//------------------------------// // Airs and Graces // Story: Night's Favoured Child // by Municipal Engines //------------------------------// Airs and Graces Twilight was grateful for the short trip from the Academy to her room in the palace. She spent a hard night bearing the passive-aggressive, exclusive attitude of Grace and Bluebloods’ respective cliques and avoiding them where she could, spending her recesses isolated in the library. She was looking forward to a quick retreat to her bed and a good book to pass the evening. She was even more grateful that the Empress had Proud Song accompany her to and from the Academy during the weeks after the night Orion left. Proud Song was waiting patiently for her in the courtyard of the Academy as she trotted out of the preparatory school. The bat-winged pony gave her a smile as she trotted up to him, loosening her tie with magic. “How was your night, Lady Sparkle?” he asked as they started off the Academy campus. She returned the smile, though hers was a little thin. “Good… exhausting. Miss Springtime took me aside from the rest of the class so I could try working on my focus and power safety while everypony did other spells. I think I need a shower.” He laughed. “I remember my time at boot camp. Talk to me about ‘exhausting’ after you’ve gone through a few weeks of old Staff Sergeant Prickle’s training from Tartarus.” “What was it like?” A nonchalant shrug was his response. “About as much as you’d expect, lots of exercise and drills and training. Oh, and shouting. Lots and lots of shouting.” A nostalgic smile tugged at Proud Song’s lips. “If Prickle wasn’t such an a… a jerk to everypony, I think I’d have been singled out by the others more than I already was.” The filly creased her brow in confusion. “What do you mean by that?” “Oh, well, some ponies aren’t used to thestrals like me, and many fear us for our beliefs and our appearance,” he said, explaining the prejudice of ponies as if he were talking about the weather. “Some of the other stallions in boot camp… let’s just say they didn’t exactly like me. Luckily, military training helps to hammer that sort of thing out of us, and Prickle provided a common enemy for everypony to unite against.” Twilight’s confused, scrunched face warped into a frown. “That’s… that’s despicable! Just because of the way you look? It’s like Blueblood being mean to my friend because he was a common earth pony…” she deflated a little at the memory of Orion, but her anger was a distraction. “It’s stupid, anyway. We’re all ponies, so what difference does it make if somepony has bat wings instead of feathered wings or no wings at all, and just believe different stuff? It’s like if every pony with a red coat started hating every pony with a blue coat, or something.” The Honour Guard chuckled. “Believe me, Lady Sparkle, I am in complete agreement with you. I suppose some ponies can just be naturally stupid and ignorant, but it’s usually how they’re raised. My mother taught me not to hate non-thestral ponies unless they really deserved it.” “That’s good.” she smiled. “Anyway…” the bat-winged pony said in the stretched tone of one who wanted to change the subject. “How do you like the school uniform? I suppose that you didn’t wear anything like that in the school you went to before coming to the palace.” Twilight rubbed the brown woollen sweater-vest thoughtfully. “No… but I kind of like it, especially since it’s getting colder.” “And you look very cute in it,” the stallion quipped, smirking. She blushed at his compliment and looked away, muttering, “Th-thanks.” They eventually passed into the palace gardens. As usual, the gardens were filled with ponies of all kinds: tourists gawking at everything in sight, groundskeepers roving with the tools of their trade, and officials either wandering in private conversations or marching with purpose, using the gardens as a thoroughfare. Twilight loved the gardens, and though the willow grove was her favourite place to unwind, she could find peace in meandering along any of its twisting paths. “Sir Proud Song?” “Yes, Lady Sparkle?” “Would you... would you like to take a walk in the gardens with me?” she asked, lowering her face a little so he would not see her blush. “I know you’re probably busy and you want to get back to work, but I was thinking it would be nice to–” He flashed a handsome smile. “My lady, I would love to continue to walk with you for a little while longer. After all, you are such a nice filly, and Her Majesty asked me to accommodate you as much as I can. Besides, all I have waiting for me after this is a mountain of paperwork.” Together they made an abrupt rightward turn and ambled deeper into the gardens. Autumn was now visible in the slowly bronzing leaves, which lent a new atmosphere to the garden. Certain flowers were curling up, readying themselves for the coming winter, while others were just beginning to bloom. Twilight had learned from the Inquisitor that the palace was filled with plants that bloomed in different stages of the year, so there would always be colour and beauty in the gardens. “What was it like in your old home?” Twilight asked. Proud Song looked down. “Do you mean Covenburg?” “Uh-huh.” He shrugged. “Like any city, I guess, though it wasn’t much of a tourist destination. Actually, hah, that’s an understatement. Nopony visits Covenburg.” “You said it was like Cloudsdale, right? “Good memory. And while it’s true you get flightless ponies visiting Cloudsdale – cloud-walking spells are usually given away by the tourist board – Covenburg pretty much segregates itself from the rest of Equestria.” “What?” Twilight was confused. Why would any place deliberately cut themselves off from the rest of the Empire, from tourists and visitors? “How come?” “Well, thestrals are… proud, you could say,” Proud Song sighed and shook his head. “And scared, too, I guess. There’s not a lot of good history between us and the rest of the Empire. In ages past, when disaster struck, ponies often blamed us and ki… chased us out of their towns. The Empress tried to stop it, but it didn’t help. We’ve had a long history of conflict because of our beliefs and looks.” “So it’s like before Equestria united,” the filly suggested. “Like when unicorns and pegasi and earth ponies distrusted each other.” “Yes, something like that. We’re supposed to be the same people – one Equestrian nation – but I guess some ponies don’t see it like that. Even quite a few thestrals seem to think we’re some kind of chosen people because the Lord of Light created us. They get pretty insistent about that part, which doesn’t help things.” “So I guess all this bad blood hasn’t really been forgotten.” The guard nodded. “I remember my grandfather telling me of his foalhood in Manehatten. He was teased, ostracised and even robbed, and the police didn’t help him all that much, if you know what I mean.” His lips curled into a frown as continued. “It happened… happens in Covenburg too. There was a pegasus family in my neighbourhood back when I was a colt. There were some vicious arguments, and they were pretty much shunned by the community for who they were and for disagreeing with the city’s beliefs. They moved away after their house had a brick thrown through its window.” Twilight gasped. “That’s terrible.” “Ponies are like that, I guess.” Proud Song shrugged. “There’s no changing them, no matter how hard you try.” They continued their walk in thoughtful silence. Twilight wanted to enjoy the company and the beautiful garden, but their conversation had stained her mind with unpleasant thoughts on the nature of ponies. It seemed so easy for them to become prejudiced bullies; even she had almost succumbed to such dark impulses. She shivered, unpleasant memories of her own cruelty toward others flooding back. Thank heavens Nightmare Moon caught me when she did. As they rambled through the garden, Twilight tried to distract herself from these unpleasant thoughts by focussing on Proud Song. The guard was tall but not bulky, and he looked quite young compared to many of the more veteran Honour Guards who stood on duty around the palace. The filly marvelled at the way his well-muscled legs and neck flexed as he walked. He did not notice, and her gaze ran up his chiselled jaw to admire the roguish cast lent by his ragged ears and inequine eyes. She remembered back when she first met him; there had been a maid who rejected his advances. For the life of her, Twilight couldn’t understand why a mare would do that. He was, she thought, exceptionally handsome. The silent presence of the young captain gave her time to think, and think about him rather than any subject of idle talk. Not for the first time, butterflies seemed to fill her stomach. It was similar to what she had felt when that white deer visited. When Proud Song looked at her, his