Green Sleeves had already gotten used to being in the sanctuary of Canterlot Castle. In every sense of the word, she'd already had decided that she would much rather be here than in the volatile relationship that she was forced to share with Red Flames. However, all she could think of was for the well-being of a pony that she was having feelings for. But, her thinking was interrupted with the sounds of armored hooves piercing across the floor.
"Princess Celestia," gasped Green Sleeves, upon seeing Celestia walking across the hall in her gold armor. "What in…what in heaven's name happened?"
"You have nothing to fear anymore, Green Sleeves," answered Celestia, looking down at her. "The evil mayor of Rainbow Falls has been captured."
"How?" cried Green Sleeves, placing a hoof on her face with a shocked expression. "How could you stop Blackheart?"
Celestia just stood there and said nothing for a moment, reflecting on the fact that Blackheart was a creature that had a weakness despite his egotistical boasting.
"We just did," said Celestia, remaining steadfast. "Blackheart is not who you think he is, child. He is nothing more than a pony who is a mere shadow of whom he claims to be. You no longer have any reason to fear Blackheart or his powers."
"What will you do with him?" asked Green Sleeves.
"For the time being, he is being held in the dungeons of Canterlot Castle," answered Celestia, draping a wing over Green Sleeves. "As of this moment, he is being charged for crimes against Equestria, him and his foolish followers including Red Flames."
Green Sleeves gasped at the news that her husband was captured. In her mind, she didn't know whether she should be sympathetic or glad that he was now being treated like a caged animal.
"You no longer have reason to fear him, Green Sleeves," soothed Celestia as she led Green Sleeves back into her chambers. "He will never harm you again and Princess Luna and myself will make certain of that."
"I'm grateful, Princess Celestia," remarked Green Sleeves, hastily while feeling very torn. "Really, I am. It's just that…Red Flames is…he's my husband and…part of me wants to be supportive of him. What can I do, Princess Celestia? What can I do?"
Celestia was worried for Green Sleeves' well being and began to think that she needed to call upon somepony who had the power to provide Green Sleeves with love and support.
"There is something you can do for your own benefit," suggested Celestia. "You can start your life over again, Green Sleeves. Yes, I am aware that we have only met each other for a short time, but I can see that you are a stronger mare than you say you are. We can help you get back on your feet, but you need to help yourself."
"I know what you are saying, Princess Celestia," agreed Green Sleeves as she sat down on the edge of her guest bed, her body trembling with fear. "It's just that…there's…two sides of me that are…fighting it out over whether I should rebuild my life or…go back to being the wife of Rainbow Falls' deputy mayor. I'm scared, Princess Celestia, scared of what is going to happen to me."
Sighing in sympathy, Celestia began to think of a way to try and help this embittered mare who had been beaten down so severely. Then, she knew that there was one pony who knew about mending relationships more than anypony.
"There is somepony I know who can help you in your situation," said Celestia. "My niece, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire."
"The Crystal Princess?" wondered Green Sleeves, her eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What do she have to do with me?"
"She is not just the Crystal Princess," replied Celestia. "She is also the princess of love, responsible for spreading love throughout Equestria. One of her special talents is to either mend the love between two ponies or help one pony find love to another. In fact, it was the love that she shared with her husband, Prince Shining Armor, that defeated the Changelings when they attacked Canterlot during the royal wedding."
Green Sleeves was still not totally convinced that an alicorn pony like Princess Cadence could help a pony like her. In fact, Green Sleeves thought that how could a pony who ruled over an entire empire with her husband at her side help her find true romance? To her, it just didn't seem possible.
"Well I, I'm flattered," she stuttered. "Really, I am? But, if you say that I should leave Red Flames…"
"You do need to leave him, Green Sleeves," interrupted Celestia, placing an armored hoof on Green Sleeves' shoulder. "You are stronger than what you say you are and I can truthfully say that you deserve better…much better."
Green Sleeves continued sitting on the edge of her bed, contemplating what Princess Celestia had told her as Celestia got up and walked towards the door of the guest chambers, completely exhausted from the events in Rainbow Falls and the heavy gold armor that she was wearing was already starting to get her down.
"Wait," called Green Sleeves, stopping Celestia in her tracks. "If I can make a request in regards to Red Flames. Can it be that he just spends the rest of his life in Tartarus?"
"That's not up to me, Green Sleeves, nor up to my sister," said Celestia, walking back towards Green Sleeves. "That will be left up to the selection of ponies who will be the jury deciding both the fate of your soon to be ex-husband, his leader and all of the false ponies who claimed to protect the ponies of Rainbow Falls. Right now, you have a journey of your own to undertake and that is starting your life over."
Green Sleeves considered what Celestia had said and realized that perhaps, maybe perhaps, she should cut off Red Flames for good. After all, she couldn't simply judge Celestia for talking out of pure wisdom and heart. She had to understand that this was the pony who had taken her in when there were others who were calling for her to be killed in such a horrendous manner.
"You're right, Princess Celestia," said Green Sleeves. "If you say that I am going to be starting my life over, I guess that I need to start now, don't I?"
"You do, my child," replied Celestia. "You can even restart your life in Canterlot and then return to Rainbow Falls once the corruption that Blackheart has caused has gone away completely."
Once she had said this, Celestia left Green Sleeves alone and returned to her chambers, removing the heavy armor and allowing herself to let her body be free once again. But, Celestia didn't have time to rest for she was already focused on getting a scroll out to her niece in the Crystal Empire.
"Dear Princess Cadence,
I have a pony that Luna and I had saved from a dangerous mob staying here in Canterlot. She is a pony from Rainbow Falls who is seeking a better life for herself. Her husband is the deputy mayor and who has no soul nor heart for her well-being. I believe that you should take this pony under her wing and help her find a pony who will love her for who she really is.
Come soon,
Princess Celestia."
Using her magic, Celestia sent the scroll up the chimney of her fireplace and once it was gone, all she could do was wait for Princess Cadence to reply.
…
Down in the dungeons, Blackheart and Red Flames were thrown into a cell not far from Sergeant Enforcer and his disgraced troops. Even though the situation was grim for them all, Blackheart refused to believe that this was the end. He had a thought that he would get out of this situation.
"Do not despair my friends," he cried, trying to stay upbeat and positive. "My head lawyer is coming and he will find us a way to get back to our way of life."
"If he can find a way to help us," growled Red Flames, who kicked at the walls of the prison with his front right hoof in a fit of rage. "I swear that once I get out of this, I will finish what I started with that tramp, Green Sleeves. She will wish that she will never have betrayed me for that pony, that pony who turned against me."
"And she will pay dearly," reassured Blackheart. "Along with the Princesses, who have robbed us of our freedom and have taken us away from the ponies we oversee. Once we are freed from our bonds, we will finish what we started and nopony, not even the Elements of Harmony, will be able to stop us!"
But Blackheart had no idea of the degrading trial that he and his comrades were about to undertake. As for Red Flames, he had no idea of the shame that Green Sleeves was going to throw down on him thanks to the planned intervention that Princess Cadence would eventually cause by helping Green Sleeves…