The gorgeous scenery of the Equestrian mountainside spanned through the view of the train window as Twilight sat back in her seat. Her attention was constantly being directed by the conversations from inside the cart and to the novel that levitated gently in front of her.
In Twilight's mind however, questions alluded her about the mysterious human that lurked from within the illustrious walls of the castle. Grateful of her mentor's lenience towards him, Celestia had reassured her that he would stay within the safety and comfort that the castle could provide. Behind these claims however, Twilight could sense the hostility between the Princess and the knight. She knew it was not for his safety, but for the safety of everypony else.
She shook her head as she looked to the day ahead of her. Setting the book down upon it's pages, Twilight stretched as her vision began to drift into a peaceful slumber. However, a strange assortment of crimson gleams shone faintly as it shot across the sky and over the horizon of the hill that the train has began to climb, breaking Twilight's drowsiness.
"Did anypony else see that?" Twilight questioned openly.
"See what silly?" Pinkie Pie replied as she poked her head from over the seat in front of her.
"Um... Nothing, sorry." Twilight said frowning as Pinkie Pie shrugged, returning to her previous position.
A sudden lurch of the train caught everyponies' attention as their speech turned to silence.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" Rainbow Dash curiously yelled out.
"W-Why did the train stop?" Fluttershy chimed in as she looked around worriedly.
"Uhh... Ya'll, we got some company." Applejack stated as her focus was upon her window opposite to Twilight's.
A small huddle had quickly formed around the window as Twilight pushed her head through to see.
She nervously gulped as she watched a small patrol of guards positioned right outside the entrance to the train cart. One of which that was emblazoned with a varied insignia from the others argued calmly with the conductor of the train as two of the guards began their entrance into their section.
"Excuse me, ladies. But we bring word from Princess Celestia." One of them spoke as they approached the group who had remained awkwardly plastered to the window. Twilight quickly readjusted herself, stepping forward to greet the two.
"Why? What happened? Does Princess Celestia need us?!" Twilight attempted to conclude before being silenced by the guard's hoof as he held it up.
"She has ordered an immediate turn-around. The Elements of Harmony are to continue to the nearest checkpoint and return back to Canterlot Castle until further notice." The guards pony stated authoritatively.
"What?! What's going on?" She nervously replied, coming face-to-face with the stern guardscolt.
"I'm sorry madame, I'm not at the position to say." He snarled, pushing her back lightly with a hoof.
"Ah but what about the farm? Big Macintosh is going to be mighty sore If Ah don't make it back today." Applejack complained as she folded her forelegs.
"A-And what about my animals? T-They tend to get angry if I don't feed them." Fluttershy added, poking her out from over the seats in front of her.
"Yes, yes, and what about my shop?! Dresses don't sell themselves you know!" Rarity pointed out to him, as the group of ponies simultaneously began chattering and bickering towards the agitated stallion.
The guards pony rubbed his face with his hoof, stomping an armored hoof to the floor as he worked to control the situation.
"Your going to have to take this up with the Princess herself, but until then you are ORDERED to return." He angrily shouted, hushing the crowd almost immediately.
The guard coughed awkwardly as he recomposed himself.
"Well... I apologize. Have a nice ride back, ladies." The guard bowed before turning with his partner out of the cart. Twilight grinded her teeth, managing to hold back her annoyance and confusion about the sudden order. The strange silence of the cart was suddenly broken into discussion:
"Y-You think Discord might be free again?" Fluttershy questioned, whimpering from the thought.
"Or, OR, maybe there's... Zoooombie ponies!" Rainbow Dash said, throwing her forlegs forward in a mock impression jokingly as Fluttershy sunk back even more into her seat.
"Oh, Ohh! Maybe there's going to be a party after all and Celestia wants it to be a SURPRISE!" Pinkie Pie ecstatically stated, jumping out from her seat and into the air.
The train lurched once more as it worked it's way out of it's stationary position. Outside, the guards remained diligent as they soared slightly above it. A slight detour would deter them back towards the castle and safely accomplish through an escort.
