//------------------------------//
// Year 40 
// Story: Stoking the Flames 
// by RunicTreetops 
//------------------------------//

You pull your coat over yourself as much as you can while you sit as close as possible to the makeshift fire you've created. You briefly glance at the environment around you. This building doesn't provide much in the way of shelter, but it's better than nothing.

You are currently doing your best to stay warm in the broken-down remains of a house located in what was once the Crystal Empire. Many years ago, when Opaline defeated Princess Twilight Sparkle, she had to fight many other opponents as well. One of those opponents was Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire. Her defeat shattered the wills of her crystal pony subjects, which in turn caused the Crystal Heart (the only thing keeping the empire safe from the harsh climate of the Frozen North), to lose its magic. With nothing left to protect the empire and no princess to look to for answers, the Crystal Empire was completely wiped off of the map overnight.

Finding this building wasn't easy, either. The remains of the empire are covered in a thick blanket of snow, and what with the Frozen North being the Frozen North, blizzards are frequent. If it wasn't for the tall, lifeless remains of the old castle, you would have never found the empire among the tundra. Your survival hasn't been easy, either, but here you are.

You hold your gloved hands out to the fire, feeling your arms ache as you do so. Weather aside, adventures like this are getting more and more difficult for you. As much as you'd like to pretend otherwise, it's getting harder to ignore the fact that you're getting older. With Opaline being the immortal alicorn that she is, it's easy to forget that you're aging more and more every year. You aren't a young man anymore, that's for sure.

In fact, that's the reason you went on this trip in the first place. Choosing to utilize the freedom your queen granted you all those years ago, you struck out on your own for a "personal mission," one which led you to this ruined ghost of an empire. Specifically, it led you to the long-forgotten basement beneath the castle, which was apparently a laboratory of sorts for an ancient princess. You came in search for a specific enchanted item, one which was mentioned only in passing in some of the texts you've read. It was never given a name, so you've taken to calling it the Dark Eye Necklace.

Shivering, you reach into one of your pockets and retrieve the necklace. It mostly just looks like a golden sphere on a string, but if your research is to be believed, putting it on would unlock its true potential. However, you have no intention of wearing it.

Stuffing the necklace back into your pocket, you take a deep breath. Even through your scarf, your breath is visible in the frigid air. You're going to be cutting it very close tonight, but you simply don't have the energy to continue on right now. That basement was like a labyrinth, and it took you all day to navigate it. It didn't help that you couldn't even confirm that the necklace was there, so you thank the powers that be that you found it and made it out alive. Now all you have to do is get back home to Opaline.

You smile as your thoughts drift to your lady. Ever since that battle on the bridge took place over twenty years ago, your relationship with her has been different. You still refer to her with honorifics, and you willingly carry out any order she gives you. However, the two of you have become much more intimate than is typical for a master/servant type of relationship. To an outsider, you and Opaline would probably seem more like an old married couple than anything else. Heh, that's an entertaining thought.

Even though Opaline tries to hide her true feelings most of the time, it's clear that you both love each other. For that, you consider yourself the luckiest man alive.

You close your eyes and lean back against the wall behind you, making sure to not stray too far from the fire. You've been away from the castle for the better part of two months hunting down this necklace, and you're eager to make it home. But before that, there are two things that you know for sure. First, this is going to be the last adventure you go on. You're too old for this. And second...

If this blizzard doesn't pass by morning, you might be screwed.

Sleep begins to overtake you whether you like it or not. With a sigh, you feel your consciousness begin to drift away. Hopefully your luck hasn't run out just yet.





When you awaken, you notice three things. One, it's extremely cold. Two, the fire went out at some point in the night, and it's a miracle you woke up at all because of it. Three, you can't tell if the blizzard is still going strong, as a wall of snow has barricaded the entrance to this building.

You bring yourself to your feet, nearly stumbling over yourself as you do so. You try to wiggle your fingers and toes. They're all there, but they're getting pretty numb. Things aren't looking good.

You slam your arms against the snow-blocked doorway. Unfortunately, it's extremely compact, and it doesn't budge even a little. You shift to making a conscious effort to dig your way out, but the snow is thick and resilient. With a final sigh, you look around at the rest of the ruins.

Rubble blocks most of your other would-be exits, and what few gaps would otherwise remain are just as blocked in by the snow. You feel your heart sink into your chest.

You're trapped.

As panic begins to overtake you, you do your best to think of other solutions to this problem. Knock down a wall? No, you're not strong enough for that. Wait for the snow to melt? No, it'll take far too long, especially if the blizzard is still going on out there. Make another fire? No, there's no way to vent out the smoke.

...

After a while, what little energy you still had left is expended, leaving you unconscious in the frozen remains of the Crystal Empire.





...Warm.

Your eyes begin to slowly open as you realize that you're still alive. Something warm is wrapping itself around you like a nice, comfy blanket. You shuffle around a little bit, but find it difficult to move your limbs too much.

"Oh thank goodness, you're awake."

"Huh?"

You turn your head around to look at the voice that came from right behind you. Sure enough, wrapping her large wings around you and holding you tight is none other than your lady, Opaline.

