A few days had passed since Prince Conglatius V left Westbrucke to return to Icewind. He was sad and glad at the same time. He didn't dislike the ponies of Westbrucke but they were more rural than he had anticipated. Most of them were, at least. A few were more sophisticated, like the mayor. Or the priestess.
He was deep in thought and didn't catch what Golden Tongue was saying to him. The prince only noticed that he was speaking as his look remained on him. "Excuse me, advisor. I was in thoughts. What were you saying?" he asked, politely as possible to lessen the possible anger of his advisor. Golden Tongue on the other hand simply smiled and nodded his head.
"It was apparent you were in thoughts, my prince." His smile faded again and the look on his face seemed urgent. "I was just asking if it was really all right to let the princess decline to your proposal without any further negotiations. I know your father trusts your decisions and he will accept that you and the princess will not marry. But this is nonetheless an extremely risky situation this alliance brought us in. The princess will wage war against Flankrium, we all know this much. But we don't know what will come afterwards. She might abandon us again."
Conglatius V looked at the floor, sadness in his face. "I know for certain that she will abandon us again." Golden Tongue looked at the prince in surprise. "She told me herself. She said that it would be too much for her to rule over Winterwald and Equestria at the same time and I assume she doesn't want to abandon her sister again."
Golden Tongue's eyes widened, his cheeks got red and he wanted to begin to rant when the prince continued, ignoring his advisor. "She has decided to announce a substitute for her as ruler of Winterwald. I don't know who it could be, but she also intends to marry her to me, to bind Icewind and Westbrucke together."
"WHAT?" the advisor screamed and the guards accompanying them looked towards them. "That is not true, is it? It can not be true. Is she a fool, to decide for herself what the prince of an independent kingdom would do in the future?"
The prince looked at his advisor with a stern look. "She certainly is no fool. It did not sound like a command, more like a prediction. As if she would know what happens in the future."
Golden Tongue was not happy about the prince's answer, but he was too tired now to continue this discussion. "We will see what your father thinks of this."
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"You fools, do you think this is a joke? We will soon go to war and none of you are prepared in the slightest bit. HURRY, before I come and make you hurry."
This and similar shouts were echoing throughout the castle when the prince arrived. The king himself stood there, donning his armour. He was impressive to look at, his silver plate matching his white fur, the massive halberd floating in front of him. He looked towards the gate, smiling at his son.
"My son, I hope you got good news. How is your fiancée?" he said as he walked down the marble stairs.
"I must admit that there is no fiancée, only a princess of two realms. She declined the offer but there is more to it." The prince looked at his father, noticing the smile slowly fading.
"It would have benefited us greatly if you had married her. What exactly could there be to accept this declination of marriage and still accept the alliance as it is now."
"Father, it seems that the princess has returned solely to unify the realm and bring it to its former glory. She intends to leave once this is done and she wants to declare somepony as her substitute. I don't know who this could be, but I know that the princess intends us, me and the substitute, to marry each other."
The king looked at his son, not knowing if he was a fool or not. What he knew was that this alliance was a great risk, without any safety if it goes wrong. He thought for a few minutes and was suddenly distracted by the silence that had fallen upon them since the prince had returned.
"What are you fools doing? Back to training. Or I will use you as munition for the catapults when we besiege Flankrium" he shouted to his left and right, his voice made even louder by a spell. He turned back towards his son. "Do you think that this will turn out profitable for our family?"
The prince, noticing a greedy look in his fathers eyes, answered with all honesty. "I think it will benefit all of us if we follow the princess in her conquest."
The king nodded, before he used his magically enhanced voice again. "Prepare for departure. Tomorrow morning, we will go to Westbrucke and then towards glory on the battlefield. FOR ICEWIND."
"FOR ICEWIND." came the answer from all sides and the ponies of Icewind began to prepare their equipment. The king looked at his son who was smiling delightfully. He was proud of the prince, but he was prepared to betray the princess if this wouldn't turn out to be a winning situation.
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Princess Luna stood in the mayor's office looking out the window. The mayor stood beside her, her look worried about what may come in the future. Outside were the guardians and the militia preparing for the coming battle.
"Is this really necessary princess? We never had problems until now." The mayor asked Luna, not knowing what she was supposed to do.
"Sadly it is necessary." The princess answered. "And you may have had a calm life until now, but it is only a matter of time until either Icewind or Flankrium would have attacked you, to get stronger and take over each other completely."
The mayor looked up and saw the sadness in the alicorn's eyes. It was hard for both, she realised, and saw that the princess was fixated on the young priestess, which just left the chapel to return home.
"She will become the future ruler of the realm and will be your liege." The princess said.
"I know." The mayor answered with not the slightest amount of surpise in her voice.
The princess looked at her, as if she wanted to say something, but then turned her head away again. "I am leaving now. It is time. Before my sister notices I left. Have a good nights rest mayor."
"Good look princess. May you be guided wisely in the future."
"Good luck mayor. I will watch over you this night, as I did all the nights before."
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Celestia was still unsure what the sudden emptiness in her heart meant, but she was certain that it had to do with her sister.
'You are not again turning against us' she hoped.' Please be cured from your sadness. I could not bear to banish you again.'
She was just intending to stand up and get her sister, when she felt the emptiness filled again. She smiled slightly, but her confusion was too great to let her be entirely sure that her sister was all right.