It was just before dawn when Rainbow finally found her way back to the castle. She had had a harder time on the return, having to navigate in the darkness and flying without the help of blind fury to fuel her wings. Twice, she had lost her way and each time had taken hours to find her way to the correct path. Now she was utterly exhausted and just wanted to curl up on the canopy of her bed to sleep for at least a week.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally swooped over the gardens and caught sight of the shadowy palace looming against the dove grey of predawn. The grounds were quiet and deserted, silent but for the soft cooing of some nocturnal birds and the gurgling of water from the fountains.
Water! The sound and smell of water made Rainbow painfully aware of how thirsty she was. Banking around, she dropped into the nearest garden and trotted along the path, her hoof falls muffled by the thick, well kept grass as firefly lanterns cast her shadow long before her. She followed her nose and ears past tall stands of sleeping blossoms that still cast a faint cloud of sweet perfume into the warm air. In the center of a diamond-shaped yard, she found a diamond-shaped fountain that spouted water from marble ponies holding water urns in their hooves. This flowed down into scallop-edged bowls, which overflowed into a deep pool. Frogs, carved of the same green marble as the rest of the fountain, stared at her from fake lilypads as Rainbow bellied up to the fountain and plunged her face into its depths.
She drank deeply, ignoring the burning of her lungs as long as she could, then lifted her head with a gasp. A thin, reddish scum now drifted across the surface and she grimaced, leaning forward to peer at her reflection in the water. In the milky glow of the lanterns, she could see that her light blue coat was completely coated in red dust, except where the water dripped from her muzzle and the dust had turned to red mud. Her mane hung limp and sweaty over her eyes, and a thin line of dried blood had tracked its way down her forehead.
“Rough night,” she muttered, and chuckled humorlessly. Glancing around to assure herself that she was alone, she reared up and dunked her entire head and shoulders into the pool. The water was cool and refreshing and it wasn’t long before she flapped her wings and tipped forward, diving headlong into the fountain. She splashed around, scrubbing her mane, tail, and wings to free them of dirt, then rolled onto her back and floated, spitting a thin plume of water into the air.
When she hopped back onto the fountain’s edge, her coat was damp, but considerably cleaner. She shook vigorously and flapped her wings, spraying the garden with droplets. She felt a little better, though she doubted the gardeners would be happy when they saw the state of the fountain.
Well, that couldn’t be helped now, and she was still exhausted. She needed a long nap before she and her friends figured out the problem with the quarry.
Jumping into the air, she sped up and out of the garden, winging towards a large window in the upper levels of the castle. She swooped inside and trotted down the corridor to her chambers, her hooves echoing on the stone floor. She turned the corner to the Emerald Rooms, but stopped short at the sight of the two guards standing on either side of the door. Guards? Since when had they been under guard?
Deciding she was too tired to deal with a confrontation now, Rainbow backed away quietly and swiveled around. She would just fly around the castle and go through one of the windows in the bed—”
“Oof!”
She slammed into a solid mass and reeled backwards, losing her balance and sitting down hard on her rump. The knot on her brow twinged painfully and she winced. Rubbing her aching head, Rainbow squinted upwards and gasped at two eyes looming over her, glowing like golden chips of topaz.
“Oh dear…I am so sorry, my lady. I didn’t expect you to turn…so abruptly.”
Goldhoof suddenly materialized from the shadows, clacking his tongue as he held out a hoof to assist her.
“I’m very relieved to see you have returned. You had us all terribly worried, my lady, flying away as you did.”
“Oh, yeah, sorry about that.” Rainbow got back to her hooves and dusted herself off with a wing. “I just, uh, really needed to blow off some steam. You know how it goes.”
“Yes, I’m sure,” the unicorn said dryly.
Something in Goldhoof’s tone made Rainbow pause and she smiled awkwardly. “Right, well, uh, what are you doing up so late?”
“Late?” Goldhoof rolled his eyes towards a window, where the first morning light was just painting the sky a delicate pink. “I think early would be more appropriate. And I come and go at random. Different tasks for different days. This time, I was up awaiting the return of a certain pegasus. The king did not take too well to his son’s fiancé vanishing out a window.”
Rainbow bristled and leaned back. Scowling, she said, “I never said I would marry Linden.”
“A small technicality,” Goldhoof replied, waving a hoof dismissively.
“No—it’s kind of a big one, actually.” Since the guards would definitely be aware of her now, Rainbow turned her back on the king’s advisor and trotted quickly to the doors of her rooms. The two heavyset stallions bowed to her, and one opened the door with a flourish.
