//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 
// Story: Through the soul of friendship 
// by ShieldStar 
//------------------------------//

Through the soul of friendship
Fanfication by ShieldStar
7

Twilight watched the sun as Celestia eased it into the sky. The air cool and fragrant. She turned to Reed to see his reaction. To her surprise he was crying, a look of sadness, joy and longing in his face. A bird flitted by and his eyes followed it, the look of longing only deepening. He closed his eyes, swallowed, cleared his throat and began to sing. Twilight's heart acted with the melody and soon found that she too was silently crying.

A soft deep voice filled the gardens and all went still. It flowed like a warm bath, and soothed as a cool breeze.

"Here I stand. Before the rising sun.

Here I stand. Before the setting moon.

Take my hand. And begin to move.

Take my hand. And begin anew.

For now I sing my heart for you

To only wish you adieu.

Here I sing. For the open sky.

Here I sing. As daylight flies"

There was quiet for a long time and the sun finished its rise into the sky.

The song though short and moved Twilight. Taking a deep breathe she found her worries were gone, replaced by a sense of calm and contentment.

Reed stretched after a while. The sun had risen and now it was time for breakfast.

"Right, who's hungry?"

Breakfast was quite for Reed as Twilight and Dawn had already eaten. Twilight had left saying that her friends would start to worry if she didn't show up soon. Early Dawn was relieved by another guard and Reed was left to sit in his room. He had acquired some paper and was now busying himself drawing.

There was a nock and the door opened.

"The princesses request your presence." The new guard reported crisply.

"Really, this early?"

"They require your help."

"My help?" Reed got up and swiftly moved to follow the guard.

When they arrived at the throne room Reed could hear shouting from the other side of the large doors. Suddenly the doors were flung open and Reed saw the source of the commotion. A rather pissed looking griffin was escorted from the room.

"Reed please come in." A flustered Celestia said. An equally flustered looking Luna sat next to her.

"We require your help. The next diplomat we do not trust. Given past crimes of his race."

"What do you want me to do?"

"We request your sense of calm and reasoning."

"Of course." Reed moved off to the left as to not be in the way. He had never been in a diplomatic meeting before and hoped he didn't offend anyone by accident.

"Good, send him in." What entered Reed could only describe as a cross between a snake, a wolf's, and a human. The head was that of a wolf's, except for the fangs and eyes. The front half of its body was also a wolf's, and a human's. With fur covered hands. About its waste the body and tail of a snake formed. The dignitary's fur was gray while his scales were a dark green.  He stood up right like a human while he slithered into the room like snake. Reed was reminded of the mythical monster Medusa, if Medusa had been part wolf.  He wore what looked like a kind of formal armor. A head piece was woven into his neck ruff. Sliver, red and purple bradded together to make it. Reed noticed the purple matched the creature’s silted eyes. He came to a stop in front of the thrones, and saluted, his tail curling around him.  The princesses both bowed their heads. Reed not sure what to do just stood at attention and put a relaxed smile on his face.

"Reed I would like you to meet the ambassador from Farkrin, representative of the Sharquen, Quarik Dawk. Quarik this is Reed he is a human."

"And why pray tell is he here? And what is a human? I have never heard of such creates." His voice had a sharp barking hiss to it. Like someone had just kicked a soda can that had sprain a leak.

"Reed is here as a mediator, to help with the treaty. He has a clear mind of either of our races, and harbors no ill will to either of us."

'Oh boy.' Reed thought.

"Very well let us begin. What are your demands?"

By the time the meeting was over Reed was tiered and on edge. The meeting had ended well enough to where war would be avoided and trade would start to open up. Which Reed was so relieved that he didn't cause a war that he nearly jump up and down with happiness, and he would have if he wasn't so tiered.

By now it was about lunch time and the princesses had gone to the dining hall. Not sure where he should go Reed left with the guard and went back to his room. The princesses looked so haggard when they had left Reed almost suggested a royal nap, he sure felt like taking one.  Reed was now sitting crossed legged on the bed studying the drawing he had started.  Something his coach had said to him once came to mind as he studied the picture he had been drawing, "sleep when you can you may not get to later." The drawing detailed a shadowy figure, holding a sword of deep crimson. Reed loved to draw and found he was quite good at it. He also found that with in his drawings more than once had future events been seen. Although he had never told anyone, for fear of being thought crazy, Reed felt that he could almost draw the future.

A knocking on the door startled him out of his deep thoughts.