The entourage of sentries escorting them back from the courtroom were less hostile in comparison to their earlier sojourn and first-time encounter. The tension had somewhat eased between them, partly because whenever one of the younger members of their group cast a poorly disguised glance of empathy, curiosity, or guilt their way, Kepler could feel the knot of anger in his chest loosen a bit each time. Gloria’s muzzle had thankfully disappeared (or mayhaps the guards most likely forgot it in the midst of the courtroom’s chaotic proceedings; not that Kepler was complaining). If anyone so much as approached them with another of those infernal contraptions in the future, he wasn’t sure if he could restrain himself from beating the offender to a bloody pulp with said object.
Thestral and griffin hen were eventually guided back into their cell, wherein the guards hastily departed to attend other duties; nearly forgetting to lock the cell hadn't Kepler softly cleared his throat and pointed his gaze towards the unlatched door. The guardsmare apparently in charge, quickly secured said door and left, a vibrant shade of red on her cheeks and the tips of her ears leaving the thestral chuckling to himself in their absence.
Now alone within the dungeon, the pair settled in. Gloria’s talons began to gently rub along the back of his head through the hairs of his mane and attempted to release some of the tension that had tightened up his muscles into knots. Kepler’s breathing smoothed into a gentle sigh as the sore and hard joints were worked over by his love, nearly dozing off to the point of tipping over once or twice from relaxation as Gloria giggled behind him.
“You look so adorable like that,” she teased as a grunt of relief escaped his lips, her talons working the joint of his left-wing base with deft, firm pressure, “like a puppy napping in my embrace.”
Kepler murmured a retort, but made no effort to escape her ministrations, causing another round of soft trills to escape her beak as the stallion did his best to not fall face first into the cell floor. He knew he had overdone it in the courtroom, but right at that moment, he didn’t care if the God of humanity stepped into the cell to personally question him, he was enjoying his girlfriend’s gentle touch far too much to give a damn.
With no way to tell the passage of time, they had no way of measuring how long they waited, but it had to have been at least several hours, enough time that the temperature of the cell block had dropped a few degrees, leading Kepler to the conclusion that night had fallen outside. The duo was ready to fall asleep for the night when the door leading out of the dungeon swung open, echoing its lengthy creak in the otherwise silent prison.
Kepler stood from his seat beside Gloria, just in time to see the faces of Princess Cadence and Shining Armor walking in; without guards or any members of the Element Bearers in attendance. Besides mention in passing, the thestral knew next to nothing of these other royals, and if they were here alone, that did not bode well of their intentions. His wings flared slightly as they approached, his fangs baring as he lowered his head a centimeter. If they wanted a fight, he would damn well do his best to take them with him to the afterlife.
Not like it could be any worse than his first experience with the angel of death.
The royal couple stopped before their cell bars, taking a moment to size Kepler up and to cast a glance or two Gloria’s way when the latter tried to discreetly move behind the thestral and out of sight. The griffin hen quietly did her best to hide under the plank that was supposed to serve as a bed, although it did nothing to shield her from the ponies’ view. Neither royal said anything for a few seconds, making the hair on Kepler’s neck stand up in anticipation. Yet, the first words to escape Princess Cadence’s mouth caught him completely by surprise.
“I’m sorry.” The words were so soft Kepler was hard-pressed to hear them, even with his enhanced senses. Yet, they seemed to be genuine as the alicorn lifted her gaze to lock with his, the remorse and regret blatant in her lavender orbs.
Kepler’s stance relaxed slightly, although he didn’t let his guard drop completely, “For what, exactly?”
The mare glanced at her husband before turning back to face him, “For everything. I-I don’t even know where to start, being completely honest. I always thought that Auntie – Princess Celestia,” she quickly corrected herself before pressing on, her body leaning into the unicorn’s shoulder as she struggled to get the words out, “was a pony I could look up to, was a role model and source of guidance that we could trust.” A hitch in her words foreshadowed the tremble in her lips, tears falling from her eyes as she did her best to keep going, “I was wrong, we, were wrong. For so long she has been the image of hope and happiness in Equestria that to see her act that way, to so blatantly put her own desires above the lives of others, i-it was sickening.”