“Uh, thanks.” Rainbow edged past him and tip-hooved into the room. She had only made it halfway across the floor when a cotton candy-colored blur smashed into her at high speed and, for the second time in as many minutes, she was thrown backwards onto her rump.
“Oof!”
“Rainbow Dash! You’re back!” Pinkie Pie wrapped her hooves around Dash’s neck, squeezing her tightly. “You’re back!”
“Yeah, of course!” Rainbow laughed breathlessly and tried to escape Pinkie’s death grip on her throat. “You didn’t think I’d fly off and leave you all behind, did you?” The others came to her rescue, lifting Pinkie off her so she could sit up and look at the anxious faces of her friends. Twilight looked especially haggard, with swollen and red eyes. “You don’t have to cry about it, Twilight—I swear I didn’t kick anypony, even if they did deserve it—but you won’t believe what I found—”
“It’s not that,” Twilight interrupted, and told her about the theft. Rainbow’s mouth dropped open and she galloped into the bed chamber to see for herself. The mess had been sifted through, but not yet tidied up and she gaped, dumbfounded, at the destruction.
“What…? I don’t…” She dropped to her haunches and rubbed her ear in confusion. “Who did this?”
“Gumdrop was sleeping when they came in,” Fluttershy said, coming up beside her. “He thought they were just servant ponies until they started going through all our bags and he tried to stop them, but one of them tried to step on him and…” She broke off and rolled her eyes upwards to her mane, where the little mouse was frantically and angrily pantomiming his valiant efforts to stop the thieves. When he got to the part where he had been forced to hide under the bed as a stallion tried to stomp him flat, Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed and she let out an explosive snort through her nose. She leapt to her feet and galloped back to the door.
“Rainbow!” Applejack called. “Where in the hay’re you goin’?”
“I ran into Goldhoof out in the hall. I’m going to tell him about this!” she replied. Her friends exchanged looks and hurried after her as she flung the door open hard enough to make the hinges creak. She started to storm through, but was stopped by the two guards stepping into her path. “Hey! Out of my way!”
“I’m sorry, m’lady. You are to remain in your quarters at this time.”
“What?” Rainbow was taken aback. They had never been confined to their rooms before—Linden had told them to feel at home in the castle and they had been allowed to explore almost everywhere. She glowered at the ponies blocking her and demanded, “Who said?”
“These orders come from Lord Goldhoof,” one told her, his voice apologetic but firm. He locked eyes with the pegasus, unwavering. When she tried to step around him, he immediately moved to intercept. She dodged to the other side, but his partner was equally unmoving. “Please, m’lady, go back inside. You are not allowed to leave these rooms until you are summoned.”
“They wouldn’t let us leave either,” Twilight said at her back. “We were even brought back here under guard. Our treatment has really changed.”
“But why? We didn’t do anything wrong! This is ridiculous!” Rainbow flapped her wings and tried to dart past the guards, flying quickly at one, then darting at the other. This forced the poor stallions to bob and weave, but they somehow managed to keep her from slipping past them. Pinkie Pie whooped and joined in on the game, bouncing back and forth with Rainbow until the eyes of the two guards began to spin dizzily.
“Rainbow, stop that.” Rarity caught Rainbow’s tail in her mouth and delicately tugged her back to the ground. “Darling, while I find this entire situation incredibly boorish and unnecessary, maybe we should all listen to them and speak to the prince and the queen when we can,” she suggested. She gave her friend a small smile and patted her back. “There is a proper way to do this. We’re all exhausted and overwhelmed and the last thing we need is—”
“We need to talk to Lord Goldhoof now,” Rainbow said evenly, her eyes still locked on the guard’s. She knew Rarity was right—the day had been long and weird and she was exhausted, but she wasn’t willing to give up yet.
“You m-may request to speak with him l-l-later, m’lady,” one guard stammered. He sounded a little sick and had both hooves clasped to the sides of his head to stop his pinwheeling eyes. “He has retired to his chambers for now. Until then, you may not leave these rooms.”
“We’ll see about that.” Rainbow slowly backed up, smirking as she gently shut the door.
“Oh thank goodness!” Fluttershy had been prancing nervously back and forth behind them. Now she sat and smiled. “I really was hoping you wouldn’t get into a fight. They were just doing their jobs and—”
“Yeah yeah, maybe…but they’re still not locking me in.”
“Don’t see how there’s much of a choice otherwise, Sugarcube,” Applejack pointed out. “It’s the only door and I don’t see you takin’ them out in a hoof-wrestling contest.”
