Kind Hearts & Coronets

by Shinzakura

IX: Just an Illusion We Believe

“We’ll be pulling into Pearis in twenty minutes, your grace,” the pegasus at the door said. The ship’s master, Bowsprit, was an experienced skipper and said to be in line to be promoted to Commodore, the head of the Fleet, once the current one retired. As it was, she was in charge of the Fleet’s flagship, a storied airship known as the Serene Velocity.

“Thank you,” Rarity said, smiling. She was nervous, to say the least. “Please have Ensign Silversteel see me as soon as he gets the chance.”

“I will have one of my crew detailed to retrieve him for you, your grace,” Bowsprit replied. “Now if you will excuse me, I must make sure my crew’s ready for berthing and anchor detail.” Nodding courteously to the duchess, the pegasus left, closing the door to the flag cabin.

Alone once more, the Duchess Lipizzan sighed. She knew this was going to be one of the hardest things she’d ever done, because this particular mission involved diplomacy, and Rarity was going as the Crown representative to the Republic of Donkonia. The Equestriani ambassador to that nation had asked for Crown assistance and with all that was going on at the moment, only Rarity had any sort of free schedule to assist, so Celestia had assigned her the task. She knew it was going to be difficult, the sun princess had told her sister royal, but she had the utmost faith that Rarity would succeed.

Now if only I were as confident, she mused to herself.

A knock came sounded at the door and she said, “Come in.” The door opened, and Silversteel came in, wearing his duty uniform. “You asked to see me, your grace?”

“Yes, Ensign,” she said. “Please come in, and close the door.” He did so, and the second he did, the titles and formalities disappeared and duchess and ensign were gone, replaced by two lovers. “You never know how used you get to having somepony sleeping next to you until they’re not there,” she said sadly. “I should be used to it, since you’ve been deployed before, but with both of us on the ship….” She shook her head. “It vexes me greatly, love. Here we are, just a bit over our first year anniversary of being together, and we’re both on a trip to the Northeastern Continent when we should be on vacation together.”

“Wouldn’t be the first anniversary that’s been spoiled for me; and sadly, being in the military, it probably won’t be the last,” he admitted. “I guess I’m used to this and you haven’t quite adjusted yet. It doesn’t get any easier, but I’m sure Cadance can tell you that.” He then gave her a kiss and embraced her. “Besides, it’s not as though you’ll be alone in Donkonia. I’ll be there with you, and Shining did agree to let me be your escorting guard.”

“More like I begged Celestia to let you come with me,” she laughed. “But I know that even though we’re here together, there are limits that we’ll have to deal with. As we’re not married, to be with you onboard would be a breach of protocol, which is why you’re staying with the ship’s crew instead of here with me.”

“But it doesn’t mean I can’t be your personal escort everywhere, milady,” he said, bowing with a soft smile on his face.

“Well, as long as you don’t forget the lady in waiting I had to bring with me,” she said. “I have no idea why the Donconegasque are such sticklers for formality, but they insisted that I have a retinue.”

“Has to do with their national inferiority complex, I’m told,” Silver said, “though if you ask me I think that’s somewhat insulting.”

“How so? They’re the only equinoid species without magic, they refuse to believe that the princesses are deities or avatars, and with the exception of the ones born in Equestria, they tend to be, well…rather…problematic, shall we say.”

“You mean brusque.”

“No, I mean rude.” There was another knock on the door, and Rarity said, “Come in,” as she gave Silver a quick peck on the cheek and an apologetic look.

A familiar earth pony came in, wearing business attire, pulling a clipboard out of a matching saddlebag as she sat down. “Well, I’m sorry for breaking up your little moment of intimacy,” she said, “but I thought we’d best get started. Though, I’m still at a loss as to why you brought me along as your assistant when you have actual assistants back at the Ministry.”

Rarity smiled. “Just keeping a promise to you, Bon-Bon,” she told her oldest friend.

A few minutes later, as the ship approached the port of Pearis, Bon-Bon facehoofed. “Really? This is why you wanted me to come?”

The grin on Rarity’s face was wicked. “Well, who was the mare who told me back in Ponyville High that she wanted to see the Great Mammoth Jackstock and see if it was anatomically corre—”

“RARITY!” The earth pony blushed furiously as the Serene Velocity passed by the colossal – and anatomically correct – statue. “Um…that was before I knew that I was a mare lover, and certainly before I met Lyra,” Bon-Bon sighed. “I was stupid back then, fooling around with a lot of stallions and trying to find out why none of them really….” She blushed again.

Rarity patted her friend on the withers, then bumped her with her own flank. “Hey, Mane Mares Forever, right?” she winked. “Besides, I’m told they make some lovely confections with pomegranates and some other fruit you can’t get in Equestria, and it’d be a great thing for your candy shop.”

“True. Plus, it’ll give me a chance to see if I can commission a lyre from the Tieffenbucker family – they’re a family of famous luthiers, and Lyra’s wanted an instrument from them ever since she got the chance to play one from a visiting Donconegasque musician. And since her birthday’s coming up….” She sighed. “It’s probably a fortune, even with my shop’s profits.”

“Well, remember, you’re on my payroll temporarily,” Rarity said, “and I’m sure your pay will certainly be able to afford one.”

“Rarity, I’m not looking for favoritism because we’re foalhood friends.”

“No, just being honest. Derpy Hooves apparently said the same thing when she was appointed by Princess Cadance for an assignment years ago. It’s just that high-level positions like this are given wide latitude. And for the record, while you may be working for me, I’m not in charge of your pay; I insisted on that in order to avoid nepotism. So if you wish to take it up with somepony, you can take it up with my Vice Minister.”

Bon-Bon nodded. “Thanks, Rarity. So, while we’re here, are you and Silver planning to sight-see?”

“If I can. I’m going to be very busy as is. Unfortunately, with the state funeral of Prince Campion, that tied up just about everypony in the family that knew him, and those who didn’t had to step in to fill the void. If you think I’ve got it bad, you should really feel sorry for Applejack and Fluttershy – they’re acting in Celestia’s and Luna’s places as seneschals of the Day and Night courts, respectively.”

As the airship approached the docking platform, Silver approached, wearing his formal uniform, just as Rarity wore her courtly outfit and ceremonial sword of knighthood and her Element. “We’ll be berthing soon enough, your grace and Lady Bon-Bon,” Silver said with a bow. “As soon as it’s feasible, I’ll be escorting you off the ship and to the embassy to meet the ambassador.”

“What information do we have on Ambassador Morning Song?” Rarity asked.

