The Legend of Alicorn

by DreamWings

The Legend of the Love's Lost Won

Helios had been walking around with his head to the ground these past two weeks. Marelin and Lotto weren’t sure what to do or what was best to advise him. They’d both heard of the wedding between Grain and Sir La Loo and they knew how much it must have hurt Helios to receive the invitation. In truth it had hurt Lotto somewhat as well. He had fallen for the mare just as quickly as Helios had. The only difference is that, in the end, he hadn’t been the colt to win her heart. Although, to be fair, Lotto knew that if a mare had a choice between the rugged forest colt or the sweet stallion king that they’d choose Helios every time. One of the worst things about being handsome in Lotto’s view was that though he could charm the mares, he could never keep them. They saw him as just a thing to be thrown aside when a long term relationship came along.

It was this thinking that made Lotto the more suitable of the two friends to understand what Helios was going through. He would set his knights same training exercises and then wander into the palace to find the young king. He tried to spend as much time as possible with Helios but, unfortunately, it wasn’t always possible. His job as the Captain of the royal guard often got in the way as his duties as a friend. It was at these points that Marelin had to step in.

Lotto would have been lying if he’d said that Marelin advising Helios wasn’t worrying. In the short time he’d known her he’d found her to be young, silly and prone to losing attention at the most inopportune moments. It wasn’t that he didn’t like her; in fact it was because of these very things that he did like her, but they weren’t the good qualities of a royal advisor. She wasn’t Clover the Clever, and that worried Lotto.

Marelin didn’t know anything of his worries though. She’d been more subdued of late, though she’d tried to hide it. She walked to Helios’ throne room with the same spring in her step that she always had.

“Hel—lo, Hel—ios,” she said, bounding up to him with a grin.

The young stallion looked up, sadly and took the papers that she offered him. Nopony else was in the room. Lotto and Marelin made sure that Helios had some time to relax by himself without having to put on the airs and graces of a king.

“Well, what’re you doing today? Do you want to do a puzzle?” Marelin said, jumping up the steps and sitting down on the floor next to his throne.

“Not today, thank you, Marelin,” Helios said. He sighed and looked down at the floor.

Marelin lent on his arm rest and sighed as well. “You royals, you’re all no fun. Somepony’s going to have to teach you a lesson about partying and playing. Maybe that’ll put a smile back on your face.”

“I don’t need a smile right now, Marelin.” Helios sighed again and his lower lip dropped into a pout. He was picturing Grain in her wedding gown.

“Well, what do you need then?” Marelin asked.

Helios shrugged. “I don’t know.” He did know, and Marelin knew he knew, but neither of them were going to say what he most wanted out loud. It was an impossible task.

“I’m going to go and get one of my puzzles anyway. They’re too much fun to pass up.” Marelin got up and bounced to the door. It took all of her energy to keep this positivity going. “I’ll be back soon, Helios.”

She didn’t hear anything but a sigh in reply.

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Lotto was busy training a new knight on the lawn. Emblem had originally been a hoofpony for the royal carriage but whilst on a visit to Zebrica he had proven his worth and Helios had arranged that he should be trained to serve in the army. Emblem was overjoyed about this. Not only was it work he had dreamed of doing but, as well as this, he was paid better and his family name was finally being wiped out of existence. Over the years his family had always been looked down upon as thieves, murders and swindlers—and the majority of his close family had gone on to prove this description as true—but Emblem had promised his mother at a very young age that he would be different. He was the youngest in his family and the only one left out of his brothers and sisters. His immediate family were either dead, killed or in jail. All accept his mother but he worried every day that he might lose her as well. Now, with the money that he made at work, he could afford the very best healthcare. He would do whatever Lotto told him as long as he could keep the money coming.

Lotto found him a diligent worker. He was one of the bravest colts he’d ever had the pleasure of meeting, and that was saying something for Lotto was always given the emblem of bravery when it came down to it. He saw something in Emblem he’d once seen in somepony else he loved—his younger brother was a tiny bit like the white unicorn and he liked him because of it.

“Come on, get your hooves up,” he barked at Emblem. Emblem was getting tired. He’d been working at gaining strength ever since he’d started training but thus far he couldn’t compare to the other knights.

“Unless you want Private. Winter to come over here, I suggest you move, move, move,” Lotto bellowed. Emblem sped up. He hated Private. Winter. He was one of the cruellest ponies around and always reminded Emblem how weak he was with a kick to the stomach.

Somepony sidled up to Lotto and he looked around. His mouth fell open. A beautiful mare was staring at him with a smirk. She had light pink skin and a mane striped pink, purple and yellow. Her eyes were like sapphires shining in deep, dark pools. Lotto stared, mesmerised.

“He’s a small one, isn’t he?” the mare said. Her voice was soft and sweet, but also strong. She had Lotto in the palm of her hoof. Emblem sensed that Lotto had stopped watching him and collapsed to the ground, exhausted. He pulled himself up and was about to say something to Lotto—and then he saw the mare. He was awestruck immediately. The white unicorn blushed and smiled goofily at the mare.