“Right,” Twilight agreed reluctantly. “I guess we should wait until somepony comes for us—I’m sure the king and queen and Linden will want to talk again. We should formulate a proper complaint over our treatment. I have some paper, so we should probably make a list.”
“Are you guys kidding me?” Rainbow flung her hooves up in exasperation. “We don’t need a list…and who said anything about using the door?” Shaking her head, she shot back outside through one of the windows.
“Oh yeah, why didn’t we think of that!” Pinkie giggled as the rainbow contrail faded from the room. Rainbow deliberately circled over the castle and flew through one of the multiple windows lining the corridor, landing daintily before the stunned guards.
“Hey again. Guess you forgot about the wings and the windows, huh?” she quipped, unable to resist grinning as their mouths dropped open. “Now, which way did Goldhoof go?”
Dumbfounded, the second guard pointed down the hall.
“Rainbow? Are you out there? Hold on—I’m coming too!”
There was a flash and a loud snap. The guards reared and backed up against the door, their eyes bulging as Twilight Sparkle appeared out of nowhere. The unicorn smiled sheepishly at the terrified ponies.
“I’m so sorry—I know this is breaking all kinds of rules—but we really need to talk to Lord Goldhoof. We’ll be back soon, I promise!” She waved and hurriedly trotted after Rainbow Dash, who was already gliding down the corridor.
The guards exchanged worried glances, neither knowing what to do—they certainly didn’t want to attack and restrain the prince’s betrothed by force, and they were still reeling from seeing a pony appear out of midair. Who knew what the lavender mare would do if provoked?
“M-maybe we should just pretend we didn’t see them,” one suggested. His partner immediately nodded and they both returned to their posts.
**
“I can’t believe I did that!” Twilight blurted as she and Rainbow rushed down the hall.
“Breaking the rules?”
“No! Forgetting I could teleport! I would have done this hours ago!” She shook her head in bewilderment. “I just don’t understand why they would take the Elements or how they even knew they were in my bags.”
“Well, we’ll get to the bottom of this! Nopony steals from us and gets away with—oof!” For the third time that morning, Rainbow Dash smashed headlong into a pony and went flying backwards, landing hard on her rump. “For the love of Pete!” she yelled. “Will everypony quit knocking me down!”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t see you th—you’ve come back! I’m so glad…here, let me help you!” Linden bent over the blue mare and helped her stand. “I was just coming to—wait, where are you going?”
Rainbow had jerked away from him as soon as she was back on her hooves and started trotting down the hall again without a word.
“Rainbow, wait!” Linden called, his voice breaking. “Please! I just need to talk to you!” He hurried after the mare, but she raised her head and refused to look at him. When he tried to step in front of her, she jumped and flew over his head, her back hooves lifted barely high enough to avoid kicking him. “Stop…hold on…will you just...!” Unused to being ignored by anyone, friend or subject alike, Linden felt his temper starting to rise. “Rainbow Dash! I said stop. Look at me!” he shouted—and immediately recoiled when she did just that, her magenta eyes blazing.
“Sweet stars above,” Fletcher breathed, instinctively ducking behind Tiny and Twilight. “That is terrifying!”
“I-I didn’t mean like that,” Linden stammered, swallowing hard. He took a hesitant step closer to her and took a deep breath, then started again. “I’m so happy to see you—I was afraid you would never come back!”
Rainbow’s glare softened as she eyed the prince warily—he looked dreadful: pale and haggard, his mane mussed and his eyes red-rimmed. Fletcher and Tiny, standing beside him, looked little better. Frowning and scraping a hoof along the floor, she murmured, “I would never leave my friends behind.”
Linden cocked his head, unsure what she meant by that, but Tiny broke in before he could ask her to elaborate.
“Forgive me, Miss Sparkle, Lady Dash, but did I hear you say somepony stole something from you?” He ignored the prince’s scowl as Twilight nodded.
“Yes!” she said frantically. She had been nervously fidgeting to one side, torn between Rainbow’s predicament and her own. “We’ve been robbed!”
“What?” Linden reluctantly tore his eyes from Rainbow Dash, her words finally registering with him. “Robbed?”
“Yeah,” Dash said acidly. “Apparently, sometime between our dance and Lord Goldhoof was filling us all in on the laws of Saddellia, somepony snuck into our rooms, tried to step on Gumdrop, and looted our saddlebags.”
Fletcher glanced towards a nearby window at the rising sun and wrinkled his nose. “Wait—you’re saying this happened last night? During the banquet? Are we the first ones you’ve told? Why didn’t you alert any of the guards?”
