Camaraderie is Sorcery

by FireOfTheNorth

Chapter 2:27.1 - The House Stalanokov

Chapter 2:27.1 – The House Stalanokov

Hundreds of ponies were packed into Cant’r Laht Cathedral, arrayed in neat lines and groups. Assembled here were all the important ponies of the Dominions of Cant’r Laht, summoned by Celestial decree. The Cant’r Laht nobility had the preeminent position in the crowd, unicorns in finery that displayed both their wealth and the magical abilities the vast majority of them possessed. At their head were Night Light and Twilight Velvet Haltrotsun, Prince and Princess of the City. All the Cant’r Laht nobles coveted that title, but as long as Celestia reigned, they would have to be content with their own lots, and judging by today’s ceremony, Celestia intended to continue reigning for some quite time.

To the left of the Cant’r Laht nobility stood the nobility of the Hill Kingdoms. Five of these ponies were still allowed to call themselves kings, but the rest were the sons and daughters of Hill Kings, who had to be content with lesser titles after Celestia had absorbed the Hill Kingdoms into her dominion. She seemed to have done a lot of that, binding nobles to her, and her alone. Today, however, all that would change.

Even farther left stood the nobles of the White and Blue Mountains. These were pegasus lords whose fine clothes seemed to have a militaristic styling. Bracing in the legs on one lord, the hint of pauldrons in a lady’s dress. It was strange when one considered how pacifistic the pegasi had been before the unicorns came to Equestria, but these were ponies who knew fighting intimately. They had to deal on a daily basis with the beasts that lurked in the mountains and attacked their roosts; Hunters in all but name. Most of the lords of the mountains seemed pleased that Celestia would finally be coronated properly, though there was one among them who was consistently upset. His ire was not directed at Celestia, though, but at the new Prince of the City. Many of those who stood behind Night Light thought they might find an ally in this pegasus.

To the right of the Cant’r Laht nobility stood the lords of the White Tail Woods. Duchess Periwinkle, Duke Stellar, and Margraves Tristan and Brekka stood at the front, as was their right as the most powerful nobles of White Tail. Nonetheless, Tristan stood apart from the other three; though he’d protested his innocence, there was distrust of the margrave since the discovery of documents following the Los Pegasus invasion that would grant him titles in Queen Helianthus’s kingdom. Nothing stipulated that he’d betrayed the Dominions of Cant’r Laht or intended to, but his behavior prior to the invasion had been very suspicious. Close watch had to be kept on him, and the other White Tail lords had taken it upon themselves to do so.

Past the White Tail lords stood the local lords and governors of the Equestry Valley, those few who didn’t have their seat in Cant’r Laht. Mayor Mare of Ponieville was at the front of them, as well as Thane Silver Star of Appleoosa. Chief Strongheart, Warden of the South, was not in attendance, though that was something that would be remedied after the coronation ceremony was over. With the two special municipal governors of the Equestria Valley stood the Brave Companions. Twilight Sparkle had taken advantage of her newfound ability with portals to transport herself and her friends back to Ponieville after the wedding of Cadence and Shining Armor, and given them plenty of time before bringing them back for the coronation.

Besides these hundreds inside the cathedral, thousands more milled outside its doors in a disorderly crowd, waiting for their newly coronated monarch to emerge. These ponies were commoners: peasants and townsponies. They had no oaths to swear to Celestia, so they were not needed nor invited inside the cathedral. Ever since word had been sent out about the ceremony, more and more ponies had begun showing up just to catch a glimpse of something that hadn’t been seen in over a thousand years: a properly crowned Celestia. When she’d taken over Cant’r Laht a millennium ago, she’d conquered it by force without any pretense to legitimacy or title other than to accept the Lodge of Sorceresses’ proclamation of her as the new Matriarch of Sorceresses. Now, however, she would be a crowned ruler, just like every other monarch in Equestria. Just what her title would be, however, only a select few knew.

“Do you, Celestia, solemnly swear to rule rightly, and to dispense justice and mercy in fairness to all your subjects?” High Priestess Rubius asked as she stood before the ancient sorceress.

“I do,” Celestia vowed.

Luna stood next to her, already coronated, and looking truly at ease for the first time since her return. Beside that ease, Celestia could still see some nervous tension in her sister, though it was not directed at herself as it so often was; it was directed at Celestia. If only I could have read her emotions so well a thousand years ago. Luna was nervous that her sister would not go through with the ceremony properly. It had been Luna’s insistence that the coronation was held in Cant’r Laht Cathedral, administered by the High Priestess herself, and that ceremony be as close to orthodox as possible. It grated with Celestia, who’d never gotten along well with the Church of One, but she had seen the great value to legitimacy that such a ceremony would bestow, so she had complied. The cost is more than worth it for what I will gain, what Equestria will gain.

“Do you, Celestia, solemnly swear to uphold the rights of your vassals, to protect them, pursue their good, and respect their rule?” Rubius asked.

“I do,” Celestia vowed.

Later, all her vassals would reswear their fealty to her in this public ceremony. If she was to be held accountable to them by her oaths, then they had to agree to be held accountable to her by their own. She wondered if some might take this opportunity to test her resolve and refuse to swear. It would mean civil war as she brought the unruly nobles back under her control. Some were undoubtedly thinking that this coronation meant their old oaths to her were null and see this as a chance to break free, but she would seek to disabuse any who thought that way of such a notion. They all would swear to her, one way or another. Whether they wanted to or not, it wasn’t likely, especially among the Cant’r Laht nobles (who were usually the most troublesome). Celestia’s defeat to Queen Chrysalis just weeks earlier had oddly had the opposite effect that Celestia had expected. Celestia had been defeated, but she’d also displayed her power in its fullness, and many of the nobles were sufficiently intimidated by the massive gap between their own abilities and the Matron of Sorceresses’ that they were willing to go along with her schemes.

“Do you, Celestia, solemnly swear to bring honor and glory to the crown of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht and do all in your power to enrich the lives of those in the realm it represents?” Rubius asked.

“I do,” Celestia replied.

After today, the Dominions of Cant’r Laht would be no more. From now on, ponies would speak of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht. As well they should, for the two realms were not the same. The Dominions of Cant’r Laht, though named after the city in which Celestia ruled, were truly dominions that belonged only to Celestia herself. Oaths were made to her, not to the Lodge of Sorceresses or the Prince of the City. This was a realm that depended on Celestia so thoroughly that it could never survive without her. Now, things would be different. Celestia still ruled, but the many lands that had sworn to her over the years—the White and Blue Mountains, the Equestry Valley, the White Tail Woods, the Hill Kingdoms—were now part of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht, a realm that didn’t assume Celestia as its head of state. She had spent this year drawing up the document that would fundamentally transform her realm and getting approval from her vassals for its execution. All it was waiting for now was her and Luna’s post-coronation signatures.

“Do you accept these vows?” the High Priestess turned around to address the assembled nobility.

“Aye!” they answered, as was expected. Celestia thought she could pick out who had hesitated, but that wasn’t important. Her vassals had done the first part of their duty, and there’d be no problems as long as they followed through with their own oaths later, which they’d be foolish not to after accepting her oaths that had been directed to vassals and subjects.

Celestia kept her face impassive, though she almost felt like smiling. She had gotten away with one less oath than the script called for, an oath that Luna had sworn but she had not. High Priestess Rubius would have been a fool had she thought that Celestia would be willing to submit to the discipline and guidance of the Church of One and to its High Priestess. Perhaps, though as Celestia considered it, what would she have done had the High Priestess called her bluff and asked her to swear in order to be coronated? Did she want this so badly that she would utter such an oath? No matter, things hadn’t transpired in that way, and Celestia had won herself (in her own mind at least) a small victory. Indeed, the victory would be small as it was overshadowed by what came next.

