A few moments later, the sisters are spotted by a royal guard and taken back to the guest quarters. “What were you doing in the statue garden this late at night?” Inquires the guard. “What were you doing at the Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow statue?”
“First assure us that we can trust you, maybe your name perhaps,” responds Winter Lotus. “Also don’t bother telling the princesses, they already know.”
“Sure, I understand,” responds the stallion. “My name is Shield n Sheath.”
“Well, rank too, so we can address you properly,” responds Winter Lotus.
“I’m a general,” responds Shield n Sheath.
“Well,” sighs the mare, “General Shield n Sheath, Cozy Glow is our sister. She murdered our mother when we were foals.”
“Oh, my condolences then,” responds General Shield n Sheath. He nods and takes off his helmet. “Let me know if you need anything. The captain and I will be posted outside your door tonight. Just a safety measure and precaution.”
“Thanks for that,” responds Winter Lotus. “It’s much appreciated. Really.” A few moments later, Captain Swordstriker joins Shield n Sheath in the hall outside the sisters’ door. The two stallions then begin to talk.
“It really is such a shame what they’ve gone through, poor mares,” sighs Shield n Sheath to Swordstriker.
“Yeah, their own sibling murdering their birth mom, that’s horrible,” responds Captain Swordstriker. “At least, they’re safe now.”
“Yeah, but we will never know if the villains will break free from their statue or if it’s the stronger everlasting stone spell variant,” responds Shield n Sheath.
“Well, let’s just hope and pray it is,” responds Swordstriker. “He lets out a sigh. For real, though.”
A few hours later, an exhausted Sugar Stix passes out cold and Winter Lotus tucks her in for the night before falling asleep at her sister’s side for the night as she’s exhausted herself. They, this time, end up sleeping through the night into the early hours of the morning and wake up with the sun once they hear a startling knock at the door.
“Girls, it’s Twilight,” says the mare outside the door.
“What do you need, princess?” Inquires Winter Lotus.
“Celestia made pancakes, y’all want to join us for breakfast in the royal hall?”
“Sure,” say the sisters in unison as they open up and stumble out the door. They follow Twilight to the royal hall where they’re sat down next to Twilight and served pancakes by Celestia herself before she too sits down next to Luna.
As they eat, Winter Lotus eventually asks a question unprompted. “Cozy Glow will never break free from that statue, right?”
“No, she never will, you’re safe, rest assured,” responds Celestia with a smile. She comforts the sisters and puts them at ease with her next statement. “My sister, Discord, and I used the everlasting stone spell. She’s never getting free unless we purposefully undo the spell which is nigh impossible as the spell is partially fueled by chaos and Tar-Tar-Us magic.”
“Okay, good,” says Winter Lotus as she lets out a sigh of relief before going back to enjoying her pancakes. They go on to talk for a few more hours before being escorted back to their room by a guard named Wheel Stoke. There, they’re placed back under the protection, watch, and care of Shield n Sheath as he’s the guard they trust the most. A few hours later, he’s once again joined by Swordstriker after his duties for the day as captain have pretty much wrapped up for the morning at least. As for the sisters, they just sit in the room playing cards until they’re brought a lunch of daisy sandwiches. It’s going to be a long, long, winter break for the two, that’s for sure-especially if the princesses plan to keep them in Canterlot the entire time.