//------------------------------// // Chapter 4. Kitchen. Tea. Cakes // Story: Rage of a Queen, wrath of a Mother // by Askre //------------------------------// Chapter 4   “I’LL GET IT!!” Coal bellowed as she ran to the front door after there was a knock. She opened the door with her magic and gasped when seeing who stood on the front porch.   “Hello Coal,” Twilight Sparkle greeted the black filly with a smile. Right beside her was Princess Celestia. The filly could just make out a royal coach and some guards standing outside the fence.   “Hi,” the little unicorn greeted awestruck to see two princesses at her door. She was still getting used to the idea that her family was mildly acquainted with them now. Twilight was one thing, but Celestia was kind of the biggest one both literally and figuratively.   “Coal, who’s theraa, yaa, yaaaaah!” A maroon head with a white muzzle and navy-blue mane peeked out of a doorway that led to a kitchen. Foxy Stripes was about as shocked as her daughter was, though more over the white alicorn than the purple one. She was quickly out of the doorway and ducking her head in a bow.   “Your princess highness… I mean highness princess…” the pegasus mare blurted out of herself, before raising her head and with a dumbfounded expression said. “Uh, hi.”   Princess Celestia smiled as she held back her laughter. Twilight also somehow managed to not chuckle, while Coal was now on the floor in giggle fits over her mother’s overreaction.   A blue head with a candy cane colored mane peeked out of another entrance. Dew Doe blinked and also quickly entered the front door hallway, but she managed to conduct herself a bit more properly.   “Your highness, Twilight, what brings you here?” the pegasus asked after bowing. After visiting Ponyville a few times and meeting Twilight occasionally, the friendship princess had told her to stop with the formalities with her. Then the pegasus hoofed her face and gestured inside. “I mean, come on in.”   “Thank you, Dew Doe. We don’t mean to disturb you,” Celestia nodded and entered the building with Twilight following. “We are here to see Private Iceland.”   “What a lucky duck, he gets a visit not from one, but two princesses,” Foxy mock complained, grinning innocently when getting a glare from her sister.   “Kitchen. Tea. Cakes!” Dew pointed at the kitchen entrance firmly.   “Kitchen. Tea. Cakes!” Foxy saluted and quickly scampered into the kitchen.   “Coal, you take them to the living room,” the blue pegasus then addressed her niece, before looking at the princesses. “Private is upstairs in the study, he’s working on a historical project for the museum.”   Both alicorns nodded and as Dew Doe departed up the stairs further inside the hallway, they followed the filly into the living room. Twilight took a chair, but due to her size, Celestia decided to sit on a couch next to the younger princess.   “Uncle Private can get a little zoned out when working on his history projects,” Coal explained to them, and glanced to the entrance. “Aunt Dew might be…”   Coal suddenly blinked as if something dawned on her. Then she promptly sat down and with a deadpan expression placed both hooves over her ears. The princesses looked puzzled at this action and Twilight was about to open her mouth to ask what this was about, when there was a crash. Then there was a loud:   “WILL YOU GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!!!”   There were hurried hoof steps upstairs, a loud bang, then more hoof steps, finally someone was coming down from the stairs at great speed. Celestia and Twilight looked at each other confused, then at Coal who was giggling, but still with both hooves over her ears.   “Foxy! Block outside!” Dew called from upstairs.   “You did not evoke a brushie chase with the princesses visiting did you!?” Foxy could be heard responding, she could be just made out from the living room as she quickly jumped out of the kitchen.   Galloping sounds were coming closer and Private Iceland suddenly dove into the living room. The dark gray unicorn screeched to a halt the moment he saw who were there. Private blinked where he now sat on the floor having skidded dangerously close to the coffee table in his mad dash to escape. Slowly he glared back at the living room entrance, where an unimpressed Foxy Stripes and a grinning Dew Doe were peeking in.   “Seriously, you two,” Foxy grumbled and disappeared out of the entrance to go back to the kitchen.   “Hello Private,” Princess Celestia greeted the stallion, who turned his attention back to her and bowed as he mumbled a greeting. Then he also greeted Twilight.   “Sorry, it was either the brush or the pancakes and we didn’t have time to get pancakes,” Dew Do giggled while stepping inside the living room.   “Ah, so that was the infamous brushie chase I’ve heard about,” Twilight chuckled. She had heard of this strange custom that existed between Private and Dew Doe, but had never seen it in action.   “It’s the fastest way to get his attention. Trust me, we could have an entire mariachi band outside his room and he wouldn’t even notice when he sinks into his history books,” Dew explained as she gave Private a gentle pat on his blonde mane.   “I kind of know the feeling,” Twilight smiled knowingly, having had her serious study sessions before.   “So, to what do we owe the honors?” Private asked, deciding grumbling about his marefriend would have to wait, they clearly had very important visitors. He rose up to get seated on a couch next to the exit. Dew Doe sat down beside him, Coal still remained where she had sat.   “Queen Rabia has resurfaced,” Celestia started the explanation. Dew Doe’s eyes widened, while Private arched his brow.   The princesses first told them about her unexpected incursion to the Crystal Empire, during that Foxy arrived with the tea and cakes and after doling out the refreshments sat down next to her daughter to listen.   “So nopony was hurt during that?” Dew asked worriedly, she, her sister, Coal and Private sighed in relief when Twilight assured them that no one had been harmed.   “However, she did appear before that, in Canterlot to speak with me about visiting Sombra in Tartarus.” The solar princess knew there was no keeping this back. She wasn’t surprised that Dew almost immediately put a hoof over Private’s, the unicorn already looked a little uncomfortable. Coal scowled and Foxy snorted.   “Luna and I were suspicious of this visit and immediately after she had left, went to talk with Sombra about it. He did reveal that Queen Rabia is on the move and has plans for Saddle Arabia,” Princess Celestia continued, really not wanting to go into the next subject. “We asked him if he had any theories or ideas on what she might do. That’s when Sombra clammed up on all information.”   “He made three demands for providing any further insight on his mother. That he get better living conditions, the shackles on his legs be removed, but the manacle that blocks his magic could remain…” Twilight took over the explanation, as she had chosen to be the one to deliver the most controversial part of the events. “And finally… he would name his custodian.”   Twilight couldn’t say she was surprised by the reaction. Private paled up and looked like he was about to be struck by a speeding train, Dew sneered and Foxy scowled. Only Coal looked puzzled, not quite understanding what this was all about.   “Of all the nerve!” Dew Doe snapped, her anger all directed towards the king.   “We gave him no guarantees, I told him we might ask Private about this, however Luna and I quickly decided not to,” Celestia calmly explained, then sighed. “That is, until Rabia invaded the Crystal Empire to get her buried daughter away from there.”   “Ugh…” Private let out a long groan. “Let me guess, he told Queen Rabia were Queen Ira was buried, but didn’t tell you that he told her.”   “That is indeed what we suspect, he would be the only one who knew of her location. Not even I knew where the Last Queen was buried.” The sun princess smiled sympathetically. “Which means he may have more information on her moves, information he is not willing to indulge unless his demands are met.”   “But we want to stress that we will not force you to accept this. If you say no, we will accept that,” Twilight quickly added in.   “Indeed, I have no intention to let King Sombra get away with playing his sick games. The decision is yours and if you chose not to, then we will just have to deal with Queen Rabia the best we can,” Celestia nodded in agreement with her.   Dew Doe let out a long breath, then she looked at Private who was rubbing his forehead with a hoof. The mare patted him on the back before addressing the princesses.   “Can we have a moment to discuss this?” she requested.   “Of course,” Celestia nodded and rose from her seat, as did Twilight.   “Coal, why don’t you take the princesses outside and show them around while we talk,” Foxy told her daughter, who shrugged and trotted off, followed by the two princesses.   Heavy silence commenced in the living room as the two pegasi mares now regarded Private with concern. The stallion was still rubbing his forehead, all kinds of emotions currently battling inside of him.   “Private, you heard the princesses, right? If you say no, they will accept that,” Dew Doe said gently, rubbing his back with a hoof.   “That’s the problem,” Private grumbled and finally dropped his hoof, he looked downright miserable. “I think I have to say yes.”   “What? Why?” Foxy asked, shocked to hear him say that.   