//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Secret of the Alicorn // by Magi Tail Welkin //------------------------------// A licking woke him up. Snowy nudged him frantically. The Prince smiled and rubbed his dog’s head. Then he checked on the other. Turned out the others checked on him, they all stood crowded around him. Ten Bits stood shaded from the sun by Captain Star’s jacket. Blake stood by the colt’s hooves panted loudly. Lyra and Bon-Bon stood inseparably together, Lyra started tying bandanas to cover their heads. Blueblood stood up “Nothing broken, I think.” He looked about. They all went from a sea of water, a few hours ago, to a sea of sand. Already his forehead felt sweaty “We need to keep moving. The nearest Royal Guard outpost is…” “Northwest, on route to Cartus.” Captain said, “Some of my Saddle Arabian comrades in the Royal Marines told me about the Silk Road, I initially coursed our flight path to go over it.” “Well,” he said starting to walk, and wincing slightly from the pain of the earlier hurt foreleg, “the further we walk, the better chance the Guard will find us.” “Easy Dad,” Ten Bits called from behind Prince Blueblood as they trudged across the shifting miles. The winds carried off the miniature stones as their hooves buried themselves into the sun-baked ground. Seemingly out of every-pony, Captain Star fared the worst. His seahorse blood must react badly to the desert. Suddenly he spoke “Look, water!” He broke off from his son’s embrace and ran over the top of a dune. “Star!” Bon-Bon called as she and the Prince followed him quickly. “Dad!” Ten Bits rushed passed them “It’s just a mirage!”, the blind colt grabbed him. Star blinked “I saw it.” Blueblood knelt beside him “It was your mind playing tricks, if we muck about following every hallucination then we’ll die!” The Captain spoke again in a hush “I have to go home. I have to go back to the sea.” “Dad?” Ten Bits place a hoof on his father’s shoulder “You alright?” “Look!” Star said pointed out with his hoof, his eyes glazed over as his horn sparked “Did you ever see a more beautiful sight?” He smiled as he stood up “She’s turning into the wind, all sails set. Three masts, double decks, fifty heavy-crossbows.” Lyra jumped up “The Alicorn?” Blueblood and Bon-Bon glanced at each other “The spell.” They whispered together. Star embraced Ten Bits “Is she a beauty?”, his horn sparked again, and the spark fell on Ten Bits, the colt took off his sunglasses, blinked and reached out “I’m, I’m seeing her, I’m blind, but I’m seeing her!” Blueblood glanced to Lyra and with an encouraging “Shall we try a mental simulation spell?” “You got taught that?” “Auntie Celestia herself, guess you leant it at the school?” “Well, Twilight reintroduced me to it.” Star continued “She’s got the wind behind her, look at the pace she’s setting! Barely twenty-fours since the completion of her mission, with the hearts of the sailors’ set non-stop for home!” The two Unicorns flared their magic and it latched to Ten Bits. From the desert, a set of masts materialised. Over a dune crested a ship. Yellow with a figurehead of Princess Celestia, her wings out wide and covering the deck. The Alicorn. The sea flooded in from under her completing the illusion the magic users cast. Stood behind the images of the Sun Princess, a Unicorn resembling Captain Star. Dark blue coat with a white mane, only with a trimmed beard. His dress, an embroidered yellow coat with white facing, a wide brimmed and floppy hat with a few feathers. His cutie mark, a golden lion lying down, but with its’ head raised and red five-pointed star on its’ body. Blueblood blinked “Sir Bold?” Star nodded. On deck the Marine Knight’s eyes widened. Reflected in the spyglass, a pair of flag, first a black field with a side facing skull and crossed swords, both shining white, below a plain blood red banner. He fearfully muttered “Pirates, and the Red Banner.” Captain Star continued “The blood runs cold in every seahorse who seas that red flag, it means no quarter, a fight to the death. But Sir Bold, is a Star. And Stars never flee.” Sir Bold Star called out the order “Ready the starboard artillery! Incendiary bolts!” The starboard weapon ports on both gundecks opened and the heavy crossbows were prepared. Sir Bold Star then ordered “All hooves on deck! Archers to their stations!” He and his first mate walked on the main deck “Let’s unload the Princess’s shot into these yellow-belled lily-livered sea slugs. Prepare to bring her about Mr Nickel.” “Aye-aye Captain,” the First Mate said and repeated the order. The helms-mare swung the wheel around. Blueblood felt a vague feeling of recollection with seeing Mr Nickel. A large wave hid the pirate ship. The heavy twang of bowshots rang and a pair of spear sized arrows crashed into the bow. The figurehead of Celestia deflected them. Immediately after, the Alicorn fired her flaming crossbows bolts in a clockwork procession and set the pirate vessel on fire. The two ships meet each other on the crest of a high wave. They rammed into each other, the smaller schooner of the pirates felt the brunt. But the Alicorn crew stumbled as well. The top rigging on the tallest masts entangled with each other. The two vessels became stuck together, wherever one went, the other would follow. Sir Bold Star nudged his First Mate “Mr Nickle,” he then whispered, “secure the cargo.” “Right you are sir.” He ran down below as Sir Bold took out his cutlass “Prepare to repel all boarders!” The wave flattered. The heavier and taller frigate of the Alicorn recovered pulling the pirate ship out of the water. The schooner swung and turn to swoop over the deck of the Stallion of War. Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow “That where the ride came from?” The pirates jumped down and started fighting, slaying and shooting the crew. The crew fought back as well. Sir Bold proved the best fighter. The schooner swung and crashed into another wave. The wave grew on both sides and the field of battle turned virtually vertical. Sir Bold jumped onto the mainmast and ran up it. He cut a rigging line and swung around the main-topmast platform and up to the tip beyond the crow’s nest. With a swing of his sword, he cut the rigging keeping the ships together. The momentum of schooner’s angle made it tip too far. Water filled its deck and the pirate ship sank quickly. The Marine Knight ziplined down a long rigging. He neared the foremast. The sails burned, apparently the pirates also fired incendiary arrows. He let his hoof continued to hold the sling rope, suffering the burns, he then cut it and swung back onto the deck. He slashed a pirate. Then with both hooves he kicked another overboard. He landed and looked about. From a broke piece of mast, calmly walked a figure illuminated by the fire. Ten Bits looked to his father “Who’s that Dad?” Lyra appeared next to the Captain “Is that the pirate captain?” Star didn’t answer, instead, he collapsed. The spell disappeared and the desert remerged. “Dad!” Blueblood and Bon-Bon slung the Captain over their shoulder, the Prince gave an order “We better continue moving, before the heat gets too much. Lean his weight onto me Miss.” Bon-Bon glared at him as they walked “You do know we Earth Ponies are very strong?” “Forgive me, I was only being chivalrous.” “This isn’t the time or place for chivalry.” The heat didn’t get to them in the end. Exhaustion and the chill of the desert night did. Blueblood, half asleep and half dead, look out blurry eyed at the starfield of Luna’s night. Having lived in Canterlot with its bright lights and to a certain, lesser, extent Ponyville, he never saw so many stars in the night sky. He thought he glimpsed a shooting star. The only other thing he could register, the dogs’ howling. He felt the sand shift slightly and a new voice “Good dogs!” After a moment or two it called out “The mares and colt are alive. Check the other two.” “Yes ma’am!”, Blueblood smiled, the Guard found them. As he drifted into unconscious he heard the other guard called back “Ma’am, you’re not going to believe this.” The Prince awoke in the medical ward of a distinctly Saddle Arabian styled Royal Guard Outpost. The door opened and Pegasus Mare, white coated with dull armour walked in with a smile “Ah, your Highness, Captain I see your both awake.” She saluted with her wing “I’m Lieutenant Sunny Bee, welcome to the Hidden Barrier Outpost.” Blueblood nodded “Thank you Lieutenant, we owe you our lives.” Bee chuckled “Well, we wouldn’t have found you if our patrol hadn’t heard your dogs.” Snowy bounded up and pawed at Blueblood’s bedside. The Prince smirked and rubbed his little terrier’s head “I’ll get that blue toy you wanted when we get back to Ponyville.” Ten Bits inched out from behind the Lieutenant “Dad?” Captain Star, in the next bed called over “I’m here my boy.”, the colt used his stick to find the clear path. Once at his father’s bedside he jumped up and hugged him tightly. The Prince looked about “Where are Miss Bon-Bon and Miss Heartstrings?” Bee looked a little sheepishly “They went to the Mare’s Room for some, private time, unsure when they’ll be back.” “It’s alright Lieutenant.” Bon-Bon said walking in. Lyra behind magical combed her mane, once done she walked over to Captain Star “Excuse me sir, but, the story of the Alicorn?” Star’s horn sparked “I think I can remember it. I think the spell cancelled out once it started to be told.” Bon-Bon whispered to Lieutenant Bee. Quickly she ordered every-pony out. The Captain took a sip of water and cleared his throat “Where did get to?” Ten Bits spoke up “Some-pony started walking down a broken mast towards Sir Bold.”, Star’s eye widened and his horn flared, as did Blueblood’s and Lyra’s. The simulation covered the ward and the scene started playing again. The figure walked down, dressed in a red cape over a dark grey body, the ends caught fire. A red bandana covered the figure’s nose and mouth. The wide brim of the hat obscured the eyes, but the tip of a horn pecked from the feathers. Sir Bold Star steeled himself and readied his cutlass “So you’ve shown yourself Red Rackham!” The now identified pirate said nothing. “If it’s a fight you want.” Star said twirling the sword in his magic “You’ve met your match. To the death then, Red Rackham.” Rackham jumped of the debris and slowly approached. Suddenly Rackham furled the flame cape at Sir Bold. As Sir Bold dodge Rackham pulled out another cutlass via magic. The pirate tried to strike. Sir Bold blocked. Rackham went low. Blocked again. Rackham spun around. Sir Bold leaned back. The flames of the cape bushed his beard. Both struck. Metal rang. Rackham took the cape off. Hurled at the Marine Knight. He dodged it again and thrusted. The blade went into Rackham’s cape. Rackham laughed, with a distinct delicate and light voice. The cape twirled, revealing empty air. In the shock Sir Bold failed to register the burning cape covering him. Rackham tripped Sir Bold up. He fell to the ground. The chuckle came again and Rackham walked away. Sir Bold got up. A crack sounded above him. He looked up. A yardarm of the Mizzenmast, the one closest to