“We tried!” Twilight exclaimed. “We told the guard posted in front of our doors, but they wouldn’t do anything about it. We asked if we could speak with the queen, or Lord Goldhoof, or even you, Prince Linden—they said you were all asleep and couldn’t be bothered.”
“Not so! We’ve been up all night,” Fletcher said, aiming his words at Rainbow Dash. He rolled an eye at the prince and added, “He’s been beside himself with worry for you and none of us has slept a wi—ow!” He jumped and rubbed ruefully at the leg Linden had just kicked, then shrugged. “Well, it’s true.”
Rainbow looked questioningly at Linden, who shuffled his hooves awkwardly, clearing his throat before murmuring, “Yeah, it’s true. I couldn’t sleep at all—I kept picturing you flying all the way back to Equestria before I got a chance to talk to you again. I-I just—if we could only—”
“Maybe we should focus on the robbery now, Linden,” Tiny suggested respectfully, patting his friend on the shoulder. “This seems definitely odd to me. Miss Sparkle, you said that there were guards in front of your doors?”
“That’s right. After Rainbow—” The pegasus scowled darkly and she quickly amended, “Well, after everything that happened last night, the rest of us were brought back to the Emerald Rooms and locked in. The guards were posted and have refused to let us set a hoof outside the doors ever since.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Linden snapped. “You’re royal guests.” The two girls nodded emphatically, Rainbow picking up where Twilight had left off.
“They tried to do the same to me when I got back,” she told the colts. “Blocked the doors and wouldn’t let me leave the room. Said it was on Lord Goldhoof’s orders and—”
“Goldhoof knows you’re back?” Linden asked sharply. Rainbow nodded and described how she had bumped—literally—into the unicorn when she had gotten back to the castle. The colt’s face darkened. “But we just passed him a few moments ago. He didn’t say anything about you being back, Rainbow.”
“Actually, when Linden asked about you, he suggested we all go get some sleep,” Fletcher added.
“Why would he do that?” Rainbow wanted to know.
“That’s what I would like to find out.” Linden was scowling, his tail lashing from side to side. “He knew I was waiting up—that I wanted to see you as soon as you returned.” Under his breath, he added, “Before my father manages to make things even worse.”
Standing between Tiny and Fletcher, Twilight looked closely at Rainbow Dash—was it her imagination, or had there been a ghost of a smile on her friend’s lips at that?
“We were on our way to find Goldhoof now,” she explained. “We sort of, um, slipped past the guards.”
“Oh really?” Fletcher grinned broadly, plopping down on his haunches and wiggling his ears in amusement. “Slipped past the palace guards, huh? How in the hay did you manage that?”
Rainbow raised her wings and fluttered them. “With these,” she said proudly, then twanged Twilight’s horn with her hoof, making the unicorn wince. “And this. You should have seen the looks on their faces when we both just showed up and walked away.”
“But Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy are all still back there,” Twilight reminded them. “Locked in…on Goldhoof’s orders.”
Linden nodded and looked up the hall. “Not for long, Twilight. And I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again to any of you. All six of you are free to come and go about the palace grounds. And those will be the prince’s orders.” With a hopeful glance in Rainbow Dash’s direction, he cantered towards the Emerald Rooms to release their friends. Tiny automatically followed and Fletcher, grinning eagerly, leapt after them.
“I’m sorry, Rainbow,” Twilight said, laying a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “I didn’t know we’d run into Linden. That must have been hard for—”
“No! They’re going to help!” Dash interrupted with a forcibly cheerful tone. “It was lucky running into them.” She lifted off the ground and soared after the colts, her voice turning to a mutter, “So lucky.”
**
A strange scene greeted them when they arrived back at the doors to Rainbow’s chambers. Lilac Breeze and Foxtail were both standing before the two guards, who were looking distinctly harried but refusing to move from their post. Foxtail, a tiny orange mare with a white-tipped reddish mane and tail, had several bolts of cloth and a sewing kit balanced precariously across her back, but that was not stopping her from jabbing one of the guards with her hoof while she demanded to be let through the doors.
“I don’t care—my directions come from the queen herself and I am sure she will be incredibly displeased when the young lady is forced to attend her tea dressed in those tawdry Equestrian rags!”
“What is going on here?” Linden asked, cutting through the small mare’s tirade and drawing all eyes. Immediately, the ponies dropped into respectful bows.