The mare laughed. “You’re both very quiet all of a sudden. Anypony would think you hadn’t seen a damsel in distress before.”

Lotto snapped out of his trance and gulped. “You—You’re in distress?” he asked.

“At the minute, I am, I’m afraid. I came here for an audience with the King but I lost my way to the hall.” She paused for a few seconds, letting the colts have time to take in what she’d said. They were barely listening to her voice. Her voice was all the same to them. “I don’t suppose one of you kind stallions would show me the way?” She batted her eyelids.

Emblem stepped forwards and offered and extended hoof but Lotto quickly pushed him away. “I can take you. I’m a close personal friend of the King.”

“Really? You must be a very important pony then.” She took hold of his hoof and they left Emblem behind on the lawn. He grumbled but he couldn’t see anything else to do. He didn’t want to lose his job over a mare—even if she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen.

“The name’s Lotto Lancer,” Lotto told her. “Captain Lotto Lancer, to be exact.”

The mare laughed and patted his red cheeks. “A very important pony indeed. It’s a great pleasure to meet the Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Well, hopefully this won’t be the first time we meet—err...”

“Of course, I wouldn’t dream of hiding away from you.” She didn’t seem to realise what Lotto was asking for. “I believe you and I would be great friends. I’m very interested in the knights of Canterlot. You could say I love them, even.”

“Are you planning to stay long, then?” Lotto asked. He could see the door to the throne room coming closer and he was upset. He tried to slow down his pace but she continued to walk at the same speed.

“Oh yes, I’m here for an extended stay.” She smiled at him. There was just something about that smile. “I’ve been planning this visit for months—years even. My mother always told me that one day I’d visit the palace, though I didn’t believe her at first, of course.”

“Of course.” Lotto nodded and pointed sadly at the door. “Well, this is the throne room. King Alicorn will be inside. Do you want me to announce you?”

“No, it’s fine,” she said. “I think it will be a nice surprise, don’t you?”

“Yes, yes it will,” Lotto said, cheerily. Secretly he was disappointed. He was hoping that if she wanted to announce him he would finally discover her name. It was easier to woo a mare if you knew their name.

“Thank you, Captain Lotto Lancer. You have been most helpful,” she said. He opened the door for her slightly and she walked inside. Lotto stared at the door and rubbed his hoof through his mane. What a strange but lovely mare, he thought. Maybe she’s come to give some news about Grain’s wedding. There was one thing for sure though, as soon as she came out, name or not, he was going to ask her out on a date. You couldn’t let a mare like that escape from you once you found her. She was Lotto’s soul mate. He could feel it.

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Marelin had been a long time in finding a puzzle. She’d wanted just the right one, and she didn’t want it to be one of the educational ones Clover had given her for her birthdays. Unfortunately all of the good ones had been buried deep in the educational ones and no amount of magic had moved them fast enough.

She was excited to think about cheering Helios up. She practically ran back to the throne room, the game held in her magic, and stormed through the doors. Inside she found a puzzling scene. Helios had left his throne and in his place a mare was sat. She was talking to him and whispering to him and he was grinning in reply. Marelin didn’t know whether to be puzzled or relieved. She thought she’d be the one to cheer him up, not this stranger, and it seemed unfair that she hadn’t had the chance to go first—cheering up a pony was what a friend did, and she wanted to be that friend.

But there was another reason she didn’t like this scene. She didn’t like the look of the mare. She was eerily familiar and just her smile made Marelin’s spine tingle. She had a bad feeling and if there was one thing she knew it was that she had to trust her feelings. If she hadn’t followed them before she wouldn’t be where she was now, and neither would her new friends.

“Helios?” she asked, trotting up to the stallion and mare.

Helios turned around and beamed at her. He ran to her and swept her up in a hug. Usually Marelin would have joined in instantly, but this time the hug felt suffocating. It didn’t feel natural. “Oh, Marelin, isn’t it wonderful?”

She stared at him, confused. “Isn’t what wonderful?” The mare on top of the throne was smirking. Marelin hated smirking. Helios didn’t appear to notice and dragged her up the steps towards the mare.

“I can hardly believe it, Marelin. This is the happiest day of my life.”

“Why? What’s happened? Come on, Helios, don’t keep it from me.” His happiness was oddly catching. She couldn’t help but mimic his excitement.

“Well, don’t you know, Marelin, don’t you know. I’m getting married.” The king grinned foolishly at her. Marelin stopped in shock.

“Married?” She stared at the mare. Her spine shuddered. “Married to who?”

“Well, to Nimhay of course. Have you ever seen anypony so perfect?”

“Nimhay?”

The mare grabbed hold of Marelin’s hoof and shook it fiercely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my Best Mare.”

