//------------------------------// // 37: Court in Session // Story: Death of a Queen // by Arkane12 //------------------------------// Twilight flipped to the next page of her book. She squinted at the fine print, vainly attempting to ward off the morning light. Stopping for a deep breath, she slammed the tome shut. The thick hardcover book bore the image of tilting scales against a blue background. The symbol of the equestrian merchants’ guilds. “Princess Twilight? Are you awake?” Inkwell inquired. “I am.” The door shifted open, allowing the older unicorn inside. Her long brown mane had been tied up in a rather prim bun. A small blue pencil was tucked behind her ear. “Have you been up all night, Princess?” “No. Just thought I’d wake up early and do some light reading.” Twilight tapped the book on her desk. “You might be the only pony I know that considers Equestrian tax code light reading. Regardless, the court should be arriving soon. I just thought I’d let you know.” “You’ll be there, right?” “Of course. Right at your side, Your Majesty.” Inkwell vanished, just as quickly as she arrived. Twilight turned the key on her lantern, extinguishing the pitiful flame inside. She stretched in her chair, her joints popping into place as her muscles flexed. Making her way over to the closet, she retrieved Rarity’s silver case and donned her tiara. Though Twilight hardly matched the regality of Celestia, she tried her best to style her mane and stand straight. After making herself presentable, Twilight had a stop to make before her court appearance. She approached Chrysalis’ door, knocking softly on the hard wood. No response came. Twilight frowned, raising her hoof to knock again, but hesitated. Dawn had only just crested. Chrysalis deserved her sleep. Swallowing her disappointment, Twilight started for the stairs to the throne room. Before she hit the bottom step, Twilight could hear the conversations of the gathered nobles echoing through the alabaster hallways. Inside, a crowd of various, finely dressed stallions and mares had gathered in mobs around the hall. Only a few noticed when Twilight entered, bowing and drawing the attention of the others around them. “Good Morning, Princess Twilight,” a green earth pony greeted her. “We’ve been informed that you’ll be handling Princess Luna’s Court duties today. Has she fallen ill?” a unicorn mare inquired. Her dress had been fitted with enough gems to mimic one of Rarity’s designs. “Good Morning to all of you,” Twilight announced, ascending to Celestia’s throne. The solar light streaming in from above caused the golden frame to ignite, spilling shimmering radiance across the platform. She stopped before the throne. Inkwell appeared beside Twilight. “Is something the matter, Princess?” “This is Celestia’s throne.” “It’s the Court’s throne, technically.” “This feels wrong.” “I don’t wish to make you uncomfortable, Princess, but you must remember that we are to act as though nothing has happened. If we were to switch thrones, ponies might start asking questions.” She glanced out at the gathered mob. Specifically, she watched the journalists snapping pictures of Twilight. “Right. Of course.” “They’ll be watching you closely, Princess. We might be able to make the argument that you’re new to this, but we also risk making a fool of the court. Remember our conversation last night?” She did remember the conversation. When Cadence explained that Twilight would be receiving a briefing, she expected files of her cases to review. While Inkwell had taken a moment to offer the broadest description, she spent far more time making sure Twilight knew the ins and outs of Court tradition. “I remember.” “Ultimately, the decision is yours, Princess. I can only tell you my suggestions.” “Thank you, Inkwell.” “Of course, Ma’am.” Inkwell stepped down to one of the lower platforms on the wings of the throne pedestal, taking her place behind her desk. From inside, she retrieved a stack of parchment and a pen. She tested the writing instrument first before nodding to Twilight. “I hope I’m not too late.” Cadence bounded up the steps to join Twilight at her throne. “We were just about to get started.” “How are your nerves?” “I’ll give you two guesses.” “That well, huh? For what it’s worth, you don’t look nervous.” “No. It’s just that nervous is my default state,” Twilight noted. “You’ll do fine, Twilight. Deep breaths.” “Deep breaths. Yeah.” Twilight inhaled, holding one of her forelegs out in front of her. She held it for a moment, before exhaling and lowering her hoof. “Better?” Cadence asked. “A little.” “Me and Secretary Inkwell are here to help. Don’t forget about that.” “I know. Thanks.” “And it looks like we’re not the only ones here to support you, either.” Cadence pointed toward the far edge of the room, where Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash were waving. From her vantage point, Twilight could see Fluttershy flat against the ground, hiding behind the others. “Did you tell them?” Twilight wondered. “Maybe.” Cadence grinned. “Alright. Let’s get this show on the road.” Twilight cleared her voice before loudly declaring: “May I have everyone’s attention? It would seem most of the attendants are here, so I hereby declare the Royal Court of Princess Twilight Sparkle now in session.” The members of the court bowed in unison to the throne before scattering to the edges of the room and into their smaller teams. A line of guards filed in through the large gate, forming a wall at the base of the throne. Twilight recognized Shining and several of his crystal guards in the formation. A hush fell over the room, awaiting Twilight’s command. Shining watched his little sister with a proud stoicism. “Would the first case present itself?” Out of the corner of Twilight’s