It took the mages three full days to craft their gift. They had requested not to be disturbed except in unavoidable circumstances, so Emerald and her friends stayed out of the cellar for the most part, only coming down to bring food and drink for the mages. With every passing day, Emerald grew more and more uneasy. Every day they spent not getting the artifact was another day that Morn could spend catching up to them. And now that they were no longer moving, it would only be a matter of time before Morn reached Masyaf.
But finally, on the third day, the mages slowly climbed up the stairs to the basement, carrying a heavy-looking wooden crate that was packed with straw and soft fabrics.
“She is… finished!” Nightfall announced. There were cheers from the rest of the questors.
“Can we see it? Can we?” Honeygold asked eagerly, examining the crate.
“Afraid not, young one,” Light Speckle said. “We have it packed just so because it’s kind of fragile. You can see it once we unwrap it for King Aldilu. For now, we’ll keep it safe in this box. By the way, does anyone have the time?”
“I do not think they use bells in this land,” Posey shrugged. “But I can go out and look at the position of the sun and give you an estimate.” The archer made her way outside of the Coiling Cobra and looked around for the sun’s location in the sky. She came back, adjusting her bandana. “It’s about two hours before noon,” she reported.
“Folks here eat lunch at around one past noon,” Apple Bean noted. “So, Em, we’ve got the gift, and we know what we want to ask the king. Ya want to go today, or should we wait till tomorrow?”
Emerald was conflicted. On one hoof, she definitely wanted to get answers from King Aldilu as quickly as she possibly could. On the other hoof, she had not rehearsed exactly what she wanted to say exactly, not to mention she had no idea if the king would let all of them into his palace at once. And what if there were other visitors? Was there a time limit for people who wanted to see the king?
“As much as I’d like to go today,” Emerald decided at last. “We will go tomorrow. For now, we need to finalize a few things before going to see King Aldilu. I also need to see Androula and ask a couple of questions about how to get to the palace and what to expect once we’re in.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Posey nodded in agreement. “I’ll have Gabriel fly back toward Canterlot and see if there’s any sign of Morn Dread.”
“Make sure to tell him to watch out for the dragon,” Spectrum added. “It’s still out there, I bet.”
Posey nodded and climbed the stairs to the rooftop of the Coiling Cobra, where Gabriel had been roosting for the time they had stayed here.
Leaving the archer to it, Emerald went to the back room to search for Androula. The owner of the inn was, as usual, lounging on her throne of cushions and not doing a whole lot. Emerald privately wondered how she managed to keep the inn in such good condition if all she did was hide back here, but that wasn’t important right now.
“Can I help you, Emerald Edge?” Androula asked as the spymaster entered the perfumed room.
“If you have the time to,” Emerald said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “I plan to go visit the royal palace tomorrow, but as I am a foreigner in this land, I do not know the customs for seeing royalty. Can you teach me?”
Androula sat up from her reclining position and stared at Emerald for a full minute. “You. Want me to teach you how to greet the king?” She asked skeptically. “What makes you think that I can show you that?”
“Because your inn has a royal seal on it,” Emerald replied, a little impressed by her own deductions. “Tahchin told me about it when she was showing us around on the streets.”
Androula looked somewhat miffed, but covered the expression swiftly. “Well, I suppose you are right. That was many years ago, though. Back when this inn was first constructed, which was over twenty years ago.”
“You must have been young back then,” Emerald said with a nod.
Androula sighed. “The Coiling Cobra was started by my father and mother. After they both passed on, they left it to me and my brother. Of course, he wanted a life of adventure, not staying in Masyaf for the rest of his life in an inn. It’s been nine years since I last saw him.” The innkeeper stared off wistfully into the distance. “But since you are asking, and I have nothing left to do, I will instruct you on how to greet King Aldilu, and his retainers.”
Emerald’s face brightened. “That would be wonderful, thank you. When can we start?”
Androula’s expression grew impishly mischievous. “We start right now. Gather your companions. It’s time for you Canterlotians to learn a lesson in greeting royalty, Saddle Arabian style.”
“Woah. This place looks fancier than I thought,”
This was uttered by Guard Streak as the group of questors found themselves walking up the main thoroughfare toward the royal palace. It was a well kempt, wide road that was paved with stone panels in a mosaic pattern. Huge sandstone statues stood on either side, depicting warriors wielding spears and curved blades. This district was home to the nobles and scholars, and many of them lounged around on the side of the road, leisurely talking while they watched the group move their wooden box toward the palace.
“Now, remember. We don’t want to be rude to the king, but we probably shouldn’t tell him that we’ve got an army chasing us here either,” Posey said just loud enough for the group to hear. “We should just ask about the artifact, then leave.”
“Ah wouldn’t mind if we could stay longer,” Honeygold said, spinning as she walked, taking in the sights. “This might be the only time we get to see what the inside of a Saddle Arabian palace looks like!”
“With so many artisans around, it must look absolutely splendid inside,” Jewel Pin exclaimed. She straightened her hair and clothing. “I hope I’m not underdressed.”
Emerald was still wearing her armor, with her hood over her hair. “If anything, if we’re underdressed, it’ll make the king feel better about himself.”
