> Forged Anew
>  by Friend_Computer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 0: The Lost Tribe
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear reader,

First, allow me to thank you for choosing this book, because the topic it deals with is, for several reasons, something very close to my own heart. Educating the Equestrian public on the rich, fascinating history and culture of the Crystal Empire has been my desire for the longest time, and I am overjoyed that I finally have the opportunity to do so. Your interest in this subject means much to me, and I spared no effort to ensure that this work can answer almost any question you could possibly have.

Several years have passed since the reappearance of the Crystal Empire, but to most Equestrian citizens, our northern neighbor remains an enigma. During the Empire's thousand year absence, virtually all knowledge about it faded into obscurity, then into myth, until even among the most ardent scholars and historians, few remembered that it ever existed at all.

Now that the Empire has returned, many ponies have become curious about the strange and unknown nation that seemingly appeared out of thin air beyond our northern borders. I wrote these books to satisfy that curiosity, and hopefully encourage ponies to take the next step by reaching out towards the citizens of the Empire in the spirit of harmony and friendship. I hope that in time, we will be able to reforge the bonds of trust and cooperation that used to connect us before the tragedy that befell the Crystal Empire so long ago.

Our nations share so much that a visitor from Equestria would probably be surprised to see how many similarities can be found, even after centuries of separation. However, the Crystal Empire still possesses its own unique and distinctive culture, and, once they have gotten past some of the more superficial resemblances, ponies from Equestria will find many things about the Empire that may strike them as surprising or confusing.

It is a common misconception that crystal ponies are merely an exotic offshoot of the earth pony tribe. Crystal pegasi and unicorns do exist, but they are so rare among the Empire’s population that one could live there for years without encountering them. Furthermore, even though most crystal ponies superficially resemble earth ponies, and also tend to share their abundance of strength and stamina, the two tribes actually differ from each other in more than just the appearance of their coats. The inherent magic of earth ponies usually gives them a natural understanding of plants and animals, while crystal ponies generally share an affinity for working with rock and metal instead of crops and livestock. There are thousands of incredibly skilled miners and architects among the Empire's citizens, and I can say without any hint of hyperbole that when it comes to shaping stone, gems and metal, their craftsponies can work wonders the likes of which I have never seen before.

Another thing that visitors from Equestria are likely to experience first-hoof and may find peculiar is the role of the Imperial nobility. While the majority of our noble class has gradually given up most of its responsibilities and privileges over the past centuries, nobles in the Empire still take an active role in their nation’s government and defense. Undoubtedly, the Imperial knights are the most well-known example for this. Despite the fact that a knighthood is the lowest ranking title of the Imperial nobility, they are by far the most respected and idolized nobles, second only to the Empire’s rulers.

There are several reasons for this. The fact that a knighthood can be bestowed on anypony without any kind of social restriction and purely based on the individual's merit certainly serves to make the Empire's knights seem more approachable to the average citizen. But I would suspect that it is mainly due to the sheer number of responsibilities knights have within the Empire.

In times of war, the Imperial knights form the hardened core of the Empire's army, serving their nation as warriors and military leaders. When the country is at peace, they remain defenders, but also take on additional duties as teachers, administrators, role models and, in a sense, entertainers and celebrities. Some higher ranking knights even govern their own holdings and have their own retainers, much like a minor lord.

Since knights have excellent opportunities to keep themselves well educated, it is also not uncommon for members of this caste to devote themselves to artistic or scholarly pursuits. And while most of them merely dabble in those fields, over the centuries, there have been several knights who earned considerable renown in them.

So, while it may be puzzling to modern Equestrians that a single noble class is entrusted with such a large number of responsibilities, within the Empire, this is still a simple fact of life. The citizens revere their knights for the sacrifices they make in defense of the Empire, and for the many important duties they take on. In turn, the Imperial knights are eternally devoted to the well-being and safety of every citizen. Their knights are an important part of the Empires cultural identity, and the importance they have for the Empire as a whole cannot easily be overstated.

– Excerpt from the first chapter of The Lost Tribe: A Brief Introduction to the Society, History and Culture of the Crystal Empire (Vol. I of XXIII) by Princess Twilight Sparkle
> Chapter 01: The Fall
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Orange light shone through the palace windows into the large, round chamber. Wherever it touched the polished crystal walls and pillars, it was dispersed and refracted, scattering countless rays of multicolored light in all directions.

Quicksilver had always loved to climb the stairs to the uppermost room of the palace in the early morning, and then sit in front of a window to wait for the rising sun. No matter how often she sat there, watching the first rays of sunshine brush over the crystal spires and fill the entire city with vibrant light and colors, it had always been as awe-inspiring as the first time she had seen it, years ago, when she was still a young squire in the service of Sir Amber Spark.

When she didn't look out the window, she could almost have pretended that the orange glow that filled the room was the light of the sunrise. But the light twitched and flickered constantly, and knowing its source made it look cruel, no matter what she was pretending to see. This was not the beginning of a new day. This was the end of an empire.

The Crystal City was in flames.

Quicksilver looked on in silence as the fire consumed her home. At times, she could see shapes and figures move in the streets, but the thick smoke hid them from view more often than not. And while she sat and stared into the flames, she kept thinking that she should feel something. Anger, or sorrow. Anything. But she just felt tired, and even that was a numb and distant sensation she barely even noticed.

She could not remember when she had started to feel like this. It was as if during the last few days of constant battle, all emotion had gradually bled out of her, until all that mattered was the next charge, the next enemy, the next retreat.

But now, this room of the palace was the only refuge they had left, and from such a high vantage point, Quicksilver could not overlook the scale of their defeat. And yet, she barely felt anything. It didn’t seem any more real than a picture or a stage play.

Can this really be happening? Even in her head, the question sounded flat, as if the answer didn't really matter.

Far below her, one of the city's burning crystal towers suddenly snapped in half with a deafening crack. The upper part toppled to the side and fell, crushing a fountain and several buildings to powder as it smashed into the streets. Quicksilver turned her head and looked closer. She was dimly aware of the fact that she knew the place where the tower had landed. Next to the fountain had been a little cafe that she had often visited. It was stupid to think about that right now, but she could not stop the memories from coming.

She had always sat outside in the sun, at a table next to the fountain where she could hear the running water. She used to order peach tea and dandelion cakes, and spent hours watching ponies walk past and go about their business. Since she had never worn her armor and always concealed her features with a hat, glasses and a simple dress, nopony had ever recognized her. She also remembered the owner's daughter, a plump filly with a light blue coat and a purple mane. The child had been an insufferable little pest, always running around the tables making a ruckus. Just recently, while making a nuisance out of herself as usual, the filly had bumped against Quicksilver's table and spilled her tea, and when Quicksilver told her to apologize, the brat had blown her a raspberry and ran inside the cafe. The owner came out shortly after with fresh tea and an apology, but Quicksilver had still promised herself that she would never visit the place again. That had been almost three weeks ago, and she hadn't been to the cafe or even thought about it since then.

Now she stared at the pile of glittering dust and rubble, with thoughts of cakes, the taste of tea, the sound of running water, an insolent young filly's grating laughter, and a thousand other little things rushing through her mind, and suddenly her vision went blurry. Tears started running down her cheeks, while grief and sorrow struck her so heavy that she could barely keep herself upright. She pinched her eyes shut and lowered her head as far as she could, her body shaking silently with repressed sobs.

No. I need to stay strong, now more than ever! I am Dame Quicksilver The Swift, Knight of the Order of the Crystal Lance, champion and protector of the Empire. They can't see me like this.

She heard someone walk up to her and sit down at her side, but she didn't react. She knew that if she opened her eyes or tried to move, her already brittle composure would shatter like glass.

"It's all right, lass." Sir Amber Spark's voice was deep and rumbling like a low-hanging thundercloud, but right now it was little more than a whisper. "After the last few days, I think we all earned some time to mourn."

The weight of a heavy, steel-clad hoof settled on her shoulder, and it was as if the gentle touch had opened a floodgate. An anguished wail erupted from Quicksilver's throat, and carried on until she had no air left to sustain it. Then she took a deep, rattling breath, and screamed again.

She couldn't tell how long she continued like this, sucking air into her lungs only so she would have the breath to scream, but when she stopped and opened her eyes, her throat was raw, and tears and snot had formed a little puddle in front of her.

Under the puddle, the reflection on the floor's polished surface showed Quicksilver a mare she almost did not recognize. Her coat and mane might have been bright silver at some point, but it was only possible to tell because tears had washed away some of the soot and grime that stained her face. Her gray eyes looked bloodshot, but whether it was from crying or sleep deprivation was hard to tell. What remained of her mane was an unkempt, sticky mess, and she had a nasty looking gash on her face that begun on her forehead and went all the way down to her chin. By the looks of it, whatever caused the wound had almost taken her left eye out.

The city looks worse than me. But not much.

Quicksilver lifted her head and turned to her old mentor. Sir Amber Spark had not removed his hoof from her shoulder, and when their eyes met, he smiled at her. "Feel better?"

Quicksilver tried to smile back, but didn't know how convincing it looked. "No. But it cleared my mind a little." Once again, her eyes were drawn to the raging inferno beneath them, and she had to blink away fresh tears. "I can't imagine anything that would make me feel better while this is happening to our home."

The old knight nodded and remained silent. He was as covered in grime as she was, and the normally vivid orange of his coat and mane was almost not visible. Several fresh wounds showed on his face, disrupting the intricate pattern of old, faded scars. The light of the fires threw twitching shadows in the creases of his face, making them look deeper than they really were, and his heavy plate armor was as scratched, dented, and stained with soot, dust, and blood as Quicksilver’s. Right now, the only thing that made him look young were his bright, honey-colored eyes, undimmed and aware despite his years.

Apart from him and Quicksilver, there were six more knights of the Crystal Lance in the room, almost all of them in equally bad condition. Eight knights where once there had been twenty, and as far as they knew, they might well be the last members of the Order still alive.

The invasion had started twelve days ago, when an outpost at the northern border was overrun by an army of nightmarish creatures that swarmed out of the Crystal Mountains. There had been no warning, no declaration of war. Just a swift strike that left none of the knights and soldiers stationed there alive. They wouldn't even know how the outpost had fallen, if the army's leader had not sent them a message, scratched into the torn and broken remains of the armor that had belonged to Sir Benitoite The Vigilant, member of the Crystal Lance and commander of the northern border forces.

"I am Sombra, and I have come to claim this land."

Nopony knew who Sombra was back then. Even now, they only knew that he was a powerful unicorn sorcerer, a master of dark magic, and full of ruthless cunning.

The ponies of the Crystal Empire had mourned the lives that had been claimed in the attack, but their spirit had not yet been broken. They had their knights to protect them, led by the legendary warriors of the Crystal Lance. They had their friends and allies in Equestria. They had the magic of Queen Vivace. And they had the Crystal Heart, the artifact that would keep the Crystal City safe from all harm. They were not alone, and they were well protected.

But while Sombra was unknown to them, Sombra knew the Crystal Empire well, and he used his knowledge to devastating effect.

Sombra had known where Sir Benitoite had been stationed, and the attack was meant for him alone. Because Sombra also knew that the Crystal Lance would place the armor of their brother in the Hall of Memory, where the Order kept the arms and armor of members who had fallen in battle. And the Hall of Memory was located within the palace, which also kept the Crystal Heart.

They could not explain how Sombra knew everything he must have known to hatch his plan. Divination magic was a possibility, but sadly, spies within the Empire could not be ruled out entirely, either. Whichever was the case, Sombra had prepared for their actions, and placed a powerful, yet subtle enchantment on Sir Benitoite's armor. As soon as the torn suit of plate was brought into the palace, the enchantment reacted to the Heart's magic, hitting the artifact with a powerful curse.

Few ponies knew of it at first, but those who knew where terrified. Their fears were quickly allayed, however. The magic of the Crystal Heart was crippled, but the artifact was too powerful to be destroyed like this. While it could not cast the spell that would protect the Crystal City, the queen had said that she could already feel its magic returning, and estimated that the Heart would regain enough of its strength in little more than two weeks. Until then, all they had to do was hold Sombra and his army off. Conscripts were called in, while messages and pleas for aid were sent to Equestria. Two weeks seemed like a short time back then.

But Sombra's army was like nothing the Empire had ever faced before. The sorcerer had created his soldiers out of crystal and dark magic, mindless automatons that never slept, never tired, and acted with a single will and purpose. His army marched day and night, and headed straight for the Crystal City. The Empire could not muster a force large enough to face Sombra in such a short amount of time, and the troops they sent against him barely managed to slow down his advance. The Crystal Lance had lost four more members within three days, along with dozens of other knights and hundreds of soldiers.

They had hoped to trap Sombra at a choke point by preventing his army from crossing the Windigo Ravine, a massive, miles-long ice crevice that lay between his troops and the Crystal City. Sir Platinum Flake The Bright and Dame Rose Quartz Nimble Hoof were close enough to Blue Glacier Bridge to reach it before Sombra, and were sent with twenty knights to block his passage, or destroy the structure and cast it into the depth of the ravine if need be. However, they barely arrived in time to stop Sombra's vanguard from crossing uncontested, and the only option left to them was attempting to hinder the advance of his army as best they could.

The sole survivor of their group said that the two Knights of the Lance had been the last ones still standing by the time he dragged himself off the narrow stone bridge, too injured to continue the fight. The two had held the bridge by themselves for more than an hour, before the endless numbers of Sombra's soldiers overwhelmed them.

When Dame Citrine the Kind and Sir Variscite of Blizzard Plain arrived with reinforcements, a large part of the enemy's army had already crossed the bridge to the other side. They decided to make a desperate charge and try to drive Sombra's abominations back over or into the chasm. It was a fierce battle, but when Sombra himself joined the fray, it tipped the balance in his favor. Sir Variscite fell before his magical onslaught, and Dame Citrine died while covering the retreat of what was left of her troops. From that point, no real battles were fought until Sombra's horde reached the Crystal City.

The walls held him back for two more days, before Sombra broke through the gates and his soldiers swarmed the city streets. During the fighting around and within the city, the Crystal Lance had to mourn the loss of Sir Cold Shiver of the Frozen Ford and Sir Obsidian Bead the Black Manticore. When it became clear that the city was lost, the queen ordered what was left of the Crystal Lance to retreat into the palace with whatever troops they managed to gather.

Before the enemy could surround them, the queen entrusted three members of the Order with the protection of the Crystal Heart, directing them to flee the city and bring the artifact to Equestria, where it would be out of Sombra's reach. Sir Golden Blaze the Tempest, Dame Garnet Glow Whitewater, and Dame Opal Shard the Gatekeeper were loath to leave their comrades and their home at such a dire time, but knew that the Heart had to be kept safe from Sombra, and they obeyed without complaint.

Convincing the queen's family to flee had been a lot harder. Prince Grazioso was too young to really understand what was going on, and all he did was cry, but Princess Bel Canto and King Bismuth had refused to leave at first. The argument had become heated, until the queen had taken them aside to speak to them in private. Quicksilver didn't know what the queen had said to her daughter and her husband, but after the conversation had ended, no more words were spoken between them, and the queen's family departed not an hour later under the protection of Dame Merry Glint the Little Dragon and Sir Jet Black the Scribe.

The queen had then led the remaining members of the Crystal Lance and a few dozen knights on an attack against Sombra's troops. It was meant to look like they were trying to break through his lines and escape, but even if that had really been their intention, they would not have stood a chance. Instead, the queen hoped to distract Sombra long enough for her family and the knights carrying the Crystal Heart to flee the city unnoticed. After Sombra's soldiers had repelled their attack and driven them back into the palace, all they could do was to hold out for as long as they could, in the hopes that Sombra would focus his attention on them.

There seemed to be no end to Sombra's troops, but the knights of the Crystal Empire and the members of the Lance made them pay dearly for every inch of ground they took. They barred every door, erected barricades from furniture, and collapsed walls and ceilings in order to slow the enemy down, and Sombra's creatures could not take a single step without having to fight for it. Within the palace, Sombra's army could not use its numbers effectively, and it took two more days before they had pushed the defenders back to the highest room of the keep. But by then, only the queen and the seven members of the Order that had remained with her were still alive.

The upper four levels of the palace keep belonged to the Crystal Lance, and contained living quarters, an armory, the Hall of Memory, and the assembly hall on the top floor, which they were in now. After they reached the topmost floor with Sombra's troops in hot pursuit, the queen had collapsed the staircase behind them. That bought them some time to barricade the great double doors, and get at least a little sorely-needed rest.

A massive round table, hewn from a single block of blue crystal, was the only piece of furniture in the room. Now that they had overturned it and pushed it in front of the door, the hall looked very bare. There were no curtains or tapestries either, the only kind of adornment present were statues depicting great members of the Order, placed in alcoves all along the wall. Numerous alcoves were still empty, waiting to be filled with the statue of a worthy knight, but the chance of that ever happening seemed very remote at this point. Apart from the statues, the only ornament in the room was the Order's crest, inlaid into the wall over the door. A blue lance with a gleaming tip pointing straight up, on a plain white background. Written under it were the three words that made up the Order's motto.

Serve. Protect. Inspire.

Quicksilver quietly shook her head. Each word a command to the Order's knights, each one as simple and straight-forward as possible. But they had not been able to live up to it. They had failed as defenders of the realm. They had failed the ponies they were sworn to protect, and looking at the things Sombra had already done, the citizens of the Crystal Empire would pay a terrible price for the failure of Quicksilver and her comrades.

Yes, the odds had been against them. The enemy had been deviously cunning and dreadfully strong. But that was no excuse. The Crystal Lance was supposed to overcome impossible foes. They were not just a knightly order. They were meant to be a symbol.

Quicksilver turned around and looked at the other members of the Lance that were in the room with her. All of them were beaten and bruised, their armor battered and stained, and they looked tired beyond words. Dame Anatase Silver Flute was sitting in front of an empty alcove, playing a soft song on her instrument. Dame Crystal Dance the Lioness lay a few steps away, right next to her twin sister Dame Crystal Song the Stalwart. Sir Fire Opal the Jester had dropped to the floor the instant the door had been blocked, and was snoring quietly at the moment, while Dame Jadeite Glacierstride was whispering something to Queen Vivace.

The queen had fared a little better than the rest of them. She looked beaten and spent as well, but she hid her exhaustion and despondency better than the others, and the imposing alicorn still held her head high. Her magic had served her well in the past battles, making her armor look less torn and soiled. She wore a heavy, open-faced helmet with the Empire's Sapphire Crown placed upon it. Her armor was lighter than the heavy plate of the other knights, so she could still use her wings and fly relatively unrestricted. Bright gold and shining silver were inlaid into the steel, forming an intricate pattern of swirls and fine lines that seemed to move wherever the light of the fires touched it.

When Quicksilver looked at her, a fierce and stubborn pride swelled within her chest. Despite everything, the queen could still inspire courage. She was a knight, the foremost member of the Crystal Lance, and she did the title proud.

Traditionally, the rulers of the Crystal Empire had always been members of the Order, and had served as Grand Master of the Lance, but the title had often been more ceremonial than anything else. Not every King or Queen of the Empire had been a capable fighter, and their role within the Order was mainly meant to be symbolic. But Queen Vivace was a warrior, and the equal of any other member of the Lance, be it in battle or in knightly virtue.

Suddenly, a loud crash grabbed Quicksilver's attention, and she, along with every other pony in the room, quickly looked to the hall's great doors. Another crash followed, and although the heavy doors barely budged, it was clear that Sombra's troops had cleared the staircase, and were now coming at them once more. And this time, there was nowhere to retreat to.

The queen signed and turned around to face the other ponies in the room. "It is time, my knights."

Anatase looked wistfully at her flute. "Just one last tune, your Majesty."

Her voice sounded hoarse, almost to the point of being unintelligible, and she had a jerky way of speaking. Once, she had possessed a voice that could move a pony to tears with a simple song, but years ago, a frost wyrm's claw had torn her throat open, and she had barely survived. Since then, the beauty of her voice had been lost, and speaking caused her pain. But she had taught herself to play the flute, and her music was every bit as lovely as her singing had been.

The queen smiled sadly. "If it were up to me, I would listen to a thousand more of your tunes, my dear Anatase. But I'm afraid we won't have the time. Prepare yourself."

And so, the ponies who knew that they might be the last members of the Crystal Lance got ready for their final stand, while the pounding on the door continued. They had all taken heavy war lances from the armory when they had passed it two levels below, so they would be able to charge the enemy one last time once the door was breached. Except for the queen, who was ill-suited to fight with a lance on account of her exposed wings. Quicksilver fixed the lance to the right side of her harness with quick, practiced movements, and fastened the hempen strap holding it in place with a sharp tug of her teeth. Then she joined her comrades, who were taking up positions on the side of the hall that was opposite to the entrance.

A mighty blow hit the doors, and little cracks spread over the dark blue crystal. The queen, who had placed herself in the center of their line, took a few steps forward. Then she turned around and looked at each of her knights in turn. She was already calling up magic around herself in a lilac-colored aura, and the energies she gathered made her purple mane flow as if she was standing in a gentle underwater current. Wherever her coat was visible underneath her armor, it shone like polished amethyst.

"My friends. I may never again have the opportunity to address you, so I wish to express my gratitude. Words cannot describe how much the realm owes to you, for your services and your loyalty have been invaluable time and again." She closed her eyes and bowed her head deeply to them. "I am overjoyed and deeply humbled that I was fortunate enough to count myself among your number. And I hope that I was able to live up to the example each of you has set, not just the ones who stand before me now, but also those who cannot be with us at this moment."

The other knights bellowed and cheered, and calls of 'Hail Vivace! Hail our sister, the Warrior Queen!' echoed through the hall.

For the briefest moment, the ghost of a genuine smile flashed over Vivace's features, before her expression turned grim and she retook her place in the center of their line. "Now, let us show them one last time how the Crystal Lance does battle."

The pounding on the door had found a quick, savage rhythm, like the sound of war drums. The cracks had grown wider, and large chunks of crystal were now breaking free with every hit. Quicksilver was getting ready to put her helmet on, but hesitated when she looked upon the Order's crest once more.

Serve. Protect. Inspire.

She suddenly felt a lump forming in her throat, and turned to Amber Spark, who was standing at her left side. The old warhorse stopped putting on his own helmet when he felt her gaze on him, and turned to her.

Quicksilver's voice was quiet and uncertain, "Amber Spark, do you think we did everything we could have done? If we had been more vigilant, or smarter, or fought harder, do you think we could have avoided all this?"

The old knight was quiet for a few seconds, and Quicksilver almost thought he would not answer. When he did speak, there was something in his voice that she had never heard from him before – doubt. "I don't know Quicksilver. I wish I could tell you that we did everything within our power, but I just don't know. When you have lived as many years as I have, seen as many victories and defeats as me, at some point you realize you will never be able to truly claim that you always did the right thing. All I wanted to be certain of when my time comes was that I did what I did with good intentions, and to the best of my abilities.
"But looking at all this, I have to wonder..." His gaze drifted out the window, and he shook his head. "Is this really the best we could do? The best I could do? And the worst thing is, the answer doesn't really matter. Whether we failed because we were simply not good enough, or we failed because we didn't do all that we could have done. Either way, we failed, and others will have to pay the price." He looked back at Quicksilver. "Is that the answer you wanted?"

Quicksilver swallowed heavily in an attempt to dislodge the growing lump that was now threatening to squeeze her windpipe shut. "I wanted an honest answer, or I would not have asked a grumpy old nag like you." She tried to make it sound cheerful, but it failed, and after a heartbeat of hesitation, she continued, "Amber Spark, I..."

He stopped her with a gentle but insistent gesture. "Be quiet lass. No farewells between us. This will not be for long." He put on his helmet and pawed the ground with his hooves. "In this world or the next one, I wish to see who would dare come between the members of the Lance."

Quicksilver signed in relief. She did not know if she could have said the words, but Amber Spark had understood her, like he always did. She placed the heavy helmet on her head, and had barely finished setting it straight when the door shattered into pieces.

They didn't make any sound. That might have been one of the worst things about them. They looked disfigured and misshapen, enough like living creatures to make you think that their twisted existence alone must cause them unbearable agony, but they did not scream, or wail, or hiss. They just came at you in total silence, their maws full of sharp crystal teeth gaping wide open, with liquid shadows dripping from their empty eye sockets. Most of them looked vaguely like large ponies, walking on four legs, with a head that was about the right shape and size, but they were made entirely out of dark, chipped crystal, streaked with deep black veins and impurities. Shadows seemed to move beneath the crystal's surface, and serrated spikes and wickedly sharp prongs protruded from almost every inch of their bulky forms. As soon as they were past the door, the battle cry of the Crystal Lance thundered through the chamber.

"For the Empire! We lead the charge!"

Then the Knights of the Lance rushed towards Sombra's creatures, and the battle was joined.

Quicksilver braced herself for impact before her lance hit the first of Sombra's soldiers in her path, shattering the creature into bits and pieces. Her momentum carried her further into the enemy ranks, and she nudged her lance to the side to hit another foe in the chest and reduce half its torso to rubble. When the heavy steel tip hit the third creature in her path, it punched clean through its neck, breaking out on the opposite side. Instinct and experience immediately told Quicksilver that her weapon was stuck and useless, and she twisted her body to the left. The lances were attached to the knights' harnesses in such a way that they would snap off when pulled to the side with enough force, and Quicksilver's maneuver immediately broke the straps and buckles holding the weapon in place, while also pulling her enemy off balance. Then she reared up on her hind legs, and obliterated the creature's skull with a blow of her steel clad hooves.

After that, time lost its meaning. Quicksilver could not tell if minutes or hours went by while she and her comrades fought, but the enemy soon had to climb over a mound of broken crystal to get to them. Blows rained down on Quicksilver's armor, but most of them were harmlessly deflected by the steel, and when she saw or felt a strike coming that could have pierced her plate, she dodged and retaliated as fast as a striking serpent. Despite her heavy armor, Sombra's abominations could not match Quicksilver's speed. She pranced around them with little effort, bypassing their clumsy defenses or simply smashing through them with quick strikes of her armored hooves.

The other members of the Lance did not fall short of Quicksilver's efforts. Amber Spark fought like a young stallion, crushing or disabling an enemy with every blow. Crystal Dance and Crystal Song were like flowing water, rushing between the enemy lines to break their formation apart, exploiting even the smallest gap with such speed and grace that it was impossible to tell where they would strike next. Anatase and Fire Opal did not leave the queen's side, covering her flanks while Vivace cut through dozens of enemies with magic blasts from her horn. Meanwhile, Jadeite was watching their rear, because the enemies in front of them were not the only problem. As soon as the doors had fallen, flying beasts had begun to swarm through the windows of the hall. Most of them looked like giant dragonflies and monstrous bats, and they were made out of the same crystal as Sombra's foot soldiers. And while they were not as numerous or as strong as the rest of his troops, they were still dangerous if they managed to outflank their enemies.

Crystal Song was the first to fall, at least as far as Quicksilver could tell. She threw herself into a blow that had been meant for her sister, and a spike punched through her gorget, leaving her bleeding on the floor. Crystal Dance, now alone and surrounded, died only a few heartbeats later, but not before bringing down her sister's killer.

When she saw this happen, Quicksilver's heart seemed to freeze into a lump of jagged ice. "No!"

She made a step towards the spot where the sisters had fallen, but there was nothing she could do to reach them. Even the one step she had taken made her a target for three more foes, and she stopped just in time to avoid a heavy blow that had been aimed at her head. Quicksilver glanced at the dead sisters, and felt a sharp stab of guilt.

I cannot avenge you. I will not even get an opportunity to mourn for you.

The next time Quicksilver turned around to look for the queen, Fire Opal was nowhere to be seen, and Anatase was bleeding from a long, deep gash in her left side. She carried on as long as she could, but in the end, she simply bled out and collapsed.

After that, the battle continued for a while longer, until Quicksilver heard Jadeite scream in fury. An entire swarm of crystal dragonflies had thrown itself at her, pushing sharp stingers into the narrow gaps between her armor plates and trying to lift her off the ground. Quicksilver hurried towards her at once, but it was too late. Before she could reach her hard-pressed friend, the dragonflies were joined by a giant crystal bat, and together they pulled the struggling knight out of a nearby window.

Quicksilver had to blink away a constant stream of tears as she was forced to watch another friend die, without being able to do anything about it. She choked out a wordless curse, and turned back to rejoin the battle at the door. Amber Spark had just dispatched another enemy, a massive, hulking beast at least three times his own size, with spines like daggers all over its body. A mighty kick, delivered with both his hind legs, had knocked the creature's head clean off. But while he was trying to get away from the falling monstrosity, he stepped on a chunk of crystal that was lying on the floor. He stumbled, only for an instant, but it had been too long. Before Amber Spark could regain stable footing and get out of the way, the defeated behemoth fell on top of him, burying the knight beneath it.

Quicksilver froze. For a few seconds, all sound and color seemed to drain from the world, and all that still existed was the fallen creature. There was no trace of Amber Spark. Not one hoof stuck out from beneath the monster's body. Quicksilver took a single step forward, and it was as if she had to pull her entire leg out of deep mud. Then something hit her in the back and threw her to the ground.

At once, all her senses snapped back to normal, accompanied by a flash of pain. One of Sombra's creatures was standing next to her, silently rearing up on its hind legs. Quicksilver tried to stand, but she could only get the front part of her body to move. So all she could do was watch the creature’s lumpy crystal hooves rushing down towards her head.

But just before the fiend could crush Quicksilver's skull, a bright lance of lilac light hit it in the side, shattering it into pieces and showering Quicksilver with little chunks of crystal.

The Queen! Vivace is still alive!

With this thought racing through her head, Quicksilver once again struggled to rise, but her hind legs still did not respond. And then she realized that she could not even feel them.

Panic began to stir within her. She suddenly felt as if she could not breathe, and began to hastily fumble at the straps holding her helmet in place. After a few clumsy attempts, she managed to pull off the heavy headgear and let it fall to the ground.

Queen Vivace was standing over her. Her armor was barely holding together anymore, and she was bleeding from countless wounds. Her left wing appeared to be broken, while the other one was mangled almost beyond recognition. Her features were twisted with pain, and her legs were shaking, but she was still standing. Seeing that gave Quicksilver fresh incentive to try and fight down the blinding panic that was still threatening to take over her mind.

Your queen stands alone. You call yourself a knight? Stand and fight for her!

She begun to grind her teeth together and tried to push herself up with her front legs, but the lower half of her body was no more than dead weight. Her legs gave out, and Quicksilver fell back to the ground, breathing hard.

She could not bear to even look at Vivace anymore, and she felt her cheeks burn red with shame. "My queen, please forgive me. I... I can't..."

Something soft nuzzled against her cheek, and Quicksilver heard the queen's voice right next to her ear, "Hush, Quicksilver. There is nothing to forgive."

Quicksilver could not answer, so she just nodded her head. Then she noticed how quiet the room had become.

Fallen monsters and chunks of crystal were strewn all over the floor, and in some places, they piled up almost as high as a pony was tall. And between the rubble lay the bodies of the other Knights of the Lance, stretched out as they had fallen to their foes. If a pony could die from nothing but grief alone, Quicksilver would not have survived the sight of it. Her fellow knights, the ponies she had served with for years, and who had become so much more than just her comrades. Her friends. Her family. And now, so many of them were simply gone.

Sombra's creatures were still present, but they kept their distance, standing just outside the door or sitting in the windows, not actually entering the hall. They just stared at the two remaining ponies with their empty eye sockets, silently weeping smoky shadows the entire time.

Why don't they...

She felt him approach several seconds before the wall of creatures at the door parted to let him through. The shadows within the room seemed to grow longer and darker, while the light of the fires outside dimmed. The very air was subtly stirring with power, but it was a nauseating kind of energy, that felt like a greasy film was suddenly covering Quicksilver's coat. Then he entered the hall, and all of his creatures fell to their knees, making a sound like a collapsing mine shaft.

Even without knowing about all the things that he had done to the Crystal Empire, Sombra would have been an imposing figure by any pony's standards. He was dressed in polished steel armor, and a jagged metal crown rested on his head. Quicksilver had visited Equestria several times in the past, and Sombra would have been considered big and muscular for a member of the Tribe of Earth. Among unicorns, she had never seen his equal in that regard.

His coat was dark gray, his mane and tail completely black. The horn that protruded from the center of his forehead was bright red at the tip, but the color became more and more dull towards the base, like metal in the process of cooling down. It lacked the spiral form Quicksilver had seen on every other unicorn and alicorn until now, and instead of being straight, it was curved back. Together with his unusually pronounced canines, she found that it made him look unmistakably predatory, despite the fact that he carried himself with an air of civility at the moment. But the worst thing about him were his eyes.

The sclera were colored in a bright, venomous green, while the irises were red as blood. His pupils were slitted like a snake's, and purple vapor was constantly drifting out of the corners of his eyes. He was smiling, but his eyes remained untouched by it, and Quicksilver knew with absolute certainty that no smile would ever touch those eyes.

"Your Majesty." His voice, deep as a pit and dripping with mockery, sent shivers down the part of Quicksilver's spine that she could still feel. "How gracious of you to grant me an audience. I have been anxious to meet you for a long time."

The queen had her ears flattened to the side of her skull, and her head was lowered slightly, and Quicksilver could see her muscles tense up. Her body was poised to strike, but her expression just looked tired, and so terribly sad. "Save your scorn and false courtesies, creature! I will not hear your mockery while you stand amongst the ruins of my city and the bodies of my murdered subjects!"

Sombra laughed. "Oh, really now? I would not say that this is entirely my fault. If you had just given up your precious crown, none of this would have happened. But don't worry. As soon as the change of leadership is taken care of, I will rebuild the Empire, and it will be greater than it ever was before. Oh, the plans I have." He looked around the room for a while. "This chamber for example. The statues will have to go, of course, but I think after just a few alterations, it will be the perfect place for this."

The wall of creatures at the door parted once more, and one of Sombra's soldiers stepped into the room. It left again after only a few seconds, but seeing what it had clasped between its jaws made Quicksilver feel as if her guts had turned to water.

The queen let out a quiet wince when she laid eyes on the creature. "No. Not the Heart!"

Sombra seemed to enjoy the queen's reaction immensely. "Not an easy acquisition, I'll admit. The ponies who carried it around were very hesitant to give it up. However, I think they did see my point in the end."

Vivace's whole body began to tremble slightly. "Why, Sombra? What insult have we offered you? What injustice did you suffer at our hooves to make you think this is your right?" Her voice remained firm and regal, and you had to know her very well to realize that she was on the verge of tears. "Why are you doing this to my people?"

Sombra slowly raised an eyebrow, and his smile grew wider and more wicked, until it could no longer be mistaken for anything but a baring of teeth. "Why?"

Without warning, something that resembled a black bolt of lightning lashed out from Sombra's horn in complete silence. The queen had obviously anticipated an attack, and managed to call up her defensive magic, but when the projectile hit her shield, there was a high-pitched shriek, and the glowing barrier she had conjured up exploded into a shower of lilac sparks. Then the black bolt buried itself in the queen's chest, dissolving into smoke a heartbeat later. All it left behind was a gaping hole with neatly cauterized edges.

Vivace blinked twice. Then she looked down at the bloodless wound, and her brow furrowed in confusion.

Sombra was still smiling. "Because you cannot stop me."

And Vivace died.

Quicksilver silently watched her queen fall to the ground beside her. When Vivace's head hit the floor, the Sapphire Crown slipped off her helmet and landed between Quicksilver's front legs. It had been over so quickly that it took her mind a few seconds to catch up with it. Quicksilver wanted to cry, but it was as if she had no tears left. Her queen had died right next to her, while she was lying uselessly on the ground. Quicksilver could hardly bear to look at Vivace's body, but forced herself to see.

"I am so sorry," she whispered.

"Tragic."

The single, mocking word made all her shame and sadness turn into cold, all consuming fury. Her head snapped around, and she saw Sombra standing over her. At first, she thought that he was looking at her, but he seemingly didn't consider her to be worthy of his attention. Then she realized that he was looking at the crown lying in front of her.

"The queen is dead." His eyes glittered with greed. "Long live the king."

Quicksilver did not think twice. She just raised her right hoof and brought it down on the crown in front of her with all the strength she could muster. The Sapphire Crown, cut from a single gem by the finest craftsponies of ages past, a symbol of authority and leadership since the first days of the Crystal Empire, shattered into pieces. Without looking away from Sombra, Quicksilver smashed her hoof down three more times in rapid succession, until only tiny shards and dust were left of the crown.

"It is not yours to wear." Quicksilver was surprised at how completely calm her voice was. "And you will not defile Vivace's crown with your touch."

Sombra lost the look of smug satisfaction on his face, and for several seconds, he just seemed baffled. Then his gaze slowly shifted to Quicksilver, as if he had just now realized that she was there.

"You!" Sombra’s terrifying eyes narrowed, and he lowered his head, until his face was only inches away from her. His breath was feverishly hot, and his voice quivered with barely contained rage. "Insect! Filth! How dare you?"

Quicksilver hit him in the face.

Normally, the blow could have easily killed him, but Quicksilver had to strike from an awkward angle, and Sombra possessed the reflexes of a trained warrior. Even so, he did not manage to evade her hoof completely, and it struck him on the nose with a satisfying crunch, while he was still jerking his head back to get out of Quicksilver's reach. Sombra shrieked in pain, and took several hasty steps away from her. His eyes went wide, and he stared at Quicksilver with a look of utter incomprehension.

"You...?" He carefully touched his nose with a hoof and winced. When he pulled it away, a little smudge of blood was visible on it.

Sombra began to shake and bared his teeth. The fallen knight still stared at him defiantly, and Sombra let out a scream of mindless, animalistic rage.

Every shadow in the room seemed to twist and grow, and the entire hall was swallowed up by smothering blackness within seconds. Quicksilver could feel the latent power that surrounded the sorcerer like a foul odor focusing itself on her, making her feel nauseous and dizzy. She was certain that Sombra would kill her then and there.

But his outburst ended as quickly as it had begun. The energies gathering around Quicksilver dissipated from one second to the next, leaving behind only the low thrum of power that had been present ever since Sombra walked into the room. Finally, the shadows shrunk back as well, and the hall was dimly illuminated by the burning city's orange glow once more.

Sombra was still standing at the same spot. He had himself under control again, and was flashing Quicksilver a mocking smile, but she had witnessed what really lay beneath his affably facade, and could see the anger blazing behind his eyes even now. She had hurt him, not so much his flesh, but his pride, and words could not express how much he hated her for it.

"Now my dear. That was ill done. Is this any way to treat your rightful king?"

Quicksilver stared daggers at him. "The one regrettable thing about that blow is that it left you still breathing. And no matter what you call yourself, you are no king of mine!"

It almost seemed as if Sombra would lose his calm once more, but he held on to his composure with obvious effort. His voice, however, was little more than a snarl when he spoke, "Such arrogance! But I suppose that is to be expected from a member of your wretched order."

He took a few steps forward, but was careful to keep a safe distance between himself and Quicksilver. "I almost pity you. Living your whole life, trying to win the approval of an entire nation. Being expected to live up to naive ideals of chivalry, and constantly struggling to surpass deeds that have only been recorded in overinflated tales and legends. Deeds that have grown larger and more remote from reality with each passing century."
He snorted in disdain. "Do you think your defiance will be remembered? Or your loyalty, or your prowess in battle? Nopony will ever hear of it. But even if they did, all they will remember is your failure, and all they will talk about is that the heroes of old would not have let this happen." A twisted smirk made him bare his teeth again. He leaned forward and watched Quicksilver closely, seemingly eager to savor the effects his words would have on her. "That is your legacy, Knight of the Lance. No glory, no honor, and no victory. Shame and defeat is all you and your comrades will be remembered for. How does that make you feel?"

Quicksilver just stared at him. And then she smiled. His words were full of spite and venom, but the thoughts behind them were so transparently petty and childish that they lost all impact. Some of it was even true. Yes, they had failed, but Sombra seemed to think her injured pride would be Quicksilver's prime concern, and he ignorantly threw around words like honor and glory, as if they were an end unto themselves. And yet, the things that truly caused Quicksilver pain were something he didn't even think to use against her. He understood nothing, and Quicksilver knew that she would not be able to explain it to him even if she tried.

Sombra was caught off guard by her reaction. He looked unsure for a few moments, but then an angry tone crept into his voice once more, "Are you mocking me?"

Quicksilver actually had to chuckle at that. When she spoke, her voice was gentle, as if she was speaking to a child, "You know nothing about us Sombra. I pity you."

Sombra's mouth dropped open, and he looked so stunned that Quicksilver could not help but laugh.

That was the last straw, and Sombra's fury tore away every last scrap of restraint he had been holding on to. A bolt of dark energy, twice as large as the one that had killed the queen, lashed out from Sombra's horn and hit Quicksilver in the chest.

She was still smiling when everything went dark.

> Chapter 02: The Knight's Tale
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

No!

Ruby Chip's eyes snapped wide open as she awoke with a start. The dream had felt so real that it took her a few seconds before she remembered where she was, and what she was supposed to do.

I fell asleep! Sweet Harmony, I can't believe I fell asleep during my vigil!

She hoped her shining red coat and the dim illumination within the small room would be enough to hide her blush, and carefully turned her head to look at the pony to her right. Lapis Lazuli was sitting as still as a statue and just stared straight ahead. Ruby Chip managed to hold back a sign of relief.

Good. She didn't see it.

Then she turned her head to the left. Emerald Breeze was looking right at her, and currently had one of the biggest hay-munching grins Ruby Chip had ever seen plastered on her face.

Great. She saw it.

Ruby Chip's blush apparently intensified to the point where even the natural color of her coat could no longer hide it, because Emerald's grin grew so wide that it looked like the top half of her head might pop off any second. She winked at Ruby and then closed her eyes, let her tongue hang out of the side of her mouth, and silently mimicked a snore.

Normally, Ruby would have snapped at her, but the vigil was supposed to be a night of quiet contemplation. Of course, she could not simply ignore how much of a jerk her friend was being right now either.

So she waited until Emerald had opened her eyes again, and her lips soundlessly formed the words, "Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything," came the silent answer.

"You know what I mean!" Ruby insisted.

"I like pie," was what Emerald's lips formed in response.

Ruby felt as if she had just been sucker-punched in the brain. "Huh... wait, what?"

One should never underestimate how deafeningly loud a few softly spoken words can sound after a prolonged stretch of almost total silence. Ruby Chip learned that lesson immediately after she opened her mouth.

One should also not underestimate the skill of crystal pony architects when it came to giving even small rooms amazing acoustics. Ruby Chip learned that lesson a few seconds later, when her sentence was still being thrown from wall to wall without having lost much of its initial volume.

When the echo finally died down after what Ruby estimated to be somewhere around ten million years, she slowly turned around to Lapis Lazuli. The other mare stared at her as if Ruby had just gotten drunk at her grandfather's funeral and punched the widow in the stomach during the eulogy.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..." Ruby blurted out.

Ten million years and a few seconds later, Ruby stopped trying to hide her face behind her hooves, and Lapis' expression made it clear that, to top it all off, Ruby had now thrown up into the open casket as well.

Ruby didn't know what to do, so she went with the obvious choice and simply hung her head in shame, while Emerald Breeze was obviously struggling to repress a fit of giggles.


* * *


The rest of the vigil passed in proper silence, so Ruby Chip had a couple of hours to contemplate the dream her involuntary nap had brought.

She would have liked to simply blame the whole experience on her excitement and be done with it, but it had been so detailed and felt so real, and she still remembered everything about it with perfect clarity. It couldn't even have been a dream about something she read in a story, or a history book. Nopony knew what exactly happened in the palace during the last days before Sombra took over the Crystal Empire. The dark tyrant had been the only pony to survive it, and thankfully, he was now gone as well. What the citizens of the Empire knew about the last days of Queen Vivace, they knew from the chronicles that were written down by Sir Jet Black the Scribe. King Bismuth and Dame Merry Glint had not made it out of the city, and Jet Black had been the only member of the Crystal Lance to escape with his life. He was the one who brought Prince Grazioso and Princess Bel Canto to Equestria, ensuring the survival of the Empire's royal line. How exactly Queen Vivace and the rest of the Order had met their end was still a blank spot in the Empire's historical documents.

There were records of how the city fell, of course, since enough ponies had been there to witness it, but they were confused and often contradictory. Even though Ruby Chip had been there as well, she could not contribute much to make the records any clearer. She and her mother had been living in a small mining town north of the Crystal City, and they were among the refugees who thought that its walls and knights would be able to protect them. But Ruby Chip had only been a little filly back then, and all she really remembered was fire, screaming, and how she had cried day and night because she was so scared. She remembered what came after well enough, but that she didn't want to dwell on.

Ruby silently shook her head, and made a conscious effort to not rub her suddenly itching fetlocks. That was then. Now is now. And I won't let my mood be ruined on the most important day of my life, not by a silly dream and not by ugly memories.

It was as if morning would never come, but when the first thin rays of gray light began to seep through the room's only window, Ruby knew that the wait was almost over. Just a little while later, she heard the door behind her open, and the three ponies who had been sitting in the small room for an entire night eagerly turned around.

Shining Armor was standing in the doorway, looking more than a bit uncomfortable in his richly ornamented suit of plate. Ruby suspected that the heavy armor the knights of the Crystal Empire favored had to be a lot heavier and more cumbersome than what the king was used to from his days in the Equestrian military.

Prince. Ruby Chip quickly corrected herself. Not king.

More than a thousand years ago, after Sombra had taken over the Empire and Vivace was presumed dead, Princess Bel Canto had refused to assume the title of queen that had been offered to her. She had insisted that, while she would take over the responsibilities of a ruler in exile, her mother had been the rightful monarch, and that she would not simply replace her by taking over her title after she was murdered by an usurper. At least that was how she justified it, but Ruby suspected that the young princess had simply not been ready to accept her mother's death.

Many had criticized her decision, arguing that by refusing the title of queen, she was effectively giving up the rule to Sombra, who already claimed the title of king for himself at that point. But Bel Canto had insisted, and no rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire had ever accepted the title of king or queen after that. Of course, Ruby had learned that only after the Empire had reappeared from wherever Sombra's curse had sent, so she still got the titles mixed up at times.

Prince Shining Armor cleared his throat and smiled. "Alright then. We're ready for you."

The Prince led them through a long corridor, illuminated by several bright crystal lamps that were set into the walls at regular intervals. Ruby was following along quietly, but she could not help but shoot a few nervous glances at her reflection that was visible on the polished surface of the hallway's crystal walls.

After the almost sleepless night, her normally bright red coat looked a little dull, and she thought that the slightest hint of dark circles was visible around her amber colored eyes. Her burgundy mane looked a little ruffled as well, but it was cut so short that making it fall into place only required her to shake her head a few times, and after she straightened the hairs of her tail with a few quick flicks, she decided that she looked presentable enough.

The armor did a lot to improve her general appearance, and Ruby was pleased to see that the time she had spent preparing it had not been wasted. The massive suit of steel plate added more bulk to her already impressively tall and muscular stature, and she had spent so much time polishing the metal that it reflected the light of the crystal lamps like a mirror. Ruby had paid special attention to the steel that was covering her hindquarters, where the armor depicted what was both her cutie mark and her coat of arms, a silver kite shield with a black knight chess piece at its center.

I will get a new suit of plate after this is over. Ruby realized all of a sudden.

Her armor was well cared for, but there were some dents and scratches in the metal that showed it had been in heavy use over the last few months. And while the craftsponyship was excellent, the smiths who would provide Ruby with her gear from now on were far superior still. It was a silly thing to be sad about, but the steel she was currently clad in had saved her life so many times, the thought of setting it aside for a new set of armor made Ruby feel slightly gloomy nonetheless.

Her brooding was interrupted when the prince stopped in front of a heavy crystal door, opened it, and made a gesture towards the three knights to follow him inside. The same shining crystals as in the hallway illuminated a medium sized, circular room, with seven armored ponies sitting on a broad podium facing the entrance with solemn faces. After entering, Ruby Chip, Emerald Breeze and Lapis Lazuli sat down, while Shining Armor joined the other ponies on the podium. It was quiet for a few seconds, while the prince looked at each of the three ponies in front of him.

When his eyes reached Ruby Chip, he said, "Dame Ruby Chip, step forward."

Ruby did. Her heart was pounding, and her stomach seemed to be playing skipping rope with her intestines, but she did her best to look calm.

However, the prince seemed to have noticed her nervousness, since he flashed her a reassuring smile before he continued, "Who here knows the knight standing before us?"

"I know of her," answered one of the ponies sitting behind the prince.

Ruby smiled when she noticed that it was Malachite. Between the fairly imposing ponies on the podium, the dark green stallion looked almost delicate, even in his heavy armor. That, and the fact that he was one of the only crystal pony unicorns Ruby had ever met, made him stand out quite prominently amongst the other knights above her. Ruby was glad to see that he had been chosen for the role of herald during the ceremony, or maybe he had asked for it himself.

The prince nodded and resumed, "What can you say about her then?"

"That she is brave and fierce in battle, loyal beyond doubt to her friends, her comrades and the Empire, dedicated to her knightly virtues, and honorable in thought and deed," Malachite said.

"Would those who know her well and fought at her side vouch for her?" the prince asked.

"Those who know her well and fought at her side vouch for her," Malachite confirmed.

The prince nodded again, and was now addressing Ruby directly, "Then I ask you, Dame Ruby Chip: Do you swear to serve the Empire loyally and selflessly, and never put your own needs above those of the ones you serve? Do you swear to protect the Empire and its citizens with all your strength and without fear or hesitation, even if it means your death? And do you swear to be an example to others, so that your deeds may inspire them to be all that they can be?"

Ruby swallowed and bowed, "I swear it."

Shining Armor turned around, "Knights of the Lance. You have heard what those who know her say about Dame Ruby Chip, and you bore witness to her vow. Do you accept her into your midst, to stand beside you as your equal?"

Starting with the pony to the far right, the knights on the podium nodded one by one. "I believe that she is worthy, and I accept her as a sister," each of them said.

The prince turned to Ruby Chip again. "Then it is decided. We welcome you, Dame Ruby Chip the Mighty, and name you a sister of the Crystal Lance." He winked and added, "Glad to have you."

Ruby felt like laughing, singing, dancing, but she had to look dignified and knightly, so she simply kneeled and said, "Thank you for your trust." It came out a lot more high-pitched than she would have liked, but she still thought that she had made a good impression overall.

The prince cleared his throat, "Dame Emerald Breeze, step forward."

"Ohboyohboyohboy!" Emerald squealed as she was skipping past Ruby Chip.

Ruby winced and shook her head.

"Do you accept her into your midst, to stand beside you as your equal?" the prince asked once again when the ceremony reached the proper point.

One by one, the Knights of the Lance voiced their approval, but when Malachite's turn came, he looked at Emerald with a skeptical expression, and thoughtfully tapped a hoof to his chin.

"Ehm, Malachite? Were you listening?" Shining Armor asked after a few seconds.

"Yes, of course," Malachite said with a frown. "But now that I see her standing there, I am beginning to question if this is actually a good idea"

Shining Armor's mouth dropped open. "Wha... seriously?!"

