“Prince Windows! We must start marshalling your troops, now! The dragons will be here in days! At least tell us who to follow if you cannot!”
Despite the desperation trembling behind Flash Magnus’s voice, Windows did not stir. Even the slight wrinkle in his snout was from how flush it was pressed to his princess’s face, rather than growing, reeking patches of muck sloughing over his armor. And in his perspective, it was hard to tear away.
“F-fine.” His voice cracked for a second, and a wave of harrowing pain shot through him like greased lightning. Had it been that long since he'd spoken? “Then… I allow you to petition the neighboring kingdoms, Magnus. J-just hurry.” Before the madness gripping me takes my mind! Windows didn’t add. He knew what would solve that affliction.
Really, all that concerned him now was somepony he’d never appreciated until he'd whipped up that potion.
“O-okay then, sir.” Magnus bowed, then turned for the door - nearly tripping on some of the holes worn into the once-pristine carpet, he gave one last wilting look back at Prince Windows. The prince still stood strong in the center of the room, a redwood in heavy-though-muted silver plates. It brought a small smile to Magnus’s face, knowing just how proud he’d been to see this prodigy ascended to that throne.
It made it all the more nightmarish as to why Windows now looked like he’d die if he didn’t restart his staring session with Princess Merrilee. Worse yet, it seemed another specter might take him first - the malnutrition that made his bones stick out from the gaps in his armor. No matter how often Merrilee nestled her head along her prince’s side, Magnus could see the wobbling in the Prince’s stance.
“Sir, may I please suggest at least one option?” That Magnus could even think of such a thing felt like a miracle, as he rubbed at eyes ringed with red from poring over tax proposals and refugee proposals. Even now, Magnus’ wings beat feebly at the knowledge of what more he’d have to do today.
“Fire away -uhmph- my faithful commander.” Windows’s eyes fled to Merilee for a split second, but turned back to Magnus. The knight pegasus fought down a gulp at this motion. Oh, he’d always be here for his kingdom come Tartarus or high tide.
But time was running out. Not just for this empire, but for the Pillars of Equestria’s stability. It was already a nightmare trying to find out where the wayward Stygian had gone, now he had to worry about whoever made the Prince like this too?!
“Please, sir, just… find a new commander for right now. B-before… before things get worse.”
Fire shot back into Windows’s eyes at this. “A-a new one? I told you before, Magnus, I feel right as rain! That potion was the best thing that came into my knowledge! And into both me and the Princess’s lives!”
Despite himself, Magnus pushed on. Maybe, if he kept on this angle of attack, maybe the Prince and Princess could be saved. “But... sir! You can’t honestly tell me you don’t see the wear and tear! In you, in this throne, in the kingdom that dragon’s devast-”
“Enough!” Now it was Magnus’s turn to wince, hearing one of Windows’s hooves crack as it rapped on the stone surve. Another gouge went into the plush plum-colored carpet. That would hurt to fix, assuming Magnus could find a doctor not already called toe h frontlines to look at it. “There is nothing wrong with me, and nothing with you! Now fulfill your mission and leave us be!”
“Prin-”
“-Besides, what sort of Prince would I be if I let my dear… sweet….” Horror swept through Magnus’s body as he saw the hearts flash back into Window’s eyes. “Captivating Princess… alone…” And one of his hooves finally swept down, patently, into the white-turned-grey ruffles of Merrilee’s wedding dress.
A dress the mare had never removed for the last several weeks.
By Faust, that sight used to swell Magnus’s heart. Now it simply rocketed the organ into the knight’s horseshoes.
But no matter how much Magnus called, pleaded, yelled, his prince was lost again. Even Magnus could read the look in Windows’s eyes. Only from long before all this fell apart, when Windows had talked about how scared he was of not being pony enough for Merrilee. And why not? - pauper-princess marriages were rare, despite how archaic Magnus found the tradition.
Surely it wouldn’t work. Windows had said then. Surely this is all a dream.
Magnus knew better though, especially about how Windows had talked of Merrilee. And even here, in their sodden state, that beauty shone through in the mulberry mare. Goodness, even without the magic powering this grand castle, the princess’s eyes shone like the most brilliant emeralds.
And so he’d persuaded Windows to do what felt right. If it was a dream, all the better to seize it, right?
Then he heard of the Prince putting together a potion. He’d thought it was perfume, incense, anything but… well, what was currently keeping these two ponies glued to each other.
If only Magnus had more time!
But alas, time was short, and he was wasting too much of it here. The Pillars needed him, and so did this kingdom.
“No worries, Prince. I’ll… be back.” And his golden wings stretched out. “To help you, sir. To help us all.”
Another gulp of saliva, and Magnus’s mind was made up.
“Since it seems even Celestia cannot.”
No answer.
And he was off, barreling through the open window. He’d even remembered opening it a week ago, when he’d found these two in this state, certain it was the air that’d gotten to them. At this point, though, he knew it had to be something magical - something tragically wrong. A tragedy he’d solve the second he found Stygian. Wherever that wayward unicorn had run off to, anyway.
As Magnus’ wings pumped through the air, he took another bleak look at the kingdom below him. Oh, the streets were choked full of ponies handing gifts to one another, but even Magnus could not bind himself to the growing number of rags-wearing residents among them. The burns of dragon-fire. The hollowed, sunken eyes, as void of hope as they’d been of body and soul.
He ground at the sight of the various hearts decorating the stands and homes, and forced himself to look away. He even managed to keep away a bitter laugh at the irony.
It was Hearts and Hooves Day after all.
Indeed, Commander Flash Magnus could feel the love in this kingdom.
Especially as it was clenching like a vise around his heart.