“I accept your vows on behalf of Faust and your righteous subjects,” Rubius said after she’d turned back to Celestia, “I will now anoint you with holy oil.”

An assistant wheeled over the tube of oil that had been used previously for Luna’s anointing until it stood between Celestia and Rubius. The assistant removed the cap from the tall, golden cylinder before backing away. Celestia stared at the tube as Rubius said some words in the Language of the Horns over it. Apparently, it had been specially constructed for this ceremony since Celestia and Luna’s horns were far longer than the average unicorn’s. Images and script were engraved into the gold, though none that were specifically meant to represent Celestia and Luna. Good. So she did listen.

As Rubius finished her blessings, she motioned for Celestia to proceed. The alicorn placed her head over the oil before craning her neck downward until her horn was lined up with the tube. She continued to lower her head and dip her horn in the oil until the cylinder butted against her forehead. It was the traditional coronation, but Celestia hated how it looked like she was bowing to the High Priestess by doing this (which was probably the point). She also seemed to be bowing to all the vassals arrayed before her, and she couldn’t look up to see their reactions. To do so would mean overturning the tube of oil and ending her coronation then and there. She was not going to ruin things now. Slowly, she drew her horn out of the tube and straightened. Nothing seemed amiss, but surely some of the ponies in that crowd had taken pleasure at seeing her bent so. She looked over to Luna, who gave her a smile. Her sister’s oil had run down her muzzle by now, and Celestia tried to leverage her sorcery to keep the same from happening to her. It didn’t work, and she tried not to cross her eyes as it ran down.

Rubius gestured, and Raven hurried up with Celestia’s crown. To call it a crown would be generous. It was certainly nothing like what Celestia had worn back when she and Luna had ruled Equestria together. No, a circlet would be a better name for it. It was plated in gold, with two peaks that would sit on either side of her horn adorned with fire-rubies, gifts from Saddle Arabia. Her circlet offset that of her sister, which was plated in silver and adorned with sapphires.

Rubius passed off her staff to a waiting assistant and took the circlet between her hooves. Again, Celestia had to bow to the High Priestess so that she could be crowned. She was careful not to impale Rubius on her horn, and the head of the Church of One placed the crown upon her head. It had been over a thousand years, more than half of Celestia’s life, but the weight of the crown was all too familiar. The last time I failed. I cannot fail again. Celestia stood, towering over the High Priestess.

“In the sight of Faust and these witnesses, I now proclaim you, Celestia, Regent of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht,” Rubius said after reclaiming her staff.

Among those who hadn’t known exactly what was coming, there was whispering and shuffling about. The most common assumption before the ceremony among the uninformed had been that Celestia would be declared a queen. Then, when Luna was thrown into the mix, they assumed a revived diarchy was in order with two queens. But Luna hadn’t been crowned as a queen, she’d been crowned as a regent. The assumption then was that it was a lesser title to Celestia who would be crowned queen herself. However, they’d just seen two regents crowned, an odd beginning for the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht. Celestia would uphold that oath she’d made to herself, never to become queen again, and Luna had seen fit to follow it as well. After they were gone, however, then it would be up to another to rule as queen, and Celestia had a good idea in her mind who that would be.

“Lords and ladies of the realm, I present to you Celestia and Luna, Co-Regents of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht!” Rubius announced after turning around, “Long may they reign!”

“Long may they reign! Long may they reign! Long may they reign!” the call was echoed thrice by the assembled nobility.

Long may we reign? I would be content with enough time to prepare our successor. There’s still so much to do.

***

Vows to serve the regents of Cant’r Laht from the vassals followed, but while that was going on, the announcement of the coronation’s conclusion was made to the crowd outside of the cathedral. The peasants and townsponies had plenty of time to think on what it meant to have two new regents instead of Celestia ruling alone by the time the monarchs were presented to them. For most ponies, it wouldn’t mean much of a difference except that the chance of being called to fight in a civil war in the unlikely event that Celestia died would be lessened. That was reason enough to cheer as High Priestess Rubius presented Celestia and Luna, on top of the week of celebrations and exemptions from work throughout the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht following the coronation.

The royal procession—Celestia and Luna in front and their freshly sworn vassals following behind—wove through the streets of Cant’r Laht on their way to the castle, cheered the whole way by subjects that the city guard kept to the sides of the streets. Fresh flowers were thrown down from balconies toward the regents, some of them woven into wreaths. Whenever these landed in front of Celestia or Luna, they were required by tradition to drape them over their necks. Old traditions of Equestria revived for the sake of a new Equestria.

At last, they reached Cant’r Laht Castle, where the first of the coronation feasts was to be held. Before the feast could begin, though, Regents Celestia and Luna had to sign their names to the document that officially consolidated the Dominions of Cant’r Laht into the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht and established that title. Celestia and Luna were the current regents holding that title until the first queen was ready to ascend. After both of their deaths or abdications, Cadence was next in line, followed by Twilight Sparkle. One or both of Celestia’s apprentices would be crowned Queen of Cant’r Laht someday. They would inherit a unified kingdom, not a disparate collection of regions sworn to follow a sorceress who’d compelled their loyalty most often with threats of force. Celestia would give them that, if she was not able to give them a united Equestria. With each passing year, it seemed more and more likely she would not see that dream in her lifetime.

Today was a day of celebration, though. While the lords and ladies of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht feasted in Cant’r Laht Castle, the commoners were allowed to feast to their hearts’ content free of charge in the Cant’r Laht Common, where castle servants would be serving food all day. Other feasts would be held across the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht today as well, and again when the vassals returned to their homes, to celebrate the accession of the new monarchs. For a few days at least, peace and prosperity would be seen throughout the kingdom.

Elsewhere, things were not as sunny. Celestia hated to let her mood be darkened on a day of joy and triumph, but she could not keep her thoughts from what had compelled her to move to this point so swiftly. Padishah Ulm of the Zebrikaanian Empire had held his throne securely for a year now and had spent that time increasing his strength. He had expansionist ambitions, and would soon turn his eye to the few realms on the Eastern Continent that his empire had not yet conquered. Saddle Arabia was ripe to fall and would need all the help that Equestria could give to stand against the Zebrikaanians. But, splintered as Equestria was, and mostly unconcerned with the goings-on across the Shimmering Sea, would what they could give be enough?

There was also troubling word from the south of Equestria. The satyr who’d crowned himself Storm King had actually been able to keep his crown, unlike so many of the would-be kings of the Storm Isles before him. What’s more, the pirate kingdoms along the southern coast that so often fought among themselves that they were more an annoyance than a real threat to Equestrian shipping, were beginning to fall to the Storm Isles. There were even rumors that the hippogriffs of Mount Eris were stockpiling food and preparing for a siege in case the Storm King turned his eye toward them next. To lose Mount Eris would mean losing the only safe port between Balte-Maer and Los Pegasus, an increasingly important thing to have with the Storm King’s territory and control of the seas growing.

Then there was the west. Beyond the Westerlands lay the continent of Stygra. As unstable as Equestria had been for the last thousand years, Stygra had been far worse for far longer. Kingdoms rose and fell with the seasons, and ponies moved about as crops failed and plagues spread regularly. Celestia had to begrudgingly admit that the Church of One did at least provide some sense of stability to the residents of Equestria. It was not so with the Western Church, which was splintered into a dozen pontificates, each claiming sole authority and whose actual territory changed just as frequently as the Stygran kingdoms. Something had to be done about Stygra, but Equestria came first for the ancient sorceress.