“She’s been at the post for ten years now; requested it, actually,” Bon-Bon said as she read from a sheaf of papers. “Her majesty appointed her on the retirement of the prior ambassador, and she’s well-respected amongst the Donconegasque aristocracy and the Directorie, their national government. During the Nightmare Moon incident, Morning Song got the Directorie to promise an expeditionary force to aid Equestria should it be needed, and did the same during the Discord and Sombra crises – the changeling invasion happened too fast for them to react, obviously.” A thoughtful look came over the face of the earth pony. “Rar…I mean, your grace, a question if I may.”

“Certainly,” Rarity replied. While she disliked the formality with which she was being treated – she’d grown out of that in the past year – she knew that protocol was protocol.

“Given Morning Song’s adroitness at handling diplomacy…why couldn’t she finish the job? Everything I’ve read about it is hardly out of the ordinary, and from everything in the wording, the document is so average that anypony could have signed this for the Crown without issue.”

“I’m sure Morning Song has her reasons,” Rarity replied, “though I’m at a loss to understand why. Perhaps once we speak to her we’ll know more.”

---

“Oh, thank Celestia you’ve arrived, your grace. I was quite worried that negotiations would fall apart if things weren’t settled soon.” Morning Song was a pegasus with a coat the same color as Twilight’s, with a mane and tail of soft orange, pink and yellow; accompanied with her blue eyes, she looked attractive enough that both Rarity and Bon-Bon felt just a tad bit jealous. This was confirmed a couple of minutes later as both mares noticed that just about every stallion – and a few mares – in Rarity’s escort were virtually fitting Morning Song with a saddle and socks in their respective mind’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, I only have eyes for you,” Silver, who was standing close by, quickly and diplomatically whispered in his love’s ear. “She might be gorgeous – but you’re radiant.” She gave him just the briefest look out of the corner of her eye that said "smooth recovery" before addressing Morning Song directly.

“Lady Song, from the documentation you’ve forwarded along about this treaty, forgive me, but…this seems to be a run-of-the-mill agreement, and well within your abilities to argue on behalf of Equestria, especially given your quite substantial diplomatic skills. For what possible reason has anything changed?”

“I….” She bowed her head down in shame. “It would be to my utmost shame if I admitted to you, your grace.” The look in the mare’s face was one of fright.

“I see,” Rarity said, figuring it out instantly. Looking around, she said, “Okay, with the exception of my aide and my military attaché, everypony is dismissed.” While the room cleared, Rarity led the frazzled pegasus to the nearest couch in the office. “Now, then, that’s better – and we can be a bit more relaxed.”

“But your gra—”

“Please, just call me Rarity. And please do not feel that you’ve done anything wrong.”

Tears began to well in her eyes. “But, your grace—”

“Just Rarity is fine, Morning – it is Morning, isn’t it?” When the pegasus nodded, Rarity smiled. “Now, please, tell me what is wrong.”

“But….” Morning looked at the two ponies behind her and shivered.

“Oh, them? Well, allow me to introduce my aide-de-camp, Lady Bon-Bon, also known as my foalhood friend and a mare I can completely rely on; and Ensign Silversteel, Commander of the 18th Specialized Operations Cohort, also known as my coltfriend. I promise you that both of them will keep everything in confidence.”

Bon-Bon looked at Morning, smiling. “Rarity and I have known each other forever. Whatever you’re worried about, I promise Rarity’s not like that.”

Morning sighed slightly. “But I thought that Prince Blueblood….”

“Do not worry about Blueblood, dear,” Rarity assured her. “Regardless of which, I promise you as a sister royal, he will not be a problem. However, whatever seems to be bothering you is. You’re clearly one of our most effective ambassadors, and if the situation requires that one of the Royal Family arrive to attend to the matter, then it must truly be bothering you, dear. Now, please let me know what I can do to assist – not just regarding the current affair, but you as well. In the meanwhile…Bon-Bon, would you be a dear and make us some tea?”

A quick cup of tea later, and Morning’s nerves were settled. “It’s Sir Roadspierre, mila…uh, Rarity. He’s an up-and-comer in the Directorie. He’s a jack of great renown and mettle, having proved himself in affairs both civil and military, so much so that he’s been awarded his own name.”

“Given his own name?” Rarity asked.

“I see somepony wasn’t too busy making out with her coltfriend while on the flight over,” Bon-Bon drawled in a tease. “Traditionally Donconegasque commoners have a name that ends in –jack for males or –jenny for females. But for those who rise to great stature, they are allowed to choose a distinct name and their descendants are entitled to the name as a clan name afterwards.”

“I see,” Rarity said. “And I was not making out with Silver,” she said archly.

“Yeah,” he joked. “She got a little too airsick the first night a—” A look akin to “you’re going to pay for that” was sent in his direction and he chose to keep quiet instead.

Morning giggled softly; the whole situation seemed to put her that much more at ease. “So to continue, Roadspierre is the chief negotiator for the Donconegasque side, and…well, he is a fearsome jack, to be honest. Every time he faced me, he looked at me in a way that….” She looked at Rarity, sighing. “I am unnerved. In all my years of serving her majesty faithfully, I have never once failed our divine Princess. But I when I see that jack and the way he looks at me, I….”

“The intimidating type. Not surprised,” Silver said. When Bon-Bon looked at him for clarification, he replied, “It’s an occasional problem when long-time members of the military serve in civil posts. If they’re not trained for the difference in the scope of duties – or worse, if they don’t actually care – they tend to see every issue as something to be defeated, rather than solved.”

“When all you have is a hammer, every problem just looks like a nail?” Bon-Bon asked.

“Something like that,” the stallion replied. “In Equestria, officers are trained to deal with military and civil issues separately, so that we do not conflate the two. It seems that here in Donkonia, where the government is a timocracy, it wouldn’t surprise me that the issues become combined, am I correct, Morning?”

“You are,” she said. “And previously, I’d worked with Sir Berry du Pancake, a gentlejack if there ever was one. But I fear my old friend has fallen out of favor with the Directorie, and Roadspierre will trample our position to further his ends.”

“When is your next meeting with him?”

“Tomorrow morning, at eight, in the Palais Barnstille. If the negotiations are not completed by then, the prior treaty will expire and we will lose valuable progress in further negotiations with the Directorie.” Morning shook her head. “Things are changing, Rarity. You know as well as I that Donkonia has always been a fickle ally to Equestria, but the crises of the past few years have eroded the respect the Directorie has for her majesty. If we fail this, I fear diplomatic ties with Pearis will be that much worse in the future.”