eyes meeting her own, Twilight immediately tore her gaze away from him and fought to quell a growing blush, hoping he hadn’t realised she was staring. “Are you well, Lady Sparkle?” he asked. When Twilight risked a glance to the handsome soldier, she found he was smiling so comfortably that it only made her heart flutter more. “Uh, no, I…” her eyes darted around, falling on a busy side-entrance into the palace they had come upon. Aha, Escape! “I’ve just remembered I have to go to a dinner with the Empress and the Bluebloods!” “Oh,” the thestral grimaced. “That doesn’t sound particularly fun.” “It’s not,” she sighed, mostly out of relief; this conversation distracted her from any butterfly-inducing thoughts. “But the Empress wanted me to come with her.” “Would you like me to escort you back to the Royal Apartments?” “No! Uh, no. I’m fine from here,” Twilight said. “Thank you, Sir Proud Song, for keeping me company.” “It was my duty and my pleasure, Lady Sparkle,” he said, the genial, smooth smile that made the filly’s heart skip a beat coming back to his face. She nodded and he bowed before turning around and walking off deeper into the gardens, no doubt trying to find his way back to the barracks. The little filly continued onwards through the door, squeezing past a few of the ponies using it as a thoroughfare. The door led into a hallway Twilight was familiar with – a row of empty rooms used for storage and as offices for official visitors. After taking a moment to orient herself, she set off briskly towards her goal: the Royal Apartments to get ready for an afternoon being “entertained” by the Bluebloods. It was an unfortunate fact of life that, as Empress, Twilight’s mentor had to frequently observe the framework of Equestrian politics and maintain pleasantries with ponies of interest. So Nightmare Moon had explained to the little filly, sympathising with her discomfort at having to sit through an afternoon with the Bluebloods, though not to the point that she was excused from the dinner. Apparently, as Twilight recalled dourly, she needed to establish more of a rapport with ponies like Duke Blueblood and his son. When she reached the Royal Apartments, she found Nightmare Moon in the dressing room. It was a massive circular room with every space filled with cupboards, wardrobes and the odd mirror or two. Every container was in turn filled with some item of clothing or accessory. The great alicorn was sitting on a divan with half a dozen servants at work around her like drones tirelessly attending the queen of a bee hive, only these servants gossiped among themselves as if the Empress wasn’t even there. “Twilight, you are late,” she said disapprovingly, her tone effective in spite of the odd image of Nightmare Moon surrounded by a gaggle of nattering hoofmaidens. “I’m sorry, Empress.” She bowed her head with a due degree of humility, but didn’t offer an explanation. “Nevermind,” the Empress waved a dismissive hoof. “Just sit down and let the maids dress you.” Twilight did as she was told, taking the smaller empty divan next to the alicorn. Immediately, two of the maids finished their current task with Nightmare Moon and moved to the filly. Her school uniform was quickly shed and the two mares set about brushing and buffing her coat. “I know this is your first dinner with nobility, but I expect you to be on your best behaviour,” Nightmare Moon said. “I understand. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down.” The alicorn simply nodded and the silence remained unbroken whilst the maids finished dressing the Empress and her student. When shown herself in the mirror, Twilight stared, wide-eyed. The bookish student who had just come back from a hard night at school was gone, replaced by this perfect picture of a well-to-do pre-debutante noblefilly. Part of Twilight refused to believe that this was her reflection, and then started to quake at the thought of going out dressed in such a superfluous manner. So many people would be staring, and judging. She much preferred quiet, studious solitude to awkward social situations like that. Her Brayzantine purple dress was light and breathed well, with the ruffled skirts and hems tinged with pale rose. Her collar, smooth and primly closed, pleasingly complimented her tied and braided mane. It was an odd look on her. Twilight never had any experience with bound or braided hair; a straight, neatly-trimmed mane had always been her preferred style. Had the transformation happened to one of her old friends at the orphanage, like Moondancer, it would have left them swooning and simpering at how they looked. Twilight, though, could feel doubts nibbling at the edges of her excitement. She couldn’t help thinking of it all as a disguise of sorts.   She turned to Nightmare Moon, who had surprisingly little done to her appearance. Her coat had been buffed and brushed to perfection, and there was a dusting of make-up here and there, but other than, that she wore her usual regalia with the addition of a rich silk shawl draped across her withers and a pair of shining crescent earrings. “Twilight, you look wonderful!” Nightmare Moon said, giving her a merry smile. “It is nice to have a change of pace, don’t you agree?” “Yes, very.” The filly gazed appreciatively in the mirror before turning to the maids. “Thank you, you both did a great job.” The maids smiled their thanks and, at their cue from the Empress, left the dressing room and the Royal Apartments. The alicorn mare bid Twilight wait with her for a while, allowing the maids to get well on their way before they departed for Blueblood’s residence. This was only a short trip out the main door and across the residential area’s common hall. Twilight was grateful that it was empty at that point in the night, save for the guards that stood at attention and the odd servant passing through. She would rather not be the subject of stares by any ponies, walking as she was with the Empress, the both of them obviously dressed for a special occasion. The Empress led her swiftly to the door to the Bluebloods’ residence. Grasping the ornate knocker with her magic, Nightmare Moon declared their arrival with a succession of taps that, though rather light, echoed loudly in the vaulted hall. The door swung silently open almost instantly. They were greeted by a neatly moustachioed peach-coloured stallion. Blue mane combed in a tidy parting, he wore a tuxedo and an expression of stony politeness. “Your Majesty,” he said, bowing deeply. “His Highness, Prince Blueblood, Duke of Canterlot, is in the waiting parlour.” Nightmare Moon nodded and they were brought to a room that seemed perhaps the most typical upper-class parlour imaginable. Everything was antique, or at least seemed to be, and the seating was organised around a magnificent roaring fireplace. Every inch of wall, mantelpiece, and shelf were stuffed with ornaments and paintings. Even the bookshelves seemed more decorative than functional, holding more statuettes and odd little pots and plates than anything of actual practical value. It was a large room; strangely large for an apartment within the palace, but Twilight assumed that the nobles would not stand for anything smaller. The fire cast long shadows over the floorboards and the rug, all the way up to the walls, shadows of furniture and many pony figures. One was the unmistakable form of Duke Blueblood, wearing as immaculate a suit as he ever wore, complete with a sash and the crest of his house along with several other merits and awards. Beside him was a light lilac-coated mare with a towering blonde beehive of curls for a mane. Her purple eyes were framed by deeper purple mascara and elegantly curled eyelashes. She complimented her husband’s suit with a refined yet quite simple blue dinner gown of a neoclassical design. Beside the pair was the younger Blueblood and, to Twilight’s surprise, another foal. They both wore outfits to match their parents; Twilight begrudgingly admitted that Blueblood looked rather dapper in his well-tailored dinner suit. The filly, who she assumed was his sister, looked to be around Twilight’s age. Unlike the rest of her family, her mane was not blonde. Instead, it was cyan and white, sculpted into an ornate series of large, spiralled waves that curled from the nape of her neck to the sudden upward curve of her bangs. Twilight did her best not to glare at the filly with a suspicious gaze. What she had seen so far from this family was not flattering; would this filly be like her brother and father? There were others who stood at a respectful distance to either side of the host family, five in total, and all but one looked like nobles. The tell-tale signs were in the way they held themselves, brimming with confidence and careful, genial politeness, and in their adherence to the elaborate fashions of the