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// Chapter 2.5 - Who is at fault 
// Story: Crystal Empire Chronicles 
// by Northern Course 
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Days had turned into weeks, since the birth of the princess. Crimson had now spent his earliest of mornings attending to Keen Eye’s blackmailing needs, his days taking care of princess that refused to sit still, and his nights sleeping through his nightmares as best he could. In another area of the crystal palace however, was the study for a certain magical unicorn, and the hard working pony that refused to sleep. 

“No… No… No… No… NO” yelled out Precise, no pony would hear her yelling of course, as it was another one of Precise’s silent rooms. Papers flew all over the floor, or what could be seen of a floor under the collection of scrolls opened and spread around. The doors opened from the other side through the use of magic, as King Stratege made his entrance into the room.

“Stratege... King” said Precise as she took noticed and was shocked by the entrance of the king, not knowing what words were supposed to come out first. Even her blinking had become out of synch.

Stratege reached out to Precise to comfort her. In her tired state she was unable to move much, never mind make much eye contact. Stratege told her “You need rest. In your condition you will not find any answers…” 

“But I did find it” Precise said, interrupting Stratege as she did. Much to his confusion or shock, but the look on his face was understandable to Precise, even in her blurry eyes and caffeine induced mind.

“I wish I didn’t” She continued, breathing in and out slowly as if it was the hardest thing she’d ever have to say.

Precise continued to speak, as a flood of emotions made it clear how afraid and even the sadness she felt, “I’ve done everything to try and prove myself wrong, but everything keeps coming back to the same answer. The answer shouldn’t even be possible. I don’t want it to be possible”

“It’s Magical. Dark, very dark magic”

Stratege’s mind starting putting it all together and began to understand why Precise had worked so hard to find another reason for it. The answer was not something any pony of the empire wanted to accept, or remember.

“Shadow” said Stratege, a name he was sure he would never have to say again.

“He can’t be doing this, it was MY job to make sure of that” Precise said as she slammed her hooves on one of the pages she had on her desk.

“It’s my fault isn’t it? Queen Sky is like this because I might have cut a corner somewhere, but where. Here? I spent 5 nights on this spell. How about here? I only spent 3 on this one” Precise said, pointing out markings and continuing to look through blueprints and documents that seemed to cover almost every inch and spot of the room. The walls where covered in pin ups, blueprints of magical circles and all of the smallest details. 


“Precise, you are not at fault, do you hear me?” Stratege said grabbing onto her hooves to make her stop, because she would have continued until she had gone through every blueprint and document again.

“How can you be so sure about that?” Precise asked with a sad tone in her voice, a tone usually accompanied by tears.

“It’s not just in your name or your cutie mark. It’s the fact you work harder than unicorn... no... any pony in my service. The only one thing I worry about when I remember why I chose you as my Head of Medicine, is that you are so good at worrying and looking out for others, but you’re terrible at looking after yourself” Stratege told Precise. Precise in return began to show a smile, and that in fact pleased the King.

“Just don’t tell Crimson or Head Strong I said that. They think they’re the hardest working ponies” Stratege said with a small chuckle.

“Tomorrow we shall confront him. Until then, you need your rest. You look exhausted” Stratege said tilting Precise’s head up to his with his hoof to look her directly in the eyes.

“Sleep… I wish could” Precise said as she remembered the intake of caffeine, and her inability of keep her hooves from shaking as she stood up due to the combine energy and lack of rest. 

“That’s an order, from your King, and just to be sure…” Stratege said as he lit up his horn and a magical mist poured from it and onto Precise. Precise was overcome by the sudden need to sleep, right now, as she nearly fell to the floor, head first, before she was caught by Stratege.

“Take her to her quarters” Stratege ordered his personal guards. Both of them taking on her front hooves each shoulder, and then carefully navigating her out through the floor covered in papers and the open door, until they were out of sight.


When Stratege was left alone in the room, he sorted through a pile of papers, when noticed something of interest. He pulled out the document he was looking for, and slammed down on the table on top of the pile. “This is not a good sign” Stratege said as he looked down at a portrait of Shadow on one of the documents gathered over Precise’s desk. His eyes narrowed, and created a scorned and hateful look. 

Stratege took a moment to examine the picture. It was a very old photo. Shadow for all he was known most for, was not some pony who liked getting portraits of himself done. He preferred to be in the company of those he loved and felt proud of. This one picture had a meaning to Stratege, but that meaning had been cut away, quite literally. It was of course just a copy of the original portrait, but Stratege had forgotten after all this time where that portrait was.

It’s the picture we had taken before Mom died Stratege thought. His thoughts shifted to what memories he had left of her. They were vague and very old memories, but still very precious. He could only remember the good things about, although everything was good about her, her smile, her caring nature and her grace. Even in her final days, she was still all of those things.

Stratege made his way to the door. Although he could not do so without asking one question. There would be no answer, but it was a question still worth asking. “What would mom think of you now?”