“I understand. Well, as a Knight Elemental, I shall not fail, I promise you, on my vow to her majesty, my sister royal. And on a more personal level?” Rarity winked. “He won’t know what hit him.”

---

Rarity looked up at Roadspierre as the jack sat across the lacquered table from her. From her viewpoint, she could see why Morning Star would be intimidated by him. The jack was massive, muscular and imposing, in the same way that both Big Mac and Silver were. But where Big Mac’s natural laconic and easy nature set people at ease, and Silver’s natural leadership and friendliness inspired confidence, the attitude from this donkey before her was clearly intended to display one thing: pure, unadulterated power and ambition. He didn’t so much sit in a room so much as he dominated it.

This was enhanced by his suit. She noticed that most of the functionaries, bureaucrats and directeurs here within the Barnstille wore waistcoats and tailcoats, powdered wigs and other objects of Donconegasque station. Not so Roadspierre: the jack was ever in armor and surcoat, wearing a style of armor slightly different from Equestriani barding and designed to look more imposing, if anything. It was clear that he made his way through emotional intimidation and bullying; he’d certainly done so with Morning Song and, most likely any potential opposition or detraction that he could not outright destroy. He was quick to make anypony – or any other being, for that matter – that he faced into a wallflower in short order.

Unfortunately for him, Rarity was not that kind of mare. Just as he came dressed for a battle of sorts, so did she, wearing her formal attire as a Knight Elemental and sat at the table with regal composure. As the two set down and the table and briefly introduced one another, he looked at her coldly and said in a deep, bassy voice, “I am…unaccustomed…to having my plans set aside.”

“I daresay, sir,” she told him with a smile that could match Celestia’s sun in intensity and brilliance, “you’ll have to get used to it.”

And so the negotiations began in full. Seated on the far side of the room where the Equestriani delegation was placed, Bon-Bon and Silver looked to Morning. “He’s treating this as if it’s war,” Silver said, his defensiveness for Rarity rising to the top.

“Silver, don’t worry about it,” Bon-Bon told him. “It’s just a regular trade treaty. Most of the details have been worked out, from what I read; he’s just arguing over what little is left in order to score points, is all, am I wrong, Morning?”

Morning said nothing, merely sitting there and watching the proceedings. There was something unreadable in her eyes, as if she was taking more than just a professional interest in the proceedings, but neither Bon-Bon nor Silver was really sure what it was.

“Is there something the matter, milord and milady?” a voice said to the side. Both ponies turned to look at a donkey jenny seated next to them. She’d been introduced the previous day as Cottonjenny, the latest in a family of Donconegasque commoners who had been serving the Equestriani ambassadors since the first one arrived centuries ago.

“Sorry, just wondering as to why Morning is taking this so seriously,” the earth pony whispered back. “I thought she was intimidated by Roadspierre.”

“Aye, unfortunately my lady is,” Cottonjenny said, “but I’ll wager Lord Roadspierre’s never seen the like of her grace before. Milady Duchess Lipizzan seems to making quick work of his verbal sparring, and while I am but a simple jenny, even I can see her grace is a master of the finer skills.”

“Rarity’s learned from the best,” Silver said with a note of pride. “On her own, she’s incredibly capable to begin with, but she’d had some last-minute coaching from Twilight – Grand Duchess Shetland – and that makes her very formidable, if you ask me.”

“Though you might just be a bit biased there,” Bon-Bon said with a laugh.

He smiled. “True, I might just be.”

Meanwhile, seated at the table in the center of the great room, with just her, Roadspierre, and the neutral observer from Gazellis, the two continued to verbally spar. “And so, Equestria will be responsible for supplying the markets of Pearis with approximately two tons of apples and carrots, to mostly come from the farms in central Equestria, and in turn our farmers will supply Equestria with four tons of pomegranates, olives and tulips? That seems to be a hard bargain, madame, and I fail to see what the trade advantage is in such a disparity.”

“My dear sir,” Rarity said, leaning conspiratorially against the table as she said, “The apples come directly from not only the Apple family, the most famous apple farmers in all of Equestria, but from Sweet Apple Acres, which is the farm given Royal Warrant for supplying apples, grapes, corn and oranges to her majesty’s court. Additionally, the carrots, turnips, beets and onions come from Any Carrot All Farms, which is also given a Royal Warrant for supplying those to her majesty’s court. Between the size and capability of the two farms, you’ll have the best that Equestria has to offer – and I didn’t see any Official Provisios to the Directorie on your list, sir.”

“Here in Donkonia we don’t believe in such – we are a nation of equals, not one that relies on scraps thrown from supposed betters.”

“In Equestria, good sir,” Rarity said as her eyes narrowed, “we are all considered equally precious in the eyes of her majesty – not as foals or serfs, but as her valued and treasured subjects. And, if there’s no supposed Official Provisio to the Directorie, then, my good sir, why are you wearing a surcoat made from the tailors at Braybury & Sons, which is listed in the documentation your nation provided to ours as one of a dozen Official Provisos, hmmm?”

Roadspierre blinked. Twice. Thrice. Then a wide, but cold smile split his muzzle as he said, “In all my time, I have never had anyone so capably have their facts and logic so irrefutably unassailable.” He made the slightest ghost of a bow to her. “The game, such as it is, is yours, milady duchess. I know when I have been bested in the short term.”

“Think nothing of it, good sir,” she said, meaning to pacify him; he clearly looked like the type that would carry a grudge and she didn’t want anything to unfairly spill back onto Morning once she left. “As a member of her majesty’s cabinet of ministers, it behooves me to ensure that I keep every potential detail on-hoof, lest my performance be subpar.” Roadspierre looked at the gazelle overseeing the treaty negotiations. “I believe that both parties agree to the final details and can sign the final version of the treaty.”

The gazelle nodded. “Please allow me a few minutes to make the official amendments to the treaties so they may be signed. It shan’t take long.”

As the gazelle’s horn lit up with magic so he could make the changes quickly, Roadspierre took a sip from tea in front of him. “Jousting with you provided a…stimulating diversion. I look forward to much more.”

Rarity shook her head. “Perhaps if you visit Canterlot, good sir. But unfortunately, now that these negotiations are done, I shall be returning home on the morrow.”

“So you think,” he said enigmatically, punctuating his statement with another sip of tea. Rarity looked at him oddly, but was unable to inquire what he meant as the gazelle requested their attention at that point.