“Prince Linden,” Foxtail was the first to speak, “I was told by your mother, the queen, to see to the wardrobe of Lady Rainbow Dash, soon to be princess, this morning. My time is very short, for there are meetings, and councils, and teas, and feasts to attend, but these two refuse to allow me to enter her rooms and I cannot start my work without proper measurements and—” She suddenly caught sight of Rainbow Dash and stopped, confused. Her bright amber eyes shifted from the pegasus to the doors and back again. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t have been much use if the lady wasn’t even in her room to begin with,” she muttered darkly.
“My prince.” One of the guards edged past Foxtail, eyeing Rainbow and Twilight warily. He crossed a hoof over his heart and bowed to the prince again. “We have our orders from Lord Goldhoof to stand guard at these doors and to not allow anypony to pass in either direction, save for himself or your royal parents.”
“Or Linden, I am sure,” Fletcher pointed out with a frown. “Since he is, as you just said, your prince.”
The two guards exchanged puzzled looks and the second nodded. “Of course, your Highness. I am sure he meant you as well.”
“Of course.” Linden’s brow furrowed briefly before taking on the cool, detached expression of a royal addressing his subjects. “And, from now on, you will include Lady Rainbow Dash and her friends in that exclusion as well. They are to come and go as they please and you will be at their disposal for anything they may need.”
“I…but…” The guard broke off as Tiny took a small step forward, a not-so-friendly smile on his lips. He cleared his throat meaningfully and the guard bobbed his head. “Yes, my prince.”
“Good.” Linden’s stern expression turned into a warm smile. “Now, open the doors and follow us—there’s been a theft.”
The guards immediately bowed again and rushed to obey. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were standing just inside the doors and the pink pony wasted no time in hopping out into the hall.
“You’re back! Again!” she exclaimed. “Good morning Tiny! Oh, and Prince Linden, and Fletcher, and Lilac and Foxtail and guard ponies I don’t know. We can come out now, right?”
“Well, that was sure fast, Twi,” Applejack said. She blinked in surprise when she saw Linden standing next to the hovering Rainbow Dash. “Mornin’ your Highness. Wow, you two went right to the top, didn’t you?”
“It was through here, Prince Linden.” Twilight trotted briskly through the common room and into the bed chamber, pointing out the rifled saddlebags and their discarded belongings. Rarity was sitting in the midst of the mess, sifting through the contents of her own luggage.
“The ruffians!” she mourned, lifting a torn scarf with her magic. “This was from a boutique in Canterlot! The embroidery was all hoof-stitched.” She glanced up and let out a squeal of relief when she saw Linden and his friends. “Prince Linden, the most dreadful thing has happened!”
“So I heard, Miss Rarity. I promise I will do everything I can to have your belongings returned to you.”
Rarity blinked, one long-lashed eye twitching. “Oh, yes, of course, that. But I was talking about this!” She thrust the scarf towards the colt, her lip quivering. “It’s positively ruined! Whoever did this has to be the lowliest, most uncivilized wretch ever to—” Beyond the dumbfounded prince, she suddenly caught sight of Foxtail and her distraught expression darkened. “Ugg, this day just keeps getting better and better!”
Foxtail ignored the white unicorn and stepped up to Rainbow’s side. “My lady, time is short and we have so much to do. I need to take a full set of your measurements and get to work immediately.”
Rainbow raised a hoof uncertainly and leaned away from the older mare. “Doing what?” she asked, her eyes flickering about as though searching for a place to hide.
“Your schedule, princess,” Lilac Breeze informed her. She joined Foxtail in flanking the young pegasus, her eyes widening at the condition of Rainbow’s mane and the thin sheen of dirt still clinging to her coat. “Y-you have a busy day ahead of you. There’s tea with the queen, and a garden gathering with the courtly ladies, followed by an appearance at the afternoon council, and then you are to meet with several of the noble families—Lord Silver Heels and Baroness Lilywhisper have both sent invitations for luncheons with you…” The fussy pony shook her head in exasperation. “I doubt you’ll have a moment to relax all day.”
“Wait? What? No—I’m not doing any of that,” Rainbow protested. “We’ve been robbed and I need to help and I really need to talk to my friends—”
“That will all have to wait, princess.” Lilac pressed her head against Rainbow’s shoulder and began forcibly pushing her towards the bathing chamber. “First, let’s see what we can do about the condition of your coat and mane—you look like you bathed in a swamp!”
Rainbow stumbled a few steps before planting her hooves indignantly. “It was a fountain,” she proclaimed. “And I’m not a princess.”