There was a more immediate issue closer to home than any of the other three threats. As luck or destiny would have it, the other threats were to the east, south, and west, and this problem was in the north. During Prince Braid’s visit to Cant’r Laht for the summit and wedding, rebels in the Principality of Stalliongrad had chosen to rise up against his rule and proclaim it illegitimate. Normally, this was an issue that Celestia would try not to get directly involved in but nudge in the right direction; such would have been her course of action this time, too, had it not been for the Stalliongrader prince’s behavior. Against all expectation or convention, Prince Braid III Stalanokov had sent Celestia a letter requesting the help of her and her court in finding a resolution to this uprising. At first, Celestia hadn’t known what to make of the letter. Is Braid seeking to ally with my own realm? Whatever it was that Braid was seeking, Celestia had her own plans, and they would fit in with this call for aid nicely. He sought help finding a resolution to the conflict, did he? Well, she would dispatch the very same ponies that she had sent last year to stop the Seventeenth Trade War. True, they hadn’t been successful then, but maybe they would be this time. They have succeeded in so many other things, and events then were out of their control. Everypony deserves a second chance; I have begun to believe that more and more. It would also be a great opportunity to build the relationship the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht had with Stalliongrad, which had looked at the Hill Kingdoms and the Equestry Valley as potential conquests far too often for Celestia’s tastes.

“You wanted to speak with me, Celestia?” Twilight Sparkle asked at the feast as she caught Celestia between rounds of speaking with her vassals.

Ah, my prized apprentice, you still look at me as your mentor first. Ever since you became my protégé, you have had difficulty reconciling your instructor and the Matron of Sorceresses. There is something different in your eyes now, though. You do see me as a queen, or something very much like it. It is good that you recognize both, the pony and the title. It will be vitally important to you in the future.

“Yes, Twilight Sparkle, I trust you and your friends are ready for a journey?” Celestia asked.

Originally, Celestia had intended for the Brave Companions to attend only the coronation before being allowed to return to their homes. So much of their lives this past year had been spent hunting down the surprises that Discord had left scattered throughout the land. If only they could live more normal lives . . . but that was a fantasy when they were so needed. Celestia knew that she would continue to use them for her purposes, but she would not wear them down to nothing. After the message from Prince Braid, the sorceress had sent two letters: one was a response to the prince informing him of her plans, and the other was to Twilight Sparkle, asking her to undertake a quest for her.

“Yes, as instructed, we have all brought supplies for traveling. Everything we need is stored in my chambers in the castle,” Twilight Sparkle replied before scrunching up her muzzle slightly, “I do not understand why such supplies are needed when I can now travel anywhere I wish in an instant.”

“I am proud of your newfound abilities, my most faithful apprentice, but be careful not to rely too wholly on portals,” Celestia cautioned, “In certain cases, it is prudent to make use of one’s hooves instead. That said, you will wish to travel by portal to your destination. The supplies are for what may come after.”

“I understand, Celestia,” Twilight said, thinking she understood, “What I do not understand is where we shall be going or what we shall be doing.”

“After the feast, I want you to take the Brave Companions, as well as Cadence and your brother, to Stalliongrad. There will be an entourage waiting to greet you in the fields outside the city,” Celestia explained, “There is a rebellion in the Principality of Stalliongrad. Prince Braid has asked me for aid in resolving it, and I believe that you are the correct choice.”

“The Brave Companions and … Cadence and my brother?” Twilight asked, certain she’d misheard something.

“Correct,” Celestia said, “Prince Braid did not share much information in his message to me, but I have gathered that the rebellion has something to do with the House Stalanokov. It is a large family, and having three ponies who know something about noble houses is better than one, don’t you think.”

“Of course,” Twilight admitted.

“I have complete faith in you, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said.

“I will do my best,” Twilight promised before taking her leave and trotting away to let the next set of vassals approach their regent. Yes, my young apprentice. I know you will, as always.

***

“Is everypony ready?” Twilight Sparkle asked the ponies and dragonling assembled in the Cant’r Laht gardens.

It was quite a large party assembled, Twilight realized as she looked out at them. In addition to her ever-present page Spike, there were all five of the other Brave Companions, Cadence and Shining Armor, and Ream and Baldavin, who’d insisted on coming to Cant’r Laht with the Brave Companions in case Twilight decided to slip off on an adventure. The sorceress was actually getting used to having them around, even if she was still uncertain if they were required now that her magical abilities had increased to the point where she could create portals on her own. They also seemed to be getting used to following her. They were more insistent in their duties to her and were less likely to slip away to a tavern or brothel at the first chance, even if she often made use of them more as errand-colts than the soldiers they were. Eleven creatures in total would pass through the portal she’d make and spend the next spell of indeterminate length in Stalliongrad. Hopefully Prince Braid would provide more details so that Twilight could develop a solid plan.

“Let’s see it, Twily,” Shining Armor urged her on.

Shining Armor was not wearing his city guard armor, but a fine coat and breeches, something he’d probably be seen more in now that he was married to Cadence. He was still the current Captain of the Guard, but that title would likely pass to a subordinate in time. Being married to the heir to the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht meant that his role would have to change. Celestia had other plans for him than as guard captain, indicated by his role in this mission to Stalliongrad. Shining Armor would always be a guardpony at heart, though, no matter what anypony else tried to make him.

Twilight Sparkle concentrated on their destination, a hilltop where the Stalliongrader entourage was waiting for them. The sorceress had scried out the location earlier and seen the preparations to erect a canopy over the spot where her portal was to appear. Usually such honors were given only to Celestia, and the gold-and-white style of the canopy betrayed that, but she’d been one of the very few able to create portals in the last millennium. Apparently, Prince Braid wanted to afford the same honors to ponies sent in her name. That, or his entourage just wanted to know where the Cant’r Laht party was going to appear. Nopony liked sorceresses suddenly emerging from a hole in the air behind you, something Celestia had once been quite fond of doing to unnerve her guests.

The spell materialized, and a sliver of light appeared in the air before broadening into a doorway. Twilight continued to stretch the portal’s width so that ponies could easily pass through side-by-side, before stabilizing it. From one side of the portal, all one would see would be a foggy surface, but from the other, it was a doorway to another place entirely. Instead of the Cant’r Laht gardens, the assembled ponies could see a hilltop where the wheat had been hastily harvested for their arrival, leaving a large, open area. Twilight had managed to place the portal in the center of the canopy, and canvas flapping overhead in the wind. Despite the portal having appeared where expected, several of the ponies on the other side looked around to see if Twilight might pull a fast one on them and sneak up from another direction.

The Brave Companions et al. passed through the portal, Twilight Sparkle bringing up the rear and closing it behind her. Banners flapped from posts driven into the ground among their welcoming party bearing the standard of House Stalanokov: a knight with a lance riding down a drake upon a golden field outlined in black. Another banner stood a little lower than the others, bearing a different standard: two red boars on either side of a white tower, set against a field of blue, the entire banner edged with gold and black. Two stallions trotted out ahead of the rest of the entourage, several servants following behind them.

“Welcome, honored dignitaries of Cant’r Laht, to the Principality of Stalliongrad,” the one with a pointed beard and moustaches said as he drew near enough to the group to address them without shouting, “I am Lord Ebban Andretokov, and this is my brother, Lord Ivor Andretokov.”

“It is a pleasure to have you here,” Ivor said with a sweeping bow, drawing his cap down with a hoof as he did so, “Please, allow our servants to take your saddlebags. I did not realize we would have the honor of hosting so many fine ladies.”

“Ivor, these are our honored guests,” Ebban said, his voice tight.

“Of course, my dear brother. I would not presume to do anything to harm our relationship with the Dominions of Cant’r Laht,” Ivor replied, “Shall we make our way to Stalliongrad?”

“The city is not far,” Ebban told the foreigners, “Come; this way.”

The Cant’r Laht entourage met up with the rest of the Stalliongrader entourage, and they made their way down through the fields to the road leading to Stalliongrad. Servants tore down the canopy and carried it behind the group, along with their saddlebags and the banners. While they trotted along the road, they got to meet some of the other members of the Stalliongrader entourage. They were all minor nobles or members of Prince Braid’s guard, loyal ponies to the prince one and all. Twilight Sparkle tried to put together who was who and how they were connected, but she was not familiar with Stalliongrader politics and hadn’t had much time to research between Celestia and Luna’s coronation feast and their departure.

