//------------------------------// // Chapter 27 // Story: War of the Moon (or Thanks MA Larson for the inspiration // by WildmoonNH //------------------------------// Chapter 27 Snowcatcher's shift started at first light. Yet this was one morning she had trouble getting out of bed. Her head hurt, the room spun, her legs were unsteady. She could breathe, so it wasn't the rare mixed-weather cold she'd get when she had business in various climates. She tried to shake it off. "Too much to do, still," she muttered before using her magic to reach for her clipboard. The instant she cast, the magic seared back into her body like invisible knives. She gasped from the inexplicable pain and collapsed inside her tent. The shock almost robbed her of voice as she squeaked out a cry for help. She didn't expect to be heard, or a response to follow. The flap of her tent carefully opened to reveal Siren Song striding in, a look of amusement broadening as she closed in. "Something the matter, oh fearless leader?" "My.... magic....." "Tsk. You should just stay in bed, then. We'll take care of things from here." Siren unshouldered a dark blue blanket. "Here, once you're comfortable we'll just drape this over you and someone will bring you broth if you get hungry." Snowcatcher pushed herself carefully to all four hooves, eyeing the blanket. "I won't need that," she rasped. "It's more for ... 'comfort'. I think it will be very helpful." The unicorn clambered back to her cot, still dizzy from her attempt to cast. "Fine," she muttered, knowing Siren was enjoying this a little too much. She closed her eyes with the blanket draped over her body...... ------------------------------------- "I didn't hear her scream." "No need, Sonja, she doesn't know what just happened and won't require an explanation." Siren closed the tent flap. "Thank you for sparing a blanket for our poor poor 'master'." "The pegasi are rounded up as well," Night Watch reported. "That dark blue one took a little longer to hold down." "As long as we have them all," Sonja confirmed. "Let the snow pour on the tracks. Leave what's done in place for now." ------------------------------------ Celestia usually enjoyed her morning duty of raising the sun. Some mornings it would be a grand display if enough ponies arrived to watch; some mornings, not many would drop by, bowing to her as she took care of her sacred duty. Today, the sun felt heavier than her heart. Deep down, she knew her brother still planned something; whatever his plan, there would not be an easy solution. Cepheid had been almost zero help, dismissing the entire case as a "foal's folly" and they would just have to wait for Lapis to trip over his own hooves. Did her Brother of the Seasons truly believe that Lapis had learned nothing in a thousand years? He came close to taking over in his previous attempt. She learned. Canterlot learned. Lapis surely learned something, and he still had Twilight under his hoof. "Sister, all of the Guard remains restless," Luna announced as she appeared on the balcony. "The previous evening was too quiet." "Then today may very well be the day, sister," Celestia resigned. "The Guard won't have to be restless much longer. Did you find anything more in your Dreamwalks?" "Nothing. I will attempt once more shortly. The Phalanx will rest for now, but can be readied." "Thank you, sister." Celestia sighed, letting the sun wash over her. "What had we done so wrong? Why does Lapis insist on this?" "Stubbornness?" Luna posited. "Fearing he was forgotten? Or worse, demonized as some say I was as Nightmare Moon? He supposes that Twilight Sparkle is his replacement." "He said nothing of Cadance?" "I don't believe he knows of her. She was not a factor the night I returned. Her husband, however...." "He knows we're waiting for him." "Let him come, sister. What transpires from here, may NEED to happen. What of the Elements?" "I will share breakfast with them. I won't be able to stop them from assisting us, though I hope to guide them to one place so that they will be together once Twilight is secured from Lapis." "And if he does not bring Twilight Sparkle?" "Then WE have to stop him. Elements or no." ------------------------------------ Lapis peered out into the distance from the launch platform at Drakengard. A slight breeze from the north, and clear skies once outside of the valley. The chariots were completed, Hatchet's speed and consistency once again surprising the Shadow of the Moon. He continued to look northeast, savoring the storm he was about to bring. He knew his sisters were pondering his return. He knew that Cepheid was likely disparaging him even now. "Second thoughts, luv?" "I cannot turn back now, Sun. We are going to Canterlot." "We could go a bit more diplomatic." "No, it doesn't work that way. Am I to turn to all of you after blustering so much of this invasion to say 'surprise, we're just