//------------------------------// // Royal Visit // Story: An Affliction of the Heart Volume Three: Hybrid // by Anonymous Pegasus //------------------------------// Warden stared. And stared. “Hello?” Celestia asked, waving a hoof in front of the pegasus’ nose slowly. Warden blinked, snapping out of it, giving his head a shake. “U-uh hi, Princess Celestia. W-w... Uh... What are you doing here?” Celestia’s eyes narrowed slowly down at Warden, one of her brows rising slowly. “Well, I heard that someone in this household was referring to me as evil. This is quite a heinous defamation and I am here to seek retribution.” The royal guards flanking on either side of the princess were crowding close, prepared to step in between the princess and the pegasus. Warden swallowed hard, his ears splaying back slowly. “S-she’s only a foal!” he protested, his stomach tightening into knots. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying!” A soft laugh left the princess, and she shook her head slowly down at the pegasus. “Warden, Warden... do you really believe I would personally come and confront your family for the idle musings of a foal?” Warden’s ears pinned back further, and he felt his face flushing with warmth. He shook his head slowly. “I-I guess not...” “No, I am here because of the allegations of murder levelled against Kuno. Under Verse Five of the Bill of Laws, I am conducting an investigation into the allegation,” Celestia said coolly. “I trust I am allowed inside?” Warden swallowing audibly, staring up at the princess for several long moment, his heart in his throat. He didn’t remember much about the Bill of Laws, but he recalled that Verse Five was something to do with the princess’s right to intercede on matters of law and decide the outcome in extreme cases. It was mainly used for special cases, like putting a villain behind bars without having to go through a drawn-out trial. That Celestia was invoking Verse Five on this matter worried Warden deeply. Warden took a step backwards, his head lowering slightly, peering up at the princess for a long moment, before he nodded. “C-come in.” Celestia didn’t respond, but stepped inside, her large frame barely fitting through the doorway, her left wing brushing against the door in passing. She nodded once over her shoulder, and the guard withdrew to stand around the perimetre. Warden almost bounded down the length of the hallway and to the kitchen, to find that Kuno was already in the guise of a pegasus, watching the front door with apprehension, standing carefully behind the kitchen table. Celestia paused in the entryway, before she stepped forwards and levitated the chairs to the side so that she could sit down at the table, sitting on the floor in front of it. “May I have a cup of tea?” she asked politely. Kuno twitched slightly, before she nodded jerkily and started to scurry off towards the sink to begin preparing a cup of tea. Celestia lifted a hoof, and Kuno stopped in her tracks. “No, Warden may make it. I need to converse with you.” “But Warden has-” Kuno started. Warden shook his head,making a motion with his hoof to quieten his wife, stepping over to the sink and starting to fill the kettle. “It’s fine, hun.” Kuno paused, halfway between the table and the sink, her ears splayed back fully, seemingly not sure where to go. She made a motion towards the table, and then stopped immediately, just standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. “Sit,” Celestia said, frowning slightly, pulling out a chair for Kuno with her magic. Kuno uncertainly made her way towards the table, climbing up onto the chair and sitting down carefully, her wings curling tight around herself as she made herself as small as possible. “I had a quite distraught mare come barging into my chambers, interrupting a very important and very dreary meeting about immigrating policy, claiming that you are a murderer and that you attempted to harm her. Have you anything to say for yourself?” Celestia asked calmly, eyeing Kuno. Kuno frowned deeply. “I am a murderer... but I never sought to harm Sparkling Acumen.” Warden stiffened, listening intently. “Honesty,” Celestia said, inclining her head slightly. “I respect that.” “I get the feeling that lying to you wouldn’t do any good,” Kuno admitted, staring down at her hooves. “Indeed it wouldn’t, Kuno. So you freely admit to the murder of Daggertail?” Celestia asked bluntly. Kuno nodded once, her eyes narrowing as she gave the princess a challenging stare. “I took his dagger from him and I gave him a new breathing hole with it.” “Gruesome,” Celestia said emotionlessly, as Warden sat a cup of tea down in front of her, before circling around and laying a wing around his wife protectively. “She did it to protect me,” Warden said, biting his bottom lip. “So the blame should fall on me.” “I am fully aware of who the blame should fall upon,” Celestia said coldly, her eyes narrowing at Kuno. “So... why did you kill him?” “Because he hurt Warden,” Kuno said quietly, licking her lips in slight nervousness. “And the fact that he was a crime lord did not weight