Rarity carefully observed the austere interrogation room as a guard held the door open for her. "I would like some time alone with the prisoner," she ordered.
The prison guard raised an eyebrow as her bodyguard, Sergeant Legerity, furrowed her brow. "We can't leave you in here unguarded, Your Highness," Legerity said.
"I've known this particular prisoner since we were foals," Rarity said with a sigh. "She won't hurt me, and some of the questions I wish to ask her are of a very sensitive nature. My order stands."
Legerity frowned, but still bowed and relented. "As you wish, Your Highness."
The prison guard knocked a few times on the small cloudsteel door at the back of the room. "Send in the prisoner," he barked.
The door opened, revealing a yellow pegasus with a disheveled long pink mane. Her wings had been clipped, but she otherwise appeared healthy.
"You may leave us," Rarity ordered in her most regal tone. Once the guards had left the room, she allowed her expression to change to that of concern. "Fluttershy! When I heard what you had done, I almost fainted. What madness seized you?"
"I had to do something," Fluttershy said softly. "The only way Chrysalis would have told us anything was by freeing her, and I knew Applejack would get in trouble if she got involved."
"Oh Fluttershy," Rarity whispered, uncertain what to say.
The pegasus smiled weakly. "What I learned was worth it. Don't worry about me, Rarity. Like you and Applejack, I'm doing what I can to help."
"And what did you learn? What was worth you getting arrested?"
"Uhm, I think you should sit for this," Fluttershy said as she eyed the table in the center of the room.
Rarity nodded as she levitated her chair and moved it to the other side so she could sit next to her friend rather than on opposite sides of a table. She grabbed Fluttershy's hoof in her own as they both sat down. "What happened, Fluttershy?"
The pegasus took a deep breath. "I found out what happened to Twilight. It was Chrysalis. She captured her and turned her over to the griffons."
"Are you certain?" Rarity asked gravely. "The changeling queen could have lied to you. She could be trying to divide us even more."
"I'm sure," Fluttershy said. "Chrysalis mentioned that Twilight trapped herself in a crystal after she lost the fight." Both mares shared a knowing look.
"Then it can only mean that she completed the spell," Rarity said with a gasp. She grabbed hold of Fluttershy's face. "Did she ever tell anypony beside us?"
"I didn't even know she was still working on it," Fluttershy said. "She only mentioned the idea to us one time and told us to keep it quiet. You remember how she made us promise never to talk about it? She didn't even want Spike to know."
Rarity tapped her chin. The crystal shield had only been an idea — a last resort spell that Twilight could use to protect herself in the event of danger. "She probably never finished the spell and used an incomplete version," Rarity said. "It might explain why every attempt at finding her failed."
"That's right," Fluttershy completed as her ears perked up. "Cadance couldn't find her, and neither could Professor Starflare."
"Remember what Twilight said," Rarity added. "This idea was, how did she call it? A 'practical application of the magic of friendship'. It's impossible to break the crystal through any means except one of us freeing her from it. The way Twilight explained it, the rest of us would be magically drawn to her as well."
Fluttershy looked down. "It's been so long since she talked about it. I had completely forgotten. It was, what, a few weeks after her ascension as an alicorn princess?"
"Something like that," Rarity said. "Poor Twilight. She probably never finished the spell. That was why she didn't talk about it. It's probably a miracle she even got it to work in the first place."
Fluttershy took a deep breath. "Now you see why I had to do it. With this stupid war, we've all lost track of the most important thing. We have to find our friend."
Rarity stood and slowly paced around the room. "If Twilight is trapped in the crystal, then she's not in pain. This gives us time. And while Chrysalis could not have made up that part, she could have easily lied about giving our friend over to the griffons. For all we know, Twilight is trapped in a changeling hive somewhere."
"I believe her," Fluttershy said.
Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Any particular reason why?"
Fluttershy sighed softly. "I think I won her respect, to an extent. I trusted her, Rarity. I allowed her to feed on me, let her become Rainbow Dash for a week. Just like with Discord, I gave her space to be herself."
"You what?" Rarity gasped. "Fluttershy, letting a changeling feed on you is no joke. Nopony knows the extent of the damage prolonged feeding can do. You could have died!"
"But I didn't," Fluttershy insisted. "I got us the information we need, and I managed to keep you and Applejack in the clear. Just please, let my sacrifice mean something. You have to find Twilight now!"