going to talk'? I cannot do that. It will show weakness." "Might show a bit of sense," Desert Sun leaned against him. "There is no sense to their actions, I can respond in kind." "The picture you had with the response.... your brother wasn't wearing chains and your sisters looked..... happy." "A ruse. A fleeting smile does not mean true happiness." Sun looked to her betrothed with concern. "So are you 'happy' that you're doing this, then?" "No one is happy about war." "Then why do something you don't wish to do?" "Some things must be done. You know this as well as I." Sun wanted to remind Lapis of what happened the last time they had visited Canterlot. Perhaps what he was doing was more than just a response about Twilight? Did he hold the grudge of his defeat three years ago? Or was it about Discord? There were so many things he could storm Canterlot castle about, but not one would be enough for this invasion! She looked down to her necklace, realizing how much damage she could do...... "If Canterlot becomes your castle, it will take time to repair." "It is but a structure. One much too large for two alicorn princesses. The original was much more..... correct. It can be rebuilt." "Can family?" Lapis looked away. "Just consider it, luv." she contended. "We're going no matter the order. I think only Hatchet and Cloud Slayer will be disappointed that we're just going to talk." "Talk's cheap," Hatchet interrupted as he slid in from his morning patrol. "This time we give it to em! They're REALLY gonna feel this!" "Spoken like a true voice of reason." Desert Sun rolled her eyes. "Haven't you beaten up enough metal and Ichor's guards that it's not out of your system?" "It's all a warm-up!" Hatchet launched off the platform. "We're gonna literally storm Canterlot with STORMS! With that TANK Sandstone! With YER giant firebombs! Cloud Slayer and I are ready!" "Perhaps you can take care of checking on our prisoner before we depart?" Lapis requested of his eager smith. "Just CHECK on her? C'mon, Boss......" "What I don't see, I don't know." Hatchet shot over the couple and back into Drakengard. "So she's not coming with us?" Sun gave Lapis a strange look. "She will escape us, somehow, if we do. I want her secured here. When we have Canterlot, we will send some troops to bring her there." ------------------------------------ Thunder Arrow and Flank Attack divided the Solar troops throughout the premises. Shining Armor assisted just to keep his mind off his missing little sister. They had air patrols scheduled, unicorn and earth pony soldiers at all the parapets, even one unicorn in the Atrium. "We have to be ready for anything - and everything," Shining Armor kept telling soldiers as they scurried to task. Thunder Arrow finally swatted the unicorn with a dark gray wing. "We know what we're doing up here, you know. The Changelings thing was a lot different than what's coming today. Will you just -" "No I will NOT calm down!" Shining turned to his former co-captain. “It's not just my post at stake, I have family at stake! Canterlot AND the Crystal Empire are at stake. If we fail here, does he stop with Canterlot? With Ponyville? Manehatten??" "Breathe, Shining, breathe." Thunder Arrow shook out his mane before locking eyes with the unicorn once more. "Yes, this is war. Yes, there is a princess in danger. Yes, we'll be facing an alicorn. We've got that." Flank Attack overheard some of the conversation. "And you jumping around like a cadet isn't helping. Better you than Gallant Lionheart, but if you don't have your horn on straight it won't matter." Shining blinked at the earth pony guardcaptain. "If we've got enough soldiers, we won't need my forcefield. If you want me helping in battle, I need to be out here and not hiding someplace concentrating on the spell." Thunder Arrow smirked. "Just calm down. Whatever this alicorn wants to throw at us, let him." The pegasus' boast did nothing to change Shining Armor's mood. He hoped for Canterlot's sake they were ready. ------------------------------------ Hatchet skipped the stairwell as he glided through the passageways to the princess' cell. He looked forward to scaring her some more; he loved the horror he'd seen, the grimaces when he pulled at feathers. Yeah, another scream or two to get him pumped up for today. "HEY PRINCESS, BETTER EAT YER BREAKFAST!" He laughed as he landed before the cell. He skipped out on the armor and just wanted the necklace before he rode out. He'd heard Slurry was already suited up and giving Drakengard one last patrol. He turned to the cell to find its lone prisoner flopped on the ground. "You asleep?" He rattled the bars with his wings. "Get up! Makin sure you eat before we go. It's yer favorite, soupy oatmeal. And it's nice an cold!" His enthusiasm faded when she didn't flinch or jump from the noise. She did finally raise her head, looking at him briefly before