Marelin stopped, doubly shocked, though she wasn’t sure you could be doubly shocked. What in the hay was going on? Helios kissed Nimhay on the cheek and Marelin retched. Whatever was happening she’d have to put a stop to it.

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Everything seemed to go by so fast in the palace. Before Marelin had even had a chance to breathe the wedding was put into place and Helios was standing at the altar waiting for his bride. Lotto was standing beside him. He’d been the only colt that Helios had chosen to be in his immediate wedding party. Emblem was the second closest and he was acting as usher for the guests.

The wedding was large, as permitting to Nimhay’s instructions. She’d said that she’d always dreamed that everypony would be there to give her well wishings and see her in her hoof-stitched dress. Her family had sent over her dress for her. Marelin had tried to intercept the parcel when it had arrived but had failed miserably. As far as she could tell it hadn’t been delivered by any of the ordinary mail-ponies or guards. It had seemingly come out of nowhere, much like the mare herself.

She barely spoke about her family beyond a sentence or two and there was no point asking her. She had the amazing ability to defer the question onto something else so she didn’t have to tell ponies anything but what she actually wanted them to know. Marelin wondered what she could’ve been hiding, but it was too late to find out. Nimhay had walked up to Helios, her bridesmaids smirking just as much as her, and the ceremony began.

It got to the section of the ceremony where the pony in charge asked if there was anypony that didn’t agree to this wedding. Both Marelin and Lotto almost stepped forward. Lotto was still sore at the whole thing. In his eyes Nimhay was supposed to be his mare, but he couldn’t help feeling happy that Helios had finally gained his old smile again. It seemed he’d almost forgotten about Grain. He’d already missed her wedding to organise his. No, Lotto couldn’t ruin this day. He was far too loyal to the king to do that.

Marelin didn’t have any of these feelings. She just felt uneasy about the whole thing. She noticed how the stallions and colts stared at the mare, how she smiled at them in that menacing way and how her eyes glowed green whenever she used her magic. Marelin remembered Clover telling her that green magic was never a good sign, but she still wanted to give Nimhay the benefit of the doubt. She didn’t like judging ponies on first meeting. It didn’t help your chances of making friends, and Marelin loved making new friends. But her spine still tingled and shuddered when she saw Nimhay. No, she told herself, she couldn’t ruin Helios’ happiness. Clover would have never done that to Sapphire.

The ceremony was quickly over and Helios happily kissed his new wife. They held a party in the great hall with all of their close friends and family. Helios hadn’t wanted to invite all of the guests because he felt it would be better for his intimate relations to get to know Nimhay. She was, after all, their new friend and queen.

“This is the happiest day of my life,” Helios told Lotto. Lotto grumbled slightly but quickly cut himself off. He hated that he was feeling this way. Loyalty was sometimes a hard thing to keep up, especially where mares were concerned. First he’d lost Grain to Helios and now Nimhay. Half-breed’s had all the luck.

“Congratulations, your highness,” he mumbled. “I should go and check on the guards.” He walked away and Helios turned to Marelin. She’d been quieter in these last few days then he’d ever known her to be before. She seemed to be thinking about something but Helios was too wrapped up in his marriage to care that much about it.

“Why don’t you go and talk to Nimhay, Marelin?” Helios suggested. “I know she wants to get to know you better.”

“She does?” Marelin cast a suspicious eye to his new bride.

“Of course she does. Why shouldn’t she want to get to know my advisor? You’re going to be her advisor now too, you know.” Helios was grinning ear to ear but Marelin didn’t like it. He didn’t look natural.

“Helios,” she said. “Are you sure this wedding was the right thing to do? It’s just that—well, I’m not sure Clover would’ve advice Platinum to do this sort of thing.”

“Who cares what they did in the past?” Helios snorted. “Equestria’s mine now, right? Well, then we’ll do what I and Nimhay want. Now, go and talk to her.” He shooed her in the direction of his wife. Marelin dragged her hooves as she walked over. Nimhay was talking to a pack of mares and stallions that had gathered around her. She was certainly popular. Too popular, Marelin thought.

Nimhay saw her coming up and Marelin could swear she’d seen a frown come over her face. She’d quickly changed it to a smile by the time she’d arrived in the crowds.

“Hello, Nimhay,” Marelin said. “I’m Marelin.” She put her hoof out to shake, trying to be friendly, but Nimhay looked down her nose at it.

“You can call me your majesty,” she told her. “And you’re supposed to curtsey to your queen.”

The crowds around her nodded in agreement and looked at Marelin, disgusted. Marelin was baffled and slightly annoyed. She knew well enough how you were supposed to act with royalty. She’d spent most of her life with them and the fact that Nimhay had the audacity to suggest she didn’t aggravated her. Nevertheless she did as she’d said.

Nimhay seemed satisfied. “Very well, you may go now.” She flicked her hooves and the crowd around her dispersed. Marelin remained where she was. She wasn’t going to let this prissy pony order her around. She’d had enough of being bullied with the former queen, Evergreen.

