“There you two are.” Cadance waited in the castle courtyard, sitting on the edge of the fountain. She waved her horn, opening the golden gates for the new arrivals.
“Didn’t mean to keep you waiting,” Shining said, slipping his helmet off. His wife snuck forward and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Twilight stood behind, pretending to gag at the display of affection.
“Jealous?” Shining asked, returning his wife’s kiss.
“Not even slightly,” Twilight shot back, slipping past them to the front gate. The two golden sentries opened the doors for her. She trotted into the foyer, and into a crowd of noble ponies.
“Seems busy today,” Shining noticed.
The doors closed behind them.
“Yeah. Court’s in session. They’re all waiting to hear the big news before anyone else,” Cadance explained. As the two princesses crossed the room, they drew the eye and praise of the crowd.
“Princess Twilight? My dear, you look absolutely regal this morning.”
“Princess Cadance, did you by any chance happen to look at that business proposal I sent to the Crystal Empire. I’m quite excited to expand my business to the north.”
“Princess Twilight, I was hoping to run into you. My nephew is coming to Canterlot next week. He’s a handsome young stallion, perfect for a beautiful mare like yourself.”
“Excuse me, Princesses, can you comment on the rumors going around about Celestia’s absence. There are some saying that she’s missing or hurt? Do you have anything to say about these theories?”
Cadance cleared her throat loud enough to silence the crowd. “I sincerely apologize, ladies and gentlecolts of Canterlot. Princess Twilight and I would love nothing more than to stay here and discuss current events with all of you. Unfortunately, our presence is needed elsewhere, so we must be making our way through.”
The ponies of the crowd shared a few confused glances, but parted to let the princesses through. Shining followed, stone-faced. His experienced gaze swept over the crowd. Several of the nobles recoiled a little from the soldier’s commanding presence. When they finally reached the door, another set of guards opened the way. Twilight and Cadance hurried through, but Shining stopped.
“Hey, you two go do what you need to do. I’m going to make sure the watch can handle this crowd. Can’t afford anyone sneaking off where they’re not allowed,” he growled. For a moment, Twilight didn’t recognize her goofball brother. Instead, she saw an exemplar of the might of Equestria.
“Stay safe, Captain.” Cadance smiled.
“Of course, Princess.”
He shut the doors, leaving Twilight alone with Cadance.
“He’s like a completely different pony when he’s working, isn’t he?” Twilight asked, tossing a sideways glance toward her sister-in-law.
“You have no idea,” The Princess of Love said. “I think he’s pretty sexy when he decides to play rough.”
Twilight choked. “Cadance, please don’t ever say anything like that to me ever again.”
“It’s true.”
“I don’t care.”
“You’ll understand when you fall in love, Twilight.”
“I won’t hold my breath.”
The duo made their way through the eastern wing of the castle. With the Royal Court in session, they were forced to find an alternate path upstairs. And as they walked, Cadance’s words buzzed around Twilight’s head. Her parents. Shining Armor. Now Cadance. She didn’t have time to think about her love life right now, of all times. She didn’t want to think about it.
Then again, in a situation like this, maybe a lover would be exactly what she needed. What was it she had thought back in her parent’s house? Somepony who she could always count on to be by her side when she needed them. Somepony willing to support her, even when nopony else believed in her.
Those weren’t bad criteria, she supposed. But right now, more than anything else, she just wanted . . . she just wanted . . .
Somepony she could talk to.
Luna. Cadance. Shining Armor. Even Fluttershy, to an extent. She hadn’t been able to talk to any of them without having to bear the brunt of their judgment. And they were her family. She didn’t even remember the last time she’d just had a normal, non-crisis-related conversation. And then a strange thought came to mind:
Chrysalis. The other night, they’d talked about that stupid map. That was kind of fun.
Twilight froze, unable to fully comprehend the thought that had just brought her mind to a screeching halt. Chrysalis? Chrysalis? Why was that the first place her mind had gone? Just because she had one conversation with her regarding a stupid map? Was that all it took?
No. No. No.
She did not feel that way about Chrysalis. She couldn’t. She . . .
She felt a little upset by how harsh that sounded.
“You hungry, Twilight?” Cadance’s voice shoved Twilight’s thoughts aside.
Their particular path took them past the kitchens. The hearty scent flooded the halls. Twilight recognized the smell as vegetable stew. During her schooling, she sat in the kitchens and watched as the chefs worked their magic, mixing spices and vegetables together in a beautiful blend of color. They used to haul their masterpieces off in pots larger than then the filly observing them.
“No. I’m good. Are you?”