The city of Stalliongrad was visible from a long way off, a hulking pile of stone that stuck up from the relatively flat land around it. Stalliongrad was built in the middle of a plain, atop a hill that stuck out from its surroundings like an ugly wart. The Crystal River could be seen in the north, glistening in the dusky sunlight, and any spot along it would have been ideal to build a city, but the founders of Stalliongrad had decided to build atop this lone hill instead, over a league away from the waterway and the trade the city needed to grow. In defiance, Stalliongrad had grown anyway, and grown into the most formidable city in Equestria. The architecture was crafted with a fortress mindset, so much so that many called it a fortress-city, feeling that one term or the other wouldn’t do it justice. As the Brave Companions neared the outer gates, they got a sense of why this city had never fallen to a siege.

The outer walls were so incredibly thick that it took them nearly half a minute to walk through, passing multiple gates and portcullises and under plenty of murder holes. It felt a bit like passing under a mountain, with all those tons of stone overhead, though this mountain was filled with ponies trained to kill anypony who tried to pass through. All of the newcomers involuntarily looked back and up after passing through, marveling at how high the walls climbed. No siege engine could be conceived of that could break those walls.

Inside the walls, the buildings were constructed with the same defensive mindset. All were made of stone, with slate roofs—nothing that could be set on fire. The streets didn’t seem to want to go straight, always bending and turning in such a way to give disadvantage to whoever was moving deeper into the city. Likewise, the staggering of the buildings, which had little to no space between them, left no cover for an invader, but plenty for a defender. The street they were following climbed up the hill and back and forth, eventually curving around the circular city and under another wall with more gates and defenders.

Still higher they climbed past terraced buildings, until they passed through the wall the separated the upper city from the lower city. The buildings here were larger, homes of the rich and the noble, but each of them seemed to be a fortress more than a manor. Every building seemed to be able to hold out against assault for several days at least, and those were just the buildings that really were homes. The Brave Companions had spotted actual fortresses scattered throughout the city as well.

At the very top of the hill was the seat of Prince Braid: the Royal Stronghold. This was the most impressive fortress of all. Its walls were nearly as thick as the city’s, but were even easier to defend, thanks to a ditch filled with spikes ringing it and convenient emplacements atop it for defenders to rain down all sorts of nasty things. Sturdy towers climbed over the walls from within, many of them home to trebuchets, catapults, and ballistae. A double set of drawbridges led across the ditch to the main gate. Banners bearing the standard of House Stalanokov hung to either side of the arch, the sheer weight of them keeping them from flapping in the wind.

Ebban and Ivor led the group across the drawbridges, through the gateway, and into the fortress’s courtyard. Since dusk was falling, the servants hurried off to bring the Brave Companions’ traveling supplies to their rooms, but returned their saddlebags when requested. Twilight intended to have everything she might need easily available. The rest of the entourage said their farewells, and the two Lords Andretokov led their guests to the entrance of the main keep.

“Excuse me, but where are we going?” Rarity asked as they climbed the stairs to the heavy wooden doors. None of the entrances were at ground-level here, though most of them had only a wooden staircase instead of the grand, yet blocky, double stairs to the main doors. A pair of guards pushed the doors open for them to enter.

“Prince Braid still wishes to speak with you tonight,” Ivor answered, “Our uncle is not a stallion who wastes time or words.”

So, that’s the connection. Ebban and Ivor are Braid’s nephews, sons of his sister, judging by their given House. Eudos? Was that her name? Twilight tried to recall what she had read. If only she could have brought those books along.

“Excellent,” Twilight Sparkle said aloud, “I was hoping to speak with the prince yet tonight so that we can make a plan for the morrow.”

“He will appreciate that,” Ebban said with a nod, “Please, this way.”

It was an easy walk to the great hall, and from there to the audience chamber. Like everything else in the Royal Stronghold, the room was practically a fortress by itself, built sturdily as a saferoom from which the Lord-Protector of Stalliongrad could hold out against all odds. The only visible entrance was the one they’d come in from, and the only other breaches were the tiny windows set high in the walls, so small that only a raven could squeeze through but still fitted with sturdy iron bars.

Several ponies stood or sat around the chamber, many of them lords and ladies of Stalliongrad, some of whom the Brave Companions could recognize from the summits held in Cant’r Laht. There was Halath Prokoyikov, Boyar of Prokoya and Count of Rainbow Falls, and beside him stood Ceres Urukikov, Boyarina of Urukiya, both powerful vassals in the Principality of Stalliongrad. Prince Braid sat in a chair that was made of simple wood, though it was elaborately carved. Not quite a throne, but more than a simple seat, as befitted the oft-plainspoken prince.

“Everypony apart from my family, leave now. I wish to greet my new guests,” he announced, rising and gesturing to the Brave Companions as they entered.

The other lords and ladies hurried out of the audience chamber, and a pair of guards shut the door behind them. Besides the newcomers, that left five ponies including the prince. A mare who appeared a few years younger than Braid wearing a blue dress fringed with red and white stood beside a stallion with a coat of the same style, likely the parents of Ebban and Ivor. Grigor, Braid’s heir, sat nearby, watching the ponies from Cant’r Laht with a thoughtful expression. Another young stallion trotted over from where he’d been speaking to an officer in Braid’s guard, another of Braid’s sons, perhaps, or maybe a brother to Ebban and Ivor.

“Thank you for coming,” Prince Braid said, with only the slightest indication of a bow, “I am surprised, though not displeased, that Celestia sent so many. You are the Brave Companions, of course, and you are the Lady mi Amore Cadenza and her new husband. Shining Armor, you are the brother of Twilight Sparkle here, if I am not mistaken, and your father is Prince of Cant’r Laht. You must understand family ties; that will be important if you are to help me.”

Twilight Sparkle had expected to introduce herself and her friends (though she’d gladly have let Cadence take the lead, as her senior). Instead, Prince Braid had done all the introductions for her and seemed to be launching directly into everything he had to say. He was as straightforward as she had heard, maybe more so, but it seemed to be so only when face-to-face. From what Twilight had gathered, his message to Celestia had been extraordinarily vague about the situation.

“These are my sons, Grigo and Band,” Prince Braid continued, gesturing to the youngest two stallions in the room, “My sister Eudos and her husband Hodd, and you have already met Ebban and Ivor. Missing only is my son Vasil. I did not want word to spread, which is why my message to Celestia did not speak of it; he is the one leading the rebellion against me.”

“I still say somepony else is using him or his name,” Band spoke up in defense of his brother, “Vasil would never betray us like this.”

“I too did not think it possible, but I must act as if it is true until we know otherwise,” Braid said sternly, and his son was forced to acquiesce, “Vasil has raised forces against me, challenging my legitimacy as prince. With rumors of what happened in Cant’r Laht spreading, he accuses Grigor and me of both being merely changelings.”

If Queen Chrysalis had had her way, then those accusations might well have been true. Changelings had existed in Equestria for a very long time (as Twilight had found out through research after the attempted coup), but they were hardly on anypony’s minds. They appeared infrequently, and usually such occurrences were attributed to other superstitions that remained from the times when the pegasi had ruled Equestria. Now, with such a bold move by the changelings, word would spread, and they’d be on everypony’s minds. Would suspicion also creep through Equestria that one’s neighbor wasn’t really themselves?

“Well, that’s easy then,” Pinkamena said gleefully, “Twilight here can just use her sorcery to prove you’re not a changeling!”

“And what if she is a changeling?” Eudos asked sagely as she sipped from a goblet.

