The Land Before Them

by Fat1thatyoulove

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – A warm and silent welcome

The rocking of the carriage has brought Star Swirl into a slight sleep, but the relaxed state doesn't last long as his ear flicks to a feminine voice beckoning him to rise.

"Mage Star Swirl...Mage Star Swirl?"

"Hm? Yes?" The stallion moves from his seat a little as he blinks his eyes to the mare, "What is it?"

The mare nods to her open window as she holds a slight smile to the outside world.

Star Swirl slowly picks up on her stare as he moves to one side of his seat and brings his hoof to the sliding wooden panel window, it moves slowly but as the stallion opens it the brightness of the world outside strikes his eyes. A slight smile crosses his face as he looks around the colorful crystally looking buildings that adorn the streets they travel past.

"...I have never been to the Crystal Empire...d-does it always look as it does now?"

Swirl's ear flicks a little to the words as he turns his head to face the white mare, "Why yes it does." The cut gaze of the world outside is only lost for a moment as he turns back to the city streets with the few crystally ponies that walk around them, "This was the first true city that was established in this new land of Equestria...And it’s beauty reflects that." He turns back to the mare as he nods, "But you already knew this."

The stallion's enthusiastic words go unnoticed slightly but he doesn't stop as he enjoys his own voice, "...You may notice there are more than just unicorns in this city, despite the fact this is a province of the unicorn empire."

Again the mare doesn't really acknowledge his words but by her turned left ear Swirl knows she’s listening, "...King Sombra has done a wonderful thing in this city, he has allowed pegasus and earth ponies into it and not just around it...He has taken that first tiny hoof forward to allowing real tolerance and trust." The end of his sentence holds a little more emphasis as Star Swirl silently hopes the young Princess of the new unicorn empire has picked up on his hints.

Platinum's voice comes back as she nods her head, "Why are they all so...colorful Mage Star Swirl?"

The old stallion gives a slight sigh to her tone as he closes the window and adjust himself to his seat, "There unique color comes from a strange power that's held in the castle known as the crystal heart." He taps his hoof to his mouth as he nods his head, "I...I am still unsure of its properties but it gives off a very real magic that...that every pony can feel." He gives a slight chuckle as he becomes a little long winded, “I was here for the first Crystal celebration, and I remember how the magic moved throughout the city and beyond the cities areas.”

Swirl gives another slight chuckle as he squints to his unfamiliar words, "Its almost like the heart is an element of what harmony should be...Everypony just living together."

There's a slight silence to the cabin's insides as Platinum slowly moves from the window, "Really? What kind of a mage could have created such a divine item?"

Swirl smiles as he shakes his head, "I'm sorry Princess Platinum but I regret to inform you I have no idea what kind of a pony could have created such an item." He leans a little forward as he talks, "But don't worry Princess, Sombra's Queen has decided to put this heart on display in the castle to help promote the feeling of the empire's unity."

Platinum nods her head as she regains her proper stance, "Well we will have to see if this item can be easily moved, it should be displayed in the new unicorn capital."

The old stallion holds his eyes to the mare for a moment as her words sink into his mind, Platinum notices his stare as she wiggles her hoof to him with a slight laugh, "This way its power could be closer to the center of Equestria of course."

Swirl nods his head with a respectful chuckle as he talks, "Yes...Of course."

A hoof knocking to the door of the cabin comes back into the room as the wheels under the two ponies hooves begin to stop, "We have arrived your majesty."

Platinum moves her cloak a little more as her horn sparks up in a low pink glow and her silver crown floats to her pink mane, "Yes, you may open the door now Sargent Stone Hooves."

The door to the cabin glows a faint blue as it slowly comes open and extends its staircase like walkway down to the ground, a large white stallion wearing a silver plated chest plate armor with blond mane stands to the outside with his horn glowing a faint blue as he talks, "General Stomping has taken the other few guards inside your majesty."

Platinum nods her head as she leaves the carriage first with her head up high and a proper royal voice, "Yes yes, that's fine Sergeant Stone Hooves, all that means is that you must carry my bags."

The white stallion reluctantly nods his head as he holds his military stern face, "Yes your majesty." His eyes shift to Star Swirl as he watches the stallion coming down from the stairs, "Will you be needing help Mage Star Swirl?"

Swirl holds his gaze to the white mare as she waste not time traveling up the staircase into the large blue crystal doors of the castle, the old stallion turns a smile to Stone Hooves as he shakes his head, "No my friend, I can carry my own things...and please don't call me Mage, I don't even really like it when Platinum calls me this."

The stallion blinks a little confused as he nods his head, "Yes."

Swirl's horn sparks up in low gold as his decent sized bag floats next to him as he stretches his legs a little next to the carriage he rode in for so long. But as the bag floats around his neck, he doesn't take too much time as he picks his pace up to follow the white mare.