The elder alicorn stifled a smile with her hoof. “Twilight, you know you’re drooling, right?”
Twilight wiped her mouth quickly, forcing Cadance past her threshold and caused her to burst out laughing.
“I wasn’t drooling. I was just . . .”
“You were just what?” Cadance asked innocently.
“Drooling,” Twilight muttered. “I was drooling, okay? I admit it. I didn’t eat breakfast.”
Cadance’s amused features twisted into concern. “When was the last time you ate?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. A day, maybe?”
“A whole day? Really?” Cadance nodded in agreement. “You see, because I asked the kitchen staff about it while you were out with Shining. They let me in on some really interesting details.”
“Did they?” Twilight’s mouth dried out. She tried not to meet Cadance's stare.
“Yes. According to them, you haven’t been seen in the Dining Hall in several days.”
Twilight raised a hoof defensively. “I haven’t been coming down to the Dining Hall. I’ve been taking my meals upstairs, obviously. So, of course they haven’t seen me.”
“Yeah, I asked them about that, too. They’ve been saying that every tray they’ve sent up to you has come back untouched.” Twilight withered under Cadance’s stern, yet motherly tone. “Which means you haven’t eaten in several days, Twilight. Am I right?”
“Yeah.” Twilight sighed. “It’s been a while. I keep meaning to get something, but—”
“Listen to me, Twily,” Cadance put a gentle hoof on her little sister. “As an alicorn, your body is incredibly resilient. But you are still mortal. You still have limits. You need to take care of yourself.”
Twilight took Cadance’s hoof in her own. “I know, I know. I need to, but I can’t.”
“It might seem like you’re rushing around like crazy, but you’re not too busy to take care of yourself.”
The younger mare shook her head. “It’s not that. I’ve been trying to eat. Really, I have.” Twilight bowed her head. “But every time I try, my stomach gets really upset. I just can’t force it down.”
“Oh, Twilight . . .” Cadance pulled Twilight in close, squeezing her tight. “I know you were in trouble, but I never could have imagined it was this serious. And we’ve just been making it worse, haven’t we?” Her voice started to crack. “I’m so sorry, Twilight.”
“It’s not your fault, Cadance.”
“I may not have caused this, but I’m certainly not helping. Alright, tell you what, why don’t we go get lunch together. And then, I’m going to make sure you spend the next few hours being pampered.” Cadance pulled away, but kept her hooves on Twilight. “Does that sound like a decent idea?”
“I’ve got some time for lunch, I suppose, but I think that’s it.” Twilight tried to shrug off Cadance’s touch. “I really need to get back up to my lab and check on my experiments. I have to make sure they’re okay.”
“I thought you said they wouldn’t be finished until tonight?”
“They won’t be. But I’d still like to check on them. Just make sure nothing goes wrong.”
Cadance frowned. “Alright. I’ll let you check them out. But just for a minute. Check what you need to check, then we’re coming back down.” She pressed a hoof against Twilight’s muzzle. “You are going to relax today.”
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice.” Twilight tried to smile.
“Yay!” Cadance squealed, dancing in place. “We’re going to have so much fun today. And I’m going to make sure that you end today feeling nice and relaxed. You’re going to have so much fun, that it should be a crime.”
“That sounds . . . ” Twilight hesitated. “A bit scary, actually.”
“Sorry. I’m just excited. First thing’s first, though. We’re going to lunch.” Cadance didn’t wait for an answer before skipping off into the Dining Hall. Groups of off-duty guards piled in alongside them, but were sure to give the princesses a wide berth.
As the royals walked the long aisles of the cafeteria, conversations fell hushed. Soldiers sat up straighter and sipped their stew less noisily. Though Twilight tried to keep her head down, Cadance relished the attention, making a scene of herself as she walked and humming a sweet tune.
Twilight beelined for the Royal Dining Hall, but Cadance redirected her.
“What are you doing?” Twilight asked.
“We’re not going to eat there today. We’re going to enjoy our lunch in the company of some friends.” With a flourish, she pointed Twilight toward a nearby table, where an older stallion sat alone, dipping his bread in his stew. He wore most of a plate mail suit decorated with a crystalline shimmer.
“I don’t know who that is, but he’s definitely not one of my friends,” Twilight said.
“I know.” She started to pull Twilight in that direction. “But he will be.”
The two of them sat together, on the opposite side of the table from the old warhorse. At the sight of his new guests, he set his utensils aside and pressed a hoof over his heart.
“Princess Cadance? You have orders for me, Your Highness?”
Cadance rested her chin on her hooves. “At ease, Captain. This isn’t an inspection.”