“What if everypony is a changeling?” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

“So, you see our problem, then,” Eudos said, “There is no way to prove somepony is who they claim to be without somepony else to verify, and the verifier could always just be accused of impersonation as well. Around and around, with no end in sight.”

“You say that Vasil would never betray you, yet he did,” Twilight Sparkle said thoughtfully, “Throughout this year, we have seen sudden changes in behavior before.”

“You think he’s possessed by Discord?” Rarity asked.

“It is possible,” Twilight said, “After all, a shard of his soul was found in every realm in Equestria except for the Principality of Stalliongrad. But … no, I never felt him Awaken.” Unless it happened while I was unconscious and cocooned beneath Cant’r Laht, which would line up with when the rebellion began.

“Well then, seems the best way to resolve this would be for Twilight to open a portal to wherever Vasil is and test him,” Rainbow Dash said.

“No,” Prince Braid said firmly, “We do not know enough yet to act. If my son truly is … possessed, then I will do all I can to save him and his soul, but you yourself admitted that it is only a slim chance. I will face him when the time is right and will count on your support if I feel it is still necessary, but I have another matter to deal with first. Before I go off to deal with my son’s rebellion, I must know its extent. I will not march off with an army only to find traitors in its midst willing to tear it apart from the inside. I must know who is with me and who is against me.”

“And y’ want us t’ figure that out for y’?” Applejack asked skeptically, “No offense, y’r highness, but how are we s’posed t’ do that if w’ know nothin’ about Stalliongrad politics?”

“Family,” the prince said plainly, “The House Stalanokov is the most powerful family in Stalliongrad, but it does not always act in concert. Each piece of the house pulls along with it the other great families and forces of the principality, but we are often at cross-purposes. I can deal with those that lie outside the influence of my royal house, but I need your help to determine which of my own blood are with me. Everypony in this room is loyal to me, but I have my doubts about the other branches of the house.”

“It is true. The questioning of my royal brother’s legitimacy is nothing new,” Eudos remarked, “Sephas has been doing much the same for years, and though she’s never acted so openly, this reeks of her schemes.”

“I don’t think she’s ever gotten over you killing her husband,” Hodd said to Braid.

“My brother Bann the Terrible was a tyrant that needed to be put down,” Prince Braid said firmly, “I did it for the good of the realm, not for my own power, something Sephas can never understand.”

“So, determine who in the House Stalanokov will side with you and who will follow your son in rebellion; that is a place to start,” Cadence said, turning the conversation away from fratricide, “We’ll need to know more about your house to know what we should be doing, though.”

“Of course,” Prince Braid said, “Speak to my scribe Quillon; she’ll be able to answer any question you have. Grigor, would you show them the way?”

“Of course, father,” Grigor said, giving a nod.

The heir to the throne of Stalliongrad led the Cant’r Laht emissaries back out through the great hall and through the passages of the Royal Stronghold. Their path eventually took them downward, into the fortress’s foundations. They passed barracks, armories, and dungeons before they came to the entrance to Quillon’s study. Grigor rapped thrice on the door and waited a few seconds before it opened.

“What do you want?” an elderly mare wearing glasses with octagonal lenses asked as she poked her head out of the partially opened door, and inhaled sharply when she spotted Grigor, “Oh, your lordship, what can I do for you?”

“Quillon, these ponies need to know about the House Stalanokov, specifically the current factions in the royal family,” Grigor told her, “Please, help them however you can.”

“Oh, of course, of course. Come in,” Quillon said as she pulled the door open the rest of the way, and several books and scrolls that had been stacked up behind it fell over.

“When you’re ready to bed down in your chambers, have Quillon call a servant,” Grigor said before giving the traditional Stalliongrader nighttime farewell, “May your comrades guard your slumber well, and if they be not up to the task, may the Holy Chargers serve in their stead.” It was a rather long way to say “goodnight.”

As he trotted away down the corridor, everypony else entered Quillon’s study. It seemed that her study also served as the Stalliongrad archives; that, or she just had a lot of books and scrolls. There was no organization or method to them that any of the Brave Companions could make out, just piles of writings strewn everywhere on the floors, atop furniture, or in bookcases and cubbyholes on the walls. The walls were plastered with pinned-up documents and tapestries in multiple layers. For Twilight Sparkle, it was both a delight to be among so much knowledge and also a nightmare to see it so poorly arranged. For Spike, it was what he imagined Twilight’s study would look like if he wasn’t around to clean things up for her.

“So, you want to learn about House Stalanokov, do you?” Quillon asked as she trotted over and moved a candle away from some papers it was very close to turning to ash.

“We’ve been tasked with helping Prince Braid determine who is behind them and who will support his son’s rebellion,” Cadence said.

“Well, then, all you need to know is the members of the family in the trunk, those descended from Prince Band II, the current prince’s grandfather,” Quillon said.

She tottered over to a set of hanging tapestries and began to shove them out of the way until she revealed the one she was looking for. The Brave Companions gathered around to examine a family tree of the House Stalanokov that depicted all members descended from Band II that had reached adulthood. The ponies they’d met tonight made up only a sixth of the tree, though they comprised more than a fifth of the living members.

“The House Stalanokov is currently divided into four ‘columns,’” Quillon explained, taking up a stick to draw lines along the tapestry, before setting it back down so she could speak again, “I take it you’ve met those loyal to Prince Braid already. They consist of the prince’s children—excluding Vasil, it seems—and Lady Eudos’s family of Andretokovs.”

“They mentioned Lady Sephas. She certainly seems to have been busy,” Shining Armor commented as he pointed to a portrait connected by marriage lines to three other portraits in the tree.

“Yes, Lady Sephas is Prince Braid’s biggest adversary in the family,” Quillon said, “Before she married Prince Bann the Terrible, she bore three children to Lord Vitali Richreg: Khosor, Pellas, and Bram. No children came from her union with Prince Bann, but after his death, she married his cousin Grigor and had three more children with him: Rezas, Khoras, and Taniz.”

“Has she tried to claim the throne before?” Twilight Sparkle asked as she searched through her saddlebags for a quill and parchment for taking notes.

“Never through direct rebellion,” Quillon said with a shake of her head, “She has made suggestions of it, though. After Prince Bann’s death, she claimed he had adopted her children with Vitali, but there was no proof, and she didn’t have enough support to press the claim back then. Bram’s family was opposed to her, and she hadn’t yet married Grigor and pulled him away.”

“Her son Bram’s family was opposed to her?” Pinkamena asked in confusion.

“No, that would be Bram, son of Vitali. The family against her was that of Bram, son of Band, Prince Braid’s uncle,” Quillon explained.

“And Sephas married Grigor, but not Grigor, son of Braid, Grigor, son of Bram,” Rarity puzzled out as she examined the tapestry.

“Correct,” Quillon nodded.

“So many names are repeated,” Fluttershy commented as she also examined the family tree, “It’s confusing.”

“Such is the way of things in the House Stalanokov. You should see the extended family tree,” Quillon said, “Now, where was I? Yes, those are the first two columns. The third is that of the prince’s younger brother Lord Khosar. It consists of his lordship, his wife Whisper, and their three children: Salas, Eudos, and Pokor. That concludes the columns related to Prince Braid through his father, Prince Ivor IV.”

“The final column is composed of the descendants of Prince Braid’s uncle, Lord Bram, excluding the family of Grigor. He has passed on, but his children—Rogar, Grigor, Brand, and Weald—still live. Lord Rogar and his lady-wife Auburn have two children: Feodor and Silik. Lord Brand and his lady-wife Katas have two children as well: Brand and Braid. Finally, Lady Tannes and her husband Lord Weald Nakareg have three children: Carn, Ake, and Katras. Lord Rogar is the leader of Bram’s column.”

“I think we are going to be here for a while,” Twilight Sparkle commented as Spike tried to recreate the family tree on a sheet of parchment with notations from what the scribe had said.

