//------------------------------//
// Bk13/Ch1 The Storm Kingdom 
// Story: Love's Lost Decade 
// by Priceless911 
//------------------------------//

Bk13/Ch 1
The Storm Kingdom
(Year 09, Month 10, Day 01)

The dark overcast sky hung over the city of Thunderstroke the capital city of the Storm Kingdom. Although the city seemed gloomy with the overcast, Zeil felt a sense of peace as he stood in a long line outside the city’s massive walls waiting to be called to enter the city. The capital city’s, walls towered over thirty feet in height with ten feet in thickness leaving the top of the massive walls as a walkway for the many guards who patrolled the area. At first Zeil was confused with the amount of security the city held, however after remembering the talk of the former storm king and his conquest to invade the world, it seemed natural that the current king would be somewhat worried that other nations would retaliate. With this thought in mind, Zeil became next in line to enter the city as a storm guard looked at him and spoke with a strange gurgling sound that Zeil was able to understand and replied, “My name is Zeil, I'm just passing through on my way to Equestria. I won't cause any trouble.”

The guard nodded and wrote down on the clipboard as he replied with his gurgly voice then directed Zeil through the gates before waving the next resident in line to enter. Taking that as his que to enter, Zeil trotted passed the guard and started to cross under the massive gate. The gate was just as thick as the surrounding walls with portcullis on both the front and back of the structure leaving a ten foot area between the two. As Zeil marveled at the impressive size of the archway, he didn’t notice that the stone path he was trotting on had a small area where the stone changed color to a yellowish hue before proceeding with its usual worn cobble grey roads. Without seeing the yellowish stone, Zeil continued trotting through, however as soon as he stepped onto the stone, he felt a strange feeling as he looked down and immediately knew what it was, “Everstone?”
Before he could do anything, Zeil’s hoof started changing back to his reformed changeling appearance as the change spread over his body until he was fully changed to his real form.

As soon as he held his full changeling form, a storm guard pointed at his new form and yelled with an order that could only be assumed as a cry to arrest him. Almost immediacy, the portcullis on both sides of him fell down and crashed onto the ground leaving Zeil trapped within the archways of the gate. Confused, Zeil looked around as a door in the center of the archways open as a number of guards rushed into his area and tackled Zeil to the ground before holding him in place as they bound and cuffed his hooves and torso. Stuck on the ground, Zeil struggled slightly as a small pig-like storm beast guard approached as he smiled and spoke, “Aw yea! Thought you could pull a fast one on us didn’t you changeling? We aren’t as dumb as we look.” He looked to his guards, “Take him to interrogation and notify the commander, I can't wait to break him.”
With that order, the surrounding storm guards dragged Zeil away without giving him the chance to say or do anything. 

Later Zeil was sitting at a table in a small enclosed room with the same short guard as the smaller storm beast spoke, “So let me get this straight… your telling me, that you aren’t here to sneak into the kingdom, and that you don’t have a queen at all right?”
Zeil sighed, “Yes… for the hundredth time. That is the truth… I'm not a part of a swarm, I have no interest in this kingdom, and even if I did, I don’t have a queen to report anything to. I'm just a changeling passing through to get to Equestria… that’s it.”
The small creature replied, “Sure… whatever you say Zeil, if that’s even your real name. You can say whatever you want, but we both know that you’re here to steal our secrets, then to direct your queen on our weakest place to attack so you can take over our kingdom. Well it isn’t going to work so you better forget that plan.”
Zeil gave him a dull look, “Wow… and I thought I was slow to learn.”

As that was said, the door to the interrogation room opened behind Zeil as Grubber looked behind him as he quickly stood in nervousness and spoke, “Oh, Commander Tempest…  You’re here… I didn’t think you would care to deal with this incident.”
Zeil turned around and looked with surprise. The commander that entered the room wasn’t a storm beast like all the guards, in fact she was a Unicorn Mare with a midnight purple coat, a reddish mane, a broken horn, and a look that could intimidate even the toughest stallion. Though Zeil could easily hide his intimidation he still felt uneasy around the threatening mare as she replied, “You report a changeling sneaking unto our city and expect me to ignore it?”
Grubber replied, “Well… you don’t have to bother with this problem at all. I'm getting into his mind as we speak.”
Zeil replied, “No he’s not…”
Grubber continued, “Already I can feel he is about to break and admit his guilt.”
“No I won't…”
Grubber shrugged his shoulders with pride, “I bet, he regrets dealing with a mind as cleaver as mine.”
Zeil smiled in hopelessness, “Oh the fantasy world you must live in… Ignorance truly is bliss isn’t it?”

