//------------------------------// // Compromise // Story: The Commander's Compromise // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// The throne room, which was beyond description for Chartreuse, was breathtaking. She froze mere seconds after passing through the door, and then was unable to move. Unmoving, forgetting to breathe, her eyes went wider and wider with each new detail that she took in. Never in her wildest dreams had she pictured this scenario: for her, it was always a quiet library, or a study as the place of quiet instruction and time spent with her would be master. The path to the throne where Shining Armor sat was clear, but on each side of the path, there were ponies. Chartreuse didn’t know these ponies, but she knew their type. Nobles. Aristocrats. The well-to-do. The gentry. These were the ponies that made the empire run. Through these ponies, Shining Armor ruled. With these ponies, Shining Armor projected his power. Some were of the older type of aristocracy; stiff, starchy, and reserved. Others were what her mother might call, ‘new money.’ They were easy to spot in a crowd; nervous, out of sorts, and uncomfortable. For Chartreuse, these were the most difficult types of ponies to be around, and she was one of them. Her mother and father kept saying that the aristocracy never did enough, that it had grown fat and lazy, and was in need of replacement. Growing up, she had been made to feel proud of her noble blood, but also ashamed. Being ‘noble’ hadn’t made her better, it just meant that she was better suited for more work and more responsibilities than the common pony. She was a thoroughbred well suited for the race, and a million other metaphors that she could never quite recall. She was born with more, and as such, was expected to do more. The need to do so had brought her here, to this place. It was this place, the Crystal Empire, where the sick, the brokenhearted, the broken, and the maimed ended up. This was a place of healing, a place of recovery, this was a place where service was a way of life. Chartreuse was healthy of body, sound of mind, and whole of spirit. Her entire upbringing had centered upon the idea of noblesse oblige, a Fancy expression that meant ‘nobility obligates.’ This place, once a place of epic cruelty, was now a monument to altruism. Even though she was in total awe of her surroundings, Chartreuse belonged here, and she began to feel it in her bones. Up till now, her entire life had been preparing her for this moment, and while she stood gawking at the magnificent throne room, her cutie marks, both of them concealed beneath her stunning blue cape, blazed with aethereal fire. Others noticed. Others murmured. Still others plotted. Dim, still wearing his welding mask, gave Chartreuse a gentle shove to get her moving. Beside her, he maintained a quiet, regal dignity, and somehow looked more aristocratic than most of the other ponies in the room. No doubt, welding masks would become the height of fashion for a time, worn by the young, the bold, and the brave. In an eyeblink, Chartreuse snapped to her senses, aided by Dim’s shove, and she asked her escort in a low whisper, “Can you even see with that thing?” “Mine eyes still burn,” he replied. “Now, get moving.” Gulping once, then a second time, she focused her eyes straight ahead and began to move. She had a fine gait, when she chose to let others see it, she walked the way that water flowed, the way that romantic pegasus ponies warbled in the spring. It was natural to her, organic, it was something that sprang from her like a wellspring that took no effort on her part. It was a part of who and what she was. When she drew near the thrones, she remembered to bow. Princess Cadance of Equestria, Empress Cadance of the Crystal Empire, she looked regal, beautiful, and perfect. She also looked amused, and did nothing to hide her smile. Her husband seemed uncomfortable on the throne, and though he smiled, his eyes were stern, hard, flinty even. Leaning over, Empress Cadance placed her hoof up near the side of her mouth and then said sidelong to her husband, “She’s cute. Can we keep her?” In the crowd of gathered nobles, it was only the younger, less formal ones who laughed. “Chartreuse Le Feu,” Emperor Shining Armor said while he ignored his wife. “What is it that brings you to me this day?” She understood how this game was played. “I seek to be your apprentice, Your Majesty.” “She’s quick and clever,” Empress Cadance whispered. “Score one for her. She totally nailed that answer.” Eyebrows furrowing, the Emperor looked impressed, and he leaned forwards. “This is what I cannot be separated from. You would do well to remember that. You came here to this place, seeking an individual. That pony has gone missing, and he was last seen bravely departing to deal with paperwork. Word has it that he was buried in an avalanche.” This got a few snickers from the younger ponies in the crowd, and then Dim muttered, “Paper burns… I would not so easily be undone.” “I cannot give you my time as an individual,” the Emperor continued, and there was sadness in his voice. “However, my daughter, Skyla, she reminded me of my own words, words that I had spoken to you. She remembered those words, and said them to me multiple times in our discussion. ‘I am what I am because of good administrators and I surround myself with all of the right ponies for the job.’ She made me repeat them, and it was in these words that I knew I had my answer.” Bowing her head, Chartreuse waited, feeling hopeful that a fair solution was coming. She had a feeling that Shining Armor would not go through all of this trouble unless there was something to be gained, something to be had. Not only did Shining Armor have an answer, he was using this opportunity to make a statement to his most trusted, and loyal subjects. She wondered what it was. “I have decided to delegate your tutelage to capable, qualified instructors. I will still serve as your master, of course, and when I can spare time for you, I will. This I promise. You would be better served learning from the court wizards of the Crystal Empire. Both have already agreed, and Sunburst assured me that having an apprentice around would not interfere with his duties. As for Dim… well…” The Emperor began to chuckle, and he tapped his hoof on the arm of his throne while doing so. “I do nothing, nothing, unless I am paid for it,” Dim said, his voice muffled behind the welding mask. “When coin was promised, I discovered that I had some free time.” Chartreuse tried to say something, but all that came out was a squeak. “I hereby bestow upon you the position that you so craved,” the Emperor said to Chartreuse. “You shall be my apprentice, and shall have all of the privileges and responsibilities that come with that position. You are now a trusted member of my household, a treasured servant, and yet another vessel for my authority. Do not betray my trust, or abuse this authority.” Leaning forwards, he ceased being the Emperor and became Shining Armor. There was something aggressive in his manner, and something paternal as well. “This is a working household. We who hold the highest position must also do the most work maintaining it. I want to make it clear… should you slack off, you will not get a warning, you will simply be released. I do not have time for excuses or complicated goodbyes.” “I understand… my Master.” “And I want to make something clear to the rest of you… a move against my apprentice is a move against me and my household. Insult her, and you insult me. Disrespect her, and you will earn my ire. Treat her poorly at your own risk.” For a moment, Shining Armor’s eyebrows threatened to reach his cheeks, and his eyes became paper thin slits. “She is not a prospect for marriage or a conquest to be had.” A peculiar silence fell over the crowd, and Dim looked about, his masked face turning from side to side, as if looking for scheming, disrespectful faces. Even with the welding mask, there was something terrifying about his mannerisms and the raw intimidation that he radiated. Without even realising that she was doing so, Chartreuse took a step closer to him, thankful for his kindness, his generousity, and his protection, even if he had scared her senseless earlier. “Now, let’s be done and over with this.” Shining Armor slipped from his throne with ease and stretched while standing on his hooves. “Skyla and Sunburst prepared a little party. I don’t know about the rest of you all, but I am going to get something to eat before the food is gone.” And with that, Shining Armor went power-trotting out of the throne room, leaving Cadance to watch his departure with great interest, all while fanning herself. As with everything else, the party was almost overwhelming. Chartreuse, who was under most circumstances an outgoing sort of filly, had almost become a wallflower. The party felt far more formal than it actually was, and all of her nervousness had left her a mess. She was still frazzled from her experiences earlier that morning, and her ears still had a bit of a ring to them. Sipping punch from a paper cup and nibbling on a cucumber and butter sandwich, she failed to notice Shining Armor approaching, with his two daughters just behind him. When he sat down, she almost dropped her punch and her sandwich nearly suffered the same fate. Skyla had to clamber up into her chair, as it was too tall for her, but she somehow maintained her dignity while doing so. “Hi.” Chartreuse’s greeting came out as a squeak and her paper cup full of punch trembled. The red, syrupy liquid threatened to slosh out, so she set it down on the table beside her waxed paper plate. “And now,” Shining Armor said as he settled in his chair, “there are three.” Chartreuse didn’t follow this statement, but she did nothing to reveal that. “We need to discuss your education still, but that can be done at another time. I can’t have an apprentice that only finished primary school though. That would be a political disaster that I can’t afford to deal with.” “Daddy,” Skyla said in a matter-of-fact voice, “Mommy runs a school.” “Skyla, dear, Chartreuse is going to be a working apprentice. Other arrangements will have to be made. It’s complicated, darling. Which is why I was hesitant to get involved. All of this will have to be sorted out and dealt with.” Shining Armor rested his forelegs upon the edge of the table, leaned forwards a bit, and let out a weary sigh. “Oh.” Skyla, mimicking her father, also tried to lean on the table, but she was far too short. Instead, she rested her chin upon the table edge when all else failed. “I wouldn’t mind becoming somepony’s apprentice, but that would make things complicated,” Flurry said while she looked at both her father and Chartreuse. “I don’t even know who I would go to. Maybe Twilight, but she’s always so busy.” “No busier than I am,” Shining