***

The next morning, three parties left the Royal Stronghold and headed out into Stalliongrad. There were three major fortresses in Stalliongrad besides the Royal Stronghold, and each of them was home to one of the columns of the House Stalanokov. Twilight Sparkle led the group headed to the Scarlet Palace, though it was really Braid’s son Grigor that was doing the leading at the moment. Each group from Cant’r Laht would be accompanied by a member of Prince Braid’s family to show them around and introduce them, but the point of the foreigners was to provide an outside party’s mediation, so the Stalanokovs were to do no more than assist in the process. Besides Grigor, Twilight also had Spike, Applejack, Ream, and Baldavin with her.

The Scarlet Palace was named for the color of the bricks used to build its walls, fired from clay found on the bank of the Crystal River. It paled in comparison to the Royal Stronghold, but it was still an impressive fortress. Wicked-looking turrets and barbican greeted them as they neared the palace. Whatever this fortress had once been used for, it was now the seat of Sephas, abundantly clear by the massive banners that hung to either side of the gate. On the left was the standard of House Stalanokov, though there were purple and yellow stripes around the outside. On the right was a banner divided in quarters with the standard of House Stalanokov in the upper right and lower left, and the standard of House Richreg (a yellow halberd head on a purple field) in the other two quarters. Together, they formed the standard of House Richreg-Stalanokov, which was claimed by Sephas’s children with Vitali Richreg, created when Prince Bann had supposedly adopted them as his own offspring.

The guards at the gate didn’t give the party much trouble. Lady Sephas may have wanted the crown of Stalliongrad for herself or her children, but she wasn’t willing to detain the heir to that crown in broad daylight. Ream and Baldavin were forced to stay behind, however, which they were not happy about. Twilight couldn’t say she was all that happy about being surrounded by unfriendly guards inside this fortress, either, but Sephas’s guards were unwilling to budge. Better they complete their quest here and get out quickly than not be able to complete it at all. Twilight Sparkle, Grigor, Spike, and Applejack were led to the Scarlet Palace’s great hall, where they had to wait.

“She is doing this on purpose to waste our time, you know,” Grigor said after several minutes had passed, “My aunt believes that the ability to make important ponies wait is a sign of power.”

It was, in a way. Twilight knew that Celestia often used the same method on her own subjects to reinforce her supremacy. She’d even made the Lodge of Sorceresses wait from time to time, just to drive home whose city Cant’r Laht really was. Celestia had always told her that this alone was not enough and had to be backed up by real power, though. Simply making others wait on you could be seen as merely pretending to hold power while expending any goodwill you had with the offended parties if you didn’t truly have the necessary authority. It seemed that was what Grigor thought of his aunt, though given the importance Quillon had given to keeping Sephas’s column from opposing Braid, it was perhaps not all just for show.

“Presenting Grigor Stalanokov, Knyaz of the Black Forest, and Lady Sephas Stalanokov!” a herald called out as the doors to the great hall swung open and the two ponies who made the Scarlet Palace their seat entered, “As well as Lord Taniz Stalanokov, Lady Khoras Stalanokov, and Lords Khosor and Bram Richreg-Stalanokov!”

Two thrones stood at the front of the great hall, with three seats on either side. Husband and wife took the thrones and their children sat to the sides, the Richreg-Stalanokovs next to their mother. Lady Sephas examined the Cant’r Laht party critically, trying to divine their measure or their purpose here.

“Who are these, then?” she asked the herald, nodding toward Twilight, Spike, and Applejack.

“Grigor Stalanokov, Count of Frosthorn and Lord of Begen Rock!” the herald introduced the pony he knew first and hesitated for a moment as a servant rushed up with a sheet of parchment, “Twilight Sparkle Haltrotsun, personal protégé of Celestia! Her page, Spike, son of Dragonlord Ingrirtireth of Tyrannus! Applejack of the McIntosh Apples of Ponieville!”

“Why are you here?” Sephas asked bluntly, “I don’t suppose Haltrotsun is looking to form a marriage alliance with Stalanokov? If so, you should have invited us to your wedding, though maybe it is for the best that you did not.”

“If you are referring to the rumors about Prince Braid, then I have to assure you that all changelings in Cant’r Laht were accounted for,” Twilight Sparkle said, “No, we are here to talk about the rebellion I am sure you are aware of.”

“No, I completely failed to notice my brother-in-law calling his banners and all the levies gathering outside the city,” Sephas said sarcastically, “Of course I’m aware of the rebellion. So, young Vasil decided to stand up to daddy, did he? Well, it wouldn’t be the first time a Stalanokov usurped the throne from a blood relative, not even in recent memory.”

Grigor, son of Braid’s face tightened, but he kept his silence.

“Do y’ intend t’ allow it t’ happen, m’lady?” Applejack asked.

“It’s none of my business what happens anymore, is it?” Sephas asked coyly, “The descendants of Ivor IV are no longer my concern.”

“You will refuse to raise the levies Prince Braid has demanded as your sovereign, then?” Twilight Sparkle asked, probing for something definite.

“As Knyaz of the Black Forest, I will provide what is required, of course,” Grigor, son of Bram replied instead of his wife, “To refuse to do so would be treasonous, if you accept Braid as the rightful prince, which I must as long as I reside in Stalliongrad.”

Grigor was not as skillful in intrigue as Sephas, and though he hadn’t given everything away, he had answered Twilight’s question and revealed an additional hint. As long as I reside in Stalliongrad. And if you decide to leave Stalliongrad to join the rebels, Grigor? Will you disband your levies, or will they cross over to the other side? There’s also the matter of the levies not being the main force you have available.

“What of the hordes?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

Prince Bann the Terrible had been the one to finally bring the barbarian hordes of the north under the protection and control of the Principality of Cant’r Laht. Theoretically, this protection and control had passed to Prince Braid upon his brother death, along with the title Crown-Protector of the Hordes, but the truth wasn’t so clear-cut. It had been Bann who’d brought them into the fold, and despite Prince Braid’s efforts, most of the hordes were still more loyal to Sephas’s column than their crown-protector. The threat of the hordes was the major reason that Sephas was as powerful in Stalliongrad as she was.

“They will do whatever their hetstalans think is best, which is probably nothing,” Sephas answered, “Why should they get involved in a dispute for the throne?” Unless they thought the new prince would be better to them than the one that currently rules.

“Why indeed?” Twilight Sparkle replied.

Grigor, son of Braid cleared his throat, and tried to communicate something to Twilight, but she wasn’t able to pick it up and he was forced to speak the question himself.

“I can’t help but notice that Pellas and Rezas were unable to join us,” Grigor said, nodding to the empty chairs on either side of the thrones, “Are they engaged in other important duties?”

“I’m afraid so,” Sephas said, “A pity you couldn’t meet them, but that is how it is.”

“Our visitors are interested in meeting all members of the House Stalanokov,” Grigor said, “Perhaps we could see them on our way out.”

“Unfortunately, they cannot spare the time. As you are the one who suggested leaving, perhaps it is time for you to depart the Scarlet Palace,” Sephas said icily.

“Of course, Lady Sephas,” Grigor said with a slight bow affording her only the slightest respect.

Guards led the ponies and dragon out of the fortress quickly, careful not to let them stray from the shortest path so they couldn’t snoop around. Grigor examined his surroundings carefully anyway, hoping either to pick up some information Sephas had concealed or find a weakness in the fortress’s walls. Ream and Baldavin rejoined the group as they left the palace and trotted away down the heavily fortified streets of Stalliongrad.

“What was that about?” Twilight asked, keeping her voice level and assuring herself that Grigor had had a reason to break his silence and antagonize his aunt.

“She managed to avoid lying, but just barely,” he said with a frown, “Pellas and Rezas were seen leaving Stalliongrad a few days ago and heading west, possibly to join the rebels.”