Private sighed deeply and hung his head. Right now he just wanted to crawl under bed and stay there for the next few hundred years. The unicorn knew that wouldn’t work though. Slowly he looked at Dew Doe who was watching him very concerned.   “You have the memories unlocked Dew, of our trip to the Dark Pony empire back in time with Doctor Whooves. You remember Queen Rabia, right?” he asked her.   “I’ve just tried not to think too much about it,” the mare said and for a moment glanced towards the ceiling. Then she closed her eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I vaguely remember her now.”   “She was polite and diplomatic with us because we were foreign visitors, from a nation she wanted to keep neutral in her affairs. Yet even so, did she strike you as a reasonable mare, someone you would want to be on the bad side of?” her lover asked.   “Oh no, she practically herded us without any choice into her palace to host us. There was no room to even refuse her offer,” Dew Doe grunted as she began remembering the trip herself.   “I’ve met her with the diplomacy off,” Private said, looking at both mares now. “Back when Sombra abducted me and Barricade from the rescue effort. She swept the floor with Sombra, he was scared of her. The first thing she did when she came out of that mirror was size Barricade up like he was a potential candidate for her personal harem.”   “Queen Rabia, or the Queen of Rage and Wrath, was one of the most dangerous enemies of Saddle Arabia. The only reason she didn’t wipe them out is because thankfully, she was never a conqueror. She was content on just keeping them back and keeping her iron hold on the Dark Pony Empire,” the unicorn then began explaining, being far more vocal now since he was going into history, one of the rare times he would speak at length.   “The Saddle Arabians were so scared of her they made entire ballads about her, describing her cruelty to her enemies. She was to them what Nightmare Moon was to us. You think she will care that the Saddle Arabians now regret their ancestor’s actions? I heard her declare that she was going to wipe them out for what they did, every single last one of them.” Private stopped talking and looked down, he closed his eyes tight.   “I hate to admit it, but if there is anypony who knows how to deal with her, could provide information on her that might help… it’s her son, King Sombra. He’s the only one left alive who knows exactly how she thinks,” he then whispered.   “Okay, I think you made your point,” Foxy said and eyed her sister who was content for now on just giving the unicorn a reassuring backrub. “So do we do it? Host that king jerk in our house just so he can help the princesses with his mom?”   “Private… I will trust you on this, if you say yes, I will fully support you,” Dew Doe said calmly. Private looked up, he leaned over to give her a small kiss. The mare smiled, knowing that was him saying thanks.   “Foxy, get the princesses back in.” Private then looked at the maroon mare who nodded and rose up to leave.   “You know, as your therapist, I should not be recommending this… but as I said, I’ll trust you,” Dew remarked and draped a wing around the stallion and leaned on him. Private lifted one front leg to place it around the mare, just nodding in response.   Soon Foxy returned with Coal and the two princesses. Twilight and Celestia returned to their previous seats, but this time the maroon pegasus ushered her daughter out of the living room. It would only be Private and Dew talking with them now, the filly grumbled a protest but her mother didn’t budge.   “I know I’m going to regret this, but alright. I’ll be King Sombra’s custodian or whatever he called it,” Private muttered.   “Are you sure?” Celestia asked him, frowning a bit in concern. The unicorn just nodded.   “Very well, then we shall make the arrangement to move him out of Tartarus and to your home,” the sun princess said. She was still feeling bad about the whole thing. “I want to assure both of you that you can change your mind at anytime. Cancel it without any reason. You will be the ones in control, not him.”   At this point, Private was hanging his head and silently grumbling that yet again he had to deal with King Sombra. This time it was by choice, but the unicorn had a feeling that his long time tormentor had engineered it so that he would feel he had to take the worse one.   “There will be security methods. I will teach Private spells to contact all four princesses of Equestria. Since you are friends with Cadance and Twilight, they and especially Cadance who voiced strongest her concern over this, should be contacted first. I have given Cadance permission to come here periodically to check on things. However, Luna, Twilight and I will also sometimes drop by, both to talk with Sombra and ensure that you are all safe.” Celestia decided to get some of the basics about the security out already.   “If you think it’s safer, Foxy and Coal are more than welcome to move to my castle while we do this. Fillydelphia isn’t that far away from Ponyville by train, so Foxy could easily commute, and since summer is coming, Coal shouldn’t have to worry about school,” Twilight offered them.   “I’ll talk with her about it, thanks.” Dew Doe nodded to Twilight.   “Private,” Celestia addressed the unicorn gently, the stallion slowly looked at her.   “This was a very brave thing of you to decide. I know it wasn’t easy for you. Not with your history with King Sombra,” she said, smiling reassuringly. “But now it shall be you who are in control and not him. You set the rules and you do what makes you comfortable. You do not have to do anything more than what you want.”   Private just nodded his thanks, his mind still just trying to fully comprehend that soon King Sombra would be living here, even if it would be for only a brief period. Yet deep down, the unicorn was sort of looking forward to it, meeting the king again. It was a feeling Private was keeping firmly at bay, but it was there.   “We will now let you be to discuss things and make your own preparations. I will come back tomorrow to discuss further security details. It is always possible that when we break the news to Sombra that he will try and push for something more, but have no fear, he’s already made his second most boldest claim,” Celestia then told both of them.   “Second most boldest?” Dew Doe asked with a frown.   “He did not ask for full use of his powers, even he knew that would have been far too bold,” Celestia pointed out. The pegasus conceded to that point.   Shortly later, the princesses were saying their goodbyes and Dew Doe escorted them out. The pegasus quickly returned to the living room, where Private still sat on the couch, following her were Foxy and Coal.   “We have done crazy things in our time,” Foxy claimed as she this time got seated on a chair. “However, I think allowing one of Equestria’s worst enemies to stay here tops that.”   “We are doing what?” Coal blinked, the adults looked at her, realizing they would have to tell the filly. She was old enough, approaching her teen years in just few short years.   “Foxy, Twilight offered to let you and Coal stay at her castle while we do this,” Dew Doe told her sister.   “Hah! And leave you two alone with that creep? He’s not chasing me or my daughter out of our home,” Foxy scoffed and placed her front hooves on her sides.   “It would be safer,” Private pointed out.   “Oh no, no, no, no. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines for that last two times, even Coal got to meet up with that jerk. I have some choice words of my own to deliver and I am not going,” the maroon mare declared and now folded her legs, nodding firmly.   “You were part of the rescue effort last time,” Dew arched her brow but chuckled a little at her sister.   “Yeah, what’s your point?” Foxy looked at Coal, who was still kind of waiting for an explanation. “Coal and I better keep an eye on you two and keep you out of trouble.”   “What trouble!” Coal finally growled, glaring at the adults.   “Remember King Sombra?” her mother asked, chuckling a little when the filly made a face.   “Ugh, he was scary, why?” she raised her brow.   “He’s going to be staying here for a little while, with us,” Dew Doe told her niece.   “He’s WHAT!?” Coal shouted, her eyes widening in shock. “WHY!?”   The adults then proceeded to explain the best they could the situation to the bewildered filly. Coal didn’t look very convinced by the time they had finished.   “This whole thing sounds nuts,” she grunted and stomped out of the living room. None of the adults were surprised at the reaction. Despite her compassionate nature, she had learned to hold a grudge like Aunt Dew Doe. Especially considering Coal had been one of the ponies abducted by Sombra last time.   Foxy planned to go after her daughter a little later to talk with her. The mare knew that right now, she better let Coal steam a little. She wasn’t very happy about this either, but she had decided to trust Private. The stallion was not known for making rash decisions.   “If things get too much, we will at least send her to either stay with Derpy and Timer Turner, or even her father,” Dew Doe looked at Foxy who sighed and nodded in agreement.   “So, who is going to tell mom about this?” Foxy asked and grinned nervously.   Dew Doe and Private looked at each other slowly, eyes very wide and alarmed. Then both quickly looked at the maroon mare as all three ponies shouted:   “NOT IT!!!”   End chapter 4