This story is a sequel to The Book of Water: The Marriage of the Slave King
The Slave King, the Lord of Earth, was once one of the most powerful deities on the Pantheon. Feared and respected by his peers and enemies alike, he had it all. But then disaster struck, and he was forced to make an unwanted choice. Now he's married to a woman he never loved, bedridden and crippled by some unseen assassin, friendless and vulnerable, buffeted from every side by traitor and enemy alike, and entangled in an endless web of lies and deceit.
Princess Luna, the Beautiful, Lady of Night, was once beloved and desired by all. Once, many sought after her to behold her loveliness and share her wisdom. But now, few seek an audience at her throne in Londwhinium, and even fewer still seem to appreciate her nights. A voice whispers to her, tempting her, taunting her, berating her. She thought marriage would end her loneliness, and bring joy to her desolate heart. She was wrong, she's still unhappy, and the voice refuses to remain silent.
These two souls, bound together by chance and circumstance, each seeking and never finding. Will these two ever find peace, and more importantly each other? Or will they be driven apart, to wander lost and alone in the raging heart of winter?
Part two, of books two of four, of the Slave King Saga
Book one can be found here: The Great Slave King
Part one can be found here: The Book of Water: The Marriage of the Slave King
And if you want something a little bit different try: Equestrian Tales Told by Tavernlight
TV Tropes Page: The Great Slave King: Special thanks goes to gentlereader Abstract Indigo
Oh god yes
Oh boy, the sequel!
3564461 Thank you for reading gentlereader, but oh yes indeed. I hope you found the prologue to your liking.
3564462 Thank you for your comment gentlereader, I'm glad to see your as excited to read The Heart of Winter as i was to write it. I look forward to reading over your thoughts on the story.
3564478
I'm reading it now.
Very interesting. Apparently he can generate food out of thin air.
I suppose that's useful for long travels.
3564537 Actually he used the food Trixie gave him to do so, sort of like how Elijah in the Old Testament made infinite flour and oil for the widow and her son. It was a test the Slave King set up for Trixie to prove she would obey him in all things like she swore she would.
Andddd... we're back. I think I read most of that as part of your sneak preview a few weeks ago, but it still sets it all up nicely.
Links on the TVT page have been updated so it should send some traffic over here. I replaced a bunch of the intro with an index of current works in the series. I only came up with the descriptions at short notice, so if anyone can think of anything better then by all means replace them.
3564562
Ooh, I get it. Very clever of you.
I find myself falling in love with Little Bleu.
She seems so huggable and lovable. 
I think it's due to this series that I want a daughter. I thank you for that Talon. 
You don't know how happy I am when you posted this story for us on the day you promised in your blog posts. You sir, are awesome.
3564649 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, you should expect the addendum and chapter 1 once I've gotten enough traffic on the prologue. Once again, thanks for doing all you've done on the tv tropes page. It wouldn't have happened without you.
3564697 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, yes Little Bleu is a fun character to write for, it's a shame the story only has her in bits and pieces. But in the Book of Fire, she'll be featured as a main protagonist, and we'll get the chance to see her more fully fleshed out.
I worked all through the night, burning the midnight oil, so I could have the final editing done before I went to work. I try to keep my promises. Looking forward to hearing more form you as the story progresses.
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Well arn't you a kind fellow, I will be glad to give you my thoughts on each chapter as we see them. I will be giddy to hear more anyway. Especially, since Little Bleu will eventually be a protagonist.
I will be waiting with pinkie levels of excitement for the next chapter.
and the tale makes a triumphant return!
3564791 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, and I see you make your triumphant return to the comments, to which I hope I can look forward to seeing more from you in the future.
Awesome. You just made my day.
3564807 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, I hope to make it again when I post the addendum and chapter one. Plus if I get featured, I'll throw in chapter two at no extra charge, for a total of 27k words to enjoy at your leisure.
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I'd like to sort out a character sheet at some point, along with tidying up the main page. But given that I'm currently tied up with another ridiculously ambitious project it's going to have to wait quite a while.
It'll get done eventually though.
i've been re reading the last book while i wait for this one and i got a question.
If the Slave King knew a trap was coming, why did he agree to have a party in the first place? Celestias doing?
My fan squeal right now made my manlines drop by a 50%.....totally worth it
3564985 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, the Slave King only suspected there was a trap after Celestia showed up at Bone's Landing. Until then, he hadn't expected anything. Regarding the Slave King's 500th inauguration, Princess Celestia representing the Pantheon, had requested that he host the celebration. Basically she made him an offer he couldn't refuse, and so he agreed to host the rest of the Pantheon. Besides, regardless of his suspicions, once the Pantheon in its entirety had RSVP'ed there was no way he could get out of it. A fact that he bemoaned to himself several times. But regardless of whether he hosted a party or not, he still had to present himself before the Pantheon, as happened in the story. So even if he'd told Celestia no, he'd still have had to show up, but without the gifts.
