Two sets of chains rattled round Trixie's legs. On their own they were harmless—the magician could cast them off in the blink of the eye. The four mages surrounding her were a different matter entirely. Two of them were of the Crystal Empire, spoils of war, as Trixie liked to put it when in discreet company. The remaining two were among the Tyrant's prized enforcers, the few who still had a speck of magic left.
"Maybe the Great and Powerful Trixie has something that would change your mind?" the magician said with hope. "Love? Dreams? Sunlight?" There was no reaction. "Magic?"
The ponies marched on, taking her further into the palace. Years ago, Trixie would have given anything to be there. Back when Celestia ruled it was a place of wonder and beauty. Now it was a synonym for dread and death. The only ponies who entered were dead, dying, or dead-to-be.
"Surely there's something that the Great and Powerful Trixie could—"
A flash of white burst around Trixie, blinding her for several seconds. When the magician could see again, she found herself in a vast hall bathed in the light of thousands of magic candles. Instinctively, she moved her foreleg to shield her eyes. It was at that point that she noticed the chains that bound her were gone. The mages, unfortunately, weren't.
"Hello, Trixie," a sharp voice said, sending shivers down her spine. For the first time in her life she knowingly stood before the Tyrant, in all his terrifying glory. "It's not often that a minor annoyance distracts me from my work."
"Trixie is humbled. If there's anything she could—" A ring of fire formed round her neck, choking her into silence.
"Quite the performances you’ve put on," Blueblood continued. "They truly bring back the glorious days of the past. I hear you do quite a believable Princess Celestia, if one overly dramatic." Trixie fell to the floor, struggling for air. "And they always end in a magnificent display of fireworks. Green, if I'm not mistaken."
Trixie kicked wildly in the air, hoping that would loosen the spell's grip enough to take a breath. One of the mages—a crystal unicorn—glanced at her for a moment, then turned his head away.
"I'm told that the experience is quite—" Blueblood leaned forward from his throne "—refreshing. Almost as if the audience is waking up from a long nightmare."
"My stories contain hope," Trixie croaked.
"No." The Prince waved his hoof. The ring of fire vanished, allowing the magician breathe again. "Your fireworks contain magic. For years I wondered what had happened to Starlight." Blueblood narrowed his eyes. "Starlight Glimmer, Princess Twilight's prized pupil, believed to have disappeared before the start of the war with the Crystal Empire. Some went so far as to suggest she had taken her own life out of despair."
Trixie swallowed. She had invented that rumour—the greatest disappearing act in Equestria. It had taken considerable effort to plan and execute, containing just enough hints to convince pursuers, while at the same time providing a grain of hope to the ponies that needed it. A most grandiose performance Rarity would say, had she been alive to witness it.
"If you k-kill me h-hope will still—"
"You're insignificant," Prince Blueblood said in a level voice. "Yet there's something you could still provide me."
"I've no idea what you want," Trixie crawled back away from the throne. Blueblood didn't stop her, staring into her eyes as if distance didn't matter.
"I know Starlight gives you magic." Blueblood pointed a hoof at one of the Crystal ponies. Flecks of white sunlight appeared above the mage, pouring down onto his mane. "Which you squander."
A blue aura emerged from the mage's eyes and horn, violently streaming out of his body as every muscle in the unfortunate’s body twisted in uncontrollable pain. Trixie's stomach churned. The mage was a trophy of the Crystal Empire, one of a dozen beings still capable of magic, and the Tyrant was tearing him apart just like that?
"I know that you add specks of it to the fireworks you cast at your performance," Blueblood said as a second Crystal pony began lurching in pain, his screams adding to the agony of the first. "In this day and age a touch of magic is enough to give anypony hope—" with another wave of his hoof the last two mages rose into the air, their magic and life-force drained before Trixie's very eyes "—and love, and joy. That much I know. What I don't know is where Starlight is hiding."
Blueblood lowered his hoof. The lifeless pony husks fell on the floor, charred as if they had gone through the fires of Tartarus. Trixie froze. There was no escaping that. How foolish she had been to think she stood a chance.
"But now you're here." Blueblood stood up from his throne. His mane shone with golden light as he moved forward, more majestic than the sun, more magnificent than anything Trixie had ever seen.
I hate you! the magician thought. You killed my friends! You killed tens of thousands, imprisoned millions, sent them to the moon, drained them of their magic! And yet, she couldn't look away.
"Give me Starlight and I'll spare you," Blueblood said, his expression as emotionless as marble.
"No," Trixie whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks as she glared at him.
"Give her to me and you'll have what I promised Rarity and Applejack." He moved closer, his muzzle almost touching her ear. "I’ll spare the life of someone close to you. The life of a 'sister’, for example."
Trixie's ears flicked. Starlight had assured her that no spell could pierce the shroud of mystery she had cast over Trixie’s wagon. It had to be true; otherwise Blueblood would have found her by now.
“What was her name again?” The Tyrant mused.
“I’m a single child, I don't have—”
“Scootaloo, wasn’t it?” Blueblood cut her short. “She performed before Auntie at a ceremony once. Undoubtedly an honour. A shame the years haven't been kind to her since. The death of the Element of Loyalty hit her quite hard. You had to nurse her back to health, if I recall.”
Trixie gritted her teeth. She remembered better than anyone the state Scootaloo was in when she had found her. The pegasus had completely lost the will to live, remaining at Rainbow Dash's grave for days before the magician had come along. She had been so weak that Trixie had to use magic to move her to her wagon. She had spent years tending over the pegasus, feeding her—forcefully when needed—washing her, always keeping an eye open so that Scootaloo wouldn't try to hurt herself.
“Give me what I ask and you can keep her,” Blueblood went on.
“Starlight saved my life! I can't—”
“And you are saving Scootaloo’s,” Blueblood snapped. “You’ve spent years telling ponies how ruthless and petty I am. Do you think I won't do something out of spite?”
Trixie fell silent.
"I'm giving you a choice." Blueblood turned around, heading back to his throne. "I don't have magic to waste on finding Starlight, but I know exactly where Scootaloo is. Give me one, or I'll take the other. Who will it be?” He looked at her over his shoulder. “The one who saved you, or the one you saved?”
“Give you one?” A spark of determination shone in Trixie’s eye. “I’ll never give you that satisfaction!” Her horn flared up with magic. Forgive me, Starlight, Trixie thought as she channeled the meager amount of magic she had left. Forgive me, Scootaloo. I can't choose between you two.
A green firebolt flew off the tip of Trixie's horn at the massive chandelier, bringing it down upon her. I’ve won, she thought, ready to meet her demise. You’ll get nothing.
The instant the chandelier came in contact with her mane, it burst into a thousand tiny pieces, devoured by white flames.
"Oh, no," Blueblood's voice sounded. "You will remain until the very end."
"Curse you, Tyrant!" Trixie sobbed. Blueblood had foreseen such an eventuality, and had taken appropriate measures. There was no way she could avoid her choice. Soon she would have to decide, and then she would live with the consequences until the end of Equestria.