“Of course. My apologies, Ma’am.”
Cadance put her foreleg over her sister’s shoulder. “Twilight, this is Captain Iron Shield. He’s one of the most trusted military commanders of the Crystal Empire. He’s been a friend to your brother and I for many years now.” She turned to the soldier. “Commander Shield, I’m sure you know Princess Twilight.”
He bowed. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Highness.”
“Likewise, Captain.” Twilight smiled nervously.
Cadance resumed control of the conversation with a wave of her hoof. “Would you mind if we ate lunch alongside you, Captain? Princess Twilight is in desperate need of a bit of social interaction.”
“Of course. I’d be more than happy to offer you a seat at this table, Your Highnesses.”
“We’re not here as royals, Captain,” Cadance said. “You don’t have to keep calling us that. You’ve been a friend to me and Shining for long enough to earn that right.” She leaned forward, using a hoof to block Twilight’s view of her mouth. “And if you keep calling her that, she’s going to get super embarrassed.”
“I heard that.” Twilight’s cheeks reddened.
Cadance smirked. “See? Told you she’d get embarrassed.”
“Cadance!” Twilight growled.
The Captain just nodded. “Of course. I understand. Your brother did mention that you had a tendency to get flustered easily.” Twilight glared at him, forcing him to add: “His words, not mine.”
“My brother?” Twilight’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Yeah, that sounds like something he’d say.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Has he let you in on any other interesting factoids about me?”
Shield scratched his chin. “He said that you often get distracted reading.”
“Does he just go around telling everypony that?” Twilight asked with a pout.
“He also told me that you were one of the smartest ponies he knows. And incredibly reliable. And fun to hang around with.” The captain adjusted one of his pauldrons. “He gets very talkative when he’s had a few drinks after his nightly patrol. He’s quite proud of you, you know?”
Twilight bit her lip. “That’s better. I guess he’s forgiven.”
“Hey, Captain, making new friends?” The trio turned toward the new voice. A sky-blue pegasus stood behind them, holding a tray of food and offering an idiot grin. In the back of Twilight’s mind, she couldn’t help but notice a decent resemblance to Rainbow Dash.
“Show some respect, Moron.” A short, tan unicorn reared up and smacked him on the back of the head, forcing him to stumble forward.
“What was that for, Lieutenant?” The pegasus whined.
“Those are the princesses.” She shoved past him, her tray levitating after her, held aloft by bright yellow magic. “Sorry for the Private’s rudeness, Your Majesties. We’re still working on his manners.”
The pegasus stared at the two mares for a few seconds before his eyes widened in horror. “I’m so sorry, Princesses. I didn’t recognize you from behind.”
“You didn’t recognize them? How many ponies do you know that have wings and a horn, Idiot,” the unicorn chided him. She took her seat beside the captain. The pegasus slipped into the seat beside her.
Captain Shield cleared his throat before speaking. “Let me introduce you to my team, Twilight. This is my lieutenant and right-hand mare, Dusti Diamond.” Dusti bowed alongside her introduction. “And that is our newest recruit, Private Quartz Glaze.”
“Hiya,” he waved with one hoof while the other shoveled spoonfuls of soup into his maw. He stopped when a golden spell grabbed him by the ear. The magic dragged him downward, pressing his face against the polished wooden table.
“Seriously, Private, were you raised in a barn?” Dusti demanded.
“Yes.” His current position muffled the answer.
“Take it easy on him, Lieutenant,” Cadance intervened. “We didn’t come here to cause trouble for any of you.”
“Of course, Cadance.” Dusti released her spell and the newly freed pegasus shot back up. “Alright, Quartz, you’re off the hook for now.”
“The Princesses thought they’d join us for lunch today,” Captain Shield explained. “So, don’t get yourselves so worked up over protocol.” He turned to the two mares. “But you’re still guests. Would you like me to fetch your bowls for you?”
“No need. I’ll take care of that,” Cadance said, rising from her seat. “Twilight, are you alright with the vegetable stew? Given your reaction in the hall, I’m going to guess it’s a yes.”
“That sounds fine, Cadance,” Twilight chuckled.
“Right. Sit tight, I’ll be right back.” She trotted off toward the meal line.
Twilight shifted in her seat. Even on a good day, she didn’t consider small talk one of her many skills. And today, as great as it had been so far, was still miles from being a good day. Still, she couldn’t just sit there and stare. “So, you guys are all from the Crystal Empire?”
“Just Quartz,” Dusti said, dipping a bite-sized chunk of bread into her bowl. “The Captain and I are Canterlot ponies, through-and-through.”