Kepler had completely relaxed, realizing that the shell-shocked mare before him was not a threat, the genuine sorrow and pain in her voice enough to convince him of her sincerity. A glance at her companion showed that the stallion was doing his best to comfort the alicorn but was seemingly at a loss of what to do to help her.
“You aren’t to blame.” His words were soft, soothing to the ache of betrayal that the mare had to be feeling like a burn, “None of you are truly to blame for her actions. I know what I said back there was hard to hear, even more so given her reaction, but if you must know… I don’t abhor you, any of you, for the actions of one person.”
A hiccupy sob escaped Cadence’s lips as she jerked her head up from Shining’s shoulder, “Y-You don’t?”
A small smile managed to form on Kepler’s lips, “No. I do not. And I wished to thank you, for coming here, apologizing on another’s behalf, when you had no real reason to do so.”
Her eyes widened in shock, “Of course we did!” Her wings flared as she stood straight for the first time since they had entered the dungeon, “You’ve done so much for us, your past actions notwithstanding, and what did we do in return?!”
Kepler’s hoof moved quickly but gently between the bars of the cell, pressing up against the mare’s lips, Shining’s knee-jerk reaction to defend from an attack stalling as he recognized what Kepler was doing. Cadence’s rambling cut short upon his soft contact, her eyes locking with his even as he withdrew his foreleg.
“Stop with the faults, Your Highness.” His smile was bigger now, warm and genuine as the alicorn collected herself, “You are too kind to be shouldering the blame for something you had no control over. I do not hold you or any of the other ponies above accountable for Celestia’s actions. They are her burden to bear and hers alone. Now, was there anything else you wished to discuss with us?”
Kepler felt Gloria move beside him, her wing stretching over his back as she sat on his left. While his protective instinct still didn’t like having her so openly close to him in front of those likely to harm her, he buried the feeling for now so he could focus. Time would tell if he would need to bring forth his fury later.
Shining Armor stepped forth, his eyes locked with Kepler’s as the white stallion bore into him with intensity not unlike a soldier, a feeling that briefly surprised Kepler; given how little soldierly impressions the ponies had. No other pony had made him feel like he was addressing another warrior before, and it brought forth an inexplicable sensation of familiarity in him. One he hadn’t felt since his awakening in this world.
For a second or two, Shining seemed to struggle with his words, his jaw working a time or two before clenching in frustration. Finally, he lifted his right hoof to touch the side of his head, an action that sparked an image of an American saluting in Kepler’s mind.
“Thank you, for saving my sister.” The words were crisp and controlled, but Kepler could hear the emotion that was underlying the surface, even as the other stallion’s leg began to tremble.
Kepler returned the salute, the unfamiliar motion grating slightly against his innate wish to perform the gryphon equivalent, but he repressed the discomfort as he held the unicorn’s gaze, “It was my privilege. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night had I let that insect go forward with her plans.”
Both dropped their legs as Cadence pressed against Shining’s side again, her eyes having lost some of their puffy nature in the respite since her outburst, “Princess Celestia has passed the responsibility of the war efforts over to Shining and I.” More likely you two didn’t give her a choice, “We came here not just to apologize, but to formally request your assistance in protecting Equestria. I know that you said you were still willing, but I want to be sure. Can you help us? Can we win this fight when we are so hopelessly outmatched?”
Kepler nodded, “I’m sure of it. Between my knowledge of how their weapons work, the tactics I taught them in their uses, and the limitless possibilities your magic provides us, I know we can turn the tide of this war and end this conflict.”
A relieved sigh escaped her lips, her wings sagging at her sides as she beamed with joy, “Thank you! Thank you for giving us another chance!”
Kepler raised his hoof between them, the alicorn’s bubbling happiness stalling at his serious expression, “I may be willing to work with you to end this war, but I want to be perfectly clear. I won’t forgive Celestia for her part in this, nor do I plan to simply hand over all my secrets and then let you stuff me back in a cell. I want your guarantee that I will be part of the process, that Gloria and I will be treated with dignity and respect for the aid we offer you, and that if anything happens because of that farse you called a trial, you will back us and defend the honor that Celestia so blatantly tried to tarnish.”