"Really now. I let you go out on your own and you nearly go and get yourself killed. Tsk tsk tsk. Where would you be without me?"

"Lady Opaline?" You look around, realizing that you're no longer in the Frozen North. Instead, you're in the rolling plains of central Equestria, far away from any modern settlements. Looking into the distance, you can see where the Frozen North ends. So, you aren't that far from the Frozen North, but you're still miles and miles away from the Crystal Empire. "Where are we? How did you find me?"

"We're just south of the Frozen North, my little human. Finding you was easy. You did make me a scrying pool, after all."

"Y-you were watching me?"

"Just keeping an eye on my favorite subject." She squeezes you a bit tighter. "I wasn't planning on intervening, but then you went and did something stupid like venture into the Frozen North. If I hadn't started booking it here as of a few days ago, you'd be a goner."

"W-wow, I... thank you, my lady."

"Yes, yes, I am incredible. But don't do that again."

"I wasn't planning on it. I'm getting too old for this, anyway."

"No need to sell yourself short. ...But I would avoid any frigid areas in the future."

The two of you share a chuckle as you try to bring yourself to your feet. You're a bit shaky and still numb in some parts, but as far as you can tell, all of you is still there, so that's a plus.

"How did you get me out?"

"I'm a fire alicorn, remember? The snow has no effect on me." As she speaks, she begins walking away from you. You follow right behind her. "Now, come. The trip back to the castle is a long one."

Without needing to say another word, the two of you walk side-by-side on your long trek back to your home.





You both enter the castle in a state of complete exhaustion. The two of you let out a long, drawn-out sigh before slowly slinking away from the throne room. You both ascend the ramp towards the bedroom that you now share.

"By the by, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What is it, my lady?"

"I understand that you retrieved some sort of necklace, but... for what purpose? What was so important that you'd dedicate so much time and effort into acquiring it?"

"Technically, Lady Opaline, it doesn't have a name. I call it the Dark Eye Necklace, but you could call it whatever you want." 

You retrieve the necklace from your bag and show it to her.

"And what is so special about that trinket?"

You look at your queen and smile.

"It brings out the negative feelings of the pony wearing it, essentially making them more susceptible to doing evil things. On top of that, once it has been bound to a pony, that pony can speak through it. In other words, it's a way for you to manipulate and subsequently keep in contact with whatever pony you wish, allowing you to... suggest that they do your bidding."

"Ohoho~! Now that does sound interesting. What do you plan to use it for?"

"I wanted to give it to you."

"HAH! You want to control me?"

"N-no! I mean give it to you as a gift! I haven't bound myself to it, yet. I..." You look down at the amulet, and then back up at Opaline. This isn't going to be easy to say. "...As time goes on, I'm becoming more and more aware of the fact that I won't be able to serve you forever. In fact, it seems more than likely that I won't get to see your rise to power when your magic returns to you."

"Anon?"

You sigh.

"But I don't want you to be alone again. I don't know if you'll be able to find someone like me again in the future, so I thought that, by finding this necklace for you, I would be able to ensure that you can have another servant when I'm gone one way or another. I don't want to imagine you replacing me with someone else, but... that's just reality."

Opaline is silent for a long moment, looking at you with concern and apprehension. After some time, she gently takes the necklace from you and looks at it before sighing.

"I am the greatest, strongest, most beautiful pony to have ever lived. And yet... sometimes I still wonder if I deserve to have you in my employ." As the two of you enter the bedroom, she places the necklace into a drawer, quickly locking it away. "To think that you considered your own eventual death, and your first thought was about how to minimize the damage done to me."

"B-but of course, Lady Opaline. You're my reason for living."

She shakes her head.

"You should not underestimate the impact you've had on my life, either." Her voice is quiet and almost completely inaudible.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing." Wearily, Opaline hops onto her massive, fluffy, purple bed and looks at you expectantly. "...Well? Your queen is in need of attention."

After a brief moment of silence, you chuckle.

"I'd be honored."

As you get older, you have no way of knowing how much more time you'll have with your dear lady. However, it's moments like these that make life worth living.

"...Are you coming?"

"Lady Opaline?"

Opaline looks at you with curiosity.

"What is it?"

"I... I love you."

"...H-hah!" Opaline's cheeks obviously go red, but she turns away from you. "Of course you do! Everypony does!"

You stand in silence for a moment, the smile never leaving your face. You expected that kind of response out of her. It's just another thing that makes her so charming.





A little while later, the two of you lie in bed together, Opaline held tightly in your embrace. You are both quite sweaty. Suddenly, the comfortable silence is broken by your queen, your lover.

"I love you too, my little human."

"L-Lady Opa-"

Before you can finish, she cuts you off by pressing her lips against your own. Your eyes go wide in surprise. Sure, you've done more than that with her before (you just did, in fact), but a display of affection like this is still extremely rare from her.

"I'm going to make the most of the time I still have with you. And I'm not taking no for an answer."

"...Hmhm." You hold Opaline tighter than you ever have before. "I'm going to stay right by your side for the rest of my days, Lady Opaline. I swear it."

"Good, because that's right where I want you."