capital. The two mares had their manes styled into elaborate spectacles of swirls and curls; straight hair, it seemed, was anathema to Canterlot’s elite. Their dresses were similar in design to Blueblood’s wife, though each with their own unique twist. It appeared that the style was in vogue this year. And, like Blueblood’s wife, they wore what Twilight thought to be an abundance of makeup and jewellery, though likely it was nothing too ostentatious for the nobility. Two of the stallions were paired with the mares, and wore tuxedos similar in nature to the Duke. Twilight could not identify them according to the crests on their sashes, however, and quickly resolved herself to finding out more about the magnates of Equestria, if only for her mentor’s sake. Somehow, she suspected she would be attending more of these kinds of dinners. The other stallion did not wear a tuxedo. Instead, he wore a military dress uniform that was not unlike the one usually preferred by Silverstar. His cadet grey tunic was relieved by a crimson sash that contrasted not unpleasantly against the stallion’s palomino coat and tightly cropped white mane. He wore a full beard that was tidy and neatly groomed, reaching out from his chin by no more than an inch but thick enough to bounce a bit coin off of. He looked tired, she noticed, with the weariness of a long, hard life – perhaps coupled with the tedium of too many dinners like this one. Blueblood led a deep room-wide bow to the Empress and welcomed her graciously and humbly into his home. The lilac unicorn mare then stepped forward. “Hello, Miss Twilight Sparkle,” she said with all the graceful airs of a proper noblemare. “I have heard so many good things about you from my husband and son. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Duchess Lyrica Heartstrings, and this,” she beckoned the mint green filly to her side, “Is my daughter, Lady Lyra Heartstrings.” As proper as her mother, Lyra bobbed her head formally and offered Twilight an empty smile. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Twilight Sparkle,” she said near tonelessly, as if she were merely reciting lines. Twilight did her best to reciprocate, smiling and bowing her head as the filly had done. “The pleasure is mine. It is good to meet you both; and thank you for inviting me for dinner.” From the corner of her eye, the little lavender unicorn saw the Empress smile and nod ever so slightly in approval. Twilight’s heart soared. Propriety and decorum seemed to be the cornerstone of the evening, and the filly vowed to impress her mentor by acting as stately as was possible. She was then introduced to the other guests. It was certainly cosmopolitan: each of the couples represented one of the three tribes. “Baron Flintpoint and Baroness Pink Lady Apple,” the Duke pronounced, gesturing to a blue earth pony stallion and a pink mare. “You may have heard of their bravery against the buffalo raiding out of the badlands beyond Dodge Junction, in honour of which the Empress granted them title over those lands.” The earth ponies bowed and murmured their own greetings, but their smiles looked a touch strained after Duke Blueblood’s explanation. The Duke didn’t deign to notice, though, and moved on to the pegasus pair without pause. He indicated the purple mare, whose golden mane fell in tumbling curls past her shoulders. “This is Lieutenant Commander Vaingloria, Countess of the Northern Reaches, Secundus of the Assembly of Officers, Successor of the Lord Protector of Lost Pegasopolis. And this,” he said, his hoof shifting to the ivory and red stallion by her side, “is Major Aide-de-Camp, Count of the Northern Reaches.” “It is a great pleasure, Miss Sparkle,” Vaingloria said with a broad grin. “We have heard so very much about you.” “Um, thank you,” Twilight said, wondering exactly what they had heard. “It’s nice to meet you too.” Duke Blueblood turned at last to the stallion in the dress uniform. “And may I present Sir Arcturus Bear-Bane, famed knight-errant and a true hero of the land,” Blueblood gestured to the palomino unicorn, who bowed his head graciously to the little filly. “It is an honour to meet the apprentice of Her Majesty the Empress,” the knight said, offering her a genteel smile. “It is quite curious, my son has a cutie mark similar to yours – a purple star emblazoned on a shield. Let me guess: the spark of magic?” Twilight nodded enthusiastically. “Magic is my special talent.” “Ah, then similar to my boy, though his is more of a knack for defensive magic… or is it using magic to defend the weak?” he shook his head. “In any case, it is lovely to meet you.” “Likewise!” Twilight said. “And speaking of your son,” Vaingloria put in, “I heard that he may enter the jousts this year. Commander Javelin announced in the Assembly that…” After the initial introductions, the adults gravitated towards the fireplace, affecting a wall of maturity that segregated them from the children. Twilight only caught snippets of their conversation: a mix of banal discourse about the state of Equestrian politics, politely curious questions regarding the Blueblood household and rather tame gossip on the nobility. At first, she did her best to position herself as far from the Blueblood foals as was politely possible but, much to her surprise, Prince Blueblood trotted up to her soon after the adults started talking. “It is my obligation to entertain you until dinner is ready,” he said, quite neutrally. “Would you like a tour of our home?” “Um… yes, that would be very pleasant, thank you.” Twilight knew there was little else to do until dinner started. The junior Blueblood led her to his sister, who was quietly waiting for them near the door, evidently preparing to leave the grown-ups to grown-up things. Twilight wondered whether she needed to keep up the formality whilst the Empress was not paying attention. “You have a lovely home,” she said as she met the unicorn filly, deciding that was as good a starting point as any. Lyra looked like she was about to say something, but Blueblood was the first to speak. “It is, isn’t it? Refurbished over generations, I am sure it outshines those palace residences of our peers.” He sniffed abruptly. “Though it does not compare to our main family estate in Canterford.” Blueblood’s sister swallowed. “Though I am sure the Royal Apartments are more impressive than this.” Twilight wasn’t sure whether her insider’s view would come off as generous or boastful, so she simply asked, “Have you never been inside?” “No, nopony ever goes in there except for the Empress and her maids and guards,” Lyra said quietly, before frowning slightly. “Until you came.” Twilight didn’t know whether to take her words and frown as simple confusion and curiosity, or as a sign of distrust and bitterness towards her. She wasn’t given much time to contemplate Lyra’s mien, as Blueblood interjected in a lowered, conspiratorial voice, “Actually, I have heard that the Inquisitor is allowed inside.” His eyes darted to the adults, checking if they had overheard, before coming back to Twilight. “They say he even visits in the late evenings on occasion.” Twilight judged, from his prompting expression and the way he let the words hang in the air between them, there was supposed to be something scandalous about what he just said. The young filly tried to wrap her head around what that could be. After all, the Inquisitor was the Chancellor; it made sense for him to be able to meet with the Empress at any time, night or evening. “Well, he does come talk to the Empress once in a while,” she offered. apparently sensing that the implications were lost on her, Blueblood tutted quietly to himself. The young noblepony then led them out of the room after a courteous word to his parents and begging the Empress for leave. His taking charge was quite obvious in firm declarations of which room they were in and stiff explanations as to a particular item that Twilight showed interest in. If his sister minded this, she did not show it. The filly was rather timid and seemed to take upon a submissive role in the dynamics of both the duties of hosting and their sibling relationship. “This torc was found by our great grandmother on Father’s side, Duchess Light Hoof, who was a noted patron of archaeology and antiquities.” The torc in question was crafted from what looked to be granite from its pattern, but a closer inspection revealed that it was, in fact, some kind of metal. Set in the middle of the necklace was a gold band, holding a centrepiece that Twilight thought was a diamond. “See that metal?” Blueblood continued, casual as he talked, though Twilight noted there was a hint of actual interest in his voice. “That is meteorite metal, and the jewel you see is no jewel at all. It is pure water. One-hundred percent chemically pure, in fact; painstakingly made