Within the walls of Stalliongrad, lying to the prince or his heir was considered an offense so serious that the perpetrator’s tongue would be cut out. It was one of the reasons that Grigor had come with them, to keep Sephas from uttering flat-out deceptions. It was tricky how to interpret that law, however, so she might be able to get away with lying to Twilight, Applejack, and Spike, so long as she was not addressing Grigor. There wasn’t a large number of magistrates who would accept that interpretation, but they did exist, and Sephas controlled most of them. To play it safe, one wouldn’t have lied in Grigor’s presence at all, which meant the word on the Black Forest levies and the hordes could probably be considered trustworthy.

“Why them?” Applejack asked.

“Marriage ties,” Grigor grumbled, “Sephas probably hopes to marry one of her daughters to Vasil so that if he does manage to usurp the throne, her descendants will one day rule as well. I would say that Vasil would never accept such a marriage, but until lately I’d never have thought he’d rebel against father.”

“When Prince Braid decides to confront Vasil, he will need to keep a close eye on them,” Twilight Sparkle said, and Grigor gave her a look as if to say that was obvious, “As long as they do not feel they can get away from him, then the Black Forest levies will remain loyal. Perhaps they should be divided throughout the camp so they cannot rebel together.”

“This was a waste of time,” Grigor continued to grumble, “At best, Sephas’s column will remain neutral and do the bare minimum required to aid us. Even if the hordes really will be left behind, we could surely use them on our side. Without them, Sephas’s position is greatly weakened. It would have been more productive to meet with them directly, but it would have taken too long to reach their camps.”

“Maybe not,” Twilight Sparkle said thoughtfully, “Where are the hordes encamped?”

***

While Twilight Sparkle and Grigor’s group sought an audience with Lady Sephas, Cadence led another party to speak to Prince Braid’s younger brother, Khosar. Lady Eudos would fill the same role that Grigor held in the first group, providing introductions to the head of this column of the House Stalanokov. She had assured the others that she maintained a good relationship with her younger brother, so she would be a good fit for the role, but apparently it was not good enough to keep Khosar’s column from being separate from her and Braid’s own column. Rarity and Fluttershy represented the Brave Companions in the group, the druidess especially chosen by Twilight Sparkle for this task in case Khosar’s (confusingly named) daughter Eudos was present, since she too was a druidess.

Khosar’s seat of power was in the upper city, just like the Scarlet Palace, but located on the opposite side of the Royal Stronghold from Sephas’s seat. Talgan Fort was a more sprawling complex than the compact Scarlet Palace, encircled by a low stone wall topped with a slanted tile roof. Towers jutted over the wall in several places, including an impressive belfry of recent construction. There was no moat around Talgan Fort, but it did sit atop a raised layer of earth, and Lady Eudos led them up a ramp in order to reach the gates. As was typical in Stalliongrad, banners of the house that ruled here hung on either side of the archway. Khosar’s column was entirely of House Stalanokov, so the standard depicted on the banners matched that of Braid, though there was a burgundy stripe around the edges that marked it as being separate from the princely family.

Ponies rushed in and out of the fort, carrying messages to and from the levies nearing Stalliongrad. So far, Khosar’s levies had refused communication with the other armies assembling outside the city, which worried Prince Braid. Stalliongrad had never fallen to a siege, but no wise ruler would wish to put that to the test, especially against somepony who knew the city intimately like Khosar, a pony who’d spent his whole life within the walls apart from occasional trips. If the armies that arrived didn’t obey Braid, then they might very well go over to Vasil.

The visitors were expected, thanks to a message that Eudos had penned earlier that morning, and the guards let them pass, though their eyes lingered on Cadence. She was one of only three living alicorns and only the fifth one ever to exist, so it was natural that she should be the subject of curiosity and attention, especially here. Stalliongrad was not Cant’r Laht, where Celestia was an everyday part of life. There was an awareness of the ancient sorceress throughout all of Equestria, but out here in the north it was far less pronounced than it was nearer to her seat of power.

Buildings were scattered throughout Talgan Fort, their construction over time having created a maze of sorts, intentionally or not. Prince Braid’s sister knew exactly how to get where she was going, though, so Cadence, Rarity, and Fluttershy followed her as she trotted one way and then another in order to weave through the fort. The great hall resided near the center of the fortress, resembling an ancient warrior’s lodge reimagined in stone. The sweeping roof was covered in tile that matched the exterior walls, and turrets had been added to the corners; otherwise, it was a larger version of the timber construction that had once existed in this fort back when its wall had been a wooden palisade. As impressive as the great hall was, it was not where Eudos led the others. She took them right past it to the chapel that had been constructed alongside, differences in stone showing where it had been grafted onto an existing structure and then expanded over time. The belfry atop it was the one that had stood out from outside the fort, only just finished in the last year or two, judging by how new and unweathered its stones looked.

Down the main aisle of the chapel trotted two ponies: a stallion and a mare. The stallion was Lord Khosar, his distinctive mustaches waxed to points. He wore a very fine tunic that was nevertheless simple in style, the only ornamentation confined to gold and burgundy embroidery on the black fabric, matching the banners that hung outside Talgan Fort. A pouch hung at his side, out of which poked several vials and grimoires. In addition to being a lord of Stalliongrad and its prince’s brother, Khosar was also a sorcerer and alchemist. The mare trotting along next to and talking to Khosar was wearing the robes and stole of a priestess of the Church of One. Beside the door the newcomers had just come through, a servant held a bishop’s mitre and staff. Her robes’ burgundy color wasn’t out of the ordinary, as it was a color commonly associated with the Church of One, but its association with Khosar’s banner made it noteworthy.

“Bishop Cairnus, you already know my noble sister. This, I hear, is Lady mi Amore Cadenza and two of the Brave Companions: Rarity and Fluttershy,” Khosar introduced them to the bishop as they met.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Khosar. Please, call me Cadence,” Cadence said and looked around the chapel, “I wish that Cant’r Laht Castle had a chapel so nearby.”

Like Cadence, Lord Khosar was an oddity among mages, in that he was a fervent follower of the Church of One. Most sorceresses either spurned the Church, were ambivalent toward it, or paid lip service alone in order to get what they wanted. Not Cadence, who’d been overjoyed on meeting Luna to learn that her mentor’s sister felt the same. Khosar’s (some might say overzealous) faith was why Cadence had been chosen to speak with him, though it hadn’t taken any convincing for her to agree to meet with a fellow soul.

“But you can worship at Cant’r Laht Cathedral, the seat of the High Priestess herself,” Khosar said, “What I would give to visit such a holy place. Alas, it was not to be.”

Khosar’s column had rarely marched in lockstep with Braid’s, but generally the two brothers had a friendly relationship. The current tension (so much as Quillon had been able to tell the Brave Companions) was due to Khosar taking an unintentional slight harder than expected. During neither of the summits held in Cant’r Laht had Prince Braid brought any of his siblings along, and that included Khosar, who longed to visit the heart of the Church of One. He had taken it into his head that Braid had intentionally left him out of the journeys in order to snub him, and wasn’t letting it go after it had happened a second time.

“Prince Braid is worried about where you’ll fall regarding the current rebellion,” Cadence said bluntly.

“Is he now?” Khosar said with a snort, “I don’t know why my royal brother should be worried. I’ve called up my levies as commanded, have I not?”

“Yes, but who will they fight for?” Rarity asked.

“For the rightful prince, of course,” Khosar said, “My brother and I may have our differences, but he was coronated properly, unlike Bann.”

Cadence’s mind wasn’t nearly as much of a steel trap as Twilight’s, but she could have sworn that in all the family history of the House Stalanokov they’d gone over the night before, she had heard that Bann had been coronated. Like Celestia and Luna the day before, Bann had gone through the coronation ceremony that was nearly identical across Equestria. He’d made his vows to Faust and his vassals and subjects, and had been anointed with holy oil (smeared on his forehead since he had no horn to dip with). What about his coronation hadn’t been proper?