Rarity sat back in her chair. "Alright, alright, sorry. It's just a lot to take in. Besides me, who else knows about this? I assume you told Applejack?"
"I was never allowed to see her," Fluttershy said. "I told Applebloom though, so she could tell Applejack. I also told the fillies to let Princess Luna know through their dreams."
Rarity gasped again. "Fluttershy! Why would you do this? Are you not aware of what Luna is doing to Equestria?"
Fluttershy's turquoise eyes blazed bright with fury as she stood up. "I can't believe what I'm hearing! This is Princess Luna we're talking about. Yes, she made a mistake, but I still believe she's a good pony at heart. I'm thinking that with all these ponies serving her, she can help us find Twilight. The two of them are still friends, regardless of what anypony thinks."
"I certainly hope you're right," Rarity said with a sigh. "In the meantime, you gave her the perfect excuse to redouble her efforts in this war. If she didn't hate us and the griffons before, she'll now become more devoted to her cause than ever."
Fluttershy's eyes opened wide in shock as she avoided Rarity's gaze. "Oh, I haven't considered that." Tears welled up in her eyes. "I just wanted to do some good, Rarity. I wanted to do my part."
"And you did," Rarity said with a smile as she gently raised her friend's head. "I'll keep watching the griffons and make sure they don't try anything. In the meantime, I want you to stay put, and don't tell anypony about any of this. Can you do that?"
"I can," Fluttershy said with a nod. "I promise."
"Are they treating you well in here?" Rarity asked after a moment of silence. "I ordered that no prisoner be mistreated, but it can be hard to keep all the soldiers in check."
"I'm fine," the pegasus said with a weak smile. "They're keeping us fed, and I have a cloud to sleep on. The work isn't easy, but I manage. I think not being able to fly is the hardest part. Mostly, I keep to myself and stay out of trouble."
Rarity nodded. "Good. If I can figure out a way to get you out of this, I will."
"Save Twilight first," Fluttershy said. "You can worry about me once she's safe."
Rarity stood and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you, Fluttershy."
"I only did what any of us would have done to find Twilight," the pegasus said as she hugged Rarity back.
The pegasus-drawn carriage made good time taking Rarity from the weather factory prison to Canterlot Castle. Legerity, who rode alongside her, took great care in observing the landing area before she allowed the princess to disembark.
"Really Sergeant, I appreciate your diligence, but I hardly believe anypony will attack me on private castle grounds," Rarity said as she stepped off the carriage and waved over Sapphire Blitz, who was waiting for her near the landing pad.
"Better safe than sorry, Your Highness," the bodyguard flatly replied.
Rarity sighed as she walked over to her assistant. "Any news while I was gone, Sapphire?"
"Indeed," the pink unicorn said with a pleasant smile. "Fancy Pants arrived by train a bit earlier than expected. A council meeting has been scheduled this afternoon at his request. He also demanded a private audience with you at your earliest convenience."
"I will see him immediately," Rarity said. "Anything else?"
"Spike remains occupied with Princess Twilight's parents. They had breakfast together this morning. Nothing out of the ordinary happened there."
Rarity smiled. "They're not bad ponies. As I keep saying, I don't expect any more trouble from them." Should I tell them about Twilight? Should I tell Spike? Rarity kept her expression as pleasant as she could as she pondered these thoughts. "Anything else?"
"Your old associate, Sassy Saddles, requested your permission to use your image on what she called 'The New Princess Dress'. I didn't want to presume to speak for you."
"Tell her it's fine," Rarity said. "And give both her and Coco Pommel my regards." She took a deep breath before turning her eyes toward the palace. As tempting as it was to visit old friends, today was too important. "Sergeant Legerity, please escort me to my private office. Sapphire, have some dandelion tea brought there, and send for Fancy Pants. I will meet him in private."
"As you command, Your Highness," the assistant said before she rushed inside.
"If you'll follow me, Your Highness," Legerity said.
Rarity followed her bodyguard, knowing better than to argue that she knew the way. If anything, she was beginning to enjoy the regality that came with being escorted everywhere. She politely saluted the minor nobles and servants she passed on the way to her office, making sure to smile and always present an air of confidence.