“I’m your royal advisor, your majesty,” she said, curtseying again. “I advise you on stuff.”

“Stuff? You’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that.” Nimhay sneered. “And I thought I told you you could leave.”

“Well, you didn’t really say it to anypony in particular,” Marelin pointed out, “and I’m supposed to talk to you. Helios asked me to.”

Nimhay was frowning now and looking down at her hoof in boredom. “Very well, you’ve talked to me. I don’t see that we have anymore business to discuss.”

Marelin stumbled over her words, opening and shutting her mouth, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. She mumbled a thank you and left Nimhay to her hoof-staring. Nimhay didn’t even say goodbye. In fact, she glared at her as the young unicorn walked to the doors and left the party. She couldn’t stay in the room any longer. She’d always dreamed of what parties would be like, but she knew that that wasn’t what she’d imagined. For the life of her she couldn’t imagine what Nimhay seemed to have against her. Nor did she understand what Helios or anypony else could see in her.

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Helios was escorting his bride to their bedchambers. The party had been tiring but satisfying and he was looking forward to spending some time alone with his new wife. He’d barely had a chance to spend any time with her since the ceremony and he regretted it. Even with only close relatives and friends he’d struggled to speak to her. He was smiling stupidly, thinking all of the lovely thoughts that befit a stallion in love. Nimhay seemed to be thinking something herself.

“What are you thinking of, my dear?” he asked. If Marelin had been around she would have gagged. Helios never spoke like this.

Nimhay looked sadly down at the floor. “I was thinking—well, it’s best you don’t know.”

“Come on, you can tell me anything. I’m your husband,” he said.

She chuckled. “Yes, you are, aren’t you?” She looked up into his kind eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m just not sure everypony is happy about our arrangements.”

“What do you mean?” Helios stroked his through her mane. It was the softest mane he’d ever felt.

“I’m afraid there are mares in here that may offer me some competition,” she said sadly. “Mares that believe they love you more than I do. Mares that would hurt me to get to you.”

“Nonsense. I’d never leave you.” He snorted and stroked her mane again. He liked the way it felt.

“But, you wouldn’t have any choice. They’d do things to me to make sure we wouldn’t get our happily ever after.”

Helios thought for a second. They were nearly to their bedroom door. “Would it help,” he asked, “if they didn’t have the chance? What about if they no longer worked here?”

Nimhay’s eyes lit up. “Aw, Alicorn, you’d do that for me?”

He nodded and stood up proudly. “A king must always protect his queen. You just tell the head of staff who needs to go and they’re gone. It’s as simple as that.”

“Thank you, Alicorn. That’s—well, that’s one of the kindest things anypony’s ever done for me.” There didn’t seem to be a smile when she could smile normally. She always smirked just as she did now. They’d made it to the door. She grabbed hold of the front of his royal-emblem. “Now, I believe we have some business to attend to.”

Helios blushed and grinned. She pulled him inside the room with a soft tug. He followed happily.

The guards were smiling to. It wouldn’t be long, they thought, before they’d be able to brag about being the personal guards to a royal princess or prince. They couldn’t wait for it.

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Marelin was staring down at the notice in her hoof in disbelief. She couldn’t believe it. They were firing her? Her? But, it didn’t make any sense. She’d been hoofpicked as a foal to be the royal advisor. It hadn’t been an occupation, it had been her destiny. And if she wasn’t the advisor what was she? Just a bumbling mare with magic, that’s all. She could barely be classed as anything.

The head of staff was staring at her from the door. He was with two beefy guards who were waiting patiently in case they needed to intervene. They’d been given the orders that the mares on the queen’s list must be escorted out of the palace immediately. The guards were actually quite disappointed and not just a little surprised. They had both been working at the palace since Marelin had been a filly. It was upsetting to see the fun-loving mare leave.

“I don’t get it,” she said. “Helios wouldn’t fire me. He can’t fire me.”

“Well, he has,” the head of staff said sternly. There was a tear coming into his eye but he quickly blinked it away. “You must leave immediately. This room is to be used as the queen’s backup bedchambers, for when the king is busy in his own room.”

Marelin looked sadly around the room she’d spent most of her foalhood. To think it was going to be used by that horrible mare. It was too much. She burst into tears. “B-but what about all my s-stuff?” she stuttered.

“All property of the king,” the head of staff said. He took pity on her and rubbed her on the back. He too had known Marelin since she was a filly. “We’ll keep it safe for you, I promise.”

Marelin coughed, choked and spluttered as she gathered a few of her more personal belongings: a painting of her father, a painting of her mentor and a more recent painting of her and her two friends. One of the knights tucked them up into a sheet for her and tied a handle onto it. She thanked him and swaddled him in a hug. He stroked her mane glumly. The other knight and the head of staff didn’t try to stop him. If they’d have had the chance they’d have done the same.

