//------------------------------// // Conversations // Story: A World Above // by KidatHeart5 //------------------------------// Gale pranced merrily through the vast and majestic garden of the palace while one of the servants was desperately trying to keep up with the young princess. The mare panted, “Wait, Your Highness! *pant pant* Don’t run off…so fast! I’m supposed…to watch you…while your parents…are at…their meeting!” Gale was so distracted by her surroundings that she didn’t listen to anything the servant said. Everything was just so beautiful and eye-catching that it was hard not to resist looking at the many flowers and marble statues in the garden. Just then, she saw something on a high hill in the distance. She raced towards the fleeting figure before it vanished just behind the crest of the hill. To her great delight, when she reached the top, she found the deer doing warm-up stretches. She waved cheerfully to them, “Hi!” The deer looked at her and greeted, “Hello, there. Hi! Salutations.” Blackthorn came up to her and said with a smile, “I see you found us again.” Gale nodded proudly, “Yep. I saw you on the hill and comed over here.” The captain’s smile dropped a bit as he told her, “You know, you shouldn’t be here talking to us.” Gale asked, “Why not?” “Because…guards aren’t supposed to talk to royalty.” “But Mr. Bumble Tiger talked to me and Mommy and Daddy, and he’s a guard.” “It’s okay if other guards talk to you, but the deer guards can’t. You understand, don’t you?” Gale lowered her head in sadness and said, “Yes.” Just then, the servant’s voice called out, “Princess, where are you?!” “I hafta go. Bye, Captain Blackthorn.” Seeing the young princess walk away in sorrow to the garden broke Blackthorn’s heart a bit, but he knew that if she knew what most ponies knew about the deer, she would have every right to avoid them. As Gladmane and Starling strolled in the veranda, the king said, “Whoo! That took a whole lotta planning in that room!” Starling nodded, “Yes, but now we have a plan.” “Exactly! Since I invited Dandy to the ball, he’ll be coming tomorrow night.” “That way, we can trick him into giving a public confession.” Gladmane chuckled, “I am so glad you Canterlot royals are smart cookies. Ya know, I’d really love to have you as an ally in both good times and bad times.” Starling raised a brow, “How so?” “I think having a rich kingdom like mine is gonna really benefit ya in case a war breaks out. There have been stirrings and rumors of tensions between countries just because their children have been taken.” “But that’s because the Dark Riders are prompting Paraddock to take the children to safety.” Gladmane chuckled, “Honey, not a lotta ponies or creatures out there are gonna believe in some giant cloud if they can’t see it for themselves! Let’s face it: war is coming, and the best thing we can do at the moment is form an alliance.” “It doesn’t have to be that way. We can find a way to prove to the other countries that Paraddock is real and the reason children are disappearing.” “Let me break it to ya: you’ve grown up in a palace all your life. Me? I lived the life of a simple tradespony for a long time, so I know how the world works, and it ain’t as pretty as ya think. That’s why we royals gotta stick together through thick and thin. If we build an alliance, then it won’t matter where we live. We’re all royals, and that’s what important.” He began to sing, “There is no greater power than to rule over the land…We both have it inside us…It's here where we stand…My friend, you know it's true…Look close and you will find…Ruling every citizen is destiny for our kind…So if we’re joined together…we will never fall…Royals must rule forever…Royals over all…” As they walked through the palace, he continued to sing, “Royals over all…No citizen is more grand…Royals over all…It's why we rule the land…We crush any resistance…so enemies keep their distance…Royals, royals over all…” Starling protested in song, “If we do what you suggest…we'd be evil and cruel…Using force and threat…That is no way to rule…” Gladmane sang suavely, “But if we're joined together…we will never fall…Yes, royals must rule forever…Royals over all…Royals over all…No citizen is more grand…” “Stay noble and grand…” “Royals over all…It's why we rule the land…” “We must protect the land…” “We crush any resistance…” “Friendship and kindness…” “So enemies keep their distance…” “Will always find us…” “Royals, royals over all…” After he finished singing, he said to Starling smoothly, “Seems like we have different ideas about rulin’ a kingdom and helpin’ others. Maybe after