“Okay, for this to be completed,” the gazelle said, “I need your hoofwriting and magical signatures – or in Sir Roadspierre’s case, magical stamp – on these documents. Once I countersign, the treaties will be immediately in force and enforceable, with all penalties, requirements and debts to be executed immediately. Are you agreed?”

“Yes,” Roadspierre said. There was something odd in his tone that made Rarity wonder what that meant. Yet, with a deft application of hoofwriting, the jack placed his signature upon the documents, a serpentine, sinuous grouping of turns that seemed to imply his nature within the coils of his written name. A second later, the jack picked up a stamp made of jade, and as he placed it on the parchment next to his signature, a flash of verdant light occurred as the magic stamp left his marque, passing the copies to Rarity.

“Understood,” she said, figuring that the sooner the treaty was signed, the sooner she could depart and leave this whole mess behind. Summoning a bottle of silver ink, Rarity dipped a quill and signed the document. A second later she lowered her horn gently onto the paper and with a quick flash of blue, a copy of her cutie mark appeared next to her signature, further proof the signature’s veracity.

All copies were then collected by the gazelle, who immediately signed and placed his magical signature on it. Once he was done, he rose from the chair and handed the record copies to both Roadspierre and Rarity, and then bowed deeply to both. “You both have my congratulations on a successful treaty – this shall ever strengthen the bonds between your two nations and in turn, we of Gazellis thank Donkonia and Equestria for their faith in selecting us as the neutral observer party.” And as the gazelle prepared to depart, he looked at both participants remaining at the table and said, “And…please forgive me for being somewhat forward, but in my country it is meant as a compliment: may your union be blessed with many years and many young ones, and may it ever prosper. I wish you two the best of luck on your impending nuptials.”

---

“What is the meaning of this?” Rarity shouted, reading the treaty in full – a treaty that was longer than the version she’d seen earlier, and while it was for the most part the same document she saw in the advance copy that Bon-Bon carried, there was nothing that indicated that she was to marry anypony, much less that brute of a jack!

I should have read the final signature version in full, she thought to herself, but I assumed the wording on the advance copy was more or less the same. What a foal I am! But I’m not the only one to blame here, and I want answers!

“I-I can explain,” Morning said, backing up slightly. There was a hint of a guilty look on her face and that was more than enough for Rarity.

“You will explain. Now,” Rarity said, bringing herself up to royal authority. She’d seen Celestia pull it once or twice, and while the sun princess absolutely hated doing so, Rarity wasn’t about to second guess herself given the precarious situation she was in.

“Your grace, my sinceres—”

“No excuses!” Rarity’s tone caused Morning to blanche in fear, skittering slightly back.

“Ambassador, please leave us,” Bon-Bon said, stepping between the two. “I will speak with her grace, and then afterwards I will speak with you later, are we agreed?” The pegasus needed no further explanations and instead flew out as fast as she dared, leaving the earth pony to face her friend. “Rarity, what has gotten into you?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” the unicorn snarked as she brandished the treaty in her hoof. “Might have something to do with this document that says that as part of the successful culmination of this treaty, I am bound to marry Roadspierre and bear him heirs!” She dropped the scroll and buried her face in her hooves. “What am I going to do, Bon-Bon? My life’s about to be ruined!”

“C’mere, girl,” Bon-Bon said, hugging her old friend. “We’re going to get through this. Her majesty’s not going to accept this – the Princess would never allow this to stand!”

“Except that breaking this treaty is a declaration of war,” Rarity said, looking at the despised document at her feet. “The contract specifically states that as the party making most of the concessions, only Donkonia shall have the right to declare the treaty annulled or revised.” Rarity cried onto her friend’s shoulder. “What am I going to do, Bon-Bon?”

“Mane Mares Forever, pal,” Bon-Bon said, nuzzling her friend. “I don’t run out on you, you don’t run out on me. We stick together—”

“—like two leaves in a tree,” Rarity said, whispering their old motto. “Thanks, BB.”

“Hey, never a need to thank me, ‘Ritty. You know you’re the only straight gal I’d do anything for,” Bon-Bon laughed. “We’ll figure our way out of this, I promise.”

“We’ll do more than that,” Silver said, as he approached, with Cottonjenny behind him. The look in his eyes was steely, and though Rarity knew it was in no way directed towards her, she couldn’t help but feel horrible about the situation she’d just put both herself and him in. Turning to the donkey, he said, “Care to repeat what you just told me, Cottonjenny?”

The look on her face was frightened. “But sirrah! Milady Morning – she….” the jenny began.

Silver’s eyes softened. “You’ll be safe, Cottonjenny. You have my word as an officer and a gentlestallion – nopony shall harm you. Now, please. This concerns her grace…it concerns both of us.”

“Aye, that it does, sir.” Turning to Rarity, she said, “Milady, please hold nothing against Lady Morning. That beast Roadspierre – he forced this on us and he said that if she’d signed it herself, he would’ve….” She buried her face in her forehooves, but Rarity swore she heard the words “murdered.”

She reached over and pulled Cottonjenny’s hooves away from her face. The jenny looked horrified out of her wits. “Are you telling me Roadspierre would have murdered you if Morning signed the treaty?”

“Far worse, milady,” the maid moaned. “My little sister, Muslinjenny – she’s all I have after our parents died, and I’ve been raising her. But Roadspierre and his thugs…he threated to do horrible, disgusting things to both her and I.” Tears filled the maid’s eyes. “Muslin’s just a foal, a mere slip of a molly! She’s done nodonkey wrong, milady! And for that horrible, horrible cur to threaten my sister – and then to threaten me and Lady Morning?”

“But why would he do that?” Bon-Bon wondered aloud.

At that point a porter opened the door and announced, “Sir Roadspierre of the Directorie of Donkonia, here to see his fiancée Rarity, Duchess Lipizzan, Knight Elemental of Generosity. May I have the honor of showing him in?”

“Absolutely not!” Rarity said. “You tell that cad—”

“You can tell him directly,” a new voice announced as Roadspierre walked into the room. He glared at the porter and the smaller jack immediately retreated without so much as asking for a “by your leave.” As he strode into the room with the swagger of a jack that owned the place, he announced, “I am here to see my lesser half. The rest of you are to leave now.”

“No, they will not!” Rarity strode up to him, anger in her eyes. “These are my aides and trusted friends and they will not be leaving!”

“You dare speak to me in those tones?” Roadspierre said, his own eyes flashing with animalistic rage. “Mind your tongue, slattern. You may be a noblemare and a knight where you come from, but here you are nothing more than the mare that will be lifting her tail for me at the end of the week.”