eye, Inkwell nodded enthusiastically. Twilight had spent nearly an hour practicing that short speech in a mirror. The scribe immortalized Twilight’s words on her first empty page. “I believe that’s me,” A tall, well-groomed stallion stepped forward. He moved with a confidence that suggested veterancy among the court nobles. “State your name for the record.” “Green Meadows, Your Majesty.” “And for what reason do you approach the court?” “I wish to request the court’s aid in settling a property dispute.” Though she kept her royal mask tight, Twilight groaned internally. This would be a long day. “Sir Cot. In light of the extenuating circumstances, I will allow you a small sum of bit from the treasury. I will have a third-party inspector out to survey the damage and determine the cost of your ruined harvest. When this inspector returns to me with the price, your bits shall be levied. Do you find these terms acceptable?” “Yes, Princess Twilight. Thank you.” The farmer bowed until his muzzle swept the red carpet beneath his hooves. “Very well. Case number four dismissed.” Twilight watched the earth stallion retreat from the chamber alongside one of the nobles to finalize the princess’ orders. Murmurs wound through the gathered nobles, too quiet for her to hear. She felt a sting of regret, though she didn’t know why. “How was that?” Twilight whispered to Cadence. “Excellent. Celestia would be proud.” “Don’t get your hopes up. We’re not out of the woods yet.” “Princess Twilight? Are you ready for the next case?” Inkwell asked. “I am.” She paused a moment, allowing her scribe to tuck her records into a binder before fetching a new, crisp stack to write on. “Would the fifth case present itself?” Twilight’s voice echoed within the vaulted chambers. A stocky white stallion approached the stand, removing his hat and pulling it tight to his chest. “My name is Mayor Snow. I’ve come here to represent my village and plead for aid from the Royal Court.” “The Court hears your plea. What sort of aid do your people require?” “Well, I was hoping you might lend us a few soldiers. About nine or ten would be ideal.” The spark returned to Twilight’s eye. “Soldiers?” “Yes, Your Majesty.” He bowed reverently. “For what purpose do you require soldiers?” “Several ponies in my town have gone missing recently.” “Start at the beginning, Mayor Snow. I wish to hear the whole story.” “Well, my village is far to the north. It sits right on the border between Equestria and The Crystal Empire. We’re a small group. There are only about seventy of us staying in sturdy wooden cabins in the forest. “As I said before, several ponies have gone missing recently. At first, it started with the more solitary of our folks. Those living alone on the edge of town. They’re known to be a bit flighty, so we simply thought that they just left some time during the night. But last week, one of my neighbor’s sons never returned from his hike in the forest.” Twilight leaned forward, picturing the serene snowscape in her head. “And you’re sure he isn’t simply lost in the woods?” “We are. His family has lived in those woods for generations, and every single one of them is capable of navigating the place blindfolded.” Whispers flooded through the onlookers. Several nobles watched sympathetically. Others simply appeared bored. Three of them were asleep. “Do you have any ideas as to what might be taking your citizens?” Twilight questioned. “There are . . . theories, Princess.” “Such as?” “Well, our first assumptions were based on rumors that Ursas were migrating north into our territory. We’ve launched several expeditions. None of them have recovered a trace of the creatures anywhere near our homes, so we’ve ruled that out.” The mayor scratched at his beard as he thought. “We have been known to have trouble with thugs and bandits in the past. Our community is small enough that some foolish ponies think we’re easy pickings.” “Yet, you’ve ruled out these ruffians as well?” Twilight tilted her head, racking her mind for anything she had ever read or studied that might fit nicely into this puzzle. “In the past, these thugs have tended to be rather . . . straightforward with their methods. A deception like this would be wholly new for them.” “So not Ursas, not bandits. Anything else?” “Well, the most popular theory circulating through the townsfolk is that . . . changelings could be behind it.” He had the room’s attention now. Every noble stallion and mare in the chamber watched him with horrified expressions. A couple appeared angry at such a suggestion. If she were being honest, Twilight didn’t care much for such accusations either, but she swallowed her emotion. “Changelings?” “Indeed.” Cadence stepped forward wearing a face of hardened stone. “Mayor Snow, might I remind you that both Equestria and The Crystal Empire have recently entered into a tenuous alliance with the Changeling Race. Such accusations should neither be made nor taken lightly.” The mayor knelt, crushing his hat in his grip. “Apologies. I didn’t mean to offend.” “Surely you must have some evidence if you make a claim like that,” Twilight noted. “A herd of changelings moved into our territory recently. At first, we didn’t mind. They kept to themselves and gave us no trouble, so we responded in kind. Then the disappearances started. Now you see the bugs more and more—” “Bugs?” Twilight snapped. Mayor Snow’s eyes widened in realization. A handful of shocked gasps emanated from the crowd. Twilight’s gaze turned to her friends in the back. They looked on with worried expressions. “S- Sorry, Princess. I meant to say that the changelings’ behavior has changed recently.” He chuckled nervously. “How so?” Twilight demanded, her tone a little more hostile. “As I said, they generally kept to themselves. If