The day's Canterlot Times was waiting for her on her desk, as usual. She thanked Legerity as she stepped in and sat down on her padded chair. The moment her bodyguard was out of sight, her smile dropped. If Scootaloo and Applebloom had really passed on Fluttershy's message to Luna, then it could jeopardize Fancy Pants' plan. She would have to discuss it thoroughly with him.
She picked up the newspaper and read the headlines. Brave Canterlot soldiers crush a rebel attack in Whitetail Woods. She frowned at the article. As usual, there was no mention of the lives destroyed in the various successful raids by Cloudsdale troops. Following Ambassador Antoine's suggestion, Blueblood had ordered that the press be tightly controlled. If ponies were aware of stories such as the disaster at Saddlefree, Rarity suspected the recruitment offices would see fewer volunteers.
A polite knock on her door preceded one of the castle servants bringing in a filled teapot, alongside two cups. Rarity silently thanked the maid as she moved on to a report. She considered asking the maid what had happened to Celestia's old reserve of griffon tea, which she had taken a liking too, but dismissed the idea as her eyes returned to her report; she simply didn't have the time for such frivolities.
Another griffon patrol reported a group of ponies claiming to help refugees escape to the Crystal Empire. While the report also claimed that an informant revealed this group to be working for Cloudsdale, the influx of ponies coming into the Empire had to come from somewhere. Could Shining Armor have something to do with this? Rarity hadn't heard from him since her wedding. She had presumed he was in Cloudsdale, but perhaps he had taken another task upon himself. Pinkie Pie certainly wouldn't stand idly as ponies suffered.
And then there was Twilight. Rarity had put Fluttershy's news at the back of her mind, not yet ready to consider the implications. Either Chrysalis wanted to use the griffons as a scapegoat, or Blueblood, in all his wisdom, had invited Equestria's newest enemy right in. If that was the case, could he be aware of what he did? She remembered one of the first things Floribunda had told her when she first settled in Canterlot; many elements within the nobility feared that Twilight would take away their privileges. Any of them could be in league with the griffons. She could be facing one or two ambitious nobles, or perhaps a vast conspiracy.
Rarity groaned in frustration as she poured herself a cup of tea. She couldn't ignore the information she had, but couldn't risk tipping off potential traitors either. What she needed was proof. Ambassador Antoine was too clever to leave something obvious behind, if he was even aware of the situation. Perhaps he was just a pawn. Perhaps the culprit wasn't the Griffingard government, but a rogue faction. What the princess needed was allies. She needed ponies she could trust to help her find the truth.
She took a small sip of tea as she looked out the large window in the back of her office. She placed her hoof on her belly. While she hadn't yet started to show, she could feel the life growing inside of her. What kind of future are we building for you? she wondered as she pondered her unborn child.
A knock on her door broke her reverie. "Come in," she invited after taking a deep breath and putting on her regal smile once more.
The door opened, revealing Sapphire Blitz. "Councilor Fancy Pants," her assistant announced as the blue-maned stallion stepped inside.
"Fancy Pants," Rarity warmly welcomed as she stood from her seat. "What a wonderful pleasure to see you. Please, make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you, Princess Rarity," the stallion replied with a bow. His warm smile told Rarity what his formality would not. After months working in Manehattan, he was no doubt as delighted as her to be reunited.
"You may leave us, Sapphire," Rarity told her assistant before turning her attention to her guest. "Dandelion tea?"
"Yes, please," Fancy said as Rarity poured him a cup. "I have to say, you look good. When you told me about your wedding, I admit that I was worried."
"I did what I had to," Rarity said, unable to suppress a sigh. "And it's served our plans so far. As I wrote in my last letter, I brought my husband to Ponyville and showed him the extent of the devastation."
"Yes, you did tell me it opened his eyes," Fancy said as he took a sip of tea, wincing slightly at the taste.
"The bitterness takes a bit of getting used to," Rarity said as she took a sip of her own. "But enough with the formalities. I imagine that if you're here and you requested a council meeting, the plan was a success?"
Fancy nodded. "Princess Luna agreed to negotiate a truce in Manehattan. Should Blueblood and yourself agree, we can work toward a cease-fire."
Rarity smiled widely. "Excellent work! What did Princess Luna say? Anything we should know about?"
Fancy Pants frowned lightly as he slowly shook his head. "I never got to meet her in person. She sent an envoy, a mare called Octavia. She gave us the usual platitudes; Princess Luna is always willing to consider peace, she wants what's best for Equestria. Whatever her angle may be coming into these negotiations, she made sure nopony in Manehattan knew."