Tempest trotted past Zeil and around the table as she replied, “If it’s all the same… it would still be better to interrogate him myself.”
With a careless expression, Tempest stepped to the front of the table as she sat down and looked at the clipboard, “So… Zeil. Says here you’re on your way to Equestria. Is that right?”
Zeil nodded, “Yes, that’s right.”
Grubber spoke, “Better start telling the truth changeling… Commander Tempest isn’t one to lie to.”
Tempest spoke next, “As much as I see the appeal of Equestria being your destination… I find it hard to believe that you wouldn’t know the law of the Storm Kingdom.”
Zeil was confused, “Law?”
She nodded, “Changelings aren’t allowed in the kingdom. Its an old law set by the former Storm king, but the current king still abides by it.” 

Zeil nodded as he replied with an accepting tone, “Seems like an outdated law, but if it’s a law then I guess I'm at fault. If you let me go, I will leave and you won't seem me again.”
She smiled as she shook her head, “Its not that simple… by crossing the kingdom’s border, you broke the law and would be reprimanded for the action… but by trying to sneak into the capital city… that is a capital crime.”
Zeil shook his head, “I wasn’t trying to sneak into the city.”
She repleid with a carless tone, “Is that so?...”
Zeil nodded, “Yes, I was just passing through on my way t-“
“it says here that your species was a Zebra…”
Zeil was confused, “What?”
She held up the clipboard, “Right here… on the ledger for crossing into the city. Says your name was Zeil, that you were a zebra, and were on your way to Equestria.”

Looking at the clipboard Zeil replied, “I didn’t write that… I only crossed the gate int-“
“When you crossed the gate, you were disguised as a zebra correct?”
Zeil nodded, “Yes bu-“
She interrupted again, “And when acknowledge as such you didn’t correct the gate guard did you? Nor did you even attempt to tell him what your Species was… right?”
Knowing where this was going, Zeil replied, “No… I didn’t.”
Tempest stood up as she repleid, “Then, you attempted to infiltrate the city as a spy. Now you can either admit to this crime or deny it… but no matter what you say. The evidence speaks for it all.”
Zeil sat trying to think of something to say in his defense as Grubber chuckled, “Aww SNAP! She got you right where she wants you! Now ready to admit your guilt and tell us who your queen is?”
Zeil gave Grubber an angry look, “I serve no queen.” He looked to Tempest, “I have no hive, and I'm only here trying to pass through. I mean you and the rest of this kingdom no harm, and I want to keep it that way.”

Tempest smiled as she trotted passed him, “And it will stay that way… after all, your crime is obvious, and whether you’re telling the truth or not, we got you red hoofed. Or light blue as your changeling appearance looks.”
As she started to reach for the doorknob to leave she looked to Grubber, “Take him to the Bastille and place him in the heavy security tower. The crime is treason and his execution is set for the end of the month.”
Grubber smiled, “You got it commander.”
Before she could leave, Zeil spoke with his back to her in a dark tone that caused her to pause, “Commander Tempest… just a warning… My goal is to reach Equestria, and that is what I intend to do no matter the obstacle in my path.” He turned to her and gave her an angry look, “Don’t become an obstacle…”

With an eyebrow raise, Tempest replied, “I'll keep that in mind.”
As Tempest held her less then concerned expression, the mare left the room and closed the door behind her. However, as soon as the door shut, she mumbled, “What was that… he himself didn’t seem all that intimidating but… why do I feel so… worried. I must report this immediately.”
With her next action known, tempest trotted out of the building in haste as she approached the carriage waiting outside and spoke, “Take me to the castle now. I must speak with the king.”
Back in the interrogation room, Zeil sat as a few guards entered the room, placed his possessions in his saddlebag, then dragged him to a caged carriage as they tossed him inside and rode towards the coast to the prison Tempest spoke of. 