Taking notice to the silent Twilight as she stared out the window towards the accompanying guards, Rarity queried,
"Eh... Twilight, darling? What do you think could have Celestia so alarmed?" calling attention towards the anxious looking mare in the corner of her seat.
"Honestly, I-I have no idea." She admittedly replied.
"Ya'll don't think this is about Solaire, do ya?" Applejack loudly inferred, striking a glare from the sunken Fluttershy.
"W-What! Of course not!" Fluttershy retorted in his defense, jumping from her seat to engage in the conversation.
"How do you know? We've barely even known the guy! For all we know he could be some sort of evil monster!" Rainbow Dash interjected as she eyed her.
"No! Never! N-Not by the way I've seen him. He just looked so... innocent and alone, like a lost puppy." Fluttershy desperately tried to convince them. Applejack eyed Fluttershy suspiciously, unphased by her words.
"It's a legitimate concern, Fluttershy." Twilight interjected, trotting towards the group.
"-There's no telling if Solaire has been deceiving us the whole time."
Rarity placed a hoof around Fluttershy's back to comfort her as the defensive mare's vision returned to the floor, contemplating about her newest, and possibly dangerous, friend.
"Hey wake up, you idiot." An enormous armored figure ordered, smacking an unconscious stallion back into reality with a light jab of his hoof.
"Hmph! Ah, S-sorry!" The stallion replied in embarrassment, pushing his displaced helmet correctly back upon his head.
"Be lucky I'm not the Captain. He'd have your flank shipped out of here in an instant if he found you napping." The other large revealed guards pony informed him as he turned to continue his route.
"...You coming?" He impatiently asked the disheveled and slightly groggy stallion who was slumped about a small weapons case.
"Y-yeah." He replied in a yawn, slowly standing and approaching the similar guards pony who grinned smugly.
Their patrol was in the silence of the approaching night as the sun began to slowly dip, and the shadows of the massive castle became larger, overcoming the gardens a marble exterior of the palace. Occasional nods and gestures towards other patrolling guards were shared as often as they crossed one another. The steel of their hoof boots clanked and scrapped across the outer flooring as they continued towards their set destination: the Royal Gardens. In the vast silence of the dawning day, the faint bustling and commerce of the local town outside the gates of the castle could be heard, helping the break the awkwardly quiet guard routes along with the occasional light sniffles and coughs of the guards ponies. The light scrapping of their boots quickly turned to a faint rubbing and crunch upon the now earthen ground of the garden that they treaded upon.
A warm smile secretly crept upon the face of the larger stallion as he became enveloped in the magnificent nature of the marble statues, perfectly squared shrubbery, and beautiful vegetation that grew. Lush plants of every kind graced his view, some of which he had never witnessed, yet equally as beautiful as the ones he had very rarely had seen before. The statues, a memoir of Equestria's past, emblazoned with the greatest of heroes and villains of older generations. The shrubbery, however bland it may of appeared, was fashioned to perfection, creating an opaque wall of green that twisted and turned, or sharply ended, breaking off into the familiar labyrinth. His pace began to slow as he observed his surroundings, sharing small glances towards his partner in an effort to shield his astonishment, whom eyed him as soon as he looked.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" The smaller guards pony whispered silently towards the other, whose grin he had quickly removed as he snapped towards the smaller guard's attention, who paced alongside him remarkably slowly.
"Uh... Yeah, beautiful." He replied in a monotone expression, causing the other to chuckle lightly at his inability to lie. The large stallion only glared angrily at the other, before having the shoulder of his armor plating lightly pushed jokingly. Nodding forwards, the smaller guard's pony increased his pace, causing his partner to quickly follow behind.
As their droll patrol continued, a very familiar statue bore into view as they worked around the bend of a section of the garden. The fallen God of Chaos, whom stance remained of equal freight and surprise as the day he was re-imprisoned. As they stepped past however, an eerie, unearthly chill swept across the garden, causing the two to shiver. They shared a momentarily glance with one another, unsure about the sudden cold front that had moved into the relatively warm dawn.