settling back down. "Hey, doncha ignore me!" He checked the troughs. "Ya ain't touched any of this? They actually brought you the GOOD soupy oatmeal, too!" She moaned softly in response, mouth moving only slightly. "Ohhh, I get it! Ichor had you up all night with his guards! Heard Slurry was down here too!" He kicked around some stray bones from the remains of one of the guards. "Oh yeah, she got mad at the guards. Sorry I missed that. You gonna eat or not?" "feed.... me...." she whispered. The plea only sent Hatchet into new fits of laughter. "Feed you?! Feed YOU?? Oh, poor little princess can't even feed herself! No wonder she ain't eaten!!" Hatchet let himself into her cell. "Sorry I don't carry a spoon with me, 'Princess', I wasn't born with one in my mouth." Twilight groaned again, only adding to Hatchet's good mood. "Too bad I can't just dump the trough on ya." He looked quickly back and forth from the food trough to the prone princess. "Don't feel like draggin ya over there, so okay, I'll bring ya some..... heheh...." Hatchet made a show of prancing over to the food trough, flapping his wings awkwardly. "Yeah, if my wings worked a little better," he mocked, "This would be a lot easier!" Smirking at his own joke, he reared and plunged one hoof into the food trough. "Ooooops, I stepped in your lunch... not even sure that hoof's clean." Twilight still did not react to his taunts, sleepily blinking in his direction as he hobbled back to her, wobbling on three legs and continuing to flap his wings uselessly. "Veeola! Breakfast is served!" he shoved the soaked hoof into her face. "Go on, lick it clean and you might get seconds!" Twilight once again looked up at him in dim confusion. "heheheh, thought you were hungry." He leaned in to her face. "Here comes the oatmeal soaked choo-choo train..... open wide, Mrs. Tunnel-" What happened next was too fast for his red eyes to follow. Twilight thrust her forehooves at him, the loose shackles sliding into place over the raised foreleg and his snout. The Lyrium woke to all the trace magic on the sadistic pegasus, ripping at him for wearing the Phalanx armor and the Fear necklace. He grunted and spasmed, tumbling about on the floor in much less enjoyable pain. She carefully removed the shackles from her hind hooves and kicked one at Hatchet, landing a solid blow to the side of his head. Slumping to the ground, Hatchet's twitching slowed, down to tics of residual magic and the Lyrium trying to get to his necklace. Only now did Twilight have a few seconds to relax. Hatchet's screams would be muted with the shackle over his snout, and his necklace and Lyrium would keep him neutralized. The door to the cell was still open. Not sure of how much time they would wait before checking on Hatchet, she took only a moment to eat some of the food left for her, a quick drink of water and out the door she slipped, knowing that her magic still could not be used until she was outside and a safe distance away.... She glanced up the stairwell from where most of her visitors arrived. Too obvious, she thought, but was there another route? Despite her long stay, she rarely looked elsewhere around the exterior of her confines. To her left, the stairs, darkness to the right. She slunk to the right, despite the lack of light there. No light entered this separate tunnel. It was well-hidden - guessing it wasn't used often, she didn't recall any of the others using it. She peered deep into its darkness, trying not to use her horn to light the way. She took a wary step forward, noting the incline of the tunnel was very steep. Did they even know of it? Her curiosity had to remain in check; she needed to know more, but she needed more to keep moving. Another step told her just how steep the tunnel could get - not completely vertical, but the hoof-holds were indeed narrow, more for a pegasus to balance or guide than an earth pony or unicorn to climb. Lacking feathers on her wings to aid her balance, she clamped them shut to her sides and gingerly pushed herself upward, hopefully to freedom. ----------------------------------- "Rather eager for a morning patrol, Slurry." "So? Somepony has to do it." Desert Sun again cocked her head to one side as she saw the pegasus already in Phalanx armor and wearing her necklace. "Normally you'd not 'dress' for it." "If today is THE day," Slurry growled back. "I'm ready. I'm sure Cloud Slayer's already suited up." The unicorn blinked. "Now that you mention.... she's with Violet and Silver, inspecting the wagons. Hatchet went to play with the prisoner." Slurry paused at that. "He'll be gentler than Strife. Not much gentler...." "Just enough to keep her in place while we're gone. I should probably dress for the occasion as well." "You're ranged attack - you don't need armor..." "But we'll be inside Canterlot, and I'm sure somepony will approach. Luv wouldn't chance that with me