so by magic. It is crystallised and held in place by magic, as well. I recall that it dates back before the Pre-Classical Era, to the time of alicorns.” Twilight couldn’t help but get excited at that titbit of information. “Could an alicorn have made it?” “Perhaps… alicorns often experimented with magic in ways we have never considered before. Only a few other torcs like this have been found.” “In one particular area, or all over the place?” Twilight asked. “The torcs were found in Rodoria; the war with the griffons at the time of their discovery meant they had to be smuggled out. I have read Light Hoof’s journal, and it sounded quite daring.” “They must have been made because of the springs and lake in Rodoria,” Lyra observed. “A lot of already very pure water to work with.” The two other foals nodded in agreement at this before moving on. As they continued around the residence, lingering over household artefacts, Twilight was surprised at the siblings’ keenness for history. While Blueblood dominated the conversation, Lyra often had titbits of insights to offer as well. The Blueblood family suites were a treasure-trove of history; even particular pieces of furniture had tales of their own. Slowly, Blueblood’s stiff attitude subsided and Twilight found she was actually enjoying herself. They ascended the stairs to the bedrooms, only to wait on Blueblood, who politely begged her patience and forgiveness as he disappeared into his room, only to return a few seconds later. “What was that about?” she asked. Any modicum of amicability was briefly expunged when Blueblood answered irritably, “If you must know – though it really is a private matter – I was merely making my move in a chess game.” “Chess game? Are you playing against yourself?” As far as Twilight was aware, there was nopony else in the house for him to play chess with. “My pen-friend in Veneighce, actually. The board is enchanted so we play in real-time, and I just realised a new strategy I could play. He has me in a bit of a bind, but he never was able to play the long game.” He clarified as an afterthought, “His name is Acuto Barlume, son of notable marchesa of one of the most prestigious of the patrician families. Perhaps I may introduce him to you when he next visits. He has been very keen on the political situation here in Equestria, and he will be very interested in meeting the Empress’s first and only apprentice, considering the disturbance you have caused here.” The little lavender unicorn was taken aback. “Disturbance? Do you mean when the Empress made me her student?” “Yes, well, ‘disturbance’ is an accurate way to describe it. Every now and then, a commoner is elevated to nobility by the whims of our sovereign, and most of the existing noble families know how to deal with that. But you…” he frowned thoughtfully. “You put us all in quite a quandary. You have no title, yet you are unofficially our equal by the Empress’s actions regarding you. I suppose you don’t fully realise the gravity of your situation, do you?” His tirade had set off a dozen questions spinning in her head, but she was forced to simply shake her head as she failed to voice any of them. Blueblood was not acting cruel, not whilst she was a guest in his family’s home at least, but his matter-of-fact explanation somehow reminded her of a calm stream hiding sharp rocks beneath its waters. He began to pace back and forth. “For a thousand years now, mortal ponies have been trying to get close to the Empress, to develop some sort of a relationship that might tie us to the Imperial House as more than mere vassals and subjects. We try continually to place ourselves on even an ever-so-slightly more level plane of social existence with Nightmare Moon. She has snubbed any proposal of marriage – even from foreign sovereigns – and most offers of alliance. She has elected to remain above all attempts of the nobility to bind ourselves to her, and those few confidants she has still remain at hoof’s length.” Blueblood stopped his pacing and stared at Twilight, now starting to stalk around the little filly with such a glower that she instinctively turned to keep him in front of her. “And then there’s you. Who else has unlimited access to the Royal Apartments? Who else can command the Empress’s personal attentions? Everypony sees how much time you spend with her – more than even her chancellor. You have become perhaps the greatest political asset in the Empire’s history. You are the key to as equal an alliance with the Obsidian Throne as anypony can hope for, short of becoming a new Arche.” He finally stopped again, having completed two full revolutions around the recipient of his lecture. Twilight prided herself as a mature filly, with a good head for things most foals her age were too unworldly to understand. But this was on an entirely different level. The past few months, she had treated her small contact with the nobility – mostly snobbish fillies ignorantly turning their noses up at her – as inconsequential. All that mattered was her studies. But now the weight of his words finally settled in. There was a whole lot more to being the Empress’s student than just learning; there was politics and the balance of power in Equestria. Her head ached as if a pile of heavy books were uncomfortably laid atop it and a part of her worried that she might throw up if she kept on thinking too deeply about it. Stunned and overwhelmed, she blurted, “If I’m so valuable as a friend, why are you so mean to me?” Blueblood stiffened and, in the corner of her eye, Twilight saw Lyra stare at her brother with a look that bordered on an affronted scowl. That, at least, confirmed Lyra as a pony of some character. The Prince turned to his sister. “Lyra, could you please give Lady Twilight and me a moment to ourselves?” he asked in a strained voice. “I have private things I must speak with her about.” The younger sibling’s face formed into a true scowl now. “You know what Mother and Father have always said: it is improper to leave a mare and a stallion alone without supervision.” “Lyra!” he hissed. “Don’t be stupid. You know that only applies to unmarried ponies and courting couples of marriageable age. Now stop making excuses and leave us.” They locked stares for a few moments, Lyra wearing a pout truly worthy of a daughter of the aristocracy, before she turned her head upwards, harrumphed, and stalked off to her room. Twilight would have likely been amused were it not for her continued state of bafflement. Now she was alone with Blueblood, who let out a long, heavy sigh. “Miss Sparkle, you must know that when you… threatened me, you committed a slight against not only the authority of my station, but my personal honour. As you never formally conceded your wrongdoing to me and apologised, nor can I force you to do so in an overt fashion, I had no choice but to rectify your slight by returning it… however subtly, and however petty the means.” This did nothing to help clear up Twilight’s confusion. What? What kind of twisted morality is that? Is… is that how all nobleponies think? She shook her head slightly, trying to clear the fog of questions and attempted understandings in her mind and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath and exhaling much as Blueblood had done, she opened her eyes and replied, mustering up all the airs and graces she could, “Are you satisfied, then, Prince Blueblood, that revenge for your dishonour has been achieved?” A neutral Blueblood nodded firmly. “It is. As such, I will admit the wrongdoing on my part, dishonouring you both directly and indirectly by insulting your friend, and apologise, but only if you are willing to do the same.” “I can agree to that,” Twilight said. “I was, at the time, abusing my position as the Empress’s apprentice, and I realise now it was the wrong thing to do.” She bowed her head slightly, remembering the first time they had apologised to one another, though she strived to give a composed response to the noble. “Prince Blueblood, I apologise for my insult against you and your station.” At this, the unicorn colt too bowed his head. “Miss Twilight Sparkle, I apologise for the insult to you and your friend. In retrospect, threatening to call the guards was a stupid and childish reaction to a simple and… perhaps deserved coltish brawl. I must admit, I am not very good under pressure. These kinds of dilemmas in a more formal, civilised setting amongst equals are more to my liking.” “Equals?” “Oh yes,” Blueblood nodded emphatically. “At this point, I think – and I think all the aristocracy thinks – that your elevation to our ranks is a given. The very least you will get is a barony, perhaps somewhere in the Capital Province, close to Canterlot.” Twilight wasn't sure whether she liked the sound of that. If she had to run a barony, where would be the time for