An Empress' Wish.

by overlord-flinx


(Memory of Megan) The Council

It really wasn't all that bad when I think back on it. For the longest time I was treated like some kind of miracle worker for them. Tributes, statues, festivals, feasts... When I would lift a hand, they would fall to the ground and bow. You can imagine that made for awkward scenes when I had a really bad itch on my nose... Heh. It was something like that -the small things- that I actually enjoyed. I understood those things... They were simple. I'd raise a hand, they'd bow. But... Not everything was so easy to understand.

Diplomacy... Wars... Mitigation... Trials... I spent years trying to figure out one of these things; only for each one to change by the day. But... I was just a child... What was I supposed to know about any of these things? At home -heh- I had only just passed Civics. And now I had a whole new set of rules forced onto me and was told to rule over it all. It was... Stressful. Days were spent without sleep or rest. "Did I do the right thing"? "Could I have done better"? "Was that just"? I had not a clue what was or wasn't anymore... I never did. I was a child sitting on a throne... A throne I was not fit for.

Or... So I thought. In those early years upon my throne, I was alone... Spiritually, at least. There existed no solitary moment where I did always have some members of the magisters following me about; imparting wisdom on how to run a kingdom. The magistrate were a group of unicorns that served as the collective leaders for one of the warring parties on that battlefield that day... After the empire was born, they took the seats closest to power. However... That choice was ultimately deconstructed and the magistrate were made into members of my lesser council by the acts of one stallion. That stallion... The first member of my inner circle.

I wonder where I would have been if it was not for him.


The courtyard was alive in color alone. The shimmering, gleaming crystals that towered over the entirety of the empire rained their iridescent lights all across the small yard. Small flowers adorned the hard-crystalline floor, each looking as fragile as glass and casting light through them much the same as the crystals. It was these flowers that the empress had given her attention to. Her thick, regal cape draped over her slim shoulders and tiny frame while she hunched over one of the crystalline flowers, caressing a single soft finger against the glassy petals. For a moment, she had a solitary thought of peace. The first thought since she was put onto the throne two days ago. Alas, the thoughts shattered when she heard a voice call to her from behind.

"Your highness," a stout unicorn called out to the strange ruler of this new crystal kingdom, "If I may borrow your attention for but a moment."

She said not a word -knowing each word would be wasted- as she stood to her only two legs and turned to face him. Empress Megan, adorned in the softest and most elegant robes that Earth Ponies could craft, plated boots, but the same soft, unsure look on her face she always had. Her blue eyes were heavy with a feeling the unicorn could not pin down, but it made him want to hurry with his words all the same the more she looked at him. "My empress... My liege... Your Eminence... I -your most simple of advisers- would humbly ask that--" His words droned on and on.

Each word meant little more than the last to Megan as she stood there 'listening' to him. She attempted to keep her arms unfolded from her chest; though she did not fully know if doing that was as rude as it was back where she came from. How would a pony even cross their arms like that anyway? One could suppose that they would simply cross their legs out in front of them and puff out their chest... The same effect and notion would be displayed, one would assume. "--And with that, I lay the choice purely to you."

Attention fluttered back into Megan's eyes when she heard the stubby unicorn finish. Her nails tapped against her bottom lip as she feigned thought; she could understand each word they said, but her language was lost to every pony ear. Her movements were her only asset to use in communing with them. For the past few days, she had only been fumbling with gestures she had only hoped that would translate right to the ponies and other creatures around her. However, seeing how her robes came out purple with a white fur-hood lining instead of just a blue jacket, it was clear to her that there was as much a body-language gap as there was a vocal one.

At the very least, she could feign that she understood what she was being told to do. Even if she did understand the language they spoke, it didn't mean she understood what the words meant. Chancellors? A council? Retainers? She knew the word retainer, but she had a feeling they were never talking about the kind of thing she wore in her mouth for three years. Now, again, she was placed at the foot of another one of their choices. Furthermore, she neglected to pay any attention. Before she could make a gesture greater than just pretending to think, the echo of hoof falls filled the garden. Both Megan and the unicorn addressing her were brought to look to the main entrance to the garden to see a tall stallion advancing towards them.