“You, sir, disgust me!” Rarity said, looking at him. She knew that behind her, neither Silver nor Bon-Bon would sit through the insult very well, so she had to end this fast. “As if you would think I would marry you!”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I had to settle for a mere ‘knight’, damn that funeral! I would have much preferred Celestia’s tail, but I suppose Luna would have been more pliable in bed.”

If his intent of his words had been to completely enrage the three Equestriani, it worked like a charm. Bon-Bon looked at him with complete shock. Silver’s eyes narrowed in slits of anger, and Rarity went volcanic that point. “You dare to threaten the Royal Family? Are you that stupid as to court disaster with goddesses?”

Roadspierre let out a laugh. “Goddesses and avatars – are you all so unbelievably imbecilic that you actually believe that tripe? No, what they are is nothing more than a mutation of your species; extremely powerful mutations, but clearly quite fortuitous mutations. But you see, that power is what I value.” He walked up as close to her as possible, invading her personal space. “Bringing a so-called ‘goddess’ to her knees is power. Having that power at my disposal is even better. But best of all? Having that power at my hooftips to tear down this failure of a government and to become a king – no, emperor. ‘Emperor Roadspierre the First’.” The sudden grin on his face held no humor. “Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

He then locked eyes with Rarity. “But the death of your ‘poor beloved’ Prince Campion – I remember him, he was weak and that son of his, Blueblood, is an idiotic fop – ruined my plans by sending a minor member of the royal family to deal with this. If they were going to send someone weaker, why didn’t they send that mage, Twilight Sparkle? Her power would have been…adequate…for my needs. Unfortunately, they sent you.” He shook his head. “Oh well, breaking you to the halter will be just as poignant for my purposes, and who knows?” He looked at her body invitingly, and she suddenly felt sick to the core of her stomach. “You look athletic enough to entertain—”

Rarity had enough and backhoofed him across the face, indignation glittering in her blue eyes. “You disgus—”

She never finished her words as he returned the slap across the face, the blow knocking her to the floor and drawing blood. “Do that again and you’ll find out just how rough I can be during the consummation, slattern! Unless you like being broken to the bridle like that!” He reached into a pocket, pulling out a kerchief and daubing his muzzle. “That’s likely to leave a mark for a day,” he grumbled.

“No,” Silver said, moving forward like lightning and his voice registering as cold as ice. “This will.” With the speed of a soldier in his element, he unsheathed his sword, and in one swift move, backhoofed Roadspierre across the face with the pommel hard enough to knock him back and off his hooves. The move scored Silver’s swordhoof as he bled from it, but he made his point, the challenge made.

Roadspierre got back to his hooves immediately. “I accept your challenge, fool. I claim right of conditions as the challenged. I choose combat to incapacitation, and I choose rapiers as the weapons of arms.”

“Rapiers will suffice,” Silver said, his red eyes burning, “But no first blood. You Donconegasque have a phrase – à l’outrance – and I demand those terms.”

“This is equinal for you, isn’t it.” The smile on Roadpierre’s bleeding face was diabolical. “I shall enjoy taking your mare on your grave, you fool. I shall expect you in the Duello at dawn in five days.” Without further ado, the jack stormed out of the room.

Silver immediately moved to his beloved’s side. “Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes clear with worry.

“No, I’m not. À l’outrance? What were you thinking?” she asked him, looking at him with terror
.
“He’s never going to touch you, Rarity. I refuse to let him harm the mare I love,” the stallion said, his voice both firm and gentle. Turning to Bon-Bon, he said, “Bon-Bon, please have Morning send a flamefax to Canterlot and have her tell them everything. Tell them I will deal with the issue myself – and that I wish his highness Prince Shining Armor to be my second.” He turned back to Rarity, kissing her gently. “Now if you’ll excuse me, love, I need to find a blacksmith here who can make me a rapier – I’m more of a broadsword kind of guy.” Looking at her sadly, he then departed as well.

“Rarity, what just happened?” Bon-Bon asked. “What does ‘Ala trance’ mean?”

“À l’outrance, Bon-Bon,” Rarity said in a horrified voice. “It means ‘to the death.’”

---

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” Shining said to Silver two days later.

“Shines, you weren’t here for what he did to her and what he said,” Silver replied as he held the rapier in his swordhoof. “If he had his way, he’d rape Celestia in broad daylight just for a shot at becoming head bronco of this country.”

“I didn’t say you weren’t in the right, Silver,” Shining told his friend, “only that you should’ve thought things through! Although…if it had been Cady in that situation, yeah, I would’ve done the same thing as you.”

Canterlot’s response was swift and immediate. The first response was a reply from Celestia herself to the Directorie to request a formal change in the treaty. When Roadspierre accused Canterlot of subterfuge – breaking the treaty just so one of their royal family members would not be embarrassed – the Directorie had no choice but to decline Canterlot’s request and to formally allow the duel to proceed. Once that occurred, a second flamefax was sent directly to Silver, notifying him that Shining would be present to be his second, and that one of Canterlot’s blacksmiths would be sent to make a rapier for their champion.

The next day the airship Milky Night arrived, embarked with Shining and his personal escort of Cadance’s Romance Guard, as well as a unicorn mare named Wandering Star. Wandering was the main blacksmith for Celestia’s own Solar Guard, and was detailed to make the finest rapier possible. Measuring his swordleg quickly and then taking his broadsword briefly in order to get analytical measurements, the pink-and-rose unicorn immediately got to work on the sword, promising it would be ready the day before the duel.

In the meanwhile, he spent time training in practice duels with Shining, who had more experience than he cared to admit when it came to it. As the two lowered their practice swords, Shining said, “Silver, her majesty told me to inform you that she’s willing to break the treaty if it’ll avoid bloodshed. She doesn’t want Rarity to be hurt, obviously, but…she doesn’t want you to be injured either.”

“Thanks for the confidence vote, Shines,” Silver drawled, picking up a mug of water and drinking from it. They’d been working out for the past few hours and he was parched.

“I’ve asked their Duello officiates to give me copies of their records. Roadspierre is unbeaten. He never goes for the first blood, but most of the time injured to incapacitation. He’s had a few l’outrance duels as well, and he’s won those. This isn’t your typical jack who’s all mouth and no buck, Silver. He’s a dueler, an experienced one – that gives him a large advantage over you.”

“He’s just a jack,” Silver said, picking up the practice sword again and giving it a few swings. “He can be brought down just like anypony who draws a breath. And I will beat him, Silver. I have to.”