Emerald groaned and stomped her hoof. "Hey! Knock it off already, you jerk! Now say you'll be delighted to accept me, or I'll come up there!"

Ruby cringed. Just... screw the both of you! Screw you for egging her on, Malachite, and screw you Emerald for... being you!

Malachite's skeptical expression slowly shifted to a smirk. "Well, we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?" He bowed his head, and his voice was serious and full of warmth when he said, "I believe that she is more than worthy, and it is with great joy that I accept her as a sister."

Emerald nodded. "That's better."

Shining Armor looked a little unsure. "Uh, you two are going way off script here. I mean, this is mostly your show, but do we have to start over now?"

"I don't think that will be necessary, your Majesty. If there are no objections, I think we can just move on," Malachite said.

The Prince sighed in relief. "Good. Now, where was I?"

The rest of the ceremony was over rather quickly, and after the last formal words of Lapis Lazuli’s initiation were spoken, Prince Shining Armor took a deep breath and threw a lopsided grin in Malachite's direction. "All right. So much for the official part. I guess that means we can get the festivities on the way now." He looked at his armored hoof and grimaced. "But I’ll get out of this armor first. I honestly don’t know how you can stand walking around in these things for hours, let alone fight in them. It feels like I’m wearing a brick oven."

Malachite shrugged. "All just a matter of training, your Majesty. But there is still some time until the feast begins, so you should be able to put on something more comfortable if you wish."

"Excellent," said the prince. Then he seemed to remember something and put a hoof on Malachite’s shoulder. "By the way, there is something I wanted to tell you Malachite. If you don’t have anything urgent you need to do right now, I would like to have a few minutes of your time."

Malachite hesitated for a second and shot a quick glance at Ruby Chip and Emerald Breeze. "Well, nothing that can’t wait for a little longer. If there is something your Majesty wishes to discuss, of course I am at your service."

"Good," the prince said. "No need to be alarmed or anything, it’s just something that will require a lot of work and organizing over the next few days, and I would like to get it out of the way as quickly as possible." He turned to the other knights in the room. "I’ll see the rest of you at the feast."

The other ponies took that as their cue to leave. They passed the three newly initiated Knights of the Lance on their way out, bumping hooves, slapping them on the shoulder, and offering them some more informal words of welcome. Ruby was a little disappointed that Malachite would not be able to join her and Emerald right now, but if the prince had some official business to discuss with him, of course that had to take priority. After the last pony had stepped down from the podium and left the room, Emerald Breeze, Lapis Lazuli and Ruby Chip turned towards the door and exited into the hallway as well.

As soon as Ruby had closed the door behind them, she felt something wrap around her neck, and only her steel gorget prevented that she got the breath squeezed out of her.

"We made it Ruby!" she heard Emerald’s voice next to her ear, shrill and shaky with excitement. "I still can’t believe this is actually happening!"

The sudden surprise hug almost made Ruby jump, but then she laughed and turned around to wrap her forelegs around Emerald in turn. "It feels amazing, doesn’t it?"

Emerald pulled away and looked at Ruby, beaming so brightly that Ruby almost felt the need to shield her eyes to avoid getting blinded by it. "It sure does." Then she seemed to notice Lapis Lazuli sitting just a few steps away from them. "Aww, come here Lapis. You get one, too."

Lapis, who had been smiling happily up to this point, suddenly looked somewhat alarmed. "Oh, thanks Emerald, but that’s really not neces…" The rest of her sentence was muffled and unintelligible, due to her face suddenly being buried in Emeralds impossibly curly mane.

"Sorry, can’t hear you over the sound of all this hugging going on right now," Emerald exclaimed cheerfully.

Ruby was just about to chide her friend for making their sister in arms feel uncomfortable, when she heard a familiar voice from further down the corridor.

"I can tell you are already in the middle of your well-earned celebrations."

Ruby immediately turned around and fell to her knees, while the sound of movement and clanking steel behind her told Ruby that the other two knights were doing the same thing. "Your Majesty."

Princess Cadance offered each of them a friendly nod and a smile as she slowly walked closer. "Please, stand. No need for strict formalities right now. After all, this is your special day." Ruby and her companions rose, and the princess continued, "I was hoping to talk with you for a little while before the festivities begin. Would you walk with me, my knights?"

"Of course, your Majesty," Ruby said, while her companions gave similar responses.

The princess inclined her head towards them, and walked past the three knights down the hallway. "Thank you. This way, if you please."

Ruby and her companions hurried after Princess Cadance, and she slowed her step so they could catch up and walk beside her.

"I mostly wanted to have a chance to congratulate you early," Cadance said, before lowering her voice to a whisper, "I suppose later today, you will get swamped with congratulations and well wishes, so I’m unfairly using my status to get ahead of everypony else."

"Hey, being princess and ruler of the Empire has to be good for something, right?" came the chipper response from Emerald.

Ruby frowned, but Cadance’s cheerful chuckle kept her from saying anything. "The positions has its perks. Overall, I would say that I prefer it to being a foalsitter. Although that line of work wasn’t at all unpleasant either." Cadance seemed to become a bit more serious, but her smile stayed warm and genuine. "But I also wanted to thank you. I have read your history of service, and the reports of what you did to earn your recommendations for the Lance. I have no doubt that you will be worthy additions to the Order, and continue its proud history and traditions." She looked at each of them in turn. "I am very grateful for your service. The Empire is still struggling to recover all that was lost, but thanks to ponies like you, I know it is only a matter of time."

The alicorn's words struck a cord inside Ruby. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and tried to shake the unpleasant feeling of déjà vu.

"We merely try to do our duty as best we can, your Majesty," said Lapis Lazuli. "The same is true for every knight of the Empire."

"Your modesty honors you, but you would not be here if your deeds were not exceptional," the princess responded. "Fighting off an entire pack of frost wolfs by yourself is no trivial matter.” With a sidewards glance at Ruby and Emerald, she added, “Neither is holding a mountain pass against a troll warband for almost two entire days."

The mention of that incident made Emerald shudder. "Forget the trolls. The snowstorm was way worse. I never wanted a cup of hot soup so badly in my life."

"I know. You just wouldn’t shut up about it the entire time," was Ruby’s flat response.

"I guess all I’m trying to say is that I appreciate what you and your fellow knights are doing for us," Cadance continued.  "I know that I am not as involved in the affairs of the Order as some would prefer —" she shook her head when the three ponies beside her opened their mouths to say something "— no, it’s alright. I understand that a lot of ponies were unhappy when my husband became Grand Master of the Crystal Lance." 

Ruby wasn't entirely comfortable talking about this, mostly because what the princess said was true. Since the Order’s founding, the Grand Master had always been somepony directly linked to the royal bloodline, and when Cadance had declined the position in favor of Shining Armor, there had indeed been some murmurs of discontent among the Imperial nobility. But Ruby had not assumed that Cadance was so acutely aware of it.

"Breaking with the Order's traditions was not a decision I made lightly," the princess assured them. "I just figured that my husband was a far better choice for the position. I have no mind or taste for warfare, and right now, the Order needs competent members more than it needs my symbolic presence. Shining Armor may be a prince now, but at heart he’s still a soldier, and he always lived for protecting others."

The princess stopped and looked very intently at Ruby and her companions. "But just because I chose not to serve with you doesn’t mean that I don’t have the utmost respect for you and your comrades. I know that my family owes everything to the Crystal Lance, and I don’t want there to be any divide between us, however small." She sat down and smiled at them. "I may not be your sister, but I would like to be your friend, if you would allow it."

That offer caught Ruby a bit of guard, and Lapis Lazuli seemed rather surprised as well.

But before either of them could answer, Emerald already responded, "Sure princess. You seem nice enough, and we’ll be spending a lot of time with each other from now on. Being friends sounds great."

Ruby smiled and nodded. She would have said it differently, but she had to agree with Emerald. Since she took back the Empire, Cadance had proven herself to be a caring, gentle and capable ruler. The offer had surprised Ruby, but she was glad the princess had made it.

"I’m glad to hear that," said Cadance. "Now, I won’t keep you any longer. The feast will start soon. I’m sure you will have a lot of work to do after this day is over, but today is your day to celebrate. Enjoy the festivities my knights. You’ve truly earned it."


* * *


"If you don't stop grinning like that, your face will get stuck." Upon being addressed so unexpectedly, Ruby blinked in confusion and turned to Emerald, who sat next to her at the table and was currently balancing a full goblet of apple cider on her nose. "At least that's what my grandma always told me."

Ruby's content smile was quickly replaced by a disapproving frown. "Well, in your case, it looks like she was right. Stop clowning around! Everypony is looking at you."

Emerald didn't spill a single drop of cider when she started laughing. "Well, they can tell that something good is coming." Then she tossed the goblet in the air with a flick of her head, quickly caught it between her front hooves, and emptied it in a single gulp. "Ha! The Green Lightning strikes again!"

The mere mention of that name made Ruby's scowl even more intense. "I still can't believe you chose that as your title."

"Really?" Emerald seemed genuinely surprised. "I told you about it last week."

"I thought you were joking!" Ruby hissed. "I wasn't even considering that you might be serious!"

The Green Lightning was a name Emerald Breeze had picked up when she had traveled to Equestria with Ruby Chip and Malachite several months ago. Ruby and Malachite had been fascinated by all the new and creative uses the Equestrians had found for unicorn magic during the last thousand years, since the effects it had on everyday life these days were nothing short of breathtaking. And while Emerald was impressed by that as well, the thing she had really fallen in love with were some utterly ridiculous and childish picture stories called comic books. By the time the three of them had boarded the train back to the Crystal Empire, Emerald had to buy a new suitcase for all the trashy little booklets she was taking home with her. And her favorite character by far was a superhero with the name Green Lightning.

Ruby was still struggling to find words that would properly express her disapproval without resorting to uncouth cussing at the royal table, when she noticed a small, elderly pony standing near the feasting hall's entrance. The old mare was wearing a blue headscarf that matched her coat, and had thick glasses hanging from a string around her neck. Both her purple mane and her tail were tied into thick braids. Ruby wanted to get up, but then hesitated. As one of the three newly initiated Knights of the Lance, she had the seat of honor right next to the prince and princess. It might not look very respectful if she stood up to greet a new arrival.

The old mare was looking around the large hall with a lost expression on her face, and when one of the servants approached her, she jumped a little, despite the fact that he was smiling and seemed to be speaking very gently to her. Proper decorum suddenly seemed like a very trivial thing to Ruby.

"Excuse me, your majesties," she said while already standing up.

"Hmm? Oh yes, sure." The prince didn't seem offended at least, and Princess Cadance just smiled and nodded.

"What's up?" Emerald asked when she saw her friend prepare to leave, but then she noticed the pony standing at the door as well. "Oh, I see. Give me a minute, I'll be right with you." Then she filled her goblet again and turned to the prince. "This stuff is great!"

"Yes it is," Shining Armor said. "I got hooked on it during my wedding. I've been missing it since I moved here, so now I import it from home. I know a pony who knows a pony."

Ruby quickly walked around the giant U-shaped table to get to the entrance. When the old pony saw her approach, the uneasiness in her posture disappeared, and her rather fearful expression changed into one of relief. However, her voice was still a bit timid when she spoke to the servant, "Oh, there she is. Thank you young man, I'll be fine now."

"Mother." Ruby caught the old mare in a hug and squeezed her hard enough to lift her front hooves off the ground. "I'm glad you could come."

Snowdrift chuckled softly. "Really now, how could I miss this? Now, please put me down before you crush this old mare."

"I know my own strength just fine," Ruby objected, but released her mother from the embrace anyway. "Come on, let's find you a place to sit, and I'll keep you company."

Snowdrift's fearful expression from before returned, and she scanned the hall again, her eyes darting rapidly from place to place. "Oh. I don't think that's such a good idea. All those ponies, and the noise, I'm just not very comfortable here. Maybe I should wait outside. Or I could just leave, now that I have seen you. You were going to visit me in a few days anyway." While she spoke, she was already taking little backwards steps towards the door.

Instead of answering, Ruby simply shrugged, walked past her mother and held the door open. "All right. Lets step outside then. There is a quiet little garden not far from here. I think you'll like it."

The old mare looked at her and then shook her head. "Oh no no no! Really Ruby, this is your big day. I don't want you to miss your own party because of me. It's fine, really. Enjoy yourself a little."

Ruby considered very carefully what she was going to say. She knew that she had to be gentle here, because if her mother suspected even for a second that Ruby was giving anything up to be with her, she would not come, despite the fact that she wanted to. Granted, Ruby was a little concerned how it might look if she disappeared now, but that was secondary at the moment. "Come on mother, I want to talk to you for a while. And I'm not going to miss anything. I already spent three hours in there, and the festivities are going to continue for the whole day."

Her mother still hesitated for a bit, but Ruby could tell that the elderly pony had already given in. "All right dear. If you say so. But only as much time as you can afford."

Ruby smiled. "Of course."

Her mother's timid demeanor disappeared almost completely as soon as they had taken a few steps out of the room, and Ruby was glad to see her relax like that. "Did the guards give you any trouble?"

Snowdrift shook her head. "Oh no, not at all. There were two knights at the palace entry, but they were very polite. Gallant, I guess you could say. When I told them why I was here, they didn't even ask for my invitation, and one of them was kind enough to escort me to the banqueting hall. I don't think I would have found it otherwise, big as this place is. Such nice boys." She silently looked at the floor before her as they walked, but Ruby knew that something else was on her mind. "They were very young," her mother finally said. "Even younger than you. It was strange seeing them in armor like that when they are little more than children."

"I know what you mean," Ruby said. "But we don't really have a choice. The Empire needs its knights, and after the tyrant... after we came back, we had to build our entire military up from scratch. It's fortunate that we have a lot of able candidates. They are young, but they learn fast, and they are tough and resourceful. They had to be, considering how they grew up. We still don't have all the troops we need, but we are getting there, and the recruits of today are the veterans of tomorrow."

"If they live that long," her mother said quietly.

Unfortunately, Ruby knew that her mother's worries were not entirely unfounded. Being an Imperial knight was an exceptionally dangerous calling at the moment, and it had never been a safe profession to begin with.

After Sombra's curse had struck the Empire, the realm's territory had been deserted for a thousand years, and during that time, it had been claimed by countless beast and monsters as their domain. There were tribes of trolls in the plains, frost wolfs made their lairs in the deserted ruins of towns, while diamond dogs and worse things had taken over abandoned mines and outposts.

Princess Cadance still favored a diplomatic approach to reclaim the Empire's old territory, since the fact that the nation had been gone for a thousand years made ownership rights more than a little ambiguous. But most of the creatures the Empire's forces had to deal with were either completely mindless, or simply not interested in negotiations. Skirmishes were a regular occurrence for soldiers and knights patrolling the roads, and the smaller towns that had already been reclaimed and rebuilt were heavily guarded, since they were constantly threatened by raids and attacks. The casualties the Empire’s servants had suffered were not nearly severe enough to cripple the nation’s military, but too many knights and soldiers had died far too young during the last few years.

But Ruby didn't want to talk about that with her mother. She told herself that it wasn't really the same thing as lying, just putting more emphasis on the successes and victories, instead of the dangers of her duties. "It will all be better soon, mother. We are still going through some hard times, but our situation has improved a lot compared to what we had when the Empire returned. We have retaken most of the northern mines and towns, the roads are getting more secure with each passing month, and the peace with the dominant troll tribes is holding. Give us just a few more years, and the Empire will be back to its former glory."

By now, they had reached one of the small gardens within the palace. There were no windows or openings to let the sun shine in, but the light of several bright orange crystals was enough to allow a thick carpet of grass and some neatly trimmed bushes to grow.

The two of them sat down beneath one of the glowing crystals, and Ruby's mother looked up at her with a smile. "Oh, I don't doubt that. And we will have ponies like you to thank for it." She bit her lower lip and looked away for a moment. "I'll be honest Ruby, I'm scared for you at times. I know that what you do is dangerous, but I also know that it is what you want to do, and that you keep us all safe by doing it." The old mare lifted a her hoof to gently stroke Ruby's cheek. "I hope the Order will be everything you wished for. I'm very proud of you."

Ruby cleared her throat before she answered, so her voice would not sound choked up. "Thank you mother. I know it will be."

"Found you!" Emerald Breeze jumped over one of the larger bushes and landed beside them, immediately wrapping her front legs around Snowdrift in a tight hug. "Hey Snow. Great that you finally get to see the palace. You really should have dropped by sooner. Did you get my package?"

Snowdrift returned the hug and laughed. "Emerald, so good to see you. Congratulations on your initiation. Yes, I got it just two days ago. It's sweet, but you shouldn't have."

"Wait, package? What package?" Ruby asked with a hint of alarm in her voice.

Emerald let go of the older pony and rolled her eyes. "Stop being such a worrywart. Do you remember those gramophone thingies they have in Equestria now? I just thought that would be a great gift for her birthday, so I ordered one and sent it to her house. I just didn't know when it would arrive, so the timing is two weeks off."

"Ah," Ruby said. "All right. That's very sweet of you Emerald. Thank you. I'll help set it up the next time I come visit."

Snowdrift seemed a little miffed at that. "I managed to do that just fine by myself, thank you. It's really not very complicated, and your old lady isn't completely senile yet."

"You shouldn't let her touch it anyway," Emerald interjected. "The first time Ruby got her hooves on one of those things, she broke the crank off."

Snowdrift raised an eyebrow and looked at her daughter, who started to squirm a little under her gaze. "Really? Well, I will keep that in mind. I plan on keeping it for a while longer."


* * *


Ruby Chip kept telling herself that she and Emerald should return to the feast at some point, but her mother had stories to tell and questions to ask, and the old mare was chatting away so happily that Ruby kept putting the farewells off for a few more minutes.

They talked for several hours before Snowdrift took her leave. She wanted to walk home, but Ruby convinced her to take a carriage instead. After seeing her mother safely off, she and Emerald thought about going back to the feast, but most of it would be over by now anyway, and after their nightly vigil, they were eager to get some sleep. So they headed for their new quarters instead.

There was nopony else around when they entered the part of the palace that was reserved for the members of the Lance, but their personal effects had already been moved into their new chambers, so finding out which rooms were theirs wasn't a problem. Ruby found their quarters to be comfortable, but modest, and their furnishing was restricted to necessities.

That suits me just fine. We won't be spending much time here anyway. There is too much work to do.

Beside her, Emerald Breeze let out a loud yawn. "Well, I'm going to make myself a cup of tea, and then give that mattress a try. Looks comfortable enough, but I could sleep on nails right now." She looked at Ruby and winked. "Shouldn't be so bad for you. You already had a nap tonight."

Ruby flinched, and an embarrassed blush was creeping into her cheeks again. But then she remembered something else from that night, and she turned her head to grace Emerald with a smile that could have turned milk sour. "Right. I almost forgot that. And I almost forgot what happened right after as well."

Emerald rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. Are you still mad about that?" Ruby didn't answer, but when Emerald saw her expression, her eyes went wide. "Oh. You are still mad about that." Then she spun around and careered away as fast as she could. 

Ruby's first instinct was to give chase immediately, but she stopped after taking the first step.

No, this is foalish. We can't be seen running around like a bunch of silly fillies anymore. Especially not today.

Emeralds laughter echoed through the hallway. "What's the matter slowpoke? Can't keep up with the Green Lightning, can you?"

Ruby's eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared. You are going down!

Then she broke into a full sprint. "Don't run! You are a Knight of the Lance! Face your death with dignity!"

"Forget it!" Emerald shot back over her shoulder as she reached the end of the hallway and burst through the door leading into the kitchen. Ruby followed and almost caught up with her quarry, but Emerald quickly jumped over the heavy table that was standing in the middle of the room. "Ha! You cannot catch the Green Lightning!"

Ruby gritted her teeth and let out an angry snort. "Stop using those stupid catchphrases!"

"Never!"

Ruby tried to get around the table, but Emerald matched her movements and kept the large piece of furniture between them.

"You can't keep this up forever, Emerald!"

"We won't know for sure unless I try."

"Have it your way," Ruby said and jumped on the table.

Ruby thought she heard a few ominous cracking sounds when her full weight plus armor settled on top of the crystal piece of furniture, but she ignored them and immediately ducked into a crouch to launch herself at Emerald.

But before she could carry out her attack, Ruby heard a familiar voice behind her, "Apparently, I can't let you out of my sight for more than a few hours without something like this happening."

Ruby froze and then slowly turned around. Malachite was standing in the doorway and tried very hard to look annoyed, but didn't quite manage to fight back a smile.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby saw how Emerald rapidly looked back and forth between her and Malachite, before quickly running around the table and hiding behind the stallion. "Please save me, good Sir knight! A troll has broken into the palace!"

Malachite shot Ruby a disapproving look, but the effect was all but ruined by the grin he was no longer able to contain. "So it seems. And the cunning creature even attempted to disguise itself, even though it did a poor job of it. It is a good thing I arrived in time to shield you from its rampage, my lady."

Ruby groaned and rubbed a hoof against her temple. "Oh, both of you shut up! I was just going to knock the stupid out of her."

At that, Malachite had to laugh. "You could not manage that if you had an unbreakable mallet and a million years to attempt it."

He let out an exaggerated huff when Emerald boxed him in the gut. 

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side here!"she complained.

Malachite rubbed his side, but his expression was for more amused than pained. "I'm on the side of sense, my dear Emerald. Which means that I cannot possibly support either of you."

While they spoke, Ruby was craning her neck to see if there were any other ponies standing in the hallway outside the kitchen. "Say, Malachite? Are there any members of the Lance here..."

"... to witness you two chasing each other around like schoolfillies?" Malachite shook his head. "No, it's just me right now. The others are still at the feast or in the training room. I just came to check on you two." He pointed at Ruby. "Now, you. Get your filthy hooves off that table. That's where we eat. And since you still seem to have some energy to burn after your vigil, you can put the kettle on. Third cupboard from the right, fire should still be on."

"Yes nanny," Ruby grumbled and jumped to the ground.

"And you." Malachite pointed at Emerald Breeze. "Sit down. Don't be annoying."

Emerald's lips curled into a pout. "You are asking quite a lot."

Malachite patted her on the head. "You are a Knight of the Lance now. Great things are expected of you."

The fire within the kitchen's small stove was still burning hot enough to boil water, so it didn't take long until the three were sitting at the table with steaming cups in front of them.

Malachite took a sip and nodded in approval. "Very good. Now, since we haven't been able to speak much since the initiation, there is something I still need to tell you." He looked at each of them and smiled warmly. "It feels good to have you two here with me. I really missed having you around."

"Not our fault you had to wait," Emerald said. "If you had cut back on the heroism, they wouldn't have asked you first."

Malachite sighed. "Heroic. It really didn't feel like that back then. I was scared half to death, and I just wanted that troll to stop trying to step on me."

"Troll chief," Ruby corrected.

"Bah," her friend exclaimed dismissively. "As if I cared about that at the time. I only knew that it was big and scary and left itself wide open every time it raised that ugly club. And now I'm here. Sir Malachite the Trollslayer, Knight of the Crystal Lance." He shrugged. "Saying it out loud still feels strange, to be honest."

Ruby took a sip of her tea and said nothing. She knew what her friend meant by that. The three of them had always aspired to join the Order, even while they were still newly recruited soldiers who had yet to earn their knighthood. Malachite had just been the first to be accepted into the Crystal Lance. There hadn't been any bad blood between them because of it, Malachite just thought it was strange how everything had played out, and Ruby felt the same way.

The day Malachite faced the troll chief, saved his comrades, and earned his recommendation for the Order, he had not been on patrol with Ruby and Emerald. Ruby Chip didn't even remember why their superiors had put them into different groups that day, but it was odd to think how things could have turned out if they had been on that patrol as well. They might have earned their place together. Then Ruby and Emerald could have been members of the Lance for more than a year now.

We could have already proven ourselves. Shown that we are worthy members of the Order. Now that is all still in front of us.

Emerald must have sensed that her friends were pondering pointless maybes and might-have-beens, and that was something she did not approve of. "Well, now we are here too, so you can stop moping. And together, the three of us will be the greatest knights the Order has ever seen."

"You aim very high, Emerald. But I suppose there is nothing wrong with that," Malachite said. Then he emptied his cup and rose. "Can I leave you two alone without you trying to kill each other?"

Emerald rolled her eyes. "Will you stop it? We were just horsing around. The two of us are just peachy. Right Ruby?"

Ruby didn't know how she should answer that, so she frowned and looked at the teacup in front of her without saying anything.

When Emerald spoke again a few seconds later, there was a hint of concern in her voice. "Ruby? You're not really mad at me, are you?"

"Yes." Ruby immediately shook her head. "I mean no. Not really."

Her friend sounded genuinely worried now. "Ruby, if this is about tonight, I just meant it as a joke. I'm really sorry if I went too far."

"That's not it," Ruby said, and then grimaced as if she had bitten into a lemon. The truth was, there had been a few times during the day when she had felt... anger was a strong word for it. Frustration was probably more fitting. "Not only. Emerald, I don't really know how to say this, because no matter how I phrase it in my head, it makes me sound like a huge jerk." Ruby looked at her friend, who was nervously tapping her hoof on the table, and tried to choose her next words carefully. "Emerald, you know that I don't mind your antics, or your teasing. Because I know that you don't mean anything by it. It's just who you are. But we are knights of the Crystal Lance now, and that means we need to worry about how other ponies see us. 
"Things are expected of us, and here you are, interrupting your own initiation with your wisecracks, balancing cups on your nose at the feast like a jester, and even choosing the name of one of those silly comic characters as your title. We are supposed to set an example, and I don't know if that kind of behavior is the right way to do it." Ruby tried to put on a comforting smile, hoping that it might soften the blow just a little. "I don't want you to change Emerald. But please, show a little more restraint from now on."

Emerald's ears visibly dropped with every sentence, and when Ruby was finished, her friend looked miserable. Ruby almost wished she hadn't said anything, but she told herself that this was in Emerald's best interest as well.

Better I tell her now, then all the other members of the Lance tell her once they are fed up with it.

Emerald looked embarrassed, something that didn't happen very often. Or ever. She was quiet for several seconds, and the silence began to grow uncomfortable.

Finally, Malachite cleared his throat. "Ruby, you might be a little hard on her. I'm as much to blame for the incident during the initiation as she is, and I assure you, nopony in the Order has taken offense at her behavior. You are new to the Crystal Lance, and I know that you are concerned about your image..."

"I just don't want to mess this up Malachite!" It came out more sharply than Ruby had thought it would, but she kept going anyway. "I want to show that I belong here. That I am a Knight of the Crystal Lance in every way, but how are they ever going to take us seriously if she keeps acting like this?" She lowered her head, and her voice suddenly sounded bitter, "I guess it's just hard to see her treat it all as a joke. Who cares if it's important to others, as long as she has her fun, right?"

Ruby's head snapped up the second she was finished. She didn't even know where those words had come from, and she regretted saying them before they were fully past her lips. But she also knew that they had been honest, as much as she hated to admit it.

Emerald just stared at her for several long seconds, and when she finally spoke, her voice was quiet and very serious, "That's not fair, Ruby." Then she stood up and left the room.

"Emerald, wait. Please," Ruby called after her, but her friend didn't even slow down.

The kitchen door closed behind her a second later, and Ruby had to repress the urge to pick up her teacup and smash it against the wall. Then she noticed Malachite looking at her.

"Go ahead," she said. "Tell me what an insensitive dirtbag I'm being. Lecture me. I know you want to."

Malachite shook his head. "I don't see the point in telling you something that you have already figured out on your own. And I would like to think that I don't 'lecture' ponies, Ruby. I give advice when I think that it is needed. Right now, I think it is."

He sat down next to her and put his leg around her shoulder. "Telling you not to worry would be pointless right now, because I know what you are afraid of at the moment."

Ruby tensed up at the last words. "I'm not..."

"Yes you are," Malachite said. "I know, because I was afraid as well. It was intimidating when I first joined, because I did not know if I could meet all the expectations. Believe me Ruby, in time, those fears will disappear. But until then, don't make your life harder than it has to be by seeing problems where none exist, or by pushing away those who care about you. You have a friend who goes through the same thing as you right now, and that is something I did not have when I was in your situation. Lean on each other, instead of making this even harder for both of you."

"Emerald isn't the kind of pony to worry about any of that," Ruby said, but it didn't sound very convincing even to herself.

"Not normally, no," said Malachite. "But these are exceptional circumstances. Remember Ruby, Emerald worked just as hard as you to get this far. It took a lot of determination, skill, and devotion. Think about how you feel Ruby, when you imagine that even after all that hard work, you may not prove to be good enough. Is it really so absurd to think that even our lovably carefree Emerald Breeze might get scared when she has the same thoughts?"

Ruby swallowed. Stupid, insufferable, perceptive Malachite. Always reasonable, always caring, never losing his temper or his composure. It was maddening, but that didn't change the fact that he had a point most of the time. And in this particular instance, his words made a painful amount of sense.

"How do I make this right?" Ruby asked quietly.

Malachite gave her a reassuring smile. "Saying that you are sorry is always a good start if you mean it. Just talk to her Ruby. I don't have to tell you that you really hurt her just now, but you know how Emerald is. She wants to forgive you just as much as you want to be forgiven, and while it won't be very easy for her right now, you two will manage to work this out." He bumped her gently on the shoulder and stood up. "I should take my leave now, if you don't mind. I am meeting Beryl Bright for a sparring match in a little while. Try to clear the air with Emerald and get some rest. I will see you tomorrow."

"Just one more thing Malachite," Ruby said before her friend could turn around. "Are we already scheduled for any patrols in the near future?"

Malachite hesitated briefly. "There was a patrol schedule for the coming week, but we will have to rework it. We have some additional horsepower available, and we want to put it to good use. I will tell you when the new schedule is ready."

Ruby frowned. "More recruits? I thought we were already stretching our reserves? Wait, we are not sending our wounded back on patrol before the are properly recovered, are we?"

"No, of course not," Malachite said. "I didn't know about it until a few hours ago, but by tomorrow morning, an Equestrian battalion with a strength of about one thousand soldiers will arrive to reinforce us. More than twice that number should be here by the end of the week. The prince apparently asked for troops to help secure the Empire."

Ruby's mouth dropped open. "What? Why didn't we know about this until now? Can Equestria spare three thousand soldiers just like that?"

Malachite shrugged. "Equestria is a large nation Ruby, much larger than it used to be in our time. In any case, I do not know if they can spare them. I just know that they will send them. And the prince said he chose not to tell us sooner because he did not know for sure if the princesses would be able to grant his request for troops."

Ruby was not very satisfied with that explanation. "He could have told somepony that he asked. Why do we even need soldiers from Equestria? Yes, our patrols are stretched thin at the moment, and we could use more experienced knights, but we are doing well, considering the circumstances. We have accomplished a lot on our own during the last years. The Empire can take care of itself."

Malachite sighed in a way that made his discomfort at discussing this topic very clear. "Ruby, remember what I told you about creating unnecessary problems. Yes, we are doing reasonably well, but we can still put the additional troops to good use. Especially with the Equestria Games coming up, we need all the capable fighters we can get."

"Right," Ruby said and rolled her eyes. "Those oh-so-important games. Because we have nothing better to do at the moment than host a silly sporting event."

Her dismissive tone provoked a stern look from Malachite. "They are important, Ruby. The Empire was gone for a thousand years. We need to put ourselves back on the map, and that sporting event is the best opportunity we could have asked for. As for the troops from Equestria, there is no reason to get upset over it. Right now, I know nothing more than what I have just told you, but once we get the details, I am sure it will all make sense. Talk to Emerald. Get some rest. We will talk tomorrow."

"Fine. Tomorrow then." Ruby said with some reluctance. After a second she added, "And thanks, Malachite."

He smiled. "You are very welcome, Ruby."

Ruby still sat there for several minutes after he had left. She tried to come up with something she could say to Emerald, but she never got any further than several different versions of Please forgive me. So finally, she decided to just start with that, and hope that the rest would come to her when she needed it.

The door to Emerald's chamber was closed, and there was no answer to Ruby's knocks.

"Emerald? Can I come in please?" There still was no reaction. "All right Emerald, if you don't tell me to go away, I'll come in now. I really need to talk to you."

She received no confirmation, but no word of refusal either, and that was good enough for her right now. So she pushed the door handle down and stepped inside.

Emerald was sitting next to the bed in front of a small mirror hanging over the nightstand. Her back was turned, and when Ruby entered the room, Emerald didn't even glance at her reflection. She had already taken off her armor, and was currently brushing her coat and mane. For the sake of practicality, Ruby had cut her own mane short after the first time she had worn a helmet, much to the chagrin of her mother. Emerald, on the other hoof, had been unwilling to part with her turquoise curls, and Ruby had no idea where she put them when her whole body was clad in steel. After wearing the heavy suit of plate an entire night and the better part of the following day, Emerald's normally shining green fur was dull and sweaty, and so tousled that the three delicate blue down feathers of her cutie mark were barely recognizable.

Ruby sat down next to her, and neither of them said anything. For a while, the steady strokes of the brush were the only sound in the room.

Finally, Ruby cleared her throat and spoke, "Emerald, I’m so sorry. I should not have said that."

"You meant it," Emerald responded, without looking at her or stopping to drag the brush over her coat. Her tone wasn't accusatory. It was just a statement of fact, and that made it feel like slap in the face.

Ruby cringed and nodded. "Yes. But I wasn't thinking. It's just..." She hesitated, unsure how to put her thoughts into words. "Everything looks so easy for you Emerald. It's like you never worry about anything. And it frustrates me sometimes, because I have no idea how you do that."

Emerald's hoof stopped, and she slowly lowered the brush. Then she turned to Ruby and sighed. "Ruby Chip, you are an idiot." She loosened the brush's strap and put it on the nightstand before she continued, "Ruby, I worry. A lot. The Order, our new duties, the ponies we are going to be compared to now, it's just all so big. Whenever I think about it, it makes me feel really, really small. Still, I want to be accepted here, but I want to be accepted for my skill, and my devotion. As myself. I know that even if I'm good enough, some may not like who I am. But that didn't scare me before, because I have friends here, friends who know me and like me, and I figured that no matter what, I would always have that. Then my best friend opens her stupid mouth, and suddenly, on top of everything else, I'm no longer sure about that either. And while all those nasty thoughts and doubts are gnawing at me, she has the gall to tell me right to my face that I don't take this seriously."

There was another long stretch of silence. Ruby didn't know what to say, but when it became unbearable, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind, "So why did you pick it?"

Emerald looked at her in confusion. "Pick what?"

"Your title," said Ruby. "The Green Lightning. Why pick that?"

Her friend seemed to think about that for a moment. "I guess it just made sense to me. I thought about the things that are important to me as a knight, and he reflects so many of them. He thinks that it is his obligation to protect those who cannot protect themselves, because he has the power to do so. He believes in doing the right thing, and that one pony can truly make a difference. And he never loses his good humor, even when everything looks bleak. I remember the first time I picked up one of his stories, I thought that he would be a great Knight of the Lance. Also, my coat is green. Not the most important point on the list, but it didn't hurt."

Ruby pondered that answer for a while. "I guess when you explain it like that, those are actually pretty good reasons," she finally said.

It was a big relief to see Emerald crack a little smile at that. "I thought so too."

Ruby put a hoof on her friend's shoulder, and was glad to see that she did not object. "Emerald, I'm an idiot. I should not have turned your attitude into a problem, just because I didn't know what to do about my own fears. I'm really sorry."

Emerald tilted her head and seemed to mull over those words very carefully. "Well, you stole the first part from me, the next one is fairly obvious, and you already said the last one right after you came in."

"So do you accept my apology?" Ruby asked.

Instead of answering, Emerald wrapped her front legs around Ruby's neck and pulled her into a tight hug. "Just one thing Ruby," she said. "I can't believe I'm the one saying this, but think before you talk next time. I don't care what most other ponies think of me, but your opinion matters. Remember that."

"I promise," Ruby said. "And you smell like an old sweat rag."

Emerald pushed her away. "Oh, really? Well, if you have a problem with that, here." She tossed the brush at Ruby. "You just volunteered to do my back."

Ruby grinned and strapped the brush to her right hoof, glad that things between them were back to normal.

> Chapter 03: The Chain of Command
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby squinted and tried to shield her eyes from falling snowflakes with a raised hoof, but it did her little good. She could see less than two hundred paces in any given direction, before the world was swallowed up by the boiling white chaos that surrounded her. The storm howled and shrieked like an enraged beast, and it was obvious that the mood of Stalwart Heart, the Equestrian officer standing next to her, was almost as bad as the weather.

"Lieutenant Lightning Strike," he bellowed.

The voice of the gruff earth pony stallion was loud enough the be heard even over the constant wailing of the blizzard, and just a moment later, a white pegasus mare descended from the sky and landed in front of him.

She took a moment to shake the snow out of her mane and saluted. "Sir?"

"Why is this blasted storm still going? You and your team had plenty of time to clear the clouds." Stalwart Heart barked.

"I told you…" Ruby said as calmly as she could manage, but the officer cut her off immediately.

"I think I spoke to the lieutenant, miss. I’ll be sure to ask you if I want your opinion on the matter."

Opinion? Why, you insolent, stupid little… Ruby glared at him, and, which an enormous effort of will, kept silent.

"Well sir, she was right about the weather," Lightning Strike said after the quick exchange was over. "I’ve heard other pegasi who have been stationed here longer than me talk about it, but I never imagined it would be this bad. Trying to change the weather here is like digging a hole into quicksand. It takes a lot of effort, and you just can’t make it stick. In that regard, this place reminds me of the Everfree. If it wants a storm, then it will have its blasted storm, and we can do jack diddly about it. Sir."

"Darn it," Stalwart Heart muttered under his breath. Louder, he said, "Fine. Tell your team to come back down and cover our flanks. You take four of them to scout ahead. If the sky is going to stay like this, I want to know what we're walking into at least."

Lightning Strike saluted and flew off.

"This place is driving me nuts," Stalwart Heart grumbled. "Freezing cold at the best of times, the weather does whatever it wants, and every five steps something tries to bite your face off. What am I even doing here?"

I’ve been wondering that myself you thickheaded jerk.

Ruby bit her tongue to keep it in check and looked around to see how the rest of the troops were holding up. The patrol she had been assigned to was more than a hundred Equestrian soldiers strong, sixty of them belonging to the tribe of earth, and twenty from the tribes of air and magic each. Even here on the road, the snow was reaching up to their knees, but the earth pony soldiers held their marching formation and stoically set one hoof in front of the other without any sign of exhaustion.

The unicorns were not doing quite as well. While the earth ponies, much like Ruby and the majority of her fellow crystal ponies, were hardy and strong enough to endure the constant strain and freezing temperatures, and the pegasi were at least partially warded against the extreme conditions by the same latent magic that allowed the tribe of air to manipulate the weather, the unicorn soldiers had no such protection. All they could do was wrap themselves in thick cloth and walk through the furrows their earth pony comrades had dug into the snow, and while they were far too disciplined to complain, it was clear that they suffered the most under the extreme weather.

At their current speed, it would take them all day to reach Glitterstone, the small mining community that was the last station on their week long patrol. They would spend the night there, and then return to the Crystal City to rest and report. Not that there would be much to report on this time around - apart from a short skirmish with a small pack of frost wolves and the constant lousy weather, their patrol had been completely uneventful.

Little more than a year ago, soldiers of the Empire could not finish a week long patrol like this without being waylaid five or six times by frost wyrms or entire troll war bands, but these days, snowstorms and packs of mangy, half starved frost wolves were the worst things patrols encountered if they were lucky.

You think things are bad now? You have no idea. We had to fight for every town and every road, we bled and struggled, and you dare to stand there and mock our accomplishments. If I could, I would drag you to the tourney ground and knock you around until you sneeze your teeth out.

Stalwart Heart turned his head and frowned when he noticed Ruby staring at him. "Is something the matter?"

Ruby didn’t look away. "Nothing I can do anything about right now."

Stalwart Heart met her gaze for a few seconds, but then he shook his head and redirected his attention to the dark gray clouds above them, as if his disapproving scowl alone could make them disintegrate; more or less the same thing Ruby had attempted with him just now.

Ruby sighed and lowered her eyes to stare at her hooves. I have no reason to be so resentful. I'm out here, and I'm doing my part. That is all that matters.

That's what Malachite kept telling her whenever she complained. Except that it was rubbish, because she wasn't actually doing anything. This was not her patrol, and these were not her troops. She was merely here so the Empire would have some sort of presence, but even officially, she was nothing more than a consultant for the patrol's commanding officer.

When the troops from Equestria had first arrived, Shining Armor had tried to combine them into a joined force with Imperial knights and soldiers, but he had to realize very soon that they didn’t work well together. The Equestrian military was very modern and strictly organized, and every enlisted pony, from the highest officers down to the rank and file, was a highly trained professional soldier. Imperial troops, on the other hoof, consisted mostly of levies who were almost exclusively called into service during wartime, and had only a few weeks of active duty each year while the country was at peace. As a result, almost every citizen of the Empire had some rudimentary martial training, but overall, they lacked the discipline and skill of their Equestrian comrades.

The Imperial army had a small contingent of professional soldiers, and Shining Armor had tried very hard to raise the number of recruits over the last months, but his efforts had only met with very limited success. Knights and knight commanders were still the most experienced and reliable troops of the Empire, and they were well aware and proud of that fact. Their title had been awarded to them either after years of serving as squires, or after displaying exceptional skill and bravery in the line of duty, and after they received their knighthood, they were part of the Imperial nobility. Taking orders from anyone who was not of their station was not something most of them were used to, and this had caused more than a few problems between the troops from Equestria and the servants of the Empire. After only a few weeks, the idea of mixed patrols had been abandoned almost completely, at least for the time being. Shining Armor still hoped that the two forces could eventually learn to work together, but he admitted that it would take some time.

So knights and soldiers of the Empire patrolled on their own again, while the Equestrian troops were only accompanied by a single veteran knight commander, or a member of the Crystal Lance if the patrol was deemed important enough. But they had no authority over the troops they were assigned to. They weren’t even supposed to join the fighting when the patrol encountered enemies. Their presence was merely meant to show that the Empire’s servants were still the ones taking care of their nation’s security.

However, a few questionable choices made by the prince rendered this symbolic gesture a little moot. Despite the fact that the additional soldiers they had at their disposal now would have made it easy to evenly spread patrols and missions among the available troops, Shining Armor seemed to prefer the Equestrians when assignments were given out. They were entrusted with the most important scouting missions, protected the most endangered towns and communities, and were patrolling the most vital roads and trade routes. By now, it had reached the point where Imperial knights and soldiers could consider themselves lucky if they received any assignments at all, while the Equestrian troops were beginning to stretch the limits of their capabilities.

This was causing no small amount of resentment on both sides. Some of the soldiers and officers from Equestria, Stalwart Heart being one of the more outspoken ones, were starting to complain that the Empire was taking advantage of the support they were rendering, while many knights were angry because they considered the protection of the Empire to be both their duty and their privilege. Whenever she thought about it, Ruby felt a twang of bitterness as well.

It’s as if the prince trusts them more than us.

She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into the soldier marching in front of her when the entire patrol abruptly stopped.
Wondering what might have caused this sudden halt, Ruby stretched her neck in order to get a better view on the road in front of them. She didn’t bother asking Stalwart Heart what was going on, since she knew that answering her would be very low on his list of priorities.

She could make out two large hills in front of them, barely visible through the falling snow despite their massive size. They flanked the road on each side like giant, silent sentinels, and the whirling snow made it look like the road between them disappeared into a gateway that was covered by a thick white curtain.

Lightning Strike was currently hovering above the road in front of the hills. The only thing that made the lieutenant stand out in the storm was her bright armor. At this distance, her white coat made her a ghost amidst the falling snowflakes, and it actually looked as if an empty suit of armor was floating above the ground where the road entered the shadow of the two hills. The other soldiers Lightning Strike had taken to scout ahead were circling above her, and their coats and manes stood out far more prominently against the drifting snow.

Ruby’s ears flattened themselves against the side of her head, and her tail flicked nervously back and forth. She couldn’t see what Lightning Strike’s attention was focused on, but just looking at the two hills at the side of the road gave her a rotten feeling for some reason.
From what Ruby could make out despite the storm and distance, it seemed the lieutenant was staring very intently at something on the ground beneath her. The golden helmet of her armor hung so low that her snout had to be close to burying itself in the snow.

Several things seemed to happen at once. The soldiers of the scouting party suddenly started yelling, while a black, claw-like hand burst out from the snow right beneath Lightning Strike, and thick fingers closed around the polished metal greave that was supposedly strapped to the lieutenant's right hind leg.

Immediately, two of the circling pegasi swooped down like striking hawks, but a second hand appeared from under the snow and swatted at Lightning Strike's helmet just as her comrades reached her. There was a sharp snapping sound, followed by a throaty bellow, and the hand let go of the lieutenant's leg. Her helmet, however, was forcefully hurled down the road away from the patrol, spinning wildly through the air until it disappeared between the swirling snowflakes, while the rest of her armor crumpled as if the pony wearing it had suddenly gone limp.

Shock and icy fury seemed to freeze Ruby's insides solid. Her muscles were already tensing up to break into a sharp gallop, and through clenched teeth she hissed, "I'll crush you to paste, you savage fiends. For the Empire!"

"You'll stay right where you are," came the sharp response from Stalwart Heart. His tone was so commanding that Ruby actually stopped dead in her tracks after taking the first step, and the officer quickly shouted some orders, "Form defensive line. Sergeant Moonbeam, you and your team take up a firing position and wait for my command." Then he turned back to address Ruby Chip. "I just lost my best officer to this damnable frozen wasteland you call an empire. Right now, I'm not in the mood to fillysit you, and I don't need you getting in the way by charging blindly forward like this is some stupid fantasy novel. Just sit down, shut your mouth, and let us do the job that you apparently can't do by your damn selves."

He didn't raise his voice in the slightest while speaking, but the furious contempt dripping from every syllable made his remarks far more piercing than any amount of shouting could have possibly done. Ruby's anger had suddenly found a new target. This whole mess wasn't her fault, and he had no right to stop her from making this brute pay for what it had just done right in front of them. Her nostrils flared, and she made a single step towards the officer. Stalwart Heart simply stood there and continued to stare her down, seemingly unconcerned by the considerably taller, armor-clad pony literally pawing at the ground not two steps away from him.

Things could have turned ugly fast, but luckily something interrupted them before it could come to blows. Several excited calls and shouts from the soldiers around them made both Ruby Chip and Stalwart Heart turn their heads to see what the commotion was about, and what they saw made them forget how much they wanted to stomp on each others' throats, at least for the moment.

By now, more than a dozen shaggy, lumbering creatures had emerged from the deep snow covering the road, each of them at least three times the size of a pony. However, there was also a much more welcome sight, namely the the five pegasi swiftly making their way towards the rest of the patrol, among them a slightly wobbly and helmetless, but very much alive Lightning Strike.

"Sun and Stars lieutenant," said Stalwart Heart when the Pegasus mare landed in front of them, with the other four members of her scouting party taking up position right behind her. "You gave us quite a scare right now. From back here, it looked like you might have lost more than just your helmet."

Ruby noticed a shallow, but long cut on Lightning Strike's hind leg, and the pegasus carefully avoided putting her weight on it when she landed. Furthermore, the entire right half of her face was swelling up and starting to transform into one massive bruise.

Despite all that, she was calm and collected when she spoke, and even managed a cocky little grin. "Nothing quite so severe sir. Though he did ring my bells something fierce. That chump's got a nasty backhand, so I'm gonna be looking out for that when I knock him on his butt." She turned around and looked at the other pegasi behind her. "Still, could have gotten ugly if you guys hadn't been on the ball like that. I owe you one."

The four stallions behind her nodded briefly. "Don't mention it ma'am," said one of them.

"You'll need one of these," Stalwart Heart said while taking off his helmet and giving it to Lightning Strike. "Can't have you fight without, it's against regulation. Now, I'm going to want that back, and I would prefer it if you returned it personally."

Lightning Strike took the helmet and put it on her head. "Will do sir." Of course, the time they could spent on pleasant banter was very limited, and the lieutenant's demeanor quickly became serious again. "Right then. What exactly are we dealing with here ma'am?" she asked Ruby.

By now, Ruby counted twenty-eight of the massive beast, but at least there didn't seem to be any more of them. Shaggy, white fur that had been dyed black and red in places covered their entire body, except for the gnarled black feet and four-fingered hands, which were completely hairless. Small, beady black eyes lay almost hidden beneath a massive brow ridge, and their necks were so thick and short that their heads seemed to be attached directly to the top of their torsos. Most of them wore nothing but their own fur, but some had pieces of metal, wood, rock or even ice strapped to their bodies to serve as makeshift armor, and all of them were clutching vicious looking mauls, clubs and axes made from twisted wood and crude black iron.

"Frost trolls," Ruby said. "They like laying ambushes like this. The cold doesn't bother them, so they could have been waiting there buried under the snow for hours. Days even." She squinted to get a better look at the trolls and then continued, "The markings on their armor and their war paint say that they are part of the Blackglacier Clan. But..." She hesitated.

Stalwart Heart raised an eyebrow. "But?" he asked, his voice betraying his impatience.

Ruby shook her head. "We are supposed to be at peace with them. After the Empire returned and we began to reclaim our old territory, two of the most powerful troll clans in the Frozen Plains, the Crimson Avalanche and the Frozen Fangs, formed an alliance against us. King... Prince Shining Armor raised an army, and we defeated them at the Howling Barrows." She eyed the trolls, who were shouting and making threatening gestures towards the patrol, and didn't even attempt to hide the scorn in her voice. "The clans respect only strength. After we showed them that we have plenty of that, the five major clans agreed to sign a peace treaty. Some minor clans have been causing trouble every now and then, but the important ones have kept their word so far."

One of the trolls had dug up a large chunk of ice and hurled it at the soldiers. It was surprisingly well aimed, and would probably have impacted right in the center of the earth ponies' defensive line, but it was blasted into little pieces by a pale blue projectile just as it reached the peak of its trajectory.

"Capital shot sergeant," Stalwart Heart said without turning his head.

The unicorn he had addressed nodded once. "It's what I do, sir," he said, his voice muffled by the thick woolen shawl he had wrapped around his head.

After that, Stalwart Heart picked up the conversation as if nothing had happened, "So, how bad is this exactly, and what could be the consequences?"

Ruby thought about that for a second, and most of the possibilities she came up with were anything but pleasant. "It is hard to say. A warband usually consist of more than twenty-eight warriors, so they might just be outcasts who have no ties to their kin anymore. But if the Blackglacier Clan as a whole has decided that they are bored with peace..."

"More raids?" Lightning Strike asked.

"No," Ruby said. "War. The Blackglacier is the strongest clan in the Frozen Plains. We were lucky that they didn't join the other two clans in their alliance, because back then, their chief Morgha Blackglacier was confident that he and his clan could stand against us by themselves. After our victory at the Howling Barrows, he realized his mistake and tried to forge an alliance of all the major clans, but most of them were too scared to face us in open battle again, so they refused. If they have lost their fear by now, Morgha is probably the only chief feared and respected enough to unite the tribes of the Frozen Plains into an army."

Lightning Strike whistled through her teeth. "An entire army of those things? That doesn't sound like fun times."

