An elderly minotaur with a prim white beard and a pair of small, round glasses loomed in front of the Equestrians as they entered Minos Palace. “You did not follow the timing of the ceremonial drums of entry,” he said, his voice soft, but accusing.
“What did you expect me to do, flap my wings to it?” Rainbow asked. “Those things were so slow, I wouldn’t even make it off the ground!”
“One is meant to walk,” the minotaur replied.
“Spokes!” Axe called out in his usual jovial tone. “Stop accosting the poor, tiny, things!”
“They are ambassadors from Equestria,” Dagger added. “Let them through.”
“They are poorly trained ambassadors,” Spokes said, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized the Equestrians.
“They are the first visitors we’ve had in a long time. We can forgive some ignorance of our customs,” Dagger said. “Now let them through. I won’t say it again.”
“Best do as he says, Spokes,” Axe said. “You know how dangerous he can get when he’s pouty! RAHAHAHAHA!”
Spokes paused for a moment more before stepping aside and bowing to the Equestrians. “As my princes command. Welcome to Minos Palace. I am Tin Spokes, Steward of the Palace, Servant of -”
“So what’s for dinner, Spokes?” Axe interrupted. “No, wait! Don’t tell me! I’d prefer to be surprised! RAHAHAHAHA!”
Spokes slowly rose from his bow, one eye twitching.
“And I don’t very much care,” Dagger said. “The better question is: will you be joining us for dinner this evening, brother?”
“Us?” Axe asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Dagger replied. “The ambassadors will be joining me in the dining hall, of course. You are free to join us.”
“And just who decided that?” Axe asked, a slight edge to creeping into his tone.
“I’m sorry,” Rarity cut in. “Won’t we all be dining together?”
“The princes have not shared a meal for quite some time,” Spokes said.
“What? Why?” Rainbow asked.
“Please accept our apologies,” Rarity said over Rainbow Dash’s voice. “It seems our arrival has caused more than a little inconvenience.”
“That is both true and irrelevant,” Dagger said. “Regardless, such things are best discussed once we are all settled. Spokes, send word to the kitchens that Axe will be dining with me this evening. And of course have meals prepared for our guests as well.”
“No,” Axe said.
Dagger looked questioningly at his brother.
“I’ll eat in the barracks, as usual,” Axe clarified, his tone serious. “You cannot simply choose what I will or will not do, brother.”
Dagger shrugged. “As you say… Now, if the rest of you would follow me -”
“Actually, I think I’m gonna go with Axe,” Rainbow interrupted. “If this place is anything like Equestria, I’d probably prefer whatever mess they’ve got over at these barracks than some fancy dining hall.”
“Well now, that was unexpected!” Axe said, his humor returning. “RAHAHAHAHA!”
Dagger frowned. “I would insist, but...as my brother has so graciously pointed out, I cannot simply choose for you. If my company is unwanted, then so be it. What else can I do but dine alone?”
“That isn’t true, Prince Dagger,” Rarity said. “I would be more than happy to dine with you. And please forgive my friend. She doesn’t mean to insult you. She simply has her own preferences, is all.”
“Yeah, dude, chill out,” Rainbow added. “I just wanna eat without having to choose between, like, ten different forks.”
“Very well,” Dagger said. He hesitated for a moment, then turned to Reaper. “And what of you, commander? You’ve been quiet so far. Who shall you dine with?”
“I’m not hungry,” Reaper replied. “I’d like to rest. Where will we be staying for the night?”
“Spokes, show the commander to the guest rooms, and bring the ponies’ saddlebags as well,” Dagger said. “Lady Rarity, if you’ll follow me, I will lead us to the dining hall. Axe, I assume you’ll be fine without my input?”
“Better than fine!” Axe boomed. He turned to Rainbow Dash and asked, “Pegasus ponies are supposed to be fast, aren’t they? Up for a little challenge before dinner?”
Rainbow Dash smiled. “Only if you’re ready to change the menu ‘cause you’ll be eating my dust!”
“RAHAHAHAHA!”
~~~
Despite her earlier words, Rarity wasn’t nearly as confident in their group’s success as she pretended to be. The truth of the matter was that they were in over their heads. She had felt as much the moment Twilight had begun talking about treaties and standing agreements. The walk to the palace had only reinforced the fact that there was more than just a friendship at stake here. One mistake, and lives could be lost. One wrong move, and there could be war.
Rarity resolved to talk things over with Rainbow Dash later that night. The mare was steadfast in more than just her loyalty, and her awesome, can-do attitude in the face of adversity did tend to be infectious.
And in return for Rainbow’s encouragement, perhaps I could instill some small sense of caution in her, Rarity thought, mildly amused.