3565001 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, don;t worry about it, the Slave King doesn't discriminate. Looking forward to reading all your comments in the future.
I have yet to read it but I will read the hell out of this thing tomorrow. I also can't help but think that posting this story this month was planned ,if so props to you, if not I'm gonna think it was anyway.
3565259 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, hopefully you find the story to your liking. As far as being planned, I always like posting my NANO's the day after they finish. It was a year ago today that I posted the last story.
Please don't spam the Adventures - AU folders! Select one folder that fits best and put it there, please!
3565433 My apologies, I'll correct that post haste.
3565437 Thank you! I'm still trying to expand the group and get more folders put up, and I know it's hard to not put your folder into every folder a story falls under, but it's a selective thing, ya know?
With a title like "Book of water" I thought this was a crossover with Avatar the last air bender -_-
3565612 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, sorry if you were under the impression this was a crossover. Since the the Pantheon is elemental based, I decided to use Book of Earth, Water, Fire, Air etc. If you like adventure stories, then I think you might enjoy this series. Let me know if you decide to try it.
Oh, world building. I love background details and insights into characters! And the FF8 music. Now that fits Chrysalis.
Thank you for your hard work in writing and music selection.
I had no idea the Slave King could cook. He really is the perfect bachelor.
3566526 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, for Chrysalis I was looking for a piece of music that was both proud and aggressive, I think Maybe I'm a Lion fit that to a tee. Though I was thinking about something more sneaky like what I'd chosen for Bazzt Zzzt, but in the end the base line in that piece won me over. The Slave King has been known to dabble a bit in the culinary arts, unfortunately only those with a more refined palette and a taste for limestone can truly appreciate it.
3566672
Hmm. So Diamond Dogs and dragons mostly. Chrysalis' part surprised me as well. I believed her to be more devious and that she was merely using King. That she is truly loyal to someone while portrayed as nothing but a heartless conqueror in canon hints at a falling out later down the road.
I know that her kind needs love to survive but using infiltrators as an overwhelming force to rule has always bugged me. (I see them as Fay, but that's just me. Few share my opponion.)
3566733 In chapter 3 you'll find out more about the current changeling queen, but even though Chrysalis attacked Canterlot, who's to say she'd ever attack the Slave King.
3566739
I have a bad habit of misphrasing my comments. I did not mean to imply that she would turn on him. More that it seems like his "love" warmed the cold heart of a predator. (And I'm doing it again. I know that she can't drain him.) I'm just eager to see what made her fall back on “ponies are cattle” later on.
....the music.......omg i think this was the chapter that took me the longest, only because the music was so good i had to hear it all, except narcissus....i hated that one and could not get trough it XD ccant really explain why.
3567544 Thanks for your comments gentlereader, well the arch duke is like his theme, better then you in every way (or at least he seems to think so). I choose that one for him, because it sounds proud, stuck up, and insufferable, just like himself. Did you think each theme was fitting?
3567587 Yes they were fitting, my faavorite one was melody´s.
Fiction literature has trained me well, four paragraphs in........"it must be a dream", although it carried for so long i started harboring doubt Xd
3568653 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, well I wasn't trying to fool the reader so much as show the Slave King's greatest fear. But how did you enjoy the rest of the chapter?
The latter one suspects. Even if it were another rather than herself, she's too kind-hearted to delight in the fears of others.
I'm sure many others would find it hilarious however, and would relish the opportunity to throw that fear in Celestia's face.
Just finished it, it was a real joy ride.
And no wonder their clan is poor they are so.......bull headed?, damn that Len guy was almost painful to picture XD, so much "I SWEAR REVENGE". Still a likable character with his sisterly love,
That was an odd dream, but most dreams are. Celestia would not cry, as his feelings towards her is not well hidden at all.
oh Rain, you don't know what you're getting yourself into
Lots of stuff going on, looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.
3577753 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, anything in particular catch your interest?
Is it still supposed to say Marriage of the Slave King on top? I thought this was The Heart of Winter.
3578171 Thanks for catching that gentlereader, I was copying and pasting from my previous chapters, and it looks like I missed it.
Sometimes the evil of the wicked ones working in the background toward their goal of death and destruction is so great the only thing that reassures me is that in the story's present-day, the ponies still live.
3578826 Thank you for your comments gentlereader, do you mean in general or specific to my story?
In my mind, yoke was changed to yolk.
Sombra became a pushy chef in command instead of an evil tyrant.
I really need some sleep now.