The stallion's express was flat, near dismal as he approached the pair. The only time a little shift in his expression occurred was when he glanced at Megan, bringing out from him a momentary look of modesty before he ducked his head away and faced the other unicorn. The new stallion easily had two or three feet on the stout unicorn, which he wore well along with the drape that covered his back and flank. Megan took a moment to study this new guest into her garden, remarking what she heard about royalty from other kingdoms wearing coats or dressings to show their estate. Judging how this one was dressed -thick red cape, a simple circuit in his mane- this was a stallion of low public standing; however, he held himself with a great deal of pride.

"Pestering the newest of royalty so soon will only cast scornful eyes on the magistrate..." His voice was low and chilling, even Megan felt it even while he was facing away from her, "Depart..."

Obviously the words he spoke did not fall on deft ears. The unicorn who had spent his time chatting up Megan was quick to bolt out of the garden, tripping and fumbling over his own hooves in his haste. Megan let out a soft sound, alerting the tall stallion that she was still present. If she could tell him anything in that moment, it would have been a heavy 'thank you'. The dark horse turned to meet her, crossing one leg over the other as if presenting himself before a deep bow. Megan had not noticed it until he bowed down so low his head passed her shoulders, but his horn was definitely different compared to other unicorns. "Grievous apologies, empress. You deal with grovelling pigs, I am afraid. A unicorn is nothing without there prestige... Such was the way things were where most of your magistrate have traveled from. The unicorn that would sway a new empress upon their ideas would be granted high honors in any court..." the stallion explained her current situation; one she was starting to grow familiar with.

She had heard that unicorns -ponies with amazing magical abilities- were treated like nobles in far off kingdoms. Many are so used to being praised or elevated above the rest; it must seem so tempting to have the chance to be the one behind the newest empress' rise to power. The stallion raised his head, looking Megan in her eyes. It was rare that Megan met a pony that could actually do that without them having to stretch or flutter off the ground with their wings or something like that. "Disgraceful... Regardless, it will be your cross to bare. But you needn't bare it alone... I have a proposal, empress... Not one you have any duty to grant me credit for in any court. I tell you this in hopes that this..." With a genuine, at peace look in his darkened face, the stallion looked around the garden -the crystals and all that they had done-, mulling it all within his mind, "This... This can prosper and become what other kingdoms could only dream of."

For the first time, Megan felt an honesty emanating from his words. She gently rested one of her hands against his back, offering a heartfelt smile; which he returned much to her surprise. "They say you are unable to speak... I will await the day we may exchange words. Until then, I grant you my name, empress. First of my name, last of my title: Viscount Sombra, forever in your service..." Once more, he bowed to Megan; going as far as to drop down to a knee before his empress.


My first adviser... Sombra. A brilliant mind. His idea was to bring in a select circle of others I could trust. Each of varying ranks and positions throughout the entire empire; but their thoughts and opinions having the most weight in my choices as an empress. I of course placed him within the circle right away. Sombra had much to offer. He was not without his flaws, of course. Heh. He certainly had those.

He was quick on decisions, as well as rigid on turning back on those decisions. I spent several months bending his ear on repairing affairs with a neighboring town after he ordered daily check-ups by our guards there when he was given news that they were smuggling goods off of our charters. More or less, he was bullying them into doing everything by the trade agreements we set up. It was a small town -no more than one-hundred citizens- and I was willing to let it go when the news first came to us. But, Sombra would not have it. He was always a stickler for order.

I still remember when I took Turner into the court. Sombra was in an uproar over it. While Sombra was among the most levelheaded and open-minded of the unicorns at the time, he still had his issues with Earth ponies having any sort of rank. I imagine some prejudices are hard to brake... Even after years of good nature between the two parties. Regardless, in spite of his flaws, Sombra was dedicated to the advancement of the Crystal Empire. He always had been... I trusted him as much as I did any other in my council. Well... Perhaps a little less than some of the others. Heh.

However... If we speak of loyalty and dedication... There is but one that stands out above all the rest. My right hand... The most dedicated of them all to my ideals. Even if what I said seemed questionable to others, they never fought me on it. They were a true friend... And there is not a day I do not regret what transpired...