She followed them out of the door and walked past crowds of servants staring at her from their work-spaces. Some of them had only arrived recently, others had been there since long before she’d arrived, but all were sad to see her leaving. Marelin might not have been the most sensible of ponies but she added a spirit to the palace that was going to be missed when she left. They knew it would never be the same without her.

Marelin had her head up high. She’d stopped crying and was putting on as brave a face as she could muster. Her hoofsteps were soft. She didn’t feel in the mood to try and add any bounce to them. This was her entire life disappearing before her. It would be hard for anypony who had to go through the same thing. There wasn’t one pony who didn’t pity her.

Helios didn’t show up to see her go. In truth he wasn’t even aware she was leaving. He’d been otherwise engaged with Nimhay since his wedding the day before. The only time he’d been away from her is when she’d gone to speak to the head of staff about some dinner and the staffing situation. She’d got her dinner and her way, in the end. The head of staff had almost had his head bitten off when he’d suggested she should reconsider some of her actions.

Emblem was by the gates as Marelin walked up. He pulled them open and bowed to her. He’d never really had the chance to know her very well but he knew how loved she was in the palace. He couldn’t feel sad that she was leaving, he didn’t have the experience for that, but he could feel sorry for the mare. He knew well how it felt to lose a job and felt like you’d lost all hope. He gave her a whisper of encouragement as she walked out and he shut the gate behind her. She thanked him as well. She thanked everypony she passed. If it wasn’t for them her time in the palace would have been akin to being stuck in Tartarus.

There were guards saluting and playing a farewell tune on their trumpets everywhere. Lotto was startled. He had been picking herbs, as far away from the happy couple as he could get without failing at his job, and hadn’t known anything was going on. He came up now and saw Marelin’s disappearing figure on the other side of the gate. He ran up to Emblem.

“What’s going on? Where’ Marelin going?” he said, panicking.

Emblem’s ears drooped. “She’s gone. She’s been fired.”

“What!” Lotto stared in shock. Marelin had disappeared completely now. “By who’s orders? She has a birth right to be here.”

The head of staff stepped forward. “The new queen, sir. It was the new queen’s orders.”

Lotto frowned. He couldn’t believe it. “Not if I have anything to say about it,” he muttered. He yelled at his guards and told them to get back to work, promising them that he would resolve the matter post-haste. They didn’t need to worry about Marelin any longer.

As soon as the crowds had dispersed he ran inside. Just wait until I find Helios, he thought, gritting his teeth. Mare or no mare, this has gone way too far.

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He found Helios sitting on the end of his bed. His face was one of bliss and peace. He’d never felt so happy in his life. Lotto barged in and looked around.

“Is Nimhay in here?” he asked.

Helios frowned and glared at the Pegasus. “You know, you’re not meant to barge into a king’s bedchambers like that. King’s deserve privacy and respect.”

“Did she tell you that?” Lotto scoffed. “Did she also tell you why she felt she could go around firing whoever she wanted?”

Helios stood up and walked over to his mirror. He played with his mane, brushing it back into place. It had been quite ruffled before. “That’s easy. I told her she could.”

Lotto gasped. “You did what? Helios, how could you?”

Helios shrugged. “She’s my queen, what she wants she gets. She felt that some of the servants were going to cause problems so I told her she could get rid of them. It’s no big deal.” He was rubbing his tongue over his teeth. He hadn’t had time to brush his teeth the night before.

He felt hooves grasp him tightly and fling him against the wall. Lotto was holding him firmly and shooting him daggers with his eyes. Although Helios was a stallion and Lotto only a colt, Lotto had been trained to fight bigger monsters than a half-breed.

“No, it’s a big problem. Do you know who your precious wife has fired, Helios? She’s fired Marelin! Marelin of all ponies!”

Helios had been struggling underneath his hooves up until when he’d mentioned Marelin. Lotto wasn’t surprised that Helios hadn’t known.

“What? No—No, she wouldn’t. She’d never fire Marelin.”

“Well, she did. She’s gone, Helios. She’s gone out into the world and who knows what could happen to that gullible little foal out there.” He let the half-breed go and Helios stumbled forward, half in a dream. The room was silent for a minute and then Helios regained in composure.

“Well, what does it matter,” he said. “If Nimhay doesn’t think I need Marelin, then I don’t need Marelin. I have Nimhay now, after all. She’s as great—no, a greater advisor than Marelin would ever be. After all, you yourself said she was silly and gullible.”

“Yes, I did,” Lotto said. “But that’s exactly the reason I think she’s a good match for you—for us. She keeps you humble and judging from how you’re acting towards me, Nimhay does not.”

Helios snorted. He was gaining quite a collection of them by this point. This only aggravated Lotto more.

“What do you really want, Helios?” he asked. “Do you want a mare you’ve only just met, a mare that might have more up her sleeves than you’ve imagined in that dreamy little head of yours—or do you want our very real friend? That same friend who stood up to Evergreen for you—Evergreen, Helios. Somepony that nopony would ever dare go against, let alone Marelin. I doubt Nimhay would do that for you.”