As the metal barred jail carriage Rolled through the city, Zeil looked at the multi raced city residents that took the time to observe him as the carriage rolled towards its destination. With his mind on his situation Zeil mumbled quietly to himself, “They are going to lock me in a cell just for being a changeling. Well, it’s a good thing they don’t know who I really am.”
Zeil raised his hoof slightly from the carriage as a tiny vine started growing from the shadow his hoof casted as he continued, “The ever stone doesn’t effect my mage ability, I'll just free myself before we get to the prison the-“
He paused as Zeil felt something familiar coming from the citizens of the city. Confused Zeil mumbled, “Wait… I know that aura… a hippogriff?”
Zeil looked around till his eyes met with a cloaked figure in the surrounding herd. However the figure didn’t recognize him in his changeling form as Zeil mumbled, “Jim?”
With no concern, the cloaked hippogriff turned away and trotted into the crowed as Zeil mumbled, “What is he doing here… does that mean?”
He looked back at the vine he grew under his hoof before pulling it from the wooden floor and tossing it off the cart, “If Jim is here… then I need to know more before I act… maybe that’s what Lady Zera meant by being patient.”

Back at the castle in the center of Thunderstroke, Tempest wasted no time as she exited the carriage she arrive in and trotted into the castle to see the king. With every guard opening the doors to every corridor she passed through, it wasn’t long before the doors to the throne room were opened for her as she entered and looked upon the empty throne at the front of the room. Annoyed, Tempest looked at the empty throne for a second before looking to a guard in the corner of the room as she spoke, “You there? Where is his excellency?”
The storm beast replied with a grumbling voice as Tempest replied with an annoyed tone, “If he is speaking with a visitor, why is he in his study and not on his throne?”
The guard could only shrug his shoulders in confusion as she sighed, “How is he supposed to be taken seriously if he won't even follow the simplest- fine… I'll go see him.”

With an Irritated sigh, Tempest left the throne room and continued higher in the castle until she finally reached the kings royal study. As she approached the doors, the two guards outside stood their ground as she spoke, “I'm here to see his Excellency.”
One guard spoke with its grumbling voice as she understood, “I know he is with a guest, but that’s no reason to keep me out… open the door.”
The storm beast grumbled again as she replied, “Either let me in or I will let myself in, and trust me… you won't like that one bit…”
As that was said, Sparks of electricity started jumping from her broken horn as the nervous guard stepped aside and opened the door for her to enter. Inside the study, The storm king who was a young unicorn with a cerulean coat and slightly darker blue mane sat at a desk as he spoke to the visitor who was an elderly Ibex, “So let me get this straight… you come to request that your village, which was once a kingdom, be declared independent once again and separate from the Storm Kingdom… is that right?”

The elderly Ibex nodded, “Yes my king… we were once a great kingdom independent from the Storm Kingdom and we wish to be so once more.”
The king stood from his desk as he approached a large map that was on the wall which showed the entirety of his kingdom. As he looked at the place the Ibex spoke of, he spoke, “The western mountains… I remember when all beyond that was another kingdom… is that were you want your border separated?”
The Elderly Billy spoke, “Yes… back when your father t-“
Before he could finish his statement, the king’s head turned to glare at the ibex out of the corner of his eye as the ibex saw this and corrected himself, “Back when the former king took our lands… he executed our king and queen and left us without a ruler, then he claimed our kingdom as his own and merged them together. We humbly request that our home be made independent once more. We ask for no more land than we had prior, we only ask to be free to govern ourselves.”