studying? For the Empress? “I don’t know… are you sure the Empress would make me a noble?” “When you are older, certainly. It would be unwise for the Empress to not give you an opportunity to use your talents and education to help govern Equestria, and the Empress is definitely not an unwise mare.” She couldn't help but accede to his reasoning, much to her surprise. This Blueblood was a far cry from the Blueblood who publicly accused her of being a thief when they first met, who callously and pettily insulted Orion and then threatened to have him arrested. Perhaps she had just found him in a bad way at those times; perhaps he had been out of his element, unable to deal with the admittedly somewhat unique situation that she presented. Twilight nodded to herself. Yes, that seemed a reasonable explanation. After all, Blueblood wasn't stupid. His recent behaviour and the fact that he attended the Imperial Academy was a testament to that. The bell for dinner rang soon after their apology and Lyra came out of her room, looking quite put off. Her brother attempted to mollify her, saying that all was well between him and Twilight. Lyra nodded at his words, but her expression didn't seem to change. They arrived in the dining room to find the adults already there, and servants moving around the edges of the room, attending to their tasks. Nightmare Moon smiled at her student as they entered. “Twilight, I hope you enjoyed the Bluebloods’ home, it is really quite lovely.” Twilight smiled back. “Oh yes! They have all kinds of interesting things here. Some are thousands of years old!” “We Bluebloods have been patrons of history for many generations,” the Duke said, his words resonating with pride. “Our collection in our Canterford estate is much larger and, I can assure you, much more interesting than the trinkets we have lying around here.” “Perhaps we can visit your estate sometime in the future, Duke Blueblood,” the Empress suggested. “I haven’t seen it in quite a while. In the meantime, let us sit down for dinner.” They obeyed the Empress’s subtle order with good grace and speed, nestling into the cushioned stools. The adults and the children were segregated once more, seated on either end of the table. Nightmare Moon was given the honour of sitting at the head of the table, with the ducal couple seated at her right and left. Twilight and the other foals’ stools and cutlery were positioned with enough space between them and the adults that they would be properly excluded from their discussions unless voices were raised and questions directed at them. Twilight decided that she did not like this at all. It was evident that the Queen of the Night was keen to begin the meal, and the servants were hurried into setting out the first course. A lovely palate of hors d'oeuvres were laid out, though soup seemed to be the central theme of this course: a rich Prench onion soup garnished with croutons and topped with gruyere cheese that had melted to a golden layer on the top. The adults had already begun their conversations, or resumed them, in any case. Despite her efforts to listen in, their chatter was quickly lost on Twilight, filled with discussions about ponies she’d never heard of and complicated political and economic affairs. “So Twilight, I take it you’re attending the Imperial Academy for Gifted Unicorns?” Twilight turned to Lyra and nodded. “I’ve just joined this year.” The mint green filly smiled. “I’m studying there too, though I am a couple of years above yours.” “What’s it like?” the Empress’s student asked, keen to get some more insight on her school. “I mean, I don’t know how much work it’ll be later on or even if it’s any different from my year.” “Oh, well, the first year was fairly easy, and there is much more work in my grade. We need to learn a lot of stuff because we’re taking our GCE exams three years earlier than every other pony in Equestria.” “Those exams aren’t too much trouble, you should know. As long as you have revised sufficiently, of course,” Blueblood said, doing his best to try and sound invested in the conversation. It was painfully clear that he was quite bored and somewhat annoyed at being grouped with the children and excluded from the adults. His eyes often wandered over to his parents and the Empress, and his ears frequently twitched in an attempt to overhear snippets of their conversation. “The SATs are much more difficult, and my year will be a Tartarus of studying and mock exams to prepare for the real things.” The main course was brought out, and it was a gorgeous selection: carrot and coriander frittelli with halloumi and sweet lemon dressing; and a basil roulade with sun-blushed tomatoes, made with what Duke Blueblood proudly declared to be deer’s milk. The food had been cooked to perfection. Flavours danced on Twilight’s tongue. She could taste the work of master chefs, and wondered if Ram Sea had been the dishes’ creator. As they dined, the foals continued to talk about school and their experiences with it. Lyra was as friendly and polite as any pony she knew at the orphanage, if somewhat more refined and shy. More often than not, however, Blueblood monopolised the conversation, turning it to subjects he was most comfortable with. The two siblings seemed to share a fascination with history, though, and when their exchanges turned to that subject, Lyra held a more equal verbal footing with her brother. Twilight found, much to her surprise, that she was enjoying not just Lyra’s contributions but Blueblood’s own anecdotes. She remained somewhat baffled as to how nice he was being, though she noticed he often made – likely without realizing it – callous remarks regarding certain members of the school, students and faculty alike; mostly those who were common or “rustic”. By the time they were presented with a light and creamy zabaglione for desert, school as a conversation piece had been completely exhausted. “Lyra,” the little lavender unicorn began. “I was wondering why you and your mom are ‘Heartstrings’ and not ‘Bluebloods’. I mean, wouldn’t you have the same family names if your parents were married, being nobles?” The subject, for a reason unknown to Twilight, made Lyra bashful and, at some unspoken signal, her brother stepped in to answer for her. “It is a product of aristocratic politics,” he explained, keeping his voice loud enough only for the three of them to hear. Twilight supposed Blueblood’s parents would not take kindly to him talking about them while they were just a few feet away. “Our mother was actually the third in line to be the head of the Heartstrings family; our late uncles were the first and second. They didn’t die until after she was engaged to our father, and their sudden demise caused concern among the court.” “How come?” Twilight frowned thoughtfully. Politics, she decided, was definitely not her forte. “The Heartstrings are very powerful. Even if she hadn’t married our father, Mother would be a duchess in her own right as her family are the lords of Manetana. When our uncles died in a tragic accident on a mountaineering trip, she was suddenly the heir to the family. Nopony thought she would ever inherit much, which is why nopony put up much of a fuss when it was announced that she was to marry our father. Now there was the possibility of the Heartstrings and the Bluebloods combining, which would make our joined family truly supreme in all of Equestria.” This elicited a proud smile from not just Blueblood, but also Lyra. “So rather than face trouble from lords challenging his suit, our father came to an agreement with our mother: she would not join the Blueblood family properly, instead act as the head of a separate household, and the firstborn would belong to the Blueblood line whilst the second-born would be Heartstrings and so on and so on, in alternating order. This satisfied most ponies, for it means that the power of two duchies won’t be concentrated in one family forever.” Twilight nodded along with his explanation, frowning in her attempt to understand. Yes, that does make sense… sort of. Though she couldn’t understand what business it was of other ponies if somepony gets married to another, or what was so bad about one family having two duchies. Why did Blueblood and Lyrica need to compromise with other ponies anyway? Whatever the answer, it was slowly dawning on the unicorn filly that, if Blueblood was right and the Empress made her a noble or gave her some important job later in life, she would have to deal with all this convoluted, bizarre politics some night. The thought made her shudder, and a thousand questions and scenarios began to sprout in her head. What would it mean for her to be a noble? Would she even be made one? Would there be time for books and studying? How important would she be, really? Twilight tried to form an idea of that magnitude