She took a moment to appreciate the map’s choice of ambassadors for this mission. Though their personalities were vastly different, she and Rainbow made a nice complementary pair - like two colors on opposite sides of the color wheel. Despite her doubts, Rarity could already see the direction the map had intended them to take, and she didn’t doubt that Rainbow saw it too. Rarity would speak with Dagger while Rainbow spoke with Axe, and together they would, somehow, find a way to reconcile whatever had come between the brothers.
And then there’s Reaper...
No matter how Rarity pictured it, Reaper seemed to be the odd one out in this mission. So far, his purpose was unclear, which can’t have been easy considering this was also his first time being called by the map. No, it wouldn’t do to share her doubts with Reaper. The poor dear was distant enough as it was. He had been improving of late, but he was still prone to long silences and short responses, and so needed as much encouragement and trust as the rest of them could provide.
And you can’t very well encourage someone if you’re too busy discouraging yourself, Rarity thought. Chin up, Rarity! Treat it like a field trip. You’re one of the first ponies to see Minotaur architecture in what could be a thousand years, so soak it in! Maybe you could incorporate some of it into your next line.
As Dagger continued to lead her through the halls, Rarity turned her attention to her surroundings. To her quiet dismay, the interior of Minos Palace was even more horrid than its exterior. Having been friends with Applejack for years now, she had become used to dealing with ponies who preferred function over form. She had even, to some extent, applied that idea to some of her more recent designs. However, Rarity maintained that there was a distinct difference between somepony who preferred function over form and somepony who cared only for function and held form in contempt. Whoever was responsible for the design of Minos Palace was clearly one of the latter - ‘pony’ suffix notwithstanding.
“Admiring the decor?” Dagger asked.
What decor!? Rarity almost blurted. Instead, she bit back her disgust with a fake cough, then cleared her throat. “Excuse me. The journey here has left me rather winded. Would you mind saying that again, please?” Mentally, she added, Think, Rarity! Think! How can you describe this wretched hole without offending him?
Dagger waved a hand dismissively. “You should have allowed one of my guards to carry you. I was asking what you thought of Minos Palace. You are studying its walls like a critic scrutinizing a work of art...or a trapped beast searching for a way out.”
That last statement made Rarity pause. Despite Dagger’s calm facade, she had surmised that he was a dangerous individual - certainly no stranger to violence. The last thing she needed right now was to give him any reason to be suspicious of her. That thought in mind, she decided to take a calculated risk and simply tell the truth.
“I suppose you could say that I am something of an art critic, Prince Dagger,” Rarity said. “Back in Equestria, I am a fashion designer - a renowned one, if I may be permitted some vanity. And I have been known to dabble in interior design from time to time, among other things.”
“And what does the renowned Equestrian designer think of the Minotaurs’ proudest architectural accomplishment?”
You’ve come this far, Rarity. Don’t back down now, Rarity thought herself as she swallowed. “To be frank...this may very well be the ugliest palace I have ever laid eyes upon. And I say that after having seen my fair share of ruins, prince. Bare cave walls would have been preferable to this horrid mess of stone - at least then you’d be able to achieve the natural look. Nopony - excuse me - Nobody appears to have bothered with anything even remotely resembling interior decorating, but I suppose I cannot fault that. I don’t think even I could do anything to salvage this...this...atrocity of an interior. Having said that, it is defensible, at least. I can’t see anything smaller than a mountain breaking through these reinforced walls. Not that that is any excuse! I swear, one would have to actually be trying to make the building as ugly as possible in order to...to...”
Rarity trailed off as she realized that Dagger had stopped and was now staring down at her, his expression unreadable.
Perhaps that was a tad too honest, Rarity thought.
“I…” Rarity began.
Dagger held up a hand to stop her. “No, don’t apologize. I agree with everything you’ve just said. I’ve said some of it myself a few times in the past. Alas, very few minotaurs have any respect for matters of beauty. Very few. I had just not expected to hear you say so. At least, not so openly. Perhaps I misjudged you.”
“Well, I care a great deal about matters of beauty, Prince Dagger,” Rarity said. “Much of my life revolves around it.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Dagger said as he once more continued to walk. “Your...cutie mark, was it called? Suggests as much. Which is why a single question has been nagging at me since you arrived.”
“And what question is that?” Rarity asked.
“Why are you here?”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand. As our documents say, we are -”
“Ambassadors, yes. That is the official story. Celestia’s seal is magically unique, and not so easily forged. But the treaties between Minos and Equestria are not due to be renewed for another sixty-three moons, so, diplomatically, we have nothing to talk about, and before you bring up informing us of the changes in the Equestrian government, such a thing could be relegated to only one ambassador, or even a simple messenger. The latter is historically what Celestia used to inform us of the shift from a diarchy to a monarchy one thousand years ago.”
“I, ah...” Rarity trailed off. Her mouth went dry and she could feel the beginnings of panic setting in, addling her thoughts.