the stern, fell. He dodged by rolling. Before he could get up, the remaining pirates drew their swords to his neck. Red Rackham looked down at him “The Princess’s Dog.” The voice, unmistakably female. “Celestia thinks she can get every-pony to behave? I’m doing what I do best, and she can’t accept that.” She glanced up at the Mare in the Moon, “Is she going to banish me to the moon too? Of course, that’s if she ever catches me.” She turned back to Sir Bold “If you’re the type of Pony she’s going to send as a Pirate Hunter to reclaim our hard-earned plunder, then I don’t need to worry.” She nodded to her crew. A few of them grabbed Sir Bold and slammed him into the mast. Sir Bold growled “Is that why you attack us? Pure spite to a pony a thousand times better than you’ll ever be?” Rackham spoke annoyed “No, not purely to spite Celestia, neither is it only revenge for my colleagues in our little Brethren Republic. No, I know you have quite the valuable cargo aboard,” she narrowed her eyes “where is it?” Sir Bold smirked “You’ll have to kill me first.” “Not first.” Rackham said and turn to the deck. She pointed with her sword “I’ll start with your fellows.” The pirate crew start to push the tied and tired crew of the Alicorn onto planks. Sir Bold’s eyes widened “Promise me you won’t kill them, I’ll show you the cargo you seek.” Rackham turned to him with a quint in her eye “Very well, if I’m satisfied I’ll allow your crew to live.” Under guard Sir Bold lead Rackham and a few of the pirates down into the lower decks. He went to a bookcase and pulled out a specific book. A mechanism sounded. A piece of the floor pivoted down. Rackham walked down it and stopped to behold the sight. A room filled more than a foot deep with treasure, gold coins, jewels, finely crafted artefacts. Lyra gasped at a pair of coffin like objects. Captain Star nodded “Four-hundred pounds of gold, jewels and treasure. Tribute to Princess Celestia, from the last of the Sun Worshippers of the Utopian Archipelago, included among them, two hermetically and magically sealed sarcophagi of their last King and his Queen, along with equally protected writings of the entire Human culture and history on Equus.” Lyra turned to him “Last?” “Humanity four-hundred years ago was already dying out.”, Lyra dropped her head. Sir Bold glared down at Rackham “Satisfied?” Rackham took a necklace in her hoof. Her eyes glanced back to him, and the edges of her bandana wrinkled in what could only be described as a smirk. “No.” She turned back to him “You see, the Code of Conduct set down by my father Gracious Rackham when he founded the Brethren Republic of Pirates, stipulates and I quote ‘The Captain and Quartermaster to receive two shares of a prize: the master, boatswain and gunner, one share and a half. And other officers one and quarter.’ And if I offer your crew membership into my crew, well, I don’t think the share will be big enough to truly enjoy it.” “You could simply let us go.” “True, but if word got to Equestria that the might Alicorn got captured and its mission plundered, well, what hope would there be for the Brethren Republic?” she pointed her sword up to her guard and shouted, “Kill his crew!” Sir Bold eyes widened as through a hole on the hull he saw his crew drop, tied and weighed, they sank into the cold and salted clutches of cruel ocean hundreds of miles away from anyway remotely resembling Equestria. Lost. The pirates tied Sir Bold to the Mizzenmast. Captain Star spoke again “Sir Bold knew he was doomed, that he would be hang from the nearest yardarm. But the pirates did reckon on one thing, Sir Bold was a Star, and a Star always has a trick up his sleeve.” Sir Bold waited for the pirates to fall asleep, they oddly did so on deck. Once sure he would be undetected, he lowered his head, jerked it up, one of the plumes of his hat fly up, then fell straight down. He grabbed it with his teeth. Turned his head. Spat it out. Grabbed it with his hoof. And with the blade at the end of the feather, cut through the rope. Free he headed down to the lowest of all the decks, grabbing a discarded cutlass on the way. He entered the most secure area of the vessel. Captain Star smirked “Sir Bold later said, “If not for the rum rations the mission might well have been abandoned”, but Sir Bold knew to keep the drink from running ramped. The one place where a steady hoof would be needed was the magazine, where they kept the gunpower for the incendiary arrows.” Ten Bits started shaking. The Captain held him tightly “After a few accidents in later years, for the safety of the crews of ships, incendiary weapons were banned, until recently of course.” Lyra smirked. Blueblood knew why, her father Vice-Admiral Nelson Shrouds and his peers experimented and perfected firework munitions. Of course, the Great Fire of Bridle City Port, almost a year ago, did stirs the Navy a bit, but it all came down the blustering incompetence of a Naval Officer named Bluenose, acting all high and mighty and disobeying safety protocols. The Prince then glanced to Ten Bits, reports said he lost his eyesight due to the fire. In an act of bravery, the colt pushed a smouldering tank of alcohol out of the city, when it exploded the flash severally damaged his retinas and thus blinding him. Auntie Celestia though awarded the child the Clover Cross, the highest award for bravery outside of a combat situation. The Marine Knight, unware by centuries of his descendant’s tragedy picked a small barrel with his magic and began spilling a trail of burnable powder. He made it to the top deck. A voice