Lotto stormed out of the door, leaving Helios all alone. Helios collapsed on the bed. Honestly, he didn’t know the answer to Lotto’s question. He couldn’t help it. Nimhay made him feel the way that Grain had made him feel. When he’d been with Nimhay last night he’d finally felt like he’d regained the happiness he’d felt when he’d asked Grain to marry him. This time he’d won. But was it worth it, winning without Marelin there? After all, she’d been the pony to stand by his side when Grain had left. She was the mare that had given him his first smile. Usually the ponies that had seen a half-breed like him would have attacked him or chased him but Marelin had been different.

He just couldn’t figure out what to do. Who should he be loyal to? There was only one real answer.

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“Nimhay,” Helios said, walking into Marelin’s old room. Nimhay was busy measuring the walls and windows. She turned when she heard him come in.

“Ah, Alicorn, what do you think?” she asked, pointing at the window. “This will be perfect for a stain-glass portrait of me, won’t it?”

Helios nodded and then shook his head. “Nimhay,” he said, “is it true that you had them get rid of Marelin today?”

“Yes, I did, but I told you I needed to get rid of the mares that would want to hurt me.” She was wrapping the measuring tape around her hooves. “Marelin was one of those.”

“Marelin?” Helios stepped towards her. “Marelin wouldn’t have hurt you. She wouldn’t hurt anypony. She’s one of the sweetest ponies around.” He leaned against the window and looked out at the dark night. He thought of Marelin, out there somewhere, sleeping in the cold, dark streets. He shuddered. “And she was one of my best friends,” he said, sadly.

Nimhay grabbed hold of his hoof and spun him round so that he was facing her. “But you have me now. You don’t need her anymore.”

He sighed. He wanted to believe she was right. He’d told Lotto the exact same thing not too long ago, but he’d known, even when he’d said it, that he was lying to himself. “No, you’re wrong. I need Marelin just as much as you. I might not love her the way I love you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love her. I need her in my life.”

Nimhay frowned and pulled away from him. She hit out at the cabinet fiercely and knocked a portrait of Marelin to the floor. She pretended to trip and put one hoof through the paper, ripping the picture and tearing Marelin’s head in half. Helios watched in horror as she grabbed hold of the frame and encased it in magic flames. Her eyes glowed bright green.

“Oh, dear, how unfortunate,” she said, mock-sympathetically. She spat at him. “Now, you just remember this, you are my husband. You’re going to be the father of my children and the king of my subjects. You don’t need another mare—especially this one—in your life.”

Helios nodded, smiling foolishly. His eyes were tinted a light green. Nimhay smirked.

“Now, who put such a silly idea in your head?” she asked.

“Lot—to said, you not to be trusted. Marelin—needs to come back. Marelin must come back.”

She patted his mane with her hoof. For a second a flash of black, holey skin appeared before turning back into its usual pink.

“Well then, we’ll just have to deal with the good Captain now, won’t we? We can’t have him ruining our happily ever after.”

Helios nodded slowly and Nimhay chuckled to herself.

“I’ll meet you in the bedchambers in twenty minutes, my little Alicorn,” she said, sidling out of the door. “I just have some business to take care of first.”

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Lotto and Emblem were jousting on the lawn. Lotto felt that jousting was the perfect way to teach new knights combat. It was all about precision and timing, something that any good knight has to learn in order to succeed. So far Emblem had proven poor at it but Lotto wasn’t going to give up on him just yet. Somewhere inside of him Lotto knew that Emblem had the makings of a great knight. He just had to get to it.

“Come on, you were really close that time,” he said as Emblem tumbled past him having missed be a mere inch.

Emblem was panting. He hated jousting. It was his least favourite thing about training and it was the only thing that made him doubt that he needed the money as much as he did. He was thankful when he saw Nimhay storming up to them. Lotto would have to take a break to talk to the queen, he thought.

Lotto saw her coming too, and he frowned. The charms he’d originally seen in the mare had all but gone. Instead he could see all of the faults that Marelin had seen previously and he hated her for them. Lotto was nothing if he was not loyal to his friends and family.

“Can I help you?” he hissed at Nimhay, his nose scrunched up as if he had smelt a bad smell.

“Yes, I just wanted to apologise,” Nimhay said, bowing her head. “I didn’t realise how important that young mare was to the house. I—I guess I was just jealous of how close you and Alicorn were to her. I shouldn’t have been jealous and I know that now.”

Lotto smiled. He was always ready to forgive. “So, you’re going to bring Marelin back then?”

Nimhay shook her head. “If only I could. I’m afraid that we’d never find her now.”

Lotto’s smile had vanished as quickly as it had come. He looked at the mare suspiciously. Somehow he didn’t think she was telling the truth. “I could easily send a search party to find her. My knights are some of the best in the kingdom.”