They arrived at the front gates, which were being watched by about two dozen guards. The impressive double doors were open, allowing the occasional cool breeze into the palace.
As Emerald had expected, they were stopped at the threshold.
The closest guard held up her hand and said something none of them could understand.
“Umm…” Emerald tried to think of what to say. “We are not from here. We are from Canterlot. We are here to have an audience with the king.”
The first two guards looked at each other and spoke in Saddle Arabian.
Eventually, the second one nodded and said, “Yes you go in. You be watched.”
“Uh, yes. Thank you, sir.”
As they walked in, Emerald noticed two of the guards peeling off from their post and following behind them, sort of like an escort, just that they weren’t leading the way.
Emerald and her friends entered the shade of the palace. The floor was done in colorful slabs of stone, polished to a mirror-like finish. There were gold and silver vases placed at intervals that contained flowering plants and leafy greens. The entire interior smelled of sweet perfume and faintly of stone. Tapestries and banners hung off the walls, adorning the palace with splashes of color. And that was just the first chamber, the lobby.
“Which way do you think the king is in?” Apple Bean asked, looking at the passages leading off from the foyer.
Emerald looked around the chamber thoughtfully. If this King Aldilu was anything like King Dawn Saber, then the throne room would either be in the center of the palace or at the top. The problem was that this palace was a lot bigger than Canterlot Castle, and was at least seven stories high, if her observation of the exterior windows proved correct.
“You go there.” One of the guards behind them said. He was pointing with his hand straight ahead, down the main hall. “One more thing. No hood in palace.”
Emerald wanted to argue, but then remembered where she was and reluctantly pulled off her hood, revealing her glittering hair to the open air.
Carrying the crate with the gift inside, Emerald and her friends obediently went down the passage. The floor underfoot was covered in a purple carpet that muffled their footsteps, and at the end of the hallway was a flight of steps with golden guardrails. Silver carvings of peacocks and other animals were mounted on the walls by the stairs. There was also the sound of giggling and music coming from up ahead.
“Ah reckon we’re close,” Golden Nugget remarked.
The guards nodded and motioned up the staircase.
“Right,” Emerald said. “Remember what Androula taught us. Everything should go smoothly so long as we do as we’re expected.”
They reached the top of the steps, and entered through a jeweled archway into a large, domed room. The music was loud and energetic, and incorporated a lot of drums and some kind of stringed instrument that Emerald had never seen before. The majority of the room was open and unadorned, with only the walls draped in silks and satins. The perfumed smell was stronger here, and as Emerald mounted the last few steps, she was able to see why.
In the middle of the room were a quartet of young women, dressed in colorful and loose fitting clothing, dancing in time to the music, rainbow trails of silk and ribbons sliding and rippling through the air. The tune itself was being played by a band near on the right side of the room, and as they watched, the musicians reached the end of their repertoire and allowed the music to die down, the last note echoing throughout the room.
And there, at the far side of the chamber, sitting on golden throne which was placed upon a raised stone platform, was a man with dark skin and even darker hair that seemed to be the exact opposite of Emerald’s. He was dressed in royal blue robes, with a breastplate under them, along with silver gauntlets and greaves. A silver crown with blue gems sat atop his head, the only shiny thing among his dark mop. He was reclining on his throne, with one arm up and a finger pointed at his face, almost lazily, while his other arm lay on the throne’s armrest. He was quite handsome, for an older man, Emerald thought. This must be King Aldilu, the ruler of Saddle Arabia.
He laughed and clapped his hands, while the dancing girls bowed low to him and prepared to start dancing again, but then the king’s attention was caught by Emerald and her friends. He held up a hand, stroking his shadowy beard, and the dancers retreated to the side to stand next to the musicians.
One of the guards hurried over to the throne, kneeling before the king and speaking in a low voice. King Aldilu leaned forward, seemingly interested, before the guard stood back up and hurried to return to Emerald’s escort.
“The king says you may approach him,” the guard said slowly. “No sudden moves, understand?”
Cautiously making their way down the throne room, with the mages following close on Emerald’s heels. Once they were about ten paces from the throne, they stopped and knelt down on one knee, just as Androula had shown them how to.
“Your majesty,” Emerald said, not taking her eyes off the floor. “We come from the kingdom of Canterlot to seek your counsel. We bring a gift, crafted by some of the finest minds in my domain. We hope you will grant us an audience.”
Emerald then fell silent, waiting for the king to reply.
“The kingdom of Canterlot…” King Aldilu said in a deep baritone voice. To Emerald’s surprise, his English was almost flawless, with just the hint of an accent. “Now, that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.”
The former pegasus heard metal clinking as the king rose from his throne and walked closer.
“You are a long way from home. What is your name, she of the shining hair?”
“My name is Emerald Edge, your majesty,” Emerald replied.
“Well then, Emerald Edge. You and your consorts are welcome here in my palace. What did you say you had brought me?”
The mages scurried forward with the crate, placing it in front of King Aldilu and opening it for him. Inside was a sleek silver spyglass on an ornate, yet still utilitarian tripod. The whole device gleamed and reflected the surroundings on its bright sterling casing.