"It wouldn't be," said Ruby, before adding with utter conviction, "But we beat them once. We can do it again."

Stalwart Heart watched the trolls for a few moments before he answered. Two of the larger ones seemed to be having some sort of discussion, while the others continued their shouting and challenging gestures. "Hopefully. But the ones we are dealing with right now seem a little hesitant to engage us."

"Yes, I noticed that," Ruby said thoughtfully. "It’s unusual. Normally, laying in ambush and charging headfirst are the only strategies frost trolls can come up with, and they already failed at one of them. Maybe they’re unsure what to do because their ambush didn’t work, or they didn't expect such a large force."

The debate between the two trolls had quickly grown more and more heated, until one of them simply clenched its fist and hit the other one in the side of the head. It made a sound like two boulders smashing against each other, and the struck troll was knocked off its feet. The other one screamed triumphantly, swung its large maul over its head with one hand, and ran towards the patrol. Every other troll followed without hesitation, even the one that had just been thrown to the ground after it got back on its feet.

Ruby let out a grim chuckle. "There we go. Now the world makes sense again."

"How do we fight…" Stalwart Heart didn’t get to finish his question before Ruby started shouting orders to the soldiers in front of her.

"Form a spear wall. Show them your steel and don’t give them an inch of room to break into your ranks. When their charge is spent, engage them in groups of three and go for the knees to bring them down, but hold your formation at all times."

"What do you think you are doing?" Stalwart Heart hissed, but Ruby didn't answer.

She waited for the Earth Pony soldiers to brace their spears against the ground and form a row of gleaming steel points before she turned to the officer and spoke to him without acknowledging his protest. "A frost troll in full sprint is more destructive than a stone launched from a catapult. We need to break the momentum of their charge before they reach our ranks. Can your soldiers do that?"

The commander glanced in the direction of the charging trolls, and some of the anger written on his face was displaced by concern. "Sergeant Moonbeam?" he said calmly. "Light those blighters up. Lots of stopping power."

"You got it sir," the sergeant replied while his horn already started to glow pale blue.

Ruby noticed too late how everypony around her quickly turned their heads away from the unicorn soldiers, and then she suddenly felt as if she had stared directly into a fireworks display. Bright beams and orbs erupted from the soldiers’ horns and made Ruby’s entire field of vision explode into a rainbow of blinding colors, and just a heartbeat later she heard sounds of impact and enraged screams.

"Don’t look directly at it," she heard Stalwart Heart say.

Right now, the officer was only a dark blotch surrounded by smaller dark blotches and white spots, but somehow she could still hear the smug grin he had plastered on his face.

"Thank you," Ruby snarled.

She started blinking rapidly to clear up her vision, and after a few seconds, she could see well enough to tell how amazingly effective the magic barrage had been. Most of the trolls were only about thirty paces away from them by now, and the unicorns had not only completely stopped the enemies’ initial charge, but continued to slow down their advance considerably as well. Whenever a troll tried to pick up speed again, it was staggered or knocked down by another magic blast. Meanwhile, the pegasi troops were circling above them, swooping down wherever they sensed an opening, and the combined attack left the ferocious troll warriors in utter disarrangement.

Instead of smashing into the earth ponies' battle line as a single mass of muscle and black iron, the trolls stumbled into an unflinching row of spears one at a time, and were quickly driven back with swift, precise jabs of the soldiers' weapons.

Stalwart Heart seemed to be intent on using the advantage his troops had seized so early on, and quickly gave orders to his subordinates, "Keep up the fire support, Sergeant Moonbeam. Maintain formation and advance."

The short command was all that was needed to make the earth pony battle line move forward as if it were a singular entity, and Ruby had to admit that the Equestrians' coordination and discipline were impeccable. Not even the slightest gap opened up in their formation, and while they advanced towards the trolls, both the unicorn and pegasi troops continued their attacks to keep the enemy confused and scattered. In the face of this concentrated onslaught, the trolls seemed to have lost their appetite for battle. The moves they made against the earth ponies' formation became more and more hesitant, and they began to recoil from the Equestrians' slow, but relentless advance.

Seeing the trolls falter this quickly did not make Ruby feel more at ease however. "This is too easy."

Stalwart Heart looked at her and shook his head. "There's no such thing as 'too easy' in a battle. I never want to see my troops in a fair fight if I can avoid it. I know that's not very knightly of me..."

"No, you don't get it," Ruby said sharply, annoyed by the officers mocking tone of voice. "Frost trolls don't give up ground this easily, even when they are outclassed and outnumbered. There is something else going on here."

She narrowed her eyes and let them sweep over the battlefield, looking for anything that might explain the trolls' unusual behavior, but she saw nothing that could have given her a clue. Meanwhile, the fight seemed to still be going in their favor, and the Equestrian soldiers were gradually pushing the trolls back towards the point where the warband had first emerged from the snow between the hills.

The hills!

"This wasn't the ambush." Ruby pointed at the hills that were flanking the road on both sides. "They've split their warband into three groups and positioned one behind each of the hills. The biggest group was meant to pin our forces in place, while the other two wait for the right moment to charge our flanks. That's why they didn't attack at first. They were hoping we would come to them, and now they feint a retreat to get us where they need us to be."

Stalwart Heart's ears perked up, and his eyes darted back and forth between the two hills his soldiers were slowly advancing towards. "What? Just now you said these trolls are little more than beasts."

Ruby sneered. "They are. This isn't their strategy, they just saw how effective it can be when we used it against them." A proud smirk tugged at the corners of Ruby's mouth. "It's how we defeated them in the battle of the Howling Barrows. The prince and our levy troops held the line in the small valley between the hills, and when the trolls rushed in, we charged their flanks and smashed their army like brittle ice."

"Well, there won't be any smashing done to my lads and lasses if I have anything to say about it," Stalwart Heart said. Then he bellowed a quick command with enough force to overpower both the storm and the noise of combat, "Lieutenant Lightning Strike!"

It took the white pegasus less than three seconds to land in front of them, her breathing hardly elevated. "Sir?" she said with a salute.

Stalwart Heart pointed at the western elevation. "Take three soldiers and check for enemy troops behind that hill. Signal us if you find anything."

"No," Ruby said quickly, and both Equestrian officers turned to look at her with different degrees of confusion and irritation.

The deep furrows on Ruby's forehead betrayed the haste and urgency of the thoughts racing behind it. The soldiers were getting closer and closer to the point where she was convinced the trap would be sprung, so she had to think fast.

Ruby knew frost trolls, and she had faced them enough times to be aware of how they fought. They were fierce, ferocious warriors, and even the weaker specimens among them could easily match three or four Imperial soldiers and about twice as many levied citizens in a straight up fight. But they had no understanding of tactics or strategy. When they weren't laying primitive ambushes, they relied solely on their superior strength and toughness, and simply tried to pummel their enemies into submission in a snarling tempest of unbridled violence. They were used to fighting like that, and it gave them confidence, even when they were obviously outmatched. This tactic, on the other hoof, was new to them, and Ruby knew she could use that to her advantage, provided she made the right decisions.

"Revealing that we discovered their ambush will do us little good," Ruby explained, trying not to betray her nervousness by speaking too hastily. "As soon as they realize their trap failed, the flanking parties will just rejoin the rest of the warband, and then we will have a fight on our hooves that may be just a little too fair for your taste." Before Stalwart heart could answer, Ruby pointed at the group of Equestrian soldiers, specifically the pegasi circling above the battlefield. "Send the pegasi behind the western hill, and have them engage the trolls that lie in wait there." Her hoof jumped from the flying soldiers to the unicorns following behind the earth pony formation. "Then tell the unicorns to position themselves where they can cover the crest of the eastern hill, so they can fire upon the trolls as soon as they try to get over it and join the battle."

"What good would that do?" Stalwart Heart asked with obvious impatience. "Instead of letting my troops fight united, supporting each other, you would have me split them up and fight three different battles at once? If those ambush parties are even there, that is."

Ruby nervously watched the soldiers get closer and closer to the hills. She took a deep breath and fought down the urge to yell at the stubborn fool beside her. "If we can keep the trolls from uniting their split warband, they will break, and they will run. They are not used to fighting battles like this. If we get the drop on them and keep them from falling back on what they are familiar with once they realize that their ambush didn't work, they won't know what else to do." She looked at Stalwart Heart and tried to keep her voice and her expression as calm and factual as she could. "You can fight three smaller battles for a few minutes, or one large battle for what could be hours. What do you think will be harder on your troops?"

Lightning Strike looked over her shoulder to glance at the battlefield, and quickly unfurled and refolded her wings. "It should be doable sir," she said abruptly. "My team can deal with a group of those brutes, if all we have to do is stall them for a while, and if Moonbeam and his lot have a clear line of fire on that hilltop, they'll cut anything to pieces that pokes its head over it. Plus, she has more experience with those things than any of us."

The commander's posture and expression gave away nothing, but his tail whipped nervously back and forth while he stared intently at his soldiers. Ruby clenched her teeth so hard her gums started to hurt.

This was taking too long. She had to act now. Ruby turned towards Lightning Strike and barked her orders at the Pegasus, "You know what you have to do Lieutenant. See to it."

Lightning Strike jumped at the unexpected command, and for the fraction of a second, she seemed unsure how she should react to it. But Ruby fixed the pegasus with a stern, unblinking look, and the mare snapped to attention. "Right away ma'am."

She had already turned around and taken to the air, when the sharp voice of Stalwart Heart hit her in the back like a whip, "Delay that order Lieutenant!"

When Ruby turned to the commander, his face was a mask of icy anger. "Let me make this as clear as possible: You don’t give orders to my troops. I’m the one who is in command here, I’m the one responsible for these ponies survival and success, and I’m fed up with you sabotaging me with your ignorance of proper military protocol. I know in the mob of untrained peasants you call an army, everypony has to grovel before you just because you wear a fancy tin suit and chose an important sounding name for yourself, but don’t you dare…"

The next thing Ruby knew, her right front hoof collided with the commander’s lower jaw with enough force to lift his front legs off the ground. Stalwart Heart’s eyes widened with surprise and shock, and he tried to keep his balance by making a shaky step to the left, but then his pupils rolled up and he slumped to the ground like a sack full of wet rags.

From the corner of her eye, Ruby saw Lightning Strike’s mouth drop open. "Celestia’s Butt!" There was a blur of white and gold, and then the pegasus was standing over her unconscious commander. Her eyes darted back and forth between Stalwart Heart and Ruby, and her expression quickly changed from baffled to murderous.

Ruby, on the other hoof, was still stuck at baffled, and trying hard not to slip into panicked. She should not have done that, but for a second, she had simply lost control. But she was just trying to get everypony out of this alive! She had explained everything, but he had still refused to see reason, and he had no right to talk to her like that just because she had been trying to resolve the situation.

Why didn't he just listen to me?

She fought back her doubts and summoned up every scrap of determination she possessed. This situation could still be salvaged. She could still do what had to be done and make it all right.

"You little…" Lightning Strike hissed and made a step towards Ruby while unfurling her wings.

"I think I gave you an order Lieutenant," Ruby interrupted her.

She couldn’t be sure if it was the calm authority in her voice or the sheer audacity of her words, but Lightning Strike stopped and her ears perked up. "Are… are you for real?!" she asked after a second of stunned silence.

"I am. You know what else is for real?" Ruby said and pointed at the hills. "The trolls lying in wait to tear your comrades apart. Have you ever seen what just one frost troll can do when it breaks into a formation? I have, and I don’t want to see it happen again today. You and your comrades are capable soldiers, and I don’t doubt that you can defeat their warband even if they fight in earnest, but it will be a costly victory." Ruby began to speak more intently and leaned forward, knowing full well that she brought her face and upper neck in reach of Lightning Strike’s hooves and the viciously sharp blades attached to the tips of her wings by doing so, "I know what I am talking about, Lightning Strike. All I’m trying to do is help you and your friends get through this unharmed, and that includes your commander. I will take full responsibility for what I’ve done once this is over, but until then, help me to keep your comrades safe."

Lightning Strike didn’t respond, but she didn’t immediately slash Ruby’s throat open either, and that was a good sign at least.

With a look at the motionless body of Stalwart Heart, Ruby added, "He will not come to harm… more harm. I give you my word of honor."

Lightning Strike snorted with disdain, but her posture became more relaxed regardless. Then she catapulted herself into the air with one powerful stroke of her wings and growled with frustration. "This isn’t over. Not by a long shot." the Pegasus snarled through clenched teeth. "Once we’re done with those things, the two of us are gonna have words. If I’m lucky, your word is as good as your self control, and you’ll end up doing something stupid."

Then she turned around and flew towards the other soldiers, after giving Ruby one more glare and her commander one more concerned look.

Ruby watched the Pegasus leave and sighed.

Well, this is going perfectly so far.

Then she walked over to the unconscious Stalwart Heart and lifted his limp body on her back so he would not have to lie in the snow on the frozen ground. He mumbled something unintelligible and his legs twitched when Ruby picked him up, but he was still out cold. Ruby also took the small trumpet the officer carried for quickly giving orders to his troops from a distance, and she hoped that she would be able to at least remember the most important signals if she had to.

Lightning Strike had reached her comrades in the blink of an eye. The entire ordeal between Ruby and Stalwart Heart had apparently gone unnoticed by the rest of the patrol, and Lightning Strike seemed to pass on her orders quickly and efficiently. The advance of the earth pony formation halted, and the pegasi and unicorn soldiers began to form groups. Moonbeam and his troops only had to shift slightly to the right in order to have a clear shot on the eastern hilltop, while Lightning Strike and her fellow pegasi stayed close to the ground and began to fly towards the other hill.

Ruby keep a careful eye on the trolls. Their reaction would be a pretty good indication whether or not her assessment of the situation had been correct. They seemed confused at first, and the hulking warriors stopped falling back as soon as the soldiers halted their pursuit. A few made half-hearted assaults on the formation, but were quickly repelled, and the earth pony soldiers stoically stood their ground despite the trolls’ provocation.

When the unicorns and pegasi split from the rest of the troops and shifted their attention towards the hills, the trolls’ confusion seemed to turn into frustrated anger. Some tossed poorly aimed chunks of rock and ice at the soldiers, other tried to provoke them with unintelligible shouts and vulgar gestures, but their attempts were ignored.

Ruby could not keep her lips from stretching into a fierce grin.

You don’t like that, do you? I knew you wouldn’t.

When the pegasi were just about to disappear behind the hill, one of the trolls lifted a massive, twisted horn to its lips. The creature’s thick chest swelled up, and then a long, deep howl that seemed to resonate within the deepest pits of Ruby’s stomach erupted from the crude instrument. Ruby could hazard a guess what the signal meant, and who it was meant for.

The sound of the horn lingered in the air for a several seconds after the breath in the troll's lungs was spent, and when it finally faded away, the wailing of the storm seemed a lot more quiet by comparison. Then a chorus of throaty war cries arose from the ranks of the troll warriors, and they threw themselves against the earth ponies' formation with reckless abandon. The spear wall did not waver, but with the support of their comrades gone and the trolls having abandoned any attempt at cunning in favor of their usual brutality, the earth ponies were hard pressed to fend their enemies off.

Ruby muttered a curse and subconsciously pawed at the ground. She hated staying at the back while others fought, but right now, the troops needed her guidance more than her strength. She had to keep an eye on the entire battlefield and react to any change, and she could not do that from amidst the chaos of the front lines.

The next few minutes would be crucial. The earth ponies had to hold out by themselves, and the trolls morale had peaked now that they were fighting in their preferred way. But the earth ponies only had to keep the trolls at bay until they realized that the other members of their warband would not come to support them. Then they would run – or at least Ruby hoped they would.

If they didn’t, ponies would die, and it would be her fault.

Ruby shook her head vehemently and tried to ignore the knot forming in her gut.

They will break. I know they will.

Suddenly, the shrieking and sizzling of magic projectiles filled the cold air, and Ruby looked towards the eastern hilltop. Trolls had begun to charge over it, and the unicorn soldiers had welcomed them with a devastating volley of arcane energy.

Ruby would say that the effect was much as if the trolls had stormed headfirst into a brick wall, except that a brick wall would not have stopped a battle-crazed group of frost trolls that effectively. Some were just staggered, but others were thrown to the ground, and some just froze in place and stared dumbfounded at the energy projectiles and the effect they had on their comrades. Ruby saw two trolls who were each hit by three or four projectiles at once, and got flung back over the hill as if they had been struck by the hoof of an angry goddess. The trolls behind them were thrown off their feet by their own comrades, so that more than half a dozen trolls were tossed back over the hilltop and disappeared in a cloud of powdery snow that had been whirled up by their fall.

It took several seconds before some of the trolls got their bearings and realized where the attack was coming from, and they immediately tried to charge the unicorns, while the other trolls were mostly still stunned with confusion. Those who attempted an attack didn’t get very far, because as soon as the unicorns noticed a troll making its way towards them, they hit it with a concentrated volley that tossed the creature back and threw it to the ground.

Ruby saw a troll that had just been hit by such a volley rise back to its feet and clutch its chest. The fur there had been singed black, and the troll’s knees seemed to be so wobbly that it had to use its maul as a crutch to steady itself. Ruby could not read the creature’s expression from this distance, but it seemed to stare intently at the unicorns who were still pouring a constant stream of arcane fire into the trolls’ ranks. When a stray projectile grazed the troll’s shoulder and almost threw it to the ground again, the brute finally had enough. It turned around and began to limp away, and a last bolt of energy hitting it in the rear sped up its departure considerably. Other trolls quickly followed suit, only a few at first, then small groups, and finally, the entire flanking party turned tail and fled in a headless panic.

Ruby cheered and stomped her hooves with excitement. Few ponies could match a troll head on, but all their strength and ferocity didn’t do them any good if you had a way to keep them at a distance. Relieved by this early success, Ruby shifted her attention towards the larger group of trolls that was still engaging the earth pony soldiers in the small valley between the hills, and her excitement grew even further.

The trolls reacted to the retreat of their fellows exactly as Ruby had hoped – with confusion and uncertainty. Their attack had lost most of its decisiveness, and many trolls were already starting to back away from the unflinching wall of spears, while others looked towards the western hill where their other reinforcements were supposed to show up.

The hilltop, however, remained clear of trolls, and only very faintly could the sound of battle be heard from behind the hill. Finally, the trolls stopped throwing themselves against the earth ponies’ line, and instead just eyed the soldiers wearily from a few steps away.

Now!

For a second, Ruby feared the Equestrian soldiers would miss their window of opportunity, but while she frantically tried to remember the complex system of trumpet sounds Equestrian officers used to quickly give orders to their troops, somepony within their ranks barked a command, and the earth ponies started to move against their enemy.

The trolls, still trying to figure out what they should do now, didn’t even try to resist the counterattack. At first, they were merely attempting to keep away from the soldiers’ spears as best they could, but it did not take long before some of them turned around and ran, and after that, it quickly became a hasty and unorganized retreat.

When it was clear that the warband had been well and truly put to flight and would not regroup, the Equestrian soldiers stopped their advance, and Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. She was about to sound the signal to tell Lightning Strike that she could lead her soldiers back to the main force, but before she lifted the trumpet to her lips, the pegasi already came flying over the western hilltop. Apparently they had been able to deal with the second flanking party by themselves, or the trolls there had seen their comrades run and decided to do the same. Either way, Lightning Strike and her soldiers seemed to have handled themselves admirably.

The tension began to fade from Ruby's mind and body, and was replaced by an exhilarating feeling of accomplishment and pride. The ambush had been dealt with, the trolls were on the run, and the Blackglacier Clan had been taught a lesson they would not soon forget. Her plan had worked.

Ruby smiled and raised her head high, but doing so made a heavy weight shift around on her back, and suddenly she was very acutely aware of the fact that she was still carrying the Equestrian officer she had beaten unconscious. The uneasiness that overcame her when she considered the possible repercussions was almost worse than what she had felt during the battle. Even so, Ruby was determined to face the consequences of her actions. She knew that when all was said and done, she had been justified in acting as she did.

A few of the pegasi seemed to have suffered minor injuries, and were holding themselves a bit unsteadily in the air, but Lightning Strike appeared to be unharmed as far as Ruby Chip could tell from this distant. The lieutenant landed next to the earth pony and unicorn soldiers, and was soon joined by two other officers from amongst their ranks.

Of course, Ruby could not hear anything that was spoken between the Equestrians, but she could imagine what was on Lightning Strike's mind now that the trolls had been dealt with. After only a few words from the lieutenant, the soldiers around her seemed to grow visibly agitated, and for the first time since the fight had begun, some of them turned around and paid attention to Ruby Chip and their commander.

About half a dozen earth ponies and unicorns broke from their ranks and began to gallop towards her, but they were quickly called back by Lightning Strike. The lieutenant took a minute to select ten of her soldiers, gave some quick instructions to the rest, and then started to approach Ruby at the head of her small company.

They moved in an orderly fashion, and none of them talked, but once they were close enough for Ruby to clearly see their faces, their expressions spoke volumes. When they reached Ruby, two pegasi landed behind her, while two earth ponies walked up to her, lifted the still unconscious Stalwart Heart off her back, and carried him away. Lightning Strike watched with a grim expression, and Ruby met her gaze without looking away.

They stared at each other for what must have been a full minute, before the lieutenant said, "It was a solid plan. Too bad you had to be stupid about it."

Ruby hoped that the embarrassment she felt wouldn’t be overly apparent, and for a second, she couldn’t help but lower her eyes. "I understand that you are angry. Things got out of hoof. But I couldn't just let you walk into that ambush. All I wanted to do was make sure that everypony gets back safely."

Lightning Strike let out a fierce snort. "And you think that is something he doesn't care about? You know nothing about the commander." The angry look on her face vanished as quickly as it had come, but the calm expression that replaced it was even more threatening in a way. "Just so we are clear: If you touch any of my comrades ever again, I will personally snap you in half. Is that understood?"

You could try.

Ruby chased the rash thought from her mind. She had no right to feel slighted by Lightning Strike's anger at the moment. The lieutenant was only doing her duty, as Ruby was convinced she herself had done. She forced herself to nod and remained silent.

Lightning Strike seemed satisfied with that. "Good. Now, let’s do this by the book, shall we?" She cleared her throat, and her voice turned official, "Dame Ruby Chip, for assaulting an officer of the Equestrian military, I hereby place you under arrest. In order to avoid diplomatic incidents, you will be released into the custody of Imperial officials as soon as possible. Until then, we will treat you as a prisoner of war. Silver Flare, cuff her."

On that command, a unicorn stallion with a bright gray coat and light blue mane stepped forward. In his telekinetic grip, he held a pair of steel manacles.

When Ruby saw them, she felt as if a thin layer of frost had suddenly formed on her skin, and her ears immediately flattened themselves against the side of her head. The stallion took another step towards her, and she could already feel the cold iron bands clamp down around her fetlocks like metal jaws.

She took a hasty step back, stumbling away from the chains as if they were venomous serpents lashing out at her. The soldier carrying them seemed alarmed by her reaction and stopped.

Ruby lowered her head and stared at the stallion with wide, panicked eyes. Her muscles were tense, and she was poised to strike, but her defensive posture was clumsy and rigid. At that moment, she was not acting in accordance with her training or her well-honed instincts. She was cowering like a cornered rat.

The soldiers around her moved. Ruby could hear the clanking of their armor. Someone spoke, "Seriously, don’t do that. There is no point. Even if I didn’t think you deserve this, I still have no choice. Don’t make this harder than it has to be."

Ruby heard the words. It might have been Lightning Strike speaking, but she paid no mind to it. It didn’t matter. Neither did the other soldiers around her. Right now, the world was nothing but a narrow, straight tunnel, with nothing in it except her and the stallion carrying those chains.

Several seconds filled with tense silence passed. Ruby stood still as a statue, fixing the stallion with her eyes. But the soldier didn't hesitate for long. The confusion on his face was quickly replaced by anger, and he continued to move in her direction. Ruby was just about to launch herself at him, when she saw him stop and turn his head to the side.

Ruby thought she could make out Lightning Strike's voice, "Please Silver, put those things away for a moment. I think there might be something I'm not aware of here."

Ruby followed the stallion with her eyes until he had retaken his position next to his comrades and had put the chains back in his saddlebags. Only then could she force herself to take her eyes off him and stand up straight, but every few seconds, she caught herself checking if he was still far enough away from her.

Ruby could not bring herself to make eye contact with Lightning Strike. Her cheeks were burning with shame, and she was certain that not even her coat could conceal it. To be seen like this, gripped by mindless terror and reduced to a covering heap, made Ruby feel so utterly humiliated it was almost unbearable.

Also, she would have to offer some sort of explanation now, and Ruby didn't like that either. She could not help but feel as if she was begging for sympathy by doing so.

"Lieutenant..." She stopped herself. Her voice was trembling, and she took a few deep breaths before she continued, "Lieutenant, I understand what you have to do. I will not resist, and I will cooperate with you however I can. I give you my word of honor. However, I also promise you something else."

Ruby lifted her right hoof and began to undo the straps holding her gauntlet in place, while Lightning Strike remained silent and waited patiently for Ruby to remove the piece of armor covering the lower part of her leg. Beneath the metal and the thick padding, Ruby's fur was sweaty and tousled, but it still caught the light like polished crystal and shone in a vivid hue of brilliant red.

However, just above her hoof, there was a naked patch of pale, rough scar tissue, encircling Ruby's fetlock like a macabre bracelet. It was not the kind of scar a single injury would cause, but rather an accumulation of ugly lumps and deep crevices, left behind by constant abrasions that had healed partially and poorly, only to be immediately torn open again.

"You will not be putting chains on me. If you try, there will be a fight." Ruby tried her best to sound commanding and resolute, but she didn't know how well she managed it. The truth was that she was simply scared.

Lightning Strike's expression betrayed nothing while she was looking at Ruby's scar. Finally, she sighed and shook her head. "All right. No chains then."

There was pity in her voice. Hearing it struck Ruby like a lash.


* * *


Lightning Strike had insisted that Ruby should be escorted back to the Crystal City without delay. She was probably keen to send the knight off before Stalwart Heart could fully regain his wits and complicate the situation even further, and within an hour, Ruby had left with a small guard detail of fourteen Equestrian soldiers. The trip back was uneventful, and since nopony really felt like talking, they keep a dour silence for almost the entire length of it. But despite the uncomfortable atmosphere, Ruby dreaded the end of the journey. Because she knew the once it was over, the real hassle would begin.

She was not wrong, as complications started as soon as they reached the city. The Equestrian soldiers, no doubt eager to rid themselves of the troublesome knight as soon as possible, tried to turn Ruby over to the city guards at the gate.

But the guards refused. At first, they simply didn't understand what the soldiers were asking them to do. After the situation was explained to them, they reacted with anger, and made it clear that they would not treat a member of the Crystal Lance like a prisoner. In response, the Equestrian soldiers made it equally clear that they would not release Ruby into the guards' custody unless they would agree to follow proper protocol.

The argument grew more and more heated, until Ruby stepped in and resorted to more or less ordering her own arrest in an effort to resolve the matter peacefully. It was obvious that neither side was very happy with that solution, but they accepted it, and Ruby was finally led to the Crystal Castle by a group of very reluctant and apologetic guardsponies, who were visibly relieved when they finally got the opportunity to surrender their 'prisoner' to other members of the Lance.

As one would expect, the other members of the Order were shocked when they heard what had happened, but even they were uncertain how to deal with the situation. It was clear that the prince and princess would have to work out the diplomatic repercussions, and eventually decide on an appropriate punishment for Ruby's crime. But nopony really knew how Ruby should be treated until then.

It was briefly suggested that she should be put into a dungeon cell, but Emerald Breeze and Malachite were very outspoken against that idea, and most of the other members were not in favor of it either. Finally, it was decided that a strict confinement to her quarters would be the best solution for the time being. Ruby spent the next seven days in her room, waiting for the day when the prince and princess would pass judgement. Emerald Breeze brought Ruby’s meals, and always took a little time to speak with her, even though Ruby assumed that she was not supposed to do that.

From her brief conversations with Emerald, Ruby learned that Shining Armor had his hooves full trying to mediate between the troops from Equestria and the Empire. Among the Imperial knights and soldiers, the story was that Ruby Chip had taken command of the ambushed patrol and valiantly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, and that afterwards, the Equestrian officer had ordered her arrest to mask his own incompetence. Equestrian soldiers insisted that an Imperial knight had assaulted commander Stalwart Heart over a minor argument, and then attempted to issue a few orders during a small skirmish that had been almost over at that point. There was a lot of tension between the nations' armies at the moment, and any form of cooperation between them had become well-nigh impossible.

Those reports did not do much to make Ruby feel more confident about her impending hearing before the royal couple. Still, when Emerald and Frost Grape came during the early hours of the eighth day to escort Ruby to the royal quarters, she tried her best to look stoic and unconcerned. Of course, Emerald wasn't fooled by the brave face her friend was trying to put on, and when they arrived at the small council chamber, she gave Ruby a quick grin and a reassuring nudge on the shoulder. Then she sat down next to the door, ignoring the disapproving look from Frost Grape.

"They will see you now," the stallion said tersely and nodded towards the door.

Ruby took a deep breath and stepped through it. The small council chamber was a plain circular room, unfurnished except for the round table at its center. At that table, on the side opposite to Ruby when she entered, sat Shining Armor and Cadance. The princess' face was solemn, but she flashed Ruby a brief smile nonetheless. Shining Armor, however did nothing of the sort. His eyes were fixed on Ruby, and his expression was unreadable. None of them spoke.

Ruby heard the door close behind her and stood still, unsure of what to do. Shining Armor's look made her feel uncomfortable, especially since she wasn't wearing her armor. She always felt a little exposed without it, and right now, she would have been very grateful for the reassurance the heavy steel provided her with. At least she had been able to put on some plain high boots and a shawl. Even after years of living with them, she still couldn't bring herself to leave her private quarters without first hiding the scars that encircled her neck and fetlocks.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shining Armor pointed at the side of the table farthest from him and his wife. "Sit." Ruby did, and the prince continued, "Now Ruby, I want you to tell me in your own words what exactly happened on that patrol." He spoke calmly, but Ruby could see how tense he was, and the bags below his eyes showed that he probably hadn't slept very well the last few days.

Ruby had spent a lot of time thinking about how she should present her case, but now that it was her time to speak, the detailed report and all the carefully worded justifications she had prepared in her head were simply gone.

For a few seconds, she just sat there, silently opening and closing her mouth like a fish, until she finally managed to string a few sentences together, "Your Majesty, I knew what we were up against. I knew what the trolls were planning, and what we could do to prevent it. I had to act fast, or their trap would have been sprung."

"And would you mind explaining to me how knocking Stalwart's lights out improved the situation?" Shining Armor did not increase the volume of his voice, but the tone of calm authority had given way to anger, and a deep frown had formed on his forehead.

The mention of the officer's name made Ruby's temper flare. "He had no right..." She quickly stopped herself and fell silent, startled by the volume of her own voice. Through clenched teeth, she continued, "He was being stubborn. He just wouldn't listen to me, even though I told him that he was marching his troops right into an ambush. I admit that things got out of hoof. I should not have reacted the way I did, but I wasn't about to sit back and watch those ponies get butchered!"

Shining Armor shook his head and groaned in frustration. "Ruby, just yesterday I spoke with Stalwart Heart. He doesn't deny that he got in an argument with you, but do you even realize what you did to set him off like that? You gave orders to his subordinates, without waiting for his approval. What did you expect to happen?"

"I had a strategy that I knew was going to work, and time was short. I could not wait for him to make up his mind," Ruby said defensively.

Shining Armor rose, braced his front hooves on the table and glared down at her. "That's not how things work in the Equestrian military Ruby! You can't just take charge because you are a knight, or even a member of the Lance. A proper army needs a clear chain of command. If there is any uncertainty about who is in charge, that means chaos, and in a fight, chaos gets ponies killed! Stalwart Heart knows that. He was perfectly justified to rebuke you like he did."

"So I should have let him send those soldiers to their deaths, just so he wouldn't have to admit he was wrong?" Ruby asked sharply.

"No, what you should have done is follow the orders you were given," said the prince. "Provide insight. Offer advice. And most importantly, trust that our allies will make good use of both. If you could have controlled yourself just a little longer, Stalwart Heart would have shown you that he isn't nearly as incompetent as you claim he is."

The anger that had provided Ruby with her sudden burst of confidence was once again replaced by uncertainty, and her voice became a lot more hesitant when she asked, "What do you mean by that your Majesty?"

Shining Armor sighed, and he sounded more tired than furious now, "I mean that he probably would have listened to you Ruby. When I spoke with him, he said that your plan was risky, but within reason. He thought that it was probably the best way to end the fight as quickly as possible, but then you tried to force the issue before he issued his commands, and he could not let you undermine his authority like that." The prince shook his head. "Let me be clear Ruby: What you did is inexcusable, no matter what happened between you before. But if you had just controlled yourself for a few more seconds, I wouldn't have to deal with this mess now."

Ruby didn't know what to say. An uncomfortable silence filled the room for what seemed like hours, before she meekly asked, "How bad is it?"

This time, Princess Cadance was the one to speak, "There won't be any lasting damage to our diplomatic relations with Equestria, if that's what you are concerned about. But the troops are not taking the situation well at the moment. We hope that in a few weeks, the worst of it will be over, but right now, we have to keep the Equestrians and our own soldiers and knights as far away from each other as we can. We have to completely rework our patrol schedules, and it is putting a serious strain on our resources."

"Which takes us to the next point," Shining Armor said. "There have to be consequences for what you did Ruby. I'm pretty sure that goes without saying, but aside from the obvious reason, it will also help calm things down if the soldiers see that you have been disciplined." He closed his eyes and raised a hoof to rub his temple. "Unfortunately, the situation is more complex than I'd like. If you were a soldier in the Equestrian military, I would know exactly how to deal with this. But you're not. Under normal circumstances, assaulting your commanding officer would be worth a dishonorable discharge..."

Ruby felt as if the ground had suddenly opened up beneath her hooves to pull her into a dark pit. "No!" she interrupted, "I beg you! Not that! Please, don't do that to me!"

"Calm yourself Ruby," Princess Cadance said gently. "You won't lose your place in the Lance over this. But members of the Order were never above the law, and you will have to face the consequences of your actions."

Shining Armor nodded. "So unless you have anything else to add that might change the situation, we will now tell you what your punishment is going to be."

Ruby swallowed heavily and bowed her head. "I have nothing to add your Majesty."

"In that case, the sentence is as follows," Shining Armor said. "For the next three weeks, you will be confined to your quarters. After that, you will be restricted to guard duty within the Crystal City for two months, and you will perform those duties as part of an Equestrian platoon, under the command of an Equestrian officer." Ruby's head snapped back up and she opened her mouth, but Shining Armor cut her off with a swift hoofgesture. "I don't want to hear any back talk from you Ruby. For two months, you will serve as an Equestrian soldier. You will follow orders, you will observe proper protocol, and hopefully, it will teach you a thing or two about military discipline. If I hear any complaints about you, I won't hesitate to prolong your sentence until I think that you've learned your lesson."

Ruby lowered her head and stared at the tabletop. The thought of remaining cooped up in the city for more than two months was bad enough, but serving as a lowly soldier under the command of somepony who was neither a knight nor a member of the Imperial army made the ordeal even worse.

Regardless, Ruby knew that she was already on thin ice, so she simply nodded. "As you command, your Majesty."

"Good," Shining Armor said. "Then I would like to add something a little less official." He walked around the table and sat down next to Ruby. Cadance followed and took a seat at the side of her husband. "You might think I'm picking on you Ruby, but I honestly believe that this will do you some good." His tone was not as formal as it had been before, and Ruby lifted her head to look at him. "I was an officer before I was a prince Ruby. Not to brag, but I think I wasn't half bad at it, and part of being a capable commander is having an eye for talent." He was looking at Ruby very attentively now. "I'd like to ask you something. How did you come up with that strategy? You made good use of the pegasi and unicorn troops, but there are very few of either among crystal ponies. I wasn't aware that mixed unit tactics were even taught in the Imperial military."

Ruby had a feeling that Shining Armor was not merely trying to satisfy his curiosity. "They aren't," she said after a few moments of hesitation. "As you said, there aren't enough pegasi or unicorns among us to justify it. But when I learned that I would be serving with Equestrian soldiers, I figured it would be a good idea to do some research on their strengths and capabilities."

Of course, at the time I thought that I would be getting my own command.

Ruby shrugged. "The city library has a few volumes on Equestrian military strategy. They're hopelessly outdated of course, but they taught me the basics well enough."

For the fraction of a second, Ruby thought she saw the hint of a smile tug at the corners of Shining Armor's mouth. "Really?" he said. "Well, I'll see to it that the library is restocked with more recent editions. It's always good to be prepared." He seemed to ponder for a moment before he continued, "Ruby, did you know that you were recommended for the rank of knight commander before you joined the Lance?"

That surprised Ruby. She just stared at Shining Armor for several seconds, before she managed to respond, "I... no, I didn't know that. I commanded small units and scouting parties on occasion, but I didn't know that I made such an impression." She straightened up and smiled. "I suppose I was initiated into the Order before the recommendation could be approved then?"

"You were rejected Ruby," Shining Armor said bluntly. "Months before you earned your recommendation for the Lance."

Ruby's smile disappeared, and her eyes grew wide.

The prince kept watching her closely and continued, "You were evaluated for several weeks. The final verdict was that you have excellent battlefield awareness, as well as a quick and capable mind when it comes to tactical decisions. But you were also found to be way too brash and hotheaded, and the final decision was that you were not ready for your own command." He leaned forward, and asked with a stern voice, "Now Ruby. After what happened with Stalwart Heart, do you think that evaluation was wrong?"

Ruby was grinding her teeth and looked at the ground. She could not think of anything to say.

"That's what I thought." Shining Armor said. "You are lucky that the ability to command is not a strict necessity for members of the Lance, otherwise those shortcomings might have prevented you from joining the Order as well."

For Ruby, the last sentence felt like a punch in the gut, and by now she was clenching her teeth so hard that she feared her gums might start to bleed.

Shining Armor put a hoof under her chin and gently made her raise her head to look him in the eye. “Now listen carefully, Ruby. If you take anything away from this conversation, let it be this: With some work, you could be a good commander. Maybe even a great one. You obviously have the mind for it. But you can't control the battlefield if you can't even control yourself, and to give orders, you also have to know how to follow them. Try to see the coming months not as punishment, but as an opportunity to improve and learn."

It was all Ruby could do not to laugh bitterly. The words of the prince sounded like mockery to her. How was she supposed to improve while she was stuck in her quarters or performing guard duty under the command of some Equestrian officer, instead of defending the Empire and being an example to her citizens like she was supposed to?

"I will do what I can," Ruby said. She did not expect it to be much.

Shining Armor, however, seemed to be satisfied with her answer. "Glad to hear it," he said with a smile.
"Now go to your quarters and pack a few things. There is one last assignment we have for you before your confinement begins."

Ruby's ears perked up. Maybe she would get at least one more worthy task before being condemned to near uselessness for the next months. "Where am I going? What would you have me do?"

Instead of Shining Armor, it was Princess Cadance who answered, "You will accompany me on a diplomatic mission Ruby. This attack on our patrol was a provocation that we cannot simply ignore, and if we want to keep the peace between the Empire and the clans of the Frozen Plains, we have to enter negotiations with the ones responsible, before the situation can get out of hoof. Word among the clans is that it was your doing that the attack on the patrol failed, so your presence should add some..." She spent a few brief moments searching for a fitting term. "Let's call it persuasive force. Tomorrow, we travel to the home of the Blackglacier Clan."
> Chapter 04: A Troll's Courtesy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The carriage hit another pothole, and Ruby cussed quietly while trying to not fall off the bench. Many of the roads outside the Crystal City were still in a state of disrepair, and traveling by carriage was a taxing ordeal. Walking might have actually been easier and faster. Malachite sat next to her, but to Ruby's amazement, he had managed to fall asleep despite the carriage's constant jumps and shudders. Princess Cadance sat on the bench facing the two of them, and while she was not sleeping, the fact that she was capable of doing paperwork without spilling ink all over the carriage's interior was equally baffling to Ruby.

Cadance was sitting on several soft cushions, levitating a number of documents in front of her. Every now and then, she would pick up a slender quill and make a few notes, or use it to sign one of the papers before rolling it up and stowing it in a labeled tube. 

While she was in the middle of putting her delicate signature on a document, the front wheels of the carriage hit another hole in the road, and the vehicle made an abrupt lurch forward. Ruby heard the quill snap against the paper, and a single drop of ink landed on the carriage floor. The princess frowned ever so slightly, but then she just sighed and began to put away the papers and writing implements.

"I'm terribly sorry about this Ruby. I really wish there was a way to make this trip more comfortable for everyone," she said apologetically.

Sweet Harmony. Morgha is going to eat her alive.

Ruby had voiced her concerns about sending Princess Cadance on this mission. Cadance was tactful, friendly, and compassionate, all of which had to be horrible traits for a negotiation involving trolls. Shining Armor would have been a much better choice. Him, Morgha could probably respect as a warrior. But Cadance?

Ruby looked at the princess, who had just finished hiding a stifled yawn behind one of her manicured hooves, and gifted Ruby with a bright and genuine smile when she noticed that the knight's eyes were resting on her.

There was just no way in Tartarus.

Shining Armor had listened patiently to her arguments, but insisted that Cadance knew what she was doing, and that she was the right mare to conduct the negotiations. Ruby was not convinced, but there was nothing she could do about it. If they were lucky, the trolls would take one look at the delicate alicorn princess, and simply refuse to talk to her at all. Or they might see her mere presence as an insult and turn violent.

Ruby's musings were interrupted when the carriage began to slow down and finally came to a halt. She breathed a sigh of relief, and then gave Malachite a sharp poke in the side to wake him up, before hurrying to leave the stuffy little box in which she had spent the better part of a week.

It was early afternoon, and one of the rare occasions when the Frozen Plains were not covered by a thick blanket of gray clouds. Ruby could see all the way to the horizon, where the pristine white of the plains was cut off by the dark, imposing silhouette of the Crystal Mountains. The sky seemed close enough to touch, and was as blue as polished glacier ice.

Ruby sucked the cold, fresh air into her lungs, and took a few seconds to appreciate this moment of calm and peaceful beauty that was such a rarity in the untamed wilderness of the Frozen Plains. Then she turned around to help the princess out of the carriage. Cadance took the hoof Ruby offered her, but probably more for politeness’ sake than because she needed it.

"Ah. That feels so much better," the princess murmured while unfurling her wings and stretching her legs until her joints made little popping noises. Then she turned towards one of the soldiers who had been pulling her carriage. "Is this the place? Is the Blackglacier camp north from here?"

The soldier nodded. "Yes Princess Cadance. This is as close to the clan's camp as we can get with the carriage."

"Excellent. Then we should be able to reach the Blackglacier Clan before sunset." Cadance said while wrapping a thick woolen shawl around her slender neck. "Is there a place nearby where you could make yourselves somewhat comfortable until we return?"

The question seemed to confuse the soldier. "Are you planning on leaving part of your escort with the carriage, your Majesty?"

Cadance lifted a pair of finely stitched silken saddlebags from the carriage’s luggage compartment and nodded. "Most of it, actually. Sir Malachite and Dame Ruby Chip will accompany me to the camp, but I'm afraid I must ask the rest of you to stay behind." The soldier opened his mouth to respond, but Cadance cut him off with a quick gesture and a knowing smile. "I know Shining Armor gave you strict orders not to let me out of your sight. I'm sorry, I am aware that this is putting you in a difficult situation, but I'm afraid I have to insist."

Ruby raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between Cadance and the seemingly very unhappy guardspony. This plan was news to her as well.

"Do you think that is wise princess?" Malachite asked with some reluctance. "We are honored that you have such high confidence in our ability to act as your protectors, but Frost Work and his comrades are very capable as well, and there is strength in numbers. In the middle of a troll camp, surrounded by Blackglacier warriors, there is only so much Ruby and I could do to shield you from harm if we were on our own."

"I am aware of the risks Malachite," Cadance said. "But this is how we have to do things. Among the trolls of the Frozen Plains, it is tradition for their chiefs to take only two of their strongest and most reputable warriors with them when they visit another clan for a moot. That's what they call negotiations between clan leaders." The princess looked at Malachite and Ruby. "That is why I picked the two of you specifically to accompany me. Both of you were present at the battle of the Howling Barrows, and you have fought against marauding warbands on several occasions. Malachite, you slew one of their chieftains in single combat, and Ruby, just recently, you were with the troops that defeated the Blackglacier Clan during their newest clash with us. You two may not be aware of it, but you have a reputation among the clans of the Frozen Plains. Most members of the Lance do, but you are quite notorious even compared to them." She turned back to Frost Work. "Which is why I cannot take anypony else with me. Going against their traditions would make the negotiations with the Blackglacier Clan more complicated than they have to be. Don't worry about us Frost Work. Everything is going to be fine."

The soldier did not look convinced, but he bowed his head. "If that is what you wish your Majesty. At least you will have the Lance at your side. We will await your safe return."

"Thank you Frost Work. You won't have to wait long," Cadance said. Then her attention returned to Ruby and Malachite, and if Ruby hadn't know any better, she would almost have said that the princess looked excited. "Now my knights. Are you ready to depart?"


* * *


They left the rest of the princess' escort behind, after Frost Work showed them on their map where he and the other soldiers would be waiting for them. The camp of the Blackglacier Clan was located in a hidden hollow, surrounded by steep, rocky hills and deep ice crevices. The place was not very far away, but they would have to travel through a maze of narrow canyons to reach it, and even even though they had a map, it would still take them some time to get through.

They hadn’t reached the hills yet, so the deep snow of the Plains was all they had to content with at the moment. Ruby was leading the way to dig a furrow into the almost chest-high snow. Princess Cadance followed directly behind her, while Malachite marched in the rearmost spot of their little formation. It had always struck Ruby as eerie how quiet the Frozen Plains could be when no blizzard was sweeping over them. There were no animals around to make any sound, and not even the slightest breeze was stirring, as if the Plains had to catch their breath for the next storm they would unleash. Even the clanking of her armor and the scrunching of the snow beneath her hooves seemed to get muted and almost swallowed up by the still, cold air around them. It was a peculiar feeling, not enough to be frightening, but sufficient to make Ruby feel slightly uncomfortable and on edge.

"Your Majesty? May I ask you a question?" Ruby said. Mostly, she was eager to chase away the irritating silence, but there were a few things she hoped Cadance could tell her more about.

"Of course Ruby. Ask away," came the answer from behind her.

"What is the purpose of this tradition the clans have? I just think it is strange that trolls would trust each other enough to make themselves vulnerable like this."

"The clans are constantly feuding with each other, that is true." said Cadance. "But as brutal and warlike as they are, they still obey their own laws. A moot between chieftains is a sacred thing. No violence is allowed between the clans that have agreed to it until three days after it is over. By bringing only two warriors with them, the visiting chieftains show that they trust their host to keep the peace. There is another side to it of course. They bring their mightiest warriors to display the strength and prowess of their clan, as a reminder of what their enemies would have to face in times of war. So it is a demonstration of power as much as it is a sign of trust and respect."

Ruby kept trudging forward through the snow while she thought about that. "So you don't think they will try to jump us?"

"Among the clans, there are few crimes as despised as breaking the peace during a moot," said Cadance. "Make no mistake: Morgha should not be underestimated. He is brutal, cunning, and ruthless. Distrusting him is always a smart decision, and if he can turn a situation to his advantage, he will do so. But he will not break his word when he has given it, or go against the laws of his people. From what I have learned, it seems that he considers such things to be beneath him."

Hearing that made Ruby frown. These laws and codes of honor were something she had never heard about before. It suddenly occurred to her that, for all she knew about how trolls thought and acted in battle, their culture and society beyond that was completely unknown to her. Ruby had never really considered that they even had something worthy of being called such. The uncomfortable silence that surrounded her was forgotten while she pondered over Cadance's words.

They walked for another hour before the hill ridge that surrounded the Blackglacier camp came into view. It was basically a natural wall of rock and ice that stretched into both directions, no less than twenty paces in height at any point that Ruby could see. Fortunately, they had not strayed from their intended path on their way here. After they got a little closer to the torn and jagged rock face, Ruby could make out the gap they were looking for, hardly wide enough for three ponies to pass through it shoulder to shoulder.

Ruby heard Cadance halt her steps. "One moment, please. Once we enter the canyons, the Blackglacier Clan will be watching us, and there is something I need to ask the two of you while we can still speak privately."

Ruby turned around and gave Cadance a concerned look. The princess stared into the distance, and judging by her expression, her mind had to be occupied with very grave thoughts.

"I need your advice. You know how fearsome trolls can be in a fight, and you know how strong our forces are. If the peace ends today... if the worst possible thing happens, and Morgha unites the clans into an army to lead them against the Empire... will we be able to defeat them?" She looked first at Ruby, then at Malachite. "You were both at the Howling Barrows. If things get even worse than they were then, do we stand a chance?"

Ruby felt a chill run down her spine. The battle of the Howling Barrows had been an important experience for her, and a great victory for the Empire, but whenever Ruby called up her memories of that day, the first thing that came to her mind was how frightened and alone she had felt before the fight.

Shining Armor had chosen the battlefield with care, and positioned every knight he could muster behind the two hills that were known as the Howling Barrows, before luring the trolls into the small valley between them with a force of Imperial soldiers and levied citizens. It was a risky tactic. Regular troops could not stand against a troll army for long, so the prince's plan was to signal the knights behind the hills once the trolls were in position. The Empire's elite would then swoop in, fall upon the enemies' flanks, and obliterate them.

It had been Ruby's first major battle since her accolade two weeks prior, and she was all alone. Sure, there were other knights all around her, but Malachite had been assigned to the flanking party stationed behind the opposite hill, and Emerald Breeze was still a soldier back then. The Howling Barrows was where Emerald would earn her knighthood, but of course Ruby didn't know that back then. All she knew was that one of her friends was far away and as alone as she was, while another one was fighting a fierce battle just a few hundred paces away from her, and whether or not Emerald or anyone in that valley survived would be decided within the next few minutes. Naturally, those thoughts did nothing to make Ruby feel more at ease.

The armor had still bothered her back then. She was used to the lighter armor worn by Imperial soldiers, and the suit of full plate had felt incredibly cumbersome. She also wasn't used to the heavy helmet restricting her view. Ruby simply couldn't imagine how she should run or fight like this. And if her lance got stuck, and the buckles would not break like they were suppose to, what would she do then?

But then, the clear, sharp sound of a crystal flugelhorn had cut through her thoughts, and after a heartbeat of hesitation, she broke into a trot, then a canter, and finally a full gallop.

During the first few steps, the armor still seemed to hinder her, but after she passed over the hilltop and began to move downwards, the weight stopped being a handicap, and instead added to the momentum of her charge, to the tremendous force that concentrated itself behind the gleaming tip of her heavy war lance. Ruby saw the valley stretch out before her, and the battle line she was rapidly approaching. The ground seemed to tremble with every step she took, and the trampling of hundreds of armored hooves all around her made a sound like swelling thunder. Ruby could see the other troop of knights, her brothers and sisters in arms, spill over the opposing hilltop like a wave of liquid silver, rushing towards the trolls’ flank. 

