As the afternoon rolled on, Barrier and Swiftsword followed Shining Armor, Cadance, Starshine and the guards that surrounded the rosy alicorn as they came up to the palace gateway.
“So, what exactly are the plans for the wedding so far?” Barrier inquired as a pair of guards opened the gates before them.
“Twily and her friends are going to be handling a good chunk of it,” Shining Armor replied, looking over his shoulder as he crossed the threshold. “We’ll have the rehearsal tomorrow and then after that, the big day.”
“Seems rather odd to do the set up for something as large as a royal wedding so close to the actual day,” Barrier responded as the entourage entered the palace hallways.
“Well, we’ve been planning for months so most of the planning has been handled in Ponyville,” Cadance responded as she fought back a yawn. “Rarity got my measurements for my wedding dress last week while Rainbow Dash set up a stunt show to follow the wedding, including a sonic rainboom. Fluttershy got things planned out with animals which just leaves Pinkie Pie to handle the decorating and Applejack to handle the catering.”
“Not to mention we’ve got the best little sister in Equestria acting as the best mare,” Shining Armor added as he gave Cadance a nuzzle. “Starshine, please take Empress Cadance to her room. I’ll visit her later.”
“Yes, sir,” Starshine replied before falling in alongside the tired alicorn mare. “Come along, Your Imperial Majesty. I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”
“As for you…” Shining turned around to face Barrier and Swift. “Spearmint and Cobalt Lancer will take you up to your rooms while I’ll go oversee Princess Luna’s departure to the Crystal Empire.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Swift said with a quick bow. “Have a good evening.”
***
Barrier tiredly sighed as he laid his suitcase beside the bed of his opulent guest room. Quickly pressing a hoof against the bed, he grunted in annoyance, the bed too soft for his liking. Glancing towards an ornate clock that hung above the fireplace, he saw that it wasn’t even four in the afternoon.
And I forgot to pack a book. Dammit. The charcoal stallion sighed in annoyance as he made his way to the door. Stepping outside, he spotted a blue coated guardsmare standing next to his room as well as Swiftsword and an unarmored Spearmint chatting just a few rooms down from his own.
“So, any plans, Swift?” Barrier asked, interrupting the two mares.
“Uh, yes, sir.” Swift replied as she leaned up against Spearmint’s side. “Minty and I will be heading out for dinner, checking out one of Canterlot’s various restaurants.”
“Well, have a good time,” Barrier said before turning down the hallway. “I figure that I’ll head towards the train station and wait for Twilight and her friends.”
“Tell them I said hello,” Swift called out as Barrier headed out, his body moving almost automatically.
Even after the months of absence since he’d trained the trio of ponies to fight in preparation for Sombra’s return, he could still navigate the palace’s many hallways like the back of his hoof.
After nearly twenty minutes of casual walking, the obsidian stallion saw the train station coming into view at around the same time he spotted Twilight Sparkle, the other element bearers and Lightning Javelin emerging from the train.
As he drew closer to the station, he noticed what looked like bags under Twilight’s eyes as her friends started to emerge from the train.
Well, her friends seem to be in better standing than her. Barrier thought as he saw Spike, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash left the train, leaving no sign of—
“SURPRISE!” A sudden burst of pink popped up in front of Barrier, making the unicorn dance backwards and throw a hard right jab at the surprise invader of his personal space. However, the pink menace nimbly darted her head away from the strikes as if it were a natural movement before she sent a foreleg of her own forward, stopping just short of and gently pressing it against his snout.
“Boop!” Pinkie Pie giggled, much to Barrier’s immense annoyance as he regained his composure. “Nice try, Barrier, but I’ve been waiting six years to do this! I’m not getting punched this time!”
“Six years? What are you talking about? You’ve known me less than one year, Pinkie,” Barrier said in bewilderment as the pink devil rolled her eyes.
“Riiiiight. That was definitely less than a year ago,” Pinkie said with a sweet-sounding sarcasm as her friends came up to her side.
“Good afternoon, Barrier,” Twilight said before rubbing her tired-looking eyes.
“Are you alright, Twilight? You look like death warmed over.” Barrier’s question made the violet unicorn sigh before she took the lead towards the castle.
“Remember how I told you I became a pariah after what happened with the Want-It, Need-It spell, but I started to get back in ponies’ good graces?” Barrier only nodded in response to Twilight’s question. “Well, I ended up doing that again when a mare with the Alicorn Amulet came to Ponyville.”
“I’ve heard about that amulet,” Barrier replied with some surprise. “Said to greatly boost a unicorn’s power while heavily affecting their mind. Daring’s mentioned it a few times.”
“That’s putting it mildly…” Twilight sighed. “At any rate, this mare wanted revenge against me and started using her powers to attack and harass ponies in Ponyville,” Twilight sadly said as she recounted what had happened. “Stuff like making one of Rainbow’s wings huge, fusing two unicorn foals together at the horn, tossing Spike around like a basketball and even taking Pinkie’s mouth away.”