“No, you don’t,” Rarity said as she entered the practice hall. “Silver, please reconsider. I don’t wish to see you hurt, love.”

“Doesn’t anypony have any confidence in me?” he groaned.

“It’s not that, love – I know you’re a capable soldier, or else you wouldn’t be a member of the guard. But I don’t trust Roadspierre to play by the rules. Bon-Bon and I have been looking into his history and he’s an absolute beast. With Cottonjenny’s help, we managed to find out he’s bribed, murdered and lied his way to the top. He wasn’t just grandstanding when he says he intends to take over the country, and he would harm Celestia and Luna if he had his way. I won’t let anypony I love be hurt by that brute…including you.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’ll be able to practice with this, then, Ensign Silversteel!” Trotting in merrily, Wandering Star wore the sword on a belt around her barrel, then came to a stop before her. “Got this done early – it’s a natural!” she said, winking as she sat down and undid the belt. “My finest creation if I do say so myself. Because the Princess asked me to make this for you, I call this sword ‘Sun’s Blessing’.” Picking the scabbarded weapon off the floor, Wandering presented the rapier to the stallion.

Taking the hint, Silver withdrew the blade from the scabbard. It felt perfect in his hoof; if he was used to his broadsword, it was as though Sun’s Blessing was born in his hoof. The weight and balance were perfect and the edge seemed to sing through the air as he went through a quick pattern of paces. Finally, after a few seconds, he resheathed the blade, flashing Wandering a smile. “It’s beautiful. My compliments to the smith.”

She grinned wildly. “Hey, I know my stuff. The sword will take any blow possible. Just make sure that you stay the same way,” she told him. “It’s too bad that the rules of the Duello prevent you from wearing armor, or I’d make you some custom stuff there as well. But,” she said, looking at him critically, “you’ll get the job done. Princess Celestia wouldn’t have commissioned the blade for you if she didn’t feel you weren’t the best at protecting the mare you love.”

“Silver, come back to bed.” Rarity saw him standing by the window, watching the moonlight and the Duello in the distance. A winter storm fell from the sky; in this part of the world the Donconegasque preferred to let weather run naturally, as if it were one giant Everfree Forest and so the snow fell wild and uncontrolled. It was the evening before the duel and they’d spent the time together in love and passion…and, Rarity had to admit, frustration. They hadn’t been as amorous this evening as normal.

Finally she got off the bed and walked over to him, embracing him from behind as her tail curled around his hindleg. “Sweetheart, come back to bed and get some sleep.”

He shook his head. “Can’t sleep, hon. Too restless.” He turned to look at her. “It’s different than usual military operations. This is a duel, and that’s a whole different type of combat that I haven’t been in before. It’s different than solo combat – that I’ve been in before; I had to deal with it a few times during the changeling invasion. But this is a deliberate fight.”

She leaned her head against his neck, embracing him as tightly as she could. “You’d better win, Silver. There’s nopony I want to go home with other than you.”

He craned his neck to kiss the crown of her head. “As if I’d ever let you go, love.”

---

Silver’s breath crystalized in the frigid air. The snowstorm had disappeared an hour ago, just before dawn. And based on both the history of duels and the notoriety of the standing coliseum known as the Duello, he’d expected it only to be just the principals involved in the duel. Unfortunately, for him, that was far from the case. Dozens of jacks and jennys had braved the cold to come see the clash of two duelists; a few of them had even brought their mollys and johns, the donkey foals excited to see the action that would take place.

“This is barbaric,” Shining whispered. “There’s no reason to expose young foals to what they’re going to see here,” he hissed under his breath, as a stitch of steaming heat escaped from his muzzle.

“This is to be expected, my lord prince,” Cottonjenny told him. “These are all Roadspierre’s retainers, save for the ones that are sitting at the topmost stands. The former are here to provide witness for their lord in return for whatever scraps he’s promised them. The latter are here in the hopes that Sir Silversteel will defeat the cretin.”

“Then let me see what I can do to arrange that,” the earth pony stallion said, ignoring the biting cold and readying for the heat of combat. He tried not to look at Rarity, for fear that he would lose his composure. She knew that and stayed just out of his viewsight.

“He’ll be fine, ‘Ritty,” Bon-Bon said. “He loves you and he’s so determined to win that I’m not sure even her majesty could stop him.”

“Oh, I’m sure she could,” Wandering Star said coyly, “but that’s not what she has in mind, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure the Princess has an idea,” Morning Song replied, “or else she wouldn’t have allowed this. Still, forgive me if I say I hope that the ensign can put an end to Roadspierre’s plans.”

“As do I,” Rarity said as a lump settled in her throat. “As do I.”

Meanwhile, Silver, followed by Shining, approached the Duello officiate. From the other direction, Roadspierre, flanked by his second, a nasty-looking gryphon, walked up, looking as though he owned the place.

The officiate, a member of the Directorie, looked at both seconds. “Have all attempts at mediation been attempted?”

“Yes they have,” Shining said, though he knew that was false. There would be no attempt at mediation by Equestria, not when Rarity’s safety was on the line.

“We’ve already stated our point – and we intend to run it through,” the gryphon said, the bloodlust in his eyes.

“Then if the duel must go, let the duel begin. Seconds to your places, and may fate determine who is successful here.” For a second there was a flicker of concern in the officiate’s eyes, just barely enough to be read and it was clear: the officiate was unofficially rooting for Silver as well, as he knew the fate of his nation might hang in the balance here.

As the seconds backed away, Roadspierre went into a battle stance. “You know, I’m going to enjoy taking your mare,” he said evilly. “I’m not just going to lift her tail – I’m going to cut the damned thing off. Let her be exposed to the world so I can do whatever I wish.” Roadspierre unsheathed his sword, a serrated rapier commonly known as a swordbreaker. While it was utterly unethical, the sword was technically a rapier and thus allowed; chances were, the officiate wasn’t going to risk his neck telling the jack otherwise.

Silver refused to take the bait. “This is where your plans fail, Roadspierre. You might have succeeded before, but now you face Equestria. And we protect our allies from monsters like you!” And with that, Silver withdrew Sun’s Blessing and both equines started to circle one another.

The two, from a distance looked evenly matched: Both carried lethal swords, both were very muscular, and both were slightly off-balance because of one of their legs being tied up by the use of their swords. But that was where the similarities ended. Roadspierre’s movements were slight and fluid, the motions of someone with a large amount of expertise in dueling. Silver, however, had faster motions and better reflexes as well as more recent time in the field due to frequent operations against changelings.