stopped him “You dog!” Red Rackham stood behind Sir Bold with her cutlass angrily gripped in her magic “You’d blow us sky high?” Sir Bold put down the barrel. “Come on then.” He said drawing his blade, “Let’s have you!”, he slashed a rope to his side. The rope held a candle lantern. It crashed to the wooden floor. The flame jumped onto the power and raced along the black pathway. The blade met. Rackham dodged around Sir Bold “Not this time!” she proclaimed, and kicked the flame out. Swashbuckling continued. Sir Bold stepped back, in a step he nudged the lamp. The flame touched the remains of the earlier power and the journey started again. Went under Rackham’s legs. She stopped and looked back as the sparks fell down the steps to the first gundeck. Following, and almost tumbling down to the floor she turned back and blocked a slash from Sir Bold. Rackham grabbed a pirate and threw him into Sir Bold. Free she kicked the flame out again. Sir Bold jumped up and flung himself at her. Clashes sounded. Rackham lunged. The Marine Knight stepped aside, and pushed her away. Now with an opening, he cut another lamp off its hanging place. The powder reignited. Rackham jumped him and pushed him aside. Again, she snuffed the fire. Sir Bold swept under her feet. After she fell he sent one more lantern off its hook. The fire burned down into the second gundeck. The Knight and the Pirate still fought upstairs. Rackham put her offensive into overdrive. Sir Bold blocked and dodged. Rackham lunged. Sir Bold spun aside. Twirled his cutlass back. Deep into Rackham. The end of the blade stuck out her back. He pulled the sword out of her abdomen. Rackham collapsed to the floor. Sir Bold flicked the red bandana off Rackham’s face, and revealed a muzzle made of sharp curves, two sickly green eyes, and a finely brushed and cut black mane. Blueblood blinked “It can’t be!” Ten Bits asked, “Can’t be what?” Captain Star turned to him “More like it can’t be who. In this case, Rackham looks very much like are mutual friend or fiend, Miss Cobalt.” Lyra turned to them “But Cobalt’s a Bat Pony?” Bon-Bon theorised “Rackham could have had relatives who married into a Bat Pony family.” Captain Star held his son tighter “This isn’t just about the scrolls, or the treasure that went down with the ship. It’s us she’s after. She wants vengeance.” Rackham stared sternly at Sir Bold “You’ll suffer a curse upon you and your name Star.” Sir Bold turned away toward an open gun port. Rackham threw her sword. It lodged into the wall beside Sir Bold, “Come back and face me.” She growled. Sir Bold paused “See you in Tartarus.” He jumped out and dived. Bon-Bon’s eyes widened for a faction of a second. The water shock violently. He surfaced with a gasp. The Alicorn broke into two burning halves. The mainmast narrowly missed him. He grabbed the now driftwood. “I curse you!” Rackham called. She feebly held up part of the floor above her as she sank with the ship “I curse your name! And all who come after! We will meet again Star. In another time. In another life!” The bow blew. Further collapsing and silencing the pirate. Treasure flew. Sir Bold fished his hat out and with if caught as much of the raining riches as possible. He looked up and beheld the sight. The bow of the ship upturned and plunged. The gleaming figurehead of Princess Celestia dulled as she disappeared into the brine of the ocean depths. The spell disappeared. The ward returned. Captain Star finished the tale “After eventually being rescued, Sir Bold told only Princess Celestia about what happened, before retiring to Sagittarius Hall. And Celestia, bless her, made sure to keep the secret hidden.” And silence. Ten Bits spoke first “It wasn’t over. And Sir Bold knew it. He’d be cursed before he’d let Red Rackham have the Alicorn.” Bon-Bon then muttered, “And he was.” The colt nodded “But he couldn’t let it lie.” Blueblood took up the conversation “He left a clue. Three clues wrapped in a riddle concealing the secret, but only a true star would be able to solve it.” Lyra nodded “The location of the treasure and its content. Cobalt means to steal it, and she need the scrolls.” Captain Star gritted his teeth “By Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight together, as the last of the Stars we’ll reclaim that treasure for Equestria!” Every-pony smiled. Blueblood asked “To Cartus?” “To Cartus!” they all answered. It took a couple of days along the Silk Road, but with enough supplies, carried by camels and native nomad guides, they reached Cartus with no trouble. Sitting upon, and practically carved into the cliffsides of a large bay, the one of the great port cities of Saddle Arabia. A river trickled through the centre and out to the ocean, damned by a massive wall, beside it, the Khedive’s Palace. Bon-Bon looked down at the bay and frowned “She’s here.” She pointed. The Karaboudjan sat anchored just outside the jetties. They headed down to the market of the city itself. As they walked through many of the native Saddle Arabian Ponies did their best to sell their wares. They stood a little taller and built thinner than Equestrian Ponies. The Royals and Nobles on the other-hoof, they rivalled the Royal Sisters in height, the advantages of wealth and health. Blueblood understood from history, the Saddle Arabians broke from the Equestrian branch of the Pony Race very early on and formed their own civilisations in the desert lands. Only in the past three-hundred years did the Desert Kingdom become a protectorate of Equestria. After the reign of its greatest King, Suleiman, internal, economic