And she wasn't afraid anymore. There was no uncertainty, no fear left in her. At this moment, she was more than just one pony. She was part of a terrible, irresistible force, as devastating and unstoppable as a rock slide or an avalanche. The trolls in the valley before her suddenly looked so puny. There was nothing she had to fear. There was nothing that could stand before her.

One of the trolls turned around and looked directly at her, just before the Empire's knights smashed into their flank, but Ruby doubted that it had enough time to really understand what was about to happen. One fraction of a second later, she felt the shock of impact travel down the solid wooden shaft of her lance and into her shoulder. After that, the world drowned in a cacophony of deafening crashes and throaty cries of pain.

Ruby and her comrades stormed through the trolls' battle line as if it were a field of frozen weeds. She vaguely remembered that her lance must have gotten stuck and snapped off at some point. She barely noticed, and the energy of her charge was still not spent, so she just tackled the trolls' legs and brought them down to be trampled by the knights following behind her.

The first thing she could recall clearly was the second sounding of the prince's signal horn. Both groups of knights immediately disengaged and circled around for another charge, this time in the enemy's' rear. They needn’t have bothered. The trolls were broken and defeated by the time the knights collided with them for a second time.

Ruby looked at Cadance, and her voice was full of certainty and determination when she spoke, "We will defeat them your Majesty. If we have to fight, there is nothing that will stand before the knights of the Empire."

For a second, Ruby thought she saw a hint of disapproval in Malachite's eyes. But the princess just nodded and turned her attention to the stallion, and the moment passed before Ruby could be certain.

Malachite seemed to think very intently about the princess question, but ultimately, he sighed and nodded. "It would be a terrible fight. But we have more knights and more soldiers than we had at the Howling Barrows. Many of them are young, and they lack experience. But they are determined." Malachite looked into Cadance's eyes, and his next words sounded almost pleading, "They have barely tasted what it means to live free from tyranny and fear, and if they are called upon, even the lowliest soldier will defend the Empire to the death, without protest or hesitation. So yes, even if we wage war against the united power of the clans, we shall have victory. For a price."

Cadance bit her lip and lowered her head. "I understand, Malachite. Thank you for your honest answer. And thank you, Ruby." She stood motionless for several seconds, her head hanging low and her eyes closed. When she opened them again and straightened her posture, it was clear that she had come to a decision. "Very well then. Let's not keep Morgha waiting. And please, put your helmets on before we get in eyeshot of the hills."


* * *


Passing through the maze of canyons was unnerving, to say the least. Ruby caught a glimpse of trolls silently looking down at them on several occasions, and she was acutely aware of the fact that there was nothing she could do if they decided to bury the small group of ponies beneath a hail of rocks and boulders. Ruby was still leading the way, but Cadance carried the map, and every time the path forked before them, the princess had to give quick directions so Ruby knew where to turn. Apart from those few words, the only sounds were their hoofsteps echoing through the narrow ravine.

When they finally left the canyon, Ruby felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her chest. She regarded her surroundings through her helmet's narrow vision slits, and saw that she and her companions had entered a round hollow that had to be a little more than four miles in diameter. Right in the middle of it sat the Blackglacier camp, a cluster of several dozen squat, elongated stone huts of various sizes, surrounded by a deep ditch and a mound with dug-in wooden stakes. There were no gates, just two spots where a gap had been left in the mound and the ditch had been filled in, but Ruby judged that the camp was exceptionally well fortified nonetheless, since the steep cliffs and rocky hills encircling its vicinity were already a great defense all by themselves. The trolls had chosen their home well.

"Now, Ruby, Malachite, before we continue, just a few things," Cadance said. "First, please keep your helmets on at all times. Since they rarely see them without their armor, some trolls have a number of interesting superstitions about Imperial knights, and I see no reason to refute them at this time. Second, once we approach the camp, the trolls will send a group of warriors to meet us. From what information I have gathered to prepare myself for this meeting, they will act very aggressive, but it is not an actual attack. It is already a part of the negotiations. They will try to intimidate us and chase us away, and if we run, or worse, react with violence, that means we are not worth talking to. So no matter what it looks like, you can't attack them."

Ruby glanced at Malachite. He nodded. "As you wish your Majesty."

In turn, Ruby let out a sound that was halfway between a snort and a growl. "They won't unnerve me that easily. I won't start kicking heads in, as long as they don't try anything."

"Don't worry Ruby. They won't," Cadance said. After she had turned around and made a few steps towards the camp, she added, "At least I don't think so."

While they approached the settlement, Ruby noticed how deserted the place looked. The snow between the huts was trampled flat in many places, so there must have been activity in it recently, but she spotted no trolls now. Aside from that, the most common sign of life a village in the Frozen Plains normally had was missing, since there was no smoke from a burning fireplace curling out of the settlement's houses. It took Ruby a few seconds to realize that this did not mean anything here. Frost trolls had no use for the warmth of a fire, and their huts didn't even have chimneys.

She was not able to make further observations, because after only a few hundred steps, they had moved so far downhill that she could no longer look over the settlement's defensive mound. Ruby almost hoped they would make it inside the fortification without incident, but once they were only about a hundred paces away from the spot where they could cross the ditch, Ruby suddenly heard the sound of a signal horn nearby, quickly swelling from a slight wailing to a deafening howl. It could have been her imagination, but Ruby thought it sounded rather familiar.

"Just keep walking," Cadance said calmly, her voice barely audible over the crude instrument's infernal blaring.

Then several deep, snarling voices joined into the horn's savage melody, and only a heartbeat later, more than a dozen trolls stormed out from behind the settlement's mound.

They couldn't rush directly at them, not right away at least. The place where the ditch had been filled up to allow easy crossing was slightly offset from the spot where the gap had been left in the mount to offer entrance into the settlement, so the trolls immediately had to make a sharp left turn, and then an equally sharp turn to the right only a couple of steps later. But once they could run towards Ruby and her companions in a straight line, the trolls picked up speed quickly. Much too quickly for Ruby's taste. Cadance had insisted that this wasn't really an attack, but Ruby found that she could not tell the difference between this and the several actual troll attacks she had witnessed before. The towering beasts were coming directly at them, swinging their ugly weapons and baring their yellow fangs, all the while screaming at the top of their lungs.

Ruby licked her lips and glanced at Princess Cadance. If she was worried, she certainly hid it very well. Cadance was watching the advancing trolls closely, but nothing about her expression or posture showed anything an observer could have interpreted as fear. She was simply putting one hoof in front of the other, as if this was nothing put a pleasant afternoon stroll. But despite the princess' calm demeanor and her previous reassurances, every instinct Ruby had screamed for her to take action, while her mind was already presenting her with options for what that action should be. It was not something she had to consciously think about. After years of training and combat as a soldier and knight of the Empire, Ruby simply couldn't look at a troll warband and not immediately try to figure out the best way to survive a fight with them. She knew that few things could stop a troll in full sprint, and most of them were not available at the moment. A counter charge would probably be the best, albeit risky option.

Bringing down a charging troll without a lance was tricky, but Ruby had done it before. Timing was the most essential part; you had to catch the moment when most of the troll's weight was resting on a single leg, then throw yourself forward to ram your shoulder into it just below the knee joint. A troll that got hit like that would not get back up, at least not without using its weapon as a crutch.

Ruby sized up the foremost troll warrior, a massive beast swinging an iron battleaxe, and did her best to get a feeling for the rhythm of its steps as it closed in on them. When the distance between them had melted to about twenty paces, Ruby gritted her teeth, took one more sideways look at Cadance, and, with an extreme effort of will, maintained her steady pace at the princess' side.

If Cadance was so certain that the success of the negotiations hinged on how they reacted to this apparent threat, then Ruby could not risk ruining their chances for peace. Even so, ignoring the trolls' charge while calmly walking on took all the self-restraint she could muster.

The trolls did not slow down when they were fifteen paces away. Not when they were ten paces away either, and Ruby could already see specks of foamy spittle spray from the beasts' gaping maws. Then, when only about five paces separated the two very disparate groups, the trolls suddenly stopped shouting and dug their leathery heels into the ground, showering Ruby, Malachite and Cadance with snow and clumps of frozen earth.

The wailing of the horn died down, and the trolls skidded to a halt. They had either timed this very well, or Ruby and her companions had just been extremely lucky. When the creatures finally stopped, Cadance's horn was almost poking the leading troll in the stomach.

For several long seconds, tense silence and equally tense looks were all the two groups traded with each other. The foremost troll glowered down at Cadance with its beady black eyes, its fangs still bared in a soundless snarl. Ruby was watching the creature closely, looking for anything that might signal an attack.

Cadance just smiled politely at the troll. The way she had to tilt her head back to look it in the eye couldn't have been pleasant, but she remained standing where she was, and did not take a single step back. "Greetings warrior," she finally said, after the stillness had stretched on for far longer than was comfortable. "I am Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, ruler of the Crystal Empire, and I am here to hold a moot with Morgha Blackglacier. Would you be kind enough to show us the way?"

The troll she had addressed, by all appearances the band's leader, shifted its massive brow ridge into a deep frown and snarled. The trolls behind him made similar sounds, and seemed to grow a little restless.

When that remained the trolls' only reaction, Cadance tried again, her tone still every bit as amiable as before, "Excuse me? I said..."

"I hear you, pink thing," the troll interrupted her. Its voice was deep and rumbling, and it slurred its words so much Ruby had trouble understanding it. "I know why you here. But maybe I not think you should see Morgha."

Cadance raised an eyebrow, and her smile slowly faded. "Your chieftain agreed to these negotiations. You will bring me to him." Her voice was still friendly, but Ruby thought that a lot of its usual warmth had suddenly bled out of it. "The clans' laws..."

"They is clans' laws pink thing!" the troll snarled. "You is not clan. Iron horses is not clan. None of you is clan! Laws are not for you, and moot is not for you! Is best you run back to pretty crystal place, little horse."

The troll moved its arm to give Cadance a shove, or maybe a slap. But it had barely raised its hand up to its hip when the gnarled black appendage was suddenly surrounded by a shimmering, pale-green aura and stopped moving. Ruby did not need to turn her head to know that Malachite's exposed horn was lit up by the same glow. Without having to exchange a single word, the two knights stepped forward in perfect unison to position themselves protectively in front of the princess.

The troll did not react the way Ruby had expected. When it saw the light around its hand, the creature let out a startled grunt and pulled its arm back as if it had touched a red-hot coal. But that was tame compared to the reaction it had when it saw Ruby and Malachite move. The troll's eyes grew wide, its mouth dropped open, and it made a hasty step backwards, bumping into the troll standing behind it and almost throwing both of them to the ground. Ruby had trouble reading the troll's facial expression, but she could have sworn the thing looked scared.

"One word from you, your Majesty," Ruby said, "and the brute will speak its apologies while coughing up its teeth."

Hearing Ruby's words, the troll seemed to grow even more frightened. "No fighting!" it said hastily. "We have peace! No fighting when we have peace. It is law!"

"Ah, I see," Cadance said merrily. She took a step forward, and Ruby and Malachite reluctantly let her pass. "I suppose that means the clans' laws do apply to us after all. We should have no more problems then." Her smile had returned as if nothing had happened. "I think you were about to show us where we can find Morgha."


* * *


Ruby found Morgha's home to be somewhat underwhelming. It looked like any other dwelling in the settlement, a simple hut with an arched roof, erected from rough-hewn stones. It wasn't even particularly big, or positioned at a central or distinct place. If the troll leading them hadn't stopped in front of it and pointed at the entrance, Ruby would have found no sign that this was the place they were looking for.

Cadance gave their guide a thankful nod and made a step towards the doorway, but Ruby quickly walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. "With your leave, Princess, I probably should go first."

For a moment, it looked like Cadance might object, but then she thought better of it. "All right Ruby. Go ahead."

Ruby looked at the hut's entrance. It was rather narrow, just wide enough for a single troll to pass through it without trouble. While they were lead through the settlement, Ruby had wondered why all the huts had such low roofs, since most of the buildings were considerably less tall than the creatures who supposedly lived in them. But now that she approached the hut's entrance, she saw that there were steps dug into the ground that lead down into the dwelling's interior. The inside of the chieftain's hut was only dimly lit, so Ruby could not make out any details from where she stood, but she guessed that only about a third of the actual living space was located above ground.

Ruby began to slowly walk down the steps, but since they were not made for her height, hopping might have been the more appropriate term to describe her method of descend. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she paused to let her eyes get accustomed to the sparse illumination within the hut.

It took several seconds before she could make out clear details in the dimness that seemed to hang in the air like a fog. What little light there was came from several crystal lamps that were placed inside small niches in the walls. Most of them were cracked and chipped, and barely gave off any light at all. Ruby imagined that they had to be scavenged from abandoned towns decades or even centuries ago. The floor was mostly covered with what seemed to be several layers of pelts and hides from various beasts and monsters. The dwelling had little in the way of furniture; there was a spot in the far corner of the room where the furs were piled up to a heap, and Ruby assumed that was the hut's sleeping place. Apart from that, she saw only a single table, made out of a crude stone slab placed atop a pony-sized rock.

Behind that table sat Morgha Blackglacier.

He was by far the largest frost troll Ruby had ever seen. Right now, he was sitting cross-legged on the ground, and yet he was still more than twice as high as her. His thick chest and broad shoulders looked as if someone had wrapped white furs around a large boulder, and his arms and legs resembled hairy logs. A breastplate fashioned from black iron was strapped around his torso, and most of his fur was styled into thick braids about as long as Ruby's legs. Bits of bone, metal and stone inscribed with strange symbols had been woven into the braids, so that every movement of the troll chieftain caused quiet clattering.

Morgha's black eyes were set on Ruby the moment she entered. He said nothing, but he pulled his thick lips apart and bared his yellow teeth in what had to be a troll's idea of a smile, or maybe a mocking grin. Even from across the room, Ruby could see that swirls and patterns had been carved into his large canines.

She remained just as silent as the troll while she sized him up as best she could. The heavy helmet did impair her vision somewhat, but it also allowed her to keep an eye on whatever she deemed suspicious without giving away what exactly she was looking at. Not that there was much to draw her attention apart from Morgha himself. While the room was fairly large, the fact that it was almost completely empty meant that there were no apparent hiding places, and Morgha was the only troll Ruby could see. He seemed to be unarmed, but of course that didn't mean that he was harmless. Ruby knew that a troll's fists and teeth could be as dangerous and deadly as any weapon, and looking at Morgha's massive build, she guessed that he could effortlessly pick up the heavy stone table in front of him and hurl it across the room like a dinner plate.

Ruby kept her eyes on the silently grinning troll and stepped to the side to allow Cadance entrance into the underground living space. When the princess stepped into the hut, Morgha's grin stretched even wider. "Ah, little princess arrive. Well come." His voice was very deep, and like the troll Cadance had talked to before, his speech was slurred and clumsy, to the point where Ruby had trouble understanding him at all.  He lifted one of his wrinkled hands, which were both bigger than Ruby's head, and gestured at the side of the table opposite to him. "Sit, my little pony. Sit, and we make talk, yes?"

Cadance bowed her head slightly. "Thank you Chief Morgha. And thank you for agreeing to this moot. There is indeed much that we need to discuss."

She walked up to the stone table, with Ruby and Malachite following only a step behind. When Morgha saw this, he leaned forward and let out a rumbling chuckle. "No need your iron shadows here little princess. No need be scared of Morgha now. Moot is time for talk."

"Of course Morgha. I do not doubt that," said Cadance. "And of course I would never imply that you would go back on your given word. But since we are guest here, I do not wish to inconvenience any members of your clan, and I thought having my companions wait outside might cause them some distress. The sight of my knights seems to make your warriors quite nervous."

For the fraction of a second, Ruby thought she saw the troll's smile falter, but the moment passed quickly. "Knights can stay and listen to talk then," the chieftain said. "Means nothing to Morgha."

After Cadance sat down at the table, Morgha pulled a fur aside that hung on the wall behind him, revealing a small hole. While he reached inside, he looked a Cadance and said, "You like talking over tea, yes? Make you feel at home, be good host to little pink princess."

The mocking tone of his voice made Ruby grind her teeth with barely contained anger, but Cadance just smiled and nodded. "That would be lovely, Morgha. Thank you."

The troll chieftain pulled a large stone pitcher and two cups from the hole, filled both of them with a honey-colored liquid, and emptied his own cup in a single gulp. Cadance was still wearing her friendly smile, but she looked at the cup standing in front of her and hadn't picked it up yet.

"It is cold," she said, somehow managing to turn those three words into both a statement of fact and a polite inquiry.

"Is ice tea," Morgha confirmed, evidently very pleased with himself.

"Of course it is," Cadance replied cheerfully without missing a beat. She picked up the cup with her magic and took a sip of the peculiar beverage. "Very nice," she said while placing the cup back on the table. "Now Morgha, while I very much enjoy exchanging pleasantries with you, we both know that isn't why I am here today."

The troll nodded slowly and scratched his head. It sounded like nails being dragged across a chalkboard. "Ah, yes. Here because Blackglacier warriors attack you ponies." Ruby thought she could see a predatory gleam in the chieftain's eyes. "Morgha see why that would worry little princess."

"So you admit to it?" Cadance asked.

Morgha raised his hands defensively. "Is nothing to admit for Morgha. Raid was done by clan, but warriors were not his. Raid planned by one of his warleaders. Didn't ask Morgha's permission for raid. Of course, Morgha would said no." The giant troll shrugged. "He already be punished. No longer warleader, no longer sit on Morgha's council. Can do more to him if that not enough for little princess. Can even give him to you if want. Morgha not care."

"I see." said Cadance and took another sip from her cup. "And what would be the name of that warleader?"

Ruby noticed a very subtle shift in the princess' voice, and it made her ears perk up underneath her helmet. Cadance was going for something specific. This was how a mother would ask her foal a question when she already knew the answer, but wanted to see if the child would lie to her. As someone who had gotten into her share of trouble over the years, Ruby was quite familiar with that type of questioning.

Morgha seemed to realize that the question had not been put forth without purpose, and he hesitated to give an answer. Cadance just looked at him, her smile suddenly gone.

"Bergash," the chieftain finally said.

Cadance nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Ah, of course. Your reputation of being equally as cunning as you are formidable is well earned Morgha. Bergash is an excellent choice for a scapegoat."

Morgha's mouth dropped open, and he seemed too stunned to respond. Ruby's own reaction was more confusion than shock, since neither the name nor Cadance's words made any sense to her. She gently tapped the ground with her hoof to get Malachite's attention, but when she looked at him, he subtly shook his head. Whatever Cadance meant, he knew no more about it than Ruby did.

"Now Morgha," the princess said, breaking the tense silence that had followed her previous words, "as I said, there is much we need to discuss, and I'd rather not waste any more time with silly diversions and maneuvers. I am going to explain how I see the situation, and afterwards, I hope we can talk in earnest."

Morgha had regained his composure, but now he was missing the insolent smile from earlier, and the look he gave the princess was far more alert than before. "We'll see," he said slowly.

Cadance ignored the noncommittal answer and continued, "You say Bergash acted without your consent. That's probably what he believes as well, but Morgha, the two of us know that your warleaders don't make a move without you knowing about it. You have been chieftain of the Blackglacier Clan for well over a century, and you could not have held on to that position if you had not kept a close eye on your potential rivals at all times. I believe you when you say that Bergash did not ask your permission, so of course you did not grant it. But you still knew about the raid, and you let it happen."

Morgha nodded thoughtfully. "Is that so? Then tell me little princess: Why would I do something like that, and allow Bergash to undermine my authority as chieftain?"

Ruby frowned when she heard the troll speak. His speech was still slurred and heavily accented, but not as badly as it had been just a few moments ago, and his grasp of their language seemed to be a lot better than he had initially let on.

Cadance was apparently not even slightly surprised by Morgha's change of speech."Because you knew that you could turn the situation to your advantage, no matter what the outcome would be. If Bergash failed, you could blame everything on him and strip him of his title and position without anyone objecting to it. Which is, by your own admission, exactly what you did. From what I hear, Bergash was quite ambitious. In time, he might have grown into an annoyance, maybe even a threat. That is now something you don't have to worry about anymore. But if he had succeeded..."

She let those last words hang in the air and made a great show of slowly picking up her cup and lifting it to her lips. Morgha was listening very closely, but his face gave nothing away. Ruby, on the other hoof, was glad that her face was concealed behind the steel of her helmet, because she didn't think that she could have hidden the fact that she was both incredibly tense and absolutely clueless. This wasn't how she had expected the negotiations to go, and since the princess evidently had information Ruby did not know about, it was impossible for her to foresee how things would proceed from here. Ruby nervously licked her lips, and tried her best to keep her tail from frantically whipping back and forth.

"If he had succeeded," Cadance continued after her dramatic pause, "it would have been easy for you to turn his victory into your own. Bergash didn't have the savvy or the supporters to really turn such a success to his advantage. Taking all the credit for it would have been easy for you, and it would have sent a message to the other clans." Cadance’s eyes narrowed, and there wasn't a trace of her usual friendliness and warmth left in her voice at this point. "'Morgha Blackglacier successfully carried out the first major raid against the Empire since the Howling Barrows. They are not as undefeatable as we thought. Morgha Blackglacier can defeat the Empire.'"

Morgha looked at Cadance and said nothing. Something close to a minute passed in total silence.

When Morgha finally answered, he seemed to carefully evaluate every single word before it passed his lips, "I'm not saying that any of this is true. But how could you possibly know about it if it were?"

"Some of it, I pieced together based on what I knew. The other parts..." Cadance paused and shrugged. "Of course I'm not going to tell you. Just think about what possibility would be most inconvenient to you, and assume that is how I know."

Morgha threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Not a bad advice. Very well, keep your secret, even though you already have most of mine." He looked at Cadance with a spark of interest that had not been there when he first laid eyes on her. "You got most of it right, clever princess. Bergash was indeed a good choice to take the fall, if I dare say so myself. A good fighter, and he could be clever if he had to be, but he always overestimated the reach of his own influence. He wasn’t going to give me trouble any time soon, but better to be rid of him now. Too bad he could not be of any use to me before." He leaned across the table, until his massive, brutish face hovered right in front of Cadance. "So, now everything is on the table. You caught me off-guard, princess. I'll give you that much. My plans and intentions are laid out in the open, but the question remains: What now?"

Ruby's head was spinning from all information this verbal exchange had dropped on her. Before she entered this hut just a few minutes ago, she would have dismissed the idea of a troll being capable of this kind of scheming and deception as preposterous. And what was worse, Morgha had obviously expected them to think like that. He played the role of a smug, brutish imbecile, and Ruby hadn't questioned it for a second. Of course, Morgha did not know how thoroughly Ruby had fallen for his ruse, but that didn't make it any easier for her.

Cadance stared straight into the trolls eyes, not even slightly receding from the grinning visage that was now barely more than a hair's breadth away from her. "Now we are in a predicament Morgha. You covered your tracks well, but I know what your intentions were. You want to estimate our strength, and make us look weak in front of the other clans. And when you sense another opportunity in the future, you will do it again."

The troll nodded. "Wouldn't you?"

"No," Cadance said immediately. "No I wouldn't Morgha. Because it is pointless. You pursue conflict for the sake of it. That is something I just can't wrap my head around."

"Don't you try and lecture me," Morgha sneered. "This is how we live, princess. We are the children of ice and iron, as harsh and unyielding as the glacier that birthed us at the dawn of creation. It is conflict that keeps us strong, this has always been our way. You don't like that? Too bad! You can't chide us for living like we did for centuries, just because you showed up with your crystal city and your armored knights and started to act like this place belongs to you!"

Ruby felt fire rushing through her veins upon hearing those words.

"You scum!" she shouted. "How dare you?" She stepped forward, seething with rage, and gestured towards the cracked crystal lamps that illuminated the hut. "You decorate your filthy hovels with scraps you dug up in the ruins of our Empire, and you say we are the ones who don't belong here?! You are nothing but a bunch of thieving squatters! This is our home!"

Morgha fixed his eyes on her, and a low growl bubbled up from his throat. "Careful, Ironhoof. This may be a moot, but there are limits to what I have to take from you. Some of my warriors may be scared of your ilk, but I don't buy into that superstitious nonsense. I know that underneath that shiny steel, there are bones that can be broken and flesh that can be rend!"

Ruby made another step forward. "Why don't you try, you mangy..."

"Ruby. Please."

Just two quiet, softly spoken words, but they made Ruby stop in her tracks as if she had been rooted to the ground. She turned her head to look at Cadance, suddenly aware of what she had almost done. When Ruby met Cadance's eyes, she expected them to be alight with anger, but there was none. All she saw in them was sympathy, and a deep sadness.

Ruby lowered her head and stepped back. "Forgiveness, your Majesty. I forgot myself."

"I understand Ruby," Cadance said softly. Then she turned back to Morgha. "And I understand you as well. It has been such a long time since my people disappeared, and this has become your home. But there is no reason why we can't live in harmony. The Frozen Plains are a vast place, Morgha. There is more than enough room for all of us, especially since your people mostly live in places that we would consider uninhabitable. And if this constant state of conflict and feuding amongst each other is how you wish to live, so be it. We won't interfere with your way of life, but you will leave my people out of it."

Morgha chuckled. "Will I?"

"Yes, you will!" The sudden hardness of Cadance's voice almost made Ruby jump, and even Morgha seemed surprised by it.

The princess rose, spread her wings, and firmly placed her front hooves on the table's surface. "I said that this place has become your home, but it is home to my people as well. And while it is true that they were gone for a long time, to them it is as if they never left, and this is the only home they know. They have endured more than enough hardship. Whatever it takes, I will see to it that they are safe and happy once again. Dealing with raids and petty harassment from minor clans is bad enough, but I will not tolerate the constant threat of you waiting for an opportunity to assemble an army and wage war against my subjects." The fiery glare she gave Morgha seemed to heat up the room by several degrees. "This is my ultimatum to you, Morgha. Your first and final warning. If you try anything like this ever again, I will know about it, and the Empire will retaliate in full force. After we are done with you, even the weakest clan in the plains will be able to swallow what is left of the Blackglacier whole."

Morgha leaned back against the wall with a satisfied grin. "Ah. The negotiations are taking so many delightful turns. I could almost take you seriously at this point, but I know your threats are empty. If you openly attack one of the clans, the other chieftains will beg me to unite them against you. I will have my army, and I won't even have to work for it."

"Fine. Then get your army Morgha," said Cadance.

Ruby's helmet fortunately hid the rather undignified display of her mouth dropping wide open.

What?!

Morgha's thick and bristled eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"

"Unite the clans," Cadance said. She sounded eerily calm, but there was steel in her voice. "Gather every last warrior in the Frozen Plains. It won't make any difference. You think the defeat the Crimson Avalanche and Frozen Fangs suffered at the Howling Barrows was disastrous? It will not even begin to compare with what will happen if you dare to lead an army against us. We will crush you so utterly that in a hundred years, when the clans still haven't recovered from it, they will continue to curse your name for the misery your actions brought upon them."
It was now Cadance's turn to lean across the table and bring her face close to Morgha's. "Many of my subjects have faced things infinitely more terrible than your kind when they were little more than foals. They are tired of conflict, but if they have to fight in order to truly call this place home again, they will. Mark my words Morgha, if you force this war on us, you and all your kind will come to rue the day you mistook our love of peace for weakness."

The silence that followed Cadance's declaration was deafening. Morgha had lost all semblance of his smug self-assurance, and while fearful might not have been the word Ruby would have used to describe him, it was obvious that the princess had shaken his confidence down to the very core. He sat still and quiet as a statue for a few seemingly endless seconds, but soon began to mutter and fidget under Cadance's unmoving and unflinching gaze.

"I... will think about what you said princess. There might have been some errors of judgment on my part. You will have my answer soon," he finally managed to say.

"No. I will have your answer now," Cadance responded instantly. "I won't give you time to assess your strength and look for other options. I am tired of your games, Morgha. Make a decision now. War or peace. What will it be?"

The troll chieftain bared his teeth and growled. His hands clawed furiously at the table, leaving deep scratch marks in the rough stone surface. "Measlylittlepinkhorsedamnyoucrushyouripyourwingsbreak youchewyourbonesspityououtbahar'grash grohägsh ka'jagarash..."
He continued like this for quite a while. Cadance just stood motionless and let the chieftain vent his anger, until Morgha slumped over the table with a growl and shook his head. "Fine, curse your hide and may you walk on brittle ice for all your life! I agree to your demands."

"Swear it," said Cadance.

Morgha sighed in utter defeat. "I swear on my name, and I swear on Ice and Iron: I will no longer conspire against your kind, and my clan will make no move against you or support the ones who do. The Blackglacier Clan and the Clan of Crystal will have peace. You win."

Cadance nodded and sat back down. "No Morgha. We both win. I hope that in time, you will come to realize that."

Morgha sneered. "All I know now is that I would rather have you as an ally than an enemy. But I guess that is a start."

He seemed to contemplate something for a few moments, before he untangled a heavy iron ring big enough to fit around Ruby's fetlock from his braided fur and pushed it towards Cadance. He looked at the princess and uttered two words in his guttural language. Cadance seemed surprised by this, but she quickly took off the gold necklace she was wearing and slid it across the table in a similar manner, repeating the words back.

Morgha made a face as if he had tasted something foul. "Terrible. It will do." Then he picked up the trinket lying in front of him, while Cadance took the heavy iron ring. "Leave now," Morgha then said, his voice tired. "This has not been my proudest day. I wish to end it as soon as possible."

Cadance bowed her head. "As you wish Morgha. Farewell, until we meet again."

Morgha did not answer. He just leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes, and Ruby left the hut with Cadance and Malachite without another word being spoken.

Ruby's heart was beating like a drum, and there were so many questions buzzing around in her head, it felt as if she was carrying a beehive on her shoulders. She didn't really know what she had been expecting to see during the negotiations, but she could say with absolute certainty that this wasn't it, and it was a lot to take in.

They left the settlement and passed through the canyons without encountering a single member of the clan. Since nopony seemed to feel like talking, Ruby was left alone with her thoughts while they walked. She looked at Cadance, who had taken the lead this time, and somehow it was as if she was seeing the princess for the first time. Ruby had never questioned Cadance’s ability to rule, or that she cared deeply for the Empire and her subjects. But this was a side of her Ruby hadn’t seen before. Cadance had displayed a strength and tenacity Ruby never knew she possessed, and in hindsight, the fact that she had doubted Cadance's aptitude for this task made Ruby feel more than a little guilty.

After they left the narrow canyons behind, they kept walking until the ridge of hills and cliffs was out of sight. Then Cadance abruptly stopped, sat down, and took a deep breath.

Ruby made a hesitant step towards her. "Your Majesty?" When she got closer, Ruby noticed that Cadance was breathing hard, and that her sides were trembling slightly. "Cadance?" Now seriously worried, Ruby quickly pulled off her helmet and simply dropped it in the snow next to her, before she walked up to the princess' side and gently touched her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

The princess turned her head and nodded. She looked exhausted, but Ruby could also see a deep feeling of relief reflected on her face. "I'm fine Ruby. Thank you. I'm just..." She swallowed. "I'm really glad that worked out."

"You did admirably Cadance," said Malachite as he joined them. "I don't think anypony could have done it better."

"Yes," said Ruby.

Say it!

She stammered around for a couple of seconds, before she finally managed to say, "I'm... I'm sorry."

Cadance looked at her, apparently slightly puzzled, but then she seemed to understand. "Oh. About what happened between you and Morgha. It could have turned ugly, that is true. But I can see why hearing him talk like that would make you angry, Ruby."

Ruby and shook her head. "No, not that.” She bit her tongue and quickly added, “Well, yes, that as well. But mostly..." She poked at the ground for a while, not quite sure how she should phrase it. "When we planned this mission, and I heard that you would be the one in charge of it, I didn't think..." She cleared her throat and acted as if she had spotted something extremely interesting on a nearby snowdrift. "I wasn't sure if..."

Cadance interrupted her stammering attempts at an explanation, "You didn't think I could deal with trolls, let alone the most infamous chieftain in the Frozen Plains."

Ruby felt her cheeks heat up. "Yes."

Cadance smiled at her. "Well, neither did Morgha, and that worked out just fine in the end. I'm not offended Ruby, but I appreciate it that you told me."

Ruby nodded, relieved and grateful that she managed to get this thing off her chest.

The wind had picked up by now, and the tracks they left on their way here had been completely wiped out by drifting snow, so Ruby took the lead again to clear a path.

"So what happens now?" Malachite asked while they were slowly marching along.

"Not much, hopefully," said Cadance. "The Blackglacier Clan will leave us in peace, and Morgha will stop his plotting. I imagine the other clans will still cause trouble from time to time, but we can deal with that. In time, we should even be able to earn their respect, considering we are now a clan of our own."

Ruby stopped so abruptly that Cadance came close to forcibly introducing her royal snout to the knight's armored hindquarters. "We are what now?"

"We are the Clan of Crystal now,” Cadance said. “I guess Morgha made that name up on the fly, but I think we should stick with it. It seems quite fitting." When Ruby turned around, she saw the princess levitating the iron ring Morgha had given her. "That is what this means. Honestly, I never imagined he would go that far, but I'm glad that he did."

Malachite gave the crude piece of jewelry a questioning look. "I'm not sure I understand. This thing makes the Empire a clan?"

"No, not quite like that," said Cadance. "The exchange of trinkets was just a symbolic gesture. And technically, that didn't make us a clan either, it formed an alliance between the Blackglacier Clan and us. But such alliances can only exist between clans, and since Morgha allied himself with us, that means we have to be a clan of our own now."

Cadance beamed and looked back and forth between Malachite and Ruby, who both still looked fairly skeptical.

"Does it really work like that? Are none of the other chieftains going to object to this?" asked Malachite.

Cadance shrugged and put the iron ring into her saddlebags. Ruby saw that as a sign to continue their march, and Cadance kept talking while they walked, "They won't like it, but they won't dare to speak out against Morgha's decision. It will not earn him any friends, but I suppose he expects that it will benefit him in the long run. If I had to guess, I would say that he figures since he and the Blackglacier Clan won't work against us anymore, the Empire will soon wield a lot of influence and power, and he wants to get on our good side early."

Ruby still wasn't sure what to think of this. "So, do we have any obligations? Protect them against other clans? Aid them in their raids?"

"No, I would not have agreed to it if that were the case," said Cadance. "I don't want the Empire to get involved with the clans' petty squabbling. Alliances between them are mostly formed when two clans are equal in strength, and realize that any fighting would only weaken them both. So they hold a moot, agree not to harass each other, and go their separate ways. They will only offer their ally aid against threats from the outside, which is –" she looked slightly uneasy for a moment "– which is why this is actually the kind of alliance Morgha hoped to form with the other clans against us. I know it must be hard for you to see things from their perspective, but as far as the clans are concerned, we are the ones who don't belong here. But thanks to Morgha's decision to ally himself with us, we are no longer outsiders according to the laws of the clans. That is a great boon for the Empire."

"I guess so," Ruby said. "So there is no danger of the clans uniting against the Empire anymore?"

"Certainly not in the near future, no." said Cadance. "Morgha was the only chieftain powerful and respected enough to accomplish that. He may have hated the fact that he had to give me his word, but he will abide by it. It is a matter of pride for him, and he is a very prideful individual."

"You know a lot about him." said Ruby. "More than me, and I thought I knew everything there was to know. I mean, I heard stories, and I know at least some of his warleaders by reputation, but that just seems laughable now. How could you possibly know all those details about Morgha and his plans anyway?"

When Ruby turned her head to look at Cadance, the princess winked at her, and for the fraction of a second, the magic aura around her horn flared up. 

"It's a secret," she whispered.
> Chapter 05: Dreams of Glory
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quicksilver galloped along the deserted street as fast as she could without leaving her two comrades behind. She knew that they could not allow themselves to slow down, but keeping up this rapid pace was still a constant struggle to ignore what her own body was incessantly screaming at her. All of her muscles were aching and sore, every breath of air she sucked into her lungs made her feel as if liquid fire was being poured down her throat, and she felt the constant, painful throbbing of the innumerable scrapes, cuts and bruises she had sustained.

But there was no time to rest. They were needed at the gates.

Since Sombra's army had appeared before the city two days ago, the fighting had never truly stopped for the crystal ponies that were now trapped inside its walls. The sorcerer’s soldiers did not suffer from fear or exhaustion, so Sombra just threw them against the city's defenses in a ceaseless, brutal onslaught.

The Empire's troops were spread thin, trying to fight back invaders that just kept coming from every direction, and the Knights of the Lance had spent the last two days frantically hurrying from one end of the city to the other to bolster their troops wherever they were in danger of being overwhelmed. Quicksilver couldn't even say for certain how many of the Order were still alive. Amber Spark and Crystal Dance were with her, but she hadn’t seen any of the other members of the Lance for almost an entire day, and there was much that could have happened in that time. Crystal Dance was holding up admirably, but Quicksilver could tell that the worry for her sister was weighing on her even heavier than the exhaustion.

Quicksilver’s solemn thoughts were interrupted when her ears picked up the sound of hurried hoof beats that seemed to be heading in their direction. A quick look at her companions confirmed that they had heard it as well, and the three knights stopped to cautiously wait and see what was closing in on them.

They didn’t have to wait long. The frantic hoof beats grew louder for a few more seconds, before one of the narrow alleys branching off from the street they were on spat out a panting, panicked looking stallion. He wore the light armor of a levied citizen, and he was constantly looking over his shoulder while he ran. So when he turned to the left after leaving the alley, and headed towards Quicksilver and her comrades, he only noticed the other ponies when his flailing legs had already reduced the distance between them to a meager five or so paces.

As soon as the stallion saw them, he let out a high-pitched yelp and slammed down his hooves in an attempt to stop, but his armored boots found little purchase on the worn crystal pavement, and he barely managed to skitter to a halt right in front of Quicksilver.

She did not waste any time and walked around him, carefully listening for the sounds of additional hoof beats and sweeping her eyes over the opening of every alley. "Are they after you? How many? Are they close?" 

Tense silence was the only answer she received, until Amber Spark grumbled, "Blast it lad, say something! We have no time to stand around here. Were you running from those fiends?"

"No milord," the stallion finally managed to say. "I’m not… I wasn’t running from anything!"

Turning away from the empty street in front of her, Quicksilver took another, closer look at the stallion. "Then what are you doing here?"

His eyes were darting in all directions as if he was looking for a way to escape, and his mouth opened and closed wordlessly several times. "Message!" he finally manage to blurt out. "I'm supposed to deliver a message. To the palace. Forgive me milady, but I have to go. It is really urgent."

Quicksilver saw a frown form on Amber Sparks face, and the stallion’s behavior was beginning to arouse suspicion in her as well, so she decided to keep prying, "What kind of message? If it is truly that important, maybe one of us should accompany you to make sure you reach your destination safely."

She watched very closely for the stallion’s reaction, and it was very much like what she had expected.

"That’s not necessary," he said hastily. He still didn’t meet her eyes, instead he stared at the ground as if he was contemplating to dig a hole for himself to hide. "I’m sure you must have better things to do. I won’t... I can take care of myself, and I would just slow you down." His voice had gotten increasingly pleading and desperate as he spoke, until he finally murmured, "Please milady. Just let me leave."

Quicksilver exchanged a quick look with her companions. "What is your name?" she asked.

The stallion’s ears dropped, and he hung his head in defeat. "Brass Bell," he said quietly.

"And why are you deserting, Brass Bell?" Quicksilver asked gently.

He let out a shrill laugh that was utterly devoid of mirth. "Why? Why!? Because I don’t want to die! I can’t…" He shuddered, and a dry sob escaped his throat. "I can’t fight those things. I’m just a tinker. The few hours of training we did in the militia didn’t prepare me for… for this!" His head snapped up, and Quicksilver saw bitter accusation in his eyes. "Why do we have to face those things anyway? Why can’t you stop them? You are supposed to protect us, that’s your duty!" He threw the next sentence into Quicksilver’s face with enough force to make the words echo between the surrounding buildings for several seconds, "Why can’t you just make all of this go away!"

The words hurt Quicksilver far more than the miserable state her body was in at the moment. She saw Amber Spark’s face contort with fury, but made a placating gesture to keep him from venting his frustration. Brass Bell’s words were childish, hurtful and unfair, but when Quicksilver saw the stallion’s look of terror and despair, she couldn’t find it in herself to feel any real anger towards him.

Every child in the Empire grows up with stories of the Crystal Lance. Can I really blame them for having childish notions of what we can and cannot do in a situation such as this?

Still, something had to be done, and Quicksilver could not let Brass Bell’s outburst stand like this. The despair he obviously felt was just as much their enemy as Sombra and his army.

"Look at us Brass Bell," Quicksilver said. "What do you think we have been trying to do since all of this started?"

Brass Bell took a few moments to really study the sorry shape Quicksilver and her companions were in, and some of the anger disappeared from his eyes. But Quicksilver found the hopelessness that replaced it even harder to watch.

"Why is this happening?" Brass Bell asked seemingly nopony in particular. "This isn’t fair."

"No," said Quicksilver, forcing some harshness into her voice. "It is not fair that this war was brought to us. It is not fair that we have to fight for our home. And it is not fair that we have to ask this of you Brass Bell." She reached out, put her hoof under the stallion’s chin and lifted his head to make him look her in the eyes. "But it is happening Brass Bell. It is horrible, and it is unjust, but it is happening. We will do everything in our power to stop it, but this is a fight the Lance cannot win alone."

Quicksilver turned to her comrades. "We should leave. Time is short, and we have to get to the gates."

Brass Bell’s look of fear gave way to confusion. "What about me?"

"That," said Quicksilver, "is for you to decide. There are others out there Brass Bell, others who have no more experience in war than you, and yet they fight on regardless. Without those ponies, our home would have fallen already." She gave him one more searching look. "And if you would abandon them and everypony in this city to buy yourself a few more hours of safety, if that is the pony you choose to be, they are better off without you."

Then she simply walked away. Amber Spark and Crystal Dance followed. After a few steps they broke into a canter, then a full gallop. Quicksilver’s heart was beating rapidly, but it had nothing to do with her exhaustion right now. Within the next few seconds, she would find out whether her words had inspired Brass Bell to be more than he thought he was, or if they destroyed him. When she heard the sound of hoof beats heading towards them, she had her answer.

They only had to slow down slightly to allow Brass Bell to catch up with them. He was running silently beside Quicksilver for a while before he murmured, "Forgive me milady. I didn’t think about…"

"Don’t be sorry Brass Bell. Be better," Quicksilver interrupted him, but there was little of her former harshness left in her voice now. "Be all that you can be, and nothing less. We all depend on it."

Brass Bell closed his mouth and nodded, and nopony else spoke until they reached the gates. Hundreds of soldiers and knights had already gathered there, and the signs of recent battle could be seen everywhere. The great plaza before the gates was littered with holes and craters, many of the surrounding buildings were missing walls or had collapsed entirely, and the great fountain that had adorned the plaza’s center was now little more than a pile of rubble. And everywhere Quicksilver looked, she saw chunks of dark, jagged crystal lying around, some as small as pebbles, others the size of large boulders. The sight of it made her shudder.

When they entered the ruined plaza, Quicksilver could almost feel the gaze of every pony present shift towards them. She wondered how they would feel if they knew that the glimmers of hope and determination she saw rekindled in their eyes were giving her just as much strength to continue this fight as the mere presence of the Lance gave them.

They were approached by a middle aged stallion who wore the insignias of an Imperial knight commander on his battered armor. "My lord and ladies, I can’t express how glad I am to see you. It seems they are throwing everything they have at the gates, and we have been under almost constant attack for over an hour."

As the eldest, Amber Spark was the one to do the talking here. "Well met. You are Sir Star Bright, are you not?"

The commander nodded eagerly. "Yes, my lord. I don’t know if you recall, but we met in a tourney about a year ago." For a moment, he seemed lost in thought, and a proud smile appeared on his lips. "I broke four lances against you in the joust. It was… a grand day for me." The smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "But this is hardly the time to talk about such things. Apologies, my lord."

"It’s all right," said Amber Spark. "I remember you. During our second bout, my lance tore your shoulder out of its socket. I was certain you were done for the day after that, but you just had your squire pull it back into place and came back for more." The old knight let his eyes wander over the battlefield that surrounded them. "I see that you are still not one to give up easily, Star Bright. You have done well."

Star Bright opened his mouth to answer, but whatever he said was swallowed up by a sudden, deafening noise that swept over the plaza. It was as if a great bell or gong had been struck by a massive hammer, and Quicksilver’s eyes immediately darted towards the city gates.

The northern gates of the Crystal City were forged from solid steel that had been polished to a mirror shine, and adorned with golden inlays and mosaics made from precious stones. They were over twenty paces high, and their hinges were anchored so deeply within the surrounding wall that the gate might as well have been a part of it. To Quicksilver, those gates had always appeared as sturdy and unmovable as a mountain. But now, they were trembling violently under the force of terrible blows from the outside. Dozens of gemstones were already breaking free from the gate’s metal surface, pattering on the pavement of the plaza like hail, and Quicksilver could see small dents starting to form.

"We have to get ready! They are making another push!" Star Bright shouted over the infernal noise.

"We will push right back then," Amber Spark yelled. Then he pointed at Brass Bell. "We brought another soldier. Brass Bell, the knight commander will tell you where you’re needed."

Brass Bell nodded hesitantly, but instead of following Star Bright immediately, he turned his head to Quicksilver. "I am trying to be brave milady," he said, his meek voice barely audible over the ongoing noise. "But I’m so very frightened."

Following an impulse, Quicksilver reached out with her front leg, gently pulled Brass Bell close, and pressed her forehead against his. "I am scared too Brass Bell," she whispered. "But fear does not make you a coward, as long as you don’t let it rule over you. Being brave is all about taking action despite your fear." She pulled her head back a little. Brass Bell was giving her a wide-eyed stare. "Be brave, Brass Bell." For a moment, it looked as if he was going to respond, but then he simply nodded, turned around and ran after Star Bright.

Quicksilver put on her helmet. The constant noise coming from the gates was already starting to give her a headache, but then she heard something even worse. A high-pitched shrieking was swelling up from somewhere beyond the walls, getting louder and closer, until it drowned out almost everything else. Every pony on the plaza immediately started to run for cover, and Quicksilver herself barely managed to get to the relative safety of an overhanging roof when the first projectile hit the ground.

It was no different from all the others Quicksilver had seen over the last two days. A featureless, black sphere, roughly the size of a pony's head, that seemed to be made from polished obsidian. Quicksilver just stared at it, while dozens more rained down all over the square.
Something like black smoke seemed to rise from the spheres' perfectly blank surface, but they were a lot lighter than they looked, and actually caused surprisingly little damage. But that was not what they were meant to do anyway, as the city's defenders had learned soon after Sombra first used these magic siege weapons against them.

Suddenly, every sphere lying on the plaza began to sprout several thin, dark tendrils. Quicksilver still did not move. So far, nopony had found a reliable way to counter or destroy those spheres, so all she could do was watch while the black tendrils began to wildly lash around. Wherever they touched the pavement, a wall, or even just a pile of rubble, the crystal the tendril had come into contact with immediately began to crack and darken. Even large pieces of solid crystal quickly broke down into jagged chunks, which then began to slide along the ground and attach themselves to other fragments, quickly clumping together until they formed a grotesque, misshapen mockery of a pony's body. After that, one of the black tendrils latched on to the thing's skull, squirmed inside one of its empty eye sockets like some breed of eldritch worm, and the entire nightmarish construct began to move. All of that happened almost literally within the blink of an eye, so it took mere moments before a small army of the creatures was assembled in the city square. 

The things did not wait for any command or signal Quicksilver could hear or see. They simply started to rush towards them, in total silence apart from the rumbling of their crystal hooves. Quicksilver saw the soldiers around them hesitate, saw the fear in their eyes that threatened to overtake them. 

But then Amber Spark stepped forward, his head held high, facing down the advancing wall of abominations. "For the Empire!" he shouted, his deep voice somehow managing to make itself be heard over both the ongoing noise coming from the gates and the trampling of Sombra's monsters.

"We lead the charge!" Quicksilver and Crystal Dance picked up the battle cry, and the three of them dashed towards the enemy like thunderbolts. A great cheer went up around them, which was soon accompanied by the sound of hundreds of steel-clad hooves joining in their charge.

The first monster reached Quicksilver and lashed out at her, but she nimbly dodged a swing of its club-like front limbs, and then quickly twirled around and smashed into it with her hind legs, reducing it to rubble. Another creature was charging at her from the side, but she easily sidestepped the clumsy beast and swept its legs out from under it as it rushed past her. It fell and smashed headfirst into the ground, the momentum of its own charge breaking it apart. While the pieces were still scattering, Quicksilver saw yet another beast advance towards an unaware Crystal Dance, but she broke off one of its legs with a swift kick, then stomped the fallen monster's head to dust.

But whenever she dispatched an enemy, another one just took its place. Fortunately, her two companions were covering her back, just as she covered theirs, so none of them had to worry about attacks from behind, despite Sombra's soldiers constantly swarming around them like ants. Still, being outnumbered as they were, the slightest mistake or even just an instant of misfortune could prove disastrous, and exhaustion was their most persistent and patient enemy right now.

It struck at Quicksilver at the worst possible moment. She was beset by two beast at once, avoiding their attacks and looking for an opening, when her vision began to blur, and the leaden heaviness of her limbs suddenly seemed unbearable. Quicksilver blinked once, twice, and shook her head slightly. The feeling passed as quickly as it had come over her, and her vision quickly cleared up as well.

Just in time for her to catch a glimpse of the blade-like crystal spike that was about to hit her helmet.

The blow struck Quicksilver from above, and almost made her front legs buckle. She heard a metallic screech, and the entire left side of her face suddenly exploded in white-hot agony. Half of her field of vision was instantly gone, while the other half was overtaken by black swirls and pulsating red dots. Quicksilver screamed and stumbled blindly to the right in a futile attempt to get away from the pain, and a second blow hit her in the side while she was disoriented. Her armor stopped the worst of it, but Quicksilver still felt at least one of her ribs crack, and got the wind knocked out of her. Her scream turned into a quiet, wheezing whimper, and she sank to the ground.

After a few moments, her vision cleared up enough to tell what was going on around her, although she still could not see out of her left eye. She slowly lifted a hoof up to her face, even the slight movement costing her tremendous effort. After some fumbling, she felt a long, jagged gash in the metal of her helmet that ran all the way down to her gorget. Just thinking about what the blow might have done to her head made Quicksilver feel nauseous. Then she noticed one of Sombra's creatures advancing towards her.

Whether or not it was one of the two monsters she had fought earlier, Quicksilver couldn’t tell. Its right front leg had been broken off just below the shoulder, so it was limping slowly, but steadily closer. Quicksilver tried to stand up, but every movement almost made her black out with pain. Her head felt as if something was using a stone mallet to crack it open from the inside, and every muscle in her body seemed to be violently cramping up at the same time.

But even worse than that was the fact that she could barely breath. It was as if iron bands had been tightly fastened around her chest, and whenever Quicksilver tried to fill her lungs with air, she felt white-hot needles stab into them. She looked around, hoping to find one of her companions, but they were nowhere to be seen. Only more fighting, and more of Sombra's creatures wherever she looked.