“Soon to be!” Foxtail burbled, beaming happily and holding up a bolt of fabric to Rainbow’s side to test the color. “Congratulations! How exciting—I get to design dresses for a royal wedding!”
“Excuse me! But if anypony is going to design a wedding dress for Rainbow, it will be me!” Rarity announced. She magicked the bolt of cloth out of Foxtail’s grasp and examined it with a grimace. “There is a knack to designing clothes for pegasi—they need fabrics that are light and airy so they don’t feel bogged down when they fly, and you have to make sure their wings remain free.”
“Hey! Nopony is designing anything for me.” Rainbow jumped over the two Saddellians and took refuge behind Applejack, who couldn’t help smirking at her. “I’m not going to any teas or luncheons or councils or whatever! I’m going to stay right here until we find out who stole the—”
“Necklaces!” Twilight interrupted, raising her eyebrows at her friends. “The beautiful matching necklaces I wanted us to wear during our meeting with the king.”
“Don’t forget the big crown thingee,” Pinkie Pie added from beside Tiny.
“Necklaces?” Fletcher grinned. “Well, that’s an easy fix. If you want necklaces, Linden can get all the best jewelers in the country to bring you whatever you want. Silver, gold, rubies, sapphires, and,” he nodded pointedly at the pendant still hanging from Rainbow’s throat, “emeralds.”
“That’s true!” Linden said, eagerly grasping this seemingly simple solution. “Miss Twilight, while I am grievously sorry for this and promise that we will seek and find the thief and your belongings, please allow me to replace them as Fletcher has suggested.”
“Oh, well, your highness, th-thank you, that’s, um, very generous. But the thing is, those necklaces—”
“—and the crown thingee!”
“Yes, and the crown thingee, um, they’re, uh, family heirlooms and very old and valuable.”
Linden nodded. “I understand. I will send out an alert throughout the castle and set a reward for the pony who finds your belongings.”
“Perhaps you could provide a picture,” Tiny suggested. “Then we will know what we are looking for.”
“Yes, yes, that is a wonderful idea,” Foxtail piped up. She dug several sheets of paper and a charcoal pencil from her supplies and passed them to Pinkie Pie. “Here you go! And while you’re busy with that, Lilac and I can get the princess-to-be ready.” Whirling around, she fixed Rainbow Dash with a sharp, amber eye. “Come along, my lady. We’ve already wasted too much time and I have no idea how I will possibly make you presentable in time to see the queen.”
“B-but I…we need to…and I found out…” She caught Linden looking at her hopefully and knew he wanted to talk. She guessed it was inevitable, but as she looked into his blue eyes she realized she was just too tired and confused to deal with her muddled emotions. She still needed time to think and talk to her friends—they would be able to help her sort everything out. Grimacing, she lowered her ears to her head. “Fine,” she muttered. “Whatever. I’m too tired to argue right now.”
“Pinkie, why don’t you and Rarity go with Rainbow?” Twilight suggested, seeing that the pegasus could use some of her friends right now. “The rest of us will do what we can out here.”
“Aw!” Pinkie sat down and pouted. Somehow, she had produced a Sherlock Hooves hat and a bubble pipe. “But I’m good at looking for clues! And Fluttershy is her hoofmaiden—I’m the jester.”
“I know, but Fluttershy is the only one who can really speak to Gumdrop and he’s our only eyewitness.” She pointed a hoof at Rainbow, who was looking distinctly uncomfortable as the two earth ponies fussed over her. “And Rainbow could use some distraction.”
The pink pony looked back and forth between her friends and her signature grin popped back into place. “You’re right, Twilight!” The Sherlock hat vanished, instantly replaced by a pair of glasses with spirals on the eyes. “That’s exactly what she needs.” Bouncing to her hooves, she hopped after the depressed pegasus, who was being ushered towards the bathing chamber. “Hey, Dashie, what did the duck say to the squirrel?”
“Wait! Rainbow!” Linden trotted after her. “Please. We need to talk—the two of us.”
Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder. “I know,” she said, weariness evident in each word. “Just…not right now, okay?”
Linden opened his mouth to protest, but the pleading look in her eyes stopped him. Sighing, he sat down and nodded. “Okay.”
The pegasus gave him a small, grateful smile, then said, “I don’t know, Pinkie, what did the duck say to the squirrel?”
“How the hay should I know? I don’t speak duck. You should ask Fluttershy!” She dissolved into merry laughter. “Get it?” she burbled as the door closed behind them. “Ask Fluttershy!”
As Linden watched Rainbow walk away, Fletcher scratched his chin, puzzled.
