"I... was not aware of this." The diplomat let his furry hands fall. "Which is a poor excuse, I realize."
"You said it..." Sheba moved to storm ahead, but a paw was on her shoulder. It was not attached to the bear it belonged to. "Yes?"
"I did not know. Is it that bad?" He stepped towards her, eyes focused. "They said sleep."
"Sleep is another word for death." She threw the hand aside. "If it makes you feel better, I fell for the same stupidity. It was still death, shameful and without a chance for a proper dance... I was a fool, but at least I am far from alone." She gestured towards the exit. "You said this way to get out, right?"
The ambassador followed, patting the bear's shoulder along the way.. "We have all been made fools. Perhaps some good can come from it?"
"It cost me my dancing partner." Sheba snarled, a low feline hiss issuing from deep inside. "I watched her die helplessly. I wanted to kill her, myself, on a fair field with only my claws. She would have struggled mightily, perhaps even won, given enough practice and will. It would have been a marvelous battle either way... I could have died with a smile."
Sheba glanced at the two others, neither of whom looked like they understood her words, repelled by her bloodthirst. "I would not expect you to understand..."
The bear shrugged softly. "I understand."
"Do you?" She was suddenly at his side. "What a charmingly bold statement."
A bear's paw was suddenly on her, drawing her right up against him. "I like to fight. You like to fight. It is much better when everyone is on the same level." He slowly raised one of his own paws. "You are good. I would like to fight again, later. Maybe fun?"
She wrenched his paw free, watching it fade the moment it stopped touching her. "You have strange magic... But I can appreciate someone who enjoys the dance. Do you have a name, or should I continue with 'bear'?"
"Slow Step," he offered with a little smile.
Silver snorted softly, stalking the tunnels. No matter how hard he looked, the last did not seem to be close at hand. They knew the ways, and likely used them to flee, he decided. His revenge would have to be happy with one short. The image of the crushed turkey came back to him and he shuddered.
Revenge was not a satisfying dish... It didn't bring Nefer back, nor did it make him feel better. He decided to be done. He had the most important thing. He reached to the sky with a thought, vanishing in a haze of sparkles.
He was far above the city, his wings catching himself before he fell too far. Up was much easier than down. If you overshot it a bit, you fell, and when you had wings, that was far from the worst fate. Going too far in the other direction... He shook his head as he focused on his flight, gliding towards the sultan's palace. There were things to discuss.
He landed short of the gate, deciding not to try his luck with going directly into the palace. "The sultan is waiting for me."
The guards nodded. Apparently, he had become known, as they didn't argue his statement. They stood aside and allowed him in without fuss. "He will be told you are waiting," advised one of the feline guards. "Go to your room."
He had a room? Ah, the sultan had mentioned... "Where is that? Ah, I expect my bodyguard will be along, see her to me directly." He doubted she was having much trouble. Barring use of what he had secured, he didn't think much could really turn the tables on Sheba in a direct fight.
"We will do that. You!" The guard pointed at a servant that had been moving through the yard. "See the prince to his quarters."
The servant, a rounded female cat, bowed towards Silver. "This way, honored sir."
Silver followed after her, trotting more easily. The servant slowed when they were out of sight of the guards. "They always make me nervous," she admitted without being asked. "You are the kind prince, are you not?"
Was that a title he had earned? "I am a diplomat. An unkind diplomat is a--"
"--I know little of politics," The servant shrugged as she went. "It is just nice that I can speak to someone of such high status and not fear punishment."
Had word of his hesitation to discipline the other servant in the palace spread? Hardly surprising, he supposed... "Was there something you always wanted to say to someone like me?"
"Without number," she sighed. "But they would be better given to those that deserve them, and those that deserve it would not hesitate to punish me severely, so that dream is shattered." She looked over her shoulder with a smile. "That is no fault of yours, Kind Prince. Your room is just here." She gestured to a hallway. "The door at the end. I am not your servant, so I may go no further."
She arched a brow at him. "Do not fear, you have many servants waiting for you, hoping you will select them to take with you."
Silver hesitated a moment. "You didn't want to go, I take it?"
"I am no fool." She frowned softly. "The one you take, salvation. The rest, damnation. They have played their hand. The sultan knows where their loyalty lies. He will not forget that they were willing to leave him..." She dipped her head. "I must go, Kind Prince. Others will be far slower to forgive my tardiness."
He allowed her to go. "Take care." He went down the hallway towards the room, or more of a suite he imagined. Willing the door open gave way from the narrow hallway to a grand room. Soft incense teased at his nose and gentle music came from the right. He looked towards the source and saw a vulpine woman, the fox's fingers delicately teasing a harp, her eyes set on him intently as she played.
"There you are." The mouse servant was approaching with a smile. "We were... m'lord?!" She pointed down at his stained hooves. "This will not do. If the sultan sees we allowed you to remain in such a state..."