Suddenly, An abrupt muffled scream broke the quiescence of the dawn and caused the two to flinch in surprise, immediately being drawn to the source which emanated from the edges of the garden's labyrinth. A faint red glow shone from above the thick shrubs as the two galloped in alarm towards it; the guards ponies excited at the change of their monotonous duties.
Upon sharply turning the corner of the labyrinth shrubbery, the sight momentarily froze them in their tracks. A large, heavily armored bipedal figure knelt with it's back towards the two guards ponies as the first eyed the strange, massive corroded blade that laid upon the ground adjacent to it. Their presence remained undetected as they shared a glance amongst one another, attempting to silently anticipate their next move to each other.
"Y-You.... C-Creature! U-Up off the ground!" The first guards pony nervously shouted towards the frightening behemoth, whom suddenly raised it's head in alarm towards the sudden order. A haunting whisper of a growl could be heard as the hooded and armored figure worked to stand, facing towards them as he slowly turned his head to observe them. With one of his appendages he grasped the shaft of his massive blade and used it as a crutch to stand. It scrapped irritatingly along the ground as the tip struggled to keep balance. An abnormal, saturated red glow emanated from around the outline of the being, causing the two to take a step back in intimidation.
The smaller guards pony suddenly began to hyperventilate as the sight from beyond the armored figure could now be seen. From behind it, lay a corpse of what he could only make out as fellow Royal Guard, as his coat and armor were clearly recognizable, yet drenched with crimson blood. The once polished white armor of the guard was now stained and darkened, and his horn that once held his helmet in place had been snapped off, causing the helmet to sag over his left eye. It was apparent of any life that was once contained had been extinguished by the beast in front of him, which continued to breathe in growls.
"S-Surrender yourself, monster! Stop! Remain still! D-Do not advance!" The stallion barked hopelessly attempting to threaten it, yet it's gaze was transfixed upon the two as he slowly made a large step towards them, dragging his weapon upon the tiled ground of the garden.
"This i-is your final warning!" He yelled in vain as the creature continued forward at a steady pace. The guards pony grunted in agitation as he roughly smacked his frozen partners helmet, assuming a defensive stance. His forehead arched towards the being, horn pointed in a likewise direction. His partner anxiously followed his example, yet he was visibly shaken and his form was weak as a result.
The large guard's eyes squinted close and he clenched his teeth in preparation. His horn began to glow a magnificent cyan as the slight headache of magic caused him to grunt. A sudden blindness of light accompanied the large 'pop' of arcane magic that zipped through the chilled air and struck the figure directly into his plated chest. The creature snarled in reaction, and staggered slightly back as he worked to absorb the blow.
The guard grinned at his accomplishment as he looked to observe his enemy in its supposed pain. However his smile quickly diminished as the figure shrugged off the surge of his attack, advancing once again upon him. His eyes quickly shot to his partner, who stood as a statue, that continued to breathe irregularly.
"You idiot! FIRE!"
The biped's sudden sprint however, caught the distracted stallion off guard, causing him to break from his defensive position. In an attempt to make distance with the being, the large guards pony urged concentration to his horn once more, which started to illuminate and sputter under excitement.
His opponent had anticipated it however, and in a forward leap, had tackled the guard's pony. The stallion attempted to wriggle and punch his way free from the heavy body of his enemy. As he met the gaze of the creature however, his eyes began to widen in fear, and his mouth began to quiver. The monstrous glow of it's opaque eyes shone through the corroded and grate helmet visor, which seemed to stare deep into the mind and soul of it's victim.
In a desperate last stand, the large pony arched his horn to the sky, grunting and pressing all of his energy to his head. The light that began to shine quickly grew into a brazier of intensity, driving a powerful sensation all throughout his body. The creature snarled angrily, advancing a hand towards the pony's forehead. However, he was interrupted, as the developing spectrum of blue light had released, causing the darkened creature to jerk his head away as the light shot far and wide into the sky, cultivating into a brilliant vertical display.