from Blueblood’s earlier words, realising just how little she knew about Equestrian politics and high society when she failed to do so. Dinner finished with Twilight only partly paying attention to the discussions of the others, nodding her head and offering minimal responses as warranted. They were seen off with much fuss, Nightmare Moon deciding to forgo the apparently customary post-dinner wine-drinking for the sake of Twilight’s homework. Bows were made and the Bluebloods assured their Empress and her student of their honour at their attending the dinner. The Empress played her part, being very verbally gracious that they invited her in the first place. By the end of it all, Twilight was really quite sick of the formalities. She said goodbye to the siblings politely nonetheless, though with much more sincerity to Lyra. Despite his apology and lack of cruelty, Blueblood had still not earned her trust. Some of his politeness was very clearly only skin-deep, though other times he seemed somewhat genuine in his pleasantries. His sister, on the other hoof, was rather more constant and earnest in her congeniality. Twilight knew she would definitely not be averse to seeing her again. “Now, Twilight,” Nightmare Moon said as they stepped into the Royal Apartments. “I have a busy schedule planned for us this weekend – I want to introduce you to some dignitaries – so it would be best if you finish your homework this evening.” “Yes, Empress,” Twilight said, bowing her head in acquiescence. There was not all that much time left until she had to go to bed, and if it were not for that dinner she would have been done now and would have had the opportunity to do some well-earned leisure reading after a long night of school. Plus, the idea of spending all the time meeting dignitaries did not sound like a fun or productive use of her weekend to Twilight. The tall black alicorn left her with a reminder to properly hang up her dress. The filly walked into her room and immediately slipped it off, positioning it carefully in her wardrobe. First things first, she thought. Twilight walked up to her vanity mirror and undid the braids and untied her mane. A minute or so spent brushing sent it back to its pleasingly simple natural shape. Satisfied that all signs of ceremony had been removed from her appearance, Twilight went about finishing her homework. She had numerous assignments from all her different classes. She was usually very good at her schoolwork, and she loved to research deeply into her subjects. Many of her classmates only put the minimal necessary effort into their work, but Twilight knew she had to go one step beyond. The library would be scoured, citations would be made and, if at all possible, experts reached until she had produced something most SAT-level Academy students would be proud of. It was expected of her as the Empress’s student, but moreover, she expected it of herself. This time, however, as the clock ticked away, Twilight began to grow increasingly aggravated. It was clear by the deadline set by her mentor that she would not be able to go as in-depth as she would have liked, nor would she be able to cross-reference or do any of the background reading she so desperately wanted. To make matters worse, her earlier questions of politics and the Empress’s plans for her bubbled like a boiling kettle left far too long on the flame. She couldn’t concentrate, not while she lacked the answers to her very future. Try as she might, the questions floated to the forefront of her mind. Would she be able to face the challenges that Nightmare Moon gave her? Would the Empress give her a chance to decide for herself how she wanted to use her talents?   She growled as she glanced at the clock, painfully aware how close the hands were to the hour of her bedtime. Shaking her head, trying to find a distraction for the questions, Twilight decided only one course was available. She needed a break. Very rarely did the ravenously studious filly actually ever take a break. Even then, it would be simply reading a novel. But this time, her thoughts were still full of noble titles, politics and responsibility. A few lines of Pride and Pegasus whisked her right back to the Bluebloods’ party, and she closed it again. 1001 Arabian Nights didn’t help, either. She was pretty sure Sahara Shade wouldn’t have lasted very long if she’d kept repeating the same sentence to the sultan like that. Twilight scanned the bookcase once more then sighed. She knew there was no book in her room, or even in Equestria, that would clearly tell her what her brain needed in order to relax; she was unique, Nightmare Moon’s first apprentice ever. She scanned the room, searching for a distraction lest she become sick with worry. She sighed. Other fillies and colts didn’t have to worry about the political futures of an empire. Their biggest concerns were who to play ball with at recess and who stole whose building blocks. Huh. Recess. Suddenly, Twilight knew what she had to do: something she thought a filly as mature as herself was above; something that she so rarely did. She would play. Reading certainly hadn’t helped keep her mind off her worrisome concerns. Unfortunately, her room held very little in the way of toys; mostly books. Almost entirely books, in fact. “Maybe…” she murmured aloud, an idea slowly forming. Grinning, she set to work. Many of the books were massive things, looted from the palace library where they had been kept for centuries. The venerable tomes were in pristine condition, something brought about by a spell as she had learned a while ago. They formed perfect building blocks. Twilight worked well with a goal in mind. She always found that problem-solving helped herself focus. The task at hoof was a new challenge, however: she was going to build a fort; as big and grand as she could make it. The little filly had never actually constructed anything before, aside from the odd school project. But nothing on the scale she was trying for. She let her creativity run wild. The shelves formed the quarries, the books the stones. She would build a castle for herself, worthy of a duchess… or even a princess! She went through several designs of her fortress, each ending in collapse, before she found the perfect way to make it. Twilight found she had enough books to make plenty of sturdy pillars, walls and turrets. It only grew as she redesigned it further, using her bed as a foundation and adding stools, cushions and chairs. The finishing touch was a little flag of her cutie mark made out of coloured-in paper. It was a massive construct, compared to her at least. Just as she stood proudly before her creation, the door opened. “I see you must be finished with your homework then.” Twilight whipped around to find the Empress standing in her doorway with a soft smile on her lips, shed of all her jewellery, make-up and regalia save for an obsidian tiara that looked rather small for her. The little filly blushed and looked away, nervously kicking her hoof against the carpet. “It is quite all right, my dear student,” Nightmare Moon assured her. “There is no harm in a young filly your age playing, even if you have made quite a mess of your room. You can use the rest of your time until bed as you see fit, after all.” The filly winced. “Weeelllll…” She was now met with a cooler look. “Twilight Sparkle, do you mean to tell me that you haven’t finished your homework when I specifically told you to? I expected more from you, young filly.” “I… I, um…” Twilight stammered and stepped back, fighting away the tears of shame and embarrassment. “It… It’s just that I have no time to get it all done in the right way and I… I just have so much on my mind and I can’t concentrate.” She sighed and hung her head, averting her eyes to the ground, well aware of how pathetic she sounded. “’M sorry...” She felt the hard, keratinous surface of a hoof and her head was gently lifted up. Twilight found her mentor to now be a little more mollified, the alicorn’s eyes brimming with questioning sympathy. The Empress closed the door behind her and walked further into the room, near the book fort, before sitting down. She beckoned Twilight to join her, which the filly did with some reluctance, predicting a calm, stern dressing-down. She hated those kinds of lectures. “Twilight, you do not have to worry,” Nightmare Moon said with a new tenderness. “Perhaps I put too much pressure on you so late in the evening after such a busy night. I think I might be able to let you miss a few of our appointments, though they will be disappointed that they will not be able to meet you, having the time to properly do you schoolwork is more important.” “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Twilight gave her teacher a feeble little smile. The mare nodded. “You are welcome, my student. Now, please, tell