otherwise." Slurry snorted. "Right, forgot about your guardian......" "If it's a consolation...." Desert Sun offered. "I got a great deal more than an apology from him for how he's treated you. I hope he's done the same to you directly. We couldn't quite get the knot undone....." "Not worrying about it," Slurry cut her off. "I've got patrols, you've got armoring. I'll talk to him about it again when this is over." Slurry leapt for the nearest exit before the unicorn could speak. --------------------------------------- Celestia promised to have a private breakfast with Twilight's closest friends, and despite several requests for her presence at the strategy sessions she turned them down outright. This was a little more important; Luna could fill her in before things went completely out of hoof. She used the morning meal to gauge the six who had travelled from Ponyville and where their minds might be, this close to a major confrontation. Applejack and Pinkie's appetites had not been affected, though neither had much to say between bites of waffles and pancakes. Fluttershy had not started eating, despite the reassurances she had from Discord the previous day. Spike half-heartedly gnawed on a topaz while Rarity carefully scooped oatmeal with a spoon held in her magic. Celestia herself barely sipped at her coffee, waiting to see if anypony else would at least start a conversation. "Yer chefs really know somethin about pancakes," Applejack finally said after finishing a small stack, washing it down with milk. "Granny's are still better, but I'd wake up to these." "The waffles need more berries!" Pinkie upended a bowl full of blueberries and raspberries on her waffle. "And whipped cream, and chocolate......" "Yer nuts, Pinkie-" "NUTS! I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING!" Pinkie glanced around the table for some. "I'll have some brought out shortly, Pinkie," Celestia assured her. "Good to see most of you still have an appetite." "Won't you be eating breakfast too, Princess...?" Fluttershy asked before reluctantly sampling her oatmeal. "I'll be fine, Fluttershy. You really should eat." Celestia took another long sip of coffee and stared at the small stack of pancakes brought to her. She really didn't have much appetite this morning with so much else in disarray. What few students that had reported to her up to last night read insightful, thorough and inspired dreams of the future read with the jealousy toward Twilight Sparkle. She knew Shining Armor worried for his little sister as much as he did Canterlot proper, even with Luna calming his fears and doubts from before. She still had not spoken again to Aurora about the midnight rose that Hazard Watch found, and wondered if Count Solaris' catching traces of conversation included her. Perfectly prepared pancakes were no panacea to the perplexing present. "Someone wake up Rainbow Dash yet?" Applejack started her second helping. "She's missin a treat." "I think she was up most of the night anyway," Fluttershy admitted. "She's really angry and frustrated about all this and she couldn't sleep." "That won't help us at all. She shoulda just flopped on a cloud outside and slept it off." "Mostly nerves, I'm sure," Rarity offered. "Rainbow Dash knows she'll be working with the Wonderbolts and the Solar Pegasus guards, so she should be at the top of her game. If she's not....." "She ain't up, so she don't get breakfast......" "I can go wake her," Spike sleepily offered. Pinkie looked at her messy waffles before turning to Spike. "The nuts aren't here yet, so I can go wake her up." She bounced from the table, turning back only once. "Nopony touch my waffles!" She ordered before heading into the hallway. Spike yawned, one paw reaching a little too close. Pinkie reappeared. "No-pony, and no-DRAGON!" Spike fell off his chair as Pinkie departed again. "How can she not be worried at a time like this?" Rarity wondered out loud. "Twilight has been imprisoned, who knows what that monster has done to her." Fluttershy finally started into her breakfast. "Discord asked her yesterday, and her Pinkie sense hasn't told her anything else..." Only now could Celestia attempt her pancakes. Fluttershy's observation was the ounce of hope she could have with breakfast. ---------------------------------------- Twilight hesitated every few steps; the voices and echoes through the tunnel spooked her. She wondered if this tunnel branched elsewhere, or if it functioned like an audial "Chimney" to get sound out of the complex and minimize reverberations. Her mind wandered to such strange things, almost jump-started from her freedom. Intentional or not, she had every intention of repaying Summerstorm... when, not if, she escaped. Her curiosity tugged her to a side tunnel, one that sloped downward. Faint light awaited ahead, but the conversations were better heard there. A mix of voices, ranging from