There are still so many.

Quicksilver had lost count of how many enemies she had dispatched in this fight, but looking around now, she could hardly tell whether she had defeated any at all. There simply seemed to be no end to them. Even if they won this fight, Sombra would just send more. If he had to, he would simply bury them underneath the rubble of his own soldiers.

The crystal fiend was only a few steps away at this point. Quicksilver didn't really care anymore. She just lowered her head to rest it on her forelegs, and watched with a strange feeling of detachment as the limping beast moved closer.

I'm so tired.

That was when somepony jumped at the creature from the left and struck it with a few quick kicks, throwing it off balance for a moment and stopping its advance. Quicksilver, still unable to see things too far to the side, slowly turned her head to find out who had just come to her aid. She expected Amber Spark or Crystal Dance at first, and for a second, she even entertained the thought that it might be Brass Bell. But none of her guesses turned out to be true. She didn't know the pony standing next to her. She had never even seen her before.

The soldier had her back turned to Quicksilver at the moment, but despite that and the fact that her lilac colored coat and blue mane were covered in dust and grime, Quicksilver could tell that the mare looked fairly young. She was wearing the light armor of a common militia mare, but several pieces were askew or not fastened tight enough. Either she had been in a hurry when she put it on, or nopony had shown her how to do it properly. She was still facing the three-legged creature and pawing at the ground aggressively, but the monster didn't even pay attention to her. Instead, it just continued to move towards Quicksilver, but the other pony refused to be ignored, and with two swift steps, she brought herself between the monster and its injured prey, shielding Quicksilver from the advancing beast. 

Still dazed, but impressed, Quicksilver raised her head to get a closer look at the young soldier. What she saw was a round, freckled face that might have been pretty under different circumstances, but right now, it was a bruised, dirt covered mask of terror. Her bright blue eyes were wide with fear, and she was so terribly frightened that she was crying openly, tears streaming down her cheeks in small rivulets, and repressed sobs constantly shaking her entire body. With its original foe now unreachable, Sombra's servant shifted its attention to the young soldier that kept it from its prize. It took a shambling step towards her, and the mare almost jumped out of her armor, a gargling whimper escaping her throat.

And yet, there she stood.
And did not move an inch.

It was hard to put into words what Quicksilver felt at that moment. Seeing that young mare stand there was at once the most wonderful and the most horrible thing she had ever seen in her life. That mare who was obviously not a fighter had to stand there, facing monsters that she had probably not even encountered in her darkest nightmares before now. It was obvious that she wanted nothing more than to run and hide. But she didn’t.

Bravery cannot exist without fear. It sounded logical enough. Amber Spark had been the one who taught that lesson to Quicksilver, and she had always thought that it was a lesson she had learned well. Over the years, she had told many others the same thing to raise their spirits, like she told Brass Bell just a little while ago, and she had never been anything but genuine when she passed on those words. But she realized that until now, she had never truly understood them.

Get up.

It wasn't a command she was giving herself. It wasn't even really a decision she had made. At that moment, it was simply what had to happen. It didn't matter how badly she was hurting, or how tired and exhausted she was, Quicksilver could not let that mare face those horrors by herself. She could not lay down and let herself die while ponies like that soldier still needed her help.

Quicksilver grit her teeth and began to slowly push herself up. It felt as if she was trying to lift a mountain that someone had hefted on her back, and every slight movement of her head made waves of pain crash through her body. She whimpered, cursed and sobbed, but after a little while, she managed to get one of her front hooves back on the ground, quickly followed by the second, and before she knew it, she stood on her four legs again.

All around her, the fight was still raging on, but right now, Quicksilver was focusing her attention on a single enemy. Before the soldier in front of her even noticed that she was back on her hooves, Quicksilver had ran past her and rammed her shoulder into the advancing monster's chest. It was a terribly clumsy and desperate attack, and without the protection and weight of her armor, Quicksilver would have been hard pressed to overcome her foe, despite the injuries the creature had already sustained. But with one of its front legs missing, Quicksilver actually managed to tackle the creature to the ground. An instant later, the young soldier was standing at Quicksilver's side, and they both began to stomp on the fallen monster's head before it could try to rise again. After a few kicks, Quicksilver was certain that the beast would stay down. She felt woozy, and her entire body hurt as if it had been clumsily sewn together with a blunt needle and was now threatening to burst at the seems.

But it didn't matter. Quicksilver raised her front leg and, before she could lose her precariously held balance, swiftly placed it on the shoulder of the mare next to her. The soldier had shut her eyes tight and was still frantically stomping on the fragments that remained of the fallen creature’s head. Quicksilver's touch made the other mare jump, but then she seemed to calm down a little. Her legs stopped their wild flailing, and she opened her eyes to look at Quicksilver. Around them, the fight still raged on, but Quicksilver thought that they might still be able to turn this battle in their favor. She looked into the soldier's bloodshot, puffy eyes, and she wanted to believe that she saw a glimmer of hope in them that had not been there before.

Time was short, but there were so many things Quicksilver wished to say. She wanted to know the mare's name. She wanted to thank her, and offer some words that would lift her spirits. She wanted to tell her that everything would be all right, maybe because she herself needed to hear somepony say it. But she never got the chance.

Suddenly, the resounding thunder coming from the gates stopped. Confused and alarmed, Quicksilver turned her head to try and determine what might be the cause of that. The metal was dented and torn in several places, but the gaps were nowhere near large enough to let any enemies through, and as a whole, the gates still stood firm. Quicksilver's musings why Sombra would call off his servants' onslaught were interrupted when she was suddenly overcome by an inexplicable feeling of dread. She did not see or hear anything that could have caused it, she didn't even know what she was afraid of, but she knew with absolute certainty that it was dark, and powerful, and terrifyingly close. Then something happened to the gates.

It was barely visible at first, but Quicksilver noticed slim, jagged lines spreading over the metal surface in a pattern that looked remotely like a spider web. At first she thought they were cracks, but they appeared to just be black lines, as if someone was drawing on the gates with an ink quill. Looking at them longer than a second made Quicksilver's eye hurt. Her legs began to shake, this time not from exhaustion, but from fear. She knew that whatever was happening to the gates had to be stopped at all costs. But she didn't know how, and it was over so quickly.

It only took a couple of seconds until the lines had spread all over the gates' surface. For a seemingly endless instant, nothing happened. Then Quicksilver was hit by a sudden wave of nausea. Every shadow on the plaza began to spastically twist and shiver, and the gates simply fell apart. There was just no other way to describe it. As if a giant knife had cleanly cut through the metal along a path dictated by the spread of the black lines, the gate collapsed into a pile of massive metal fragments. The clangor and screeching of the chunks of steel colliding with each other and smashing into the pavement must have been audible throughout the entire city. To Quicksilver, it sounded as if someone had decided to ring the cities death bell.

The web of black lines was hovering in the air for a few more moments, before it seemingly dissolved into smoke. Then, before the rubble of the gates had even fully settled, Sombra's creature’s began to crawl over it like termites, and immediately threw themselves against the defenders of the Crystal City. Quicksilver's ears were still ringing from the noise, and she was swaying back and forth like a drunkard. Try as she might, she was just too exhausted to stand still.

When she looked at the young soldier next to her, the mare's mouth stood open, and she stared wide-eyed at the seemingly endless horde of enemies that was pouring into the city. Quicksilver sighed quietly. She removed her hoof from the mare's shoulder, but allowed herself a moment to gently brush against the other mare's cheek while doing so. Whether or not the soldier even noticed the small gesture, Quicksilver could not say.

I wish I could have known you. You are everything we are fighting for.

Then Quicksilver turned towards the fallen gates, and prepared herself to face the next enemy.

But suddenly, she hesitated, despite the fact that there were more things left she had to show. Something wasn't right, and not in the way things were supposed to be not right.

Quicksilver looked around, and the entire battle seemed to have simply stopped, with crystal monstrosities and pony defenders alike frozen in the middle of their struggle. Everything was eerily quiet, and her surroundings seemed hazy and colorless all of a sudden, as if she was watching them through a dirty sheet of glass. Quicksilver felt an entirely new kind of unease rise up inside her chest.

This isn't supposed to happen.

“None of this is.”

Quicksilver's eyes were almost forcefully drawn towards the pile of jagged metal at the gates, even though the echoing female voice she heard seemed to simultaneously come from everywhere and nowhere in particular. Standing on the rubble was a tall and slender shape that might have been a pony, but the figure was shrouded in some kind of mist that made her form ripple and blur, making it impossible to discern any details.

“And you are not supposed to be here.”

At the sight of the dark shape, the pain and exhaustion Quicksilver had to endure until this point simply evaporated, and she was gripped by a fear that had nothing to do with the dangers she had faced just moments earlier.

Why is she here? We are not causing any harm, we have done nothing wrong!

Immediately, Quicksilver could feel the disapproval these sentiments caused, like a physical weight settling on her shoulders, and the very air around her seemed to grow more heavy and oppressive in reflection of the figure's mood. “Nothing wrong? Who are you to judge these things?” the voice boomed. “A single strand, pulled into the wrong direction, can unravel the delicate fabric of a dreaming mind, and you have trampled around this place in utter ignorance of its fragile nature. You might already have done more harm to this poor soul than she will ever be able to recover from!” The air became a bit less stifling, and the figure's ghostly voice assumed a slightly more forgiving tone. “We believe that you had noble intentions, specter. Your devotion to your people, misguided as it may be in this case, is admirable. But your duty to them is fulfilled. You have seen the chains of your tribe be sundered. There is no more cause for you to linger in this world. For the pain and hardship you endured, in life and beyond, you have our sympathy, but we will not stand idly by and see you inflict your own pain on others. You are not helping her by doing so. For her sake as well as yours, trust in those that follow after you, and grant them the freedom to learn their own lessons.”

Quicksilver stared awestruck at the nebulous presence, her legs trembling like twigs. “No! This could be our last chance to atone for our failure. She needs our guidance! There are so many things she doesn't understand,” she heard herself say.

She knew that she had made a grave mistake before she had even finished speaking. The figure never moved from her spot, but Quicksilver could feel her mood shift, and her anger was like the threatening pressure of a looming thunderstorm. “Your utter disregard for her well-being more than proves that you are unfit to teach her!” With the force of a tidal wave, the words crashed into Quicksilver from all directions at once. “And we were not asking you to cease your meddling!”

Just like that, the city, the two fighting armies, even Quicksilver's own body were simply gone. She was still aware of her own presence, apart from that however, she was trapped in utter darkness. Even that was an insufficient way to describe it, since darkness would have implied the mere absence of light, rather than an absence of anything except her own consciousness. After what could have been seconds just as easily as months, Quicksilver's entire mind was filled with the image of two glowing, cyan colored eyes, whose unrelenting stare seemed to pierce the very essence of her being.

We cannot help you if you are unwilling to leave this world behind.

It was not really a voice. Quicksilver would have had no ears to pick it up. The words just started to echo between her own thoughts.

But if you plague the mind of another living creature as long as you are here, you will answer to us. And if you think that there is nothing left for you to fear, you will have a very rude awakening if you should presume to test our patience.


* * *


Quicksilver awoke with a start. She was breathing heavily, and her bedding was soaked with cold sweat.

What am I doing here?!

It took her a moment to realize that someone was shaking her, and a few more to focus on the face of the pony standing at her bedside. A candle she held in the crook of her left fetlock threw a flickering light on the mare’s worried features. She looked familiar, but Quicksilver couldn't quite place her.

"The walls!" Quicksilver gasped. "Have to get to the walls. They’re through the gates!"

"Wait what? Walls? Gates?! Those have been gone for years, Ru..." The other mare stated to say, but Quicksilver just shoved her aside. She tried to get out of bed, but she must have still been half asleep. Her body felt clumsy, and so much heavier than she was used to. Her hind legs got tangled up in her thick woolen blanket, and she tumbled to the ground.

"Ruby! What is going on? What are you doing?"

Quicksilver froze, halting her desperate attempts to get her legs free.

Ruby?

She felt disoriented all of a sudden. Everything around her was spinning, while memories of names, faces and events crashed into each other in her head, forming a chaotic mess that had no rhyme or reason to it.

Who am I?

She knew the question was important, but there were so many conflicting memories being tossed around in her mind, she couldn’t settle on an answer. Everything went by so fast, there was nothing she could focus on, nothing to give her any sense of identity. Her breath became ragged, and it felt as if her mind was being crushed under an avalanche of sensations and images.

She could barely acknowledge what was going on around her at this point, but she was dimly aware of it when two legs gently wrapped around her and pulled her up from the ground. An instant later, she could make out a soft voice over the shrill cacophony of memories that assaulted her mind, "Shhh. Ruby, it's all right. You were just having a nightmare. I’m here now. Just hold on to me. Breathe slowly. Everything is all right."

The mare couldn't make any clear sense of the words. But she knew the voice. Hearing it made some of the memories flying around in her head stand out a little more defined and focused. Individually, they still rushed by too fast for her to make out any details, but there were many of them, and they all had something in common.

Emerald Breeze.

The mare let out a sob and threw her legs around the other pony, clinging to her friend like a drowning mare might hang on to a piece of wood.

"Emerald!"

She repeated her friends name, over and over, while the memories of her became clearer and more detailed. Most of them were joyful, some of them were sad, or frustrating. But all of them were precious. All of them belonged to her. All of them were an essential and irreplaceable part of who she was.

"I'm Ruby Chip. Not Quicksilver. I'm Ruby!" she said, her head nestled against Emerald's neck, her voice trembling, but certain.

Hearing herself say it helped. Her memories were becoming clearer now, every little piece connecting to something else, spreading and finally forming recognizable patterns.

"You are Ruby," Emerald whispered back, giving her friend a little squeeze as she said so. "My sister. My partner in crime. My best friend. So please, talk to me Ruby. You really scared me there. Let me help."

Ruby felt tears biting in her eyes, and she desperately pressed herself against Emerald.

"I think I'm losing my mind."


* * *


It took Ruby almost an hour to get her thoughts in order enough for her to tell Emerald about the dreams. After she finished, the two ponies sat in silence for a while. Ruby had her eyes half closed, and leaned heavily against Emerald, who in turn pushed back against her. Even the simple contact was incredible reassuring right now.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Emerald finally asked.

"I didn't think much of it after the first one," said Ruby. "It was strangely vivid, and I remembered everything about it after it was over, but it was still just a dream. I just blamed it on all the excitement of our initiation, and since nothing else happened for such a long time, I wasn't even thinking about it all that much anymore. But then this happened..." Ruby shuddered when her mind drifted back to what she had experienced that night, and Emerald gave her a slight nudge with her shoulder when she felt Ruby's distress."It was terrifying Emerald. This wasn't just a dream. Dreams aren't supposed to feel this real, and I felt everything. The wind, the ground beneath my hooves, the fear –" she cringed "– the pain. And just like with the first one, I still remember everything.” She thought about that for a few moments, and then corrected, “Almost everything. At the very end, there was… I don’t know. It all gets muddled. Someone or something showed up. I think they were furious because of something that I did, or someone else did? I can’t recall. Then you woke me up, and... I really don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."

"Well, with all the ruckus you made, it's remarkable that I was the only one who showed up to check on you," said Emerald. Then she shifted her body so she could look at Ruby, and gave her a reassuring smile. "Now, let's see what we can do to fix this."

The cheerfulness and certainty in her friend's voice caught Ruby off guard. "Fix it?" she asked perplexed. "Emerald, I don't even know what's causing it. Or maybe even who is causing it. And maybe nothing is causing it at all." She bit her lip and struggled with the next words for several heartbeats, before she said in a very quiet voice, "What if it's all just in my head?"

Emerald beamed at her. "I think that’s the best thing we could hope for."

Ruby's expression darkened. "This isn't funny Emerald."

Her friend's smile became more restrained, but it didn't disappear. "No, it isn't. I'm sorry Ruby, that didn't come out the way I meant it. But just hear me out. What I wanted to say is, if this is some sort of curse, or a haunting, or some other magical mumbo-jumbo, I wouldn't know how to deal with it. But if it's just you stressing out and running yourself ragged, I think I can help you with that."

Ruby's gloomy frown stayed firmly in place. "I doubt that's the problem. It's not like there is anything for me to stress out over. I am still stuck in the city doing nothing but pointless guard duty."

"Exactly!" Emerald said emphatically, and quickly poked Ruby in the side a few times. "See, that's exactly what I mean. Just talking about it made you tense up like someone was approaching you with a branding iron. I'm not saying you are stressed out because you have too much to do, I'm saying you're stressed out because you absolutely hate the fact that you have to serve as a sentry under the command of a foreign officer."

Ruby pushed Emerald's prodding hoof aside. She didn't understand what her friend was getting at. What reason did she have to not resent her current situation? The confinement to her quarters had ended almost a month ago, but Ruby found her new duties to be even more frustrating. Guard duty within the Crystal City amounted to little more than walking the streets doing nothing, which was bad enough under normal circumstances. But now, she had to do it as a common soldier, and not even a soldier of her own military. Ever since Ruby first donned the armor of an Imperial knight, the Empire's citizens had treated her with adoration and respect wherever she went, and the knowledge that her efforts were held in such high regard by the ponies she protected had always been incredibly reassuring to her. But when she walked the streets in that plain standard-issue armor the Equestrians wore, nopony ever gave her a second look, and the Equestrian officer Ruby was serving under just treated her like she treated every other soldier under her command. It was humiliating, and Ruby knew that she deserved better than that.

"Of course I hate it!" Ruby snapped. "But who wouldn't? It's a pointless ordeal Emerald. I could be out there doing something worthwhile, but instead I am stuck here for weeks, getting ordered around by some Equestrian military pedant just because the prince is under the impression it would teach me something."

Emerald sighed. "Ruby, I suppose I understand why that is frustrating to you. And I'm definitely not happy about how you ended up in this situation. Knocking Stalwart out was stupid, but from what I've seen and heard of the guy, I honestly don't know if I wouldn't have done the same. But you need to find another way to deal with this. It has barely been three weeks since you started going on patrol with the Equestrians, and it looks like you are already on your last legs, because you spend so much energy feeling sorry for yourself."

Ruby's mouth dropped open. "What the hay are you talking about? I'm angry, and for good reason, I'm not feeling sorry for myself!"

"Yes you are Ruby," Emerald replied. "I'm sorry that I have to be so blunt about it, but I do it because I'm worried about you. I know that injured pride is something you tend to take pretty hard, but the way you are dealing with it this time just isn't healthy. You've been isolating yourself for the last couple weeks. You hardly practice with the rest of us anymore, and you never leave the palace unless you are on duty. You just sit around stewing in your own discontent. It's no wonder you are going stir-crazy." Her friend was trying hard to sound as cheerful and nonchalant as ever, but Ruby thought that she sensed a deep concern behind Emerald's words. "So I thought, maybe you could promise me something. At least once a week, let's go visit the city together. Go to a pub, a café, go shopping, doesn't matter, but you really need to get out of the palace every now and then. I'm sure Malachite will come too whenever he has the time. Go to practice again. Regularly, like you used to. The others already told me they miss you as a sparring partner, and if we spend every other evening knocking each other on the head until we can barely stand, I'm sure you'll sleep a lot better as well. And most importantly, you should visit Snow more often. The last time I saw her and she asked me about you, I didn't even know what to tell her. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty here Ruby, but you shouldn't make her worry more than she already does."

The mention of her mother hit Ruby hard, and the sudden realization that she really hadn't seen her for almost a month made it much worse. Looking back, Ruby could not deny that during the past few weeks, she had become progressively more reclusive, and started to act more and more dismissive towards her friends and comrades.

Ruby got ready to say something, but couldn't think of a response at first. She just stood there and pressed her lips together, until she finally blurted out, "I'm just frustrated Emerald! I didn't mean to take it out on you and the others like this, but it's not about my hurt pride, or me wallowing in self pity. It's about me not being allowed to do my duty as a member of the Lance. It isn't fair, and I think I have every right to be upset about it."

Emerald sighed, and Ruby thought she sounded almost desperate. "Ruby, please. I don't want that be the only thing you take away from this conversation. Look, I'm sorry I mentioned it. I get that you did not need to hear that at the moment, and it doesn't really matter anyway. If it bothers you that much, I promise that we can discuss it at some point, but I want you to feel better right now." She made a dismissive gesture with her front hoof, as if to clear the offending topic from the air. "Forget it for the moment. Tell me how wrong I am later, and just tell me what you think of my suggestion."

Ruby scowled and clenched her teeth. Letting something like this go wasn't exactly easy for her, but she had other things to concern herself with at the moment. And if Emerald said that they would talk about it later, Ruby knew that her friend would not try to wriggle out of it. So she pushed all thoughts of dispute to the back of her mind for the time being, and instead focused on the solution to her night terrors Emerald had presented her with. It seemed simple. A little too simple, considering the problem it was meant to solve.

"Do you really think it will be that easy? Just get out, have some fun and keep busy?" Ruby asked after a short while of contemplation.

"The simplest solutions are the best sometimes," Emerald said with a shrug. "I really think it will help you Ruby. Even if it doesn't get rid of the dreams, and I honestly think it will, you can't go on like this in any case. But we are going to talk to Malachite about those nightmares anyway, so maybe he knows something more specific that can be done about them."

"No!" Emerald jumped with fright, and Ruby was almost as startled as her friend, despite the fact that shout had come from her. The mere thought of somepony else learning of her strange night terrors was deeply unsettling, and Ruby had to force some calm into her voice before she could continue, and even then, her speech was shaky and hurried, "Please Emerald, don't tell anyone. I don't want anypony else to know about this. Please."

Emerald gave her a puzzled look and shook her head. "Ruby, do you realize what you are asking of me here? If this is some strange sorcery or whatever, Malachite is our best bet to learn anything about it. Keeping this to ourselves might put you in danger, and that's a risk I am not willing to take."

"Just for a little while," Ruby urged her. "Only long enough to tell if your way works. As soon as anything happens, or if I don't feel better after a while, I'll tell Malachite myself. But not right now. You know Malachite. He will worry about me, and he might think telling the prince is the best thing to do. After what happened with Stalwart Heart, he might declare me unfit for duty. Please Emerald, I don't want that to happen."

Emerald stared at her for what felt like an eternity. When she finally spoke, her stern expression and tone of voice made it clear that the terms she put forth were not up for debate. "Anything, Ruby. Not just more dreams, anything out of the ordinary happens, we go straight to Malachite with this. If somepony calls your name and you're not sure who they are talking to, if some memory pops up in your head that has no business being there, we seek help. You won't keep it a secret, and you won't argue. Promise me."

Emerald's agreement, though given with reluctance, did much to ease the nervous tension that had overcome Ruby. She breathed in deep and nodded. "I promise. Thanks."

Emerald still didn’t seem entirely convinced that this was the right way to deal with the situation. "Just don't make me regret this." Then she quickly added, "And another thing. Don't go around looking for information about Dame Quicksilver or the tyrant's conquest. I don't think it would be a good idea right now."

That request surprised Ruby. "Why not? I think it could clear some things up."

"I just think you are not in a good position to do research about this at the moment," said Emerald. "You just had this dream, and you are still pretty shaken. If you look for information about it now, you might start to twist facts and memories around until they fit with each other, and start to see connections that aren't there. It could make the whole thing seem more real than it is, and I think you can imagine why that would be bad."

Ruby didn't like the thought of being left in the dark about the nature of her dreams, but she had to admit that Emerald might be right. Right now, she would have had a hard time judging facts objectively. She could still try to assess the verisimilitude of her visions after her emotions had calmed down a little.

"Alright Emerald. I won't look into this, at least not until I'm sure that I can do it properly."

"Good. I think that's for the best," Emerald said.

Her right foreleg was still resting on Ruby's shoulders, and now she turned around to pull Ruby into a hug, gently nuzzling her cheek into the crook of the larger pony's neck. Ruby closed her eyes and rested her chin on the top of Emeralds head, drinking in the reassurance and warmth the closeness of her friend provided.

They remained like this for several seconds, before Emerald pulled away. "You'll feel better in no time Ruby. Don't worry."

Ruby gave her a very heartfelt smile. "I feel a little better already. Thanks Emerald."

Her friend smiled back. "It's all right. We'll talk tomorrow, make some plans for the rest of the week. Maybe some of the others want to come as well. And I expect to see you at the training hall in the evening."

She winked at Ruby and walked out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her. The candle she had brought with her remained on Ruby's nightstand, illuminating the small chamber with a soft, orange glow. Ruby looked at her bed, but the thought of going back to sleep was not very appealing at the moment. Now that she was alone, the flickering shadows thrown by the candle’s flame appeared alien and menacing, but despite that, Ruby found that it was preferable to the darkness that extinguishing the light would bring.

This is ridiculous. Am I really afraid of the dark and too scared to go to sleep?

But as much as she hated to admit it, right now she was. Fear was something she was more than familiar with, but here, the cause of said fear was unknown and intangible. It was not a threat steel could protect her from, or a foe her strength and skill could do away with. It was something she had been absolutely helpless against, and she didn't know how to deal with that.

While she was thinking of ways to pass the time until the sunrise, she heard the quiet creak of her chamber door behind her. When she turned around, Emerald Breeze was standing in her room again, clasping a woolen blanket and a pillow between her teeth. She walked past Ruby and dropped the bundle next to the bed, before laying down on the ground and wrapping herself in the blanked. The casual demeanor she displayed all the while suggested that she saw absolutely no need for an explanation.

"I'd say you have about five minutes to go to sleep. Good luck after that, you know I snore," she said after resting her head on the pillow and closing her eyes.

Ruby just sat there and stared at her friend for a few seconds, with what had to be the most mawkish grin imaginable plastered on her face.

"Thank you Emerald," was all she could think to say.

"You said that already. Several times in fact," came Emerald's mumbled answer. "But you're welcome."
> Chapter 06: Delved too Deep
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Diamond?" Sparklebright called again while ducking her head under a wooden support beam. "Diamond Tracer, would you just say something for pony's sake?" Like the dozen or so times before, she received no answer.

However, she had advanced far enough into the tunnel by now to pick up the rhythmic clacking of metal on stone from further ahead. Her anger being very palpable at this point, Sparklebright quickened her stride as much as she could, while still being mindful not to bump her head against the low ceiling or stumble over the minecart tracks. The clacking grew louder, until Sparklebright could tell that only one more bend of the tunnel separated her from its source. But when she turned the corner, she stopped abruptly, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're still not done?" she yelled.

Diamond Tracer turned his head towards her and gave her a very annoyed look. Then he carefully put down the pickaxe he was holding between his teeth, and said, "Do you want me to do it fast, or do you want me to do it right?"

"Is there a third option? Like, doing a decent job without taking a million years to get finished?" Sparklebright said. "We're on a schedule here Diamond Tracer. This shipment should arrive at the capital by the end of the week, and they are already short on building supplies from what I hear. Stop being so darn fussy about your work, and just..."

Diamond Tracer had taken up his pickaxe again, and while Sparklebright was in the middle of her lecture, he removed one more sliver of stone with an almost tender looking peck of his tool. Immediately, a chunk of crystal almost twice the size of Diamond Tracer's head detached itself from the wall, and landed on the tunnel floor with a heavy thud.

Diamond Tracer regarded the fallen crystal with a quick nod of satisfaction. Then he looked at Sparklebright and grinned smugly around the handle of his pickaxe.

That little display had somewhat taken the wind out of Sparklebright's sails, so she simply said, "Just wipe that hay-munching smile off your face and help me load this thing up."

Together, they heaved the crystal into the nearby minecart Diamond Tracer had filled up over the course of the day, and started pushing the miner's daily yield towards the exit.

"Oh, don't you look ever so pretty you little darlings?" Diamond Tracer cooed as they pushed, while gently stroking one of the crystals lying before him in the cart. "Soon you'll get to see the Crystal City. I know you will absolutely love it, and I'm sure they will turn you all into something wonderful."

Sparklebright just stared straight ahead with a deadpan expression on her face. "I don't say this nearly enough Diamond Tracer, but you are a weird guy, and you seriously creep me out at times."

"I just take pride in my work. Nothing wrong with that if you ask me." Diamond Tracer said.

But when they turned the corner behind which Sparklebright had found her fellow miner, both ponies suddenly fell silent. A few steps ahead of them, one of the crystal lamps that lit the mine was spilling a pleasant yellow light over the walls of the tunnel. But beyond its sphere of illumination, everything disappeared into darkness.

Neither of them spoke for several seconds, and they just stared into the blackness before them.

"Lamps must have gone out," Sparklebright finally said.

"Yeah," Diamond Tracer agreed. After a few more moments of silence, he added, "Those lamps don't really go out though."

"Evidently they do." Sparklebright replied. Then she lifted her front legs off the minecart and started walking down the tunnel. "Wait here, I'll check it out."

"Wait, what?" Diamond Tracer said alarmed. "Come on, let's just push the cart through. It's not like we can get lost."

"We can't just push the cart through a dark tunnel. What if there's something on the tracks? And I don't really remember if all the switches are in the right position" Sparklebright said. "I'll just walk ahead and see if I can get the lamps going again."

"How?" Diamond Tracer asked.

"I don't know," Sparklebright shot back. "I'll... poke them or something."

Diamond Tracer did not look very happy, but he nodded. "Just watch yourself and get back quickly, all right?"

"Hey, come on Diamond. It's just a dark tunnel. No big deal, right?" Sparklebright said, trying very hard to sound nonchalant.

But in truth, something about that darkness made her feel uneasy. She just didn't know what it was. Before she entered the unlit portion of the tunnel, Sparklebright took a deep breath, as if she was preparing to dive into a black pond, all the while trying not to think about how the borders between light and dark seemed to be much more clearly defined than they should have been.

When she stepped into the darkness, it felt like walking into a bank of thick fog. Sparklebright could see absolutely nothing in front of her, and she had to keep sweeping the wall to her left with her hoof while she was walking to even find the defect lamp she was searching for. But even when she held the crystal right in front of her face, the darkness around her was so absolute that Sparklebright couldn’t even tell it was there. After a bit of fumbling and prodding, all she could determine was that the crystal had a long crack along its center.

"This lamp is busted," Sparklebright called back to Diamond Tracer. "I'll check a bit further and see if I can find a working one."

Then her hoof bumped against something lying on the tracks, and Sparklebright let out a frightened yelp.

"Sparkle? Sweet Harmony, are you all right?" came Diamond Tracer's worried voice from behind.

Sparklebright's heart was hammering within her chest, and she frantically swiped her hoof over the tracks in front of her. When her hoof made contact with the object once more, she let out a wheezing breath she did not know she had been holding in.

"It's fine," she called, her voice sounding a little shrill. "I'm fine. Everything is fine. Just some debris lying on the tracks." She forced herself to bark out a quick laugh. "You know what Diamond? I'm just gonna clear this away, and then we'll push the stupid cart through. It's like you said, not like we can get lost, and now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure the switches are set right." That decision bolstered her confidence somewhat, and Sparklebright quickly began to push the pile of rocks off the tracks.

The rocks pushed back.

Sparklebright stumbled backwards and opened her mouth to scream, but the thick blackness that surrounded her suddenly seemed to pour into her mouth and nose like pitch, and did not leave her enough air to even breathe. She heard and a noise like rocks grinding against rocks in front of her, and the last thing she knew was something heavy hitting her in the side of the head with bone-crushing force.

"Sparklebright?" Diamond Tracer had only heard quiet grinding noises and a few dull thuds from the tunnel since his friend had stopped speaking. "Is it much? Do you need help?"

Only the quiet grinding answered him. He thought that it sounded closer than before, but that was surely just his imagination.

Diamond Tracer laughed nervously. "Alright. I get it. Sorry I didn't answer when you called earlier. Won't happen again, I promise." He peered into the tunnel before him. "Now please, say something. This isn't funny, Sparkle."

Something lashed out from the dark maw of the tunnel and headed straight for Diamond Tracer. It looked like a thin tendril of black smoke, and just when Diamond Tracer thought that it would hit him right between the eyes, it suddenly plunged downwards and latched on to the crystals in the minecart instead.

The magnificent crystal Diamond Tracer had so patiently liberated from the rock immediately darkened and shattered, and he only saw the pieces twitch before a second tendril hit the still working crystal lamp and plunged the tunnel into smothering blackness.
> Chapter 07: Guests of Honor
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A strong blow against the center of her breastplate made Ruby grunt with pain and almost staggered her. She jumped at her attacker to retaliate, but the other mare took a few quick steps back and was out of reach again. Then she continued to circle around Ruby, waiting for another opportunity to dash forward, strike, and retreat back to safety.

"You fight like a rabbit!" Ruby snarled.

"Save your breath, slowpoke. You're gonna need it," Emerald shot back, her voice muffled and distorted by the heavy helmet she was wearing.

Ruby was grinding her teeth in frustration. She could have chased after Emerald, but the only thing she would accomplish was wasting her strength. When Emerald played serious, she easily had her beat in terms of speed and agility. Ruby needed her to stay close long enough to get at least one good hit in.

Soon, Emerald rushed at her again, little more than a silvery blur and the rapid pounding of steel clad hooves on the floor. Ruby didn't even have the time to turn and face her before she was hit in the side two times in rapid succession.

Two times!

Immediately, Ruby spun around and lashed out with her hind legs. Emerald had grown impatient, and instead of striking once and then falling back, she had attacked twice, trading a few additional fractions of a second for a second blow. Ruby's retaliation had been almost instant, but her hooves still barely grazed the retreating Emerald. However, it had been enough to throw her off balance and make her stumble for a second, and when Ruby turned around, Emerald was still close enough for her to strike.

Ruby reared up on her hind legs and hit Emerald on the head and shoulder. The blows threw her to the ground, and when she tried to get back up, Ruby planted both her front hooves firmly on the fallen pony's side. "You stay right where you are, Master Hare."

Emerald gasped and squirmed. "Great Crystal, Ruby! You're smothering me!"

That comment elicited an offended frown from Ruby. "Well, I'm wearing full plate. The rest is muscle, and only muscle mind you. But still, you're exaggerating."

"You're right," Emerald wheezed. "I'm joking. You hardly weigh anything at all. You're as light as gossamer and morning dew. Whatever you want to hear! Now get off me, or they'll have to use a ladle to scoop what's left of me out of this armor!"

"Sheesh. Fine," said Ruby, but then she added, "Wait, you yield right?"

"Yes!"

Ruby grinned fiercely underneath her helmet. "Say it."

"I yield! I give up! Uncle! You win!" By now, Emerald's voice sounded a lot like the last bit of air escaping from a deflating balloon.

"Great," Ruby said and stepped away from her defeated friend. "Well fought."

"Bite me, Ruby," Emerald said while sitting up. She fumbled around with her helmet for a while, before letting out a frustrated groan. "Awesome! Now the blasted thing is stuck!"

Ruby stepped closer and took off her own helmet to take a closer look. "What do you mean stuck?"

It was a little hard to read Emerald's facial expression at the moment, but Ruby assumed that she was giving her a blank stare. "Stuck. As in: I can't get it off. As in: You went and knocked it out of shape, and now I can't get it off. As in: This is totally your fault!"

"What? No it isn't! I didn't even hit you that hard!" Ruby protested.

Emerald was still pulling and tugging on her helmet, and her speech was interspersed with groans and grunts. "Of course you'd think that. You're a freak of nature! Like the Amazing Bulk, only you're stuck in constant rage mode."

"Hey now! That's just uncalled... wait, amazing who now?"

Emerald halted her attempts to rid herself of the steel headwear for a moment, and stabbed an accusatory hoof in Ruby's direction. "I knew it! You didn't even read the book I gave you."

"Those comic things you keep reading are not books," Ruby said.

"They are so!"

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not having that discussion with you again."

Emerald's helmet bopped up and down a few times. "You're right. Let's talk about something else." She cleared her throat and continued in a pleasant conversational tone, "Hey Ruby. The darndest thing happened to me just now: There's a helmet stuck on my head. Is it noticeable? Ponies keep telling me I shouldn't worry, but I think they are just being polite. I really think I should do something about it. Got any ideas?"

Ruby tapped a hoof against her chin a few times, and her brow furrowed. "Leave it on," she finally said.

"Ruby..."

"We'll drill a little hole in it, and you can eat soup through a straw."

"Ruby!"

"You know, I actually think this is a great opportunity for you. Believe me when I say that this is a massive improvement in terms of..."

"Ruby, I will murder you in your sleep!"

"Oh my, this is fun!" Ruby said through a broad grin. "Is this what it's like being you? Because I could get used to this."

"You still have to work on actually being funny. That part is kind of important. Now kindly lend me a hoof here," Emerald pleaded.

"Fine. Joke time is over." Ruby sat down and reached for Emerald's helmet. "Here, let me see if I can get it loose."

Emerald was in such a hurry to get away from Ruby's extended hooves that she almost fell on her back. "Oh heck no! You'll twist my head off!"

Ruby's nostrils flared. "Would you stop it? I know my own strength just fine. Now stand still."

This time, Emerald actually did fall over in her haste to get away. "No! Forget I said anything! I like the helmet. I like my head even more! Gracious Glacier, I don't want to die like this! I want to die in an airship crash during a rock concert at the age of a hundred and fifty. I already wrote the obituary, you can't take that away from me!"

Ruby wanted to say something in return, but then she heard the barely repressed snorts and giggles behind her. When she turned around, she saw that all the other members of the Lance currently in the training hall had interrupted their sparring matches, and were staring at them. They still wore their helmets, but the sounds they were making made it clear that they found the situation highly amusing.

At first, Ruby started to frown, but she quickly turned it into a pleasant smile. "Hey. Looks like I'll need a new sparring partner. Anypony interested?"

"All right Lapis, nice break. Let's keep going," Beryl Bright said without missing a beat.

"I think I'm getting a cold. I should lay down for a bit," Frost Grape said before turning around and letting out an unconvincing cough.

"I'm getting some water. Does anypony else want some water?" Morning Chill called over her shoulder. In her haste to leave the room, she almost stumbled over the water barrel next to the door.

"Wha... wait a minute Emerald. Is that helmet stuck on your head? Don't worry, I'll fetch the armorer," Moonstone said, before hurrying after Morning Chill.

Ruby laughed and sat down to wait for the blacksmith. They were not actually afraid to face her in a spar of course, it was just a little jape that they were going along with. While it was true that sparring matches with her often ended with bruises and a dented armor, Ruby had also earned herself a reputation as a very skilled fighter, and the members of the Lance agreed that it was better to face a strong opponent in the training hall, where you could still learn from a defeat.

Singing Steel, the Order's personal smith, arrived a few minutes later, still glistening with sweat from the heat of the forge he had just left, and he was as cheerful as ever. "Why do I even bother with your armor? You should just strap pans and pots to your bodies and put buckets on your heads, then I wouldn't have to cry myself to sleep at night thinking about how you are mistreating my work." He took a quick look at Emerald's helmet and whistled through his teeth. "Milady Ruby Chip, the next time you try to murder one of your fellow knights during practice, at least try to make it look like an accident. This dent could hold a melon."

"The helmet already has a melon on the inside, we don't need to put one on the outside as well," said Ruby.

"If you say so milady," Singing Steel replied, before pulling a tool from his belt that looked suspiciously like a can opener. "Hold still," he instructed Emerald Breeze with his teeth clenched around the tool's handle, and then went to work.

It took him a while, but he managed to cut into the helmet's steel and bend one of the warped parts out of the way, and Emerald pulled it off with a breath of relief. "Finally!"

Singing Steel put his tool back on his belt and looked at Ruby. "Can I go, or are you planning to bust up anything else today, milady?"

When Ruby had first met the smith, his behavior had struck her as highly disrespectful. However, it was his armor that was keeping them alive in the field, and not only was Singing Steel an artist when it came to shaping metal, but Ruby had quickly learned that he had nothing but the highest regard for the Knights of the Lance, even if he had a peculiar way of showing it. "I'm sorry about that, master Singing Steel. I'll be more careful from now on."

The heavily muscled stallion growled through his beard. "You always say that milady. Perhaps I should have you visit my forge sometimes and help me pound the steel into shape. I doubt you would even need a hammer." Then he picked up the helmet and inspected it carefully. "I can still fix this. Come see me tomorrow milady Emerald Breeze, I should have it done by then."

"I will. Thank you, Singing Steel." Emerald said.

The smith bowed his head slightly. "Not at all, milady."

On his way out, the smith almost bumped into Malachite. He wasn't wearing any armor, so apparently he hadn't come to the hall to train, and when he spotted Emerald and Ruby, he quickly headed straight for them. "There you are. I have an assignment for you, and I think you are going to like it."

"Can we say no if we don't like it then?" Emerald asked while trying to get her helmet-compressed mane back into shape as best she could.

Both Malachite and Ruby ignored that.

"That can't be right Malachite." Ruby said after a short pause. "I am still on guard duty within the city for another week."

"Well Ruby, you will most likely not be leaving the city for this, but you can still consider it to be the end of your penalty service." said Malachite. He smiled warmly when he saw how those words made Ruby's ears perk up. "The prince asked Lieutenant Cherry Blossom how you were doing under her command, and she said that you had a bit of a rough start, but performed admirably during the last couple of weeks. Under those circumstances, he was willing to reduce the sentence."

Ruby shot a glance at Emerald, who in turn beamed brightly at her. She knew that she probably had her friend to thank for this, because despite her early reservations, Emerald's advice had turned out to be very helpful. Socializing with her comrades and finding ways to meaningfully occupy her time had helped to drive away the constant feelings of gnawing resentment and frustrated anger. The frightful dreams had not returned, and while Ruby still saw her service with the Equestrian soldiers as a pointless waste of her time, the support of her friends and her greatly improved mood had at least made it bearable, and allowed her to put her best efforts into it.

"However," Malachite added, "that is not the only reason. The prince considered Emerald here to be best suited for the task he had in mind, and he knows that you two work well together. Let that be a lesson to you my dear Ruby Chip: It always pays to be well connected."

"Haha!" Emerald cheered upon hearing that. "How about that Ruby? You are moving up in the world because you are an acquaintance of mine." She turned around and wiggled her backside in her friend's direction. "Don't worry, I'm gonna draw you a picture later to show you all the places where you can smooch my shapely butt to repay me."

Ruby just stared blankly at Malachite, while Emerald was repeatedly flicking her tail over the right side of her face. "Why? Why did you have to tell her that?"

With a mesmerized expression, Malachite looked at the scene in front of him. "I desperately wanted to see how she would react, and the results are infinitely more glorious than I could have ever imagined." He stood in silence for a few moments before continuing, "And what is more, the fact that the mission you have been chosen for is a diplomatic one makes this so much more humorous than it already is."

Emerald stopped shaking what her late mother had so graciously seen fit to bestow upon her. "Wait, what?"

Malachite cleared his throat. "Indeed Emerald. The prince is under the impression that you are remarkably good at socializing with other ponies. And since the Equestria Games opening ceremony is only three days away now..."

Ruby's head snapped up. "Wait, those start three days already?"

That seemed to break Malachite's concentration. "They... what? You didn't... I told you about that! Several times! The entire city has been tearing itself apart preparing for it! You must have noticed that!"

"Come on Ruby, you can't be serious," said Emerald.

Ruby shrugged. "Well, yes. I knew that there is a Crystal Fair being prepared, and I have been looking forward to that. But to be honest, I didn't really think about those games recently. We still have other things to worry about."

"Not right now, no," Malachite said. "The games are really the only thing we should worry about at the moment, and just so you know, the Crystal Fair is taking place as an opening for the Equestria Games. I get it Ruby: The games don't interest you, but they are an important event, and we have to make sure they go over without incident. So you two have been assigned as the escort for some of our guests of honor, who will be arriving tomorrow."

"What guest?" Ruby wanted to know.

"You two will like this, I am sure." Malachite said. "After all, being the escort for a princess is no trivial task."

Ruby and Emerald looked at each other, then back at Malachite.

"One of the princesses?" Ruby asked, her voice gently trembling with excitement. Not only did her punishment end sooner than she had expected, but she could also look forward to a very important and prestigious task now.

This week was going to be amazing.


* * *


"Are you sure you don't want some funnel cake Ruby?"

"Leave me alone Emerald," Ruby mumbled.

"I would love some, if you don't mind," said Malachite, and Emerald immediately shoved her plate into his face.

To say that Ruby was in a foul mood would have been a severe understatement at the moment. Even without having to pull Emerald away from another food stand every ten steps, navigating the bustling city streets while constantly being harassed by tourists asking for directions or quick photo shoots was a serious strain on her nerves; Ruby would never admit it, but cameras still creeped her out just a little. Now they had finally reached the train station, but while the streets had been busy, the crowd on the platform was worse still. It had taken Ruby and her two companions almost half an hour to push their way through the throng of ponies to the train tracks, and now they were the only ponies on the platform who were not trying to get anywhere, which of course meant that they were in the way of pretty much everypony else.

Fortunately, Ruby was fairly certain that they would be easy to spot. With the armor the three of them were wearing, it was all but impossible not to stick out, and Ruby had the additional advantage of being a good bit taller than most of the ponies around her. Otherwise, she might have worried that the princess would just fail to notice her escort once she arrived.

Which brought up an interesting question that had bothered Ruby ever since Malachite told them where they should expect their guest. "What the hay are we doing here?"

Malachite gave her a slightly puzzled look and swallowed a mouthful of greasy sugar paste. "Well, we are waiting for the princess..."

"I know that!" Ruby snapped. "But why are we waiting for the princess here of all places? Why is she arriving on a darn train? Don't they have chariots? Pegasus guards? Airships?! Why is she taking a train like a tourist?"

"Excuse me, miss. Would it be all right with you if I took a picture..."

"Go! Away!" Ruby snarled.

The cross-eyed pegasus mare with the light gray coat and blond mane who had approached Ruby with a camera jumped with fright and almost fell on the pony beneath her when her wings locked up for a second.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bother you," she blurted out, before turning around and hastily flying away.

Emerald looked aghast. "Ruby!"

"Oh, for Pete's sake," Malachite said in a tone of voice that passed as indignant by his standards, before quickly disappearing into the crowd while calling after the startled mare.

Emerald still stared at her friend in shock. "Really Ruby, that was horrid!"

"Oh, come on Emerald!" Ruby shot back. "Why do all these ponies think we would make a good souvenir picture? It's humiliating."

"No it's not. They've all been incredibly polite. You're just touchy because you're in a bad mood. And besides, in this armor, we look like a dragon's hoard on legs. I would want a picture of that too."

Ruby grumbled, but Emerald did have a point. A regular suit of full plate looked impressive enough, but the armor the Knights of the Crystal Lance wore on special occasions was something else entirely, since it was not only masterfully crafted, but also richly adorned with precious stones and elaborate gold and silver inlays. Considering that they were here to welcome an important guest of state, the armor was appropriate for the occasion, but on a train platform, in the middle of a crowd of tourists, they looked more than a little out of place.

Malachite reappeared beside them and looked at Ruby with obvious disapproval. "That was uncalled for. Control your blasted temper, Ruby."

Ruby Chip pressed her lips together and poked at the ground for a few seconds. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "But again, why does the princess arrive here? It's crowded, it's loud, and it's just so –" she paused and searched for the right word "– common. It really doesn't seem very official."

Malachite shrugged. "I have been told that the princess does not care much about formalities. Or titles and courtly protocol for that matter, so if you want to ask her yourself, I doubt she will take offense to it. And you will have the opportunity to do so quite soon, I think. That is her train, if I am not mistaken."

He pointed down the train tracks, and where they vanished over the horizon, little clouds of smoke were rising skywards. Soon, a small dot appeared in the distance, and quickly grew into the distinct shape of a locomotive as it came closer to the station.

"Finally." Ruby sighed and stood up, while Emerald and Malachite took up positions as well. Then Ruby realized something. "Wait Malachite, which one of the royal sisters are we welcoming? You never told me."

Malachite looked at her and smirked. "I didn't? Now that you mention it, I guess you're right. In fact, I don't recall ever saying anything about the royal sisters at all."

Ruby blinked. "Come again?"

Malachite didn't even try to hide the mirth in his voice. "I know you don't go out of your way to keep up with foreign politics Ruby, but surely you have heard that Equestria has had three princesses for quite a while now?"

"Yeah, so wha..." Ruby's eyes grew wide. She looked at the train that was just entering the station, then at Malachite. "Wait so we're not actually... so the princess we are waiting for is..." Then Ruby was hit by a realization she would have considered to be utterly unthinkable just a few moments ago. “Malachite, did you seriously play a prank on me?"

Her friend seemed to ponder over that question for a short while. "I suppose you could say that I did," he then said musingly, as if that idea had not even occurred to him until that moment.

Ruby was left speechless for several long moments. She then quickly checked the sky for flying pigs, before shifting her attention towards Emerald and saying, "This is your bad influence, you realize that, right?"

Emerald just stared ahead with a completely unreadable expression. "I apologize for nothing," she said flatly. The train had pulled into the station by now, and ponies were starting to spill out of the wagons and onto the platform.

Ruby suddenly felt a hint of suspicion. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Maybe," came Emeralds answer. "Maybe I asked him who we would be escorting. Maybe you didn't hear it because you had already left the training hall to polish your ceremonial armor, and didn't even think to ask afterwards." She was doing her best to retain her stoic exterior, but by now there were little snorts and giggles interspersed with her words. "Maybe in hindsight, that wasn't the most sensible way to prepare yourself for this, you dolt."

Ruby briefly glanced at the reflection of her face on the flawlessly shined surface of her steel gauntlet. "I hate you both," she said.

She was not really angry however. Serving as the escort to one of the royal sisters would undoubtedly have been the more esteemed task, but their guest was still a princess, and Ruby had most certainly not forgotten that the Empire owed a great debt of gratitude to this particular pony and her companions. It was unexpected, but she saw no reason to complain.

"All right you two, follow me," she heard Malachite say. "That there is our mare."

Most passengers had already gotten off the train and left the station, but the crowd on the platform was still thick and hard to navigate through. However, Ruby could look over the heads of the ponies surrounding them fairly well, and she had quickly spotted the mare Malachite was now heading for. Of course Ruby had already seen her just after the Empire had reappeared, but only from a distance, and while she had occasionally visited the Empire since then, Ruby had never gotten an opportunity to meet her personally.

Right now, the princess looked a little drowsy, as if she had just awoken from sleep. She still had the typical delicate build of a unicorn, and her coat was the same hue of purple, her mane and tail still the same dark blue with single strands of pink and violet in them. But there were some subtle differences. Ruby thought she noticed a few additional inches in height. And then there were the pair of feathered wings folded to her sides. When she saw the three knights heading towards her, the princess seemed a little surprised, but gave them a friendly smile regardless.

Malachite approached her and bowed his head respectfully. "Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am Sir Malachite the Trollslayer of the Crystal Lance. In the name of Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, I welcome you to the Crystal Empire. By order of his Majesty, the Knights of the Lance stand ready to serve and assist you in whatever way we can." He lifted his head back up, and his tone became a lot less formal, "We are overjoyed to have you here with us once more."

"Oh." The princess seemed a little overwhelmed, but happy. "Thank you Sir Malachite. That's very kind of you. But please –" she giggled a little awkwardly "– the title isn't necessary. Just Twilight is fine."