and social issues weakened the nation. As they stopped at the gates to the Palace Road a poster started being unfurled. The headline took the interest of Blueblood and Bon-Bon, for it said ‘The Stalliongrad Songbird.’, it lowered revealing the image of a Crystal Pony mare. Yellow-cream coated, with a cutie mark of a musical notes and a masquerade style mask, a three-toned mane and tail of a rich purple, then pale purple and finally a greyish blue. Underneath the bold name ‘Humble Spurgenev’ Bon-Bon narrowed her eyes “Spurgenev? I remember the Waterbury family taking care of an Iron Spurgenev last summer.” “Humble Spurgenev is Iron’s wife.” Blueblood explained “They escaped Stalliongrad, she’s become a renowned opera singer in the Crystal Empire so Cadance says. But what could Cobalt achieve with her?” Lyra spoke up simply “Why don’t we go and find out? The poster says she’s performing at the Palace, I’m sure as a Prince of Equestria you can get us in your Highness.” The guards let them in as soon as they saw Prince Blueblood, and escorted them to an open hall was fountains and a stream built into it. At the end of the hall stood dozens of encased modal ships. Standing by the collection with a cheery face stood a stallion in an ankle length white robe. A scarf on his head. A pair of round glasses on his nose. The guard cleared his throat “Your Excellency, we have unexpected guests. His Highness Prince Blueblood and company.” He pulled out a clipboard as the identified Khedive turned with interest. The guard cleared his throat “Dame Lyra Heartstrings of Canterlot and Ponyville, Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorious Order of the Griffish Isles. Her escort Sweetie Drops of the SMILE Organisation. Captain Bright Star of Bridle City, late of Princess Celestia’s Royal Marines and son Ten Bits, Clover Cross.” Khedive Omar smiled, he grabbed Blueblood by the hoof “You’ve made my day even better your Highness. I haven’t seen you since the Gala five years ago.” The Prince smiled as he looked up at the Khedive, one of few Viceroys of Saddle Arabia, “It’s nice to see you too your Excellency.” “First the great Humble Spurgenev agreed to have her first Saddle Arabian show here in my little city. And you come as well. You and your interesting party. Tell me what brings you here?” A load of hoof-steps sounded and every-pony turned. Humble Spurgenev walked into the open hall to an array of photo flashes and reporters. Beside her walked a Crystal Stallion, his coat, a pale blue, and his triple toned mane and tail, of orange, grey and a creamy yellow, possessed a shine to them. His eyes, grey like the streak of his mane with the polygon reflection. His cutie mark, a crown inside a thought bubble. Around them a quartet of fillies, manes and coats a mixed combination of the adults, and a very young colt, his colours exactly as the stallions. Omar smiled wider and walked up to the mare “Madam Spurgenev, we are blessed by your presence!” Humble blushed “Please your Excellency, it should be me who is impressed.” She glanced to the stallion at her side “My I introduce my husband Iron. The Crystal Empire’s foremost political philosopher.”, Iron bowed. The Khedive smiled “I’ve read your works sir.” Iron looked up with a hopeful expression. “Very amusing.” Iron twitched. Both Humble and his son comfort him. Iron looked sternly at the Khedive “Amusing enough,” he said in a thick accent “that I was imprisoned for three years and then sent into life exile in Bug Bear Territory.” He looked to his son “I missed my boy’s birth. I missed my girls growing up. I suffered for my works, and you find it amusing?” The Khedive gulped “I meant no offence good sir, your writings brought happiness to me that’s all I meant.” Iron sighed “If you excuse me your Excellency,” he looked up at Blueblood “Your Highness, I shall escort my wife to her dressing room. Miss Cobalt will wish the performance to happen exactly on time.”, the family left. The Prince turned to Omar “This Miss Cobalt, did she organise it?” “Yes, very impressive. Do you know her?” Captain Star muttered “Oh yes, we know her, very well.” “Something wrong?” Bon-Bon walked up and whispered, “We need to be quiet in case some-pony hears us, but…” she started explaining. At the end Omar blinked “A remarkable story, but how does Miss Cobalt plan to break the glass?” “We don’t know.” Omar smiled “Oh well,” he glanced back as chairs began being put in place “We can dwell on that later. Right now, Madam Spurgenev is almost ready to sing. I’m afraid I can only spar some of the back-row seats my friends.” Blueblood smiled “Not to worry, from what Cadance says we’ll be able to hear her.” They took their seats. Close by Blueblood saw author A. K. Yearling in the audience. Humble walked onto her plinth. The music started. She broke into a Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano. Lyra as a musician herself followed the piece with a trance like state. The Prince thought about the opera the song originated from. The Queen of Spades. Set during the reign of the Grand Prince, sometimes King, called Great Ruler, he ruled the Crystal Empire, or maybe its proceeding nation, a loose federation of Crystal Pony tribes, the history of the Crystal Empire suffered greatly under the tyrannical hoof of Sombra. The play is a fable against gambling. The song Spurgenev sang is the last part of the Countess, a mare of over eighty years, she keeps a secret gambling trick, but she doesn’t reveal it because of a promise made to only use the trick once. The main character of the story