excitement to curiosity to authoritative. She wanted to listen, she needed more information! The more she had, the more she could help prepare Canterlot. She heard growls of Phalanx soldiers talking about chariots; she heard Morning Star asking Ichor questions, and Sweet Pea's giggling; she heard Lapis Umbral himself donning his armor and speaking to somepony else. They were preparing. Today HAD to be the day. Twilight had to get out. She scraped up the main incline, hoping that her theory was correct. This had to open to somewhere, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Or clouds. Lots and lots of clouds! Twilight bumped her snout against the fog wall. Stifling a sneeze, she pondered her next step. Was there? The clouds were thick, but the spire itself narrow; it would be a long fall without wings to catch her. Magic was out of the question, even from up here. She knew that Morning Star or the blind unicorn zebra would notice that. She peered out again, carefully, the mists and wind keeping her visibility down. A tenuous step to the clouds gave her a firm reminder that this wasn't just cover; the clouds a platform, her bare wings twitching in confirmation. She lacked the use of the wings for balance but that would not stop her from walking on the clouds. Even a Cloudsdale pegasus had to be able to remain on them with a broken wing. She parted a portion of the cloud cover, hoping to see more and further into the area. Hopefully she accounted for all the pegasi, once she was spotted there would be no turning back. One deep breath, one leap of faith.... and the spongy, soft surface held her up so that she could start her journey northeast. She had to get to Canterlot before Lapis. She peered up from the cloud cover. No pegasi in sight. Not risking being seen, she kept to a low profile in the cover, almost letting a layer cover her as he pointed herself northeast. The pegasus in her kept her footing, the earth pony in her a compass, and the unicorn in her demanding to help, somehow. She couldn't risk magic yet. She was too close to being dragged back... and still too far from where she wanted to be. She peeked up periodically, unable to see the end of the cloud cover. The clouds would only extend so far; would it be far enough then? Her unicorn side itched to cast. Frowning at the temptation, she ducked down once more and continued northeastward. ----------------------------------------- "WAKE UP RAINBOW DASH!!!" The pegasus bounced off the ceiling and floor before catching herself and winging into Pinkie's face. "I'm up! Where's everypony else? Is Twilight okay? Did I miss anything?" Pinkie blinked. "You're up now that I'm here, everypony else is finishing breakfast, Twilght's not here and you missed out on pancakes and waffles! I'll share mine, but nopony else gets any!" Rainbow Dash landed before her friend and tried desperately to hide a yawn. "Good, I was worried I'd sleep through it all." "Now you're awake!" Pinkie bounced around Dash once before heading down the hall. "Ready to eat and talk to everypony else and fly around Canterlot and maybe - " "One thing at a time," Dash grumbled. "No more Pinkie stuff about Twilight?" Pinkie stopped. "Nope!" She resumed mid-bounce. "Too bad your Pinkie sense can't tell us if they're gonna bring her to Canterlot." The pink pony bounced backward. "I really don't know! If she's brought here we could set her free and then we hit em with a RAINBOW TO THE FACE!" she flailed with punches and kicks in two bounces. "Or they'll leave her behind and she'll do a Daring Do escape and fight all the deathtraps so she'll be here just in time so we can hit em with a RAINBOW TO THE FACE!!" Pinkie flailed again. "Or she-" "Kinda wish Princess Celestia could still wield an element.... maybe that other alicorn - " "The gold alicorn sitting in the Atrium with a unicorn guard? He just wants to sit and watch, and you can't tell an alicorn he can't! He couldn't be Twilight if he wanted to. He could try really REALLY hard but I think he'd be more like you or Applejack-" "Wait, you've MET him?" "He's in Canterlot, you can't miss him!" "Has anypony else - " "Nope! I didn't say anything because nopony else asked me to! Just like keeping a secret for Discord-" "Discord~?!" Pinkie turned to Dash and zippered her mouth shut. After a moment she unzippered it. "Pinkie promise! Besides, my waffles are getting cold!" ---------------------------------------- Cepheid paced along the windows facing away from Canterlot, scanning the horizon. He'd glance back at the poor unicorn soldier sent to babysit him; he did not need a guard! He had zero interest in the fireworks to come. He just wanted to speak to his little brother and slap some sense into him. "Prince Cepheid....?" the unicorn guard asked sheepishly. "You are not gathering armor for the coming storm?" "Why? It's like an afternoon rain. It won't last