The two eyed one another with nothing less than disgust and determination to beat one another. And then Roadspierre stabbed forward, only to be blocked by Silver’s parry, and the battle began in earnest. Black and golden steel slashed and clanged against one another repeatedly, whistling as they cut through the air in arcs of attack, with both males pushing forward and dodging, stabbing and moving, searching for places where a strike could end the battle as soon as possible.

Roadspierre, moving to and fro in measured strikes, relaxed. He was in his element, and if the fool before him was ready to die, so be it. He was better than expected, but sooner or later he would fall. He had no chance, after all, not against the sheer force of will that was Roadspierre.

Silver moved and struck with every bit that Shining had explained to him over the course of the past couple of days. It was a testament to both Shining’s training and Silver’s ability as a soldier that he’d been able to pick up what little he knew and he was using it for everything he was worth. Even still, he was not the experienced duelist that Roadspierre was, and so the earth pony had to end this as soon as possible.

Watching from a distance, Rarity held her breath in her throat. More than once, her hoof went to her own ceremonial sword, which she wore. It was a little-known secret that the swords the Knights were given were not just ceremonial blades, but actual live steel, and though Rarity had no training whatsoever, she’d throw herself into the fray in a heartbeat if it meant that it saving Silver.

She suddenly felt a hoof on her own, and looked up to see Bon-Bon shaking her head. “Have some faith in your stallion,” she whispered. “If you don’t believe in him, who will?”

“I don’t want to lose him, BB,” Rarity said in a tight voice that barely masked her fear.

“And if Lyra were in that fight, I’d be in the same position you’re in now…and I know you’d be here telling me the same thing I’m telling you: if you don’t believe in the pony you love, then there’s no chance for them. Believe in Silver, because he needs you – fight for him by believing in him!”

Rarity looked at her old friend, then hung her head down in shame for a second before looking at Bon-Bon with a wide, loving smile. “What would I do without you, BB?”

Bon-Bon grinned. “Probably date stallions. Oh, wait….” she teased.

Meanwhile the two combatants continued to savage one another. Both had landed some strikes, and blood had appeared on their coats. Roadspierre had landed a painful gash across Silver’s left flank, while Silver had gotten a few strikes against his opponent’s neck. Both equines were starting to fatigue, and what had started out as a relatively elegant duel had now become a grueling grudge-match where both were cutting one another to ribbons.

Breathing heavily and feeling weakened from the blows, Silver refused to give in. He couldn’t afford to lose. It wasn’t just about Equestria anymore, or about saving Donkonia from the villain he battled. In the end, it was about Rarity. He had to save her. He was going to save her – there wasn’t any alternative.

Even if it costs me my life, Silver raged silently, you’re not getting your Luna-damned hooves on her, you bastard!

Feeling the rage building up within him, Silver let himself flow into battle. This was all about protecting the mare he loved. Celestia would understand. Cadance would understand. There wouldn’t be a single pony that would deny his feelings in this. He stopped going into duelist mode, ceased to be a soldier. He assumed the mantle of guardian, of the last line between himself and the threat to Rarity. With every fiber of his being, he was going to end the danger to her for once and for all.

Sun’s Blessing became a controlled comet, the arcs of strikes moving faster and faster as Silver pushed harder and harder through Roadspierre’s defenses. The strikes he received didn’t matter. Each cut and slash his body didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except tearing down the wall and destroying his opponent for once and for all.

SNAP

The sound of metal breaking rang throughout the Duello, echoing through the empty space. Metal spun like a missile loosed from its control, coming to a final crash in the snow, standing up like a shattered ebon jag in the snow. Meanwhile, Sun’s Blessing was pointed straight at Roadspierre’s throat, held by a stallion drenched in blood, sweat and snow.

Silver, nearly blinded by the blood and sweat seeping into his eyes, snarled at his foe, “You are done, and I will not take your life in cold blood. Yield.”

“You dare to think I’m done?” Roadspierre said, still brandishing his broken sword, staring in empty rage at the stallion before him who’d just destroyed his sword.

“Your game is over, Roadspierre!” Silver seethed. “Yield!”

“This is but a setback, you foal. The moment you le—”

“YOU WILL NOT TOUCH RARITY! NEVER!” Silver roared with the fury of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “YIELD, DAMN YOU!”

Roadspierre saw the unassailable fury in the stallion’s voice and he knew: the stallion wasn’t fighting because of power, or pleasure or ambition. He was fighting for nothing more than the most potent force there was – love.

He threw down his shattered sword. “I yield. And now,” he then added, “you die.” And with a quick motion, the jack reached from a point in his mane, and swung his hoof forward.

The needle buried itself straight into Silver’s neck, and already wounded, the stallion fell to his knees. “Wh…wha…whu….” Silver burbled, his body suddenly going into shock, and not from adrenaline discharge.

“Iocane-dipped needle,” he said with a grin. “Always works like a charm.”

“Silver! No!” Rarity’s heart stopped as she screamed her love’s name. Silver had beaten the malevolent jack, only to be downed when Roadspierre had thrown some sort of poison needle at him. Not caring about anything, she ran to him. She pulled his head into her embrace, terrified by his cuts and pulled away the needle. His body was growing cold.

“Did I…?” he said, his voice woozy and faint.

“Sssh. It’s going to be okay, Silver,” Rarity said, as she set him down, and then reached for her own sword, pointing it at Roadspierre. “You’ll pay for this!”

But the jack roared with laughter, and in two quick moves slapped away her sword, and punched her hard across the face. “I swore I was going to take you on his cold, dead body,” the jack breathed into her ear. “Taking you while he’s dying just makes it more fun. And you know what? Once I’m through with you,” he taunted, “Celestia’s next.”

“I DON’T THINK SO.” The words shook the Duello, knocking every individual off their feet. Roadspierre loosened his grasp on Rarity and looked in the direction of where the voice had come from.

Walking towards him was a rose-and-pink unicorn mare, rage in her lilac eyes. “YOU FANCY YOURSELF A PINNACLE OF POWER, FOAL? LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT TRUE POWER IS.” The unicorn continued her stride, her steps leaving gouts of molten earth in her wake as each hooffall literally burned. And as she continued forward, she grew taller in stature, turning a blinding white as pastel hues radiated from her. Wings exploded into existence, spreading out like the rays of the sun. And as she came to a halt over him, Roadspierre finally felt something akin to fear in the first time in his life as he stood before the unassailable power of the inviolate force that was Caelum de Aurae, Princess Regent of the Dominion of Equestria, Avatar of the Sun.

