"I... uh... I do not know what you are talking about, good sir," Ebon stammered in his best "accented" voice. "I have always had the horn."
"Is that so?" The guard squinted.
"Have you always had your antlers?"
"Most definitely."
"Are you sure of that too?"
Kera and Rainbow Dash cringed.
The guard fumed. "Okay, Mister Xonan..." His eyes glared. "If that horn of yours is the real thing, then surely you can do some magic with it."
Arcanista's eyes shifted.
Ebon gulped. "Some magic...?"
"That's right, pal."
"As in... pew pew 'magic?'"
"Glad we all speak the same language."
"Dreit..." Ebon gulped dryly. He glanced at Kera, at Jake, then at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash blinked back.
Ebon blinked, then smiled. "My... uh... m-my skills of mana-usage isn't nearly as proficient as Her Eminence whom I look after." He turned to smile at the reindeer guards. "But I have certainly learned my tricks throughout the years."
"Such as...?"
"For instance, I can make a pony's face glow red." He clenched his teeth and aimed his "horn" across the way at Rainbow Dash. "I shall demonstrate on a humble maidservant."
Arcanista and Kera immediately glanced over at Rainbow.
Rainbow blinked.
"Glow..." Ebon hissed in a paranormal voice. "Glooooow... I command thee..."
Rainbow fidgeted, then gasped. "Oh... Ohhhhhh..." She stumbled backwards, almost tripping on her gown. "What... wh-what's this...?" She held a hoof over her collar, pressing against the pedant beneath the stiff fabric. On command, the Element of Loyalty gave off a ruby glow, illuminating her chin and muzzle and fuzzy cheeks with a bright crimson haze. "I-I do believe I am feeling faint! Duaaaaaah!"
The guards flinched.
"God in heaven!" the lead guard winced. "Does... does that hurt?"
"Pffft! You kidding?" Jake grinned. "The Princess' Royal Advisor is a total wuss! The best he can is make a mare really hot, y'know what I'm saying?! Comes in handy on lonely weekends."
Rainbow gazed dazedly over at Mamunia. "H-hey, sugar lumps..." Her red-glowing face wheezed. "Do those four legs go all the way up...?"
Mamunia blushed while Jet giggled. "Oh dear... what a t-terrible spell..."
"Okay... okay," the guard grunted. "That's enough."
"Ahem." Kera turned and gazed calmly at Ebon. "That's enough, my good and faithful servant." Her tongue clicked. "Valadrennul sulien thrielem, rehkuh'man trenna'dunn!"
Ebon Mane tilted his head back while biting his lip. He exhaled, "calming" his nerves with blinking eyes.
Rainbow Dash lowered her hoof, and the glowing stopped. "Unnngh..." She teetered "dizzily," her eyes thin. "My stars and garters! What on earth came over me?" She winked aside at the other servants. "I still believe you are quite lovely, dear."
"The feeling is mutual," Mamunia said. She fidgeted. "I think." Jet giggled again.
"Do us a favor, bucko," the reindeer spoke to Ebon while scribbling on his clipboard. "No more red-zapping ponies for the rest of the passage through the Gate, got it?"
"Dreit, Valrulien trennte."
The guard stared, raising his eyebrow.
"Ahem... yes, sir." Ebon pawed at the ground.
Arcanista spoke up. "We seek audience with the High Council. I understand that this is a time of great transition for our Kingdom, and the Prince's Coronation takes precedent, but Val Roa is still bound to honor the precedents that have been set in stone. As a Duchess and Governing Member of Bountiful, it is my duty to see that this ambassadorial mission goes off unhitched."
"I understand, Madame."
"Then how can you best facilitate our passage into the Capital?"
The lead guard whistled. Another officer galloped up. "Go fetch a dust medallion."
"Aye, sir." The other guard galloped off towards a nearby shard.
"You're giving us a Piece of the Choke?" Arcanista asked.
"Yes." The reindeer nodded. "As you well know, it will withstand any form of magical manipulation, so do inform your 'Xonan' travelling partners."
"We would never think of such an outrageous thing!" Kera exclaimed.
"Even still, a quick brush-up on Val Roan customs might be helpful right about now." The reindeer met Arcanista's gaze. "I don't know when was the last time you visited the city proper, Madame, but security is tense. You are likely to be stopped several times along the way." The other guard ran back up, presenting a circular yellow medallion made out of granular materials. The lead reindeer hoofed it over to the Duchess. "Present them to this, and comply with all requests. The Soul Sentries are in full deployment, and failure to cooperate could prove most detrimental to everypony in your party, including yourself and your moose."
"Platypus," Jake muttered.