"No doubt they're aware of our association," Rarity said. "Anything they told you, they would assume you'd tell me."
"And you'll be sitting on the other side of the negotiation table," Fancy completed.
Rarity took another glimpse outside. A young couple was taking a stroll in the gardens. I have to tell him. There's no chance that Fancy Pants could be a traitor. She returned her attention to her guest. "There might be another complication."
"Oh?" Fancy asked as he adjusted his monocle.
"What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room. I do not yet know who I can trust."
The stallion's expression relaxed. "You know you can always trust me, Rarity. I have no love for political backstabbing."
"I know," Rarity said with a smile. "You remember my friend Fluttershy? She managed to learn that Queen Chrysalis attacked and captured Princess Twilight straight from the royal quarters."
Fancy Pants gasped. "Are you certain that this information is genuine?"
Rarity nodded. "The changeling queen admitted it. The next part is where things get complicated. From what she said, she did not work alone. The griffons were behind it, and now hold Princess Twilight."
"And we only have the changeling's word?"
"Now you see the problem," Rarity said. "Should I speak out and the griffons are guilty, it would only serve to tip them off. Without proof, however, no accusations can be made. This could just as easily be a ploy by the changelings to create even more chaos."
"And if the griffons are behind Princess Twilight's disappearance, they might try to sabotage the cease-fire," Fancy completed.
"There is more," Rarity added with a sigh. "Fluttershy also sent a message to Princess Luna through a known spy."
"This isn't good," Fancy said as his brow furrowed. "Princess Luna will surely not hesitate to believe the griffons are guilty, and will also believe Prince Blueblood to be complicit in the ploy."
"Meaning she might be using these negotiations as a stalling tactic."
Fancy Pants grimaced as he took another sip of tea. "We still have to proceed normally. With luck, Princess Luna will come forward with new information. If not, canceling the negotiations will only tip the guilty party."
"And if it is a changeling ploy, we'd play right into their hooves," Rarity said. "You're right. We should proceed normally, and I will continue my investigation here. Hopefully I can find more allies I can trust."
Fancy Pants nodded. He levitated his cup and brought it to his lips, but changed his mind and placed it back on the desk.
"I will meet with my husband," Rarity continued. "I want to prepare him for your announcement. Hopefully he's at least open to attempting these negotiations."
"Good thinking," Fancy Pants replied as he stood up. "Unless there is anything else, I should probably prepare for this council meeting myself."
Rarity got up as well. "Thank you again for everything you've done."
"Just like you," Fancy said with a solemn nod, "I only did my duty."
"More broccoli, my dear?" Blueblood asked as he levitated a plate in Rarity's direction.
"Thank you," Rarity said as she accepted the dish. The council meeting had been planned for the early afternoon, so she decided she should have lunch with her husband beforehand.
Blueblood took a sip of wine. His recent tendency to start drinking earlier and earlier troubled Rarity, but she knew better than to confront him on the matter. He gently placed his cup back on the table and nodded at Rarity. "So, I heard you visited the weather factory this morning."
"Yes. I wanted to make sure Fluttershy was okay. Regardless of what she did, she's still a friend."
"Royalty does not mingle with criminals," Blueblood said as he furrowed his brow.
"I won't try to have her liberated, and I won't publicly deny her crime," Rarity replied with a sigh. "I owed her one visit, and that's all I did. If you like, I can even address the population and praise the diligence of the guards working there. It should safely distance me from Fluttershy."
"That would be best," the prince said as he took another sip.
Rarity took a bite of bread. Surely with what he saw in Ponyville, he will see the need for peace. She took a deep breath and smiled. "So, have you given any thought to Fancy Pants' suggestion?"
"You mean the cease-fire? He approached me about it earlier. I told him I would consider it."
"It would be to everypony's advantage," Rarity added. "We'd be negotiating from a position of strength. We control Canterlot and all of Eastern Equestria."
Blueblood finished his cup in one gulp and sighed. "I'm no fool, Rarity. I saw Ponyville, and I realize that peace should be explored. Our position of strength, however, is precisely why we must be cautious. We could easily allow Luna time to rebuild, only so she can attack us later."
And it would force us to send the griffons away, Rarity completed in her head. "We'll definitely have to consider these points, but I believe that a meeting on neutral ground is at least worthwhile."