the Solider, who has racked up a lot of debt because of gambling, wants to know the secret. In end, he threats her to reveal the secret at crossbow point, but seeing the lengths he goes to, she suffers a heart attack. After the funeral, the Countess suddenly reappears to him and teaches him the trick, before disappearing again. He uses the trick twice and wins, on the third instead of getting the needed winning ace, he instead gets the titular Queen of Spades, on closer inspection the image of the Queen turns into the Countess. The Solider is driven mad. The song is at the point when the Countess appears on the card and spells doom to the Solider. Snowy began to growl. Blueblood took notice. He looked up. Cobalt stood on the balcony above with a bat beside her. She didn’t notice him or the others. The Prince followed her eye line. Straight to the model ship at the end of the collection. The third Alicorn, he took a pair of the provided opera glasses, the compact binoculars comically stereotypical of operas and focus on the model itself. Immediately his heart stuttered. The glass of the case vibrated. Before he could do or say anything. Humble reached her peak note. Glasses in hooves burst. Omar’s glasses cracked. His own eyes widened. The chandeliers broke up, only the brass chains kept them up. And the glass of the model ship cases collapsed. Together, Blueblood and Omar turned to Cobalt. She smirked and tapped the bat. It started flying. Omar took his glasses off and shouted “Guards! Stop that bat! Arrest Cobalt, she’s after my models.” The Bat Pony mare’s eyes widened. She looked about and stopped at Blueblood and the others. She gritted her teeth, put her hoof to her mouth and whistle. The bat quickly spun around and flew back to her. She ran off. Humble walked down from her plinth and looked to the Khedive with a confused expression “Why did you think Miss Cobalt was after your collection?” “Well,” Omar said “not the entire collection, just one. The Alicorn.” Iron walked up scowling at the balcony “Why? What is so important about the model?” “We can explain that.” Blueblood said stepping down towards them. Both the Prince and the Khedive explained to the audience. Omar then turned to Humble “Set up for an end or not, I must congratulate you Madam. A most wonderful performance.”, every-pony nodded and clapped. Omar then chuckled he looked up to the chandeliers “I think we should make a proper theatre for any future performances, with no glass.” Blueblood and Bon-Bon went over to the model of the Alicorn. While Iron talked with Captain Star and Lyra. The Prince carefully moved the model from the now useless case. Omar quickly rushed “Be most careful with it.” Blueblood nodded “We’ll do are best. Now,” he turned to Bon-Bon, “as far as I can remember from Cobalt’s model there was no damage to the mast. So, either she broke it, got the scroll out and had the model repaired before going after my,” he stopped and sighed before grumbling “at current, missing presumed stolen, model. Or there’s a way of getting the scroll without causing damage.” “Why not remove the bottom?” said a voice. The three turned as A. K. Yearling walked up, her large, almost comical glasses removed due to the fragmented lenses. Miss Yearling continued “The bases are usually screwed on. Maybe Sir Bold made it so the scroll could be removed when the base is.” Blueblood gently turned the model on its side and indeed found the screws. Gingerly he unscrewed them with his magic. Tipped the model up slightly and the metal cylinder slide out. Bon-Bon caught it. The Prince replaced the bottom, and then the model back into place. He turned and nodded to Miss Yearling “Thank you so much for your suggestion.” The author waved it off “Think nothing of it.” She then looked about at the dispersing crowd before leaning into the Prince “If you don’t mind, I wouldn’t mind adapting this adventure of yours for one of my novels, ponies and names will be changed of course.” Blueblood glanced at Bon-Bon, who gave him an unsure look, he turned back to AK “We’ll discuss it later. We’ve still got to get Cobalt’s scroll.” A guard walked up to the Khedive “Forgive us your Excellency, but Cobalt has evaded us.” Bon-Bon turned to the guard incredulously “You let her escape? She’s only one pony!” “One crafty Bat Pony, with a viscous pet bat.” He outstretched his hoof revealing bite marks. AK cringed “Nasty, those would definitely hurt. Any evidence of diseases?” The guard gulped “None so far. But…”, the author rolled her eyes “I’d better go tell the doctors here what to look out for.” Omar raised an eyebrow “And how is it you would know what diseases a bat might carry and its symptoms.” “In my line of work, you have to do research on these sorts of things.” And she trotted off without another word. Bon-Bon still fumed “She’ll have the Karaboudjan out of port at full speed by the time we get to the docks.”, the Prince nodded “There are two places should could possibly go, Bridle City or Ponyville.” Bon-Bon shook her head “I don’t think so. I bet, having figured we told his Excellency here about her, then she more than likely assumed we informed the authorities, I mean I got caught in the Radio Room. She’d go somewhere the authorities don’t know is linked to her.” She stopped and blinked, then smiled “The Radio Room!” Captain Star and Ten Bits walked up “What are you on about now Miss Bon-Bon?” “I sent a signal on the Karaboudjan’s radio, I noted down the frequency their using, before I changed it to the Everfree Guard’s. And given how you describe the crew Captain, I’m