Theseus glanced around the corner, gritting his teeth as an earth pony passed by. The Guard walked close enough to touch them, but did not notice their presence. Theseus gave the others a nervous expression.
"This was a terrible plan," he whispered. Rainbow frowned.
"Are you questioning Daring Do's skills?" she whispered back. Theseus took a deep breath and let out an exasperated sigh.
"You're not Daring Do, are you?" Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs and made a pouty face. Theseus looked around the corner to see a stone statue at the end of the hall. It was a beautiful female unicorn with a flowing mane and tail. Her horn was made of ivory, in stark contrast to the gray stone of the rest of the statue. Something about it called out to him, drawing him in close. "Who is that statue of?" he asked Fire Wind, as they both walked up to it.
"That is the statue of the lost Princess Starfall. King Rune had the statue made after her disappearance." He lowered his head. "Hard times for us all." Theseus walked slowly toward it, not bothering to look for more Guards. He reached up his hoof and gently touched the ivory horn protruding from the mane. When he touched it, it produced a small static shock and a stairwell opened in the wall to the right with a loud thud. He worried that it was heard, and jumped back into the corner where they were all hiding. After a few minutes of no one coming to investigate, he decided to take the risk, and crept to the edge of the stairs. "What is it?"
"It must be the shrine to the Princess," said Fire Wind. "There were rumors of a shrine having been built, but nopony knew where." Theseus started down the stairs, but Fire Wind stopped him with a hoof. "No, Your Majesty. I will go to make sure it is safe." He slowly descended the stairwell, disappearing into darkness after only a few steps. The voice of a surprised Fire Wind floated up the hallway. "Zane?" All the ponies rushed down the stairs and bumped into the pegasus, knocking him on his face.
Zane was sitting at a rickety wooden table on the right side of the room, reading a book by candlelight. In the center of the circular chamber was a pool of crystal clear water filled with fluorescent fish of many colors. In the center of that was a small island with an intricately carved and painted life-size statue, much more detailed than the one before, of the mare Theseus now knew was Starfall. The statue was so lifelike Theseus half expected it to start moving.
"Leave me be," he grumbled, closing the book with a loud thud.
"Zane," asked Fire Wind with concern in his voice, "what are you doing down here?"
"Why were you reading in the dark?" Twilight asked, sounding more confused than concerned. Zane did not answer, but only pushed the book across the table. Fire Wind walked over and laid a hoof on his shoulder.
"Is this where you've been grieving all this time? It can't be healthy."
"Don't tell me how to feel," Zane growled, brushing his hoof away. Theseus stepped forward from the group, still intent on escaping. He walked slowly up to the zebra.
"Zane, we're trying to get out of the castle. Can you help with that?" He remained silent. "Zane, this is—"
"You said you would come back," he interrupted. Theseus blinked in confusion.
"Um, yeah, I did." Zane turned his head left toward them, allowing them to see a fresh scratch running down the right side of his face. It ran from his eyebrow around his eye and across his nose. Blood had pooled slightly in his right eye, but he had not wiped it off.
"No one believed you." Theseus stepped back in surprise at the sight of the scar.
"Zane, what happened?" He lifted his hoof to wipe the blood away, only to have it lowered by Razor.
"Hellhounds," he whispered in Theseus's ear. "They're vicious." Zane continued speaking.
"I tried to tell them you'd come back, but nopony believed me." He sounded angrier and angrier as he went on. "They all believed Crystal Lake's stories saying that you had violent tendencies, and he had to drive you out, and that you were going to pull the kingdom into another war." Then his voice leveled off. "I'm not sure if I believe him or not."
"Uh, Zane? I came back, didn't I?" The zebra rubbed his head, clearly in pain.
"You need to leave. Crystal Lake could learn of your escape at any moment."
"Yeah, I was hoping you could help with that."
"There's a secret passage here," he said, walking up to a wall. He tapped a series of bricks with his hoof, then pressed one with moss on it inwards. An entire section of the wall retreated and slid to the right, revealing a dank stone tunnel, the wet walls coated in various places with molds and lichens. Fire Wind crawled inside first, followed quickly by Razor, Twilight, and Rainbow. Fluttershy glanced back at Theseus before crawling through as well. Zane grabbed Theseus's shoulder.