me what’s on your mind.” Twilight sighed. “When we were at his house for dinner, Blueblood said that I’m going to be very, very important to Equestria and the nobles, and that I’ll probably be a noble myself. And the way he said it… it just sounds like he’s right. I’ll have so much responsibility and I’ll have to do all this… this political stuff. I have so many questions and I don’t have any answers.” When the last of her words slipped out of her mouth, a contemplative silence fell upon the room. Nightmare Moon’s brow was furrowed as she regarded the filly with neutral, calculating eyes, before her expression relaxed and the gentleness returned. “I would be lying to you if I said that I don’t have plans for you in the future,” she said, the seriousness of her words balanced by the compassion in her voice. “As my apprentice, you have a lot of expectations to meet, not just from me, but from society as a whole. When you are ready, you will have responsibilities, though I must admit I do not know exactly what they will be yet. I know you have a great destiny that you will somenight meet, but only when you are ready. I have no intention of pushing you into something you are unwilling to do or incapable of doing.” “But you will make me have responsibilities,” Twilight concluded, not sure whether to be scared or proud that her teacher had such high hopes for her. “Everypony has responsibilities, in some form or another. Even now, you have responsibilities to your education.” Twilight nodded, before voicing another question. “What about when Blueblood said I was important to the nobles and politics? Was he right?” “He was, in a way. You are important to me; very important. But in regards to Equestria as a whole, well, I think you are only as important as they think you are. That is true for anypony, really.” Nightmare hummed in thought. “And it depends on what responsibilities and tasks you will have when you are older. Do you want to be important?” The answer was obvious. “No, not really. I just want to be your apprentice and keep on learning.” “An apprentice will always outgrow her master, my little pony,” the Empress smiled sweetly. “One night, I think, there will be nothing left to teach you. One night you will go beyond being my student to something else entirely, perhaps. Something that you will have to define for yourself. Do you understand?” Twilight nodded almost absently. “I… think so. I will have bigger responsibilities when I’m older, and I…” she swallowed, the thought almost painful “I won’t be your student forever. But what about me becoming a noble? Is that true?” Much to the filly’s irritation, her mentor simply shrugged. “Perhaps. I have not yet made my decision. Is the idea appealing to you?” Mimicking her teacher, she shrugged with casual uncertainty. “I’m not sure. I don’t really know enough about what being a noble means. Will I have to be all political like they are?” “Only if you want to. I know many good nobleponies who have shirked the power games of their fellow aristocrats and did their best to ignore politics. But I do think that if I do ennoble you when you are older, it would be a good way to put your talents to use, and you should simply think of it as responsibilities given to you as an adult. I trust you will not disappoint me; you are a very capable pony,” Nightmare Moon said, before shaking her head dismissively. “In any case, this is a matter for the future. You have been far too worked up over all of this when it is years away. Nothing is set in stone, my faithful student, and a foal as young as yourself shouldn’t be worried over something so far into the future. It will all be dealt with in time, but for now, you should focus on what is right in front of you.” That made sense, Twilight thought, and she did answer most of my questions. Though her mentor’s own ambiguity riled her, she quickly realised that this was a problem for the future, just as Nightmare Moon had said. Obstinately, she decided that she would be ready and willing for whatever challenge the Empress gave her, whenever she gave it. One last question did remain, however. “So… am I in trouble for not doing my work?” she asked with trepidation. The mare tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Hmmm… no, I will not punish you. I should not have restricted you so. Though you should really have known better than to simply fritter away your evening rather than voice your concerns to me, as wonderful as your castle may be.” “You like it?” “Why yes!” Nightmare Moon smiled bombastically, her eyes suddenly twinkling gaily, and stood up with a hoof to rest to her chest. “It is a most magnificent palace, fit for a queen!” Twilight giggled at the sight of the Empress of Equestria acting so playfully. “It was supposed to be a princess’s castle.” “Then, Twilight Sparkle, I dub you Princess.” The tall alicorn lowered her head and touched each of the filly’s shoulders with her horn in a facsimile of a knighting. “Does your castle have a name?” “Um, how about Bibliopolis?” she suggested. “As excellent a name as any, I say. Do I have permission to be received by Princess Twilight Sparkle of Bibliopolis?” Nightmare Moon bowed her head respectfully. Drawing herself up into as regal a posture as she could make, Twilight held her head aloft as she replied, “I will be honoured to received such an esteemed guest, though I insist that all visitors must pay tribute.” Humming in deliberation, the Empress scanned the room before her searching gaze went upwards. She plucked her tiara from her head and, with a small mock ceremony, crowned her student as the official Princess of Books. Twilight was overjoyed at her newfound status and deigned the gift worthy enough for Nightmare Moon to be allowed in her kingdom. It was a silly start to what proved to be an increasingly silly evening. ============ The Princess of Books was in a dire situation. The castle had partially collapsed thanks to the treachery of the Equestrian delegation (or at least, thanks to the delegation’s miscalculation of whether her hips would fit into the castle, much to her dissatisfaction), sparking a war between Equestria and Bibliopolis. Cushions had to be appropriated from her fortress for the war effort, which only served to put its structural integrity in further jeopardy. Meanwhile, the Empress of Equestria had plundered her own room for more pillows, stacking them up in the corner of Twilight’s bedroom as a barricade-cum-stockpile. Now, with the lavender unicorn hiding in her book-built bastion and the black alicorn behind her palisade of pillows, they catapulted cushions at one another. The throws were light, however, and Nightmare Moon took special care to make sure she tossed her projectiles as daintily as she could without ruining the fun. Twilight was currently on the defensive, focussed on repairing her defences with as much speed and skill as she could manage. A bombardment of cushions and pillows came from the Empress’s station, and poor Smartypants had been knocked off her lookout perch, now wearing a handkerchief as a makeshift sling. And she was just preparing an array of pillows to hurl back at her teacher until her bedroom door suddenly opened. “Is anypony in here? I’ve been looking–” Twilight scampered out of her fortress to find a stunned Inquisitor at the door. She had never seen a pony look more perplexed in her life, and she realised it was certainly quite the image. Here was the Empress of all Equestria, Queen of the Night and Regent of the Moon, having a pillow fight with a filly sitting in a fort of books. His eyes locked questioningly onto Nightmare Moon’s. The alicorn rose to her hooves and walked over to him calmly with an arch expression, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “You know it is impolite to enter a lady’s room without knocking first, Inquisitor,” she admonished, her voice stern and dignified. “I… I apologise, Your Majesty.” The ashen unicorn bowed his head. “What is it you wanted to see me for anyway?” she asked. “Ah, well, just to inform you that the Silverstar Plan has been passed in Parliament,” he said, businesslike in both his tone and expression. “The official Council ratification and signing is on Firstnight at ten o’clock in the monrning.” “That seems reasonable. Thank you for notifying me, Inquisitor.” Nightmare nodded appreciatively and the Inquisitor bowed, moving to leave until she called for him with a devilish smirk on her lips. “Oh, and Inquisitor?” He turned and a soft pillow sailed across the room, smacking him square in the face. He went rigid with shock as Nightmare Moon tittered. “That was for not knocking.” Seeing his stunned expression only fuelled the Empress’s merriment. At this point unable to control herself, Twilight joined her mentor in the hysterics. The Inquisitor, it seemed, found it rather unamusing and left with a self-important huff. However, though it might have been her imagination, Twilight thought she caught the signs of a grin cracking through the grey stallion’s rigid face as he turned around. The laughter went on for quite some time until they were left lying on the floor with happy tears in their eyes. As they panted, spent from their amusement, Nightmare Moon sat up and looked at Twilight with a strange, wistful expression. The filly returned the gaze with the quizzical rising of an eyebrow. “Thank you, Twilight.” The student sat up. “What for?” “I have not laughed like that in… some time. I have not had fun like that in some time. I had almost forgotten what it was like to let things go and just play. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to remember.” “Oh, well you’re welcome,” Twilight blushed. “But aren’t you an adult? I mean, no offence, Empress, but adults don’t really play. Not like that, at least.” The alicorn’s reply was a kind smile. “I think there is an exception when we play with foals.” She sighed and stared out of the window, to her crystal clear night. In her mentor’s eyes, Twilight saw a number of emotions come and go, though she had trouble pinpointing them. The Empress continued to stare outside for a while until she swiftly rose and turned to the little lavender unicorn. “How would you like to go out for a flight?” Struck by the oddness of the question, Twilight frowned. “I don’t have wings.” That elicited a rich chuckle from Nightmare Moon. “No, I mean on my back.” “Oh yes please!” Twilight jumped to her hooves, eyes wide with excitement. Grinning in pleasure, the starry-maned pony guided the foal out to the balcony and, with magic, lifted her gently onto her back. Twilight hugged tightly onto the alicorn’s neck, though this didn’t seem to cause her any discomfort. She eyed the view before her nervously; though spectacular, it reminded her just how high up she was, and how she would be even higher. “Promise you won’t let me fall?” Nightmare Moon turned her head as far behind her as she could. “I promise. If you do, I will catch you.” “O-okay…” she managed, butterflies filling her stomach. She shivered, both at the cold air that blew past them, but also at the prospect of the flight. “Do you not want to fly with me?” “I do! It’s just…” she gulped. “I’m a little nervous.” “Don’t worry, my little pony,” Nightmare Moon smiled warmly and bent her knees. “It will be like nothing you have ever experienced.” With a strong leap and a flap of her wings, the alicorn vaulted over the railing and dove. Unable to help herself, Twilight screwed her eyes as tightly shut as she could and let out a scream that was blown away in the wind. She tightened her grip as the wind lashed her face and whipped past her ears, whistling from their speedy descent. It seemed like forever before the freefall ended and Nightmare Moon rose into the night sky, beating her powerful wings steadily. She flew straight and fast, as fast as perhaps only an alicorn could fly. At this safer angle of flight and at the soft, encouraging words of her teacher, Twilight opened her eyes. Cold air blasted against them cruelly, and she was forced to narrow her vision and blink rapidly to prevent them from drying out. For a long while, Twilight buried her face in the warm nape of the Empress’s neck until she worked up the courage to pry herself away and peek over the alicorn’s shoulder, risking a downwards glance. The land shone in the light of the evening, a silvery sheen on the darkest blue. The distant lights of small villages sped past, like little clusters of stars on the ground, though not as sharp and clean. Throwing a glance back towards Canterlot, she saw the city slowly shrink further and further into the distance. Its colours bled together, becoming a blur of red, blue, white and yellow light before eventually disappearing behind the hills and mountains altogether. The Queen of the Night’s mane billowed off to the side on a current of its own, defying the wind and keeping out of her face and field of view. The filly would have smiled at her mentor’s consideration had she not been already gaping at the sights below and in front of her. Eventually, Nightmare Moon slowed her speed. The frequency of her wingbeats decreased and she spread her wings wide and broke into an even glide every so often. Despite this pace, the draught and the altitude still stole much warmth from the little filly on her back, who shivered and pressed her body into the alicorn’s fur. “Are you cold, Twilight?” the Empress asked, her voice remarkably clear despite the buffeting gale. Twilight nodded against the mare’s neck, raising her voice to be heard over the wind. “Yes! Aren’t you?” Offering no answer, Nightmare Moon’s horn flashed, and suddenly Twilight didn’t feel so cold. The wind was still blasting against her face and body, but with much less discomfort; feeling more like a breeze during a hard gallop. Her throat and mouth were no longer rubbed raw whenever she breathed and after a few blinks, her eyeballs no longer felt abraded. Without the wind chill, she was warming right up. Twilight sighed at the newfound comfort and relaxed. “I would not be too complacent if I were you, Twilight,” Nightmare warned. “Though I can catch you if you slip, I doubt falling is a pleasant experience for one who is so young and has never flown such as you.” Twilight kept a firm hold on the Empress’s neck as the alicorn dipped her outstretched wings and glided at a gentle angle towards the ground. They were in a wide valley devoid of civilisation. Below them was nothing but forest, and in the distance, a shimmering lake. The mountains weren’t the typical solitary heights of Canterlot Valley; they were a complete chain of highlands punctuated every so often by unique peaks, forming the walls of the valley. Twilight marvelled at how there was such an undisturbed place so close to Canterlot, but then upon thinking about it, she realised that she had no idea how far away they were from the capital. Nightmare Moon had flown so fast and so far that it seemed like it could be a hundred miles from where they started. They glided closer to the earth, coming up to the lake Twilight had seen on the horizon. It was so still it reflected the silvery light of the moon and stars like a giant mirror. As they drifted over the surface of the water, Twilight imagined there being two star-filled skies – one above her and one below – and that they flew above the gateway to another world. Moving closer and closer until they were skimming just over the lake, Nightmare Moon extended a foreleg and pierced the still skin of the water with her hoof. It was only for a second, but it sent ripples out across the lake and warped the reflected sky. The stars shook and shifted as the ripples passed through them and the moon wobbled like jelly. Twilight lurched backwards and checked her grip as the Empress climbed back into the sky. Looking behind her, Twilight saw the ripples grow smaller and further away as she was lifted higher. Nightmare Moon tipped herself to the right in a slow, long turn. “We will be heading back now,” she said. “It is past your bedtime already.” The mention of bedtime flipped a switch and Twilight realised suddenly just how tired she was. The exhilaration of the flight kept her awake, but at the same time it sapped at her mental stamina. The afternoon had been eventful and tiring and were she not soaring through the evening air on the back of the Queen of the Night, Twilight was sure she would be asleep by now. At that thought, the warm cosy cocoon of her bed sounded very enticing; despite the wonderful scenery and the incomparable experience of flight, the whistling wind and the marked lack of clothing was rather unpleasant in the autumn climate. As the Empress tilted her body upwards, ascending more quickly and aerodynamically, Twilight peered over her wings and watched as the woods and lake shrank underneath them, as they flew higher than the mountaintops bordering the valley. Twilight felt the air grew colder and thinner, and though the chill didn’t faze her too much anymore, she snuggled into Nightmare Moon’s midnight fur. Every breath came easily, though deep down she knew she should feel lightheaded and dizzy. Once again, she was very thankful for the alicorn’s spell. For a long time the only ambiance was the muffled wind, the steady beat of wings and the soft sigh of breathing. She closed her eyes and focussed on these soothing rhythmic sounds. Then, in what seemed to be spontaneity, the Empress began to trill and hum what sounded like a gentle lullaby. And with her guardian’s music in her ears and her mind full of sky, mountains and mirrors, Twilight drifted off to sleep as she was carried further into the heavens.