“Was unaware of that? Few are. Fewer still, among the minotaurs. But as you have likely surmised, I am often counted among the few. Which brings us back to my original question: why are you here?”
Rarity let out a slow, calming breath. This isn’t your first time under pressure, Rarity, she told herself. You know what to do. To Dagger, she said, “We are ambassadors.”
“Sticking to your story?” Dagger asked, looking back at her with a raised eyebrow.
“Let me finish,” Rarity chastised, her confidence returning. “We are ambassadors of a different kind. We represent the interests of Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship.”
“And what might those interests be?”
“Precisely what her title implies: friendship. Our nations are allies, yes, but we are hardly friends. We are here to attempt to rectify that. Or to start us on the path to doing so, anyway.”
“As asinine as that sounds...I believe you,” Dagger said. He sounded just a little surprised. “Had any other nation sent friendship ambassadors, I would suspect a plot, but Equestria? Equestria has not plotted or schemed or gone to war against another nation unprovoked in the entirety of its history. I cannot see that changing now. In fact, I find the idea of having a branch of government specifically dedicated to the pursuit of friendship to be remarkably Equestrian. Now that I think about it, it is rather surprising that it has taken you ponies this long to set one up. That said, your timing is impeccable, so I must ask, why now?”
Rarity chose her next words carefully. “Princess Twilight has a magical artifact - a map - that tells us where our presence would be most beneficial.”
“And it sent you here?” Dagger asked. He snorted. “I suppose one has no need for spies when one has Equestrian magic.”
“Oh, don’t get the wrong idea,” Rarity said. “The map isn’t at all detailed. In fact, we ourselves barely understand it. We simply go where it points and seek to be of service. It hasn’t led us astray yet. Going by your words, I suppose it has succeeded yet again. What is it that we can help you with?”
“A generous offer,” Dagger commented. “Minos has many problems, little pony, but the one that would most interfere with its...friendship with Equestria would be the succession of the throne.”
“I do not understand. Are you and your brother not the ruling princes?”
“Ah, yes, Equestria is ruled by its princesses. Of course you would think that the same was true here. How woefully uninformed your liege has left you. Minos is a kingdom. That is not just a title. We are ruled by a king. My father.”
“Then why -”
“Why hasn’t he appeared? Why haven’t you met him? Because he is dying, Lady Rarity.”
“Oh, I am sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Do not be. You had no way of knowing. Indeed, Minos prefers you not knowing. Although my father was loved, and his reign was arguably the most peaceful one in recorded history, Minos is currently in the process of forgetting him.”
“But why?”
“Because we must look to the future, Lady Rarity. My father’s name has been written, his works tallied, and his time very nearly finished, but the future? That has yet to be determined.”
“I see...”
“Do you? Succession has never been an issue for Equestria. Princess Celestia is as ageless as the sun. Luna, now that she has returned, is a similar case. I know not how it will be for your newer princesses, but I doubt you Equestrians will ever fight over their thrones. The very idea of going to war to be crowned the Princess of Friendship is contradictory. But in Minos, war is precisely what we do.”
Rarity gasped. “You don’t mean...you and Axe?”
“Will fight, yes,” Dagger said, nodding. “But not just us. All of Minos will pick a side. As it stands, my brother has captured the hearts of the common folk, while I have the support of the nobility. Lines are being drawn all over Minos. Unfortunately, it seems there is a clear and even divide. Axe has more supporters, but mine are more powerful. This war will be long and bloody.”
“But...he is your brother!” Rarity exclaimed.
“And if I am to take the throne, he must die,” Dagger said coldly. “If I am to win over his supporters, I must prove that I am the stronger, better candidate. That is the way of Minos.”
“Don’t you love him?” Rarity asked without thinking. The look Dagger shot her made her instantly regret it.
A goat’s bleating interrupted whatever Dagger was going to say next. Dagger looked away from Rarity and towards the goat, who was standing in front of a large set of doors.
“Yes, we will enter now. Skip the introduction, we are late anyway,” Dagger said.
The goat bleated again and opened the doors behind him, revealing a large, undecorated dining hall with a long table at the far end and multiple smaller round tables spread throughout. The long table had a single throne-like chair at the center with several smaller chairs lined up on either side. It was also the only empty table in the room. Every other table was occupied by minotaurs dressed in what Rarity assumed was the latest in Minos fashion. It was gaudy, to say the least; consisting mostly of flashy jewelry and clothes so loose as to seem ill-fitting.
The diners all rose as Dagger entered, their chatter dying away as they bowed to their prince. “Continue with your meals,” Dagger said with a dismissive wave. He strode towards the large empty table and seated himself on the left hand side of the throne. Rarity, having been given no instructions, opted to follow and sat to Dagger’s left. Almost as soon as she sat, a minotaur wearing a black bowtie placed a plate of food in front of her. She was unfamiliar with the dish, save that it appeared to be made up of steamed vegetables in some form of sauce. The presentation was, predictably, awful.