‘That last one doesn’t sound too bad,’ Barrier thought idly as he bit the inside of his cheek to help keep the thought from being vocalized.
“She then challenged me to a magic duel before she turned the library upside down and started shaking it around. I was so furious, I accepted her terms. Loser would be banished from Ponyville… And this is where things went bad.” Twilight swallowed and took a short breath before continuing.
“She opened by firing a beam of magic at me. I teleported behind her and hit her point blank with a concussive blast. It sent her crashing into a nearby wall and before she could get up and before I realized what I was doing, I teleported to her and started to attack her with both my hooves and more concussive blasts. Eventually, she started screaming at me to stop and took off the amulet, begging me to spare her life. It was only then that I realized what I had done. I’d lost control and had her blood on my hooves, literally. I’d let my anger at what she’d done consume me and I lost control.”
Twilight took another, slightly shakier breath. “I tried to apologize and explain that I never wanted to kill her, but she just threw the amulet at me and ran away screaming.”
Barrier could see tears starting to form in her eyes. “Except for my friends, everypony who saw the fight thought I was going to kill her.”
“And frankly, you should have,” Lightning Javelin said, making the violet mare wince. “Not only was she attacking Ponyville along with threatening to do more damage, she challenged you to a duel. As far as I’m concerned, you were fully within your right to kill her where she stood. To say nothing of the dark artifact she wielded.”
“Enough, Javelin. She isn’t, nor should she be like us in that regard. We fought to ensure she wouldn’t have to be,” Barrier stated harshly to his fellow ex-captain before gently patting Twilight on the back. “What matters, Twilight, is that you stopped before going too far. She threatened your friends and your home and you stopped her. Be proud of that and to Tartarus with anybody too short sighted to realize the necessity of what you did. She may never be your friend, but I wager she learned a life lesson that will serve her well.”
“That doesn’t change the fact I feel awful,” Twilight morosely responded, looking very glum as she walked along the cobblestone street. “Not to mention I haven’t been sleeping well for a while and last night…”
Barrier’s eyebrow rose as he saw Twilight grit her teeth and shudder. “What happened, Twilight?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Twilight quickly said as a faint tinge appeared on her muzzle. “Spike, Lightning, I don’t want you talking about it either.”
“Uh, okay, Twilight,” Spike said from his spot near Rarity while Lightning simply nodded.
“At any rate, I want us to get to the castle so we can get to work on the wedding preparations,” Twilight said, sounding very stern and determined all of a sudden.
“If I recall, Shining Armor and Cadance told me most of the work’s done,” Barrier replied.
“Still, we have to take care of some important things. Pinkie has to handle the decorations, Applejack the catering, and while Fluttershy has a routine planned out, she still needs to train the animals for their performance,” Twilight hastily said, making her mane look somewhat frazzled.
“Don’t forget me!” Spike piped up from behind the pair of conversing unicorns. “I’m the one that has to take care of Shining Armor’s bachelor party! … Say, Barrier? What’s a bachelor party?”
“I haven’t the foggiest, Spike,” the charcoal unicorn replied. “I’m more than certain you’ll all handle your parts well however.”
Besides some idle chatter, the band of ponies and young drake made their way to the palace in relative quiet.
As they continued to walk, Barrier decided to guide the guests to their rooms. Just as the band entered the hallway, the tired Twilight spotted the pink, sunglasses wearing alicorn down by the far end of the corridor.
“Cadance!” the violet mare excitedly exclaimed before she darted down the hall, skidding to a halt in from the empress before entering a routine Barrier recalled from when the two reunited before they departed to battle Sombra. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake!”
“Clap your hooves and—” Cadance covered her mouth to yawn before she used her hoof to lower her heart-shaped glasses. “Do a little shake… Sorry that I’m not up to doing the dance, Twilight. All the prepping for the empire and the long train ride has left me feeling older than Celestia. My bones are just aching.”
“Oh, that’s okay.” Twilight sounded somewhat glum before Cadance pulled her into a tight, warm hug. “I’ve missed you so much, Cadance,” the violet mare said as she returned the alicorn’s embrace.
“I missed you too. I wish I got to see you at Hearth’s Warming,” Cadance replied as she loosened her hug and looked down at the unicorn with a warm smile. “Now, how’s my future-sister-in-law doing?”
“Well, not the greatest,” Twilight answered as she tried to avoid the alicorn’s eye. “Haven’t been sleeping well, I was way too harsh when somepony tried attacking Ponyville, and last night, somepony left the window open, so when we woke up, the library was completely infested with… with…”
“Ladybugs?” Cadance’s question made Twilight nod in embarrassment before burying her muzzle in the alicorn’s chest. “Darn it, Shining.” The alicorn sighed.