“For you, your majesty,” Emerald risked a glance up. King Aldilu seemed to be rather impressed by the invention, and was peering at it with eager curiosity.
“Tis a farseer, your kingship,” Nightfall Gleam explained. She pointed to the thin end of the device. “You look through this end here, and you can see far away things as if they were much closer.”
The monarch seemed to be impressed. “May I try?” He asked with a smile.
“It is our gift to you,” Emerald declared. “You may do with it as you wish.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Emerald saw the king put his eye to the farseer and swivel it around.
“You can turn the knobs on the side to bring objects into focus,” Light Speckle said helpfully.
King Aldilu pointed the farseer to a window and stared out. His fingers twiddled at the focusing knob on the side of the device with surprising dexterity.
“Oh my…” the king exclaimed. “This is quite a toy! I have never seen anything quite like it before. Are these commonplace in the kingdom of Canterlot now?”
“No, your majesty,” Emerald intoned, a smile growing on her green face. It seemed as though this king was more down to earth than King Dawn Saber had been. “We made it especially for you.”
“Well, I will accept it gladly! You may stand. What brings you all the way to my kingdom, the jewel of the sands?”
The group got to their feet. Emerald was about to open her mouth to say something, but someone beat her to it.
“Wowee! You have shiny hair!” A cheerful girl’s voice said. Emerald looked round for the source, until someone flicked her on the knee. She looked down. There was a nut-brown girl’s grinning face staring up at her from between her legs, lying on her back, her long pink hair tied back in a ponytail. It was one of the dancing girls.
Emerald yelped and jumped away.
“Oops, sorry,” the girl said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Parisa, we have talked about this,” King Aldilu said in an even tone. “Do not startle my guests, please.”
“Apologies, your majesty,” Parisa zipped onto her feet and bowed to the king. “It’s just that when there are people who I haven’t met before, I can’t help but want to meet them! Especially since I haven’t seen these people in the palace before!”
Parisa waved to Emerald and her friends before cartwheeling back to the rest of the dancing girls, who looked at Parisa with expressions of exasperation. Something told Emerald that this wasn’t the first time an incident like this had happened.
“As I was saying,” King Aldilu said. “What would you ask of me, Emerald Edge?”
Emerald, who had been rehearsing for this moment on the whole walk over, began. “A great disaster has befallen the kingdom of Canterlot. The land is in disarray, and we have come to this kingdom to seek out something powerful enough to help us reverse this calamity.”
“Ah. I see,” King Aldilu nodded, stroking his beard again. “So you are on a quest. I have never been to the western kingdoms, but since you have come all this way to appeal to me, as well as brought me such a wonderful gift, I feel that it would only be right to give you aid. You search for power to restore your kingdom, yes?”
Light Speckle tapped Emerald’s arm. “If I may speak, Emerald. Your majesty, there is actually a very specific object we have come to find. An artifact not of our world, but of our lady, Emerald Edge’s world.”
“Something not of this world…?” The king’s face morphed into an expression of confusion. “And you are from this other world?” He stared at Emerald. More specifically, at her glittering hair that was so like his own in texture.
“That would explain her hair!” Parisa was back, poking at Emerald’s head with a finger.
“I suppose it would…” King Aldilu muttered to himself. “Perhaps the djinn of the sands could help you. They have watched over my family line for generations, and every righteous ruler of Saddle Arabia has only done so with their blessing. They have the extraordinary ability to heal even the most fatal of injuries and the power beyond human understanding. They are located in the White Desert, in a temple that is-”
King Aldilu was going to say more, but a door on the side of the throne room was abruptly thrown open, revealing a young man about Emerald’s age with light grey skin and well-groomed hair in two shades of blue, one almost midnight and one sky blue. He looked somewhat familiar, but Emerald couldn’t place why. He wore dark purple clothes with gold jewelry, and vaguely resembled someone Emerald knew, though she couldn’t quite remember who.
The young man shouted something in Saddle Arabian and sauntered over to the king’s side.
“Ah, my son,” Kind Aldilu said in English for the questors’ benefit. “Allow me to introduce Prince Sombra, heir to the throne of Saddle Arabia.”
Sombra.
The name resonated in Emerald’s head. In an instant, all the death, the pain, the heartbreak that Sombra had caused played inside her head. Her friends’ deaths in the Crystal Empire. The destruction of the peace of Princess Amore’s rule. Everything that had happened to her ever since coming to this world.
It was all Sombra’s fault.
A red mist fell over Emerald’s eyes and she clenched her fists. So he had followed her here, and had taken a position as prince to take advantage of King Aldilu? No wonder he looked so familiar. She knew him. For so many nights she had dreamed of what she would do to Sombra if they were to meet again. And here he was, as if destiny had delivered him into her hands. Hooves. True, back in Equestria he had the edge on her because of his magic, but there was no magic here this time. She didn’t need the artifacts to finish him.
“I don’t need the Staff…” Emerald growled quietly, setting her hateful gaze on Sombra. “I don’t need the Shield!” Emerald unfurled both her hidden blades and charged at Sombra, shouting at the top of her lungs as she prepared to strike him down.
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU NOW!”