"Hey, your Royal Laziness!" called an annoyed sounding voice from inside the train car. "Don't help us with the bags or anything. It's not like Rarity's luggage weighs a million tons all by itself."

"Don't be ridiculous," said a second voice. "I restricted myself to the barest of necessities. For myself that is. I just packed a little something extra in case anypony needs a change of clothes."

The princess sighed. "Just one minute Rainbow, I'm in the middle of something."

"Well, what is it?"

Right after the sentence was finished, a cyan colored pegasus mare stepped out of the train car. Her ruffled mane and tail were made up of several different colored strands of hair, displaying vivid shades of blue, green, red, yellow, orange and purple. In comparison, her cutie mark looked almost plain, since the lightning bolt striking from a white cloud was merely blue, yellow and red. She clearly had the build of an athlete, but Ruby could tell that her training favored speed and stamina over strength.

The first thing she did after leaving the car was to unfurl and stretch her wings. When she saw the three knights standing next to the princess, she tilted her head and studied them with a curious expression. "Oh. Hey there. What's up?"

"They are our welcoming committee Rainbow," the princess explained, before turning back to Malachite. "Sir Malachite, this is my friend Rainbow Dash. Rainbow, this is Sir Malachite of the Crystal Lance. And I'm afraid I haven't been introduced to his companions yet."

"Yes, of course." said Malachite. He called Ruby forward with a gesture and took a step back.

"Dame Ruby Chip the Mighty, at your service my ladies," Ruby said with a bow of her head.

Emerald appeared beside her a second later. "Dame Emerald Breeze the Green Lightning, at your service. Nice to see you again, my ladies, and even better to finally get introduced."

The Pegasus smirked when Emerald mentioned her title. "The Green Lightning eh? I really like that."

Emerald beamed at her. "Thank you, my lady. I'm quite fond of it myself."

"Yeah, but you know there is a..." she stopped when the princess nudged her in the side with a hoof.

"Rainbow, stop it! That's just a coincidence. Don't tease her."

The Pegasus frowned and swatted the offending hoof aside. "Who's teasing? I think it's great."

"Just leave it be," the princess pleaded.

The other mare rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever."

"Applejack, be careful. Careful! I said carefu... What are you doing!?" shrieked a voice from inside the train car.

Then an enormous suitcase was launched out the open door, immediately followed by a blurry streak of white and purple that turned out to be a very distressed looking unicorn mare. She actually managed to outrun the flying piece of luggage, roughly shoving several startled ponies aside on the way, and caught it with her magic just before it hit the ground. The sudden exertion was enough to bring her to her knees and make beads of sweat form on her forehead, but she still managed to put the suitcase down very gently.

All of this had happened within less than three seconds, so Ruby was still struggling to take it all in when she heard a heavily accented voice behind her. "Well, looky here. That pony can move if she wants to." Turning her head to investigate, Ruby saw an orange earth pony with a blonde mane and tail step out of the train, wearing two well-filled saddlebags and a worn looking, wide-brimmed hat. "Rainbow, I reckon she just broke your short distance record."

The Pegasus snorted and waved her hoof dismissively. "Yeah, that wasn't even close."

During this short exchange, the unicorn had managed to stand back up and take a few menacing steps towards the earth mare. Her knees were still trembling slightly, and she was breathing hard, but her eyes were spraying pure murder. "Applejack, you brute! That is no way to treat other ponies property!" she hissed in a tone of voice that was so full of venom Ruby could have sworn a snake just spat in her ear.

The thusly addressed mare tilted her head ever so slightly, and smiled in a way that made the freckles on her face stand out very prominently, turning her into a picture of perfect innocence and sweetness. "Why, no reason to get all cross with me, Rarity. I just saw that you bag was stuck, so I gave it a little nudge."

"Why, if it weren't so utterly against my nature, I think I should like to give your head a little nudge." the unicorn said, her bright blue eyes narrowing to slits.

The green eyes of the Earth mare mimicked the movement, and her smile warped into a mocking smirk. "Well, a shame that it is so utterly against your nature then, because I think I'd like to see you try."

"Oh, it is on!" the unicorn snarled and charged.

While Ruby was still standing there gaping, and wondered what exactly was going on and if she should do something about it, the princess seemed remarkably unfazed by the whole thing. "You'll have to excuse them," she said with an apologetic smile. "They are usually a lot more..." Her brow furrowed and she stopped, seemingly uncertain where exactly she had been going with this. "They really are wonderful ponies once you get to know them."

Since the princess was obviously not overly concerned about it, Ruby decided that there was no need for them to intervene. So she turned her back on the rolling knot of limbs and bodies the two ponies had transformed into upon impact, and did her best to sound as noncommittal as possible when she said, "I'm sure they are."

"Get your filthy hooves out of my mane, you savage!"

"First and only rule of roughhousing, Rarity: Ain't no rule against that."

Malachite nodded sagely, but his eyes twinkled with amusement. "In that case, I am certain that you will find my two sisters in arms to be very agreeable company. They are much the same in this regard."

"Yes, we are quite honored, Princess," Ruby said absentmindedly, still listening to the sounds of the struggle going on behind her. When the meaning of Malachite's words got through to her, her ears perked up and she scowled at him. "Hold on, what was that?"

"Wait, what in tarnation are you... Hey! Confound it Rarity, the hat's off limits!"

"Oh, is it now? As said by a mare who is wise in the ways of roughhousing and little else: Ain't no rule against that!"

"I'm serious! Give it back here!"

"I think not. Instead, I shall adorn this atrocious piece of headwear with ribbons and feathers until it can be seen from space."

"That ain't funny, Rarity!"

Ruby turned her head to look over her shoulder. The unicorn was currently prancing around the giant suitcase and levitated the earth mare's hat in the air, just out of the visibly agitated pony's reach. "Are you certain that they will be fine?" Ruby asked carefully.

"Oh, abso-tutely-lutely. It's been a long train ride, and they're just letting off some steam. It's all in good fun," said a high and perky voice right beside her.

Ruby jumped and let out a shrill sound that she immediately tried to convince herself had been a battle cry, and not a startled squeal of fright. She turned around and barely got a hold of her reflexes in time to stop herself from smashing an armored hoof into the beaming face of the bright pink pony that was sitting right beside her all of a sudden.

"Galloping Glaciereels!" Ruby cussed through clenched teeth.

"Tap-dancing Timberwolves!" the mare facing her shouted cheerfully. Then she grabbed the raised hoof Ruby had almost shoved down her throat and began shaking it with remarkable enthusiasm. Her impossibly fluffy looking pink curls made Emerald's look tame by comparison, and right now they were bobbing up and down on her head so much it almost made Ruby feel seasick. "Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

That was good to know, but Ruby was more interested in something else at the moment. Namely the fact that the mare had seemingly appeared from nowhere in the time it took Ruby to turn her head. "How did..." Ruby started eloquently. "You weren't..." she continued, pointing at the ground under the pink pony's hooves. "Where did you come from?!" she finally said, after she managed to pick one of the twenty different questions currently bouncing around in her head.

The pony beside her seemed to think very carefully about that. "Wow, that is a good question. I guess I came out of that train car right now, but before that, I was in Ponyville. And last week, I was in Trottingham at a bakers' convention, so I guess you could say I came from there, too, but then I would have to name all the places I've ever been to, and that would take forever, especially if I include previous generations..."

"It's just something she can do," the princess stated without the slightest hint of surprise. "The sooner you learn not to question it, the happier you'll be. I sort of learned that the hard way."

Not in the proper state of mind to listen to perfectly reasonable advice, or even show enough diplomatic tact to acknowledge that Twilight had spoken just now, Ruby pointed at Emerald. “Did you see that?"

"I... see her now. She's right there. Somehow." Emerald looked just as baffled as Ruby felt, and even Malachite appeared to be caught off guard by the pink pony's sudden appearance.

The princess let out a sympathetic sigh, while the pink mare released Ruby's hoof and turned around to introduce herself to the other two knights with just as much gusto.

"I suppose we should get the introductions out of the way in any case," princess Twilight said. "Girls, would you stop it please? You are not making a very good first impression."

The unicorn stopped and looked confused for a second. The earth mare seized this opportunity to jump in the air and snatch the hovering hat with her teeth. "I am sorry Twilight, I don't quite follow," the unicorn said, but when she noticed the three knights standing next to her friends, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, the contrast to her pristine white coat making the red seem even brighter. "Oh. Terribly sorry about that. I'm afraid I didn't see you there." She then glared at the mare next to her. "I can't believe this. Now I look just as uncouth as you!"

The earth pony snorted. "Can't even imagine how horrible that must feel."

In the meantime, Princess Twilight had taken a quick look into the train car, and now turned to the odd mare who had just finished her attempt to dislocate Malachite's shoulder. "Pinkie, are Spike and Fluttershy coming?"

The energetic pony shook her head. "Nope. They're sleeping."

Apparently hoping for further explanation, the princess was quiet for a few seconds. When she received none, she asked, "Well, did you maybe try waking them up?"

The pink mare's eyes widened. "What?! No! I can't! I couldn't!" she gasped, as if the very idea horrified her to the core.

The princess looked alarmed. "Why not? What's wrong?"

Ruby didn't actually see Pinkie Pie move, but a moment later, she was sitting right in front of the princess, their faces separated by a mere inch of empty air. Pinkie Pie's expression was so solemn that the contrast to her earlier behavior made it almost unsettling, and when she spoke, Ruby had to lean forward to hear it, because her voice was little more than a reverent whisper, "They look really adorable."

The princess stared at her for a second, and then rolled her eyes. "Pinkie..."

"No, you don't understand Twilight!" the other mare insisted. "They fell asleep on the same seat, and Fluttershy is lying there with this little smile like she's dreaming something super nice, and Spike is lying right next to her with his head all snuggled up in her mane, and she has one of her wings draped over him like so, and it's just the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life!" Apparently convicted that mere words could not do proper justice to the thing she had witnessed, the pink mare was doing her best to illustrate it with pantomimes and wild gestures, sometimes flailing all of her four limbs around at the same time, while somehow still managing to remain upright.

Obviously growing impatient, the princess pushed her friend out of the way and headed for the door. "Yes, Pinkie, I'm sure it is cute. But we have to get going, and the train has to leave the station in five minutes. I don't think they'll be thrilled if they wake up and find themselves on their way back to Ponyville."

The other mare's voluminous curls seemed to deflate a little. "But... but..."

"No buts, Pinkie. It's not like I'm going to dump a bucket of water on them," the princess said and disappeared into the train car.

Ruby leaned over to Emerald, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. "I really don't know what to make of this," she whispered.

Her friend looked back at her with a baffled expression. "You want to know what I make of this?" she asked. "If they act like this all the time, we are going to have so much fun that the prince will probably try to charge us for it once it's over!"

Ruby groaned in frustration. "Of course! I'm the problem here. Everypony is acting perfectly reasonable except me. Why do I even talk to you?"

Emerald shrugged. "Beats me. I don't know what you still expect."

At that exact moment, Princess Twilight appeared in the door of the train car again, her face showing an expression that was equal parts gleeful and amazed. "Pinkie Pie, I'm sorry. I never thought... girls, I need a camera right now. This is uncanny. Future generations will never be able to forgive us if we allow this moment to elapse without proper documentation!"

Ruby looked at Emerald. Her friend was wearing one of her little grins that were actually a whole lot bigger on the inside. "This week is going to be amazing."
> Chapter 08: A Day at the Fair (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The little dragon made another desperate lunge for the hovering camera, but it was well outside his reach. "Give me that camera Twilight!"

"Not going to happen, Spike."

"This is a violation of my personal rights!" He pointed at the cream colored pegasus, who had left the train car a few moments after him and the princess. "Our personal rights. Fluttershy, say something!"

"Hmm?" The yellow pegasus mare blinked and hid a quiet yawn behind a raised hoof. "Oh. Actually, I don't really mind. Ehm, you won't show it around too much, will you Twilight?"

The princess furrowed her brow thoughtfully. "I don't know. I feel like I'm doing ponykind a grave disservice by keeping this to myself. But if you insist..."

"We insist!" Spike shouted. "I want that picture locked inside a box, and the box locked inside a safe, and the safe locked inside a cellar!"

The princess sighed. "All right Spike, no need to be so melodramatic about it." Then she smiled and nuzzled the dragon's cheek. "Now, please don't be mad at me. I just wanted a cute picture with my favorite dragon."

The flattery seemed to placate said dragon somewhat. "Yeah, I guess that's only understandable."

"I'm glad you agree," said the Twilight. "Now, we should really finish up the introductions. Girls, Spike, these are Sir Malachite the Trollslayer, Dame Ruby Chip the Mighty, and Dame Emerald Breeze the Green Lightning."

Spike let out a chuckle. "The Green Lightning, eh? You know..."

The princess glared at him. "Not you too. Let it go Spike."

"Why? I think it's awesome," Spike said.

"I know, right?" Rainbow Dash cut in.

"Hush up, both of you!" the princess hissed, before turning to Emerald and saying, "I am really sorry Dame Emerald Breeze, they don't mean any offense."

Ruby didn't even have to look at Emerald to know that she was grinning like a madmare. "None taken, your Highness. Really, it's quite all right."

She almost slipped into a fit of giggles at the end, and for a moment, the princess had the confused look of a pony who wasn't sure if maybe she was the one not in on the joke. "Eh... good? So... moving on, this here is my dear friend Fluttershy."

The pegasus gifted the knights with a timid, but genuine smile, "It's nice to meet you."

Pointing at the unicorn, who had somehow managed to get her ruffled mane back into perfect shape while Ruby wasn't looking, the princess said, "This is Rarity."

"Charmed, I'm certain," Rarity said.

"This here is Applejack," Twilight continued with a gesture towards the orange earth mare.

Applejack tipped the brim of her head in greeting. "Howdy there. Nice to meet y'all,"

"And of course" – the princess gently patted the head of the small dragon standing in front of her – "my friend, number one assistant, and favorite dragon Spike."

The dragon smiled and raised a claw. "Hi there. How do you..." He suddenly fell silent when the three knights stepped up and bowed their heads to him.

"Welcome, Spike the Brave and Glorious. It is our pleasure to welcome you as an honored guest of the Empire," said Malachite.

Spike just stared blankly at him, "Spike the who and welcome me as what now?"

"Hey, no reason to be all modest about it, little one," Emerald said with a wink. "If you hadn't brought the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadance just in time, we could be living in a very different version of the Empire right now. It's good to be finally able to say thank you."

"Heh. Listen to that. You're a celebrity Spike. Way to go," Rainbow Dash said cheerfully, and gave the dragon a good-natured slap on the shoulder.

Spike's confusion slowly gave way to a proud grin, "I guess I am. Feels pretty nice, to be honest." Ruby had to be careful not to chuckle when she saw how he actually stuck his chest out a little. Relations between dragons and crystal ponies were usually rather strained, mostly because some dragons thought crystal ponies tasted like particularly juicy gems, while crystal ponies didn't appreciate being seen as walking snacks. But even without considering what he had done for the Empire, Spike was non-threatening enough to make any notion of him being a danger to anypony seem absurd.

"Enjoy it Spike. You've earned it. What you did back then was very brave," Twilight said. Then she grabbed the dragon with her magic, gently put him on her back, and turned her head around to give him another quick nuzzle. "Just don't let it go to your head. You know how that might turn out."

Spike looked a little embarrassed after the princess said that and let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah... I'll be careful Twilight. Don't worry."

"All right then," Twilight said and turned back to Malachite. "I'm guessing my brother has something planned for us. Should we head to the palace right away?"

"That is entirely up to you," Malachite said. "The prince has indeed planned a welcome ceremony for you and your friends this evening, and I believe Princess Cadance prepared something for Spike in particular. But I am afraid they are extremely busy at the moment, and most likely won't find the time to welcome you more privately before then. The Games, you see. They are a blessing for us, of course, but they barely leave the royal couple time for anything else at the moment."

Twilight seemed a little disappointed, but she nodded. "Of course. Nothing to be done about that."

"I'm afraid so," Malachite said. "Still, you may go to the palace and have some rest. Or we could have your luggage taken there, and you could stroll around the Crystal Fair for a while."

"What do you think girls?" the princess asked. "I'm not all that tired, and I would love to see the Fair."

"I've been cooped up in that train far too long. Anything that lets me stretch my wings is fine with me," Rainbow Dash said.

"I'd be mighty glad to get some exercise as well," Applejack agreed.

"The fair sounds absolutely lovely," said Rarity. "Since I don't have to run a crafts booth this time, I would very much like to see the tourney."

Applejack raised an eyebrow and gave her friend a questioning look. "You do know what a tourney is, right? It's a lot like a rodeo, only everypony is wearing metal breeches."

Ruby had the distinct feeling that she would probably be offended by that comparison, if she could remember what a rodeo was supposed to be, but Rarity didn't seem very happy with it either. "Absolutely not, Applejack. A tourney is something sophisticated and cultured." Rarity put a hoof around her friend's shoulder, and waved the other hoof around as if she was trying to paint a picture with it, while she continued with increasing enthusiasm in her voice, "Gallant and dashing knights trying to test their mettle, the silvery sound of trumpets, flags and banners of the finest silk gently waving in the breeze, and the air is thick with romance and excitement!" She sighed wistfully, and her saddlebags were surrounded by a magic aura as she pulled something out of them. "My, it's going to be like a fairytale come to life."

Applejack looked at the book Rarity was now levitating in front of her eyes, and her quizzical expression was quickly replaced by a broad grin. "'Ivanhorse: A Romance, by Sir Walter Trot'? Wow Rarity, I never figured you'd be one for fantasy novels."

Rarity's joyous expression immediately disappeared, and she yanked the book away from Applejack's face. "It isn't fantasy my dear Applejack. It is classical literature. That is an important distinction, which, I'm not surprised, you don't seem to be able to appreciate."

Applejack shrugged, still wearing the same grin. "Whatever. Watching ponies knock each other over with sticks sounds like fu..."

"Why are we still talking about this?!" Pinkie Pie's cheerful, but unexpected outburst made everyone around her jump. "There is a Crystal Fair with music and balloons and dancing and sweet and sticky sugar stuff and letsgoletsgoletsgo!"

The princess looked at the yellow pegasus, who had remained quiet so far. "Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy smiled and nodded.

"Then I hope you will enjoy the Fair," Malachite said. "If you should choose to visit the tourney later, I expect that we will see each other there. Speaking of which, I am afraid I have to take my leave of you now. I will be taking part in the joust today, and I still have some things to take care of until then." He quickly bowed his head to every one of their guests. "It was an honor and a pleasure to welcome you all to the Empire again. I leave you in the capable hooves of my sisters in arms now. They will serve and assist you in any way they can." He smiled at the princess and added in a mock whisper, "Don't worry, Twilight. They grow on you."

"Thank you ever so much Malachite. I think you were about to leave," Ruby said flatly.

"I suppose that is my cue," Malachite said with a chuckle. "I hope to see you soon my ladies, Spike." Having spoken his farewells, he turned around and soon disappeared between the thinning crowd on the platform.

By now, Ruby was eager to leave the train station as well, but she had to be patient for a few more minutes while their guests picked a couple of things they wanted to take with them from their luggage. She wasn't quite sure if she should try to strike up a conversation or just remain at a respectful distance with Emerald, but the princess relieved her of that decision by walking up to them while her friends where still busy filling their saddle bags. 

"So, Dame Ruby Chip, Dame Emerald Breeze. Thank you so much for accompanying us, it really is a pleasure to have you here. What should we do first? I am incredibly curious to see an authentic Crystal Fair that is entirely run and organized by crystal ponies." She pulled a stack of papers from her saddlebags, every single one seemingly filled from top to bottom with writing and sketches. "I still have my notes from the time me and my friends organized it. I would really like to see the differences."

"Well, its a lot bigger this time around,” said Emerald. “You and your friends did a fine job, your Highness, but there is a limit to what six ponies and a baby dragon can put together in such a short amount of time. I don't think we will be able to see everything in just a couple of hours. There are food stands, music, bards, jesters, all kinds of market stands if you want to do some shopping, and of course the tourney, but that won't start until later.” She shrugged. “Personally, I like to just stroll around and see where my hooves will take me, but if you want to see anything in particular, we'll be happy to take you there. Oh, and the whole title and name is quite a mouthful, don't you think?" Emerald pointed at herself and then at Ruby. "My friends call me Emerald. Ponies who manage to tolerate her presence for more than a few minutes usually start calling her Ruby."

Ruby jabbed her in the side with an armored elbow. "Sweet Harmony Emerald, we're here on official business. Be a bit more courteous." Then she looked at the princess said, "Of course, the offer stands, your Highness. I just would have phrased it differently."

The princess shook her head and giggled. "It's quite all right Ruby. How about I take you up on your offer, and in turn you take me up on mine from before? Just Twilight is perfectly fine with me."

"Of course. Anything to make our guest of honor more comfortable," Emerald said cheerfully. She fluttered her eyelashes at Ruby and added, "That's just being courteous."

Ruby just rolled her eyes, while Twilight tried, rather unsuccessfully, to stifle a small fit of laughter behind a raised hoof.


* * *


It didn't take Twilight's friends very long to gather the things they wanted to take with them, and while a couple of palace workers took care of their remaining luggage, the Equestrian guests of state and the two Knights of the Lance departed the train station and made their way towards the Crystal Fair. The streets were filled with ponies, tourists and Imperial citizens alike, but Ruby and her companions had no trouble navigating through the crowd, as most ponies quickly made room for them. Understandably, a well-known alicorn princess plus an entourage that included two Knights of the Lance drew quite a bit of attention wherever they went, but nopony was bold enough to actually approach them.

While they were walking through the streets, their guests happily chatting away amongst themselves, Ruby was still trying to decide how exactly she should behave. She had expected the tone to be a lot more formal, but instead, their guests had turned out to be rather sociable, and not standing much on ceremony. Still, she thought that it would be best to at least try and keep proper etiquette, without coming across as standoffish or rude, of course. This was still an official state visit, and Ruby was part of a royal entourage. As such, a certain degree of professional detachment was called for.

"I must say, I absolutely adore your attire."

Her musings interrupted, Ruby looked with slight confusion at Rarity, who had walked up next to her. "My lady?"

The other mare laughed and tossed her mane back in an impressive and eye-catching motion that seemed almost rehearsed. "Oh please, Rarity will do just fine, I assure you. Well, perhaps 'my lady Rarity,' if you absolutely insist..."

"Please don't. Else she'll get used to it," Applejack cut in.

Rarity simply continued, as if her refusal of recognition could make the other mare fade from existence. "As I was saying, I love your armor. Why, I never even imagined you could do something like this with metal. A little bulky perhaps, but the patterns on the inlays really draw the eye, and the fire opals complement your coat exquisitely."

Ruby didn't know how she should respond to that. Were they really discussing the fashion merits of her armor? "Thank you?" she tried a little uncertain.

"Oh, you're quite welcome. Say, would you be willing to tell me who designed this piece?" Rarity asked.

Ruby was still unsure where this was going, but she saw no reason not to answer that. "All of our arms and armor are made by master Singing Steel. He is probably the best smith currently alive within the Empire."

Rarity smiled and waved her hoof. "Yes, yes, yes, I'm sure he is. But the pattern on this, the way the gold catches the light just the right way, and then there is the cut of the gems, the settings... my it's absolutely flawless! Surely, somepony else did the finer details once he was finished with the... eh, more crude parts?"

A loud, barking laugh erupted from Ruby's throat, and she actually had to stop walking for a couple of seconds. "Please forgive me my... Rarity," she finally managed to say a little embarrassed. "But the thought of master Singing Steel letting somepony else work on one of his armors is just... if you knew him, you would find it amusing as well. He has two assistants and one apprentice, all of them master smiths in their own right, and he barely has the patience to tolerate even their presence within his smithy. Believe me, every bit of this armor is his work, down to the last detail."

Rarity seemed equally surprised and impressed by this. "Really? That is remarkable. I never imagined..." She took turns staring thoughtfully at Ruby's and Emerald's armor, following the gold and silver inlays with her eyes, occasionally lingering on a jewel or a particularly impressive embellishment. "Do you think it might be possible for me to meet with him? I must say, I'm very curious to see what kind of pony could combine beauty and functionality as flawlessly as this."

"Well, I'm sure that can be arranged," Ruby said. "However, I think you should know that Singing Steel is not what you would call... sociable. I guess 'rough around the edges' would be pretty fitting. He doesn't try to be rude, but I'd still hate for you to get offended."

Rarity brushed that off with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Don't worry. I know that great artists tend to have their little moods and eccentricities."

Rainbow Dash, who was flying only slightly above them, snorted. "He. Yeah, I guess you would know all about that."

Rarity just smiled and raised her head to look at the pegasus. "I choose to take that as a compliment dear."

"OHMYGOSH!"

The loud yell put an abrupt stop to their conversation. Pinkie Pie, who, up until now, had spent most of her time zipping back and forth between various food stands like a pink hummingbird on a sugar high, had surprisingly stopped in front of a stand that didn't sell anything meant for consumption, and now stared mesmerized at the selection of crystal flugelhorns that was offered there.

"Eh... greetings milady," the stall vendor said, quickly recovering from his initial shock. "Would you like a flugelhorn?"

Pinkie Pie gave him a wide-eyed stare, as if he had just offered her sovereignty over the sun, moon and stars. "I would very much like to have a flugelhorn," she said in a reverent whisper.

"NOOOOOO!"

There was a blur of bright colors, and suddenly Rainbow Dash hovered in the air right before the vendor, who was startled into a near heart attack for the second time within the span of a few seconds.

Rainbow squeezed the stallion’s cheeks between her hooves and fixed him with a pleading look. "Listen buddy, I know you are trying to be nice, but you have no idea what you are about to unleash on these, poor innocent ponies. Especially me! Don't give her a flugelhorn! You know what? I'll just buy them all. Can you tell me where I can find a stall that sells hammers, or maybe very large rocks?"

By now, Emerald Breezed had walked up to the stall as well. "Oh boy, you're a real killer Rainbow Dash," she barely managed to say through a fit of laughter. Then she put a couple of coins on the stall's counter, picked up a very elaborately carved instrument, and gave it to the brightly beaming Pinkie Pie. "Here you go. Have fun."

Pinkie snatched up the horn and hugged it to her chest like a beloved, long lost sibling. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Rainbow Dash's face betrayed a feeling of utter despair. "You —" she pointed at Emerald, then at Pinkie Pie, "— she..." Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash stared at Emerald with something almost like pity in her eyes. "You know, you are going to regret doing that. Very. Soon."

Emerald just smiled at her. "Ha. You never heard how my former knight commander played these things. Can't be any worse than that."


* * *


Only a couple of minutes later, Emerald's smile could not have looked less genuine and joyful if it had been carved into her face with a razor blade. "Wow she... she sure likes that flugelhorn."

Ruby's left eyelid and right ear had begun to twitch uncontrollably about a minute ago. "Don't... don't even talk to me right now." She cringed as another shrill wail tore into her eardrums like a rusty nail. "Sweet Harmony, this is how I'll die. Not peacefully in my sleep, or fighting valiantly on the battlefield. I am going to bleed to death through my ears, and all because of you. I'm just glad I left instructions that my tombstone should read 'It was probably Emerald's fault.' Is... is she just shouting 'flugelhorn' into the mouthpiece?" Ruby looked around in desperation, and for an instance, she let her eyes linger on a fairly distant stall selling cotton candy, pondering whether she should attempt to stuff her ears with it.

The shrill cacophony of warped and tortured notes suddenly stopped, and when Ruby turned around, she saw that Pinkie Pie had fixated her with a scrutinizing gaze.

Were we too loud?

Ruby tried, and failed, to put on a cheerful grin. "Something the matter, Pinkie?"

The other mare didn't answer. Instead, she just passed her flugelhorn over to Emerald, without ever taking her eyes off Ruby. "Hold this, please." Then she zipped off so quickly that she left a blur of pink behind.

Emerald stared at the instrument she was now holding, and then started to look around frantically. The stall right next to her sold chocolate coated fruit sticks, and when Emerald saw the giant pot of molten chocolate, she simply dipped the flugelhorn into it.

"E... excuse me?" the mare behind the counter said hesitantly. "A thousand pardons, milady Emerald Breeze, but..."

Emerald quickly cut her off, "Sorry, no time! This is a matter of life or death!" Then she shoved the dripping instrument at Spike. "Spike, I really need you to do some heroing again. Eat this!"

The little dragon looked at the chocolate covered crystal flugelhorn and licked his lips. "Well, that does look tasty, but I'm not sure if Pinkie..."

"Do it Spike!" Rainbow Dash interrupted him. "I can't stand it anymore."

"I'm afraid I have to agree," said Twilight. "It's already giving me a headache."

"I don't know." Spike rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Doing something that might hurt a friend to do another friend a favor? This is a really complex issue, I might need some time to think on this."

Twilight sighed and rubbed her temple. "As a princess and Equestria's foremost expert on friendship related issues, I hereby decree that you should eat that confounded instrument, Spike."

Upon hearing that, Spike immediately grabbed the offered flugelhorn. "Well, if an authority figure tells you to do something, it's no longer morally questionable." It was impressive how fast the little guy made short work of the instrument. After only two bites, all that remained was the mouthpiece and about an inch of tubing. The sound of grinding and splintering crystal was very unpleasant, but Ruby still found it to be preferable to the infernal noise the instrument had produced before.

"Hey everypony! I brought cotton candy for everyone." There was just no way that anything short of teleportation was responsible for Pinkie Pie's sudden reappearance. From one instant to the next, she simply stood amidst the group, with a tray of fluffy pink confectionery balanced on her back. She looked around cheerfully, but her expression became puzzled when she saw Spike, who had frozen in place as soon as she showed up. "Spike, are you eating my flugelhorn?"

The dragon looked at the last piece of the crystal instrument he was holding in his right claw. Then his eyes shifted to Pinkie Pie. Then back to the horn. Very slowly, he shoved the piece into his already stuffed mouth, then chewed twice, very noisily. "No," he said after a few seconds of hesitation, spraying glittering spittle and shards of crystal as he did. There was a stretch of tense silence; Pinkie Pie stared at Spike, her expression unreadable, and after only a few moments, beads of sweat began to form on the dragon's forehead.

Then, Pinkie just beamed and nodded. "All right. Just checking." Ruby's mouth dropped open, while Spike sighed in relief and continued chewing, and Pinkie Pie went about distributing the cotton candy amongst them as if nothing had happened. "Here you go." the pink mare said with remarkable enthusiasm when she gave the fluff of candy to Ruby. "You know, I saw you looking at the stall, and you had this look like you really, REALLY wanted cotton candy, so I thought I should get you some, and while I was there, I thought that I should get some for everypony. And Spike of course. Don't worry Spike, I'll hold on to it until you're done with my flugelhorn."

Spike's stuffed cheeks still made him look like a scaly hamster. "Eh... thanks?"

Pinkie Pie patted his head. "Aww, you're welcome lil' guy."

Ruby looked at the candy she was now holding in the crook of her fetlock, and she had to chuckle. "It's true, I was thinking about getting some. That's very considerate of you Pinkie. Thank you." Pinkie answered with a smile so radiant and full of warmth that Ruby couldn't help but emulate it. Then the pink mare tilted her head slightly to the left, before slowly raising a hoof to poke Ruby on the nose. Ruby raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Emerald, but her friend simply shrugged in confusion and then launched a savage assault on her own candy fluff.

"Personal space Pinkie. We talked about this," Twilight said through a mouthfull of candy, her tone slightly weary, suggesting that they had talked about it more than once.

Pinkie giggled. "Sorry," she said, without her voice or demeanor actually betraying any hint of remorse. "It's just..." She poked Ruby again, and let out another burst of giggles. "You are super, super shiny right now."

Rarity stepped up and gave both Ruby and Emerald a quick, scrutinizing look. "Now that she mentions it, you two do have a certain radiance about you. It looks quite becoming, if you don't mind my saying so."

Looking at Emerald, Ruby could tell what they were talking about. Her friend's green coat glittered like a gem, and her curly mane seemed to shine and flicker like green flames when she moved. With her splendorous armor, she could have looked absolutely awe-inspiring, but the effect was somewhat ruined by her currently burying her face in a wad of cotton candy that was almost as big as her head. For a short while, Ruby was perfectly content just watching Emerald like that. There was a simple, but deep sense of comfort in seeing her friend enjoy something like an ordinary piece of candy with so much enthusiasm. When Ruby let her eyes wander around the streets, she saw dozens of other crystal ponies, all of them just as sparkling and radiant as Emerald. 

With a happy sigh, Ruby took a few seconds to try and take in all the pleasant sounds, sights and smells around her. The music, the laughter, the bright and silvery sound of distant fanfares; the smell of sugar, cinnamon and roasted almonds; and all the happy, carefree faces. All of it added up to a deep feeling of joy that almost felt like the comfortable warmth of a lit fireplace. Ruby didn't even mind Pinkie Pie's strange behavior all that much, even though she would have considered it to be more than a little intrusive under different circumstances, and the warm feeling of happiness, as well as their mostly pleasant and friendly demeanor, had slowly melted away most of Ruby's initial intentions of keeping a certain distance to their guests. The Fair would do that to a pony.

Ruby nodded slowly. "It's all right. I am actually feeling pretty radiant right now. How about you Emerald?"

Emerald didn't even look up. "Can't talk. Eating."

Ruby grinned and took a sizable bite out of her own candy wad, before she went on to explain, "It's the Fair. It affects us in a lot of ways, some are just more noticeable than others."

Twilight's ears perked up at that. "Oh? That's quite interesting actually. I never really had the chance to get a first-hoof account of the effects the Crystal Fair has on crystal ponies." She quickly produced a pen and a small notebook from her saddlebags. "Would you describe it as a feeling of euphoria? Is it similar to the sensation of intoxication? No, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with something simple. If you had to describe the most important part about the Crystal Fair in one short sentence, how would you do it?"

That was a simple enough request, but to her own surprise, Ruby wasn't quite sure how to answer. She tipped a hoof against her chin as she pondered how she could put the things she felt into words. The warmth and joy she experienced were definitely a part of it, but on a deeper level, Ruby knew that there was something else about the Fair; something fundamentally important that allowed her to feel this way in the first place. But as much as she tried to narrow it down to something specific, she just could not put her hoof on it. "It feels... nice?" she finally said tentatively.

The pencil Twilight was holding in her magic grasp scratched over the paper for less than a full second. Her eyes never left Ruby, and her eager smile, as well as the still raised writing implement, made it clear she expected that Ruby would provide more elaboration.

"Really nice," Ruby added, after the silence had lasted just long enough to grow awkward.

Twilight's smile never faded. "Okay then," she said, drawing the first word out a touch longer than necessary.

"I'm really sorry," Ruby said. "I just don't know how to put it. I guess I never really thought about it."

Twilight quickly shook her head. "No, nonononono, don't be sorry. Honestly, I think I can work with this. It is..." There was only the briefest moment of hesitation before she continued, "A very solid foundation that will surely be very helpful to draw further conclusions once I have gathered some additional data."

"It's not being afraid."

Ruby's ears twitched when they picked up those words, as if confused by them. Because while the voice was as familiar to her as her own, the somber, quiet tone it had to it right now was something Ruby wasn't used to hearing very often. When she turned her head, Emerald was looking at Spike, who, despite being the last one to start eating, had already finished his own sugar treat. Emerald was currently offering him the rest of her own, and gently patted him on the head after he had accepted it with a few quick, but enthusiastically spoken words of thanks. The bright, fierce grin Ruby was so accustomed to seeing on her had changed into a more restraint smile that barely pulled the corners of her mouth apart, and yet touched every part of her face.

"That's what's at the heart of it, I think," Emerald continued. "Of course the Fair is all about having fun and being happy. But happiness, real happiness I mean, the kind that fills you with dizzying warmth from the tip of your nose right down to the end of your tail, until you just want to share that feeling with the whole world, that isn't something you can feel when you are afraid.” She paused, and it was as if a shadow had suddenly fallen on her face. “Fear is like a poison, Twilight. It gets under your skin, mixes with your blood, and every heartbeat spreads it through your body, until you are so sick and miserable that you cant feel anything else anymore." While she spoke, a frown had begun to form; first on her forehead, and by now, it had swallowed up the warm little smile she had displayed just moments earlier. Without really thinking about it, Ruby took a few steps to stand at Emerald's side, just close enough that her friend could be certain of her presence. Emerald seemed to grow a bit less tense, and leaned into the comforting closeness Ruby offered her. The other members of their group had fallen completely silent. Even Pinkie Pie didn't say anything.

"Emerald." Twilight's voice was full of sympathy, and she carelessly dropped both pen and paper to the ground while she walked up to place a hoof on Emerald's shoulder. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bring back painful memories. You really don't have to talk about it."

But Emerald shook her head, and Ruby saw how the beginning of a smile managed to fight its way back to her face. "It's all right Twilight. I want to talk about it. Because to me, that's what the Crystal Fair is all about. It's proof that we have won. Look around you, all those ponies enjoying themselves, having fun, not a care in the world. They can take comfort in all the wonderful, silly little things here, because they and their loved ones are free and protected, and they don't have to be frightened of anything. That's the most important thing. Knowing that you are safe, and there is nothing to be scared of."

Twilight was quiet for a few more seconds. Then she nodded. "That tells me a great deal Emerald. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," said Emerald. Then she glanced up at the sun and exclaimed cheerfully, "Now, look at the time. If we want to watch the tourney, we have to get moving pretty soon."

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "The tourney ground doesn't even open until more than an hour from now, Emerald."

"I know," Emerald said with a sigh. "I just want to get moving. Everypony is all serious now because of me, and I'm sure we'll find something fun to do on the way there."

"Sounds like a plan," Rainbow Dash agreed.

They got moving again, and for a little while, nopony spoke. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but Ruby still felt the need to say something, "You know, it's really weird when you're being serious like that."

Emerald chuckled quietly. "Yeah, well, I guess it's a good thing it doesn't happen too often."


* * *


Spike was absolutely beside himself with excitement. "Come on Twilight! One more picture!"

"I took seven pictures already Spike. I don't want to use up all of my photos."

Spike raised his little arms a bit higher in an attempt to emulate the pose of the massive crystal statue he was standing in front of as closely as possible. "I didn't get it right! Just one more, please?"

Twilight rolled her eyes, but the gesture was offset by the indulgent smirk on her face. "Oh, fine. One more."

Spike beamed and glanced over his shoulder to make a few final adjustments to his pose. At this point, the rest of the group had to have already spent several minutes waiting around for the little dragon to finish his photo shoot, but Ruby didn't really mind, and none of the others seemed to either. Watching the little guy get so ecstatic about the statue the Empire had erected in his honor was actually rather endearing. Besides, before they had shown the statue to him, they had already spent the better part of an hour browsing the Fair on their way to the great plaza where the tourney ground was located, so it seemed only fair to give the little guy a few minutes to enjoy this.

While Twilight's camera clicked and flashed, Rainbow Dash chuckled and poked Ruby in the side with her elbow. "You should really watch him once it's time for us to leave. He might try to take that thing with him."

"Hey, if he manages to smuggle it on the train without anypony noticing, I say he deserves to have it," Emerald said.

"Really?" Spike asked musingly as he walked up to them. He was already chewing on the gingerbread heart he had been using as a replacement for the giant Crystal Heart replica the statue held in its claws. "I guess it would look nice next to the library."

Ruby was just about to give a joking reply, when she heard a familiar voice behind her, “Ruby? Ruby, honey, so nice to meet you here.”

The sudden calling of her name gave Ruby pause. The voice sounded very familiar, but it was far too loud and enthusiastic to belong to the pony she was thinking of. Or so she thought. But, to her surprise and shock, when Ruby turned around, she saw Snowdrift walking towards her through the bustling throng of ponies on the plaza.

“Mother!” Ruby called out and quickly hurried towards the elderly mare, her duties as an official guide and escort momentarily forgotten. When she reached her, she put a reassuring hoof on her mother's shoulder and gave her a worried look. ”What are you doing here? Is everything all right? Did something happen?”

But to Ruby's surprise, her mother simply smiled and stroked her cheek, and when she answered, she sounded a little nervous, but also excited and, as Ruby noticed, actually quite happy, “No, I'm fine. I was just sitting at home, listening to all the wonderful sounds and noises of the fair” — as she talked, Snowdrift watched the joyful commotion that was going on all around her, and Ruby thought she saw a nostalgic glimmer in her eyes — “and then it came to me that it has been quite some time since I went out and just enjoyed the company of my fellow ponies. So I decided to go and do that.”

Ruby looked at the crowd that flowed around them like an ocean, and unwittingly pulled Snowdrift a little closer. “Are you sure that's a good idea? What if you get scared? You should have said something mother, I would have come with you.”

“I know that, sweetie,” Snowdrift said. “But this is something I wanted to do by myself. And I'm feeling fine. Better than fine, actually. I'm feeling wonderful.”

“And you look wonderful Snow.” Emerald approached them and gave Ruby's mother a tender smile. “It's so good to see you here.”

“Thank you Emerald. Good to see you too,” Snowdrift said. Then she hesitated and stretched her neck a little to get a better look at the small group waiting behind her daughter and her daughter's friend. Absentmindedly, Snowdrift snatched up the glasses she wore on a string around her neck, put them on her nose and squinted her eyes sharply in a effort to identify the ponies. After a few moments of intent staring, Snowdrifts eyes suddenly changed from tiny slits to wide orbs, and she raised a hoof to cover her mouth that had dropped open with the shock of sudden realization. “Oh no, I didn't... Ruby, I'm so sorry. And after you told me you were doing something important today. I just saw you standing here, and it completely slipped my mind.” She quickly bowed and tried to walk away, but was prevented from doing so by the hoof Ruby had still placed on her shoulder. “Please, pardon my intrusion miladies, I'll just take my leave.”

“Please, ma'am, that's really not necessary,” Twilight quickly reassured the older mare. Then she walked a little closer, put a hoof to her chest and politely inclined her head towards Ruby's mother. “I'm Twilight Sparkle.” While gradually pointing at each of her companions, she continued, “These are my friends, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Spike.” After finishing the quick introduction, Twilight turned back to Snowdrift and gave her a cheerful smile. “It's very nice to meet you.”

Snowdrift nervously fidgeted around with her glasses for a while while silently opening and closing her mouth. “I'm Snowdrift, your Highness, Ruby's mother. The pleasure is all mine.”

A fanfare was sounded close by, and Ruby saw two soldiers remove the beams blocking the wooden archway that marked the entry to the tourney ground. "We were about to to take our guests to the tourney, mother. Will you be fine on your own?"

“Thank you dear, I'm sure I will be,” Snowdrift said. “I was actually planning to go see the tourney as well. It's been so long since I've been there in the crowd, and I want to experience that again. So I'll be sitting in the bleachers today.” Just when Ruby was about to object, Snowdrift raised a hoof to silence her with a gentle, but insistent gesture. “Please, honey. Let me have this.”

Ruby wasn't comfortable with that, but she could tell that it would be pointless to argue. “All right mother. But if you feel unwell, promise that you will tell a guard to fetch me so I can get you home.”

Snowdrift sighed, tousled Ruby's short mane affectionately and gave her a little peck on the cheek. “I promise, dear. Please, don't worry so much about me.”

“I'm not worrying,” Ruby lied. “I'm just trying to take care of you.”

Her mother nodded, and for an instant, there was a hint of sadness reflected on the old mare's features. “I know. You always have.” Then she turned towards Twilight and her friends and bowed respectfully. “Miladies, Sir Spike. It was... I am very...” Long seconds passed while she stood there, seemingly at a loss for words. Ultimately, she stepped forward and gently put her front legs around the princess to pull her into an embrace. “Thank you. All of you, for everything you did for us.”

Twilight seemed a little staggered at first, but she quickly relaxed and returned the hug. “It's all right ma'am. We're just glad that we could help.”

“You did,” Snowdrift said as she pulled away. “You helped us all so much.” She quickly wiped her eyes and looked at Ruby. “Now, I should probably go before I embarrass you any further.”

“Don't say...” Ruby began, but her mother quickly interrupted her.

“I jest dear. Now, you youngsters have a wonderful time.” And with that, she turned around and walked away.

Twilight watched her leave, and after Snowdrift was out of earshot, Ruby said, “I hope she didn't make you feel uncomfortable Twilight. But what she said, it really came from the bottom of her heart. Seeing you all here must have stirred her emotions up a little.”

“Oh, don't worry Ruby. She didn't,” Twilight said. “I was just a little overwhelmed, that is all.”

“Really?” Emerald asked. “You should be used to ponies expressing their gratitude to you by now.”

“You'd think that,” Twilight said, “But it's actually a surprisingly rare occurrence. It seems like most of the time, ponies don't even remember who we are.”

Emerald gave her an incredulous look. “Huh. That's weird.”

“Tell me about it,” Twilight agreed. “But anyway, I thought it was very sweet of her, Ruby. Your mother seems like a charming pony.”

“True. Your old lady's a real sweetheart,” Applejack said. “You seemed a bit surprised to see her here though.”

“A little,” Ruby said. “Or a lot, actually. She has problems with crowds and noise. It brings back a lot of bad memories for her. I haven't seen her this relaxed with so many ponies around since...” She spent several seconds sifting through her memories, but came up with nothing. “I don't even remember.”

“She's getting better Ruby,” Emerald said while they all started to walk towards the tourney grounds. “That's a good thing. Listen to her and stop worrying so much. Who knows, next time you visit, she might even work up the courage to introduce you to her new coltfriend. He's a nice guy, rocks some really wicked tattoos. I think you'll like him.”

Ruby stopped right in the middle of taking a step and almost toppled over. She was so shocked, she couldn't even begin to come up with a reply.

“Ha!” Emerald called through an impish grin. “Got you!” But then, Ruby's reaction caused her to raise an eyebrow. “Wow, you're really freaking out over this.”

Ruby was wheezing as if she had just finished crossing the Frozen Plains in a dead gallop, and stood as stiff as a board. If Applejack hadn't had the presence of mind to step up and support her, she would have tipped over like a manikin.

“Never!” she finally managed to retch up. “Never do that ever Emerald! Sweet Harmony, I think I'm going to pass out.” It took her a few more seconds before she had pulled herself together enough to stand on her own volition again.
> Chapter 09: A Day at the Fair (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the tourney ground had opened up, ponies started flocking to the gateway, and it took Ruby and the others a while before they could pass through it. When they finally entered  the fenced-in area and started walking between the brightly colored tents that dotted the large field where the tourney was taking place, Rainbow Dash took to the air, an excited grin on her face. "All right! Let's get this started." Then she reached down to put a leg around Fluttershy's shoulders, and pulled her up until the other pegasus had to stand on her hind legs. "Shame that we're not in it this time around. I bet the two of us would blow the competition away like nothing." She looked at her friend and then gave her a light pat on the head. "Well, I would anyway."

Ruby frowned. "Actually, I don't think you..."

"You know what?" Rainbow Dash interrupted her. "I should totally join the joust. I mean, now that I am here, it would just be mean to not let those ponies witness my awesomeness. What do you guys think."

The frown on Ruby's face quickly deepened into a full-on scowl. "I think that is a horrible idea."

All heads turned towards her, and Ruby flinched as the realization of what she just said hit her. Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed, and it wasn't hard to pick up on the challenging undertone in her voice. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Twilight reacted faster than Ruby would have thought possible. Before any more rash words could tumble out of Ruby's mouth, Twilight stepped in and calmly said, "It's not supposed to mean anything Rainbow. It's just that when you and Fluttershy took over the joust, you did it for the first time. And you did a great job, but the ponies who are competing now have far more practice and experience. It just wouldn't be fair."

Rainbow Dash crossed her front legs before her chest and pouted. "Yeah, not fair to them. I'm sure I could pick up the basics easily enough."

"Maybe you should watch a couple of bouts before you make a decision." Emerald offered. "I was there and watched the performance you two put on.” She pointed at Ruby. “Both of us did, and we definitely had a lot of fun. But this time around, things work a bit differently from what you are used to."

Rainbow Dash let out a dissatisfied snort, but then shrugged. "Fine. I'll take a look." Then she glanced at a soldier that was walking past them and said, "I don't get why this is such a big deal anyway. We don't have competitions to see which guardspony is best at poking stuff with a spear."

Ruby could not completely hide the annoyance in her voice when she replied, "These tourneys aren't for guards or soldiers. Only knights have the necessary training and equipment to compete."

Rainbow scratched her head. "So they don't even get to play? That seems a bit unfair. So who was the first guy to say 'Okay everypony, this is how this goes: Knights over here, soldiers over there. Knights get all the cool armor and can hold regular competitions to see who is the most awesome. Soldiers get nothing'?"

"It's not like that, Rainbow," Ruby said. "Knighthood isn't something that just happens to you. I wasn't born a knight. Neither was Emerald. My parents weren't nobles, and even if they were, it wouldn't matter. I used to be a soldier before I received my accolade, and while a knighthood has many privileges, it is something you have to earn. You aren't just arbitrarily chosen for it."

"Oh," Rainbow Dash said, and she looked a lot more interested all of a sudden. "That sounds pretty cool, actually. It’s kind of like being a Wonderbolt!"

Ruby thought back to the short time she spent in Equestria since the Empire's return, but the term 'Wonderbolt' didn't ring any bells. “Maybe? I'm afraid I don't know what that is.”

Rainbow looked at Ruby as if she had just declared her ignorance of the existence of the sun. “What?!”

“They are kind of a big deal over there Ruby,” Emerald said in a tone of voice that wasn't quite as disbelieving, but still somewhat reproving. “They even compete in the Equestria Games.”

“It mystifies me that you would think that means anything to me,” Ruby said. Addressing the still baffled Rainbow, she continued, "Now, if you're actually interested in how the knightly tradition originally started, there is a legend about that. Many centuries ago, the crystal ponies had no Empire or even their own nation. Instead, they lived divided in small communities and clans, leading a harsh and unforgiving life..."

"Is there an abridged version?" Rainbow Dash asked.

Ruby glared at her. "Many moons ago. Our first queen, Grātia the Protector, fell in love and married a member of our tribe. She created the Crystal Heart, to make sure that the tribe of the one she loved would always be protected, and have a safe place to call its home. But because she sacrificed a lot of her own power to create the Heart, she named twenty warriors as her champions, who were sworn to not only protect the Heart, but every member of the tribe. Those were the first knights of the Empire. Except the Empire didn't exists at that point, but they were in spirit."

“I see,” Rainbow Dash said. "So, do you belief that's what actually happened?"

"Well, it's not like I was there," was Ruby's rather flippant answer. "But yes, I think that's what happened."

"I actually read some interesting things about that legend before we came here." When Ruby turned her head to face the speaker, she looked right at an eagerly grinning Twilight.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Of course you did." Then she let out a resigned sigh. "All right, go on."

"With pleasure," Twilight replied, apparently not the least bit upset by her friend's less than enthusiastic tone. "There are several independent contemporary sources that confirm this legend, so it's fairly likely that it happened the way Ruby said. But I believe the tradition of knighthood among the crystal pony tribe goes back even further than that. You see, crystal pony clans never had a lot of professional warriors. Life in the Frozen Plains was always hard, especially before the magic of the Crystal Heart made the area around the Crystal City reasonably temperate and arable, and crystal ponies don't have the same aptitude for agriculture as earth ponies do. As a result, significantly more ponies had to work a lot harder just to keep their communities fed.”