“Wait, ladybugs?” Barrier tilting his head in a mixture of surprise and confusion. “I could understand cockroaches or some other kinds of bugs, but ladybugs?”
“Long story short, Shining Armor convinced little Twilight that all those spots on ladybugs are actually eyes,” Cadance said as she gently stroked Twilight’s back with her wing. “Ever since then, she’s been terrified of ladybugs.”
She’s faced Nightmare Moon, Sombra, Discord, and Faust knows what else, but the thing that scares her is ladybugs? Barrier fought back the urge to vocalize his thoughts as Twilight practically melted into Cadance’s hug. Wait a second, her song with Cadance has ladybugs in it!
“Well, how about we get you settled into your room, Twilight?” Cadance said as she rose up and started guiding her to one of the guest rooms. “It looks like we both could use a good nap.”
“Empress Cadance,” Rarity said as she rushed up to Barrier’s side. “If you want, I could help apply some make-up to hide those unsightly bags under your eyes.”
“Thanks for the offer, Rarity, but I just need some sleep,” Cadance replied as she pulled Twilight along. “Trust me, after I get a good night’s sleep, I’ll look as fresh as a daisy.”
As Cadance led Twilight away, Barrier decided he’d have a stroll around the gardens to try to enjoy the scenery.
When the charcoal unicorn finished a long walk and smelling the scent of nearly every flower, a thought occurred to him.
I really should have brought a book, or at least my thinking ball. Barrier huffed before beginning the walk back to his room.
It’s probably too late to go to the library, Barrier thought as he spared a glance out the window, letting him see that night had fallen. And I don’t want to bother Twilight for a book to borrow. Guess I’ll just turn in.
He soon reached the outside of his room, where he saw the blue coated guardsmare standing by the door.
With a yawn, Barrier nosed open the door, but stopped when he saw something that made him feel a pit forming in his stomach.
Written on his mirror in blood red were the words, “The stars are silent, the vulture is headless”.
“Guard!” Barrier barked as he leapt away from the door. “Has anypony been in my room?!”
“I’m the only one that’s been inside since you dropped off your things, sir!” The guardsmare ran up to Barrier’s side. “What’s wrong, sir?”
“What’s wrong?!” Barrier nearly shouted as he pushed the doors open with his magic. “Do you see my mirror?!”
“Yes, I do, sir,” the guard replied as she and Barrier headed into the room. The obsidian stallion quickly darted over to the windowsill, where he could see a fine amount of dust on it and the hook holding the window shut.
“A pegasus didn’t sneak in this way,” Barrier grumbled aloud before turning back to the guard. “You! Stay here while I alert somepony. Make sure nopony enters the room but us.”
“Uh, sir?” The guardsmare could barely say before Barrier teleported into the hall and took off like a shot.
After nearly a minute of running, searching for somepony to alert, the unicorn was halted as a light golden aura held him in place. “Barrier, what’s going on?”
As the aura holding him faded, he spotted Princess Celestia and Empress Cadance emerging from a room.
“Your majesties, I worry we’ve an intruder in the palace,” Barrier responded as he turned to the royals. “Somepony managed to get past the guard in the guest hall and vandalized my room. I was looking to alert the others.
“Oh dear, this is bad,” Cadance said in surprise as Celestia stepped forward.
“Take me to it, Barrier. I won’t let anypony harm my subjects,” Celestia commandingly said, reminding Barrier of the olden days of the war. “Cadance, find Shining Armor and alert the other guards.”
With a nod, Barrier led the alabaster alicorn through the halls back to the guest hall, partly lit up by the light from his open doors. When the doors came into view, he felt himself being picked up by Celestia’s magic before the two teleported to the front of the door where she set him down.
To Barrier’s surprise, while the guardsmare looked unmoved from where he last saw her, the mirror was completely spotless.
“What’s going on?” Barrier muttered as he and Celestia entered the room, letting him see nothing looked out of place.
“Barrier, where’s this vandalization you mentioned?” Celestia asked, perplexed by the room’s rather unremarkable appearance.
“Guard, what happened to the graffiti on the mirror?” Barrier hastily asked as he rushed up to the guardsmare.
“What graffiti, sir?” The guardsmare tilted her head in confusion. “I don’t see what’s meant to be amiss in this room.”
“I… I just… I saw…” Barrier brought a hoof to his forehead before he let out a sigh. “My apologies for the false alarm, your highness. I must have seen things in my tired state.”
“Well, at least it looks like everything’s alright,” Princess Celestia said before she slowly made her way to the door. “Guard, you may return to your post. Barrier, I suggest you get some rest so you’re ready for the rehearsal dinner tomorrow.”
“Yes, Princess. I will,” Barrier said as the guardsmare saluted and left the room.
Feeling tired and embarrassed, Barrier started to pull himself into bed before shaking his head, grabbing his pillow and blanket and settling down on the floor, his back to a wall and his front to the door as he let sleep consume him. The discomfort over his apparent hallucinations still worried him.