The others took her guidance right to heart. He was set upon by servants, peeling him free of his clothing and adornments without hesitation. He wriggled and squeaked, but felt no real anger towards them, soon as naked as any horse had right to be. "I'm not in the mood for a bath."
The mouse waved a small finger up at him. She was short compared to him, but it didn't seem to cow her. "Then we'll sponge you down. You are a wonderful thing, Prince Watch, but you need others to care for you."
The cow nodded as she pulled a sponge free from a bucket. "It's been warmed, so just relax." She began running it over his legs and hooves, cleaning the filth and crusted blood away. He had a servant for each leg. It was... a bit much.
He tried to focus on more important things than being sponge-bathed. "I hear that you are all in terrible danger."
The fox paused in her playing of the harp. "Danger?"
"Is it not obvious?" It was a new voice, belonging to a kirin dressed in decadent opulence. She had not approached Silver, perched on a fine pillow and watching things. "Some of us have even gone and declared our loyalties... If the prince leaves without them, especially, only poor endings wait them." Her furry tail gave a fitful twitch, jangling the silvers and gold attached to it. "It is the waiting that grates. Good prince, will you not choose who is saved?"
The cow lady put a hand over her face. "What if he doesn't take anyone? He didn't want us..."
Silver raised a hoof quickly at that, almost smacking a servant. "Sorry. Look, I don't want anyone getting hurt. Do you all want to get out?"
The kirin shrugged softly. "We would not be here."
The giraffe was there, operating a great fan with a hoof in slow depressions. "Most of us have our reasons, save Kalie."
"Kalie?" He looked around for her, but none of them wore nametags. That would be the first rule he'd impose, he decided. Any servants of his would wear a nametag...
The mouse pointed to a desk tucked in the corner, where a pony frowned, writing something busily with a glowing horn. She was no Saddle Arabian, just a normal unicorn. Silver lifted an ear towards her. "Kalie? Can I have a moment of your time?"
Kalie sighed gently, setting down her quill in her magic. "Yes, theoretical master?"
"How did you end up here?" he went straight for the heart of the matter. "You don't look like you want to be."
"I don't." She pressed her forehooves together. "The sultan pressed this on me, thinking an 'Equestrian Pony' would appeal to you. I'm not Equestrian. This is my home, and I like it. If you could kindly select some other servant and allow me to return to my duties, I will remember you fondly, from a distance."
As ponies went, she was built well and properly. All the curves she had were equine in nature, but spoke of a healthy mare. The pony in him agreed it would be lovely to have her around. He was not just a feral pony, however... "If you don't want to be here, and I assume you made it clear you never did want to be here, then I won't pick you." Taking a servant that didn't want him? Why would he do that? He couldn't grasp the concept.
Kalie smiled thinly and resumed what she was writing, looking a bit relieved but saying nothing further.
Silver threw a hoof wide over the others. "The rest of you... are now my responsibility."
The others peered at him quizzically. The fox gestured to the mouse. "He said you could select any of us."
"And I am." He nodded softly. "Any of you, minus one. I will applaud his generosity." Suddenly he was being hugged. The mouse had jumped up and grabbed him around the neck, hugging tightly. He was forced to lower his head a bit, getting her feet back on the ground. Others were emboldened by her action and he was grabbed from other directions, squeezed and buried in happy little sounds.
A tapping came from his back. He peered over his shoulder as best he could to see the giraffe standing there. "Pardon me, sir... I will gladly serve you, but not in any... amorous fashion. I had faith that this would not disqualify me, if you were as kind as the rumors say."
The cow gently ran a hand over Silver's foreleg where it met with his barrel. "More for the rest of us then."
Silver took an awkward step back. "That only brings up more questions. First, no, no person should ever feel compelled to even touch me, or be touched by me, if they don't want it. Tell me no, and expect no punishment for that. Your body is yours, not mine."
The mouse lifted a round ear. "How progressive... Is all of Equestria so forward-thinking?"
A she-cat nudged the mouse. "The ponies are friendly little creatures. They want hugs and cupcakes, not slaves. I bet he'll want to pay us."
Payment was not assumed?! Wait... "You're not being paid right now? You're... slaves?"
The she-cat smiled victoriously. "A pity there was no wager on that."
The fox shook her head. "We were born to people of low caste. To serve royalty is an accomplishment for most of us. Assured food and shelter is payment. To be given fine clothes to wear, a sign of our victory against far worse fates. We are not slaves."
"We may as well be," spat the mouse.
"You chose this," retorted the cow. "I remember when you arrived, eager for the position."
The rodent crossed her arms under her, relatively, small chest. "I changed my mind, but the sultan does not 'do' changes of heart. I would rather serve the Kind Prince."