on your decision?” Celestia asked softly. Kuno frowned at that, looking down at her hooves, before her gaze hardened. “That just made it easier to murder the bastard.” “Very well,” Celestia said calmly, sniffing at her tea, before taking a gentle sip. “You do not intend to hide the fact that you killed Daggertail? You have no guilt over your actions?” “Some ponies don’t deserve to live,” Kuno said quietly, setting her jaw. “So you would... have them killed at birth?” Celestia asked simply. “I would have them put to death when their tendencies towards evil become apparent,” Kuno said bluntly, glowering. “A very good answer,” Celestia said, giving the faintest of thoughtful hums. “This is a very good cup of tea, Warden.” “It’s a home recipe,” Warden said, wrapping his wing tighter around his wife. “Why are we dancing around this subject?” Kuno asked flatly. “If you’re going to punish me for protecting my husband, and removing that thing from this world, then go ahead. Get it over with.” Celestia peered at Kuno for a long, long time, pink eyes narrowed. Kuno stood up to the gaze, before she shrunk back slightly, her nervousness getting the best of her. Warden tightened his wing around her reassuringly. “Warden was not your husband when you murdered Daggertail,” Celestia said carefully. Kuno’s ears splayed back, and she ground her teeth together in annoyance. “And I am told that you left for parts unknown while he traveled, alone, to the north, near where the Crystal Empire reappeared. This is correct, yes?” Celestia asked coolly. Kuno nodded silently. “So tell me... why did you murder Daggertail? Did you murder him because he was an evil pony? Was it because he was threatening the one you love? Or was he merely an obstruction to your goal?” Celestia asked, scanning the changeling’s eyes. Kuno frowned deeply at that, before fixing the princess with a challenging stare. “Does it even matter?” “It does,” Celestia said simply. “I killed him because he was a horrible, horrible pony and because he hurt the one I loved,” Kuno stated, waving a hoof. “And I’d do it again in an instant.” Celestia nodded gently at that, frowning and taking another sip of her tea. “I respect your honesty, even in my admittedly unnerving presence.” “Me? Unnerved?” Kuno asked with a weak laugh, pressing closer to Warden. Celestia nodded again. “Indeed. I do not believe that you are lying. I know what Daggertail did. I know who he was. And believe me, Kuno, I thank you for what you did.” Kuno stared for several long, long moments, blinking slowly. “Y-you agree with what I did?” “Wholeheartedly,” Celestia admitted, frowning and taking another sip of her tea. “He was a very, very evil pony. But he was also very good at hiding what he did from the community. Many ponies still believe him to be a good, upstanding member of the community till the day he died.” Kuno scowled faintly at that. “I noticed.” “I am having Sparkling Acumen escorted here so that we may clear up this misunderstanding. I take it you didn’t attack her?” Celestia asked, staring at Kuno with narrowed eyes. Kuno shook her head slowly. “I snapped my jaws at her when she started claiming that Daggertail was a good pony.” “An understandable response,” Celestia said with a slow smile. “So tell me... how did you and Warden come to be?” Kuno shifted uncomfortable. “Why do you wanna know?” Celestia’s brow raised slowly. “I am curious. You are two completely different species. Usually mortal enemies. I find it very curious that you two have fallen in love.” “Well... Warden is just amazing,” Kuno said uncertainly, licking her lips nervously. “Kuno is better than any pony I’ve ever met,” Warden said, breaking his silence. Celestia nodded with a slow smile. “I understand. Matters of the heart are not easily translated into words.” “He walked to Canterlot with a broken leg for me...” Kuno said quietly. “That doesn’t need to be put into words.” “She accepted me for who I was... flaws and all,” Warden said, squeezing his wife with his wing. “She helped me come to terms with losing my wife... and that’s more than words can express.” “I understand,” Celestia said gently. “And your foal, Swarm? Was it?” Kuno nodded. “Swarm... she is a hybrid?” Celestia asked. Kuno nodded again. “She has a horn and wings. And can change her mane colour and style on a whim.” “So she has latent changeling magic?” Celestia queried. Kuno nodded silently again. “Swarm?” Celestia asked quietly. “I know you’re listening. Can you come out here?” A surprised squeak came from from Swarm’s doorway, and there was a thud, and then the rustle of movement, before a very chagrined-looking filly crept out of the room. She moved to leap up onto the chair, and then moved under her mother’s wing, huddling there and peering out at the princess. “I am Princess Celestia... but I assume you already know that,” she said with a warm smile. Swarm nodded once. “I know who you are.” “And why do you say that I’m evil?” Celestia queried. Swarm frowned, staring up the princess. “Because you let evil ponies do evil things!” Celestia blinked at that, tilting her