With his subtlety threatened, The creature hastily moved the gauntlet of his hand and grasped the base of the guard's horn, and with a frightening growl and burst of strength, snapped the horn completely off. The light that had shone brightly throughout the castle exterior, began to fade and whither, taken once again the encroaching darkness.
The stallion laid with his mouth aghast in sudden shock from the excoriating pain that erupted from his forehead. A sound...a sound like bone breaking. It was strange. The stallion didn't feel a whole lot...just a quick zap. His mind stopped, his legs locked, his lungs froze.
Nothing wanted to work. Nothing wanted to move forward after experiencing what happened... it was like his body was trying to move time back to before this horrendous injury.
Away from the burning now cascading from his forehead and down through his body. The burning that caused his stomach to flip, his heart to stop, his lungs to burst...to make he himself wish for nothing but a swift death.
Anything to escape this pain... this horrific reality. The creature slowly lowered it's head to meet the stallions ear as he screamed uncontrollably, writhing about from under his grasp.
"No longer." A haunting and distorted voice whispered into the gasping stallion's left ear.
The blade of the dark warrior, that remained in it's opposite hand, jabbed through the opening under the belly of the guard's armor, ripping through skin and tearing at his insides. A sight of weakness overcame the guard, whose body slowly and steadily came to a stand still; his eyes fading into darkness as his last vision of the world was to the sky.
All the while, his partner remained stalwart in fear. Ignoring ever preservation to save his fellow guard or abide by his training. A trembling shell, unworthy of the seal that marked his helmet or breastplate. He stared pitifully towards his dead compatriot. A crimson red began to slowly drain from under the silenced pony, that further stained the already disheveled armor of the murderous knight.
The creature rose from the motionless body of the fallen guard, it's head cocked to face the frightened pony. The horrified guard began to back-pace slowly, bumping into nearby stonework and crushing plants. Almost as if you could intercept a grin from under it's guise, a taunting yell erupted from the dark being, sending the honorless gladium into a full panic, throwing his encumbered body around and sprinting as he gasped for air, heading in the direction of the enormous palace that rose beyond the garden.
Solaire paced himself across the room as he held the amulet firmly within his palm. He was restricted from leaving yet with this sign he knew he could not be bound here. In formulation of a plan, Solaire glanced around the suite for anything of use. A small room branched off from the bedroom as he curiously approached it, tying the twine of the amulet to his belt as advanced. Inside, there were a multitude of strange marble-like structures. One of which appeared to be an intricate tub with a metal appendage protruding from the nearby wall. The other object being an oddly shaped chair in which a lid secured the middle.
Solaire scratched his helmet at their existence, but quickly dismissed them as a certain thing caught his eye, throwing the velvet curtain of the elegant tub aside.
A window, by the the gods another window!
Solaire graced the surrounding air in thanks of his good fortune as he approached it. Observing from the moderately sized, and unwatched side view, he smiled excitingly as the location of the winding staircase could be seen, being directly under the vicinity of his location. Eagerly he clambered his body further over the tub and pushed his hand to the window in search of a lock or to simply push it open.
Damn.
The concurred window in itself wasn't designed to open. Solaire stepped back momentarily before glancing over his shoulder. A plan had soon graced his mind as he walked out from the room and back towards the bed.
I need just enough.
Pulling the comforter and the following sheets out from off the bed, he held them in his arms as he frowned; It was not enough for what he needed. Frantically, Solaire searched in and around the bed. Surely there would be a prodigal of luxory, accompanying the elegance of the suite. A lightbulb clicked in his head as he lowered himself to the floor, coming down with a slight crash. The draped bed in front of him held just enough room under it in storage. Aha! There under the bed, as predicted, sat a hefty supply of extra covering for his use. Solaire grinned stupidly, recalling old techniques as he began promptly knotting the sheets together, stretching them out to their full lengths and wrapping them tightly amongst each other.
"Done." He whispered quietly to himself, holding the lengthy silk rope in his hands. He took no time to congratulate himself as he scrambled silently towards the front window of the bedroom. He nodded confidently as he noted the guards stalwart location, standing in attention almost as if a lifelike statue. Carefully creeping back into the bathroom and stepping anxiously over the tub once more, he glanced alertly back in direction of the main door to the suite, closing the wooden bathroom door behind him readily. Standing strangely in the tub of the bathroom, facing the large, glass window, he engulfed a deep breath, swiftly raising his elbow and smashing into the glass of the window.