The king trotted back to his desk as he replied, “Back when the former Storm King died, I as his adopted heir, chose to give the kingdoms claimed in his conquest back to their former rulers so long as they still had a tendency to rule. Your nation had no king or queen to rule, which is why I kept it so… what do you intend to do about this?”
The Ibex repleid, “We wish to nominate our own ruler. With no heir to the former king or queen we know it seems odd to request such a thing, but we feel it’s in the king’s best interest to see to his subject’s highest hopes. And this is my home’s highest hope.”
The king spoke with a dark tone, “Is it also in the king’s best interest, to subdue or eliminate any subject who wish to ignore or abandon his rule?”
The ibex elder immediately felt nervous as he felt at a loss of words to the threatening statement. However the tension was soon broken when Tempest who was standing in the door way cleared her throat enough to break the silence as the king looked to his commander and sighed before sitting at his desk, “But… that is the rule of the former king, not I… if you select a ruler and have him come before me, I will consider accepting this request. However, I will be strict with my ruling and probably place your kingdom on a probationary state before allowing the new king to take complete control. How does that sound.”

Grateful the elderly Ibex smiled as he bowed in respect, “Oh thank you King Typhen… I promise you will not regret this. I and my village are eternally grateful for this.”
The king smiled, “Just choose one who has your best interest in mind. I want a king who sees his subject’s wellbeing first and foremost, if he has even a glint of selfishness in him, I will deal with him personally.”
The Ibex started tearing up as he replied, “Of course, and thank you again for this… you have no idea how happy this makes me feel to see my village free.”
The king smiled, “Then you may go home with news of a successful pilgrimage. Just don’t squander this opportunity to impress me.”
Grateful the ibex bowed a few more times before turning and leaving the room as Tempest shut the door behind him as she spoke, “Seems you are fitting in as the whole merciful king that you wanted to be. If the former king could see you now, he would roll over in his grave.”

King Typhen gave her a careless look as he replied, “Good… I hope I'm everything he didn’t want me to become. That stupid fool and his idiotic ambitions for power… I'm glad he is dead. I only wish I could have killed him myself.”
Tempest replied, “If you were there, I would have given you the chance.”
He smiled, “I'm sure you would. By the way… why did you come to see me? I'm sure settling border disputes weren’t your original intentions.”
Tempest spoke properly, “Excellency, I came to see you about the incident at the southern gate.”
The king nodded, “I heard… a changeling was caught trying to infiltrate the city. I assume he was caught and interrogated… though I would expect like the last few, he refused to tell us about his hive or queen.”
Tempest replied, “He says he isn’t a part of any hive and that he belongs to no queen.”
Typhen chuckled, “An obvious lie?”
Tempest hesitated, “Actually… something tells me he was truthful.”
Typhen was curious, “Really? A changeling without a hive or queen… never heard of such a thing myself. I'm assuming you charged him with treason and sent him to the Bastille regardless?”
She nodded, “I did… but…”

As she thought about how to word her next sentence, King Typhen could see the unease in her expression as he spoked, “But? What is it Tempest?”
She replied, “Something about him seems… unsettling.”
He was concerned, “Unsettling? How so?”
“When I left him, he gave me a subtle threat but… the look in his eyes when he said it… made me feel… uneasy.”
King Typhen was surprised, “Uneasy? You? What did he say?”
She replied, “He said he was willing to defeat any obstacle in his path, and warned us not to become an obstacle. But it wasn’t what he said that worried me… it was the look in his eyes when he said it. The look he had… was one who has seen death and battle before. And… was experienced enough to back up his own words.”
The king felt concerned, “So… you’re saying that if you two fought he would be an actual threat?”
Tempest nodded, “If we faced each other, either he would win easily… or we would kill each other in the fight.”

Now King Typhen felt uneasy with the statement as he thought to himself, “Really… then… It may be better to arrange a meeting with him so I can see for myself.”
Tempest shook her head, “I would suggest avoiding that. It would be unwise to put yourself at risk with the likes of him.”
He shook his head, “If this changeling is strong enough to make you feel uneasy, then I would like to meet him myself. After all, I trust you with my very life Fizzy, if he makes you feel unsure, then I want to know what we are up against.”
Tempest shook her head as she repleid, “If you order it, then I can't argue excellency… but I have asked you before to call me Tempest.”
The king gave her a sympathetic look as he nodded, “Of course… sorry, for a second there, I forgot that those days were long behind us.”