Captain Shield continued, “While rebuilding the Crystal Empire, your brother offered a few of us positions working under him. At least, the ones he thought most competent . The ones he could trust.” The soldier shifted in his seat. “I hated leaving Princess Celestia’s employ, but she had plenty of other soldiers to keep her safe.”
“A fat lot of good they did,” Dusti muttered under her breath.
The captain glared at her from the corner of his eye. Despite his age, his gaze still carried a sharp edge. “Stow that, Lieutenant. Her guards have done the best they can in the current situation.”
“Right.” Dusti lowered the brim of her beret. “Sorry, Captain.”
“Then you all know what happened? Why you’re here?” Twilight asked.
“Indeed, Princess. Captain Armor made several of us aware of the current situation.” He sighed. “It’s bad, but soldier’s aren’t exactly used to being called in for happy reasons. You don’t have to worry about us, Princess. I know how to run a tight ship.”
“I don’t mean to pry, Captain,” Twilight tapped a hoof nervously. “But what exactly are your orders? I haven’t had much time to confer with my brother about that.”
“Standing orders from Captain Shining have us on security detail for the prisoner. Like I said, you don’t have to worry, we know what we’re doing.”
“And if we’re lucky,” Dusti interrupted, punching her hooves together. “She’ll try to break out. I’ve been looking forward to some one-on-one time with that bug.”
Twilight’s heart sank. “You seem to have quite the harsh opinion of her, Lieutenant.”
“I do.” Her eyes became glassy. “I was out on patrol when the changelings began their invasion of Canterlot. Turns out, a few of my teammates were a part of the invasion force. The rest of us got overwhelmed by the horde.” Her demeanor shifted. Her focus waned. “A lot of good friends didn’t . . . didn’t make it out of there. Not really. Their bodies recovered, but their minds never did.” She winced. “I’m just lucky the captain found me in time, or they would have broken me, too.”
“That was a long time ago, Lieutenant,” Captain Shield said. Though his words were firm, his voice carried a hint of sympathy. “Under King Thorax, the changelings have become allies of Equestria. Which means they’re our allies as well.”
“I can at least get along with King Thorax and his changelings, but –with all due respect, Captain– this isn’t just any changeling. We’re talking about Queen Bitch herself.”
Twilight flinched.
Only the captain seemed to have noticed. “That’s enough, Lieutenant!”
Dusti retreated into her seat, her eyes cast downward. “Yes, Captain.”
Suddenly, the delectable aroma in the air had lost its luster. Twilight put a hoof on her belly, trying to quell her sudden nausea. “It’s alright, Captain. There are a lot of ponies in Equestria that would agree with the Lieutenant.”
“Just because a lot of ponies believe it, that doesn’t make it right,” Quartz said. The rest of the table turned to him. Twilight thought she saw a similar disappointment in his expression. “Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh, Dusti?”
The lieutenant scowled. “Harsh is exactly what she deserves.”
“Personally, I feel a little sorry for her.”
“I’m going to ignore that you said that,” Dusti growled. “For your sake.”
“No, I’m serious, Lieutenant.” He shook his head. “I can’t deny she did some bad things. But she’s suffered for her choices. I can’t imagine what I would do if I lost my family like that.”
“That’s her own fault.”
“I think both of you had better get back to your rounds,” The Captain growled. Twilight could see his hoof clenched tight on the table.
“What?” Quartz started. “We’ve still got half-an-hour before we’re back on duty, Captain.”
“I suggest you get a head-start on it, then,” the captain said firmly.
The two soldiers looked to their captain, then at one another. Dusti stood and hefted her empty tray. “You heard him, Private. Back to work.”
“I heard. Just give me a second.” Ditching the spoon, he took the bowl and tilted it back, chugging it like a bowl of water. He finished with a satisfied sigh.
“You’re a disgrace to proper etiquette, Private,” Dusti said, shaking her head. Her horn ignited, dragging the pegasus from his seat by the ear. “It was nice talking with you, Princess.”
“Talk to you later.” Quartz tried to give Twilight a hastily salute, but was yanked away.
“I’m sorry you had to hear that, Princess,” Captain Shield said once they were alone.
“What? I didn’t have a problem with it,” Twilight lied.
“I hate to disagree with you, Ma’am, but it was a bit obvious. You turned pale as a ghost.”
“Oh.” Twilight hid her face behind her hooves. “I didn’t realize.”
The captain raised an eyebrow. “Are you alright, Princess?” He shook his head. “Don’t answer that. I know you’re not. And I don’t blame you. With Celestia’s condition, I know it must have you very concerned.” A long pause followed his words. Twilight didn’t know if he had more to say, or was waiting for her to answer. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t force you. But if not me, you should talk about it with someone.”
