As the sun set on the fortified city of Manehattan, Sky Dreamer stood alone in the calm of his house's balcony. His blue coat and brown mane slightly reflected the faint orange of the sky, but the black of his clothes did not. He looked up at the sky as the twilight fell on Manehattan. If he had done so minutes earlier, the gold and jewels of his eye patch would have reflected the last light of the sun. He slightly smiled at the sight of the first star of the night, and looked back into his room.
"Starsong! Quickly, or you will miss it again!" he shouted at the open door. Not even a second after he finished, a young unicorn filly in a blue dress with a patch over her eye ran to his side.
"Is it still there?!" she asked as she looked up at the sky. Her blue eye was open wide and a smile appeared on her pearly white face as she saw the star. "There it is! It's the first one!" she said full of joy. It wasn't an overly wonderful sight, but she had never seen the clear sky until that day. "It looks like if the sky had one eye looking at us, ready to open all others!"
"Yes, one eye...like both of us." Sky Dreamer looked at the filly and extended his wing to pull her close. They looked into each other's only remaining eye with a smile. They were missing opposite eyes, but as they looked at each other their eyes and eye patches were aligned. To her it was both funny and sad at the same time, while to him it was simply cute. She had lost her left eye in an accident two years ago, but he had lost his right eye months ago thanks to a psychopath's knife. He had his eye patch made with leather, gold and tiny diamonds, while the filly's eye patch was simply white cloth.
The moment was interrupted by a golden eagle arriving to the balcony. As it came closer, Sky Dreamer put his right foreleg in front of him, wearing a thick leather cover on his hoof. The eagle landed on it as Sky Dreamer began talking to it. "What is it, Guardian?" he asked as if talking to a trusted friend. The eagle turned his head around and looked at the dark city, focusing on something on the distance. Sky Dreamer looked and saw what Guardian had come to warn him about. He sighed as a nighthoof came to the balcony, flying in front of him. "Ah, welcome, lady. What brings you here?" he asked with feigned ignorance, in reality he knew quite well why she was there.
The pegasus simply rolled her eyes at the attempt to fool her. "Mistress Rarity requests your presence immediately."
"Ah, of course..." Sky Dreamer looked at Starsong, whose usually cheerful self was now gone. "I will be back in time before dinner, I promise..." he said as he hugged his adoptive daughter, who returned the hug quickly. Starsong said nothing as she went back into the house, but Sky Dreamer knew she was sad to see him go after what had been the first day they spent entirely together in a long time. "Please watch her, Guardian," he said to the eagle, who obeyed and followed the filly into the house. With both of them gone, Sky Dreamer looked at the pegasus with a serious look, almost a glare. "Should I go like this or as one of you?"
The nighthoof did not answer, instead pointing at her clothes with her hoof. This was enough for Sky Dreamer, who went into his room and opened a wardrobe. There were many similar suits, each of them befitting a noble. Sky Dreamer, however, was no noble, and he never considered himself as such despite the luxury of his life. He had earned it thanks to his family's past and to his own worth to House Whitegold as a spy and assassin. He took one particular suit from his wardrobe, different from all others, similar to a nighthoof's, and frowned as he began to remove his current suit to put that one on. 'Of course, I couldn't go if it's not like this. Mistress Rarity does not request MY presence...she wants to see the Silent Wing.' Once he was dressed up he looked at his reflection on a mirror. Seeing himself as a nighthoof was like looking at somepony else, but he knew that deep down there was no difference, and this almost made him hate himself. He looked at his hooves and the concealed blades that were barely seen up his sleeves. 'She wants to see her assassin and spy...' He went back to the balcony where the pegasus was waiting for him, and after exchanging looks they took off and began to fly across Manehattan, headed for the Ivory Tower.
"Anything to report?" he asked the nighthoof with a serious tone she recognized instantly.
"No, sir. There are no battles, at least not on this side of Equestria. It almost seems like you and battles took a day off together," she replied as if speaking to a respected superior.
"Ironic...and the Cult?"
"If they did anything in the past week out in the open, they did so before we began scouting. The militia can give you a better report on the Undercity."
Sky Dreamer was satisfied with the news. He looked at the nighthoof flying beside him and was slightly amused by how she and other nighthooves respected him and how he quickly went from trainee to leading a squad in several months of hard work while it would have taken anypony at least one year and a half. The reason behind this was the years he had spent as a slave in House Moon and Star and the fact he had traveled all over Equestria and even into other House's capitals when he escaped Moon and Star. His knowledge of enemy territory and tactics, at least from Moon and Star, made him valuable and it earned him a place in Whitegold's military. However, while the ponies fighting for Whitegold respected him to some degree, the nobles of Whitegold did not, as they knew he had been a slave and his presence was considered by them to be tainting Whitegold's name. The only noble pony in the Inner City who was on truly friendly terms with Sky Dreamer was General Fancy Pants, and this was simply because the general knew Sky Dreamer's family. Sky Dreamer was glad to know that at least somepony in the city was not a power-hungry manipulative liar, unlike Mistress Rarity.
