The two dragons and both guards were puzzled. The only possible option was that Twilight and Fluttershy had transported through the portal, but why would they go to Canterlot High during a Royal visit and not come back? Something was wrong. They all knew it, but none of them could put their claw or their hoof on it.
Following an extensive search of the room, they left and closed the door again.
“I think I know Twilight well enough to recognise this is out of character for her” said Ember, “I smell trouble. Spike, I think I should like to stick around for a few days, just in case. That OK with you?”
“Fine with me Princess ...”
“Hey, cut out the Princess thing would you. It was you who retrieved the Bloodstone Sceptre and by rights that makes you the Dragon Lord, so let’s cut out the titles, at least when we’re alone, OK?”
“OK … Ember” agreed Spike, his heart bursting with pride.
“That’s better. You have no idea how wearing hearing that title was becoming!” she smiled, then her face took on a much darker look, “Spike, we’ve got to get Twilight’s friends together – the Element Bearers, can you do that?”
“I’ll need a lift back ...”
“Come on then …”
Not for the first time that day, the two guards were left alone to exchange apprehensive glances with each other. What was going on behind that door?
“So, in short” said Ember addressing the table that now included the four remaining Element Bearers, “I think something strange has happened to Princess Twilight and Fluttershy. I don’t know what’s going on, but I would like to extend whatever support I can from the Dragon Lands.”
She looked around the faces staring up attentively at her, “I know there are certain cultural differences between dragons and ponies, but I can assure you that if you need any hardened and committed fighters, then the dragons will be there.”
“Well, I can say honestly” said Applejack, “That we’re grateful for your support.”
“Yeah, specially if it comes to a fight!” agreed Rainbow.
“And I’ve got some dragon food recipes I’m super-eager to try out” chipped in Pinkie.
“We also have some very well stocked gem mines” added Rarity, “Should you want the occasional treat.”
“Well that settles it then” confirmed Ember, “I would appreciate if you keep me informed when Princess Twilight returns, or anything happens that needs a dragon’s not so delicate touch, if you know what I mean?”
The blue wispy smoke curled its way sinuously around the rooms inside the Crystal Castle, careful to stay out of obvious sight. It worked its way through the servants quarters, formal reception rooms and then on to the larger private apartments. She drifted around until she saw an imposing set of double doors bearing a light blue heart shape motif.
“How nice of the Princess of Love to advertise where she will be at her most vulnerable” she cackled to herself.
The doors were shut and although she may have been able to slip underneath, she stayed up where she was on the ceiling and observed with interest. Suddenly a high pitched sound broke the dull hubbub that had underpinned the routine activities in the castle. Her ears pricked up. The sound was familiar – she couldn’t be so lucky, surely?”
Next thing, a delicate looking pink alicorn mare could be seen rushing along the corridor and bursting through the doors. With the doors open, the noise got louder and became unmistakable - a foal! The Princess must have a foal! Twilight had missed that little fact out of their discussion and she could guess why! This would be too easy …
The blue smoke slid through the closing doors and into what looked like a nursery. In front of her, she saw the mare pick up a pink foal and give it some tender rubs. “Oh how sweet” she grimaced.
The evening was warm and mild despite the northerly latitude and the sun was settling at the end of another tranquil day. The last rays of orange sunlight shot with horizontal precision into the room, casting large shadows from the furniture as the mare continued to bottle feed her foal.
In the shadow of a wardrobe, the blue smoke began to coalesce, bright eyes and gleaming teeth contrasting against the prevailing deep shadow.
Cadence froze.
She felt another presence in the room, and it wasn’t friendly. Some intruder had somehow got in and was watching her. She was feeding Flurry Heart and was completely exposed. A shudder ran through her body and her fur stood on end as the shiver ran past. She was in trouble and she knew it.
Perhaps she was going to be attacked.
Raped.
Whatever indignity she would be forced to accept or act of brutalism she would have to endure, her foal must not be allowed to witness it. Her mind flashed through the terrible options awaiting her and resolved that whatever happened to her, she wouldn’t make a sound to disturb her foal, even if that meant …
She laid Flurry Heart gently down into her cot and quickly settled her to sleep for what may be the last time, giving her one final kiss on her forehead. She knew her every action was being scrutinised and felt ripple after ripple of shivers run through her. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen very shortly.
She knew she had to defend herself. She had to defend her foal, but there were no weapons of any kind nearby; it was a nursery, for Aunt Celestia’s sake, nopony kept weapons in a nursery!
Whether she could defend herself or not, she knew she had to face the intruder. A pit opened up in her stomach as she rose slowly and turned to the direction from which she felt she was being observed, praying that she was wrong and it was just an overactive imagination.
Deep down, she knew it wasn’t.
“What do you want?” she asked, doing her best to keep her voice from trembling.
“What a touching scene” hissed the figure emerging from the shadows.
“Luna?” gasped Cadence, recognising the pony’s distinctively elegant outline, “This isn’t funny! You scared me to death!”
The uninvited visitor moved further forward into the dying light, the light blue of her livery collar and her helm contrasting sharply against her jet black fur.
Cadence gasped and stepped back in fear, keeping herself between the intruder and her foal.
“I am not Luna” hissed the stranger.
“You’re … no … you can’t be ...” stammered Cadence, eyes wide in fear. She knew now who was in the room with her.
Nightmare Moon started to circle slowly, trying to get a better view of the crib, but with each step Cadence shadowed her to block her view.
“What do you want?” she demanded, sounding a lot braver than she felt.
Nightmare Moon laughed.
“Equestria” she answered, “And you are going to help me get it.”
“Never!” challenged Cadence, bracing her legs and pointing her horn threateningly, just like Twilight had done that very morning.
“Princess of Love” sneered Nightmare Moon, outflanking Cadence once more to get a view of her peacefully resting foal, “You have no chance against me. If you cooperate, I promise to be easy on you.”
“NEVER!” screamed Cadence as a light blue glow emanated from her horn and formed a beam of purest magical energy. The full frightening power of a protective mother alicorn shot forward, crackling as it ripped apart the very air between them, flying straight towards the evil mare who had dared to intrude so threateningly into her foal's nursery. Just as quickly the magical energy died as it hit a forcefield Nightmare Moon had cast around herself, dissipating around it harmlessly.
Cadence stared disbelievingly and stopped her stream of magic, running around to block the view of her foal again before the insane apparition could retaliate.
“I warned you” said Nightmare Moon with quiet menace, “You are no match for me.”
A light blue aura levitated the gently sleeping form from her cot, but it hadn't emanated from her mother. In desperation, Cadence fired another volley of magic at her attacker, but it still didn’t work, so she kicked and lashed out against the forcefield with her forehooves, watching powerlessly as her foal was being taken away from her.
“No! Take me instead!” she begged, “Please, take me instead!”
Nightmare Moon cackled insanely.
“I … I’ll do anything!” she pleaded, humbled into submission.
“Yes. I know you will.”
Half an hour later when Shining Armor arrived at the nursery, it was empty.