If only he knew.
Twilight took a deep breath. Her nausea lessened for a short spell. “You’re right, Captain Shield. I’m not okay. I don’t know what to do. I’ve got so many ponies relying on me, and I feel like I’m completely lost. I’m working on my cure, but I don’t know if it’ll work, I’ve got to deal with Cadance and Shiny, and don’t even get me started on Luna--”
“Twilight.” The captain raised a hoof to stop her. She hadn’t realized she was wheezing.
“I don’t mean to get so worked up. I’m used to stress. But this is a whole other level.”
“I understand. Probably more than most.” The captain gave her a haunted look.
Twilight tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Before he could answer, Cadance returned. “Sorry that took so long, Twilight. They had to make another pot. But, on the plus side, it means your vegetable soup is as fresh as it can be.” Cadance’s chipper energy waned as she noticed the somber mood. “Did something happen? Where did the others go?”
“They decided to get a head start on their training regimen for the day,” Captain Shield explained.
“Oh. That’s a shame. I was hoping I could talk with them a little more.”
“Yeah,” Twilight agreed half-heartedly. Cadance didn’t seem to notice.
Twilight could only stare at the tray set before her. A plain brown plastic tray. A few napkins. A silver spoon. A glass bowl, half filled with vegetable stew. By now, its perfume smelled foul. A smattering of bubbles popped in the broth. The warm colors and wafting heat only made Twilight’s illness worse.
“You have to eat, Twilight,” Cadance said gently. Her tone reminded Twilight of her own mother.
“I know.” Twilight took hold of the spoon with her magic. She dipped the end into the bowl and raised it back up, bringing with it a muddy brown broth and a chunk of potato. She moved it to her mouth and closed her eyes. The spoon tilted back, pouring the warm soup into her mouth.
Her stomach tensed as she tried to swallow. Her body refused to heed her. Her pulse rose. She felt pressure rising in her throat. Her shoulders started to heave.
“Twilight? Talk to me, Twilight. Are you alright?” Cadance clung to her sister, desperately searching for a way to help. Captain Shield watched with a critical eye.
Whether she tried to speak or just finally hit her limit, Twilight’s lips opened, spitting a mouthful of soup onto her tray and the table. Her coughing turned to choking, then to gagging. Cadance massaged her back, just between her wings. By some miracle, Twilight managed to reign in her body’s rebellion. She gasped for air.
The room fell silent. Twilight felt every eye on her. She hunched down, making herself as small as possible as tears welled in her eyes. Cadance chewed her lip as she glanced around the room.
“Everything’s alright. Nothing to be worried about,” she promised. A few of the soldiers ceased their stares.
Then, Shield stood. “Something wrong with all of you?” he shouted. Twilight’s spectators all turned to him. “Either quit wasting time and finish your lunch, or I’ll have you all running laps until Hearth’s Warming.” At the officer’s command, the room returned to their meals.
“Thank you,” Cadance mouthed to the brave soldier. He bowed and sat back down.
“I-I’m sorry,” Twilight whispered.
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” Cadance said. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
Shield slipped away, only to return a moment later with a small tower of napkins and started to soak up the spilled soup. Twilight tried to help, but Cadance stopped her. “We’ve got this. You just take it easy.” The elder alicorn finished wiping up the mess.
“I’m sorry you had to do that, Cadance,” Twilight mumbled.
“Don’t you worry about it. That was nothing compared to what Flurry is capable of.” She offered Twilight the most sympathetic smile she could manage.
“Princess, I would like to speak with Twilight privately for a moment, if that’s alright with you?” Captain Shield said.
Cadance eyed him. “About what?”
“Just say what you have to say. Please?” Twilight pleaded.
“Very well.” The old stallion took one of the myriad napkins and wiped a bit of soup off his chestplate, adding another helping of embarrassment to what might have been the worst moment in Twilight’s life. “Twilight, have you ever heard of the Eight-Point Rebellion?”
“Is now really the time for a history lesson, Captain?” Cadance scoffed.
“I’ve never heard of it,” Twilight said quietly.
“I’m not surprised,” the Captain continued, unhindered by Cadance’s glare. “It wasn’t a big war, in the grand scheme of things. Eight villages in the northwestern corner of Equestria wanted to split away from Equestria. So they rebelled.”
“Sounds like a bad idea,” Twilight noted.
“This was back before your brother even made it into boot camp. Back then, between armchair generals and incompetent officers, Equestria’s military was nothing but a bad joke. And those villagers were zealous.” He sighed. “The tide turned back and forth constantly. We very nearly lost a large portion of the country’s northern edge.”