"I'll be honest," Blueblood said with a frown. "I don't like it. Luna is a traitor, and her army has done nothing but bring chaos and mayhem to our once-peaceful land." He raised his hoof as Rarity was about to reply. "However, I do not want to see a second Ponyville. So yes, Rarity. I will hear what Fancy Pants has to offer."
"It's all I ask, beloved," Rarity said with a smile before returning to her meal.
Rarity noticed the sweat rolling down Fancy Pants' neck as he stood before the council. At Blueblood's insistence, both Ambassador Antoine and Centurion Bouvier had joined the group. He places too much trust in the griffons, Rarity thought grimly. How far did this confidence go? Could the father of her child be responsible for Twilight's disappearance?
"I asked you all here for a very important reason," Fancy Pants began. "As you know, this council sent me to Manehattan to secure loyalty to the throne."
"An order that you disobeyed," Blueblood calmly replied as he leaned on the council table. "You chose to encourage neutrality instead."
"I did," Fancy said with a bow. "I do apologize, but my actions were necessary. You see, I suspected that this war could take longer than expected, and that we might need a neutral party to help negotiate peace."
"You could just as easily have handed Manehattan to Princess Luna," General Silvermane flatly said. "Your actions where foolish. The Crystal Empire could have served as a neutral location should negotiations prove necessary."
"The Crystal Empire is in political turmoil, trying to adjust to existence in this century," Rarity said as she frowned at the general. Why are you so eager to fight this war, Silvermane?
"Regardless," Kibitz added as he glared at Fancy Pants. "Acting behind the council's back was hardly the action of a loyal council member. This is not what we've come to expect from you, Councilor Fancy Pants."
Rarity sighed. For this to work, she had to give the plan her full support early on. "Fancy Pants did not act alone. This was something he and I came up with together, for the good of Equestria."
Kibitz stood up and gasped at Rarity. "So you conspired against the throne all along."
"Sit down, Councilor," Blueblood snapped as he glared at the balding unicorn. "My wife can hardly conspire against herself, now can she?"
"Thank you, my prince," Rarity replied with a smile. He certainly seems to want peace. Would that absolve him of suspicion, or does it simply mean he already has what he wants?
Floribunda coughed lightly. "Well I, for one, would certainly welcome peace."
"I agree," Fancy Pants said with a nod. "Which is why the city of Manehattan has agreed to host a peace conference. We finally have a chance to stop fighting and start talking."
"Most unwise," Centurion Bouvier, who had so far remained quiet, calmly replied. "They resorted to guerilla tactics. This means we have them on the run. It's only a matter of time before my scouts find Cloudsdale. Once this is done, we will crush them once and for all. A truce will only allow them to re-arm themselves and most importantly, train their troops."
"We would be able to do the same," Silvermane said. "All this would mean is Equestria losing its dependence on Griffingard."
"Or your rebels attacking our nation in retribution," Antoine warned as he raised a claw. "Like it or not, Griffingard is now involved. We have the right to protect our interests."
"You are quite right, Ambassador," Blueblood said as he glared severely at both Fancy Pants and Rarity. "No negotiations will take place without Griffingard's involvement."
"Still, this is all speculation," Silvermane said. "I highly doubt Luna will agree to sit at the negotiation table."
"You are quite wrong, General," Fancy Pants said with a light smirk. "In fact, she already accepted and sent us an envoy." He turned toward Blueblood and bowed his head. "Should you accept the offer, Your Highness, we can host the summit next week. All the preparations have already been made."
All heads turned toward Blueblood, who stoop up. "Do not mistake what I'm about to say for weakness. I believe Princess Luna to be a traitor, and responsible for the murder of Princess Celestia. Still, it is my duty as ruling Prince of Equestria to protect my subjects. In the interest of avoiding another Ponyville, I will attend this peace summit." He turned and nodded at his wife, hints of a smile forming around his muzzle.
Silvermane frowned. Rarity noticed her grinding her teeth. "Let me at least make sure the security precautions are in order. This could be a trap."
"An exchange of hostages will take place to make sure no side double-crosses the other," Fancy said. "You will have to volunteer a number of high-ranking nobles for this. Some of Cloudsdale's most important citizens, as well as some of General Soarin's most trusted officers, will be placed in your custody for the duration of the talks."