“I don’t get it,” he said, but Tiny was pressing a hoof to his mouth, shaking with suppressed laughter. After a moment, he managed to compose himself and faced the pale, yellow pony with the tiny mouse in her mane. “Alright, Miss Fluttershy, what exactly did Gumdrop see?”
**
“My lady, I am so excited for you!” Lilac Breeze started warm water into the tub and sifted through the various bottles of soaps and perfumes. “I wasn’t able to go to the banquet, of course, but I heard it was wonderful! You are such a lucky girl!”
“I wish I could have seen the dance,” Foxtail said. She was busily trotting around Rainbow Dash, a measuring tape looped about her forehooves. With practiced ease, she took the measurements she needed and scratched them down before turning her attention to the bolts of fabric she’d brought with her. “It was all the kitchen and serving maids could talk about. They said it was so romantic—that you two were perfectly in sync and couldn’t stop looking into each other’s eyes.” She sighed happily, then pursed her lips and dragged a swath of dark green brocade away from Rarity. “It must have been lovely.”
“It will be the biggest wedding in the country. Ponies will come from all corners of the land.” Lilac smiled, then nudged Rainbow towards the tub. The pegasus flew up and lowered herself into the warm water, draping her forelegs over the edge and resting her chin on them. She really didn’t want to listen to the two busybodies prattle on, but it was either this or deal with Linden…and she really did need the bath.
“There will be feasts and probably another faire. Maybe another tourney to celebrate!” Foxtail exalted. She tapped her chin with a hoof thoughtfully. “Given all the planning involved, it will probably take place in late autumn, maybe even early winter. I can work with that—a silvery white maybe…”
Rainbow raised her head sharply, her ears perking. “Winter! No way!”
Foxtail and Lilac Breeze exchanged smiles. “See that? She’s so excited, she can hardly wait.”
“No! I mean, we’re not even going to be here come winter.”
“Not be here? But, my lady, wherever would you go? Not to the Blue Hills?”
“Back to Equestria, of course,” Rarity stated. She had relinquished the brocade and turned her attention on a roll of creamy lace, unwinding a length to wrap around her hoof.
“Equestria?” Lilac Breeze repeated. She lifted a bucket of water and dumped it unceremoniously over Rainbow’s head, then poured a stream of pink-tinted soap onto her mane. “What reason would you have to return to Equestria, my lady? After you marry the prince, your home will be here.” She started to massage the soap into the multicolored strands and her hoof bumped the tender welt between Rainbow’s ears.
“Ow!”
Lilac yipped and jumped back, then tentatively parted Rainbow’s mane until she found the injury. “Oh, my lady! You have a large bump on your head.”
“I know!” Rainbow groused, her eyes squeezed shut in pain. “That’s why I said ow!” She ducked out from beneath Lilac’s hooves and gently prodded her aching head.
“Darling, how in the world did that happen?” Rarity abandoned the fabric and hurried up the stairs to the small deck that surrounded the tub. Sitting down, she peered at Rainbow with concern and a bit of exasperation.
The throbbing had slowed to a dull ache and the pegasus opened her eyes again. She almost blurted out what she had learned at the quarry, but remembered Lilac Breeze and Foxtail just in time. “I-I don’t know,” she stammered lamely. “I was upset and flying and not looking where I was going, I guess. I think I hit a tree branch, or something. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“I’ll say!” Pinkie Pie had been searching through the bottles until she found the soap that would make the most bubbles. Now she was busily making beards and wigs from the suds and pulling funny faces to make Rainbow laugh. “Remember that time I was running behind you while you were flying, Dashie, and I was calling your name, but you kept saying you were busy, and I called your name again, and you said ‘Not now!’ and I tried again and then you flew right into that mountain and I was only trying to warn you not to hit the mountain?”
“Yeah, Pinkie, I remember.” Rainbow sank deeper into the warm water, feeling it soothing her wing muscles. “Mmm, I guess this isn’t so bad. I could sleep for a week after this.”
“I’m afraid there won’t be any time for sleeping until tonight, my lady. You have a very busy schedule today, and we’re already falling behind.”
Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “Schedule schmedule! I’ve been up all night!”
“That still won’t stop the queen and the council and the other nobles from expecting their soon-to-be princess from making her appearance. And then, of course, you have your afternoon date with Prince Linden. ” Before Rainbow could ask her what she meant by that, Lilac Breeze dumped another cup of water over her head and started the arduous process of making her presentable.