head slightly to the left. “Whatever do you mean?” “You knew Daggertail was evil and you didn’t stop him,” Swarm said flatly, glowering. “I’m afraid the world doesn’t work like that,” Celestia said with a faint sigh. “When evil ponies do evil things, good ponies stop them,” Swarm said resolutely, setting her jaw. “But if I were judge, jury, and executioner, then I would be a tyrant,” Celestia pointed out gently. “With great power comes great responsibility, and I am not infallible.” Swarm frowned at that, rubbing a hoof against her cheek. “She means that just because she thinks someone is evil that’s not enough reason to put them in jail,” Kuno explained, nudging her daughter’s cheek gently. Swarm frowned further. “But you let evil ponies keep doing evil things!” “Only if I have no other choice,” Celestia said, starting to look uncomfortable. “You always have a choice!” Swarm challenged. “I... do not think I can explain it to you any better. You are too young to understand,” Celestia said with a heavy sigh. Swarm frowned deeply at that, setting her jaw. “Everyone says I’m too young! Evil is evil! Explain it to me! I’ll understand it, I promise!” Celestia gave a thoughtful hum, and then nodded once. “Very well. If I were to jail Daggertail for being evil with no evidence, I would be putting myself above the common pony and above the law. And surely, I am a princess, but I am not infallible. Were I to jail somepony like Daggertail, then who is to say that I should not have jailed anypony else that I suspect to be duplicitous in his activities? Am I to be the judge of every criminal in Equestria? By acting without due course, I am opening myself up to being asked to do this in future. I would be the all-powerful ruler and enforcer of the law. My law. I helped write the laws, and they are written as such to be fair to any pony. No matter what any of us think, we are all treated equally. If I treated Daggertail differently, then I am no better than a tyrant, for I am disregarding the laws that I myself set down. With great power comes great responsibility, little one. And I have the greatest of powers, and therefore, I must be as careful as possible to flex my power as little as possible, lest I underestimate my own strength and cause more harm than good.” Swarm frowned deeply at the monologue, her ears splaying back, before she pushed away from her mother and dropped down to the floor, stalking towards her room. “Where’re you going?” Warden asked, blinking once. “I’m going to bed,” Swarm said with a huff. “Why?” Kuno asked. Swarm looked back at them, snorting and tossing her mane before she continued to her room. “Because I’m too young to understand.” An awkward silence settled across the pegasus, alicorn, and changeling arranged around the table while they waited for Sparkling Acumen to arrive. “So... why haven’t you asked about the hive?” Kuno asked. Celestia looked up from her cup of tea. “I assumed that the hive dissolved after the capture of your queen.” Kuno nodded quietly. “It seems that you’re well-informed.” “It’s part of my job,” Celestia said with a warm smile. “And you have not asked about your queen.” “I’m kinda the one who put her in there,” Kuno said helplessly, rubbing a hoof against her foreleg in embarrassment. “She is doing fine, though she laments not getting any love,” Celestia said with a faint smile. Kuno frowned at that, and then nodded once. “Thank you for letting me know.” There was a knock on the door, and Celestia tilted back to peer down the hallway. “Come in.” The door opened, and a nervous-looking Sparkling Acumen came inside. Celestia beckoned, and the unicorn carefully made her way down the hallway, pausing in the doorway and staring across the table at Kuno. “Come, sit,” Celestia said calmly, patting the chair besides her. “She won’t bite. I have requested that she not.” Kuno opened her mouth to say that she had agreed to no such thing, but Warden silenced her by squeezing her wing gently. Sparkling Acumen sat down, looking back and forth between the princess and the two ponies uncertainly. “Miss Acumen, I have brought you back here to clear something up,” Celestia said gently. Sparkling Acumen looked from Celestia to Kuno and then back again, before nodding once. “Very well.” “Kuno did indeed kill Daggertail, but Daggertail was a very, very bad pony,” Celestia explained. “Daggertail was an upstanding member of the community,” Sparkling acumen protested, shaking her head in disbelief. “He was a drug-dealer, a thief, and at times, a murderer,” Celestia stated bluntly. “And had I found any evidence, I would have taken him apart myself.” Sparkling Acumen stiffened at that, shaking her head firmly. “I don’t believe you.” “Did you have a relationship with him?” Kuno asked suddenly. Both Celestia and Sparkling Acumen stared at her. “I... well, I er...” Sparkling Acumen said, looking away and biting her bottom lip. “Even Swarm could tell you’re lying,” Kuno said with a slow shake of her head. “I heard that and I’m offended!” Swarm called from her room. “Stop eavesdropping!” Kuno called back. “I... Well... We