"A reasonable precaution," Rarity said.
"I volunteer," Floribunda offered. "Let nopony say I didn't do my part for peace."
Rarity's gasp slowly transformed into a respectful nod. "You are very brave, Lady Floribunda." Now, let's see what our griffon allies have to say. She turned her attention to the ambassador. "Ambassador Antoine, if Griffingard is to take place in the negotiations, shouldn't you offer a hostage of your own?"
"You presume much," Antoine replied. "But in the name of our alliance, we would be willing to cooperate."
"I will send Decurion Theo," Bouvier said. "He's one of my most trusted advisors. I believe he will prove adequate?"
"He will," Blueblood replied before anyone else had a chance to chime in.
"Then I suggest we begin the preparations," Fancy Pants said with an enthusiastic smile. "Let us work for peace."
Rarity gently rocked herself on the comfortable chair she kept in her personal quarters. She slowly massaged her belly. While it was too early for the foal to start kicking, she could feel its presence inside of her. At least she wasn't so advanced in her pregnancy that she couldn't travel. She would need to attend the peace talks in person. Even if Blueblood might be open to the idea of peace, Rarity suspected he wouldn't be as open to the conditions Luna would insist on.
That was assuming peace was even a possibility. For all she knew, either side could be using it as a stalling tactic. Luna might just be desperate enough to try something, and the griffons didn't seem too happy at the possibility of a cease-fire. Even Silvermane never tried to hide her distrust of Princess Luna. She could attempt to sabotage the negotiations.
All of it would happen with Fluttershy's accusation in mind. If Luna knew, would she openly accuse the griffons during the talks? Knowing Ambassador Antoine, he already had some counter-arguments ready to prove his innocence, assuming he was guilty.
Rarity sighed. She needed an ally. Fancy Pants could be trusted, but he had to maintain a neutral position. Being away from Canterlot, he also didn't have the resources to gather information on the griffons. Kibitz was probably innocent. For all his faults, he was a patriot and wouldn't resort to lies and trickery. Floribunda was also unlikely a part of any conspiracy. She was a traditionalist and valued peace and stability. Either way, neither councilor wouldn't have the resources to help either Rarity or the griffons.
That left Prince Blueblood and General Silvermane. Blueblood's friendship with Antoine was well known, as well as his open support for the Griffingard cause. Either he'd allied himself with the griffons in order to secure the throne for himself, or he was being manipulated. As much as Rarity hoped she hadn't married the stallion responsible for her friend's kidnapping, she had to remain open to every possibility.
And then there was Silvermane. The general seemed to have had a hoof in most major events since Celestia's demise. She was the one who attempted to arrest Princess Luna, she organized Rarity's wedding, she lead the war effort, and she even planned for Rarity's pregnancy.
On the upside, she didn't seem to get along too well with Centurion Bouvier. Come to think of it, Prince Blueblood was the one to suggest the griffons come to Equestria, and Silvermane never hid her distrust toward Griffingard. She also insisted she remain in charge.
Everything General Silvermane did, she did out of a sense of patriotism. A distorted sense of patriotism to be sure, but patriotism just the same. Rarity remembered quite well how she had sold her the idea of the wedding: raise a foal who would become a fair ruler for the next generation. Unless all of it had been a lie, Silvermane would oppose Equestria falling under King Aurélien of Griffingard's rule, something that was surely the griffon's ultimate plan should the accusation prove correct.
If anything, getting the griffons out of Equestria could only help the peace effort. Since Rarity needed an ally, she would need to risk trusting the pony responsible for starting the war.
She sighed as she stood and walked to the door. As expected, Sergeant Legerity was waiting on the other side the moment she opened it. "Please send for General Silvermane," Rarity ordered. "I would like to see her in private."
"Yes, Your Highness," the bodyguard replied with a bow.
Rarity returned to her rocking chair and picked up The Heart's Whinny from her coffee table. She was almost done reading it, having reached the chapter where Golden Oats had to prove to Prince Silversword that she wasn't responsible for sabotaging Queen Cupidity's gala.
She allowed the story to distract her. She was finishing up the part where Golden Oats proved the horseshoe didn't fit her hoof, but was in fact Princess Vainglory's, when a knock on the door disturbed her. "Come in," she called.
The door opened to reveal General Silvermane, who nodded at Legerity before closing the door behind her. "You called for me, Your Highness?"