**
“Well, we don’t have a lot to go on,” Tiny mused, picking up a box of spilled quills and passing them to Applejack. “Two ponies, neither of whom said anything during the act.” He shook his head and surveyed the tidied room. “It would have been helpful to be able to match voices.”
“Well, um, maybe Gumdrop would be able to recognize the guards if he saw them again.” Fluttershy kept her head down, pawing delicately at the rug. “I mean, that is, um, it’s just a suggestion.”
Fletcher frowned skeptically at the tiny mouse determinedly dragging three balloons across the floor to Pinkie Pie’s bag. “I don’t know, Fluttershy. If these two ponies were chasing him, trying to step on him as you said, he probably didn’t get the best look at their faces. He’s so short, his view had to be distorted.”
Gumdrop stopped and turned to face the colt, dropping the balloons and setting his miniscule paws on his hips. He squeaked thinly and Fluttershy gasped.
“Gumdrop! That’s not very nice! He’s only trying to help.”
“Only trying to…” Fletcher bent down closer to Gumdrop, who squeaked three more times while jabbing a paw at the colt’s snout. Fletcher turned to Fluttershy quizzically. “What did he just say?”
The yellow pony blushed and hid behind her hair. “Oh, I’d really rather, um, not say. Some of it was, uh, rather, um…”
Fletcher snorted and straightened, a look of complete bewilderment on his face. “Did I just get insulted by a mouse?”
“I’m sure it wasn’t the first time, Fletch,” Tiny said, deadpan.
“Probably not, but I only pointed out the obvious.” He turned away to help Applejack place their things in the room’s large wardrobe. “Not my fault he’s self-conscious about his height—or lack thereof.”
Gumdrop squeaked and started stomping across the room towards the colt, stopped only by Fluttershy, who pretended to cough on the pretense of putting her hoof on his tail.
Tiny’s ears twitched in amusement before he looked sadly at Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn sat on the chaise, the empty, velvet-lined box between her hooves. Her head was bowed as she stared mournfully into the empty space. “Miss Sparkle, I’m sorry we couldn’t help you more. I will report this to my father, and Linden will tell his parents and Lord Goldhoof. I’m sure the cleaning staff and other servants will all be questioned thoroughly. They will do what they can to get to the bottom of this and see that your items are duly returned to you.”
Twilight bobbed her head and sighed. “I understand. Thank you, Tiny. And you, Fletcher, and your Highness.”
Linden had also been quiet for the last few minutes, letting Tiny and Fletcher gather all the information while he sat on one of the chairs in the common room and stared at the door through which Lilac Breeze and Foxtail had dragged Rainbow Dash. He paid no attention to Twilight, who now shared a worried glance with Tiny.
“I guess we’ll be going,” the huge colt said, his voice pitched to reach the prince’s drooping ears. “Not much more we can do here and a busy day ahead of us, especially this afternoon.”
Linden perked up a little and turned their way, a smile brightening his handsome face. “You’re right. Busy day. Busy afternoon! Have to start getting ready.”
“What’s goin’ on this afternoon?” Applejack wanted to know. She and Fletcher were leaning on the wardrobe doors, trying to get them to close with all of Rarity’s clothing now stuffed inside. They shoved and strained until Tiny stepped up beside them, pushing the doors with one hoof until the latch clicked. Fletcher backed away with a gasp, giving his huge friend a withering look before smoothing his frazzled mane.
“The prince’s date with Rainbow Dash,” he replied.
Applejack blinked, then laughed. “Beg pardon?” She looked from Fletcher to the prince. “Date?”
“Apparently, the prince and his betrothed are supposed to have a “date” each day leading up to the wedding,” Fletcher explained. “To help them get to know each other better. It’s written in the laws.”
“I suppose it makes sense,” Twilight spoke up. “Since most of your royal marriages are arranged.”
“Makin’ sense or not, Ah don’t see how you’re gonna get Rainbow to go for it. That poor girl’s mighty upset and confused right now.”
Linden hopped down from the chair and, casting a last glance towards the bathing room door, said, “I know she is. She’s upset and angry and confused and thinks I betrayed her. But I didn’t—I never meant for her to be hurt.” He waved a hoof to his two friends and started to leave, but paused at the doors. “I really do love her,” he said, facing the girls again. “And I’m going to prove that to her, no matter how long it takes. Good morning, ladies.” Giving a short bow, he backed out of the room and the guards let the doors close behind him.
“Boy howdy,” Applejack breathed, removing her hat and looking worriedly at her friends. “Looks like we’re gonna be here longer than we thought.”