“I’m going to throw these away and deal with the dirty dishes,” Cadance said, gathering all the trash onto a tray and rising. “By the time I get back, I hope you’ll have made your point, Captain.” With that, she stormed off.
Captain Shield continued. “The whole rebellion ended up being decided in a single battle. High Command was desperate. They were losing officers faster than they could train new ones. They pulled me from an infantry division and sent me to take control of a fort on the northern border. The place was an icy hellhole with a contingent of soldiers that couldn’t tell the point of a sword from the pommel.”
“I don’t know if I like where this story is going, Captain,” Twilight worried. But the Captain wasn’t listening. His gaze had wandered to the far wall, as though his memories were being projected onto the stone.
“I did the best I could. Whipped them into shape. Or, at the very least, into something recognizable as a soldier. But most of them were cowards or criminals. They were there because they’d angered the wrong superior. Then, one day, a rebel army came knocking on our door. They sieged our castle for months.”
“That’s horrible. I can’t imagine what it must have been like.”
“You don’t have to imagine it,” The Captain said, he regained his focus and addressed Twilight directly. “Because right now, I think you’re feeling the same way they did. You have that same hopeless look in your eye.”
Twilight moved her seat back. “What do you mean?”
“To those ponies, battle was the end of the world. Like I said, these ponies weren’t soldiers. They had never been trained, couldn’t handle terror like that. I remember their faces, blank, pale, and hopeless. The same look you have right now.”
“Is it really that obvious?” Twilight whined.
“A few weeks in, most of the soldiers stopped eating.” He raised his hooves in surrender. “It didn’t matter what meals were served, they couldn’t keep the food down. Most of them had cracked before the fighting even began. Some fled into the frozen wastes. Never saw any of them again. Some tried to defect to the rebel forces. They were executed.”
“Captain, this story really isn’t helping settle my stomach,” Twilight said.
“I’m sorry to be so dour, Princess, but it’s important that you understand.” Captain Shield leaned forward in his seat. “One day, the enemy army got tired of waiting. Launched a full-scale assault. We were down to less than half the normal garrison by then.”
“What did you do?” Twilight asked.
Captain Shield stayed quiet for a few seconds.
“We won,” he finally said.
“You won?” Twilight widened her eyes in surprise.
The captain nodded. “Turns out, when you push a pony hard enough, they’re forced to make a decision. Most will flee. They can’t handle the stress.” He hesitated. “I don’t necessarily blame them. It’s not something you ever really expect until it happens. Some . . . simply can’t handle it.”
“And what about the others?” Twilight asked quietly.
“They were some of the most fearsome soldiers I’ve ever commanded. In the adrenaline of the fight, they forgot their fear. They kept their heads on straight. They relied on their training and instincts. They fought like beasts. Like true soldiers. We drove the rebels back before the end of the night.”
Cadance returned. She wasn’t scowling anymore. “Have you finished, Captain?”
“Just about. The point that I’m trying to make, Twilight, is that you remind me a lot of those soldiers. Things aren’t going to get easier from here on out. And there is a very real chance that we might not come out of this tragedy as the victors.”
He shifted his gaze to Cadance, then back to Twilight.
“But there’s nothing you can do to change that. The army’s already at the gates. All that’s left is for you to make your choice. You can give in to the fear that you’re feeling and try to run from it. Or you can stand firm and be the Twilight that your brother rants and raves about.”
The Captain grabbed his helmet and slipped it on over his graying mane. “You’re the only one that can fix this, Princess. It’s a big responsibility. And nopony in this castle would blame you for crumbling under the stress.” He glared at her from beneath his helmet. “But as cruel as it sounds, if you have any chance of making it through this, you’re going to have to pull yourself together. Remember that.”
“Alright. That’s enough, Captain,” Cadance chimed in angrily.
“Of course, Princess. I’ll take my leave, then.” The old warhorse took his tray and left.
Twilight didn’t move. Her limbs wouldn’t heed her commands.
Cadance released a long, shuddering breath. “I’m sorry about all of this, Twilight. I shouldn’t have tried to force you into this if you didn’t want to. Here, let me take your tray, and we can still head down to the spa.”
“No.” Twilight blocked Cadance’s hoof.
Cadance stepped back. “Twilight?”
“The captain was right,” Twilight said firmly, squeezing her eyes shut. “If I can’t even make it through lunch, what am I going to do when I have to face a real challenge?” She gripped her spoon tight in her magic and lifted a spoonful of soup into her mouth. Her stomach twisted. The pressure returned. But this time, Twilight refused to back down. She drew a deep breath through her nose and released it slowly.