He winced slightly at the crashing noise of breaking glass, hoping he had not alerted the guards. He turned his head towards the front door in expectancy of a break-in. However, to his dismay there was none. Confident, he quickly unraveled the makeshift rope from his arm and tied it firmly to the leg of the marble tub.
Throwing the rope through the smashed window, he took a final look at the amulet, which continued to rest upon his belt presently. The swirl of aggressive dark red confirming his actions as he grasped his helmet from up off the floor from where he had previously set it. The familiar rugged iron helmet once again graced his face, placing it alacritously back upon his head. The musty and rank smell of an over-used bit of armor remained ignored by the knight as he stood prepped with his arms hanging slightly from the broken window pane.
With no further notion, he started pushing his encumbered body through the window, and cautiously began descending down the rope. His eyes constantly drifting to either side of the staircase as he anticipated his discovery by one of the guards. The makeshift rope remained steadfast, although sounds of light tearing and the struggle of force upon the fabric could be heard. However, this unshaped his dedication as he continued to scale downwards.
With the signal of land beneath the edge of his boot, he quickly dropped himself from the remainder of the rope, causing a mild 'thunk' of metal and pavement, which made him cringe and direct his eyes towards the suite. Successful, he grinned as he carefully stepped down the stairs, observing each encumbered step he took, and made his way towards the entrance to the residence hallways of the castle.
As he crept closer to the door, he extended his arms in an attempt to lightly shove the door open. However, he quickly made an important discovery about his exit. It too was locked, for his hopes of an easy exit had been thwarted by a guardsman's predictable expectation of security.
A swear was whispered under his breath as he continued to fool himself of a linear escape. Hastily, Solaire scanned the surroundings of the castle for an alternative, quickly pressing his vision to the balcony on his far left. The stairs, unfortunately, were just that: stairs.
The long climb to the illustrious suite was achieved by a slightly winding staircase without a single guard railing for prevention, should some clumsy soul lose his balance, they would swiftly meet their demise. All that gave him entrance to the balcony however, was a small ledge that traced below the castle windows; just large enough for the boots of a fair-sized human.
Solaire attempted to grasp at the marble walls, successfully keeping a minimal balance upon the ledge. He was uneasy and frankly a little frightened by lethal falls, yet he urged himself to take the first side-step. His armor rustled and his boots scrapped audibly as Solaire continued, trying to the best of his ability to muffle the noise with smaller movements.
Inching closer and closer, the balcony was barely in reaching distance of him. Encouraged, he hastily began shuffling, extending his right arm to grasp the railing. In a split moment, he directed his sight through the window, and immediately froze.
Inside, a crowd of guards stood silent, looking directly at him. Soldiers whom were partially undressed or completely, stood, frozen. Some, whom were in the process of undoing their armor or rustling through equipment had paused where they were, staring dumbfounded. A group of stallions in particular were gathered around a table, with cards positioned in their hooves.
Solaire held his breath; there was no mistaking he had been discovered. His eyes were shielded in shadow, but inside he was constantly snapping towards the ledge in which his arm was still hanging, motionless. In a quick burst, Solaire took an enormous step which placed him at the edge of the balcony. The guards, who were once stationary, immediately took action, jumping from their previous positions and slapping on any armor that was currently in hoof, before trampling towards the exit of their quarters.
Whipping his arms tightly around the railing, he successfully climbed his encumbered body over the side and onto solid ground. Unable to congratulate himself on the success, he bounded towards the two paned doors of the unknown room. Regardless if the doors also remained locked, he was determined to escape, even willing to smash his weight into the glass. To his delight however, the doors were in fact, unlocked as he scrambled to grasp the handle and charge inside.
Managing to sling the styled doorknob of the door down, he clumsily flew onto the carpeted floor of the room, pushed by his momentum.