Wanting to avoid the subject Tempest turned away as she spoke, “Understood, I will arrange a meeting for you to meet with the changeling.”
The king nodded as he stood from his desk, “Good, I’d prefer tomorrow, it’s a little late today but I would like it to be soon.”
She nodded as she started to leave the room, “Understood your excellency.”
As she started to leave the room, the king trotted back to the large map again this time focusing on another part of the kingdoms border, at a small crossed out name that said Galendale.
Though he assumed she had already left, his actions were noticed by Tempest as she stopped at the doorway and watched for a second as the king raised his hoof and ran it across the name in despair. Seeing this she sighed as she spoke, “It was a long time ago, you need to look past it.”

Nodding at her words, the king replied, “I know… but that doesn’t make it any less painful… nor will it bring any of them back.”
He looked back to the map in sadness as Tempest looked away from the king’s sad expression as she replied, “I wasn’t there when it happened… the day the storm king invaded was the day I left, and when your parent chose to rebel nine years later… I was in training to be an officer for the storm king.”
He nodded, “I know… and I never blamed you for that. I never called you a traitor or accused you of joining an enemy. If anything, we betrayed you first. We were your friends… and when your horn broke and you lost control of your magic, we abandon you out of fear. We dared to call you our friend, then turned our back on you at the first sign of danger, when we really should have helped you and looked passed it.”

She nodded as she realized something, “Wait… the day your parents died by the Storm King… is that why you decided to give that ibex and his village their independence? Because he killed their monarch too?”
The king didn’t immediately respond, instead he looked at the map and hesitated for a few seconds before dropping the subject entirely, “Tomorrow Tempest… I want to meet this changeling tomorrow.”
She could only smile at his failed attempt to dodge the question as she replied, “Whatever you say… Prince Savean.”
Smiling at her words, the king continued to look at the map as Tempest left the room with a smile on her face. After his soldier was out of the room, King Typhon spoke, “Prince Savean… Fizzypop Barrytwist, seems we both have names we left behind.”

Far on the other side of the city, right on the highest cliffs of the coast, Zeil’s Jail carriage arrived at a massive fortress like prison that sat right on the cliffs with one of the five towers standing right on the cliff’s edge. As Zeil was lead into the large pentagon shaped prison, he was guarded closely as the guards led him through many corridors and bar like gates that were each locked behind him. Finally he reached the entrance to the tower that was closest to the sea as he stopped behind yet another cell like door as Grubber was standing in wait as he smiled, “You should feel honored changeling, Commander Tempest thinks you’re a big enough threat to make me watch you through processing. With me on guard you won't be able to get away with any funny business.”
Zeil gave him a dull look, “Yay…”
hearing his sarcasm, Grubber replied, “Don’t worry, you will be taken care of real nicely here… it’s been almost three days since a guard beat a prisoner to death. So maybe you will be fine till your execution.”
As that was said, Zeil was lead through the gate and up a few flights of stairs until he reached a floor that was a long corridor of empty cells. As Zeil trotted down this corridor, he saw a walkway that led to the outside balcony with a gallows sitting at the end of the path as Grubber saw his curiosity and smiled, “Looking for the next chapter of your story? Spoiler alert, it’s not a happy ending.”

With no concern Zeil continued to follow as they entered a side room where grubber stepped behind a desk and spoke, “Kay what did he have?”
As that was said, a following guard placed Zeil’s saddlebag on the table as grubber looked through it, “let’s see… a weird book filled with gibberish, a cloak, a dagger… like that will help you.” 
He looked at Zeil and pointed at his dashiki that was given to him by the southern chief, “I guess you can keep that weird zebra neck thingy on.”
Zeil spoke, “It’s called a dashiki”
“Right… dishcloth or whatever…”
With that the guard finished looking through the bag then packed it all back as he spoke, “All right, not that it matters. These things will be kept here till after your execution.”

Grubber turned to a wall of lockers as he opened one and placed the bag inside before closing it, “There… now to show you to your Cell. Your gonna like the company, everyone here is so friendly.”
Grubber started sarcastically chuckling at his comment as Zeil was then led back to the stairs. However before reaching the stairwell, Zeil’s changeling appearance all of a sudden changed back into his Zebra form as Grubber spoke, “Oh… looks like the everstone wore off. We’d better fix that.” he looked at another guard, “Go get the neck cuff and be quick about it.”
The guard nodded and broke away from the group as they continued down one flight of stairs, then into a large corridor lined with many cells each with multiple prisoners inside as one of the prisoners looked to Zeil and smiled, “Well well, look what we have here… New meat, and a Zebra at that.”
Adding to the mockery, grubber repleid, “Not a zebra, a changeling.”