you went out on an expedition, there was a decent chance you’d see one in the distance. But recently, they’ve started moving closer. If you step out into the woods, they watch you. The townsfolk are getting paranoid.” “What about the guards you’re requesting? Are they to search for these missing ponies? Or would you have them drive the changelings away?” Twilight interrogated. “Not exactly. Some folks have already decided the changelings’ guilt. Their voices get louder every day. It won’t be long before they go out looking for their own justice. Our security force is little more than a militia. I had hoped that the sight of a bona fide royal guard would bolster their spirits. Maybe make them feel a little safer. Once I’m sure my people won’t start an international incident, we can start to look into the missing ponies.” “I see. A peacekeeping force.” “Yes.” He nodded enthusiastically, letting loose a nervous chuckle. “Inkwell?” Twilight turned to her scribe. “Yes, Your Majesty?” “What can you tell me about the state of our troops?” “According to our latest reports, recruitment is high. The barracks are near capacity. We have the soldiers to spare, Princess.” She responded, loud enough only for Twilight to hear. “Very well.” She faced the crowd before answering. “I’ve come to a decision.” Every eye in the room stared in her direction. “I will send a contingent of ten guards with you. These soldiers will be packed with enough supplies for a month. After that, if the situation has not changed, they will return. While there, they will be responsible for keeping the town safe. You are to remind your townsfolk to treat these soldiers with the same respect you’ve shown me. Are these terms to your liking?” “Very much so, Your Majesty,” The poor mayor nearly collapsed from relief. “Bear in mind, Mayor Snow, if I hear of any changelings attacked without cause, I have a hundred more soldiers at my command.” “I understand, Princess. With these reinforcements, I should be able to keep the peace.” “Then this case is dismissed.” As the usual hushed roar of the crowd filled the chamber in response to her order. Twilight relaxed her shoulders, sinking back into her throne. She turned to Cadence seated beside her. “So, how am I doing?” Cadence didn’t answer. Instead, she kept her gaze locked on the distance. Intrigued, Twilight followed her gaze over to a guard, pacing nervously in the corner. “Cadence?” Twilight asked a little louder. “Yes?” Cadence finally snapped out of her trance. Even with her focus returned, though, it didn’t stop the look of worry etched into her face. “What’s wrong?” Suddenly aware of her expression, Cadence composed herself, returning to her normal, smiling self. “Nothing’s wrong, Twilight. You’re doing fine.” “Then you’re just watching your guard with concern on your face because you’re . . . bored?” Cadence groaned. “Fine. You caught me. Think you can call a recess so we could talk for a moment?” Twilight turned toward Inkwell. “Can I call a recess?” The secretary nodded emphatically. “Yes, I can call a recess,” Twilight explained. “Good. I think there’s some trouble brewing. That’s Private Glaze. Remember him?” “Yeah.” “Princess, the next case is ready when you are,” one of her guards piped in. “Actually . . .” Twilight cleared her throat. “I’ve decided that the Court should take a short recess before we move on to the next case.” “Of course, Princess.” The guards carried her announcement to the rest of the crowd. She watched them disperse through the doors and scatter into the rest of the castle. A few remained behind, including Twilight friends and the concerned crystal pegasus. “Any idea what he’s here for?” Twilight questioned as she and Cadence descended from their thrones. “If I’m remembering correctly, he was assigned as Chrysalis’ escort for this afternoon.” “You still have guards watching her?” Twilight moaned. “They’re not keeping tabs on her. They’re not supposed to, anyways. I only assign them to her to help her if she needs anything. I thought that, given Quartz’s empathy, he’d do well in helping her.” “Right.” Twilight nodded unenthusiastically. Cadence’s face twisted into a pained frown. “Look, Twilight. I know I wasn’t exactly supportive of the two of you. I get that you’re still a little upset with me for that. But I’m trying. It’s not so simple for me to forget what she did.” Twilight turned away. “You’re right. I know you’re trying. I’m sorry.” “It’s fine. Let’s just see what he’s doing here.” As Twilight and Cadence approached the guard, he bowed to both of them. He was practically quaking in his armored boots. Twilight’s friends had also joined them, looking concerned at the state of the soldier struggling to catch his breath. “Private Quartz,” Cadence began, “I assume there’s a good explanation as to why you’re here instead of at your post?” “I . . . she . . . there’s been . . . I don’t,” Glaze stammered incoherently between each gasping breath. “Private Quartz, you are a royal soldier of the Crystal Empire. Get ahold of yourself and act like one. Take a breath and give a proper report,” Cadence commanded. “I . . .” Quartz stopped, taking a deep breath to gather himself. “It’s Chrysalis. She hadn’t woken up all morning. I hadn’t heard anything either. So, I went to check on her using the emergency key. Just to make sure everything was alright.” “They’re not keeping tabs on her, but they still have a key to her room?” Twilight glared at Cadence from the corner of her eye. The group ignored her interruption, unable to look away from the train wreck yammering before them. “And?” Cadence prompted the soldier to continue. “It’s . . . she . . .” He growled angrily, straightening his shoulders and stilling his shaking form. “Your Highnesses, Chrysalis is gone.”