Rarity glanced over at Dagger and saw that he was already eating. The prince was eliminating his food almost alarmingly quickly. But where others might tear into a meal with reckless abandon, he cut through his with surgical precision, making little noise and leaving no trace of food where his utensils had already passed. Once more following Dagger’s lead, Rarity picked up a fork with her magic and sampled the dish laid out for her. It wasn’t bad, perhaps on a better day, she might have even considered it good, but she found that she couldn’t focus on the food at the moment.
The room around her was unsettlingly quiet. Save for the occasional clink of silverware, there was no noise. Although the dinners had clearly been conversing before her and Dagger’s arrival, no one had spoken a word since then. Of course, that didn’t mean that they weren’t communicating, just that they weren’t talking aloud.
Rarity cast her gaze around the room, looking for the subtle signs she knew would be - there! An uneasy glance. An awkward shift in posture. A few idle taps on a table. All seemingly unrelated, but Rarity could tell gossip when she saw it.
But what are they saying? Rarity asked internally. I could read a Canterlot pony like an open book, but these minotaurs are beyond me.
Once more, she glanced at Dagger. He was staring right at her. She nearly dropped her fork in shock.
“Y-yes?” Rarity asked, inwardly cursing herself for being unable to keep the shock out of her voice.
“You are very perceptive,” Dagger replied.
Rarity became painfully aware of the fact that their voices carried through the silence of the room like a firecracker on a quiet night. Every eye was now upon them. She swallowed. “What makes you say that?”
Dagger gestured towards the diners. “You have already noticed their quiet scheming.” A few gasps sounded from the diners, but Dagger ignored them. “They pride themselves on their subtlety, you know. It is an uncommon trait among minotaurs. I suppose that’s why they thought I never noticed. Do you know what they’ve been discussing?”
“No, not at all,” Rarity said.
Dagger nodded. “That is to be expected. I shall tell you: they've been discussing your arrival, and debating whether or not Equestria would support me or my brother.”
“Nothing travels faster than gossip,” Rarity commented. “I see that is as true in Minos as it is in Equestria.”
“So it would seem,” Dagger agreed. “Although I wager the speed at which my supporters’ faith in me dwindles comes at a close second.”
One of the diners spoke. “My prince, I assure you -”
A knife suddenly wedged itself into the diner’s chair, its edge a hair’s length from the skin of his neck.
“It was rude of you to interrupt, Shoals,” Dagger said as he calmly laid his hand back unto the table. Rarity hadn’t even seen him lift it, much less throw the knife. “I was having a conversation with the lady. Besides, I think you’ve given quite enough assurances this evening, wouldn’t you agree?”
Shoals swallowed, then slowly nodded, apparently dissuaded from speaking again.
“Shoals over there had assured the others that Equestrian support would be insignificant either way,” Dagger explained, turning back to Rarity. “His family has been lobbying for a war against Equestria for generations. They see your kind as weak and your lands as ripe for the picking.”
“Surely, you do not believe that?” Rarity asked. Her voice was steady, but she felt numb. It had finally dawned on her exactly why the minotaurs that wore clothes wore them so loosely.
“I believe that one would have to be blind to not see how rich Equestria has become...Is something the matter, lady? You’re quivering.”
Rarity cursed inwardly and made a conscious effort to steady herself. When she turned to Dagger, it was with an icy glare. “A passing feeling, prince. I am unaccustomed to attending dinners with more concealed weapons than salad forks.”
Dagger smiled. “I do believe I am beginning to enjoy your company, lady. You do much to disprove the commonly held views of your kind.”
“Unfortunately, the same can be said of my present company,” Rarity said, her voice gaining strength. “I was led to believe that minotaurs were strong and proud. Instead, I find myself surrounded by schemers who are too weak to trust their fellows and too afraid to speak openly. It has left a sour taste in my mouth that has quite ruined my appetite, so if you’ll excuse me -”
A sound like a series of thunderclaps came from beyond the dining hall’s doors. Rarity froze, but every minotaur in the room was instantly on their hooves, various weapons appearing in their hands. An armored minotaur guard burst through the doors, his expression panicked. The guard opened his mouth to speak, but the sound of thunder came again, louder now, and he winced instead.
“What is it? What is happening? Speak!” Dagger demanded.
Rarity felt dread growing within her. She had heard that sound once before.
No, she thought. It couldn’t be.
“W-we are under attack!” the guard stammered.
Dagger leapt over the table and approached the guard. “Where? How? By who? Speak quickly, damn you!”
The guard was trembling now, almost overcome by the combined fear of whatever terror was behind him and the angry prince in front of him. “A d-demon,” he managed to say. “With the face of death and arms of thunder!”
Oh, Reaper, Rarity thought. What have you done?