//------------------------------// // A Game of Diplomacy // Story: Kingdom of the Moon // by PheonixCircle //------------------------------// Luna held the letter that just arrived through the fire, which had turned brightly blue for a moment, in her magical grip. As she read she changed from happy to surprised and back. The letter came from Moonprayer and held important news about the alliance offer to Icewind. It seems that the ruler of Icewind, King Conglatius IV, hasn't just sent an ambassador. He has sent his son and heir, Prince Conglatius V, and Luna recognised this as a sign of trust a ruler rarely has into another country except it is ruled from somepony from the same dynasty. She began her preparations for the negotiations, aware that nobody would bother her for another few hours. She decided to wear the crown she got from her sister that symbolised her status as princess of Equestria and ruler over the night, a small, silver crown with one of the most valuable night-diamond stones found in Equestria, the "Dark Moon"-stone. It was dark-blue and as big as an eye. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a pony that she hadn't seen for a very long time. She looked like before she turned into Nightmare Moon, where she was fit for ruling besides her sister, with the crown and the regal look and posture she held. She smiled as she had finally found her old self again. The goblet behind her seemed to flicker in the mirror as if it wanted that Luna finally got to the other side, to her own realm. She turned around, walked towards the goblet and waited a bit longer. It had been a long time since she had negotiated with somepony, and she was afraid to anger the prince and with him, the king. She turned her head, looked at herself in the mirror, and decided that it would be all right, before she finally jumped into the fire. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prince Conglatius V sat in the room the priestess had offered him when he had arrived with his entourage. It had been a long journey and resting was most enjoyable in this cosy room. He was a tall pony towering over everyone he had met except for his father. Both, the king as well as the prince, had white fur and a purple mane. They were a family of unicorns, strong in magic concerning manipulation of people, which they rarely used in these times. There was no need and the ponies would certainly be angered and grow rebellious, as they did back in Equestria. Prince Conglatius had a rather wild mane, spikes towering over his horn, and a small goatee under his chin. Since a few generations this beard existed, remembering the family of the blasphemy their ancestor committed in his love, but the prince admitted that he liked the beard, it made him stand out even more than usually. His cutie mark appeared at his fifth birthday, when he had asked his father to show mercy. It was a crown with a pigeon, the sign of peace. His father did what he asked for, to celebrate the appearance of his son's cutie mark. He turned his head to the door as he heard somepony outside knock. He recognised his father's advisor, Golden Tongue's, voice immediately. "Prince, the princess has arrived. It would be unwise to let her wait. Are you prepared?", the advisor asked. "I am ready advisor. Wait for me outside the house.", the prince answered. He heard the advisor leave and got his crown, a silver plain crown. It was a symbol of the royal blood in his veins. He left the house where the advisor, an earthpony with brown fur and black mane, waited for him. The advisor went ahead and the prince followed him, not knowing where the princess would wait. He wasn't surprised when they arrived at the church, it was her place and the priestess had told him that it would be the most probable place for the meeting. He saw the priestess at one side of the door. He looked at her and noticed that she turned her head away, looking only from the corner of her eyes, smiling. His heart began to race, not exactly knowing why, but he was happy seeing her. His heart almost stopped when he saw the alicorn down the aisle before the blue flame. She looked impressive as she stood there, even taller that the prince. The advisor bowed before the princess and left. The prince was alone with the princess now, which cast a spell engulfing the room. "Just to be sure", she said, her voice carrying softly through the room and pronouncing the wisdom of centuries she certainly must have. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Luna saw the prince and smiled. He remembered her of one of the ponies that was with her sister's student. 'Her name was Rarity, wasn't it',she thought. She came to the conclusion that they must have the same ancestors. Luna began the conversation that would decide over Westbrucke's future: "I am princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria, ruler over the night, the stars, the moon and the dreams." She used her normal voice. She intended to use the royal canterlot voice at first but decided not to as they were in a church. "I am prince Conglatius V, heir to the kingdom of Icewind, first born of king Conglatius IV, ruler of the kingdom of Icewind. I am here in my father's name with the right to speak with his words and to decide with his authority.", the prince answered. Luna was surprised of the maturity of the young stallion. He seemed to be as old as Moonprayer but at the same time seemed as capable she herself was. The prince continued: "I came here to be my father's eyes and witness the truth of the letter you wrote and hereby declare the content of your letter as true. We decided, if the words were true, to begin negotiations with the queen of Winterwald, but it seems you no longer consider yourself that." Luna was surprised of his perception. "No, I no longer call myself the queen of the realm I had to abandon but I am still concerned what happens here.", she said. " As I wrote, I wished for the old alliance to be renewed. Westbrucke needs the help of Icewind. I wish to drive the republic of Flankrium into a corner, so that they once again consider trade and alliance with both Westbrucke and Icewind. And to take back Osttor from whoever took it." The prince listened and answered with a smile on his face: "Do not worry. My father told me that this may happen but he decided to accept the alliance offer if it is true that the queen of Winterwald had returned. But there is one other thing I have to ask of you, if you allow me to." Luna nodded and the prince continued: "My father had hoped that, if it is possible, I would marry soon. He was thinking about which courtier would be educated enough for the royal family when your letter arrived. When he finished reading, an idea had come to his mind. He didn't want just an alliance with the ruler of Westbrucke, he wanted a deeper bond." Luna looked almost shocked when he fell on his left knees before he continued: "May I ask you to marry me, to form a bond between the two realms and finally become one again, as it was in the old times when the moon stood above us and enlightened our paths?" Luna looked at the young stallion, seeing that there was no love involved, rather that he had to abandon his true love: "No, I won't accept this offer. It is wise of your father to deepen the bond but I am not the right choice to do so." The prince looked more relieved than he had intended to look like and Luna caught herself thinking of educating him in this matter. "So be it. The alliance stays, nonetheless. I will inform my father of this. He will surely be disappointed but there is nothing any of us could do to convince an alicorn." Luna looked at him and both agreed silently that the negotiations were over. They went better than the princess could have hoped for. Luna lifted the spell and they left the church when Luna noticed the young priestess staring at the prince with a look that was as clear as her most beautiful nights. And she noticed the look on the prince he had on the priestess, more subtle and harder to read, yet with the same basic feelings behind it. "Prince, one last word about your last proposal." He turned his head, a question mark almost visible above his head. "I decided to decline it because I have another realm to rule and I will use a substitute in this realm. Maybe my substitute will accept the offer you made. Indeed I am rather certain that she will do so", she said, smiling at both the priestess and the prince. And both looked at the princess, the priestess not knowing what she meant and the prince not certain why Luna was certain that the next ruler of Westbrucke would accept his offer. Both shook their heads and went their way as Luna turned around and returned to Equestria, smiling in knowledge that everything is developing quite a bit better than she had hoped for.