In the Ivory Tower, Sky Dreamer was quickly summoned by Mistress Rarity herself. He bowed down and removed his mask waiting for her to speak. He knew that he had to be careful with her, since she technically owned him and he was an expendable pawn in her games. She started talking after guards blocked the entrance.
"Sky Dreamer, the 'Silent Wing'...I suppose I did not interrupt anything important by calling you here?" she asked, her half-crystalline face showing a faint smile.
"Not at all, mistress." He knew that nothing was more important to Rarity than her own orders, and had to play by her rules. "If I may ask, why did you call me, mistress?"
"As you know, you are a valuable spy for the House, as well as an excellent negotiator when trading. Why else would I assign you to most of those missions? Your loyalty and worth to Whitegold is something that you have proven more than once." Rarity was speaking with a tone that was well-known by anypony directly addressed by her. It was the tone that she used before asking a question that usually meant she was not satisfied with an action's results or the action itself. "So, tell me, why have very reliable sources told me they saw you speaking with a mare, a yellow-colored earth pony, in Earthborn territory during your last mission there?"
Sky Dreamer was surprised, he now knew the reason why she called him, and it was terrible. He was careful not to show any emotion as he answered her. "That mare? It is not what you think, mistress. I simply tried to get information out of her through a pacific method."
"Really? Did you do the same with the other mares? The white pegasus in Cloudsdale and the zebra in the Everfree Forest?"
Sky Dreamer could just barely contain his shock. 'No...she knows. How?! I was so careful, I paid the mercenaries to keep their mouths shut! How did that get to her-...Fleur De Lis and her spies.'
"Well? I am expecting an answer!" Rarity's tone made her impatience clear.
Sky Dreamer quickly snapped out of his thoughts and talked trying to sound calm. "Sorry, I was trying to remember what zebra you were referring to, there are so many of them living with those savages. And yes, I tried to do the same with those mares, but I believe my persuasion skill does not work with all of them on the same level. As a matter of fact, I am certain they are close to revealing secrets."
"...I see...you are not lying to me, are you? You would not dare lie to me, would you?" Rarity carefully observed Sky Dreamer, looking for anything that would give him away.
Sky Dreamer wished he had kept the mask on. He would have started to break down under so much pressure were it not for his willpower. "I would never, mistress..." he said with a tone that, quite luckily, was calm.
"...Very well then. You may go now, but first, know that I no longer wish you go in the trade mission to the Everfree Forest I had assigned you. Instead, I want you to go to Stalliongrad that same day, I will give you the necessary details later." Rarity was still suspicious, and she knew very well that Sky Dreamer hated going to Moon and Star territory.
Truly, Sky Dreamer loathed the idea of going back there, but he could not disobey Rarity's orders as much as he wanted to. "As you wish, Mistress Rarity."
Sky Dreamer was quick to leave the Ivory Tower and returned home. He was in serious trouble, he had struggled to keep his friends a secret from Whitegold's high society, and now Mistress Rarity knew something wasn't right. He spent the flight home thinking about a way out of this problem, but he arrived without a clear idea. He took his normal clothes and was soon in the dining room where Starsong and Guardian were waiting for him.
"Father, you're back! What happened? Is something wrong?" Starsong asked, seeing her father's nervous expression.
Sky Dreamer hugged her and stroked her blonde mane. "Nothing is wrong, Starsong...everything is alright." To Starsong that was a relief to hear, but Guardian could see his master was troubled.
***
It was almost midnight, but Sky Dreamer could not sleep. He had spent the rest of the day thinking of something, and now he finally had an idea. He got up and walked over to his desk. Holding a pen with his mouth, he took a piece of paper and began writing. He wrote what seemed to be a long message, and once he was done he took a couple bits and jewels from his drawer. He put the money in the envelope, making sure it was an exact count of ten bits and four rubies, then he walked over to his balcony, where his eagle was resting. Upon hearing his master coming close, Guardian woke up and saw Sky Dreamer holding an envelope out to him.
"Guardian, take this and find Lucky Shot, I don't care if he is sleeping or playing cards or doing who-knows-what. Don't come back until he sends his reply. You know where he lives."
