore it up into the night for quite some time celebrating their alliance. Sometime after midnight that night though, when Twilight seemed groggy from exhaustion, drink, and conversation was when they made their move. Twilight was held up by the guards while Chrysalis loomed over her with a smirk. “Oh Twilight, my dear delightful deceptive friend, I’m going to enjoy this. I have been plotting for some time how to get revenge on you but your recent actions for my people have stayed your execution but I must punish you. I finally figured out an alternative though. I’m going to turn you into a changeling. This way your mind and powers are still on my side and I can be assured you won’t turn on me. The fact that I can cause you pain with a thought is just a nice bonus.” Twilight’s grogginess fades as she stares Chrysalis right in the eyes. “You made two mistakes. One was letting me bring a dragon in here.” Green flames enveloped the changelings holding Twilight in place reducing them to ash. Chrysalis tried to back away but found she could not. “The second was going through with your inevitable betrayal. Don’t worry though Chrsy, I can understand it. In fact I’ve found that I like you so much I’m going to keep you. Indeed, I’m going to keep you locked inside your own head while I work your body like a marionette. Feel that numbness spreading through your body? That shrinking feeling as reality starts to fade out around you? That is my magic. Welcome friend to your new eternity. You and I are going to be working closely. I really do feel bad about this but it assures me of your loyalty.” Twilight and Spike left not too long after as Chrysalis announced to the hive their move toward the Crystal Empire and that they were to be considered friends of the hive. All the while she was making this announcement to her people deep inside her mind she was screaming for help. Whatever Sparkle had done it had shut her off from the hive mind. That was perhaps the greater hell of what she had done Twilight met with Celestia shortly before all the princesses were supposed to meet to discuss the state of their country. She shared with her mentor everything she and her friends had been doing lately and listened as Celestia explained the latest bit of trouble they had been having. While things had worked out with the griffons and boars there were problems with the buffalo tribes aside from the one that had resolved its issues with Appleloosa. Celestia hated to do it but she decided to ask Twilight if she and her friends could not help resolve it since they had been instrumental in the last snafu with the buffalo and are familiar on a more personal level with the culture of the nomadic tribes. Twilight of course agreed as she followed her beloved mentor. After all, Twilight was the faithful student and would get whatever Equestria needed resolved. Even if that meant she had to play a long game and secure her own allies for future events. Two nations backing her and control over the most of the transportation would not hurt given her plans for ten years from now.