"Who do we speak to on the other side of the channel?" Arcanista asked. "The Head of City Ordinances?"
The reindeer nodded. "There should still be a Welcoming Committee. Even in these trying times, we are attempting to conduct business as usual. Once the Prince is coronated, things should be a little less stiff."
"I appreciate your informative answers to all of my questions."
"It's my job, Madame."
"And a very good performance at that."
"Hrmmmm..." The guard checked off a few last things. "Alright. You may go." He looked up at her. "Tell your moose and elk wagon-carriers to follow all commandments given by the channel operators. It would be a very bad idea to cause any more tension than there already is. Most of the Soul Sentry Shouters haven't seen their families or homes in months. It's best not to give them something to shoot at."
"I'll take that into consideratin, Sergeant," Arcanista said with a smile. She turned and curtsied at the small child. "After you, Your Majesty."
"It's about time we got on our way!" Kera trotted up the steps, followed shortly by Ebon. "Vela'numiel srenn'um viulen Nagu'n le'sumniul... let us make like grasshoppers and become scarce!"
"Uhhhhhh..." The guard blinked.
"A delicacy where she comes from," Rainbow said. "Royal Xonan stuff."
"That's enough talking, my fair servant," Arcanista said with a hint of a growl.
"Er... r-right..." Ears drooping, Rainbow stood between Mamunia and Jet while Arcanista ascended the steps into the wagon. The three mares entered last while Jake hitched himself back up.
"Whelp... These bottles of royal Estrogen aren't gonna roll themselves into town on their own, now will they, eh?!" Jake grinned.
"Do yourself a favor..." The guard grimaced. "And get a new face."
"Pffft! That's easy for you to say, you slack-jawed f--"
"Yes yes yes." Floydien instantly began trotting.
"Guh!" Jake struggled to keep up, ultimately leading the wagon along with Floydien towards the long, gaping chasm.
The lead guard took a deep breath. "It's been ages since I last took a break from my shift. I could have sworn that stallion stepped out of the wagon without a horn."
"Yeah, me too..." The other guard trotted up, scratching his head between antlers. He smiled. "For all we know, perhaps these 'Xonans' are a race of shape-shifters."
The lead guard blinked... then squinted. He rubbed his chin in thought.
"... ... ..."
At last, he shook his head.
"Nah."
And he returned to his post.
Only once the wagon was starting to roll down the chasm did Rainbow Dash peek her head out the side window. As the station at the West Gate drew further and further away, she slumped back to her seat with a long exhale.
"All things considered, I'd say that went swimmingly," Arcanista said with a slight smile.
"Almost swimmingly!" Kera frowned. "What's the big idea, Ebon?"
"Yeah, burgundy." Rainbow slurred, fanning herself. "I kinda wanna hug you and punch you all at once. Good save, but dang..."
"I apologize..." Ebon bit his lip. "I... I-I'm not used to being the one with a horn."
"Yeah, that's Eagle's job," Rainbow droned, leaning back and resting her eyes. "On both ends."
"Erm..." Ebon's coat flashed a brief lavender once more. "Honestly, Rainbow... you need to stop saying things like that."
Jet giggled.
Mamunia looked at her. "You're enjoying this whole debacle far too much."
"I cannot help it..." The maid produced a good-natured grin. "And just like the good Duchess said, it still went well."
"Yeah..." Kera grinned. "I rock a mean princess skirt, don't I?"
"And I bet my antlers told them off from the get-go!" Jake's voice cackled from beyond the velvet curtain.
"Silence, Constable," Arcanista said. "The walls of the chasm can carry your voice."
"Yes. Enough spit."
"Pfft! Fine, take your sister's side, but be amnesiac about everything else!"
"Meh meh..."
Rainbow looked up at Arcanista. Her eyes locked on the medallion in her grasp. "So..." She nodded. "That's our key to getting into the capital city, huh?"
"Hmmm... indeed."
Rainbow held a hoof out. "May I...?"
Arcanista reached through the gently rocking cabin.
Rainbow grasped the circular piece of yellow. She turned it over a few times in her grasp.
Arcanista raised an eyebrow. "See something none of us do?"
"This... this is really made out of the Grand Choke...?"
Arcanista nodded. "Same dust that goes into the lungs of the Soul Sentries," she said. "Same earth that locks Val Roa into the edge of civilization as we know it."
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. "It seems so... plain."
"Well, what did you expect?"
"I dunno, really." Rainbow Dash hesitantly hoofed it back. "Just thought I might discover something about the place that I'll soon get familiar with." She turned her head and faced out the wagon. The Yaerfaerda symbol glistened faintly in the distance, piercing everything with its dim lavender glow. "Really... really familiar with..."