pretty sure they’re lazy enough just to reset to the old one.” Captain Star nodded “So we can follow them?” Blueblood gave an unsure grumble “It would be a whole lot better if we get to where she’s going before she arrives.” Ten Bit shivered “Well, I’m not flying again.” Iron walked over “If you wish you can join me and my family on are trip back to the Crystal Empire.”, Blueblood turned and opened his mouth, but Iron stopped him “Before you ask, we are travelling on a steam powered superyacht, capable of 53 Knots, so the captain says, paid by Miss Cobalt herself.” The Prince smirked “Looks like she gambled and lost, like the Solider in The Queen of Spades.”, Iron chuckled himself “Very droll your Highness.” The Karaboudjan sailed into Tall Tale. Cobalt apparently needed to deal with some family business. Blueblood watched from the roof of a dock warehouse. Next to him a derelict crane with a long-unwound chain. He hoped he could find his Aura Guardian’s hat in the ship. Just as she walked off the gangplank onto the dock, a pair of voices called down “Lady Cobalt. This is Berk and Burk of the Everfree Guard. You are to come with us because of your crimes against Equestria.” “To be precise.” The other said “You’re under arrest.” The Prince rolled his eyes. Before Cobalt could do anything, the sound of wings filled the air. The Pegasi member of the Everfree Guard Reserves followed by several Night Guard Bat Ponies landed on the deck of the ship and began storming about arresting the crew. Captain Star walking out from the door warehouse with a naval cutlass held in this magic “I suggest you surrender Cobalt, or would you prefer I call you Rackham.” She turned to him with a pleased smile “Oh, so you know now?”, with her wing she reached into her coat and pull out her scroll, then with her hoof she pulled out a lighter and sparked it alight “You’re not going to be able to solve the mystery with this scroll.” She chuckled “The legend said only a true Star can solve it, but I took a Rackham to get the job done.” The Prince acted. He grabbed the chain with his magic and swung down. He used this aura with his sight to better assess his surroundings. Time would be everything. He sailed between the two foes and held a hoof out. He looked to the hoof and found the scroll in it. He landed, looked back at Cobalt and smirked. Cobalt sneered and started to move. Captain Star put the tip of his blade to her throat. From behind walked out a few Night Guards, who cuffed Cobalt’s hooves and wings “Anything you say may be taken down as evidence.” The leading Guard said as they escort her and the crew away. Bon-Bon, Lyra and Ten Bits, and the dogs, came from the warehouse, followed by Berk and Burk. The former SMILE Agents gave Blueblood his original scroll. Holding the three out in his magic he examined them “The markings under the poem are different.” The sun rose over the horizon and the scrolls became translucent. He glanced to Bon-Bon. She nodded. The Prince shuffled the three scrolls together. The marks merged together ‘20 37 42 N 70 52 15 W’. Captain Star blinked “There coordinates, longitude and latitude.” Lyra start wriggling with excitement “We’ve found it then?” The Captain nodded and Ten Bits hugged him “That’s the location of the treasure.” Lyra hugged Bon-Bon “We did it!” Blueblood turned to Captain Star grinning, but then noticed the Captain’s expression “What’s wrong?” Every-pony turned to Star. The Captain pulled out a map from his coat, unfurled it and traced it with his horn “If I’m not mistaken, the coordinates on the scrolls lead to…” Blueblood blinked still unbelieving as they disembarked the coach “Sagittarius Hall?” Bon-Bon looked equally confused “The treasure can't be here?” Captain Star looked back “Only one way to find out.” He turned to the door and got ready to knock when it opened. Cobalt’s former butler smiled “Master Bright Star. Your Highness. I’ve been expecting you and your guests.” Captain Star blinked and smiled “Noisy, you’re still here?” “My family’s contract is to the house sir, not to the owner.” Ten Bits stepped up “Dad? Who’s this?” “Ten Bits my boy, this is Aloysius “Noisy” Parker, he’s a descended of Sir Bold’s favourite First Mate, remember Nickel?” “Right I see.” He held is hoof out “How’d you do?”, Aloysius took the hoof “How do you do young master?” He stepped back into the house “Welcome to Sagittarius Hall.” They all entered and the Captain looked about amazed “Hasn’t changed since Grandfather showed me it when I was,” he looked down to Ten Bits “when I was younger than you son.” A bark sounded and the Rottweiler of the hall came bounding down the stairs. Snowy barked the larger dog sat. Blake trotted up as far as the harness on him allowed him and started a canine converse with the halls’ hound. Aloysius smirked “Nice that me hound has a few friends now.” Ten Bits looked at the butler “More than friends Mr Parker, your dog’s a girl.” Aloysius blinked. Captain Star cleared his throat “Excuse me Noisy, but I think we should get down the business.” “Quite so sir. And might I say how nice it’ll be to have a Star back in charge of the Estate.” Star frowned “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a bit more for that Noisy, I can’t afford to live here.” Blueblood trotted up “Not unless we find the treasure? You said you know the house, where should we start?” The Captain looked to the floor “Is the cellar still here?” Aloysius escorted them down a flight of starts and into a dark room light by a small grated window near the celling and candle lamps. The dogs