were... We did at one time be... err... intimate,” Sparkling Acumen admitted. “Was this before or after he was married?” Kuno asked with a sly grin. Sparkling Acumen gave a gasp of disgust. “How dare you insinuate-” “-It’s a simple question,” Celestia said quietly. “...After.” Sparkling Acumen seemed to shrink in size at what she admitted, frowning to herself. “He was... so nice and gentlecoltly. There’s no way he was a… a... criminal.” “His cronies broke my husband’s wing,” Kuno pointed out. “And my hoof,” Warden added with a scowl. “And they forced him to grow aurora for them,” Celestia added. “B-but...” Sparkling Acumen started weakly. “Do you think we have any reason to lie?” Celestia asked bluntly. “No... I just... he was a criminal?” Sparking Acumen asked quietly. “The worst kind,” Celestia said with a wrinkled nose. Sparkling Acumen gave a deep frown at that, her ears lowering. “And furthermore, Kuno did not attack you, as you claim. She was merely... expression her displeasure with your words,” Celestia said tactfully. “She snapped at me,” Sparkling Acumen said with a shudder. “Be that as it may, it was not an attack,” Celestia stated with a wave of a hoof. “I don’t like you,” Sparkling Acumen stated, staring at Kuno. “But... I like Swarm. I won’t let my personal feelings for you get in the way of my job.” “See that you don’t,” Kuno said coldly, her eyes narrowing. Sparkling Acumen rose to her hooves. “I take it I can leave?” “Go ahead,” Celestia said, inclining her head. The three of them watched the teacher leave, the unicorn’s steps hurried and annoyed. “Well, it would appear that my business here is over,” Celestia pointed out, rising to her hooves as well. “Thank you for the tea, Warden.” “It was my pleasure, Princess,” Warden said, bowing slightly. “Please, Kuno, keep your crimes to yourself. Not everypony is as understanding, or as forgiving, as I am,” Celestia added, shaking her head gently. “I’ll try,” Kuno promised, rubbing a hoof through her mane in embarrassment. Celestia turned, making for the doorway, but Warden rose, cutting her off. Warden looked back at Kuno, and then asked, “U-uh... Princess? Could I ask a favour of you?” The knock at the door that evening made Warden grumble as he rose to his hooves. He slipped out of bed, leaving Kuno reading a magazine on home design, and headed for the front door. It was already after dark, and he had no idea who it could be calling at that late hour. Greenhoof nervously swapped from one hoof to the other, and then gave a sigh of relief as Warden opened the door. “Oh thank Celestia. I got so lost trying to find this place!” Warden gave a relieved laugh. “Oh, it’s you. I coulda given clearer directions, I guess. It’s kind of too late for me to give you a tour, anyway.” “Oh, it’s fine,” Greenhoof said, squinting up at the doorway. “Just point me in the direction of the main road and I’ll be on my way.” Warden nodded, ducking back inside to grab a lantern. “Kuno! Greenhoof is here, I’m just showing her the way back to the road and then I’ll be back!” An unintelligible sound of assent greeted him, and he turned back to the doorway, slipping outside and offering the lantern to Green Hoof. Green Hoof took the lantern, peering down at his hoof. “Still as bad as ever?” “Worse, if anything,” Warden admitted with a wry smile, making a motion towards the road. Green Hoof gave a wan smile at that. “Well, at least you’re managing,” she said, as they both started down the path towards the road. “So when do you wanna start work?” Warden queried. “Is the day after tomorrow alright? I kinda wanted to get the lay of the land before starting work, so I know how far I have to walk and the like,” Green Hoof admitted. Warden nodded firmly. “That works for me. You just take this path here from the main road. I’ll have to see about tying a red ribbon around a tree on the road itself so you know where to turn off.” “That’d be a big help,” Green Hoof admitted with a soft sigh. “I went to three different estates trying to find this place.” Warden smiled faintly at that, pausing as they came to the road. “Just follow it south to Ponyville,” he said, pointing with a hoof. “Thank you, Warden. I’ll see you two days from now,” Green Hoof said, holding out the lantern for him to take back with him. Warden shook his head, taking a step back. “You take it. I know these paths well enough not to trip over anything.” Green Hoof stood nervously for a moment, before she nodded once. “I’ll return it tomorrow. Well, see you then.” Warden smiled and nodded, turning back around, starting up the path towards home again. “Warden... Wait,” Green Hoof said uncertainly. Warden paused at that, peering back over his shoulder. “I don’t... I don’t want anything from you, Warden. I don’t want to pressure you. I don’t want to... well... you know, force anything, or ruin you and Kuno, or anything...” Green Hoof said nervously, dancing from hoof-to-hoof. Warden blinked once. “Whatever do you mean?” Green Hoof frowned deeply, rubbing her cheek with a hoof and then giving a faint sigh. “Mint Green... He’s your son.”