"Tell them everything," he said. Theseus nodded, then hopped into the passage. As Zane pushed the brick wall closed to cover the tunnel, Theseus looked at the statue one more time, and wondered what his sister was like.
Theseus climbed out of the enclosed passage after Fluttershy to see an expanse of sparkling water. That must be the lake, he thought. Finally, freedom! His mental celebration was cut short by a stallion's voice behind him, deafening in the quiet evening.
"Where did you all come from?" Twilight was marveling at the starry sky, Fluttershy was conversing with a chipmunk, and Rainbow Dash was stretching her wings. They all turned in unison toward the strange voice. Razor and Fire Wind both jumped in front of Theseus in case this new pony was a threat, but he pushed them apart so that he could see.
It was a unicorn stallion the color of spearmint, with hair reminiscent of ivy. He wore bronze armor, which Theseus had not seen before on any of the other soldiers.
"Who are you?" he asked, avoiding answering the stranger's question.
"I am the caretaker of the Lake Gardens and an agent of the royal army. You should not be here." Rainbow Dash flew up to him and spoke with her muzzle inches from his.
"Look, dweeb," she said, "we're friends with Theseus, so let us by!" Theseus quickly grabbed Rainbow with his magic and pulled her back.
"Are you crazy!?" he whispered in her ear. "Now he's gonna turn us in!"
"Wait," said the stallion. "Theseus? The Prince Theseus?"
"Ohh," Theseus moaned in frustration, looking at his hooves. Now they were going to be sent right back to the dungeon, and this time they would be under careful supervision. Who knew when they would have another chance to escape?
"Come with me," said the mint-colored stranger. "I will take you to safety." He turned and started off, motioning for them to follow. It took a moment for Theseus to register what he had said. Take them to safety? Why would he do that? Crystal Lake told everypony that he was a hazard to the kingdom.
"What? You're... protecting us?"
"Of course," he said. "Now follow me, and try to keep to the shadows."
"Where are you taking us?" Theseus asked the bronze-armored soldier.
"I am taking you to a safe house," he replied. "You will be protected, if briefly, from Crystal Lake's searching eye. It is near the wall, adjacent to the orchard."
"Orchard?" asked Twilight curiously.
"The apple orchard," he explained. He turned to look at them over his shoulder. "Do you not have apples where you come from?"
"Well, of course," said Twilight, "I just, uh, wasn't expecting to find an orchard way out here. Now that I think about it, that was sort of chauvinistic. I guess I thought only Equestria grew apples for some reason."
"Well, Apple Grove grows enough apples every year to feed the entirety of the kingdom, and then some. Her home is a general safe house for any ponies fleeing the kingdom, which has been happening a lot the last several years. I think Crystal Lake suspects; but if he does, I am curious as to why he does not simply repossess the orchard."
"Why would he do that?"
"Well, he does not want ponies leaving because he's a megalomaniac, plain and simple. And he cannot shut down the orchard because it provides a good portion of the food for the population; without it, they would starve. He would probably kick out Apple Grove and tell the citizens she was mentally ill or something of that nature."
"He can do that?" said Rainbow Dash. "Wouldn't ponies be a little suspicious?"
"You would be surprised how... persuasive he can be," he replied. "We are part of a minuscule rebellion of fewer than ten ponies who are quietly fighting back in the face of Crystal Lake's propaganda. A few ponies, like Apple Grove and myself, are fighting back. Some are aware of the problem but are too frightened, hopeless, or lazy to take action. But the vast majority simply listen intently and suck up his dribbling nonsense like so much hard cider." Rainbow's ears perked up.
"Cider?" Theseus thought back to when he returned to Wither City. Crystal had been using Zane as a hoofrest, and nopony had cared! He had told the guards that Theseus was dangerous and violent, and they had just listened mindlessly. Like he had a spell over them or something. But if that were the case, his horn would have been glowing. Something was definitely off with him.
Apple Grove's orchard finally came into view. It was a large conservative house with five barrels sitting on the porch, each one filled to overflowing with bright red apples. They all ducked behind a group of trees outside the fence. The stranger looked around, presumably for other guards, then led them quickly down the path to the main house. He knocked in a rhythmic pattern and the door was answered by a wonderful peach earth mare wearing a turquoise ponytail. Her eyes betrayed a feeling of surprise.