"Ze court, she is a magical plaze, no?" Glittering rubies seemed to twinkle in the young mare's eyes as she twirled on the balls of her back hooves, admiring the all surrounding majesty that was the Crystal Castle's main hall, "Ze li's, ze sounds. It is ze only life for us, mon intime, no?"

The ruby eyed mare latched her gaze to the mare standing beside her; A stoic looking pegasi of a pink coat and prickly blue mane. The pegasi looked to get glittering comrade, who was as bright and befitting her name as she ever was. "Bright Eyes, please..." the pink pegasi tried to keep her voice down as she spoke, "We are guests in this castle. What we do here will represent the Six in every way. Be on your best behavior...!"

Bright Eyes blinked once before bursting into a fit of laughter, which made the pegasi stagger back with a flinch before she looked around the hall to make sure no one was around. "Ve are guests? Oh, mon intime! Jou are so funny," Bright Eyes tried to calm herself down as she watched her friend waver her hooves this way and that in hopes of goading her to calm Bright Eyes, "Guests come on invite, mon intime. Ve came here on vill! Vill and vill alone! And, mon intime Firefly, ve vill enjoy ourselves, ah?"

Firefly, once a royal guard of Valhalla -ruled by The Six- had recently stepped down from her post and ventured to this new empire. However, in her quest, she took with her a friend without her knowledge. Bright Eyes, a brilliant Earth Pony with an outstanding aptitude for magic. Even if Firefly had wanted to do this all on her own, Bright Eyes refused to leave her side; a friend in need is a friend in deed she would say in her thick accent.

Firefly conceded to Bright Eyes bright eye way of looking at the situation and began to smile awkwardly. She was not all to familiar with smiling. "Alright, fine. But please just keep it down. We want to make a good--" Before Firefly could finish her thought, Bright Eyes shot her head around and looked down the hall with a great vigor.

"Ah-hah! Ze bells of ze baker! Pastries and zough and varm-varm bread! Ve go! Ve go!" Still hanging on her word, Firefly was left in the dust as Bright Eyes galloped down the hall and into the city.

"--impression... Bright Eyes..." The lone pegasi sighed and shook her head, "C'est la vie as she would say."

She would meet with her cohort later; probably with Bright Eyes having a gullet filled with bread. For now, she had other matters to attend to. It took a great deal of pulling strings, mingling about the newly formed city, and making a few deals here and there... But she achieved a great milestone this day. A meeting with the empress: Megan. Firefly was anxious to meet this woman... To see if she was everything they said she was. If she truly made this entire crystal world out from her mind, then perhaps...

Firefly shook off the thought. Flights of fancy would not gain her anything here. This was reality. And beyond the doors at the end of the hall was what she waited for. A greater duty. Greater than protecting The Six who could protect themselves; greater than serving as a replacement for her brother. This would be her legacy. One hoof in front of the other, each step she made echoed as it the hall were a cave. Her throat was dry, her mind a flutter, and her heart thumping like a stone against a drum. The doors to the empress' room slid open as she pressed her head against it, raining a great deal of light over her form as the world was opened to her.


Firefly... The Maker, Firefly... You could not ask for a greater friend. She was many things to me. A friend, a confidant, a partner, a guard, and a hero. But, in her own eyes, she only saw one thing: A failure. It wasn't her fault... Her brother was a world regarded general, and the ones she was ordered to protect were omnipotent. In her mind, she was heavy with inadequacy... But I never saw that. I saw in her a kindred spirit much like my own. Two lights in the darkness that could never find footing in an endless abyss.

From her, I asked many things that she gladly provided me. And from her, she asked but one thing... Something I nearly provided her before she... The passage of time is cruel and unforgiving. My hope is that Firefly -wherever you wind up- the promise I made to you in that room comes true.

I could carry on and on about my council. For days, perhaps, I could spin yarns about there daring exploits. Sombra, Firefly, Turner, Star Swirl, Silver Bit, Tirek... My beloved council. I could not have asked for better friends in my darkest times... How I miss them all... And how I regret and grieve at how we all departed.

Sombra... I failed you.

Firefly... I failed you.

Turner... I am sorry.

Star Swirl... I hope you were safe.

Tirek... I tried my hardest.

Silver Bit... May your legacy keep on.

So many great memories... And how they sting each time I bring them up...