long." "You know more about who is coming than most of the Guard." "I do - my brother, after all." "Is it because it's family?" "I can't choose sides when it comes to family," Cepheid resigned. "I don't like what Lapis is planning, but I don't think I can stop it. Tia and Luna are going to see this through just for the sake of Tia's student, I'm guessing." "And the safety of Princess Twilight...?" "She'll be fine. Little brother talks a good intimidating talk but it's only a matter of time. He'll trip over his own hooves and realize his mistake." "You seem sure about this," the guard wondered. "So why are we on such high alert?" "Because at least I can admit when I'm wrong. This time I don't think I am." Cepheid closed his eyes, letting the wind do the talking for a moment. "The wind is coming from the southwest. That's the wind my brother will ride into Canterlot. Dunno how many ponies he'll have with him, but I hope they understand what they're fighting for." "Were you a soldier, Prince Cepheid?" "Me? Nah. My duty was the seasons. We're in the autumn to winter transition now. Guessing little brother isn't going to wait for the snow." He glanced out the windows again. "Little brother's no soldier either. He looked like a child the first time we tried to put him in armor." The soldier had trouble picturing something so undignified from an alicorn. "Just like a foal making his first armor from cans and plates, and twice as loud. Took us longer to catch him to quiet him down." "I don't really understand...." "You will, soldier. Not even a thousand years of experiences can change some things about an alicorn." --------------------------------------- Twilight peeked out of the cloud cover to see much more distance to cover northeastward. She was running out of clouds, and only so many hops, skips and jumps before the sky would be completely clear. She might have to peel a piece from the edge of the cover to try and glide in that direction. Thankfully, some of the pegasi had stirred the proper tailwind, so she would have more of a head start. She only needed enough to curl up on (or into!) to continue her journey. She had to have all her information in order. She didn't have all the names, but plenty of descriptions. Her wings, tattered to nearly nothing, evidence of her time imprisoned. She hadn't seen Aurora since she was brought in; what was her role in all this? She didn't want to be on the Magic Council, but there was a lot more to it than even that. Celestia and Luna had to have been contacted in the meantime. What about Strife? She didn't hear his voice at all on her way out. Was he already heading to Canterlot? Or was he rejoining his peers elsewhere? Too many questions that she couldn't answer. A gentle swing of her wing picked up the breeze under her cloud. Canterlot had to be her first stop. ---------------------------------------- "Where is Hatchet? I'll need him to adjust something on this armor." Desert Sun continued adjusting her drape. "I've not seen nor heard him since you sent him to check on Twilight." Lapis' ears swiveled, not hearing the trademark laughter. "Not sure whether to be pleased or worried. He should have been back up here by now to suit up." "Shall I check on them?" "No. If I go, he'll move a great deal faster. Please check with Violet and Silver to make sure the chariots are ready." Sun gave Lapis a light nuzzle before trotting off to the launch platform. Lapis himself purposefully marched to the dungeons, hoping that some of the armor noise would remind Hatchet that he had spent too much time playing with the trapped toy. There was war to fight, the prisoner had enough food and water for a few days until someone could be sent for her. He marched harder down the final stairway, the noise rattling the walls and bouncing around him with similar angry purpose. "HATCHET~!" he called, expecting his smithy to appear at the base of the stairs with his wings to the ground to be stomped. No sign of the pegasus. Lapis called again with no answer. He paused as he heard nothing from the cell, nothing ahead of him, only the ruckus he caused. "Hatchet, this is no time to be --" the thought lost immediately once Lapis could see the cell. The door remained wide open, and the sole occupant wrapped up in the Lyrium chains, unconscious. The pegasus had one shackle over his mouth, one on each of his forelimbs, and one draped over his neck. The troughs still mostly full, though one dented from an impact from Hatchet's spastic dance once the Lyrium took hold. "HATCHET!" The tone now more of frustration mixed with concern as he entered the cell, sensing around for any sign of the actual prisoner. He pawed once at the shackles, immediately regretting it as the Lyrium tore into his armor and raked his body. "DUSTMITE! COME TO THE DUNGEON IMMEDIATELY! EVERYPONY ELSE BE READY TO LEAVE WITHIN THE HOUR! "THE PRINCESS HAS ESCAPED!"