“There’s no use doing that.” Nimhay was batting her eyelids and, although it appeared to be working on Emblem (who sat there, gormless) it didn’t have any effect on Lotto. He’d had enough experience with sirens to fall for the tricks she was using. He’d used them himself in the past. “I’m telling you. You’d never find her.” She sighed. “I’m afraid she’s all but lost to us now.”

He raised an eyebrow. “No, really, it’s no trouble. I’d be more than happy to find her. She’s my friend too, you know.”

“And I quite understand that,” she was getting annoyed now, “but there’s just no use. I keep saying that there’s no use.” No amount of tricks she tried, not even her magic, seemed to be working on the black Pegasus. She was focusing so hard that she didn’t even appear to notice that her disguise was slowly falling apart.

Lotto looked in shock as her pink skin slowly melted away leaving a dark black in its place. She was even darker than him, and even if they had been the exact same colour, he didn’t have holes in his legs like she had in hers. She was gruesome looking. Her teeth were pointing, her eyes large and green, and her hair—it reminded him of an insect, somewhat. And more to the point, he realised, she had wings. In her pony form she’d only had the horn usually associated with the unicorns.

Emblem fell over. She grunted in anger. She’d been trying so hard to win over the Captain she hadn’t realised her spell over his trainee had slowly fallen off. Lotto jabbed at her with his lance before she had time to put the spell back on.

“Emblem, quick, go and get help,” Lotto yelled. Emblem stumbled backwards and obeyed orders. He was happy to get away. He’d never seen anything as horrific looking as the queen. Her wings were buzzing fiercely and it reminded him of the horrible camping trips he’d had to go on as a foal. There were always creatures on those trips to sting and bite him.

“Who are you? What do you want here?” Lotto screamed.

Nimhay laughed loudly. She didn’t feel the need to disguise her voice or her body anymore. It wasn’t as if Lotto was going to get away from this meeting unscathed. She had a way with ponies that meant that they would always believe her—even if it had failed her with the Captain it would easily betwixt his lessers.

“Why, Captain, don’t you recognize me,” she said. “It’s me, Nimhay—your true love, remember?”

Lotto gritted his teeth and thrust his lance at her stomach. She dodged it and giggled.
“Now, now, none of that. You can’t hurt a queen,” she said.

“You’re not a queen, Nimhay. I know what you are.”

“Oh yes? Do enlighten me.” She was actually quite amused by the colt. He provided some kind of entertainment for her. Lotto didn’t like it.

“My mother used to tell me stories about you—about your changelings. As I remember you weren’t exactly the brightest bunch in the world.” Lotto threw his lance again but she just moved to the side. If only he had more than just the tools for jousting this might’ve been a lot easier. He hoped Emblem would hurry up. “Didn’t your last queen get caught in a unicorn’s bug-zapper?” He smirked. “That must’ve been humiliating.”

“Hence why I decided to take over the hive. It was about time we had a ruler with a bit of sense.”

“Too bad you still don’t have one.” Lotto had seen a shadow sneaking up behind Nimhay and prayed for the best. He hoped it was somepony coming to help him and not her. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen if it was a minion of hers. Where was Emblem already?

“Oh, you’ll see, Captain. You’ll see just how clever I can be,” Nimhay scoffed. She lifted up her horn and shot a green beam at Lotto. He flew into the air just in time for her to miss him. She hissed and took another shot. A beam hit him in the side as he tried to dodge and he could feel pain shooting through his left wing. The shadow was closer now. He had once choice.

He dived forward as she shot another beam and let himself fall onto her back and neck. He took hold of her head in his hooves and held on tightly. She tried to shake him off but he wouldn’t let her go. He shut his eyes, wishing more than anything that his wild ride could be over. He was starting to feel sick.

The shadow ran over and struck out at Nimhay’s legs. She collapsed to the floor. Lotto fell off her back and rolled onto the lawn. There came a tap on his shoulder and he looked up to see the head of staff standing above him.

“Are you okay, sir? I was doing some work nearby and I saw her attack you.”

Lotto nodded and pulled himself to his hooves. Helios and Emblem were running over to him, followed by an entire army of knights.

“Looks like your just the same as your previous queen, Nimhay,” he said. He looked down at the ground where Nimhay should have been but she wasn’t there. There was a buzzing from the sky and Lotto gazed upwards to see the changeling queen flying away. He readied his wings to follow her but they cracked when he tried. He pulled a face. There’s no way he would ever catch up to her with them this way.

“Pegasus guards,” he yelled at the knights that had arrived. “Follow her, bring her back here.” The knights obeyed. Helios didn’t go with them. He was red in the face, just as he had been when Emblem had come and found him in his bedchambers. He hadn’t even remembered going in there in the first place.

Lotto patted him on the shoulders. “They’ll catch her. I’m sure of it.”

Helios nodded but he wasn’t sure. He couldn’t believe how foolish he’d been. He’d been blinded by love. How could he have been so blinded by love?