“Of course!” Cadence seemed aghast at the very idea to the contrary, “It’s the least we can do!”
Kepler smiled, his fangs flashing in the dim cell lighting as he raised his foreleg to his mouth. The ponies winced as he bit into the flesh just above his hoof, drawing a small well of blood from the twin holes he had made.
He held his hoof through the bars of the cell, the alicorn recoiling slightly at the sight of his wound, “Swear on your bloodline, and I shall consider bygones to be bygones between Equestria’s people and us.”
Cadence shared a nervous glance with her husband, before letting out a nervous sigh, “So be it.” Her horn glowed and a small incision was made above the edge of her own hoof, her brief wince of pain quickly hidden as she intertwined her leg with his, their mixing blood dripping softly to the ground between them as she spoke, “I, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, swear that I, and those who represent Equestria, will honor our agreement with you, offering protection from threats and to include both of you in every aspect of our defensive efforts. Your generous offer of aid has been welcomed in our hour of need, and we will do everything we can to repay you for your personal struggles and sacrifices in helping Equestria prevail.”
Kepler nodded, “I, Kepler Hans Wolff, swear to aid Equestria in defending her lands and people from the threats that she faces. I will do everything in my power to end this conflict as quickly as possible, and will stand by my vow until my demise, or Equestria is free from the grip of war. We will forgive the actions of the ponies against us, save those of Celestia, in the hopes of forging a better future together.”
They shook their respective hooves, sealing the pact, before Cadence pulled back her limb and her horn glowed, the wounds on their legs closing and the pain fading in an instant. Shining Armor unlocked the cell and stepped aside, allowing Kepler and Gloria to walk free, their chains falling to the ground around their hooves/paws as they joined the royals in the corridor.
“So, now what?” Cadence asked, to which Kepler let a snort of suppressed laughter escape his snout.
“Now, Princess,” he replied, “we get to work.”
Shining and Cadence smiled, hope and eager excitement filling the void where the betrayal of Celestia once sat, not healing, but helping to carry on for those that they stood to protect. They exited the dungeon together, Cadence and Shining leading the way as Kepler and Gloria followed, passing by guards and servants alike, most of whom paused to stare as they made their way. Mixed emotions were present in the gazes of many, but no outright hostility, which Kepler was honestly fine with accepting. He would earn their trust, just as he had for the gryphons, not command it like Celestia had. He was better than her and would prove it to any who doubted his intentions.
Now the only thing left to do was to understand where they stood, and how much of a headache it was going to be to modernize a military that honestly felt more akin to a medieval fantasy than reality. Kepler’s resolve settled in his chest as they were led to one of the side wings of the castle, the royal couple pausing in front of a single door as Cadence opened it with a pulse of her magic.
“We can discuss more in the morning,” she stated softly as she stepped aside, “these will be your rooms for the duration of your stay in the castle, and please, don’t hesitate to contact us or the castle staff if you need anything.”
Kepler nodded, walking into the lavish but tasteful quarters as Gloria made straight for the bed, her form disappearing under the sheets mere moments after entering the room. Kepler was inclined to join her, but paused to turn and nod at the alicorn as her magic began to close the door, her returning smile a comfort after all of the stress they had endured.
The latch closed with a soft click, plunging the room into near darkness, leaving Kepler to fumble slightly with his hooves as he worked his way to the bedside. His hoof smacked against the edge of the frame and a soft laugh escaped Gloria’s beak as he muttered curses under his breath for a minute, shaking his sore leg a few times before hopping into the bed beside his love.
Gloria rolled over to spoon him against her belly as he pulled the sheets over his form, her arms pulling him close as her beak buried itself in his mane between his ears. His hoof gently patted against her arm a time or two, his head tilting back to kiss under her jaw as he whispered, “I love you.”
Her beak nipped slightly against the tip of his left ear, sending a thrill down his spine, “I love you too.”
Kepler very badly wanted to respond to that little tease, but after everything they had gone through, he just didn’t have any energy left. He settled in and closed his eyes, a huge yawn escaping as their breathing slowed and their bodies intertwined, his lips curled in a small grin. They fell asleep that way, knowing that the trials and struggles ahead had only just begun, but for now, Kepler let himself relax, knowing that he had done the right thing.