“Twilight?” Cadance asked, sitting back down beside her little sister.
“I won’t let this break me,” Twilight said, turning to meet the other alicorn’s eyes. “There are too many ponies counting on me. And I will not let them down.” She downed another mouthful of broth.
Cadance slipped back into her seat beside Twilight. Across the room, Captain Shield tossed the princesses a proud smile before turning and walking out of the mess hall.
“When I get home, I really need to see about getting Captain Shield a pay raise,” Cadance said, throwing a fresh towel over her shoulder. The two of them had taken a detour up to Twilight’s lab, only to find everything in order.
Satisfied, Twilight allowed Cadance to whisk her off deeper into the bowels of the castle, towards the Royal Baths. Even standing out here at the front desk, she could feel a blanket of humidity in the air.
“He’s definitely something,” Twilight agreed.
The desk attendant returned, carrying a small package for each visitor. “Here you are, Your Highnesses. Two bathrobes and a couple of towels. All freshly cleaned and still warm from the dryers. And, of course, your locker keys.” Twilight took the offered supplies. Though it sounded familiar, she couldn’t place the mare’s exotic accent. “We have several attendants throughout the facility, all just a holler away if you need them. Please enjoy your time here.” She waved to the mares as they walked inside.
Through the front door, the hallway split into three separate paths. A sign on the middle path marked it as the main bath. The left and right paths carried similar signs, marked as mares and stallions, respectively.
“So, which way do we go?” Twilight asked.
“I’m pretty sure I would categorize you as a mare,” Cadance said, struggling to keep a straight face.
“Very funny, Cadance,” Twilight muttered.
“Seriously, though, I wouldn’t recommend the mixed bath. It’s not as nice as ours.” With a flip of her mane, Cadance followed the mare’s path.
Twilight kept close to her sister. “I didn’t even know we had public baths in the castle.”
“A lot of ponies aren’t aware of it. It’s usually only the noblewomen and the princesses that use it. And some of the guards, I guess.”
The door ahead of them led into a room with a white-tiled floor. Rows of metal lockers lined the wall. Here, the vapor in the air weighed even heavier, to the point where it had a noticeable effect on Twilight’s breathing. Cadance cast a worried glance over at the younger mare. “Are you feeling alright? You sound like you’re struggling a bit.”
“Yeah.” Twilight cleared her throat. “Not used to this much steam.”
“Are you sure that’s it? You’re not still feeling sick, are you?”
Twilight shrugged. “The soup hasn’t come back up yet, so I think that’s a good sign.”
“Good. I hope it stays that way.”
The duo followed the numbers on their keys, leading them to a row of full-sized metal lockers. Once she opened hers, Cadance peeled off her shoes and necklace and stored them within. She even set her tiara on the highest shelf.
“You sure you should be leaving that stuff in here?” Twilight asked, glancing around the wide, empty room. “It seems a little . . . unguarded?”
“I don’t see why not,” Cadance argued. “It’s never been a problem before. Customers are thoroughly vetted and logged before entry. I can’t imagine a thief would be crazy enough to sneak in here for royal treasures.”
“That’s . . . fair, I guess,” Twilight decided, suddenly a bit more paranoid.
“Besides, it’s not like you have anything to worry about losing,” she said, sizing up the smaller alicorn.
“Yeah. My whole regalia is back in Ponyville.” Twilight pursed her lips. “It still feels a little weird to even say that I even own regalia. This whole princess thing still feels surreal.”
“You’ve been handling it well,” Cadance said, grinning.
Armed only with their robes and towels, the two mares continued into the bath. The continued increase of steam caused Twilight to stop and catch her breath. In front of her, the ceramic tiles gave way to a stone bath set into the floor. Although over a dozen ponies could have fit into it comfortably, the bath was unused. Despite the lack of bathers, bubbles streamed constantly through the water, giving a similar appearance to a boiling pot.
Twilight followed her sister to a set of lounging chairs at the water’s edge. She watched Cadance toss her things onto the open chair and step down onto the lip of the tub. She squealed as her hoof broke through the water’s surface.
“Is it hot?” Twilight asked worriedly.
“What?” Cadance turned toward her. “No, it feels amazing. The perfect temperature for a soak.” She took another step down. Then another. Slowly, her body vanished beneath the foaming bath. “What are you waiting for, Twilight? Get in.”
Twilight followed Cadance’s lead, leaving her towel and robe at the edge of the bath before stepping in. The heat stung for a moment, but she acclimated quickly. As soon as she felt comfortable, she slipped down into the water.