"Agh! My word! Who DARES disturbs me while I'm freshening u-"
Solaire quickly scrambled up of the ground and adjusted his disheveled helmet. In front of him, a horrifying monster stood before him, bearing a terrifying expression. W-Wait...
Solaire sighed. Standing before him, holding a shocked look upon his face, was a white coated stallion with a layer of strange goo on his face, that blocked his appearance like a mask. He was covered in what seemed to be velvet silk, that was draped hastily over him.
"M-M-M-Monster!" The stallion screamed, throwing himself back and tripping on the frame of his bed, sending him sailing onto the elegant king-sized mattress.
Ignoring the frightened pony, Solaire headed for the door and swung it ajar. As he stepped out however, the guards whom he had alerted had already descended towards him and came bounding down the hallway, shouting orders and indescribable threats towards the exhausted knight.
He was cornered. Frantically he searched for an escape; another room, a hidden entrance, a second hallway, anything! Quickly stepping back into the room amongst the panicked stallion, he continued to search for an exit. The room that resided near the bed proved useless, full of the same stonework of strangely shaped structures.
"It's all over! Surrender!" A defining voice shouted through the inaudible mess of ponies. Stepping out from the room adjacent to the bedroom, Solaire noticed a tall but slim guard that stood in front of the horde of menacing stallions. However, his armor was drastically different from his compatriots. Instead of the usual golden embroiled plating that was worn, his armor was a light lavender, whilst a defined maize trimmed around his breastplate and centurion helmet.
In a moment of careless adrenaline, Solaire rushed in the direction of the lying stallion, who hopelessly tried to scuttle away off of his bed. Slinging himself upon the stallion, he held him by the neck, pressing him to his chest as he held him upwards, remaining cautious in not harming him.
"U-Unhand me you brute!" The stallion shouted frantically.
The surrounding guards prepared themselves to pounce upon the knight and his hostage, before being restrained by the leading guards pony.
"Listen now, let's not do anything we're going to regret here." He tried to persuade, cautiously stepping towards the two.
Solaire sweated from under his cumbersome helmet. He had blatantly defied his own morals, even going so far as to hold an innocent hostage. He had dug a hole far into darkness, and fought his ego angrily as he attempted to strategize his next move.
"Y-You... Must listen to me." Solaire worked out in heavy breaths, slightly masked under iron.
"I wish... No harm upon anyone. T-There is something terrible brewing amongst this world-" He attempted to explain to the group of cautious guards that stood, reading to attack
"Something beyond your power or control, it's-"
"ENOUGH!" A feminine, yet frighteningly booming voice shouted from seemingly every direction around him. In the space between the guards and Solaire, a strange, black mist began collecting, before forming brilliant white stars amidst the dark swirl. From the mist, a blinding flash of light erupted. Solaire's eyes shut in reaction of the flash, and upon opening them, the surprisingly tall figure of a jet black pony stood in observance of him.
Solaire gasped. What struck him odd about this new figure was a striking similarity to a certain princess he had plead to, while her coat and mane were drastically different, she bore the same elongated horn and magnificent wings that he had already witnessed. Her expression however, terrified him. A mixture of rage and annoyance painted her face as she stared directly through his thick helmet and into his eyes.
"Princess Luna!" The lavender guard exclaimed. Bending one fore-hoof, the guard knelt respectfully behind the enraged princess. Solaire gulped uncomfortably.
"I had thine doubts about these rumors, Solaire. But now I can see clearly!" She exclaimed, her voice seemingly blowing him back a few inches.
"You must understa-" Solaire replied in his defense, before being interrupted by the princess once more.
"Silence! I will hear NOTHING from thee!" She roared, stomping a hoof to the floor, silencing the entire room and even the squirming stallion who now stared fearfully towards the princess.
"Now. Unhand Prince Blueblood IMMEDIATELY." She commanded. Solaire clenched his teeth in guilt. A PRINCE? Had his immorality corrupted him? Solaire gulped, fearing the expense of his honorless actions.