Guardian understood and took the envelope with his beak. After looking at his master again, knowing he trusted him with this, he left the balcony and headed for the Mercenary Camps outside Manehattan. Flying faster than the average pegasus, Guardian arrived in the Mercenary Camps, and found the mercenary unicorn known as Lucky Shot almost instantly, flirting with a mare. Remembering his master had ordered him to interrupt whatever Lucky Shot was doing, Guardian landed on Lucky Shot's back.
Lucky Shot was about to get friendly with the mare when he felt something on his back. Frustrated, he turned his head and took off his hat to see. "Oh, it's just you, bird..." he said in his typical soft southern accent, one that would be expected from an Earthborn pony. The mare, seeing the eagle, backed away and left without a word. "Well there goes tonight's prize...you better have a good reason, partner." Guardian let go of the envelope, which Lucky Shot later lifted with his unicorn magic. Opening it and taking the money first, he quickly read the message from Sky Dreamer. This took him less than two minutes, and after finishing he put the message back into he envelope, which in turn he put in his bag. "So, the higher-ups know, huh? Well, I tried to warn him, we all did. One can't be part of House Whitegold and not have enemies inside Manehattan...alright, Guardian, let's see what our friend is planning." Having said that, Lucky Shot turned around and ran towards Manehattan.
***
Lucky Shot and Sky Dreamer talked while sitting at the dining table in the morning. Lucky Shot was glad to be drinking his favorite wine, while Sky Dreamer, as usual, did not even bother to fill his cup. Lucky Shot was aware of the fact his friend had not invited him for a drink, and waited until Sky Dreamer told him his plan. His reaction was not exactly that of a mercenary who would do anything for money.
"Woah, hold it, partner. Are you sure about this? Don't get me wrong, I'll gladly do it, but are you sure it'll work?" Lucky Shot asked, placing his cup on the table.
"Yes. I want you to take my place and go to Everfree, find Hadya and warn her of the situation. If Rarity is still suspicious by then, then I want you to go to Cloudsdale and do the same thing with Rain Cloud." Sky Dreamer was serious, confident in his plan.
"And what if she's still on to you when you are supposed to go to Earthborn territory? You know I can't go there...because." Lucky Shot touched his horn, usually hidden by his hat.
"...I will think of something by then. Leaf Heart has the right to know as well."
"You mean she has more right than anypony to know, huh?" Lucky Shot looked at Sky Dreamer with an amused look.
"What do you mean?" Sky Dreamer asked, confused.
"Ya know. Like she's the Queen of Hearts and you're the King of Hearts?" Lucky Shot lowered and raised his eyebrows repeatedly.
"...Lucky Shot, we are not here to discuss my relationship with Leaf Heart, which is none of your concern." Sky Dreamer was not amused in the slightest.
"Alright. And I thought I was your best friend..."
"You are, and I'd rather it stays that way..."
"Meh, fair enough..." Lucky Shot went back to his drink. "You know, this is one dangerous game you're playing. I know I've said it before, but now the consequences are coming to you. You should have listened when we told you to stay in Redheart's Refuge, or at least you should have joined a House and STAYED there. You're the only pony I know who cares so much about friends that he risks his own life to keep in contact, and in the middle of war!" Lucky Shot's words were those of an angered stallion.
"Can you really blame me, after all I had to go through?" Sky Dreamer was not moved by Lucky Shot's tone.
"...I guess I can't..." Lucky Shot sighed. "But how long are you gonna keep this up? It's only a matter of time before someone with authority, on either side, causes one of your friendships to end badly, and when that day comes you'll-"
"When that day comes, I will do what is right. Until that day, I'll be doing what I have been doing the past months. Killing for money, spying for Whitegold, and living for my family and friends..." Sky Dreamer interrupted him.
"Sometimes, I wonder if you are the only pony involved in this war who thinks that way..." Lucky Shot shook his head and finished his drink.
"Well, one of us has to..." Sky Dreamer heard sounds coming from Starsong's room. He knew this meant she was waking up, and the conversation had to end soon. "So, do we have a deal?"
"You can bet on it, partner. Although, if I have to visit Stormwing territory as well, the price goes up..." Lucky Shot's face showed a somewhat sinister smile that Sky Dreamer was used to.
"Well, we won't know that until I get back from Stalliongrad...whatever I have to do there..."
"Do you think it's trade?" Lucky Shot asked, thoughtful.
"I'm afraid that if it was that, she would have given me details right there..."
"...So it's killing?"
"...Maybe it's not her intent. But if I'm going...quite likely." Sky Dreamer said ominously.