Eyes literally aglow with the power of nuclear furnaces, she spoke, her voice pure power in spectacle. “YOU KNOW NOTHING OF POWER, FOAL. NOTHING AT ALL.” Lifting a single hoof, Celestia then brought it down in a slight tap on the ground. The explosion of force threw Roadspierre the two hundred feet towards the opposite end of the Duello, slamming him into the concrete supports of the stadium seating hard enough to shatter something in his body. Before he could blink or breathe, she was straight in his face, her face calm as a summer day – and her eyes burning with the intensity of supernovas.

“You would dare to threaten me? Any reasonable pony would tell you that is beyond stupid,” she told him in a calm, measured, normal voice – and somehow sounded all the more terrifying for it. “And I am long used to the long line of impotent threats of enemies who would lift my tail and violate me – it has never happened and will never come to pass.

“But you made a mistake that actually hurt me – you threatened my family, threatened the ones I love. And that I will not stand for. Consider your life forfeit, Roadspierre. Consider this your end.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he spat at her, though both of them knew he was broken and spent. “My eyes are on you and they will tell of the totalitarian princess who invaded our fair land and made a martyr of me.”

“You actually think you’re getting off that easy?” she laughed. “I banished my own sister to the moon for a millennium. You’re going to get much worse.” With that, she brought her horn down onto his head, and his body became awash in a bath of sea-green magic. She then lifted her horn away and whispered something in his ear.

As Celestia walked towards Rarity, she ignored Roadspierre’s insane, inequine howls. They didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was her family.

“Celestia! Save him!” Rarity cried, holding Silver to her like a talisman, her eyes red already with tears. Behind her was Shining, a worried look in his eyes, and Bon-Bon, crying for her friend’s sake.

The Princess of the Sun gave her sister royal a soft smile. “The sun is rising, Rarity,” the alicorn said, as her horn started to glow with golden power. “And everything is brighter in the day’s light.”

---

Silver came to. He was sore all over and his mouth tasted like…well, he couldn’t identify the taste, but he knew it wasn’t anything he was familiar with. As his vision came to, he recognized the place as the room he shared with Rarity in the embassy.

A zebra mare looked over him; she looked familiar for some reason, but he couldn’t place it offhand. “How do you fare, gallant sir, now that you’ve started to a-stir?”

“I feel like crap,” he told her.

“I see our friend is feeling fine,” she said over her shoulder. “He’s taking well to the healing brine.”

“Thank you, Zecora,” Celestia’s voice said from just outside Silver’s field of vision. “I appreciate your assistance. If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to our friend here alone.”

“Don’t forget to let him rest, or Rarity will be quite the pest,” Zecora advised as she departed the room.

Meanwhile, Celestia pulled up beside the bed, looking at Silver. “How do you feel, Silver? It is Silver, right?”

“Yes, your majesty,” he said, his mouth still feeling like cotton.

“Just Celestia is fine,” she told him. “You’re dating one of my sisters; you’re entitled to a little leeway.” She looked at him again, a smile coming to her lips. “That was, in all respects, the most stupid, idiotic and inane display of dueling I have ever seen – you turned a matter of honor into a schoolyard brawl with all the finesse of two hydras fighting,” she told him. “Honestly? I’m a bit jealous that Rarity has a stallion like you.”

“Huh?”

“Not many stallions would go that length for their mares. In the end, you didn’t do it for my honor, or Equestria’s honor, but for the mare you love. And speaking as your ruler and as a sister royal, I can have no higher compliment than the fact that you did what you did out of love for Rarity. You definitely earned the right to carry Sun’s Blessing.”

“I…. Thank you, your majesty. But I did it because I didn’t want to lose her.”

“I know. And I can assure you, she feels the same way.” She saw his smile at her words, and the sun alicorn grinned warmly. “Get some rest, Silver. We leave for home in a few days and we need you well enough for the trip. Oh, and if you’d be so kind as to promise me a couple of things?”

“Absolutely,” he said.

“First, always love her. I can think of no better suited stallion, and no stallion she would desire more. And two? Don’t do that again – let me deal with the stupid crises?” she chuckled.

“I think I can do that,” he mumbled before sleeping once more.

---

“She really did that?” Rarity asked Shining. The two, along with Bon-Bon, were standing on the balcony, watching the afternoon sun slink towards the end of the day, several hours off.

He nodded. “She told me last night. Roadspierre’s finished. She let him live, but he’ll soon beg for death. For him, a simple end would be a mercy. But for what she did to him? That’s divine justice, if you ask me.”

“What’d she do, if I can ask?” Bon-Bon inquired.

“She made him Irrelevant,” Shining told her. “No matter what he says or who he says it to? They’ll forget within minutes. As a result, his powerbase will be gone within days, and within weeks, he’ll be reduced to nothing but a gutless, powerless jack of less-than-modest means. And because she blessed him with a long, long life – not exactly immortal, but he’s screwed for the next couple of centuries – generations of no more means will pass and in the end, he will be remembered as a minor functionary at best, or the historical figure who nearly trashed everything for his own greed. He won’t be regarded well once he retires.”

Rarity was about to say something to her friend when Zecora flagged her. “He’s awake now and waiting for you,” the zebra advised. “Go show him that your heart is true.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice!” Rarity said as she rushed in to meet her beloved, tears of joy rushing down her cheeks as she reentered the bedroom.

Comments

[Spiritus Arcane]

*Sigh* If only all of history's problems could have been solved by having a sun goddess show up and magically neuter all the worst monsters before they really became a problem.

Unfortunately this'll just be more 'proof' of the Solar Tyrant for her detractors.

[Flynt Coal]

Can't help but wonder if Roadspierre's ultimate fate is a reference to the curse suffered by Lyra in a certain depressing but brilliant fic. Nice to see someone become Irrelevant/Unsung who actually deserves it!

[Majk]

Is it just me, or did Rarity suffer from Final Fantasy hero power failure? First she dealt with the jocks sent after her in a suitably flashy display of power, then she went down after a donkey slap?

[Kage no Brony]

4056350

Honestly, I'd have called that so-called treaty an insult to Equestria, and the donkey country would be burning by now.

But hey, credit where credit's due, Celestia; You're much more merciful than I'd be.

3648603

Honestly, though? Even if they win, they'll only be in power for as long as it takes another major villain to show up. Then they'll be begging for mercy either from the villain or from Celestia.

And they'll look down and whisper; No.