"Of course. Please, I don't wish for conflict." He anxiously replied, before loosening his gripe on Blueblood. The stallion quickly pushed himself from Solaire and towards the princess, falling to his plot and grasping around her leg.
"T-This fiend has v-violated me! D-Deal with this... THING, auntie!" Blueblood screamed childishly, beckoning the stalwart princess, who briefly glanced at the whimpering pony.
"A lie! There was no 'violating'." Solaire exclaimed. His outburst prompted a dagger-like stare, before turning her gaze to the stationary group of guards ponies.
"Shining Armor, please place our... guest under arrest." She commanded the lavender armored pony, who responded with a nod.
"At you wish, Princess Lun-" Shining Armor paused. A vibrant and brilliant blue light illuminated the entire room from the paned doors they stood beside. From outside, a column of blinding light had exploded, shining from beyond the gardens below, that stretched all the way into the sky and past the darkening clouds.
"W-What was that?" The princess asked in surprise, looking towards Shining. An expression of terror graced his face as he continued to stare towards the pillar of light that engulfed the darkness.
"A beacon. A-A guard's beacon-" He muttered, raising sudden alarm within the group of guards, painting different expressions of surprise and terror.
"-A -A spell I designed. I-It's a last resort in case a guard's life was...." He paused, visibly shaken of his knowledge.
"We have to get to the source. NOW." Shining Armor commanded, ignoring the hierarchy of the princess and turning to head out the door.
The princesses, immensely confused, looked in alarm at the usual cool-headed Captain as he pushed past the crowded door.
"Princess-" Solaire started, drawing the attention of the Luna whom returned with an angered look.
"I beckon, allow me to prove my innocence! Whatever is causing this-"
"Whatever causes this, knight, is in coincidence of your arrival!" She accused, pointing a hoof at him.
"Please, your highness." Solaire beckoned, raising him arms and reaching for his helmet. Her attention drifted towards the guards whom had, for the most part, filed out from the room and out of the hallway in attendance of their Captain. A few guards remained in service of the princess, who stood prepared in defense. Slowly removing his helmet, Luna watched in bewilderment as the being removed what she now realized, was a helmet. From under it however, was a pale face, scarred and withered. His hair was unkempt and matted with dirt, and patches of baldness and irregularities admitted his weathered self.
"Oh.. my." Princess Luna whispered, flabbergasted as her once scornful expression swept into pity.
Solaire bent on one knee, lowering himself to meet her legs. He matched his eyes with the ground in respect, holding his helmet to his side.
"Holy princess, I am a man of unfortunate situation. But my goals are clear, and my vision is of the light. You must believe my plea. For the dependance of my life, and my honor, rests on my commitment to this... new world."
"I-I..." The princess stuttered, suddenly becoming flustered at his dramatics.
"Solaire." she called to him softly.
"Yes, your highness?"
"Thine sister does not trust thee. Even I, should not trust thee. Yet, I know of these words you speak. I have heard this sincerity once before..." She comforted, stepping closer towards the knight, who's eyes continued to stay locked to the ground.
"I Believe thee, Solaire." She admitted, causing Solaire to widen his eyes in surprise, lifting his head to meet hers.
"Rise, soldier." She commanded.
Solaire rose from his knee, standing upright in attention, a tone of seriousness painted on his weathered face.
"Now, isn't there a problem that needs fixing?" She questioned him figuratively, cracking a small grin.
"Of course, your highness." He exclaimed, lifting his beaten helmet to grace his head once more. The guards positioned inside the door saluted respectfully towards Solaire, before tracing behind the advancing Princess Luna who kept her eyes immersed on the traces of immaculate light that dwindled and sat upon the dark clouds above.
As Solaire began to follow, he suddenly stopped. From his belt, he had tied the twine of the amulet that swung lightly in movement. In one hand, he grasped the amulet, turning it so it's face could be seen. What was once a raspy, red swirl had transformed into a maelstrom of colliding shades of red. An ominous glow emanated from within it's core, causing Solaire to shudder at it's corruption.
Wasting no less time, Solaire quickly hastened his pace behind the retreating royalty.