Heat seeped into her body. The clouds of bubbles tickled her flanks as they rose to the surface. She turned to Cadance, muttering a quick, “This feels really weird.”
“At first. But once you’re used to it, there’s not a more relaxing feeling in the world.”
Twilight moved to Cadance’s side. A shelf jutted out from a center column in the bath, forming a seat where she could rest. “You’ve spent a lot of time here, haven’t you?”
“All the time when I lived here. When Flurry Heart was only a week old, Shining and I brought her down here to Canterlot.” She leaned her head back on a cushion and closed her eyes. “I had been craving a trip to the baths for months. As soon as I had free time, I snuck off to relax here. It’s one of my favorite rooms in the castle.”
“Perks of being a princess?” Twilight asked.
Cadance shrugged. “I think it’s only fair, given the hardships of the job.”
“I suppose.” Twilight tried her best to mimic the other mare, leaning her head back against the cushion as though it were her bedroom pillow. This certainly beat the private bathtub up in her room.
Cadance eventually broke the silence. “How did your trip to your parent’s house go?”
“It was good. I feel like I haven’t seen them in forever. They gifted Shining and I copies of the family scrapbook. Apparently, it’s our turn to start adding memories to it.”
“Aww, that’s so cute. I wanted to do something like that when Flurry was born, but I just never had the time for it.” Cadance giggled. “You remember what that was like, don’t you? You had front-row seats to watch your brother and I nearly lose our minds.”
“You think we’ll ever have days like that again?” Twilight wondered aloud.
“Of course we will, Twilight. Things may not be ideal right now, but we’ve been through tough times before. Chrysalis’ invasion. Tirek’s rampage. Chrysalis’ second invasion.” She could feel Cadance beside her, bobbing her head side-to-side with each item on the list. “We made it through all of that just fine, didn’t we?”
A thought snuck to the forefront of Twilight’s mind. “Speaking of Chrysalis . . .” She trailed off, waiting for a reaction. She even cracked open one of her eyes to sneak a peek at Cadance. The other alicorn hadn’t moved an inch. Twilight wondered if she might have fallen asleep accidentally.
“What about her?” Cadance asked, startling Twilight back into her resting pose.
“Shining told me that Luna planned for the two of you to take her back with you.”
“I don’t know if I’d call it ‘planned’ per se.” Cadance leaned forward and adjusted her mane. “More like suggestions and ideas. How to best keep her secure. What sort of accommodations her cell would need. Things like that.”
Twilight frowned. “Then you do plan on taking her away and locking her up?”
“She’s dangerous--”
“I know, we’ve been through this before. She’s dangerous. She can’t be trusted,” Twilight scoffed. “She’s a villain and she’ll always be a villain, so why bother trying to help her turn over a new leaf? I’ve heard it all already.”
She didn’t hear Cadance move for a long while. For a moment, Twilight wondered if she came off a little too harsh.
“What do you think we should do with her?” Cadance eventually asked.
“I think we should try to help her. Try to get her to see how great of a new life she could have. She doesn’t have to be a monster. We can help her. I can help her.” Twilight gathered her confidence. “I’ve done it before. You’ve seen it. But I can’t do it if you take her away from me.”
“We’re not taking her anywhere,” Cadance admitted. “That was the plan originally, but Shining and I had a discussion about it the other night. He’s convinced that, while he can’t trust Chrysalis, he can trust you.”
Twilight’s eyes snapped open. “He does?” She gave a heavy sigh before turning back to the other pony before leaning back into her seat. “And what about you?”
“Every instinct I have tells me not to trust that awful bug. But then she . . .” Cadance bit her lip. “After everything that’s happened these last few years, after everything you’ve done for Equestria and for us . . . I suppose . . . I suppose you’ve earned a chance to try.”
Hearing those words drained the tension from Twilight far more than any hot bath could ever hope to achieve. “Thanks. It means a lot to me to hear you say that, Cadance.”
“Yeah, well, what can I say? We’re sisters. You’ve trusted me with your life. I figured it’s only fair if I return the favor.” The other mare fumbled blindly for a moment before wrapping a foreleg over Twilight’s shoulder. She pulled tight, dragging the two of them into an awkward, sideways hug.
“That’s a relief,” Twilight mused. “Now I’ve only got two impossible tasks to work on.”
Cadance groaned. “I know you like to throw yourself head-first into unwinnable battles, but what do you say to just staying here soaking for another hour, instead?”
“Yeah, I think I can do that.” Twilight eased back into her seat, nearly drifting off to sleep as the bath massaged both her body and mind.