having some lunch, you’ll change your mind. After all, one doesn’t think straight on an empty stomach.” Even though she wasn’t hungry and knew she was in her right mind, she complied and followed him to the dining room. Rainbow Dash groaned, “How far does this guy live? I’m getting hungry and I need some food. Right. Now.” She pounded her hoof on her seat to emphasize her point. Fluttershy soothed her, “Be patient, Dashie. We know how much you hate long carriage rides, but we should be there –“ They heard Pinkie’s voice shout/singsong from the carriage in front of them, “WE’RE HEERRE!” Rainbow lied against her seat and sighed, “Finally!” The two carriages rolled onto the circular dirt path in front of the large chateau and stopped before the staircase leading to the entrance. Just as the royals stepped out of the carriages, the door opened to reveal a cheerful and elegant Dandy Grandeur. He greeted as he descended the staircase, “Ah, my esteemed guests. It has been far too long since I’ve last seen you.” Timber whispered to Sunset, “Not long enough.” “Please, please come inside. We have much to talk about.” As the royals followed Dandy up the staircase, Rainbow pleaded under her breath, “Please let it be a trap. Please let it be a trap.” Spike asked, “Why do you want it to be a trap?” “Because just plain talking with Dandy is way worse than a trap.” In Las Pegasus, the royals dined on their lunch with Gladmane. This time, Gale hardly touched her food. Gladmane noticed this and said, “Another one without an appetite? Is this an epidemic or what?” Sky asked her daughter, “What’s wrong, sweetie?” Gale asked, “Why can’t the deer guards talk to royalty?” Whirl inquired, “Who told you that?” “Captain Blackthorn. He says deer guards can’t talk to royalty.” Gladmane gave a small chuckle that almost sounded uneasy, “Oh, I see you’ve met Blackthorn. Yeah, he said that because deer don’t wanna be friends with ponies. He thinks they ain’t good enough for the deer.” Gale’s heart dropped as she uttered in growing despair, “What?” “Darlin’, when he told ya he couldn’t talk to ya, he was really saying he didn’t wanna be friends with ya. Ever.” The filly leaned over the table and wept with her face partially covered by her arms. Skyla offered, “Maybe I should take Gale outside to calm her down for a bit.” Gale sobbed, “He doesn’t like me! He never likeded me!” She pressed her face against Skyla’s body as a crying jag shook her own. Skyla stroked her back, “Shhh. It’s going to be okay, Gale. You can make new friends while you’re here.” The filly gasped between sobs, “But…h-he was so…nice to me.” “And I believe you. It’s Gladmane I don’t trust. I think he’s wrong about Blackthorn. I don’t think he would say he doesn’t want to be your friend. Tell you what? We’ll find him and ask him if he wants to be friends with you.” Suddenly, a voice answered, “You don’t need to look far.” To the girls’ surprise, Blackthorn stepped out from behind the rosebush. For some reason, Skyla thought it was like a romantic fairy tale that he appeared from the rosebush on a sunny day. Why on Earth was she thinking this? As he walked up to the ponies, Blackthorn could’ve sworn sunbeams veiled the older mare’s face like a delicate gossamer curtain. The smell of the roses nearby increased this new, unknown sensation he was feeling. Gale smiled and ran to the deer, “Blackthorn!” When she hugged his foreleg, he chuckled as he patted her back, “It’s good to see you again.” He then looked up at Skyla as he added, “And you, too.” Skyla felt a tingling in her body when she heard his silky yet strong voice. Gale asked Blackthorn, “Do you wanna be friends with me?” The deer smiled, “Such a straightforward little pony. Well, if you want me to be your friend, I can’t say ‘no’. So yes, I will.” “Yaaay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She then let go of Blackthorn’s foreleg and walked up to Skyla, saying, “I wanna eat again.” The princess smiled, “All right. I’ll take you back to the dining room.” Blackthorn’s heart pounded when he heard her beautiful voice. When they had first met this morning, he was so frightened that he barely noticed her finer features. After their awkward meeting, he spent several hours thinking about her and Gale and realized just how beautiful the older princess was. This sparked in him a strange desire to be with her. Just as the girls started to head back to the kitchen, Blackthorn held up his hoof and said, “One more thing.” When the ponies turned to face him, he said, “I know Gale’s name, but what’s yours?” “Skyla,” the unicorn answered. “I’m Princess Skyla.”