Rainbow Dash frowned and scratched her head. “Uh-huh. So, did I miss the part where this has anything to do with why they always had a smaller military?”

“It has everything to do with that Rainbow,” said Twilight. “You can't train ponies to be soldiers when they have to tend their fields for most of the year. That's why back in the day, before the crystal ponies united to form the Empire, leaders and chieftains usually only had a retinue of about five or six warriors who had no duties besides protecting the community and honing their combat skills. It seems the name for those ponies was horsecarls. They weren't knights in the modern sense of the word, but from what I've read, they had a lot of the same duties, as well as a very similar code of honor.”

Ruby had listened very attentively to Twilight's elaboration. “I have to admit, I can't say I heard of this before.”

Twilight shrugged. “That's not really surprising. It's ancient history, and I mean makes-the-royal-sisters-look-like-spring chickens ancient. When you go that far back, myth and fact start to blend together, until you can barely distinguish them any longer. Still, I think it's interesting to look at the things we have now, and try to figure out how we ended up with them.”

As they talked, they slowly traversed the maze of tents, stalls, and little stages where bards and puppeteers plied their trade, until they finally stepped into a large, open field with the jousting track and spectator seats at its center. The groundskeepers had evidently taken great care to prepare everything for today's competition; the tilt barrier that separated the competitors’ tracks was still glistening wet with fresh red paint, and the sand of the tracks was perfectly even and unmarred, aside from the rake marks where holes and mounds left by yesterday's competition had been smoothed out. The spectators who had already assembled were seated on the wooden benches of the bleachers that surrounded the jousting field, and their excited voices filled the air and blended together into a buzzing flurry of calls and murmurs. 

Compared to the other grandstands on the field, the royals stands were smaller, but also brightly painted and roofed by a canopy of colorful silk. They stood at the center of the tourney track, where the competing knights were most likely to break their lances against each other, so the occupants were guaranteed to have an very good view.

Ruby and the others approached the stands from behind, and Emerald walked up next to the steps leading up to the seating area. "After you," she said, while gesturing towards Twilight and the others to go ahead.

“Why, thank you, Emerald,” Twilight said, and she and her friends quickly moved up the wooden stairs. Ruby and Emerald followed close behind them.

There were twenty-four large, cushioned seats to choose from, twelve placed on either side of the currently vacant thrones that were reserved for the prince and princess. However, Ruby quickly noticed that one of the seats was already occupied and flanked by two Imperial knights. The mare sitting in it was currently watching the group of newcomers with obvious interest. She had the looks of a pony just entering her golden years; wrinkles and deep laugh lines were visible on her face, and while her aquamarine coat was no less bright and radiant than that of any younger crystal pony, her light blue mane was beginning to show streaks of silver-gray. She was wearing a richly embroidered robe made from purple velvet, and her mane and tail were fashioned into several dozen thin braids, which had gems and delicate wires of gold and silver woven into them. A simple diadem, made from a hair-thin silver chain and a small, drop-shaped diamond rested on her head.

Ruby and Emerald bowed their heads as soon as they saw her. “Forgive the sudden intrusion, my lady. We would have announced ourselves, but we didn't know that you were here,” Ruby said.

“No trouble at all, Dame Ruby Chip,” the elderly mare said. “In fact, I was hoping to run into our guests at some point, so I would say we can consider this chance meeting to be a lucky coincidence.” She hopped down from her seat and walked up to Twilight with quick, graceful steps, the hem of her robe brushing over the wooden boards with a soft whisper. After a few moments of silence, the mare began to frown, and then turned her head to look at one of her guards. “This is supposedly the point where you announce me, young man,” she said in a tone of voice that was halfway between mild annoyance and subdued amusement.

The addressed stallion flinched and blushed. “Of course, my lady. Begging your forgiveness,” he said hastily. Then his posture became ramrod straight, and his voice loud and official, “The Grand Duchess Mirror Shine; Head of the High Council of Nobles, High Lady of Diamondspire; Stewart of the Western Imperial Provinces.”

“There,” Mirror Shine said with a small smile. “That wasn't so hard, now was it?” Then she turned back to Twilight and bowed briefly. “Apologies, your Highness. Most of our knights earned their title fairly recently on the battlefield, and few of them ever received an education as pages or squires. Their valor and devotion are beyond question, to be sure, but certain social graces and some of the finer points of courtly protocol continue to elude them. I hope that you will not hold that against them.” She glanced at Ruby and Emerald with a smirk. “Especially considering your escort.”

“Of course not, my lady. I don't mind,” Twilight assured her.

“Very gracious of you,” Mirror Shine said. “Now, let me tell you that it is a great pleasure to finally get an opportunity to greet you as honored guests of the Empire, Princess Twilight Sparkle. You and your companions are most welcome here.”

“That's very kind of you, Grand Duchess,” Twilight said, following up her words with a slight inclination of her head. “And it is a pleasure to meet you as well. Cadance speaks very highly of you, it is a shame that we never had an opportunity to get introduced.”

Mirror Shine nodded. “Agreed, but I fear that is mostly outside of my control, since my duties keep me away from the capital more often than not.” She had made her way past Twilight at this point, and exchanged a few quick words of greeting with their other guests. When the turn came to Spike, she paused briefly, before gifting the little dragon with a warm smile. “My, that I would live to see the day where I can welcome a dragon as a hero and a friend of the Empire. The last time I conversed with one of your kind, I barely managed to get away with all my limbs.”

“Oh,” Spike said and scratched his head a little awkwardly. “Yeah, I guess dragons and ponies getting along is kinda rare. But I wouldn't do anything like that.”

Mirror Shine laughed, and gently stoked the scaly comb on the little dragon's head. “No, I don't believe you would. You seem like a perfectly gallant little gentleman. But we should take a seat. I can assure you, the cushions are a lot more comfortable than the floorboards.”

While Mirror Shine walked back to her seat and the Equestrians picked out chairs for themselves as well, Rarity addressed the Grand Duchess, “Excuse me, my lady? It doesn't surprise me that Twilight knows of you, she is very well connected here after all, but I'm afraid you have the rest of us at a disadvantage. I for one am not overly familiar with the Imperial nobility.”

“Oh, that's quite all right, my lady Rarity,” Mirror Shine said. “You see, dukes and duchesses are essentially stewards of the Imperial provinces, so my duties are mostly administrative. The title of Grand Duchess” – she paused, and although her expression remained perfectly composed, Ruby knew that it pained her to speak of it – “well, I'm afraid that one rings rather hollow these days. The stewards of our provinces would normally form the High Council of Nobles, and their duty would be to advise and assist the rulers of the Empire. Technically, I am the head of the Council at present, but leading an assembly that consists of only one mare is an empty honor, and it severely limits the amount of advise and support the council is able to offer.”

Rarity seemed confused at that. “Why aren't there more members on the council then?”

For a couple of seconds, Mirror Shine just stared straight ahead, but Ruby could tell that she wasn't actually looking at anything in that direction. “Not many of the Imperial high nobility are left,” Mirror Shine finally said. “Sombra did not want anyone within the Empire to be able to challenge or question his rule, and taking away our memories was apparently not sufficient for him to ensure that.”

Twilight's ears drooped slightly. “Yes, I heard... about how... I am very sorry, my lady,” she said quietly.

Mirror Shine glanced at Twilight, and when she saw the younger mare's sympathetic look, she gave her a friendly smile. “That is very kind of you to say, your Highness. Me and many other members of the council did not always see eye to eye, but none of them deserved such a fate.”

“How was your family spared?” Twilight asked.

Mirror Shine sighed. “The sad truth is that the tools Sombra used to hunt us down were of our own making. Because we were so terribly proud of your lineage, every noble house kept detailed records of their family tree. We wrote down every remote relative and every single connection to the royal bloodline, no matter how distant, old or unimportant. Copies of those records were kept within the palace, and when Sombra got a hold of them, well, it told him everything he needed to know. As for what saved my family, it was a fire, of all things. During the fighting in the palace, a portion of the royal archives was consumed by flames, and our records were among the documents that were destroyed.” She shook her head, as if to clear away the gloomy thoughts. “It will take the Imperial nobility decades to recover. But the important thing is that, thanks to Princess Cadance and all of you, we at least have the opportunity. All things considered, we are already much better off than we were just a few years ago.”

“How fares Diamondspire these days, my lady?” Emerald asked. "I hear your efforts to rebuild are finally starting to yield results."

“My efforts?" Mirror Shine asked with a raised eyebrow. "Emerald, you know ponies in my position don't do any actual work. We just point, nag and shout a lot, and then take credit for the work of others once they are done putting things in order. But it is true, the town is beginning to look quite lively again. The castle is still mostly a ruin, and seeing it like that isn't pleasant for me, but rebuilding roads and granaries takes priority over refurnishing my bedroom.” She chuckled quietly. “I still complain about it endlessly, of course. Such is the privilege of nobility. Apart from that, there are many things I am quite happy with. We should finally have a proper harvest this season, and our mines are creating enough of a surplus to trade for whatever we might still lack. Ruby, Emerald, you two should visit sometime when you can manage it. Who knows, I might even allow you to bring Malachite along.”

“Sounds lovely,” Emerald said. “I think Malachite would like the idea too.”

Mirror Shine laughed. “Oh, come now. We both know that is a lie.”

The sound of trumpets put a stop to their conversation, and drew the attention of the ponies and dragon in the royal stands towards the tourney field. A young crystal pony stallion was currently making his way to the center of the tracks. He was wearing a tunic made from blue silk with ornamental silver stitching around the hem, and a hat of the same color and material that had a slim red feather attached to it. He carried a scroll between his teeth, and a flugelhorn hung from a strap around his neck. Once he stood where everypony in the crowd could see him, he removed the scroll from his mouth, put the instrument to his lips, and played a quick sequence to ensure that he really had everyone's attention.

“Hear ye, hear ye,” he then called, while making a big show of holding up the scroll and letting it unroll. “Citizens of the Empire, honored guests from near and far. In the name of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shining Armor, let it be known that the second day of the Grand Crystal Fair Tourney has begun. The finest knights in service of our beloved nation have assembled here, so that they may test their mettle in honorable combat, and let you marvel at their skill and valor.” He paused, and the crowd began to cheer and stop their hooves, while more than a dozen trumpets played a short, but thunderous fanfare. “Let it furthermore be known that on this most joyous occasion, esteemed guests to which the Empire and its citizens owe a debt of gratitude are gracing us with their presence. And so it is with great joy that I welcome her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria, lady Fluttershy, lady Rainbow Dash, lady Pinky Pie, lady Rarity, lady Applejack, and Spike the Great and Glorious, heroes and treasured friends of the Empire.”

Ruby watched their guests as their names were called out, and their reactions were surprisingly diverse. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie simply smiled and waved at the cheering crowd, albeit with different degrees of decorum and enthusiasm. Fluttershy didn’t seem to be entirely comfortable with the attention, but she managed to at least gift the crowd with a nervous grin and a quick wave of her hoof. As if she was trying to make up for her friend's timidness, Rainbow Dash catapulted herself into the air with a powerful stroke of her wings as soon as she heard her name, and spent the next several seconds striking poses and triumphantly shaking her interlocked front hooves over her head. Spike was almost as enthusiastic as her, but since he lacked wings, he could only jump on the wooden balustrade to make sure he was visible to everyone. Still, seeing with how much gusto he kept waving both his arms around, Ruby wasn't sure if he might not take to the air anyway.

“May our brave competitors earn their favor, and may the pony most deserving win a glorious victory this day,” the herald continued.

Twilight and her friends had each chosen one of the comfortable seats, but Ruby and Emerald had simply sat down on the wooden floorboards just behind the princess. When Twilight noticed that they made no move to pick a chair for themselves, she gave them a slightly confused look. “Aren't you going to sit down?”

Ruby and Emerald exchanged a brief look that betrayed some degree of uncertainty. “Well, you and your friends visiting a tourney is actually a pretty big deal, Twilight,” Emerald said. “Normally, members of the Lance are allowed a seat in the royal stands, but as your escort, we're supposed to hang back a little, you know?”

“I see,” Twilight said and tapped her chin thoughtfully. “So, what if I made and official request for you to sit down properly, so we don't have to turn our heads every time one of us wants to talk to you?”

“Oh, I guess if you did, we could hardly say no. That'd be rude,” Emerald answered with a broad grin. “Right, Ruby?”

“I suppose so,” Ruby said with a quick, uncertain sidewards glance towards Mirror Shine.

The Duchess noticed Ruby's look, and immediately picked up on the thoughts behind it. “No need to stare at me like I might take offense at it, Ruby. Our guest made a request, and I would say it's only proper to comply with her wishes,” she said with a smirk.

That settled it, and while Ruby and Emerald stood up to choose a seat at the side of their honored guests, the duchess turned her head to address her guards. “I suppose if we are doing this, the two of you might as well sit down also. Plenty of chairs left, after all.”

The two stallions looked at each other. “If... it pleases you, my lady,” one of them answered carefully.

“That's what I just said, wasn't it?” Mirror Shine scolded. “And stop stammering like I might bite your head off any second, boy. What are our guest going to think of me if my own guard treats me like some viscous, fickle old dobbin?”

The stallion ducked his head until Ruby thought he might try to retreat into his armor like a tortoise. “Forgiveness, my lady. I never meant...”

Mirror Shine silenced him with nothing but a small hoofgesture. “Don't dig yourself any deeper, child. Just take a seat and enjoy the spectacle.”

Both of her guards nodded eagerly. “Of course, my lady. At once, my lady.” Then they swiftly walked away, and Ruby noticed that the seats they picked were quite far down the row of empty chairs.

“Why do you have to hassle the poor guys like that, my lady?” Emerald said with a chuckle.

“Ah, I can't help it," Mirror Shine said. "They get flustered so easily, and I find it rather charming. I guess I just want to make the most of it, before being in my service makes them so jaded my teasing no longer draws any reaction from them.”

While all of this was going on, an Imperial soldier unveiled the competitors board. It was a large, wooden frame, with twenty ornamented kite shields hanging on it in four horizontal rows. Each shield depicted the cutie mark of a competing knight, and Ruby studied them with interest.

“Wait, you're still in the listing today, Emerald?” she asked when she noticed a shield with the image of three blue down feathers. She knew that Emerald had been supposed to compete today, but seeing how they had other duties, Ruby had assumed her friend's place in the list had been taken by somepony else.

“I asked Malachite if it would be a problem,” Emerald said. “He told me it's all right, if our guests are fine with it.” She looked at Twilight. “Can you stand being left up here with Ruby for a spell when my turn comes?”

Twilight chuckled. “I think we can manage. Go ahead and compete, it's fine.”

The herald had retreated to the edge of the tourney track by now, and took a seat on a small wooden pedestal that gave him a good view of the field. “The lot has decided that our first competitor for the day is Sir Frost Grape the Unyielding, esteemed member of the Order of the Crystal Lance.”

Frost Grape came galloping onto the sand, and the tumultuous jubilation of the crowd almost drowned out the sound of trumpets that announced the knight's arrival. Frost Grape was wearing the typical heavy tourney harness with a very noticeably oversized left pauldron, and had a blue and white striped lance already fastened to his right side. He stopped in front of the royal stands to lower his lance in greeting to the Empire's guests and the Grand Duchess, before starting to leisurely canter around the field in a wide circle while waving at the crowd.

Rainbow Dash seemed a little confused by the knight's attire. “What's he wearing? That looks... really heavy.”

“Boy, is it ever,” said Emerald. “It's a tourney harness Rainbow. It's a lot more clunky than our regular armor, but since we don’t have to get anywhere in a hurry, that's not such a huge issue here, and it offers a lot more protection.”

“I guess.” Rainbow Dash gave Frost Grape an uncertain look. “But me and Fluttershy weren't wearing that. I think you guys might be doing this wrong.”

Emerald and Ruby glanced at each other.

“Yeah...” Emerald said.

Ruby cleared her throat. “You did a fine job back then, considering that you never saw an actual joust before.”

Emerald nodded eagerly. “Absolutely. And we had a great time watching it, even though you might have gotten a few minor details wrong.”

“The important thing is that nopony got seriously injured,” Ruby concluded, not noticing the disapproving glare Emerald shot her.

Fluttershy's ears dropped, and her eyes went wide. “I... injured?”

Ruby shrugged, still unaware that Emerald's eyes were trying to burn a hole through the back of her head. “Well, I'm just saying. With that light armor and your wings exposed like that, I guess you're both lucky you got away without a few cracked ribs or even a mangled wing. Also, I'm pretty sure you two were using war lances with a blunt tip, not proper tourney lances, and that's just a recipe for disaster.”

Rainbow Dash's wings unfurled, and she let out an agitated snort. “Hey! That's nonsense! I would never have involved Fluttershy if it were that dangerous. I saw pictures, we had a book and everything. I was totally doing everything by the book!”

“Literally,” Pinkie Pie threw in, seemingly oblivious to how heated the verbal exchange had become.

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Huh...? Wait, yeah! I was literally doing it by the book. Thanks, Pinkie.”

"Well, it still wasn't right," Ruby persisted. "I would have to see the book, but maybe the artist took some liberties, or it was showing squires during jousting practice. They usually wear lighter armor while they are still learning to aim their lances properly, and don’t put as much energy into their cha- hey!” Ruby flinched, and it was now her turn to stare angrily at Emerald, who had forgone subtlety and decided to just sharply poke the back of Ruby's head.

"Alright, Ruby. We are all very impressed that you know more about jousting than the ponies who did it once in their lives with no prior knowledge of how it works. You can stop rubbing it in now," Emerald whispered.

Rainbow Dash crossed her legs in front of her chest and stared at the ground with a sulky expression on her face. “Well, that's hardly my fault then if the stupid book got it wrong.”

“Calm down Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “Let's not get into an argument over this. You and Fluttershy did a good job, and everything worked out fine. Nopony can expect you to get every last detail right when doing something like this on such short notice.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Rainbow Dash mumbled.

“So, what exactly are the rules here?” Applejack asked, her tone so intently cheerful and curious that it was obvious she was trying to change the subject.

Emerald jumped at the opportunity. “The contenders tap their lance against the shield with the coat of arms of the knight they want to challenge. Then they face each other in three bouts to compete for points. Hitting your opponent's left pauldron is worth one point, hitting it hard enough to break your lance is worth two, and throwing your opponent to the ground gets you three. That's pretty much the gist of it.”

“Alright.” Applejack said. “Sounds straightforward enough.”

Frost Grape was standing in front of the competitors board now, and the crowd fell silent as every pony on the stands watched him expectantly, eager to learn whom the knight would chose as his first opponent. The stillness was once again replaced by frantic cheers as soon as the tip of Frost Grape's lance had touched the surface of a shield that was hanging in the upper right corner and depicted the image of a sundered length of chain.

“Sir Frost Grape the Unyielding challenges Dame Silver Mist,” the herald called when the crowd's excitement had died down.

Emerald pursed her lips and nodded slowly. “That should be interesting. Silver Mist is a fairly young knight, and she hasn't been in a lot of tourneys so far. But her technique is amazing.”

“She's good,” Ruby agreed. “But I doubt it will be enough. Frost Grape has about thirty pounds of muscle on her. She would have to land a heavy hit to even make him flinch. I say she makes it to the second bout at the most.”

At that moment, Silver Mist entered the field, welcomed by a blast of trumpets and the excited shouts of the crowd. Like Frost Grape had done, she stopped in front of the royal stand to greet the ponies and dragon sitting there with a dip of her lance, before galloping to the end of the track opposite to her waiting challenger.

Mirror Shine watched the young knight attentively. “I must admit, I did not have the pleasure of seeing Dame Silver Mist compete before today. But Sir Frost Grape is a formidable opponent by anypony's standards.”

The herald produced a small flag of red silk from behind his podium, and the ponies in the stands fell silent. Silver Mist and Frost Grape stood with lowered heads, their hooves eagerly pawing at the ground, and their tails whipping back and forth. Clasping the handle between his teeth, the herald raised the flag and let it linger high in the air for a couple of tense seconds, before bringing it down with a swift motion of his head.

Immediately, both knights dashed forward like arrows loosened from a bowstring. Each pounding step of their armored hooves kicked up small clouds of sand behind them while they flew across the tourney ground, their heads lowered, and the blunt, gleaming tips of their lances aimed at the flat surface of their opponent's pauldron.

“Oh my.” Rarity's voice was slightly shrill and shaky with excitement. “Isn't this just marvelou...”

Before she could finish, the two knights had closed the distance between each other, and both lances found their mark. The wooden shafts barely had time to bend, before they had to surrender to the tremendous force of impact and exploded into splinters. For a moment, the clangor of metal banging against metal and the cracking of splintering wood drowned out all other sounds, including the frantic cheering that had erupted from amidst the crowd as soon as the lances made contact. Frost Grape never broke his stride and galloped forward almost as if nothing had happened, but Silver Mist stumbled and swayed dangerously far to the left. Struggling against both the power of Frost Grape's strike and the energy of her own momentum, she desperately attempted to keep her hooves underneath her body, but there simply wasn't enough room for her to regain her balance before she crashed into the barrier that confined the tourney field. For the second time within the span of a few heartbeats, the dry snapping of breaking wood could be heard, and Silver Mist, having ultimately lost her fight against gravity, hit the ground with so much force that she spun over twice before finally coming to a halt.

From the corner of her eye, Ruby saw how Rarity's mouth paused its movement in the middle of forming the last syllable of the word that had almost been past her lips, and while it remained in that position, standing slightly agape, the rest of her expression quickly changed from excitement to shock. Ruby barely picked up a frightened squeal coming from Fluttershy, while astonished calls of 'Whoa!' and 'Holy Hayseed!' from Rainbow Dash and Applejack were much more noticeable.

“Told you,” Ruby said to Emerald.

Rarity remained speechless for a moment, before she pointed a slightly trembling hoof at the motionless Silver Mist. “Goodness gracious, is she hurt?”

“She's fine,” Emerald said. After several more seconds had passed without the slightest twitch from Silver Mist, she added, “Unconscious, but fine.” Then she sighed and shook her head. “Pity too. That was a great hit, but I guess you weren't that far off Ruby. Good technique, but not enough to make up for the weight difference.”

“I have to admit, I didn't imagine it would be quite this” — Rarity stared at Silver Mist, who was currently being loaded onto a stretcher — “violent. Are you quite sure she will be fine?”

“Absolutely. It really looks a lot worse than it is,” was Emeralds reassuring answer. “You take a tumble, the lights go out, and that's the worst that happens usually. Plenty of bruises and the like, but the armor is thick and has very heavy padding, and the lances are slender and made from soft wood so they break rather easily. This is supposed to be training for us and a spectacle for the crowd, we're not trying to kill each other.”

Rarity gulped nervously. “I shall take your word for it.”

“Serious accidents are quite rare, my lady Rarity,” Mirror Shine assured her. “Even back when I was competing, the worst thing that ever happened to me were a few slightly bruised ribs. And a much more severely bruised ego, of course, but even that probably did me some good in the long run.”

Rarity looked at the duchess. “You took part in a tourney, my lady?” she asked, not being able to conceal her surprise.

“Certainly,” Mirror Shine said. “Back when I was still young and foolish. Or perhaps foolish in different ways would be more accurate to say. Almost every Imperial noble tries their hoof at the joust at some point; it is much to glamorous and prestigious to resist. Fortunately, four tourneys in which I never made it past my first bout were enough to knock those silly notions out of my head for good, and I learned that I am much better suited for life at court. It can be a battlefield as well, but it is at least a battlefield where one can fight well groomed and wearing comfortable clothes.”

At this point, Silver Mist had been carried off the field. “Dame Silver Mist cannot continue,” the herald called. “Sir Frost Grape the Unyielding has won the day's first victory.”

Rainbow Dash didn't seem to share Rarity's reservations. “Ruby was right Fluttershy!” She said while tapping her friend on the shoulder. “We were doing it all wrong. This is way better!”

Fluttershy's voice didn't quite match her friend's enthusiasm. “Ehm... if you say so?”

Frost Grape waved at the cheering crowd, while a young soldier removed the remains of his lance and strapped a new one to his harness. This would normally be the duty of a squire, but like every current member of the Lance, Frost Grape didn't have one. It was rare that a young pony showed enough promise to be directly assigned to or chosen by a Knight of the Order, and whatever assistance they needed could usually be rendered by the palace staff.

A new lance fastened to his side, Frost Grape strode confidently towards the shields bearing the devices of the knights he had yet to face, and without the slightest hint of hesitation, he struck the image of a gold-rimmed magnifying glass.

Mirror Shine let out a quiet chuckle when she saw Frost Grape make his choice. “This should be interesting.”

“That's Malachite, isn't it?” Twilight asked. She had to speak fairly loud, since the crowd was going mad with excitement.

As if to answer her, the herald called, “Sir Frost Grape the Unyielding has challenged his brother in arms, Sir Malachite the Trollslayer.” His voice was nearly cracking with enthusiasm, despite his best efforts to remain levelheaded and unemotional.

“There you have it,” Ruby said. “Poor Frost is getting a bit cocky.”

Twilight gave her a questioning look. “Is he? I was going to ask you Ruby, and I don't want this to come across as disrespectful, because I'm sure Malachite is a skilled and accomplished servant of the Empire. It's just that after seeing this last match, well, isn't Malachite...”

“He's a bit of a shrimp,” Rainbow Dash said, and seemed a little puzzled when her comment drew a quick bark of laughter from Mirror Shine. Noticing the disapproving looks most of the other ponies were giving her, she defensively added, “Well, he is. No offense to the guy, but Fluttershy could probably push him over.”

“Oh no, I wouldn't do that. He seems like a really nice pony,” Fluttershy was quick to object.

“Please excuse Rainbow,” Twilight said. “But Malachite is a good deal smaller than Frost Grape, and weight and strength seem to be a major factor here. I'm just wondering if this is even fair. Is he allowed to use magic to make up for his other disadvantages?”

“I almost wish that was the case,” Ruby said. “It would be a lot less confounding if he was using magic, but Malachite is simply as slippery as an eel covered in butter.”

Twilight looked confused. “I'm afraid I don't follow.”

“What Ruby meant to say is that his technique is, well, flawless,” Emerald explained. “Malachite is good at noticing details. It's his talent. He knows exactly where to put his lance, and how to avoid the lance of his opponent. He's not unbeatable, one good hit and he pretty much goes flying, but I've seen him stomp through entire lists without anypony scoring more than a glancing blow on him.”

“Oh, I see,” Rarity said. “Skill and refinement of technique triumphing over brute strength. That is something I can get behind.”

Twilight nodded, but she still seemed a little skeptical. “I suppose.”

When Malachite entered the field, the first thing he did was trot towards the royal stands and bow his head to Twilight and her companions, and Ruby thought she noticed a very brief moment of hesitation when his head turned towards Mirror Shine. The helmet of his tourney armor had his horn completely encased in steel, so even if he wanted, he would not be able to use his magic.

Since the heavy headgear lacked a visor, he had to take it off to be able to address the Equestrians properly. “I am glad to see that you could find the time to attend the tourney, my ladies, Spike. I hope you enjoyed the spectacle so far.”

Then he turned to Mirror Shine and inclined his head slightly. “Grand Duchess.”

She returned the gesture. “Sir Malachite.”

After a few seconds of nervously fumbling around with his helmet and avoiding eye contact, Malachite said, “I wasn't aware that you would be attending the tourney today. Actually, I didn't even know you were in the city. A brief notification would have been appreciated.”

Mirror Shine raised an eyebrow at that. “Why, begging your pardon, Sir Malachite. I wasn't aware that I needed your approval before I can visit the capital or attend an official Imperial function. Clearly, a most foolish oversight on my part. It won't happen again.”

“That isn't what I meant, and I think you know that,” Malachite said defensively.

“Hmm. True,” Mirror Shine admitted. “Something else I know is that if I had announced myself, you would have volunteered to scout the northern mountains, or battle a flight of marauding dragons rather than stay here and exchange as much as three sentences with me.”

The normally perfectly composed Malachite looked extremely uncomfortable at this point, and as he glanced over at Twilight and her companions, he said, “I don't think this is the right time or place for such a conversation, would you not agree?”

“Yes, this is a rather awkward talk to have in front of guest, Malachite,” Mirror Shine said chidingly.

Malachite's face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. “I wasn't the one who started...” He swiftly bit his tongue and cleared his throat. Ignoring Mirror Shine completely now, he gave Twilight and the others one last nod, put his helmet back on, and briskly walked away, his sharply whipping tail still betraying his agitation.

Emerald had watched the scene like one might watch an artist creating a portrait. “You know, my lady, I don't know anypony else who can make him lose his temper like that. It's a privilege to see you work, and I hope one day, you will share your secrets with me.”

“How kind of you, Emerald,” Mirror Shine said. “But I'm afraid it's not something I can teach. The poor boy simply doesn't stand a chance. Family will do that to you.”

While the Equestrians watched the little squabble between Mirror Shine and Malachite, their faces had shown anything from amused interest to awkward confusion, but the duchess' last sentence seemed to instantly answer almost any question that had been on their minds.

“Ah, I see,” Rarity said eagerly. “You must be Malachite's mother then?”

Mirror Shine fixed Rarity with a disapproving gaze, and the other mare jumped a little. The duchess seemed slightly irritated, but Ruby knew her well enough to notice the mischievous glimmer in her light-gray eyes. “A rather telling assumption, my lady,” Mirror Shine said frostily. “But actually, I am his sister.”

Ruby had to admit, Rarity's reaction was quite the sight to behold. At first, she just looked slightly puzzled, but as the sheer magnitude of her faux pas was gradually sinking in, her expression soon changed to horrified and was swiftly moving towards panicked. Rarity threw a desperate glance towards the tourney track, but the competitors were just taking their places, and the herald made no move to start the bout just yet, and so Rarity began to frantically check her surroundings for something, anything, that would allow her to change the subject. What she finally settled on showed that her efforts had not been overly successful.

“My, I must say, these cushions are amazingly comfortable,” Rarity said as she poked at the pillows she was sitting on, her voice sounding a little shrill. “It's like they're stuffed with clouds.” Mirror Shine's eyes never moved away from her, and Ruby though she could see tiny droplets of sweat starting to form on Rarity's forehead. “You know, some brilliant pegasus tailor actually designed a fabric that makes it possible to stuff pillows with clouds. Marvelous idea. I have been trying to get my hooves on it for ages now, I imagine it would do wonders for my...”

Mirror Shine suddenly started to laugh, and leaned over to gently pat the unicorn's cheek. “It's all right, my lady. Forgive a silly old mare her little jape. No insult was perceived, I assure you; it is an understandable mistake to make. After all, there are more than forty years between us.” Rarity nodded, and her accelerated breathing began to slow down a little. Mirror Shine continued, “You see, we are actually half-siblings. Our father, the late Duke Diamond Cutter, was married six times during his long life, and well, let's just say the old goat managed to preserve his virility well into his twilight years. Malachite and I having sixteen other siblings is a testament to that.”

Rainbow Dash whistled through her teeth and poked Applejack with her elbow. “You think there might be a distant relation here, AJ?”

“Funny,” Applejack said with a roll of her eyes. “I know us Apples have a reputation for breeding like rabbits, but none of my kin have as much as eighteen young'uns.”

By now, Frost Grape and Malachite were finally in position, the murmuring from the crowd had died down to a low whisper, and the herald had raised his flag, ready to give the signal for the match to start. Ruby's eyes darted back and forth between her two fellow knights, their expressions concealed beneath their massive metal headwear, but their tense posture and frantically whipping tales betraying their eagerness to see the herald's flag descend. Despite the distance between the two, their difference in height and bulk was very noticeable, and Ruby could tell that Twilight still seemed a little uncertain about Malachite's chances.

The herald still held his flag raised high, and although utter silence had descended on the tourney ground by now, even a passing glance at the crowd revealed that the spectators were aquiver with anticipation; their eyes wide and unblinking, and, in their eagerness not to miss the slightest movement on the field, some of them leaned so far forward on their seats that they were in serious danger of toppling over. Ruby saw the herald's ears twitch, and immediately afterwards, the downwards movement of his head gave Malachite and Frost Grape the signal to begin their first bout.

Accompanied by the shouting and stomping that immediately erupted from amidst the eager crowd, the two knights dashed forward, and although Ruby had scarcely more than a few seconds to appreciate it, she nonetheless took note of how much Malachite and Frost Grape differed in movement and posture as they raced towards each other. Frost Grape's heavy steps struck the ground like hammer blows, kicking up a hailstorm of sand all around him and leaving deep indentations behind wherever his hooves had torn into the field. His lance was expertly aimed and leveled at Malachite's left pauldron, but since it could not help but emulate the powerful movements of its wielder, the tip of the weapon bobbed up and down and swayed left and right.

In contrast, the tip of Malachite's lance seemed almost still enough to balance an egg on it without much difficulty, and it never deviated more than an inch or two in any direction from the point where Malachite had decided it should strike. His movements and hoofsteps were a lot more graceful and controlled as well, to the point where it almost seemed as if his hooves barely touched the ground at all, and instead merely brushed against the sand to steer whatever force propelled his body in the right direction.

When the two knights met at the center of the field, both of them managed to strike their lances against the pauldron of their opponent. But while Malachite's weapon hit at the very center of Frost Grape's shoulder piece and immediately shattered into fragments, Frost Grape only managed to nick the edge of Malachite's pauldron, and his lance glanced of it without breaking. Neither of them was in any danger of taking a fall, but Malachite had won this round.

“A hit and a broken lance,” the herald announced. “Sir Malachite takes the lead, with two points against one.” A soldier marked the score on a board with a piece of chalk.

“Can I look?” Fluttershy asked, and Ruby only now noticed that the pegasus had turned her head away from the tourney field and covered her eyes with her right front leg.

“It's fine Fluttershy,” Twilight said. While her friend hesitantly ventured a peek and then sighed in relief, the princess turned to Ruby and asked, “How did he do that?”

“I wish I knew,” Ruby said and shrugged.

“Oh, don't make it sound so mystical Ruby, you know darn well that there isn't much of a trick to it,” Emerald scolded her before turning to Twilight. “There are ways to avoid your opponent's lance when you see it coming Twilight. If you pay attention to the way it moves and time your steps right, it might just fly past you altogether, and even if it hits, all you have to do is twist your body and your shoulder to the side just right to make it slide off your pauldron.”

“That sounds pretty easy actually,” Applejack said.

Emerald grinned. “Doesn't it? Problem is, you only have a couple of seconds to try and analyze your opponents movements, and even less time to react when their lance strikes you.” 

By now, Malachite and Frost Grape had once again taken a position at opposite sides of the field. Both of them were currently waiting to receive new lances, even though Frost Grapes lance was still intact. But to ensure that the weapon had not been cracked or damaged and thus would break more easily in the next round, lances were never used more than once. 

“It just happens way too fast to really think about it, so for most of us, it comes down to training and instinct,” Emerald continued. “Malachite, on the other hoof, he's a special case. Once he sees you take your first step on the sand, he reads you like a book. Try to dodge or feint, change your technique every round, alter your speed or the rhythm of your steps at the very last moment before your lance strikes him, doesn't matter. He just knows.”

Emerald fell silent when the sharp descent of the herald's flag announced the beginning of the second bout. Once again, Malachite broke his lance against Frost Grape's pauldron, but in addition, he managed to avoid the weapon of his fellow knight completely this time around, by ducking his shoulder underneath it just before it struck. Frost Grape began to grow visibly agitated, and while he waited to receive his new lance for the final round, he began to stomp his hooves and viciously paw at the ground.

“Looks like your friend is getting a tad bit frustrated down there,” Applejack noted.

“I can't really blame him,” Ruby said. “I know how he feels. It's infuriating to know that you only need one good hit to send that snip flying, but just can't get one in to save your life.”

“This goes by points, right?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That means it's pretty much over for Frost Grape now, isn't it?”

Emerald gave her a quick, confirming nod. “Pretty much. Unless Malachite gets knocked down like Silver Mist, but I don't really see that happening, especially since Frost Grape is really off his game at this point.”

True to Emeralds prediction, Frost Grape had lost his form during the final round. Ruby could tell that his vexation at Malachite's superior performance had gotten the better of him, and Malachite avoided his lance without much trouble, while the hit he received from him in turn made Frost Grape break his stride and take a few hasty steps to the side to recapture his balance.

“Oh, marvelous,” Rarity called while clapping her hooves together enthusiastically. “I have to admit, after witnessing that first contest, I was starting to have some doubts if this was truly going to be something I would enjoy, but this is exactly what I hoped for.”

The herald announced the final score, and while the crowd cheered and Frost Grape’s name was taken off the list, the two knights walked before the royal stands and removed their helmets.

With a voice that was somewhere between annoyance and genuine admiration, Frost Grape said to Malachite, “You could not even grant me one proper hit out of sheer pity?”

Malachite smiled and shook his head. “After I witnessed what you did to poor Silver? No, I'm afraid I wasn't willing to take that chance.”

“Such a shame,” Frost Grape said, before he bowed deeply in the direction of their guests. “Nonetheless, it was a great honor to demonstrate my skills to you. I only wish it could have lasted longer. But I hope you all enjoy the rest of the tourney.” He looked at Malachite and smirked. “I would wish you luck, but I don't think you'll need it.” Then he turned around and left the field.

“I think that went rather well,” Malachite declared.

“Quite so,” Mirror Shine confirmed, a barely visible, but unmistakably proud smile on her face. “Expertly done, Malachite.”

Malachite hesitated for a second, as if he was expecting her to say something else, but then he returned the smile and bowed his head. “Thank you, Mirror Shine.”

The duchess waved her hoof dismissively. “Credit where it's due, dear.”

“Of course,” Malachite chuckled, while his eyes lingered thoughtfully on the competitors board. “Now, who should I pick next I wonder?”

He shot a quick glance at Emerald and winked at her, before he started to canter towards the board to make his choice. A soldier hurried to bring him a new lance as he approached the board, and Malachite picked up the weapon with his magic as he passed him, twirled it over his head a few times, and then gently tapped it against the shield that carried the device of three blue down feathers.

“Aha!” Emerald shouted and jumped out of her seat. Almost every pony on the stands let out a startled gasp, but Ruby had expected something like this to happen and remained relatively calm. While the Equestrians were still reeling from her sudden outburst, Emerald put her front hooves on the wooden balustrade and called, “Big mistake, my friend! Today's the day, I can feel it!” Then she simply jumped down onto the sand of the tourney field and landed next to Malachite, who had already walked back from the competitors board. His calm demeanor and affable smile suggested that Emerald's boasting left him less than impressed.

Emerald pointed at him and narrowed her eyes. “Stay here. I'll go change.”

Malachite nodded. “I shall wait then.”

“Oh, you better,” Emerald said and ran off, almost stumbling a few times because she was already loosening the straps of her armor with her teeth..

“Huh,” Rainbow Dash said as she stared at the narrow alley between two bleachers where Emerald had disappeared from sight. “She really thinks she has your number.”

“Yes, it seems like she does. Perhaps I should be worried,” Malachite agreed, but neither his tone of voice nor his expression betrayed concern. He looked at Twilight and added, “Do not be fooled by her cheerful behavior, she can be quite fierce when she wants to be, your Highness.” He hesitated for a second and seemed to try and remember something. “No, wait. Earlier today, we agreed to forgo the titles, didn't we? I'm sorry Twilight, I'm afraid it must have slipped my mind.”

“Don't worry about it, Malachite,” Twilight said. “That was an impressive display just now.”

“Thank you,” Malachite said with a quick bow of his head. “I have to admit, I take no small amount of pride in my jousting skills.” He looked at Ruby and smiled. “From time to time, I think some of my comrades need a reminder that strength, when employed with finesse and wisdom, is a useful quality for a warrior to possess, but it will win you no battles on its own.”

“I really don't know why you look at me like that,” Ruby said. “I did beat you in the joust before.”

Malachite made a confirming gesture with his head that was somewhere between a nod and a bow. “That you did Ruby. I would never try and take that away from you. They were well deserved victories.” Despite those words, the content little smirk never left his lips, and after a quick pause he added, “Both of them.”

Ruby's eyes narrowed slightly, and her lips compressed into a thin line. “You are being particularly smug today, my friend. What gives?”

“Oh, no reason,” Malachite said with a shrug. “I am simply in a good mood. The day has treated me fairly well so far.”

“I hope you enjoyed the heck out of it then.” Emerald, now clad in a tourney harness instead of her richly ornamented ceremonial armor, had reemerged from one of the narrow passages between the wooden bleachers across the field, and was quickly trotting towards them. “Because let me tell you, it's all downhill from here.”

Applejack looked at Emerald and let out a hearty chuckle. “She talks a good game, at least.”

“Yes,” Malachite said. “I must say, her unshakable confidence is really starting to trouble me.” Once again, Ruby and the other ponies, and dragon, on the stands had to take his word for this, as his tone of voice still betrayed nothing but calm amusement. “But I suppose I will have to see things through.” He bowed to Spike and the ponies in front of him. “Wish me good fortune.”

Evidently, Emeralds patience was starting to wear thin. “I swear, if you flap that silver tongue of yours any harder, it will lift you off the ground and carry you away. Are you done flirting now, or do you need a few more minutes so you can keep trying to bag yourself a princess, you sly dog?”

Ruby saw a slight blush rise into Twilight's cheeks, but as per usual, Malachite didn't do Emerald the favor of being embarrassed by her teasing. “You wound me Emerald. To accuse me of such base motives, when all I am trying to do is show our guests the courtesy and respect that is due to them.” With a smirk and a wink he added, “Besides, you know that I have but eyes for thee, oh Emerald, fairest mare of them all.”

Ruby groaned. “Just... stop this, both of you. Listening to your nonsense is giving me a headache. Talk like this is why ponies speculate about the two of you.”

Malachite looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Ponies speculate about Emerald and me, do they now?”

Ruby was fairly certain the scowl she gave Malachite in response could have split a glacier in half, but her friend just countered it with a look of perfect innocence.

“Emerald?” Ruby said. “Please knock this cheeky nitwit off the field, would you?”

“Of course, honeyflank.” Emerald blew her a kiss. “Anything for you.”

“Don't do that!” Ruby called, but both Emerald and Malachite had already turned away and were now trotting towards their respective end of the tourney track. Ruby heard quiet snorting sounds around her, and when she tore her vengeful gaze away from Emerald, she saw seven ponies and a baby dragon who were all trying very hard not to laugh. “This isn't funny!” Ruby insisted, despite being presented with strong evidence to the contrary. She gestured towards the crowd of ponies surrounding the field, quite a few of them already busy giggling and whispering amongst each other. “They'll talk about this for weeks! You have no idea how annoying it is when ponies root for you to hook up with your friend for some weird reason.”

Mirror Shine gave Ruby one of the mischievous smiles that every pony closely acquainted with the duchess quickly learned to dread. “Well, if you don't mind me saying so, Ruby...”

“I do!” Ruby blurted out. “I mind. I mind very much, my lady. Begging your pardon.”

“My, how touchy you get,” Mirror Shine chuckled.

“Could we please just agree on this discussion being over?” Ruby pleaded.

“All right, sorry,” Twilight said while trying her best to stifle a few more bursts of amused giggles. “Emerald doesn't seem to mind, though.”

Ruby shook her head and grinned; her anger had evaporating as quickly as it had flared up. “No, she really doesn't. Things like that don't bother her. If I'm being completely honest, I've actually come to admire that about her.”

Twilight nodded. “The two of you are very close.” It clearly wasn't a question.

“Emerald is an insufferable doofus with severe delusions of humorousness,” Ruby said. “But yeah,” she quickly added in a much softer tone. “I've know Emerald for years, and she's pretty much my sister. We met way back when —“ Ruby paused and placed her half-raised front hoof back on her seat, resisting the urge to try and rub away the sudden, severe itching of her scars “— when things were a lot bleaker than they are now. It was hard, but we pulled each other through.” A soldier was trying to strap a lance to Emerald’s harness, a simple task that was made harder by her waving at the crowd with much more enthusiasm than was strictly necessary. Ruby watched the strange display and smiled tenderly. “I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her.”

She felt the light touch of a slim hoof on her shoulder. “It's good to have somepony like that,” Twilight said.

Ruby couldn't tell exactly what it was, but something about Twilight's words made her certain that it wasn't just an empty phrase, and that the other pony really, truly understood what Ruby was talking about.

By now. Malachite and Emerald were prepared and eager to begin. The crowd fell silent, and the herald raised his flag.

Ruby heard Twilight chuckle. “'Severe delusions of humorousness'?”

“Malachite came up with that,” Ruby admitted.

“I see,” Twilight said, and the herald's flag whipped down.
> Chapter 10: Shadows of the Past (Part 1)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Stop picking at it,” Ruby scolded when she saw Emerald poke her abused nose. “It just stopped bleeding.”

Emerald simply continued her prodding, while trying to focus both her eyes on the tip of her muzzle. “But it's all crooked! I don't care what the nurse says, I'm sure it's broken.”

“It's just a little swollen, you big baby,” Ruby said. Then she raised her hoof and carefully pressed the snow cone she had picked up from a nearby food stand against Emerald's nose. “Here, that should help.”

Emerald let out a startled squeal, but it quickly changed into an alleviated sigh. “Oh, that's wonderful. Thanks.” She took the frozen treat turned ice bag from Ruby and quickly lapped up some of the syrupy meltwater that was already starting to run down her nose. “No crystal berry?” she asked, seemingly a little disappointed.

“All out. Sorry,” Ruby said with a shrug. “The tourists apparently go crazy for it.”

“Ah well,” Emerald sighed. “Still something to sweeten my humiliating defeat just a little.”

“It wasn't so bad Emerald,” Ruby said. “You did well.”

“Yeah, it was sweet,” Rainbow Dash eagerly agreed. “I mean, you totally destroyed that railing. I think there are still splinters stuck in my mane. Really, it's surprising your face isn't messed up worse.”

Emerald stared blankly at the pegasus for several seconds. "You really know how to make a mare feel good about herself, Rainbow.”

In truth, Emerald’s involuntary demolition of a sizable length of the tourney ground enclosure had not been her most impressive feat during the match. She had actually scored two hits against Malachite and broken one of her lances, which was more than any other competitor had been able to do that day. And despite how much she was whining now, she had continued the match even after Malachite's strike in the second bout had made her trip and crash face-first into almost half a dozen wooden poles. Still, in the end, Malachite had won by points, and after that, he had swept away the rest of his opponents without much trouble. On the herald’s gentle instance, Twilight had taken it upon herself to officially declare Malachite the days victor, and now that the tourney had ended and the day was beginning to slowly fade into an early evening, their guests had decided that it was time to retire to the palace after biding goodby to the Grand Duchess.

The Fair would continue far into the night, so the streets were no less crowded than they had been before, but while the group of prestigious ponies and a prestigious baby dragon continued to draw curious looks from passersby, they still had no trouble getting to where they wanted to go. Ruby and Emerald knew the way, of course, but even a stranger with no knowledge of the city's layout could have found the palace without difficulty. Since it was located at the very center of the Crystal City, every major street led straight towards it, and its glittering keep was visible from every corner of the city, towering so high over the surrounding buildings that it almost seemed to touch the sky.

When they approached the palace plaza, Ruby felt the pleasant sensations of the Fair intensify, until the gentle feeling of warmth and joy spread outwards from her chest and stomach, and began to radiate through her entire body, pulsing softly in the rhythm of her heartbeat. Ruby let out a content sigh. She knew what brought about those feelings, and their origin came into view only a few moments later.

Suspended in mid air between two crystal spikes, the Crystal Heart was hovering in the middle of the sheltered palace plaza. Twenty fully armored Imperial knights stood guard around it, lead by a mare who waved enthusiastically at Ruby and Emerald as soon as she laid eyes on them, but when they got closer and she got a good look at the ponies and dragon accompanying the two, she quickly lowered her hoof, looking a bit sheepish.

“Your Highness. Spike the Great. My ladies,” she said as they approached, greeting each of them with a deep bow of her head, while the knights behind her kneeled respectfully. “I am Dame Morning Chill the Magpie. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope you have enjoyed your visit so far.”

“The pleasure is all ours,” Twilight said. “We've been having a wonderful...” She stopped abruptly and seemed to mentally backtrack to a few moments earlier. “Wait, 'the Magpie'?”

Rainbow Dash let out a startled gasp and wagged her hoof disapprovingly in Twilight's direction. “Twilight! Really now. Don't tease her.”

Twilight, apparently oblivious to the fact that she was the subject of some teasing herself, gave Rainbow a conscience-stricken look, before quickly turning back to Morning Chill. “I'm so sorry, I was just... what I meant to say is that it's... a really unique title. I was just thinking that there must be an incredibly heroic and interesting story behind it.”

“Good save, Twilight,” Applejack said. “Smooth as a shaved peach.”

Morning Chill chuckled nervously. “Well, it's interesting, but more embarrassing than heroic to be honest. It involves a keg of crystal berry schnapps, a dragon's hoard, and a really foolish drunken dare. My singed eyebrows grew back eventually after it was all over, but the nickname 'Magpie' stuck. When I joined the Order, I thought that I might as well make it official.”

Twilight visibly relaxed when Morning Chill gave no indication that she had taken serious offense. Rainbow Dash and Spike simply started giggling, while most of the other members of the group were trying to be more discreet about their amusement. Pinkie Pie was currently occupied elsewhere, cheerfully introducing herself to every single knight standing guard around the Crystal Heart.

“You're not supposed to tell that story to guests of state anymore,” Emerald said in a slightly nasal voice, before quickly licking some more half-melted sugar slush off her muzzle.

“I didn't tell the story, I barely summarized it,” Morning Chill objected. After taking a closer look at Emerald, she knit her brow in confusion and asked, “And anyway, why are you trying to stick a snow cone up your nose?”

“That is a silly question Morning Chill,” Emerald said without missing a beat. “I always eat my snow cones like this. What a silly pony you are to ask a silly question such as this.”

Morning Chill nodded. “I see. Malachite smashed up your face.”

“Gravity smashed up my face,” Emerald was quick to correct her. “Malachite just tricked it into doing all the work for him.”

That explanation drew a quick bout of laughter from Morning Chill. “Really? Well, he'll be relieving me shortly, I have to remember to ask him how he managed to do that.”

With a roll of her eyes, Emerald turned to Twilight. “I think we should go. She'll just keep making fun of me, and she might really embarrass herself while she's trying to be witty.”

“But I'm really curious about that story now!” Rainbow complained.

Morning Chill winked at her. “I'm certain we can make an exception just this once, but it takes a while to tell. How about this: You and your friends try to come up with your own version, and when we manage to find the time, we'll compare them to see which one is more interesting.”

Rainbow Dash thought about that suggestion for a moment, then nodded. “All right. Sounds good.”

“I suppose that means we will be meeting again Dame Morning Chill,” Twilight said. “I'm looking forward to it.”

“Likewise, your highness. And I hope you and your companions continue to enjoy your stay,” Morning Chill said as she bowed her head.

While they were walking away from the Heart and the group of knights, Ruby noticed how Twilight seemed to watch both her and Emerald very closely. “Is something wrong, Twilight?”