"What are you doing here, Gol—" Her mouth was quickly covered with a mint-colored hoof. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and pulled away. "Right. Anonymous. Can't risk you ponies revealing any names if you get caught."
"But then why do we know your name?" asked Theseus.
"Because I am expendable, whereas my—" She looked to the stranger, then back to Theseus. "—friend here is not. Besides, if Crystal Lake found out you got help, he would immediately look to me. And not to mention that everypony in the kingdom knows who I am, anyway." She turned to the door and walked back into the house with the others in tow.
It was a relatively large house, but felt like a small apartment. It was grand, yet humble. The living room alone was almost as big as the first level of the library. The room was enormous and conveyed a sense that it had been built with no real limit on materials. Yet the wallpaper peeled slightly, the furniture was sparse, and the wood floors were covered in minute, barely detectable scratches.
"You're all welcome to any food you find," said their host. "Except, of course, if it's spoiled." She smiled at her lame attempt at a joke. "Never mind. Your friend there will show you all to your respective rooms." Theseus and the others turned to the unicorn stallion who had not yet revealed his name. He had, however, removed his bronze armor to reveal a symbol cutie mark, reminding Theseus of Subject Eight.
"Come," he said, and led them away to a staircase.
Theseus lay in his bed, unable and unwilling to let sleep take him. If he fell asleep, he knew he would once again have the disturbing dreams. The dreams that told of his father. The cottage in the forest, the Timberwolves attacking, the works. He sat up, using his front hooves to support his body. He felt alone, unprepared, and terrified. He had never asked for this to happen to him. He had never asked to be a King.
He magically threw off the covers and slid to the floor. He walked quietly, trying to keep from waking up anypony, and crept out the door to Fluttershy's room. He cracked open the door, careful not to let it creak. He gazed in through the opening at the sleeping pegasus. She looked peaceful, not plagued by nightmares as he was. He felt guilt for watching her sleep, but also slight anger that she could sleep and he could not.
"What are you doing?" Theseus jumped at the female voice that, though it was whispering, sounded astonishingly loud in the quiet house. He turned to see Twilight standing behind him. He had been caught red-hoofed. Her mouth hung open in disgust. "Were you watching her sleep?"
"Uh— No!" he protested quietly. "Well, yes, but— I was just—" He took a moment to collect himself. "I wasn't trying to be creepy. I just... haven't been able to sleep myself much. I was... jealous. That probably sounds like the worst defense ever. I'll go back to bed." He hung his head and started back toward his bedroom, but Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder and looked at him in understanding.
"I understand that you're stressed. This 'ruler of a country' thing must be a lot to process."
"I don't know why I looked in there," he said lamely. "I guess anypony getting a good night's sleep makes me jealous. I wasn't trying to be a stalker or anything."
"It's okay," she replied. "I believe you. I couldn't sleep myself, so I was going to go downstairs to get a drink of milk. That usually helps me." They started toward the stairs.
"How could you know what it's like to suddenly learn you're royalty?" he asked her. "You've been a princess your whole life."
"Actually, no," she said with a smile. "I know exactly how you feel. I wasn't born an alicorn. I used to be a unicorn, a student to Princess Celestia."
"Wait," he said, "Celestia? The Goddess Celestia?" Twilight groaned quietly.
"I don't know what it is with you ponies attributing to her godlike status. She's just another pony like anyone else. Granted, she will live much longer than you or I, but she is still a pony." Theseus nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, and after doing the same, she continued.
"I was her personal student, and after much learning and preparation, most of which I was unaware of, I was transformed into an alicorn and joined her, Luna, and Cadance as a princess. It is simply a title, but I was not completely accepting of the role. I was reluctant to make important decisions, ones that could change ponies' lives.
"I was concerned that I would not become a good princess, but Celestia convinced me that I would be able to make the right decisions. I still occasionally doubt myself, but her confidence in me helps me bear through it. And I am not the only one here that ponies are confident in." Theseus smiled. "I may have only known you for a few days, but I think that you would make an excellent ruler."
"Thanks," he said. "I guess that makes me feel a little better." She stood up, poured herself the glass of milk, and turned back to Theseus.
"Good. Now go upstairs and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow is probably going to be fast-paced." So he obliged and went back to bed. As he lied down under the covers, he silently prayed to Luna that the dreams would not take him again.