The inside of the Crystal castle is nothing new to Star Swirl but it's unique craftsmanship and color layout has always sparked a slight smile to him as he moves his auburn eyes around the elegantly decorated room. But his eyes don't enjoy there sightseeing for long as they pin to a green shaded crystal pony wearing a red and gold cloak trotting towards him.

"Please follow me Sir.Star Swirl, King Sombra has been expecting you."

The grey stallion nods his head as he trots after the pony, but the trot through the castle hallways doesn't take too long as they round the end of it and take their steps towards the closed off part of the throne room.

At the end of the hallway he sees Princess Platinum and a familiar dark grey stallion with crystal shimmering whitish-gold mane wearing a heavy purple and white cloak, similar to Princess Platinum's but much more elegantly stitched with fine crystals. But Star Swirl's smile is lost as the tall unicorn stallion turns his green eyes to the older stallion's trot, the stallion's horn glows a faint green but it slightly matches the shimmer of the crystal walls behind him too much to really tell.

A deep echoey voice comes through the room from the smiling stallion, but his mouth doesn't move as the voice continues, "Hello Star Swirl, it has been too long my friend."

The pony that was leading Star Swirl stops his trot as Sombra's resignanting voice moves to him, "Thank you Nimby, but there's no need to introduce Sir.Star Swirl."

"As you wish king Sombra." The stallion moves himself to the side of the wall as Sombra's bright eyed gaze turns back to Swirl, "It must have been a long trip you must be-..."

"Sombra." Star Swirl's tone is sharp, the considerably taller stallion is a little taken off guard as he blinks to the grey unicorn's consenting voice, "I did not make several trips to your empire to write so many books on hoofing if you would insist on straining your magic to talk."

The stallion loses his smile a little as his horn drops its glow and his right hoof comes from the ground..

Star Swirl smiles to the hoof's motions as he talks, "Are you insulting my new beard?"

A slight wheezing laugh escapes the tall dark grey stallion as the two stallion look to each other, to the new silence around the room Platinum turns her gaze to Sombra a bit confused as she talks, "It's true? The king of the Crystal empire can not speak?"

Sombra turns his gaze to her a little surprised to her words but before Swirl could speak up for the stallion the low glow from Sombra's horn begins to chime through the room as he gives a wise smile to the young Princess. The echoey deep voice comes back to the room as Sombra's magically induced words roll through it, "Princess Platinum, a leader does not need to talk with words when actions speak for themselves."

The white mare blinks to the words as she nods her head, "I am sorry if I have offended you...I was just not expecting the terrible rumors to be true."

Star Swirl gives a faint chuckle as he turns to her, “Princess Platinum, you act as if its a tragedy. Not being able to so easily express one’s emotions makes for a powerful magic, and a deep understanding on how it can and will affect you and those around you.”

Sombra nods his head as he turns back to Platinum, "Come you must be tired Princess, if you follow Nimby he will show you to your room in the castle...I believe General Stomping has already posted your guards out front of it."

Platinum cocks her head a little surprised as she talks, "But your letter addressed to me said you required us as soon as possible, you made it clear that it was of importance of Equestria and the Unicorn empire."

Sombra wiggles his hoof in front of her as the magical echoey voice stems from him, "Judgments are clouded with the storm of tired minds."

Princess Platinum nods her head to the weird words as she squints her eyes, "I see you have been communicating with the pegasus."

A smile comes over the stallion's face as he holds his hoof to the crystal pony waiting to lead Platinum away, "I have spoke with many ponies in my time...But none of that is to be of concern until tomorrow when everypony is properly rested."

The white mare nods her head as she starts to trot away with her head up high, "Very well if you insist, tomorrow we shall carry out our speakings."

Star Swirl and Sombra wait for the two ponies to be out of sight before Sombra turns his gaze to the stallion in front of him, the echo of the voice still comes over the room but its lower as Sombra's eyes and face tighten a little, "Forgive me my friend, I know you have been yearning to continue your books on hoofing. But I did not just call you to come with your young Princess as an adviser-..."

Swirl waves his hoof as he lets out a slight chuckle, "I do not even know a time when that pony has listened to me, so I do hope that you have not only called me for that reason."

Sombra holds a friendly smile to the comment as he shakes his head, "No, I believe you will see what I require of you very shortly...If you please." Sombra moves aside from the throne room doors as they open to his magic.

End of chapter 1

Comments

[Leux]

yes yes, That was good work. ^^

[Radon18]

Hmm. I don't really get why this isn't more popular. I've only just started reading and it seems pretty good so far.

Platinum is a bitch but the other characters seem pretty awesome. I am particularly interested in king Sombra and his 'not-evil-ness'.

[Allstar13521]

Stare Swirl

Just a wee error but it's pretty close to the start so it may put some people off, I sugest fixing this quickly

[Mr Swanky Hat]

4227687 no, his name is stare swirl, the history books got it wrong