Twilight's lips shifted into a slightly embarrassed grin. “I didn't mean to stare, sorry. It's just remarkable to see what the Heart does to you when you're this close.”

Ruby glanced at Emerald. She was familiar with the changes the Heart brought about in them, but it was true that they became much more noticeable when they were near it. Emerald's green coat had become shiny enough to almost look translucent, and her eyes seemed so radiant and bright that Ruby could have sworn they were faintly glowing with their own light. But as intriguing as those outward changes were, they were merely a quaint little phenomenon compared to the emotional effect the Heart had on them while they were this close. Every heartbeat sent a wave of warm and joyous energy through Ruby's body, and the sheer intensity of it was almost enough to make her feel lightheaded.

“You really don't feel anything at all?” Ruby asked.

Twilight shook her head. “No. I can feel that the Heart is a tremendously powerful source of magic, but that's all. Even when it turned its power against Sombra, it affected our appearance in much the same way as it does yours, but it didn't connect with us on a deeper level than that.” While they approached the palace gates, Twilight turned her head to take another long look at the Crystal Heart. “It's kind of a shame, really. I would love to know what it feels like.”

“What exactly does the thing do anyway? It always seemed a little dangerous to me, to be honest,” Applajack asked. “I mean, it shoots out force fields and makes ne'er-do-wells explode, but you also make it the main attraction of this giant party. If I had some ancient magic superweapon, I wouldn't put it square in the middle of a hoedown so ponies can walk up and gawk at it.”

They had passed the massive entry gates of the palace by now, and were now traversing its vaulting halls and glittering corridors. It was easy to get lost in the maze of hallways, stairs and magically lit indoor gardens, but Ruby knew the layout well enough to lead the way and still carry a conversation. “The heart does have ways to protect itself, apart from the guards we place when we take it into public. Overcoming those defenses is not impossible, but it would take time and a lot of power to do so. As for how it works, it seems to be pretty straightforward as I understand it. The Heart strengthens our positive emotions, and draws its power from them.”

Rainbow Dash's ears perked up, and she tore her eyes away from the mirroring surface of a polished wall that she had used to make faces at herself as she flew past it. “Wait, what? Are you saying the thing sucks out your emotions? That sounds... bad. Evil bad.”

“No Rainbow, that's not what that means,” Twilight said, but then she hesitated and gave Ruby and Emerald an inquiring look. “May I? I did quite a bit of research on this, but maybe you'd rather explain it.”

Ruby answered with a shrug and a smirk. “That was my explanation, to be honest. Every Imperial citizen knows the basic principle of how the Heart works, but I suspect your research was a little more in depth than what they teach us in school. I think I'd actually like to hear what you have to say about it.”

Twilight beamed at her, and Ruby thought that she had never seen a pony so thrilled by the simple prospect of sharing her knowledge with someone. “Wonderful!” Faster than Ruby's eyes could follow, Twilight's saddle bags opened, and several small notebooks and stacks of papers where magically pulled out of them. The princess took a couple of seconds to flip through those notes as they slowly circled around her head, before she continued, ”Now, Equestrian scholars have learned and rediscovered many things about the Empire in recent years, but how exactly the Heart works still isn't completely understood. It has something to do with how the inherent magic of crystal ponies manifests itself, that much seems certain. Crystal ponies have a very strong connection to the harmonious energies of our world, and some scholars even think that their tribe's origins could be linked to the Tree of Harmony in some way. But there is no hard evidence to support those speculations.”

Rainbow Dash sighed when she realized that this was probably going to be an extensive lecture, but she seemed to listen with at least some amount of interest.

The notes were still steadily rotating through Twilight's field of vision, and she seemed to simultaneously scan several of them at any given time while she talked. “Whatever the reason may be, fact is that crystal ponies can generate harmonious or disharmonious energy when they experience extremely positive or negative emotions. It's not something they control, not any more than we control whether or not we generate body heat, and normally, those energies disperse and eventually become part of the underlying magic currents that subtly shape and shift our world towards either a state of harmony or chaos.”

Applejack raised her hoof. “Hold on, that there sounds a tad bit important. Does that mean a crystal pony makes the world a better place just by being happy? And the other way around?”

“Individually, the effect is neglectable,” Twilight said. “And even for that, the emotions have to be very intense. Just having a nice day or feeling a bit sad or grumpy won't do anything. But a lot of crystal ponies being mostly very happy or extremely miserable over a long period of time can change the balance of the harmonious and disruptive energies that influence the world, yes.”

Applejack looked at Ruby and whistled through her teeth. “That's heavy stuff.”

“No kidding!” Pinkie Pie agreed. “If you guys being happy is so super important, I should visit here more often.”

Emerald laughed. Her improvised icepack had been completely consumed or simply melted away at this point, but the swelling of her nose had gone back considerably as well. “Don't feel obligated Pinkie. But by all means, you can come by any time you want.”

Pinkie was evidently very pleased to hear that, but Ruby couldn't help but wonder if extending such an unspecific and unconditional invitation to the pink mare was a good idea. After some of the things she had witnessed during the day, Ruby wouldn't put it past Pinkie to simply burst out of a kitchen cupboard or a sock drawer one day.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Anyway, what Ruby said is basically correct. The Heart amplifies the positive emotions of crystal ponies around it, absorbs the harmonious energies they create, and forms them into the enchantments that shelter and protect the Crystal City. However, there seem to be certain limits to what it can do. It cannot create or implant positive emotions, for example. If somepony approached it while being too terrified or miserable to feel anything else, it probably wouldn't affect them at all. That's why the Crystal Fair is so important. You have to get everypony in the city into a joyous and happy mood, so the Heart has positive emotions it can strengthen.” Twilight raised her head and smiled proudly. Then she looked around, and only now realized that they had stopped walking a while ago, and were now standing in the middle of a broad hallway that was opulently decorated with statues in various heroic poses, thick carpets, and silken tapestries throughout its entire length. “Oh. Are we there already? That was fast.”

“No, not really,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well then, these are your rooms,” Emerald said while pointing at the row of doors to her right. “I think you have about two hours until your welcoming ceremony starts. Your luggage should already be inside. If you need anything, or if there's anything we can help you with, just call. Not literally, I mean, if you stick your head out of the door and shout, we probably won't hear you, but you can ring for the palace staff, they definitely know where to find us. We'll be here to fetch you in time for your ceremony.”

Twilight was about to say something, but then her ears perked up and she turned her head to look down the hallway. Ruby quickly understood why, when she picked up the sound of a familiar voice from around the corner at the end of the corridor.

“All right. What if we just take some of the materials from the construction site over here and use them there?”

“Then, your Majesty, we would have two unfinished buildings and two teams of athletes without a proper roof over their heads, instead of one, which is causing enough trouble already. So we would be solving precisely none of the problems we currently have, and would, in fact, just create additional ones,” answered a second voice that Ruby couldn't place.

“See, that's the kind of sensible advice and keen insight we are paying you for, Corner Stone. Let's not do that then.” Immediately after that sentence was finished, Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and a stallion Ruby didn't recognize rounded the corner and walked towards Ruby and the others.

At least Ruby assumed that is was the Prince and Princess. She had recognized Shining Armors voice, and she thought she recognized his and Cadance's legs – in the latter case, the golden slip-on shoes were a good indicator – but since everything else was hidden behind the giant map the three ponies were carrying with them, Ruby couldn't be absolutely certain.

Twilight's face lit up with joy as soon as the three ponies came into view. “Cadance! Shining!”

“Twily?” came Shining Armor's voice from behind the map, before the thick paper was folded down to reveal the surprised but happy faces of Cadance and the Prince, plus the indifferent face of a crystal pony stallion with thick glasses on his nose and a pencil hanging from a string around his neck.

The map was quickly discarded and carelessly dropped on the floor, and the royal couple simply stepped over it as they hurried towards Twilight, who in turn started running to meet the two half way.

The stallion remained standing where he was, and just looked at the crumpled map lying on the floor in front of him with a stoic expression. “That is the original construction plan. Not a copy. I just thought that fact might be worth mentioning again, your Majesties.”

But the Prince and Princess were presently occupied with more important things. Twilight had already thrown herself at her brother in a move that was somewhere between a hug and a tackle, and he returned her embrace with equal enthusiasm. Then Twilight turned to Cadance, and the two of them crouched down with their front legs and began to chant, “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake...”

Ruby tilted her head slightly as she watched the curious display that followed. “Huh,” was all she could think to say.

Emerald seemed equally baffled. “And here I thought that was just a really, really weird rumor the palace staff came up with. Now I can truthfully say that I saw two alicorn princesses shake their butts at each other.”

“No!” Ruby said and turned her head to look at Emerald with wide and panicked eyes. “You absolutely cannot say that! Not to anyone! That's a horrible sentence to use completely out of context!”

Emerald's face twisted into an almost manic grin. “I think it's the absolute best kind of sentence to use completely out of context.”

“Boy, it's so good to see you all,” Shining Armor said after everypony had exchanged greetings with him and Cadance. Ruby and Emerald remained at a short distance, so as not to seem intrusive. “I really wish we could take more time for you right now, but we still have a lot to take care of at the moment.”

Twilight looked a little concerned. “Is something wrong, Shining?”

The prince grimaced and shook his head. “Just the usual stuff. A lot to organize, time getting short, that sort of thing. Some of the athletes' quarters still aren't finished, and we've run out of building materials at the worst possible time. We should have gotten a large shipment two days ago, but it must have been delayed somehow. You wouldn't believe how hard it can be to transport things between the capital and our smaller towns and settlements up here.”

“I see,” Twilight said. “Well, if I can do anything to help...”

Shining Armor tousled her mane with a hoof and smiled. “I got it covered sis. But thanks. We'll talk more after the official welcome this evening, we made sure to set aside some time for all of you.”

Shining Armor turned around to pick the map back up, and the other stallion immediately continued the conversation from earlier. Cadance was about to join them, but then she seemed to think of something else. “Oh, Twilight? I have a quick question about that scrying spell you taught me.”

Twilight gave her an eager nod. “Of course. Did everything work? Was it helpful?”

“That would be an understatement. It helped me avoid a major crisis,” Cadance said, eliciting a proud smile from Twilight. “And it worked perfectly almost every time, but for the last two weeks or so, whenever I tried to cast it, I either can't get it to focus on the things or places I want to see, or it just gives me a garbled mess of sounds and images that I can't make heads or tails of.”

Twilight was stroking her chin and frowning thoughtfully. “What are you using as a focus?”

“Just a simple plate of polished silver,” said Cadance.

Twilight nodded. “I'll take a look at it later. If there are impurities in the metal, it can happen that some of the spell's energy lingers in the focus even after you dismiss it, and after a while, that can start to interfere with casting attempts. Don't worry, that's not hard to fix.”

“Thank you Twilight. You're a treasure,” Cadance said with a smile.

“Your Majesty? I don't mean to interrupt, but I really think you should be a part of this conversation, and we still have to inspect the construction site,” the crystal pony next to Shining Armor said.

Cadance sighed and gave Twilight and the others an apologetic look. “We'll talk later. Promised.” With a sidewards glance at Ruby and Emerald, she cheerfully added, “You take good care of them, all right?” Then she rejoined Shining Armor and the other stallion behind the construction plan, and the three of them walked past Ruby and the others and soon disappeared behind a corner.

“Well then,” Emerald said. “I think for now, Ruby and I will take our leave as well. Again, if there's anything we can do for you, just send for us, we won't be very far away at any given time. And we'll make sure to be back here to pick you up.”

“Thank you, Emerald,” Twilight said. “And thank you, Ruby. We've had a really great time so far. See you soon.”

“Not a problem,” Emerald said.

Ruby bowed her head and added, “It's our pleasure.”

The other ponies and Spike exchanged some quick, but genuine words of thanks with the two knights as well, and afterwards, Ruby and Emerald walked down the hallway and began to traverse the winding corridors of the palace towards the living quarters of the Crystal Lance.

“That wasn't at all like I expected it to be,” Ruby said after they had walked besides each other for a few minutes.

“They're a unique bunch, that's for sure,” Emerald agreed. “Pinkie is... boy, I don't even know what to say about her. But they're great to be around. I really enjoyed it.”

“I hope they did, too.” Ruby said. “But the yellow one barely said anything. I'm afraid she wasn't really taken in by the Fair.”

“Fluttershy?”

“Yeah, her.”

Emerald shook her head with enough vigor to make her shining green locks fly from side to side. “I see how you could get that impression, but I think she's just the quiet type. I actually managed to strike up a conversation with her at the petting zoo. Pretty one-sided at first, but once I got her talking about animals and the critters she has at home, she turned into a true chatterbox. Well, relatively speaking. From what I can tell, she's a real sweetheart.”

Ruby shrugged. “I guess. Most of them are a bit weird, but overall, they seem to be really pleasant ponies. Well, Rainbow Dash can be a bit grating. I don't think I've ever met a pony that was so full of herself.”

“Ha!” Emerald burst out.

Ruby flinched and looked at her friend in confusion. “What was that?”

Emerald had a broad grin plastered on her face, and seemed to barely hold in a fit of laughter. “Nothing. You're right, it can be so annoying when a pony has such a high opinion of herself. Truer words were never spoken.”

It took a few seconds before Ruby's brain went click.

“Hey!” she yelled angrily. “I'm not like that!”

“Never said you were,” Emerald said and quickened her steps to get ahead of Ruby.

“Emerald!” Ruby called after her. “Emerald, don't you dare make such baseless accusations and then try to walk away from me! Emerald!”


* * *


Twilight was rapping her hoof against the closed guest room door, like she had done several times during the last five minutes, and her knocking had grown increasingly insistent. “Rarity! Are you finished by any chance? Everypony is waiting for you.”

“Be out in a minute darling,” Rarity answered through the door, her voice a cheerful lilt despite Twilight's obvious annoyance.

Twilight stomped her hooves and let out a frustrated groan. “Your said that four minutes ago! We are going to be late!”

“No worries Twilight, I assure you that we“ – Ruby heard the voice approach the door, and then the lock clicked and Rarity poked her head out – “ won't be. All done.”

Ruby barely repressed the urge to let out a relieved sigh. About time.

To Rarity's credit, the results of the time she spent preparing were noticeable even to Ruby, who normally didn't pay much attention to such things. Her mane was neatly tied into a bun and secured with gem-encrusted silver needles, and she had donned a long, flowing dress made from light blue silk. Add to that a bit of tastefully applied makeup, and Ruby had no problem admitting that all of it accentuated the unicorn's natural beauty quite effectively. She just couldn't fathom why in Tartarus preparing like that took Rarity longer than it took Ruby putting on her armor.

Rarity looked at the group of annoyed ponies – explicitly just ponies, as Spike seemed more than willing to grant her as much time as she needed, and didn't seem impatient at all – waiting in front of her door, and she put on a confused frown. “Wait, why are none of you dressed?”

“I told you, it's not going to be a huge thing,” Twilight said. “I specifically asked Shining to keep it simple.”

Rarity pursed her lips and gave her friend a slightly indignant look. “Well, it's still an official state welcome. You will excuse me for trying to make myself presentable.” Then she took a few seconds to contemplate her current attire, before letting out a heavy sigh. “Great. Now I'm completely overdressed. I will have to change.”

Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed. “Rarity, if you go back into that room, I will kick the door down and drag you out by your tail.” Then she pointed at Ruby Chip and Emerald Breeze. “Just stand next to them. They're wearing a princess' ransom worth of gold and jewels glued to their armor, you can only look tame by comparison.”

Emerald chuckled. “We are helping in ways I never even anticipated.”

After a moment of consideration, Rarity nodded. “Yes, that should work. Very well, let us go.” Then she finally left the room, and they started moving down the hallway. While they were hurrying through the palace, Ruby noticed that Rarity did indeed try to stay fairly close to her and Emerald.

“I hope it's not too much of a hassle?” the unicorn asked when she saw Ruby looking at her.

Emerald gave Rarity's shoulder a playful nudge with her hoof. “No worries my lady Rarity. I swear on my sparkly, gem-encrusted chest plate, we will stand by your side and valiantly protect you from the terrible fate of looking overdressed.”

Rarity flinched a little, and immediately used her magic to smooth out the tiny wrinkle Emerald's hoof had left in the cloth of her attire. “Oh, please, watch the dress. The fabric is extremely delicate. But your support is very much appreciated.”

Emerald was about to say something in return, but right after she opened her mouth, the loud and booming sound of a large bell started to echo through the hall they were currently walking through.

Rainbow Dash frowned and looked up, as if the source of the sound could be found at the room's ceiling. “What's that?”

Ruby and Emerald froze and exchanged a quick look as soon as the first ring of the bell reached their ears.

“Library?” Emerald asked.

Ruby shook her head. “Too big, and too many entries. Small ballroom. A little further away, but it only has two doors and enough furniture to barricade.”

“All right,” Emerald said. Then she turned to Twilight, “Follow us. I'll explain while we walk.”

The high, circular room they were currently in had about a dozen hallways leading out of it, and Ruby and Emerald turned right and headed for a different doorway than the one they had been approaching a few seconds earlier. The serious tone of Emerald's voice made Twilight's ears twitch nervously, and she exchanged several worried looks with her friends. Nonetheless, she broke into a quick canter to catch up with the two knights. “Why? What's wrong?”

“We don't know,” Ruby said. “But that bell is an alarm. Actually, it's the alarm, the one that can be heard all over the city. So whatever is going on, it might be something big.”

Twilight stopped abruptly. “Wait, if it is that serious, shouldn't we try to help? Cadance and my brother could be in trouble. We need to find out what's happening.”

Emerald turned around and walked up to the worried looking alicorn. “We will, Twilight. But Ruby and I are responsible for you, and we can't just walk into this blind; not without making sure that you and your friends are safe. Once that's done, I promise we will try to find out more. Don't worry, Cadance and Shining Armor are almost constantly surrounded by knights and soldiers. They are as well protected as anypony in this palace can possibly be.”

Rainbow Dash had joined the rest of them on the ground when the bell started ringing, but now, perhaps unconsciously, she unfurled her wings again and started beating the air with quick, agitated strokes. “No way! If there's trouble out there, I'm not hiding from it!”

Ruby had to exert serious self control to not stomp her hoof in anger. “Rainbow...”

The pegasus cut her off, “No, listen. I appreciate what you're trying to do and all, but I don't need anyone to fillysit me. I can take care of myself.”

“I believe you.”

Ruby closed her mouth, after she had just opened it to give the multicolored fool a piece of her mind, and glanced at Emerald, who had currently fixed her eyes on Rainbow Dash. “You are a very capable pony, Rainbow. I don't doubt that. So I could really use your help getting your friends someplace safe. Could you please do that for me?”

That gave the other mare some pause. She looked at the other members of their group, and Ruby thought her eyes lingered slightly longer on Fluttershy, who was looking rather pale and nervous, despite her best efforts to put on a brave face.

Finally, Rainbow Dash groaned and nodded. “Fine. But once that's done and you go to check what's happening, I'm coming, too.”

Emerald didn't argue about the last part, but she made a point of not acknowledging it either. “This way,” she said instead, and headed down the corridor with Ruby walking at her side in silence. For a while, the ringing of the bell was the only sound apart from their hurried hoofsteps. Ruby listened closely for any suspicious sound, and hoped that her face would not betray the worries that occupied her mind at the moment. Of course, Emerald noticed regardless.

“What's wrong, Ruby?” she asked in a concerned whisper.

Ruby jumped a little at the unsuspected question. “My mother was at the Fair today,” she then said, quiet enough that she was certain only Emerald would hear her.

“It's pretty late. She probably went home hours ago,” Emerald said, trying her best to sound reassuring.

Ruby didn't look convinced, but gave Emerald a slow nod. “Probably.”

“We'll check on her first chance we get,” Emerald said, and put a leg around Ruby's shoulder to give her a comforting squeeze. “But we have to know what's going on first.”

Ruby nodded again, with a bit more conviction than before. Of course Emerald was right. But that didn't make the tight knot in her stomach unravel.

The small ballroom was locked, but as members of the Lance, both Ruby and Emerald had a key that fit most doors within the palace, and Ruby quickly unlocked it and entered. Several crystal lamps illuminated the room, and the polished dance floor at the center reflected their light like a mirror. A couple of tables and several cushy chairs where the only pieces of furniture, and apart from that, the room was empty.

After Ruby gestured to the others to follow her inside, she walked over to the second door, and, when she found it locked as well, pushed a heavy table in front for good measure. Emerald closed the other door behind her and locked it, leaving her key in the lock when she walked to the middle of the room to join the rest of the group.

“All right,” Rainbow Dash said. “Everypony is safe. Now, who's coming with me to see what's going on?”

“I'm going. You are not leaving this room,” Ruby said.

Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “Wanna bet?”

Ruby was about to answer, when she saw Emerald shift uncomfortably and glance towards the entrance they just came through.

“Emerald, is something wrong?” Ruby asked.

Her friend shrugged, and her eyes never left the entrance door. “I don't know. I just thought I heard something.”

Before the last word was fully past her lips, the door was torn off its hinges and catapulted through the entire length of the ballroom. Emerald barely managed to push Applejack out of the way as the heavy slab of crystal flew past them, crashing into the wall on the opposite side of the room and leaving a broad web of cracks behind as it shattered into pieces.

Ruby felt sick to her stomach all of a sudden. It was as if the air she was breathing had an oily texture to it, and she had to conjure up all of her courage to turn around and look at the ballroom entrance.

A large figure stood in the doorway, with several smaller shapes gathering behind it. At a passing glance, it would almost have looked like a very big and muscled statue formed from jagged crystal, but there were shadows moving underneath its surface, and its hollow eye sockets were occupied by two glowing green orbs, no larger than small grapes. Purple vapor was drifting out of the corners of its eyes, and a curved horn was sticking out of its forehead. It was bright red at the tip, progressively darker towards the base, and the only part of the creature not made from chipped, dark crystal.

Ruby stared at the figure, and then pinched her eyes shut. She had to belief that once she opened them again, it would have gone away.

But it didn't. Ruby opened her eyes, and the creature was still standing there.

“No!” Ruby heard a dry sob escape her throat. “No no no no no no no! This isn't real. This can't be happening!”

She heard mocking laughter spill forth from the creature’s gaping maw. It felt like a frozen knife cutting into her skin.

“Rejoice, my subjects.” The crystal behemoth took a lumbering step towards them. “Your rightful king has returned.”
> Chapter 11: Shadows of the Past (Part 2)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby tried to swallow to clear away the lump in her throat, but even that small effort was beyond her right now. All she could do was stare at the towering shape in front of her, and the venomous green orbs hovering inside its skull met her frightened gaze and made her eyes water.

It was all for nothing.

The thought echoed through her head, and she could not do anything to silence it. The tyrant was back. Ruby didn't know how this was possible. She didn't know why fate would be cruel enough to allow this to happen. But there he was, and everything would be like it had been before. The constant fear, the aching hunger, and the biting cold. And always, the worming tendrils of his dark magic in their minds.

And the chains. Just thinking about it made the scars around Ruby's neck and fetlocks burn as if they had been doused in acid. Her legs began to tremble, and she took a small, timid step back.

But Sombra had not missed the subtle motion, and Ruby could feel his approval. “Yes. You remember. How could you not?” He made another step forward, and Ruby let out a quiet whimper. “Know your place, slave. I might be willing to overlook the audacity you have shown by standing before me under arms, if you step aside now and do not interfere while I deal with these interlopers.” The flickering orbs in his skull seemed to focus on something behind Ruby, and she heard Spike let out a frightened yelp. “Starting with that insolent lizard. You will regret meddling in my affairs, you filthy little...”

“Shut up.”

Ruby blinked. It was as if the sharp words had snapped her out of a trance, and turning her head to look at the speaker revealed Emerald, raking her armored hooves across the ground with enough force to make sparks fly through the air, her head slightly lowered, and her green eyes blazing with anger. Ruby could not remember having ever seen her friend as furious as this.

“You leave him alone and shut your mouth. I don't want to hear another word coming from you, you filthy, murdering slave driver!” Her outburst seemed to have surprised Sombra somewhat, and she took a step forward and made her voice ring loud and clear through the hall. “I don't know how you returned from whatever punishment the afterlife had in store for you. It doesn't matter, I'll beat you back every step of the way if I have to. I am Dame Emerald Breeze the Green Lightning, Knight of the Order of the Crystal Lance, champion and protector of the Empire. And I am not afraid of you.”

Sombra glared at her. Emerald met his withering gaze without faltering, and there was a fire burning in her eyes that rivaled the cruel glow of the green orbs that haunted the jagged holes in Sombra's skull.

“Darn straight!” came Applejack's voice from behind. “You'd think after gettin’ blown to bits, a stallion would get the hint that he ain't welcome.”

A quick glance over her shoulder showed Ruby that while most of the Equestrians looked frightened or at least surprised, they nonetheless seemed just as willing to face Sombra as Emerald was. Even Fluttershy had taken something that could be called a fighting stance with some degree of goodwill, even though she was trembling like a twig.

Ruby felt shame and anger in equal measure. After all this time, all the training she had undertaken, and all the foes she had faced in her service to the Empire, Sombra had reduced her to a frightened filly with little more than a glare and a few words. Twilight and her friends were ready and willing to face the sorcerer, but they had no true understanding of what he was capable of. They had not lived years of their life as his slaves, or seen the caprice and cruelty with which he treated those he considered to be his subjects. But Emerald, she knew what they were facing. She knew what standing up to this creature meant, how he would punish disobedience and defiance. And yet, she refused to let that knowledge turn her craven. She merely used it to steel her resolve even further, and in doing so, she gave Ruby the will to face the being that had been synonymous with terror for most of her life.

Ruby willed her legs to stop shaking, lowered her head, and threw a defiant snarl in Sombra's direction. “No. Never again. You are no king of mine, and I would rather die than kneel to you!”

Hours seemed to pass in total silence. The green lights in Sombra's skull twitched and flickered, and it was hard to tell who exactly he was looking at.

“If you will not serve as slaves,” his voice finally rumbled forth, ponderously slow, “then you will serve as examples.”

And with that, the crystal monstrosities behind him surged forward and attacked.

When the first creature was about to reach her, Ruby simply whirled around on her front legs and obliterated her attacker with a powerful kick of her armored hind hooves, pelting the abominations swarming in behind it with chunks of debris that made them stumble. Ruby seized the opportunity and fell upon the foes before her, shattering two of them with powerful strikes while they were still reeling from the hail of rubble. Only a few steps to Ruby's left, Emerald stood still and composed, awaiting the arrival of two creatures gnashing their teeth-filled jaws at her. When they were just about to reach her, she made a tiny, elegant movement and shifted the weight of her body to her right legs, avoiding the maw of one enemy lunging at her throat by mere inches, and, at the same time, kicking the charging monster in the chest, making it stumble and crash into her second attacker. One swift step brought her close enough to kick the reeling creatures' heads in. Then she turned towards the other enemies surrounding her and lashed out at them with quick jabs and feints.

Despite having dispatched the first wave of attackers with relative ease, Ruby saw that more were following behind them, and unless they managed to get into a more secure position, Sombra's monstrosities would simply crush their resistance under the sheer weight of their numbers. 

“To the corner!” Ruby shouted. “We need to get our backs to the wall!” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rainbow Dash, who was about to step up next to her, but Ruby roughly shoved her back with her hind leg. “And stay behind us! Emerald and I can hold them off, but they'd shred you like wet paper!”

Rainbow glared at Ruby. “Hey! No way am I...”

“For Pete's sake, Rainbow, not the time!” Applejack interrupted her. “Being thick-headed won't keep those fiends from slicin' you up, so don't compete for the front row with ponies wearing enough metal to outfit a bell tower!” Currently beset by another group of enemies, Ruby couldn't turn around to face her, but she heard the earth mare call, “Don't you worry none, you two. RD and I will give anything that makes it past you a proper thrashing.” A lance of purple light shot past Ruby's head so close it almost nicked her ear, and, with a sound like thunder echoing through the room, hit one of the creatures in front of her in the shoulder. The magic blast did not disable it completely, but it left deep cracks and scorch marks, and staggered the fiend long enough for Ruby to finish it off. “Uh, and I guess Twilight's helping out as well. But maybe mind your aim a little, Twi.”

“Sorry! Combat magic isn't exactly my field of expertise. Try not to move around so much!” Twilight called, while a volley of sizzling arcane energy flew over Ruby's head and crashed into the crystal fiends like a meteor shower.

“Standing still isn't really an option right now, Twilight!” Ruby yelled. As if to accentuate her words, a leg covered in sharp crystal blades and spines raked across Ruby's armored side with a metallic screech, tearing loose several gems and destroying the pattern of the armor's inlays, but leaving only shallow scratches in the tempered steel. Ruby was relieved to see that despite its flashy appearance, their ceremonial gear could still stand up to the punishment of an actual fight.

I guess when Singing Steel says 'Nothing leaves my smithy unless it's battle-ready,' he really means it.

While Ruby and Emerald continued to shield the Equestrians from the onslaught of crystal fiends, their small group retreated slowly and orderly towards the nearest corner. Sombra loomed silently behind the swarming wall of his troops, still as a statue. Twilight tried taking potshots at him every now and then, but whenever she did, one of his soldiers simply threw itself in the path of the projectile, and Sombra gave no indication that he had even noticed the threat.

Ruby's nostrils flared and she vented her frustration with an angry snarl when one of her attacks connected, but failed to dispatch the creature currently in front of her, despite shattering one of its legs. Sombra's soldiers showed absolutely no concern for their own continued existence, but they also possessed an unnatural toughness and resilience. They did not go down easily, unless you aimed your strikes very well, or committed fully to the offense, which in turn might leave yourself open to retaliation. But despite those difficulties, Ruby and the others were holding their ground. They had managed to retreat into one of the corners of the ballroom by now, which meant that the fiends could only come at them from the front. That took away one of the most important advantages Sombra's troops had: their strength in numbers. Ruby found it hard to determine just how many enemies they faced, since they had few distinguishing features and were constantly moving around, but she estimated that it had to be at least thirty at this point. However, she also noticed that no more creatures were coming through the broken doors.

The realization that they could actually win this fight hit Ruby so suddenly it was almost startling, and at first, she didn't even know how to process this absurd thought. In her mind, Sombra's soldiers had never been something that could be defeated. They had been a constant, threatening reminder of the brutal stranglehold in which Sombra held their lives, as unavoidable and impossible to overcome as his dark magic that was always coiling around their thoughts like a strangling serpent. But here she stood, defying Sombra and his thugs alike, and they were powerless to stop her. After all the years of trembling and cowering she had endured, she finally possessed enough strength to stand up to this despot and his minions. Ruby's lips stretched into a fierce grin. Another creature was coming at her, but before it was close enough to attack, Ruby made an aggressive step towards it, reared up, and stomped the fiend to the ground with enough force to leave cracks in the floor tiles beneath it. Ruby felt the monster's body break and shatter under her armored hooves, and it was a good feeling. She saw three more enemies approach and trying to circle her like a pack of wolfs, but Ruby threw herself at them with reckless abandon and broke them apart with a flurry of furious kicks.

“Ruby! Get a hold of yourself!”

Ruby blinked. Half of her field of vision was strangely blurry all of a sudden. She quickly wiped her right eye and realized that blood from a fresh, shallow cut on her forehead had been obscuring her view. Enemies were suddenly coming at her from a lot more angles than before, and when she glanced over her shoulder, Ruby realized that she had moved dangerously far away from the group. Thanks to Emerald's warning, she wasn't in immediate danger of being surrounded, but with Ruby no longer standing next to her, Emerald currently had her hooves full trying to keep Sombra's soldiers from getting past her. Twilight had redoubled her efforts as well, and Ruby saw her grimace with the strain of having to keep up the magic barrage she was unloading into the rows of Sombra's soldiers.

“Get back here!” Emerald called, while most of her attention was occupied by two crystal beasts trying to flank her. “This is not the right time for revenge!”

“Oh, I disagree.” 

Ruby's eyes went wide when she heard the deep, rumbling voice right next to her. Her head snapped around, and she saw two spiteful spheres of green light glare down at her.

“I think the time is perfect.”

In the few seconds when everypony's attention was focused on something else, Sombra had managed to sneak up on Ruby, and before she could hurry back towards the relative safety of her fellow ponies, Sombra raised one of his thick front legs with terrifying speed, forcing Ruby to jump to the side in order to avoid the coming blow. The heavy crystal limb missed her by mere inches, and Ruby felt the tremor of the impact as the club like appendage smashed into the ground next to her. Ruby tried to counter, but Sombra and four of his creatures immediately pressed forward, giving her no opportunity to do so. Ruby had to focus entirely on avoiding their combined attacks, and she noticed with increasing alarm that they were slowly forcing her further away from the others, step by step.

“No! Twilight! Help her! Please!”

Ruby heard Emerald's fearful calls, but she was too focused on just staying alive to pay any real attention to them. No matter how good a fighter you were, with this many enemies coming after you from all directions, you couldn't completely avoid all the strikes raining down on you, and without the protection of her armor, they would have cut Ruby to pieces within moments. Thanks to the thick steel, the blows she could not evade were mostly knocking her around and painfully chipping away at her resolve and strength, while Ruby had to concentrate most of her attention on defending herself against Sombra. The sorcerer's hulking crystal frame looked slow and heavy, but it was only one of those two things. His strikes were quick and precise, and with how little room Ruby had to dodge them, she knew that it was only a matter of time before one of them found its mark. Seeing how much raw strength Sombra's crystal body possessed, Ruby doubted that he would need more than one.

Ruby was desperately scanning her surroundings, trying to find some way to get out of this situation, but all she could see or focus on were Sombra and his minions slowly tightening the noose she had placed around her own neck. Fortunately for her, Sombra and the creatures next to him were as intently focused on her as she was on them, and had apparently forgotten about the other ponies in the room. Just when Sombra reared up for another strike, one of Twilight's magic projectiles hit him in the side of the head. Ruby had seen these blasts shatter other crystal abominations like glass with such a direct hit, but whatever method Sombra used to create his troops, his own body was apparently made of sturdier stuff. The attack only left a few scorch marks and a couple of thin cracks in his lower jaw, but it was more than enough to distract him. Sensing an opportunity, Ruby lunged forward and kicked the sorcerer in the chest with both of her front hooves. It was like trying to kick a mountain in half, but Ruby could hear a sharp cracking sound, and Sombra stumbled backwards with an angry growl. The creatures around Ruby were still pressing their attack, but she had to seize this opportunity and trust that her armor would protect her. Without giving Sombra any time to recover, she followed up her previous attack with a right-hoofed uppercut. Sombra's jaws forcefully slammed shut with a hideous crunching noise, further deepening the cracks created by Twilight's magic blast, and several of his sharp crystal teeth broke free and scattered over the ballroom floor.

The green orbs in Sombra's skull were blazing furiously. “How dare you?!” The only answer he received came in the form of two more magic blasts to his chest and head, and Ruby used the distraction to give herself some breathing space by quickly grabbing two of her other attackers and cracking their skulls against each other. Then she fixed her eyes on Sombra again and went after him.

He stepped back. Ruby could scarcely believe it at first, but Sombra did not engage her. His head was lowered, and Ruby saw something like black smoke curl out of some of the wider cracks in his crystal hide. The gaze of his flickering orbs seemed to jump back and forth between Ruby and the others.

“You will pay for this,” he promised in a low growl. Hearing that sent a shiver down Ruby's spine, but then he turned around and ran towards the exit.

Ruby went after him so fast that it almost seemed like her legs had made the decision independently, and only informed the rest of her body a few fractions of a second later. She jumped over one of Sombra's minions standing in her way, shouldered a second one aside, and unceremoniously trampled a third one. Then she was past the mass of monsters, and the way to the door was clear. It was as if a red mist had settled over her thoughts and mind, and she barely noticed it when Emerald called after her, “Ruby! Don't! We need you here! Ruby!”


* * *


Ruby galloped through the hallways of the Crystal Palace, Sombra never more than fifteen paces ahead of her. But even though she ran fast enough that her armored hooves cracked the tiles and shredded the carpets of the corridors the chase led her through, she couldn't catch up with him, and the distance between them remained infuriatingly constant.

The parts of the palace they ran through were abandoned, but Ruby saw numerous signs of recent fighting and destruction, like broken doors, discarded weapons, or smashed furniture. Dozens of wide holes in the walls and floors especially caught her attention, and she soon learned what exactly had caused them.

Sombra looked over his shoulder, and let out an angry snarl when he saw that Ruby was still not slowing down. Suddenly, about a dozen dark tendrils erupted from his horn and latched onto whatever crystal surface was closest to them, but most of them flickered and dissolved almost immediately. Only two of them had an effect, and where they struck, the crystal beneath them cracked and shattered, and began to form into one of Sombra's minions, leaving behind a shallow, jagged indentation where it had broken free.

But Ruby didn’t let this slow her down either. The first of the fiends had not even fully risen from the ground when Ruby simply stormed over it, and the second one she simply tackled back into the wall it had just detached itself from as she ran past it. However, the little display went a long way to explain how Sombra had managed to assault the palace from within. He must have infiltrated it by himself, or with very few troops, and then raised more once he was inside. A bold maneuver, Ruby had to admit, but conjuring up a small army in such a short amount of time had obviously cost Sombra a lot of strength – strength he desperately needed right about now. He finally made a mistake when he ran up a flight of stairs and turned sharply to the left, scurrying into an entryway that looked like a hundred others in the palace. Ruby grinned fiercely when she saw it. She knew that there was only a short corridor behind it, and it was leading to a small balcony six stories above the city streets. 

Ruby's confidence in having Sombra exactly where she wanted very nearly killed her. When she stormed onto the balcony, Sombra was waiting right next to the doorway, and swept one of his heavy legs at her as she ran past him. Ruby saw the attack coming at the last possible moment, and she didn't so much duck as she simply let herself fall to the ground to narrowly avoid having her head taken off. She belly flopped to the floor in what would have been a rather humorous display under different circumstances, and the considerable momentum she had build up made her skid over the floor until she bumped roughly against the balcony's balustrade. She got to her hooves just in time to see a black bolt rush towards her from Sombra's horn. It hit her right at the center of her breastplate, and made a sharp, burning pain explode in her chest.

Ruby screamed, and for an instant, she was certain that it was all over. But when the darkness she was waiting for made no move to claim her, Ruby blinked and glanced at what she expected to be a large, smoking chest wound. Instead, there was just a small, circular area on her armor where the steel was glowing bright cherry-red. The stench of seared padding and hair stung Ruby's nostrils, but apart from that, she seemed to be unharmed, and her confidence and battle lust soared to new heights.

“Feeling a bit drained, murderer?” she hissed through clenched teeth.

“I will grind you into dust, you insolent cur!” Sombra snarled in return.

They started to circle each other on the small balcony. Ruby's ears lay flat against the side of her head, and her tail whipped nervously in all directions, but she was not scared anymore. She was just furious. It was the kind of anger that focuses the senses like a magnifying glass, and while the red mist that had descended on Ruby's mind obscured a lot of thoughts and things right now, Sombra and everything around him stood out even more clearly. Ruby's breathing was calm, and every movement she made was fluid and measured. She took a small step to the left, and watched carefully as Sombra mirrored it and subtly shifted his stance in response. They continued like this for several seconds, both of them trying to get a feeling for their opponent's movement, and looking for any weakness they might exploit.

Ruby quickly realized that in his current form, Sombra was almost impossible to read. There were no little muscle twitches or subtle eye movements that could give away what he was going to do next, and when he lunged at her, she barely avoided his gnashing teeth, but managed to send him sprawling with a strong kick against one of his legs. Sombra fell, but when Ruby was about to press her advantage, she had to dodge another bolt of magic that Sombra aimed at her unprotected head, and he scrambled back to his hooves before she reached him.

“Is this personal, by any chance?” Sombra asked while he smashed his hoof down, breaking apart the floor tiles Ruby had stood on just an instant earlier. His tone was a lot more composed now, almost friendly and conversational, but Ruby knew he was simply trying to get under her skin. When she didn't answer right away, Sombra continued, “Come, slave. Amuse me. What wrong are you seeking to avenge on me? An injury? A loved one? If we ever met before today, I'm afraid you will have to remind me of the exact circumstances. You couldn't possibly expect me to remember otherwise.”

Ruby ducked underneath another swing of Sombra's hooves. It went so closely over her head that the air it stirred up ruffled her mane. “We never met, tyrant,” she said in a flat and muted tone, and only a slight tremor of her voice betrayed the inferno raging behind the quiet words. “I wasn't important enough. Just another starved and beaten mare barely out of childhood toiling away in your mines. I was scared and weak and helpless back then. I am none of those things anymore.”

“Really?” Sombra asked mockingly, “You are a Knight of the Lance, are you not? What stories are they telling about the last Knights who defied me? Not many, I would presume.” Ruby managed to score a glancing blow to his side, but it wasn't enough to mar his hardened crystal shell, and he carried on without pause, “They begged me to spare them, you know. Begged to let them serve me. But what use would I have for such weaklings? Your heroes failed you, slave, and when they died, they died as cowards!”

Strangely vivid images and memories that were not her own started to rush through Ruby's mind, and she spat, “You are a filthy liar, Sombra! They never bowed to you! They fought you to the end, and Dame Quicksilver laughed in your face before you murdered her!”

Sombra had no facial expression that gave away his thoughts, but Ruby's words made him freeze as if he had been rooted to the ground. “How...”

She did not let him finish. Using Sombra's sudden confusion to her advantage, Ruby slammed her shoulder into his side and simultaneously pulled one of his legs out from under him. The sorcerer stumbled and crashed into the balcony's balustrade while trying to recapture his balance. He almost fell over it, but managed to hold on to the railing with his left front and hind leg, while his other two legs were already dangling over the edge. While he was hanging there helplessly, Ruby whirled around and aimed a powerful, two-legged kick right at Sombra's head.

Ruby looked over her shoulder and saw Sombra stare at her. He knew the strike was coming, and he knew he could not stop it. So he got out of the way instead. Ruby's eyes went wide, and a thunderous shout filled with disappointment and frustrated anger erupted from her throat when the sorcerer let go of the railing and disappeared from view. With a loud crash, Ruby's hooves demolished the part of the balustrade where Sombra's head had been, and she quickly hurried towards the edge to see what had become of him. He was still falling when Ruby looked down, but he was right in the middle of turning like a cat to land on his hooves, and when he smashed noisily into the ground, he rolled into a ball and tumbled several paces over the pavement before coming to a halt. His left hindhoof was reduced to rubble, and his right front leg broke off just below the shoulder joint. But he stood back up, and when he looked at the limb he had lost, he just let out a low grumble that sounded more annoyed than pained. Then he briefly glanced up at Ruby before limping away as fast as he could, quickly disappearing into a small alley that opened towards the palace plaza.

Ruby paced up and down before the jagged gap in the balustrade she had created, staring at the alley Sombra had entered, as if she could force it to spit him back out. She was growling and spouting mindless gibberish, too angry to even form coherent words, and for a fleeting instant, her fury reached such insane heights that she honestly considered jumping after him.

When she finally managed to calm herself enough to take a deep breath, she hurried as close to the edge of the balcony as she could and yelled, “You are a coward, Sombra! My name is Dame Ruby Chip the Mighty of the Crystal Lance, and I swear on my honor that I will find you, you murderous animal! You will not get away from me!” With nothing to focus itself on, Ruby's anger began to slowly fade away, and she suddenly realized that she was utterly exhausted and hurting all over. She staggered away from the edge of the balcony, because she was afraid her legs might buckle under the weight of her own body. “I will get you,” she mumbled to herself while she slowly stumbled towards the doorway that would lead her back into the palace, and eventually back to...

The memory hit Ruby like a bolt of lightning, and she felt as if someone had just dumped an icy bucket of water over her head. “No,” she croaked hoarsely, and immediately broke into a full gallop, “Sweet Harmony, no!” She still felt tired enough to faint dead away at any moment, and she didn't have the burning energy of her rage to distract her from it any more. But what motivated her instead was the realization that, in order to go after Sombra, she had left her friend and their charges in a room that was swarming with his abominations.


* * *


“You have to put more pressure on it, Rainbow.”

“I... I just don't want to make it worse.”

“You won't. But you really need to seal it properly before we can bandage her up.”

“Are the stripes all right like this, dear?”

“Those will work. Quickly, give them to me. Make a few more just in case.”

Ruby was relieved just to hear any voices at all coming from inside the small ballroom, but their worried, hectic tone did not bode well for what was going on inside. When she hurried through the busted door, she almost bumped into Emerald, who was standing right behind the entry with a grim, determined look on her face. When she saw Ruby, Emerald visibly relaxed, and there was a deep feeling of relief reflected on her face. “Ruby! I almost thought... are you all right?”

“I'm fine, Emerald,” Ruby said, which was pretty much a blatant lie, considering how beat-up, exhausted and worried she was at the moment.

“Hey!” The loud, angry call made Ruby flinch, because she had the distinct feeling that it was meant for her. “You just skipped out on us! What the hay was that about!?”

Looking past Emerald, Ruby saw Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash sitting in a circle, hunched over something or someone Ruby couldn't make out, because Rarity and Fluttershy broke her line of sight. The yellow pegasus had her back turned to Ruby; her front legs and wings were hectically tampering with something in front of her, and she seemed completely focused on whatever she was doing at the moment. Meanwhile, Rarity was busy tearing her magnificent evening gown to tatters and levitating the pieces over to Fluttershy, not really paying attention to anything else either. Rainbow Dash, however, was sitting in a position that had her facing towards the open entry of the ballroom, and she was currently giving Ruby an angry glare that carried the promise of furious reprisal. 

Her wings unfurled and started beating at the air aggressively, and it looked as if the pegasus was about to stand up and either run or fly over to Ruby, when she was hit by a few loud, commanding words that made her sit back down and abandon any thought of whatever violent action she had meant to take. “Rainbow! Pressure, now!” Ruby flinched, despite the fact that the rebuke was not meant for her, and bizarrely, even the speaker seemed a little startled. “S...sorry. I didn't mean to yell,” Fluttershy added immediately. “But... you really have to keep pressure on the wound, Rainbow, or I can't apply the bandages.”

Ruby felt her stomach cramp up when she heard that, and she quickly took a closer look around the room. Pieces of dark crystal and broken furniture were strewn across the entire floor. Twilight, Pinkie Pie, and Spike were sitting next to a wall, a short distance away from the others, which was why Ruby had not noticed them right away. The princess looked pale, and her breathing seemed irregular. She leaned heavily against the wall next to her, and seeing how she was trembling with exertion, Ruby doubted that she would have been able to even sit upright without the support. Spike was standing next to her, and all of his attention was focused on gently stroking the alicorn's side and whispering quiet, reassuring words to her. Pinkie had her legs wrapped around Twilight's neck in a tight hug, but the pink mare no longer displayed any of the cheerful energy she had been virtually bursting with earlier, and her bouncy, curly mane seemed strangely flat and lifeless all of a sudden.

The brief glance around the room left only one member of their group unaccounted for. The knot in Ruby's belly tightened even further, and she slowly walked past Emerald and towards the little circle Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash formed. It only took her a few steps before Ruby could look past Fluttershy and Rarity and see the orange earth mare lying on the ground. A large portion of Applejack's right side was colored a dark hue of crimson red, and the fur there looked wet and matted. Rainbow Dash was pressing a tightly rolled piece of cloth against the area just above Applejack's shoulder blade, but Ruby could still make out part of the wound she was covering up.

When Ruby stepped into her field of vision, Applejack turned her head slightly, and looked up at her with a lopsided grin. “Fancy seeing you again.” Her voice was hardly more than a whisper, and she had to pause every other second to catch her breath. “Pardon me for not getting up, 'fraid I'm not feelin’ so good right now.” She let out a pained gasp when Fluttershy tightened the bandages around her wound and quickly tied the ends into a knot with her teeth and wingtips.

“Sorry, Applejack,” the yellow pegasus said meekly, “I'm done. But we still need to get you some real help. I'm afraid I could only do so much. I'm sorry.”

“S'all right, sugarcube,” Applejack reassured her, “You did great. Thanks a lot, I realize this ain't easy for you.”

Fluttershy swallowed and tried to look anywhere except her injured friend. Ruby could make out a wet shimmer in the corners of her eyes, but when Fluttershy raised a hoof to wipe the tears away, she froze when she saw that it was smeared with blood. She just stared at it, and her breathing was quickly slipping into a hurried and irregular pace.

Rainbow Dash hurried to her side and put a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey, listen up, Flutters. This is ten different kinds of messed up, I know, but you've been doing awesome so far. Now, just keep it together a little longer. Once we got, like, a million guards between us and these things, you can panic all you want.”

It took her a couple of seconds, but Fluttershy managed to tear her eyes away from her bloody hoof and calm down her breathing just a little. “O... okay. I'll try.”

Rainbow Dash grinned and tousled Fluttershy's pink mane. “Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. A little scratch like that won't put Applejack down for long.”

“Well, I sure hope so,” Applejack said with a chuckle. Then she lifted her head back up to look at Ruby. “Anyway, glad to see you made it back all right at least.” As crazy as it was, Ruby couldn't help but think that the other mare actually sounded sincere.

But then Rainbow Dash spoke up, and she just sounded sincerely angry now. “Are you serious, AJ? Yeah, she's fine. And maybe you would be too, if she hadn't left us here to go after that crystal-Sombra-whatever guy.”

Ruby bit her lower lip and stared at the floor. She had not meant for anyone to get hurt, and it was even harder on her because these ponies were supposed to be under her protection. But they couldn't possibly understand what this meant for her. Sombra was a monster, and simply allowing him to get away had been out of the question. She had seen an opportunity to stop the tyrant before he could cause any more harm, and it had been her duty to seize it. Still, the fact remained that one of Ruby's charges had been injured, and she had not been there to prevent it.

“Will she be all right?” Ruby asked quietly.

“I managed to stop the bleeding for now,” Fluttershy said. Now that she had no important task to occupy her thoughts, her voice was shaky and barely audible. “I have some experience with treating injuries, but I'm not a doctor. She needs professional help as soon as possible.”

“The palace has an infirmary,” Emerald called over her shoulder. “It's not too far. Can we transport her without making her condition worse?”

“I think so,” said Fluttershy. “But we have to keep her very still.”

“I can do it.” Heads turned towards Twilight. She was standing on her own four legs again, but still looked shaky and tired. “I'll carry her.”

“Are you sure, Twilight? I'm sure I would be up to it as well,” Rarity said.

“I'm fine,” Twilight assured her, but seeing how her voice was still trembling and she was swaying slightly from side to side, she didn't manage to make it sound very convincing. Ruby was wondering what exactly had happened here while she was absent, but this was not the right time to ask about it. “Still, you should probably help me, Rarity,” Twilight added quickly. “Just to be on the safe side.”

Rarity nodded. “Of course.”

Rarity and Twilight positioned themselves next to their wounded friend. The magic aura around their horns flared up, and a soft blue and purple glow began to surround the prone earth mare.

“I know it feels a bit strange, Applejack, but try not to move. It's easier when you hold still,” Twilight said, her voice sounding a little strained.

“Oh, believe me, Twi,” Applejack pressed through clenched teeth, “moving around is the last thing I want to do right about now.”