started playing about in the columns and the stacked furniture. Star looked about and narrowed his eyes “No, this isn’t it.” He turned to Parker “I remember we had a bigger cellar.”, the butler shook his head “I’m sorry sir, but the house has only one cellar.” A muffled bark and a pair of frantic whines caught the Prince’s attention, he looked to the wall, finding Blake and the Girl Guard Dog scratching at some of the furniture. One little chap appeared missing. “Snowy?”, a bark came from the other side of the wall. Aloysius and Ten Bits pulled the Rottweilers away. Blueblood, Captain Star, Lyra and Bon-Bon started moved the obstructing furniture away. They found a hole in the wall, only one brick thick, with light streaming in. The little white terrier scurried up and licked Blueblood on the nose. Bon-Bon cleared her throat “Out of my way!”, she walked back to the end of the cellar. Every-pony, dogs included jumped out of the way. The yellow Earth Pony charged. Put her shoulder to the loose bricks. SMASH! She landed hoof first into a large section of the cellar filled with more furniture, many older and finer. Suits of armour with various weapons hang from the pillars. Captain Star helped Ten Bits through “Grandfather must have walled it up before he lost the house.” Bon-Bon dusted herself off and walked to the end of the room, she hummed “And then shine forth the Eagle’s cross?” Blueblood looked up as he and Lyra squeezed through and narrowed his eyes. Lyra walked up to a statue of a young stallion, with a halo, holding a cross standing next to a globe. Captain Star and Bon-Bon came to her side, Bon-Bon raised an eyebrow “Well, I see the cross, but where’s the Eagle?” Lyra looked down at the name under the statues’ feet and read it out “Gracious Thunder.” She blinked and looked up again “Oh, I think I see. Minuette told me about him. He wrote the Fourth Book of Silver Light, he’s often represented by an Eagle, I think he is the Eagle. Pretty colt, isn’t he?” Blueblood walked up “Auntie Celestia told me that for a time, because the Holy Books suggest he’s the youngest of the Apostles it gave artists freedom to depict him as a youth. Trouble is by today’s standards he gets mistaken for a mare.” He narrowed his eyes “What’s he trying to tell us?” Captain Star looked at the globe. It included Equestria in the middle and the as the foremost landmass, to its east, the Dragon and Griffon Lands. The land extended from Equestria to the west, the Undiscovered West, stopped with ill-defined ends, and the sea continued. A small speck on the globe caught his attention “That must be Sagittarius Island.” Ten Bits and Lyra looked at the Captain “Sagittarius Island?” they asked, then glanced at each other due to their simultaneous question. Star nodded “Remember, Sir Bold spent nearly two years on an island before he was rescued. He named the island that because he had an amazing view of the constellation of Sagittarius when he landed. The mythological character became a sort of guardian in his mind, and thus when he built the hall he named it after his guardian. It’s a family legend.” Blueblood looked at the speck “Only a true Star.” He murmured looked up to the Captain “Sir Bold wanted his inheritance to go to a pony worthy of it. Some-pony who without relying on his family history, could recognise one small island on a globe, one no-pony else would know about and know it to be true. Most would probably call it a mistake, an error in the cartography or the casting, I would,” he placed his hoof on Star’s shoulder “but you didn’t.” The Captain looked to the globe again “I think every-pony should stand back.”, they all backed up. Captain Star pressed the island. The northern hemisphere busted open. Every-pony crowded around and peered in. Ten Bits nudged his father “What is it?” The Captain charged his horn, and carefully pulled out a wide, floppy brimmed hat with feather. Inside the crown sat a few hoof-full of golden coins and jewels. He typed the treasure into a large silver cup resting on the floor, and with a grin, placed the hat on his son’s head, he chuckled “Maybe you should take off the sunglasses.” The colt did so. Bon-Bon chuckled “It suits you.” Aloysius walked in with a silver platter, on which rested a bottle of champagne, a couple of glasses and a glass of apple juice “I think this calls for a celebratory drink. I imagine that treasure there is enough allow you to live here?” Star looked back and chuckled “I think so.” He turned back and took a glass “But of course, I have my company to run.” “A simple matter of acquiring a coach sir.” He levitated the glass of apple juice to Ten Bit’s hoof “If you need a driver sir.” The Captain rolled his “I’ll think about it.” Blueblood took another glass “It’s a little odd. Sir Bold created that wild goose chase, and only a what he managed to get the night the Alicorn sank.” He shrugged “Oh well,” he charged his horn. His bycoket appeared on his head “some secrets are best left so.” “Maybe.” Lyra said looking down into the globe, before magically pulling out another new scroll “But this was under the hat.” She unwrapped it and grinned “There’s still four-hundred pounds of treasure waiting at the bottom of the sea, along a wrecked ship and two coffins.” She glanced to the others “How’s every-pony’s thirst for adventure?” Blueblood and Bon-Bon smirked. Ten Bits started wriggling with joy and he hugged Blake. Snowy barked excitedly. Captain Star looked at them all then turned to the Unicorn mare and answered, “I’d say unquenchable.” Lyra smiled and turned the scroll to them.