Rarity took a deep breath as she left her book on a nearby coffee table. "Please take a seat, General." She motioned for the comfortable long couch where she usually entertained guests.
"I take it this is regarding the peace talks," Silvermane said as she sat down, keeping a rigid posture.
"In a way," Rarity said as she sat next to the general. "What would you say if I were to tell you there are elements that might be looking to sabotage the negotiations?"
"I would say the griffons have everything to gain by ensuring this war continues," Silvermane replied in her usual flat tone. "I fully expect that they'll try something."
"I agree," Rarity said as she moved a strand of hair away from her face. "There is more. What I'm about to tell you must not leave this room. To tell you the truth, I'm still not certain if trusting you is a good idea."
"But you'll tell me anyways," the general completed. "You wouldn't have called for me otherwise."
"I believe you to be a patriot, General. Your actions are rash and callous, and you force ponies into despicable actions, all to serve your twisted sense of the greater good." Silvermane's expression remained unchanged and unimpressed as Rarity spoke. "I do believe, however, that you think you're doing the right thing. You wouldn't betray Equestria itself, only individual ponies you do not find worthy of serving her."
"I only aim to serve, Your Highness." Silvermane was grinding her teeth as she replied.
Rarity nodded and continued. "You know that my friend Fluttershy was imprisoned for freeing the changeling queen."
"I'm certain you know better than to order her freed," Silvermane said.
"Not what I'm getting at," Rarity replied sedately as her brow furrowed. "The reason she freed Chrysalis was to obtain information. In exchange for her freedom, the queen revealed two important pieces of information. First of all, she captured Twilight Sparkle. We know this to be true; Chrysalis described Twilight using a spell, one only Twilight's closest friends have any knowledge of."
"Interesting theory," Silvermane said. A flicker in her burnt orange eyes betrayed her interest.
"The second piece of information we found was that Chrysalis did not act alone. She claims that she handed Twilight over to the griffons."
"Or the changeling queen could have lied, and Princess Twilight could be literally anywhere," Silvermane said. "She could be dead."
"I don't think so," Rarity replied as she shook her head. "The spell I mentioned earlier is a protective shield. Twilight cannot be freed from it without myself or another one of our friends breaking it. This means that she's alive and unharmed."
"But since your friend so wisely let the changeling queen go, we don't have any way to prove any of this."
"Which is why I'm coming to you," Rarity continued, ignoring the jab at Fluttershy. "I need proof. You work closely with Centurion Bouvier, and I've been in Canterlot long enough to know you employ more spies than any sane pony should."
"And you want me to investigate." Silvermane took a deep breath. "It's definitely an interesting theory, one worth considering." She tapped her hoof to her chin. "Very well, Your Highness. I will conduct a subtle investigation and see what I can find out. I will also speed up our troops' training — try to make sure our military machine isn't dependent on Griffingard."
"Good," Rarity said. She adjusted her mane as she considered what she was about to say next. You need allies, Rarity. You have no choice but to tell her everything. "There is more."
"Oh?" Silvermane asked as one of her ears twitched.
"Fluttershy didn't pass on the message to me alone. She also sent it to Princess Luna, through one of her spies."
"I don't suppose you've identified this spy?"
Rarity sighed. "Irrelevant, the spy has since then left Ponyville and is doubtless already in Cloudsdale. What matters is that Princess Luna might come into these negotiations suspecting the griffons of being responsible for kidnapping Princess Twilight."
"And she would assume that Prince Blueblood is behind it," Silvermane completed. "Typical Luna. We can expect rash action from her. I wouldn't be surprised if she accuses the griffons right in the middle of the peace talks."
"A possibility we should be ready for," Rarity said with a stern nod. "I do not, however, wish to precipitate a confrontation. To be blunt, General, I don't care what your opinion of Princess Luna is. I want these peace talks to succeed, and so does my husband."
"Yes, you seemed to have convinced him of the value of peace when you showed him Ponyville. Fear not, Your Highness. As you mentioned, I am a patriot, and I will obey the will of the crown. I will, however, keep my eyes opened. These negotiations can easily turn into an explosive situation, and I thank you for trusting me with this information. I will do my best to ensure everything goes as well as possible."
"Then we can uncover the truth," Rarity completed. And hopefully I'm not making a mistake by trusting her.