Armor replied. “Eh, maybe?” Flurry shrugged, but had nothing else to say. “Ireallyappreciatethis!” Chartreuse blurted out, and then her face took on a fluorescent pink glow when she blushed. Clearing her throat, she tried again: “I really appreciate this, I do. I understand that this must be a headache, and I am very, very grateful that you chose to help me.” Shining Armor was about to say something, to reply, but became distracted by the newest guest to the party. Chartreuse turned her head to see what had distracted him, and she let out a terrified squeal at the sight of the big black creature slinking through the doors. She was big, big as a lion, long of body and of leg, and she stood taller at the shoulder than most stallions. Behind the enormous lioness trotted Quiet Dark, who took swipes at the swinging, swishing feather tufted tail in front of her. Chartreuse made a quick conclusion, and knew that this must be Blackbird Coffyn, the hippogriff. She moved with a supple, fluid grace, and now appeared to be stalking Dim. Just watching made Chartreuse shiver, and she reminded herself that she owed Blackbird a hearty thank you. “I still don’t understand her and Dim’s relationship,” Shining Armor said in a low whisper. “It is a great mystery to me, I must confess. Most of the time, I’m good at figuring ponies out, but those two, they baffle me.” Fear flowed through the room, rippling outwards from Blackbird very much like a rock dropped in a pond. Chartreuse observed this—she felt the fear herself and had a keen awareness of it—and then when she looked at Dim, she realised, she knew that many feared him. It made sense that Dim had a mate that was the stuff of nightmares wrapped in black velvet. “Once she matured, she got big,” Shining Armor remarked. “I like her,” Skyla said to anypony that was listening. “Well, that’s good, darling, because I trust her with your life.” Shining Armor began to chuckle, but it was a nervous sound. His ears perked at the sound of music, and then he turned to look at Flurry, who seemed oblivious to her father’s unabashed adoration. “Dance with me, Flurry?” Her father’s words made her turn pinker somehow, and when she turned to look at him, Flurry was smitten with a terrible case of the girly-giggles. She squirmed in her seat, her ears twitching in all directions—as though they couldn’t make up their mind—and then with a somewhat shy-sounding giggle, she nodded. Chartreuse watched them go, and was struck with a longing for her own father, whom she missed. All of her father’s hard work had lead her here, to this place. She didn’t know what the future held, but she was excited for it. Lifting up her sandwich, she nibbled a bit on the edge—she enjoyed the crusts—and noticed that Skyla was watching her. Because of Skyla, she was here, and Chartreuse felt a flood of gratitude for the little pink alicorn filly who would one day rule. “Daddy was going to be much, much harder on you, and he was gonna do stuff to make you squirm,” Skyla said to Chartreuse. “He wanted to make you crack, if he could. He was going to test you in front of all those ponies.” “And why didn’t he?” Chartreuse asked while she paused during eating her sandwich. “Because.” Skyla’s utterance held a certain ‘I-know-everything’ tone to it. “I was born to rule. I know a good subject when I see one. Or a good servant. I told him he was stupid for trying to push you to your breaking point.” “Coming here to this place was already quite a trial,” Chartreuse admitted. “Things didn’t go as I had planned… but I am happy with the compromise.” “One day, you will serve as my court wizard,” Skyla said, and there wasn’t a trace of doubt or hesitation in her voice. “I had to make Daddy see reason because you are too valuable to turn away. You’ve become part of my plan.” She took a moment to fix her glasses, which had slid down her muzzle, and then she smiled a pleasant, princessly smile. “And to be a part of my plan, I need for you to be happy.” “I see.” “Not yet you don’t, but one day you will.” Chartreuse found herself laughing, and she decided that she liked Skyla. “You and I… we’re gonna be best friends.” “Are we now?” “Yes.” Skyla nodded. “I need your help.” “You do?” “Yes I do.” Skyla’s face became one of utter seriousness. “You have to help me.” “Okay, what do you need?” “It’s Quiet,” Skyla replied. “She thinks a colt named Nuance is kinda cute and funny.” This made Chartreuse giggle, because Skyla looked so stern and unyielding. Her princess game was already strong, by the looks of it. “Nothing wrong with that.” “Oh, but there is,” Skyla retorted, and her muzzle scrunched up in disgust. “Nuance is pure, unadulterated evil—” “Princess Celestia’s colt is pure, unadulterated evil?” Chartreuse’s incredulous eyebrow shot up with so much speed and force that her hat wiggled. “Yes!” Skyla began nodding. “And we have to save my best friend from him and his vile evilness! I think he’s already put her under some kinda spell, because she won’t stop talking about him. It’s gross! He’s gross! Colts are gross, but he is the grossest of all gross things.” “Does he smell?” Chartreuse asked, humouring the filly. “Does a tuba sound like farts?” Skyla’s eyes narrowed. “You owe me—” “Okay, okay, we’ll talk about this later.” “Thank you.” Skyla tried to bow her head, but bumped her chin on the table, and this set her glasses askew. “Welcome to the Crystal Empire, and I look forwards to working with you!”