"Everypony, look! There she is!" two of the Jaguar guards called out, as one of them pointed a hoof at Watercolor. "There is the Pegaso bruja who killed our beloved duchess!"
Watercolors looked up from her work hoof-stitching a tapestry, when the jaguar knight approached her, the mare's eyes going wide.
"What?! Me!? But I'm no killer!" the mare shrieked in terror, her lower lip trembling. "And the duchess is dead?! NO! How?! Why!?"
"Wait, what's going on?!" Frisco demanded, trotting in between the jaguar knights and Watercolor. "Did you just say the duchess has been murdered?! What the heck happened?!"
"Senior Fresco, could you please stand aside." the lead knight asked politely, as he and the other sidestepped the protective stallion. "Your fellow artist is suspected in the murder of our duchess, and we have been ordered to take her into custody."
"I-I don't believe this! You really think I killed Chaupilli?" Watercolor stuttered in disbelief. "But, why would I murder the mare who invited me here in the first place?!"
"I do not know, Senorita." One of the Jaguar knights replied. "I only know that we are to bring you in for questioning."
"No way am I just letting you bozos just trot off with her like that." Fresco snorted, assuming a fighting stance. "If you want my friend watercolor, you'll have to go through me!"
"As you wish, senior." The lead knight replied simply. Taking a step forward, the stallion brought his hoof down upon Fresco's head, dropping him like a stone.
"Oh my gosh, Fresco!" Watercolor cried out, rushing to his side. "What did you do to him!?"
"Do not worry, senorita, I merely knocked him unconscious. Here will recover in a few minutes." The knight replied. "Now, senorita, if you would be so kind as to come along with us..."
"What if I refuse to come?" The Pegasus asked bitterly. "Are you going to knock me around, too?"
No, senorita. The Jaguar knight's code forbids us from bringing any harm to a mare." The knight replied simply, but firmly. "If you will not cooperate, we will get some of the city's female guards to take you into custody."
"Very well, then." Watercolor replied, her ears drooping in defeat. "Lead the way, and I'll follow."
The two guards nodded, and led the weeping mare away.
It was nearly and hour later, and Fresco had woken up in a furious rage. Now standing before the duke's throne, the stallion exploded in anger at his host.
"How dare you have your goons just grab her in the middle of the ballroom like that, it's outrageous!" The angry stallion yelled, his voice so loud the guards and servants throughout the castle heard him. "We were here under your invite, as guests! why would she possibly-"
"Frisco, would you please CALM DOWN!" The duke roared angrily, in a Maretonian version of the royal Canterlot voice. "I'm the one who's wife has been attacked here, and the whole capital has exploded into near-riots, calling for you two to at least be expelled from the kingdom, or worse, executed by unicorn firing squad."
"You know Watercolor didn't do this, your excellency! She don't have it in her to be a killer!" Fresco insisted. "And anyway, what exactly is going on with the duchess? Nobody has seen her body since the assassination, and nobody's seen you even shed a tear, or react to your own wife's death."
"A ruler must... bury his own feelings, for the sake of his subjects." The duke replied sadly. "It's not something as commoner such as yourself could possibly understand."
"How could this lowly Equestrian poni possibly understand anything about you, Su Majestad ." An oily sounding griffin asked, stepping out from behind the throne. "And for that matter, why should a duke answer to a lowly commoner"
"And just who the heck are you?" Fresco demanded. "I don't recall you being invited in on this conversation!"
"Fresco, this is Bífido Mentiroso, ambassador from the griffin kingdoms, and one of my most trusted advisors." The duke introduced the winged sleazeball. "His wisdom has been most helpful during these trying times."
"A pleasure to meet you, senior." The griffin bowed, smiling to reveal a mouth full of gold teeth. "Please, let me know if there is any way I can assist you."
"Oh yes, you're a trustworthy one, I can tell by your smile." Fresco looked away from the conquistador, and back towards the duke. "Your excellency, I won't say anything else for now, but if something terrible happens to Watercolor, you better believe I'll be going to the Equestrian Embassy, and lodging a complaint to be sent back to Princess Luna! I'm sure she'd love to hear you would execute one of her subjects like that!"
"Fresco, I assure you she will get a fair trial, before any serious action is taken." The duke shook his head. "But for now, I really need to locate my son, and tell him the news." He looked away. "Several of my knights have told me, that the prince has been seen leaving the capital with two mares. Probably another one of his youthful carefree romances again."
...
Meanwhile, far way from the capital, three ponies were riding in the back of a Maretonian farmer's cart, riding out towards the countryside. Fiesta, Moonlight, and Sunny were looking around at the open farms and fields, as the two mares wondered where they were headed.
"Gee, Sunny, you seem to be taking us way out into el campo." Fiesta noted. "Why is it you bringing us all de way out here?"
"There's something you need to see, Fiesta. You need to understand your own heritage... and your legacy." Sunny Salsa replied. "Your family is originally this part of Maretonia, and well known in these regions for their parties and merrymaking."
"So, you brought me all de way out here to see where mi familia originally came from?" Fiesta asked curiously. "I knew my parents had moved to Acocolto from the countryside before I was born, but I didn't know where from."
"Leave it to a powerful and well-known pony to know about a mare's heritage." Moonlight narrowed her eyes, looking over at Sunny Salsa. "Isn't that right.... mi querido Príncipe guapo.
"Wait a second.... PRINCE Sunny Salsa!?" Fiesta's eyes went wide. "You're the duke and duchess's son? Dios Mi!"
"Que!?" The prince asked in shock. "How- how long did you know!?"
"From the moment you tried to pick us up in the capital, you estipuido semental!" Moonlight snapped, beating the shocked stallion up alongside the head with her wings. "We grew up at court together, and played together as foals! I had a huge enamoramiento- a huge crush- on you when you went away to university in Equestria! Why do you think I was so willing to hacer el amor!? I can't believe you didn't remember me! Estupido! Estupido!"
"Ow! Ow! Luz de Luna! I remember you now! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sunny pleaded, as she beat him with her wings repeatedly. "I never should have forgotten you!"
But as two reunited ponies continued to argue, the cart pulled up next to an old, looking estate.
"Sunny, where are we?" Fiesta asked, looking around at the hacienda. "Cause this place, she looks really, really familiar..."
The other two ponies looked up, and Moonlight stopped battering the stallion. They all gazed up at a magnificent mansion, set among rolling fields, with a quaint stream of water running nearby.
"This is hacienda Flair, the home of your ancestors." Sunny Salsa told her, as he and Moonlight jumped out of the cart. "Fiesta Flair... welcome home."