Another prisoner spoke as Zeil and the guards made their way through the corridor of cells, “A changeling, Capital punishment.”
more added, “I'll give em’ a week before he breaks”
“I'll take that action.”
“Hey little bugger, you crossed into he wrong city didn’t ya?”
“I wonder if he is a reform or a parasite.”
“That don’t matter, he’ll break all the same, right before he hangs.”
As the room exploded into an uproar of mockery and threats, Zeil paid them no mind as they were led to one of the more quiet cells, as the cell door was opened before Zeil was pushed inside. As Zeil stumbled inside, the cell door was closed behind him as grubber spoke, “Hide it all ya want changeling, you won’t fool us, I don’t know what you’re doing in the Storm Kingdom… but you won’t cause any trouble in here.”
That said, Grubber laughed in a gloating manner as he and the rest of the guards walked back up the corridor as Zeil could only watch them with an annoyed expression, as he sighed, “I knew I should have gone around this kingdom… I don’t know… maybe she read the message wrong.”

At that moment, a familiar voice spoke from the shadowed corner of the cell, “I’d s’pose so… you ain’t much closer to Equestria then last I saw ya.”
Confused, Zeil looked to the corner of the cell to see an elderly pony sitting in the shadow as he spoke in surprise, “C-Captain Sail?... is that you?”
The old white bearded pirate smiled, “Aye it is… ain’t seen ya in a while… how long’s it been lad? Don’t tell me you ain’t made it back to Equestria yet.”
Feeling a little embarrassed Zeil replied, “No… I’m still trying to get there… I had to make a detour to Zebrica… took me a while to get through that though.”

Captain Sail smiled as he replied, “Id guess so… four years? Granted ya picked up a fine dashiki in that time, but taken almost half a decade for a Zebrican vacation isn’t the best use of your time.”
Zeil looked at the Zebrican accessories that he was wearing then rubbed his head as he replied, “I, guess it really has been about four years? Sorry… it’s just… time for me is… a little strange to keep track of.”
Captain Sail nodded, “Is that so?… I s’pose Zebrica wasn’t kind to ya then… or too kind. I can’t manage to remember time on my best days either.
Zeil nodded, “So how long have you been in here?”
Captain Sail replied, “Bout’ a month or so… Got locked up cuz the Storm Prince has a little grudge against pirates since the incident that got his father turned to gravel. Seems a sky pirate I knew was partially to blame, so when he saw I used to be a pirate myself, he locked me up. Took a few of my crew too, ain’t that right lads!?!”
The cell next door replied with depressed tones, “Aye…”
Zeil nodded, “So Mr. Point’s here too?”

All of a sudden, Captain Sail’s expression became sad as he replied, “Actually… no… ya see…”
Zeil could sense his emotions as he guessed what happened, “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that… when did he pass?”
Captain Sail replied, “Bout three years ago… went in his sleep. The stubborn old fool remained my quartermaster till his dying day.”
Zeil nodded, “So… how did Daring take it?”
Captain Sail replied, “She took it like I'd expect. That lass is as tough as nails she is. Barely shed a tear during the entire funeral. But enough about that… I'd think that you ain’t planning on stayin’ in here much longer are ya?”

Zeil shook his head as he looked around the cell, “No… I got to get back to Equestria.”
Captain Sail nodded, “Aye… back to your lass eh? Guessin’ that’s why you still look like a zebra.”
Zeil nodded, “Yea… Changeling or not… I know where my loyalty lies.”
As that was said, Captain Sail’s eyes shifted to a cell that was across from theirs as a sailor from his crew sat with his back against the front corner of the cell allowing him to have a perfect view of the corridor leading through the floor. As the sailor looked down the corridor, he looked back to captain sail and nodded in a way to say the coast was clear as Captain Sail smiled as he stood up, “Welp, I’ve been tinkering away at ideas on how to get out of this place so if your willin’ to help, I'll get ya back to Equestria. After all, I still owe you that voyage don’t I? And I’m a stallion of my word.”