“I’m never doing that again, Lotto, I promise,” he said. “Love—Mares, they just aren’t worth it.” He smiled at the black colt and he swung his front leg over his back. “I’d choose friends any day.”

“Don’t give up on love, Helios,” Lotto told him. “Or one day you might just have to eat your words.”

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Helios walked into the house. It was a large house, just about half the size of the palace, and grandly decorated. Lotto was with him, dressed in full formal attire. Helios had made sure that both of them had been suited well-enough for such an auspicious occasion. They were led by a servant into the best room, reserved for meetings as special as this one.

The lord of the house was waiting for them. He bowed to the king and captain and kissed Helios’ hoof.

“It’s an honour to have you here, your majesty,” Sir La Loo said.

“We should have come a lot sooner,” Helios said.

Two mares come in through the open door and Lotto and Helios ran forward. Marelin ran forward too, the bounce back in her step. Helios had missed that bounce. They gathered round, hugging each other tightly. None of them wanted to be the first to let go.

Sir La Loo coughed and the three friends blushed. They apologised and walked over to the couch and sat down. The couch was big enough to hold all three of them thankfully. Sir La Loo and his wife had sat down on the couch opposite.

Helios tugged on his collar, nervously. Servants were setting out tea and biscuits—about twenty-five different types of biscuits—on the table in front of him. He didn’t know whether he should take one or not. Shouldn’t the hosts go first? Marelin solved his problem by instantly diving in and shoving three biscuits into her mouth at once. Sir La Loo’s wife laughed. Marelin grinned, her teeth spattered with biscuit crumbs.

“I’ve got to say,” Lotto said, “thank you—thank you for looking after her. We were really worried when we heard she’d been sent away.”

Grain smiled at him. She was just as beautiful, if not more, than the day that she’d left Canterlot to come home to her fiancé. Sir La Loo knew that she’d met the king before but he wasn’t aware that there’d ever been any feelings between them. Marelin certainly hadn’t told him.

“I’m just glad Marelin came here,” Grain admitted. “I always believed that she didn’t like me very much.”

Marelin shrugged. She had grabbed six more biscuits from the plates. “It’s not that I didn’t like you. It’s that I didn’t trust you. I do now.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” Grain said. She was feeling reluctant to take any biscuits herself just in case her hoof should meet Helios’s. She knew that her old feelings for him hadn’t left, even though she knew how much she loved her husband.

“I’m really sorry to hear of your troubles, your highness,” Sir La Loo said. He was pouring cups of tea for him and his visitors. “That must have been a horrible experience.”

Helios nodded. He still hadn’t quite managed to get over the shock of discovering he had been tricked into marriage by a changeling. His nanny had always warned him against them growing up.

“And you say she managed to escape?” Sir La Loo asked.

“Unfortunately she obviously had some hidden passages to go through. My knights didn’t stand a chance,” Lotto said. “And, you know, we couldn’t go into the changeling hive. That would be an act of war.”

“We don’t want war in Equestria,” Helios told them. He smiled round at the little group. “I’d rather have peace--- friendship. If there’s anything I’ve learned recently it’s that friends are more special than any magic or spell.”

Marelin hadn’t been listening. She’d been too busy with the biscuits. She’d misheard what Helios had said. “Friendship’s magic?” she asked. “I don’t remember Clover telling me that.”

Lotto laughed. “No, Marelin, that’s not what he meant.”

“I don’t know,” Sir La Loo said, “I think it might just be about the best idea in the world.”

Helios grinned at Grain and she smiled back. “Friendship is magic,” he said. “Yes, that sounds about right.”

THE END

Author's Note:

The links are back. I repeat the links are back.

LINKS TO MLP:
1. Changelings, changelings and all the changelings. And no, Nimhay is not meant to be a distant relation to Chrysalis. The reference to how stupid the queens have been in the changeling world, however, was a reference to Queen Chrysalis's plan in A Canterlot Wedding.
2. Yes, if you're wondering, Nimhay's disguise is essentially Cadence but as a unicorn.
3. You know, the more I write this, the more I see Marelin has her own character. She's obviously a descendant of Twilight but-- man, I love Marelin. She's like a strange mixture of Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Twilight.

LINKS TO ARTHURIAN LEGENDS:
1. Nimhay-- Nimueh, otherwise known as the Lady of the Lake, is the person who trapped Marelin in a rock (where he, supposedly, still is today).
2. There were reportedly three Guinevere's in Arthur's life (all of which he fell in love with at some point). Nimhay is Helios's second Guinevere (the first also making an appearance in the form of Grain).
3. Anybody notice Lotto talks a lot about loyalty? Well, yeah, he's Lancelot so that's both a jab and also correct.

There's probably a few more but I'll leave you to have fun finding them. I hope you enjoy (and sorry for
how rushed it may seem. I felt bad that I've not written it for a while so I wrote this in two sittings).

Thank you and join us next time for: The Legend of Le Neigh.