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// Chapter 1: The palace 
// Story: The last egg 
// by PaladinponyT 
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Princess Celestia waited alone in her private study; it was late and she needed to get some sleep. Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. The princess opened it with her magic. A pegasus guard entered looking very nervous. He took off his helmet and bowed.

"Please forgive my intrusion princess," He said timidly. "But the doctors need to see you now."

Concerned, Celestia slowly got up and left the room, followed by the guard. The two walked down the long quiet hallways, other guards standing in front of doors saluted as they passed by them. After 10 minutes of walking, Celestia and the pegasus guard made it to the double doors of the medical wing. The guard ran up and opened the doors for the princess. Inside, two doctors and two nurses were standing around each side of a large bed. Sunblade, the princess' ranger, was lying on the bed, bound by restraints. Half his face and most of his body was covered in bandages.

The head doctor, a unicorn mare with a yellow coat and brown mane, turned to speak with the princess. She raised her round glasses with a hoof and levitated a clipboard.

"Sorry for disturbing you princess, but he kept insisting that he need to speak with you immediately."

"Why is he restrained?" asked Celestia calmly.

The doctor looked uncomfortable for a second, "Well, he appeared suddenly at the front doors, badly burned and demanding to see you. He lost consciousness and we brought him here for treatment. However, he woke up in the middle of us healing him and nearly hurt somepony. I stunned and restrained him for our safety and his own."

The princess took a deep breath and kindly asked everypony to leave the room; the medical ponies looked at each other with confusion. However, one by one they left Celestia and Sunblade alone; the princess looked around the room and saw Sunblade's belongings. The Alicorn blade rested atop a burned grey cloak, his saddlebags sat next to the ancient sword. With relief, Celestia watched as Sunblade opened his eye, the other was under the bandages.

The princess released the restraints and sat next to Sunblade. He sat up in the bed and looked at Celestia.

"My princess," he began. "If I have interrupted your sleep, please forgive me."

Celestia shook her head, "I am just happy you are alive, please tell me what is so urgent."

Sunblade levitated his saddlebags over and opened them. He pulled out a round object wrapped in a blanket. Uncovering it, the young looking stallion revealed a large purple egg. The princess stared at the egg with shock and amazement; she and her sister had seen a few of these before. She knew it could only be a dragon's egg.

"I'm sorry your highness," Sunblade said sadly. "I had no choice but to bring it back with me."

The princess closed her eyes, trying desperately to think. This potentially put everypony in Equestria in danger. 

Taking another deep breath, Celestia calmly said, "Tell me everything."