Captain Sail held out his hoof to shake the zebra’s as the disguised changeling shook his hoof and smiled, “Then let’s get to it.”
“One problem ‘bout that Capt’n.”
Both looked to Powder Keg in the cell diagonal from theirs as he continued, “With the ship in the rest of the crew’s hooves… how do we get a message out there? Who’s to say its even still in the Storm Kingdom’s waters?”
Confused Zeil looked to Captain Sail as he added, “The ship? Didn’t the Storm Kingdom capture that too?”
Captain Sail shook his head, “Nope, only a small amount of the crew were ashore when we were ambushed at the tavern. The rest escaped out to sea at the first sign of trouble. But with Jimbo still aboard, I'm sure they are doing what they can to find and contact us.”

Zeil remembered something as he smiled, “That’s right, I sensed Jim in the city when I was on my way here. He was hiding amongst the crowds but I know for a fact it was him… wait… I thought he went with the princess when you got to Equestria.”
Captain sail was confused at first, “What? What are ya- oh wait that’s right, that was four years ago but I do remember it. Jimbo did go ashore with the lass and he did stay with her for about a year, but they now hold a rather… special relationship.”
Zeil was skeptic, “Special?... how?”
Powder Keg laughed, “The darn fool decided that he wanted to come back with us instead of staying in a palace.”
Captain Sail shook his head, “Not exactly but not too far off. The lad missed the sea and requested to come back with us when we visited the Hippogriff kingdom. He and his princess are still together… but it’s more of a, I'll see ya when I'm ashore relationship.”
Zeil nodded, “Well that’s good to hear, they seemed so perfect for each other… so Jim would be commanding the ship then?”
Captain Sail nodded, “Aye, as the last officer aboard, he would be in command while the captain’s away. And since I have a rule about if I were caught, no doubt he would be off shore devising a rescue… but since I have a plan of my own, I just need a way to signal him.”

All of a sudden, the prisoner across in the other cell tapped the bars twice as a signal, as Captain Sail silenced himself while both Zeil and the captain watched a few prison guards walk down the corridor between the cells. As the guards approached Zeil’s cell, one opened the cell as two others entered the cell, grabbed Zeil and pinned him against the ground. Knowing there was no real point in struggling, Zeil spoke as he was held down, “Easy, I'm not gonna fight back. There is no point anyways.”
As he was held down, the guard that opened the cell door entered the cell and put a cuff around Zeil’s neck that had an everstone embedded in the middle of it, as the stone made contact with Zeil’s neck and turned him back into his reformed changeling form. After the cuff was locked on, the guard released him as they each left the cell as Zeil rubbed his neck and spoke sarcastically, “What? No goodnight kiss?”

Ignoring his sarcasm, the guards locked the cell and left the area as Captain Sail spoke, “Seems they are worried you will try to escape already.”
Zeil smiled, “No matter, this cuff disables my changling magic, but I have other magic it can't disable. Anyway about the previous subject?” 
He looked to the prisoner across the cell as the stallion looked down the corridor then back and nodded in a way to say the coast was clear. Seeing that it was safe to talk, Zeil asked, “What is your plan for getting out of here?”
Captain Sail smiled, “Its already coming together… all we need is a large quantity of rope. Otherwise, we have to wait for the right moment, which should be within the next few weeks.”
Zeil thought to himself, “Rope?”
Captain Sail nodded, “Rope…”
Smiling at his ability to grow vine’s Zeil continued, “I think I can handle that…”
Captain Sail smiled, “Good, since you’re a changeling, your execution should be set for one month from today, as all changelings are. Luckily the best time for us to make our way out of here, will be in two weeks. The Friday after next to be precise.”
Zeil felt there was more to the date then just a simple decision as he asked, “Why? Whats so special about two weeks from now?”
Captain Sail continued with a mischievous smile, “let’s just say… red skies in the morning… sailor’s warning.”