“Cardinal Chorus was Bishop of Stalliongrad back then and presided over Bann’s coronation,” Bishop Cairnus answered Cadence’s unspoken question upon seeing the confusion on the foreigners’ faces, “Chorus is a dreadfully debased and debauched pony who should never have been allowed to don a bishop’s vestments, much less those of a cardinal she wears today.”

“She should be removed from her position,” Khosar said as he gritted his teeth, “I have petitioned my brother many times to send word to High Priestess Rubius asking her to expel Chorus from the clergy, but he refuses.”

“Whatever you may think, Braid does not hold back because he condones Chorus’s actions or is trying to protect her,” Eudos said sharply, “The cardinal has many powerful friends, within the Church and without. It takes a careful touch to bring such a network down, and it’s not helped by you acting so aggressive toward her or demanding that Braid give her yet more land from which to glean wealth.”

“The eighteenth is the Church’s right,” Khosar said passionately, referring to tradition in Stalliongrad of a prince giving one eighteenth of the land and wealth they gained upon ascending to the throne to the Church of One.

“When he took the throne, he couldn’t afford to give anything away without risking losing everything,” Eudos replied, “The princely demesne he inherited from Bann was nowhere near enough to stand against the lords of the realm if they all banded together. He will make his donation when he is able, not when it could throw the realm into chaos.”

“Yet he does not consider my own difficulties in this matter,” Khosar fumed, “My own demesne is too insignificant for serious control of my vassals. Only the strength of the House Stalanokov keeps them in line, but that may pose a problem now that Braid’s son is the one in rebellion, won’t it? I have summoned my vassals’ levies—as ordered—but I don’t have nearly as much control over them as I’d wish. I told you they will fight for Braid, and that is how I would have it, but if any of them decide to go over to Vasil instead, there is not much I can do without support.”

Things were not quite as dire as Khosar made them out, but they were close. The lands that Khosar had direct control over were tiny compared to what those who owed him fealty had. It was a problem, but not one that Prince Braid was prepared to address, especially in the midst of a rebellion. Perhaps the rebellion has provided a way to alleviate his worries, though.

“When this rebellion is over, there will doubtless be forfeiture of land and titles by those who were in revolt,” Cadence said, and Eudos looked to her, “Provided they default to the crown, then there’s an opportunity for you—and the Church—to gain the land you need.”

“No offense, but what good are your words when you do not have the authority to back them up?” Cairnus asked as Khosar considered Cadence’s offer.

“Because I will speak to Prince Braid about it, and will not cease doing so until he is convinced of your need or I am expelled from Stalliongrad,” Cadence vowed.

“Well, that is quite a promise,” Khosar said, taken aback, “Do you truly intend to stay here, in a foreign land, until you manage to budge my obstinate royal brother?”

“I do,” Cadence said earnestly.

“Well, I will consider what you’ve said,” Khosar said before nodding to Eudos, “Tell Braid what I’ve said. So far as it’s within my power, my forces will march with him to put down Vasil’s rebellion.”

“Thank you for your time, Lord Khosar,” Cadence said with a bow, and Bishop Cairnus watched her with interest.

The bishop beckoned for her attendant as the visitors left, who rushed over with staff and mitre while Cairnus took Khosar aside to talk in private. Eudos led the way out through the twisting paths of Talgan Fort, even though two of the members of the party were able to just fly over the walls.

“Don’t trust her,” Eudos said once they were outside the fort’s walls.

“Who?” Fluttershy asked, even though the question had mostly been directed at Cadence.

“Bishop Cairnus,” Eudos answered, “She may not be steeped in sin like Cardinal Chorus is, but she is a schemer. Make no mistake, the biggest reason she wants Chorus removed is because she is next in line for her seat. Khosar’s heart is in the right place, but he is naïve and doesn’t see that she’s using him. He’s under no obligation to give the eighteenth, but if he receives more lands, he’ll surely do so, and his offering will end up with Cairnus one way or the other. If you intend to stay here in Stalliongrad as you claimed, then you’ll need to keep an eye on Bishop Cairnus just as much as you would on Sephas.”

***

One more group of ponies departed the Royal Stronghold that morning to speak to a column of House Stalanokov. Prince Braid’s youngest son Band led the way, the remaining ponies from Cant’r Laht following him down through the streets of Stalliongrad. Shining Armor had been chosen as the leader, with Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena accompanying him. He was a little out of his element here, and not just because he didn’t really know his sister’s famous friends. House Haltrotsun had until recently been a family with very little political influence in Cant’r Laht. He’d been raised by two ponies who cared more about sorcerous studies than the interaction of Cant’r Laht’s great houses, so he hadn’t received much training when it came to interacting with powerful members of the nobility. All that had changed very quickly, or at least it had seemed to happen very quickly to him. He’d been captain of the city guard for a few years and had been part of the guard for longer, so he’d been around Celestia and the politics that continuously swirled about her, but that was nothing compared to the more recent rise. Shining Armor had expected that one day he’d take up his father’s title of earl, but now the title he’d take up would be Prince of the City. Not only that, but if anything happened to Celestia and Luna, then Cadence and he would be Queen and King of Cant’r Laht. It was all bizarre to a stallion who’d wanted nothing more than to command the guard of the city he’d grown up in.

Now he was supposed to diplomatize with the leader of a segment of a great house so powerful that it controlled the entire Principality of Stalliongrad. At least Twilight had considered which of the three column leaders he’d be most useful with. The leader of Bram’s column, which included the descendants of Braid’s uncle (except for Sephas’s third husband Grigor) was led by Rogar Stalanokov, who aspired to emulate his father Bram, who was known as the “Sword of Stalliongrad.” He’d earned that title with his skills as a swordstallion and in commanding soldiers, things that Shining Armor had in common with him. From what Quillon had said the night before, Rogar possessed those qualities as well, so hopefully Shining Armor could find some common ground with him.

Bram’s column lived within Oldhome, a fortress in the lower city. Of the three forts that the visitors from Cant’r Laht traveled to, it was the farthest walk from the Royal Stronghold, but also the nearest as the pegasus flies. The upper city was at its thinnest between Oldhome and the Royal Stronghold, only holding the royal gardens and cemetery; Oldhome spanned almost the entire distance between the outer and inner walls, its wall’s height staggered as it climbed the slope of Stalliongrad’s hill. Oldhome matched the city’s walls in age and style perfectly, probably having been built as part of them. As if to testify to this, its walls abutted Stalliongrad’s outer wall at the point where the long raised road to the Crystal River began, the only entrance into Stalliongrad other than the main gate on the opposite side of the city. Oldhome was nearly as large and grand as the Royal Stronghold, though not quite as defensible, thanks to its susceptibility to attacks from the latter looming above it. If somepony ever managed to hold it in rebellion of Stalliongrad’s prince, it would be easily retaken.

Three banners flew from the walls, flapping above the gate. The first two bore the standard of House Stalanokov and the third featured a black eagle on a white background. Around the edges of each banner were blue and white stripes to differentiate that these families were the descendants of Bram, not his brother Prince Ivor IV. The first Stalanokov banner would represent the family of Rogar and the second his brother Brand. The last banner was of House Nakareg and represented the family of Rogar and Brand’s sister, Tannes.

“Come on, this way,” Band beckoned the foreigners onward as they entered the fortress.

Prince Braid’s son knew the way well to where Rogar would be. Apparently, the young stallion spent a lot of time here with his great-uncle’s family. Like Rogar, Band had an inclination toward combat, be it personal or not. What time he didn’t spend here, he spent training with his father’s guards and had become quite the swordstallion himself.

Rogar was found sparring in front of the Stalliongrad shipyard. Stalliongrad had been built a full league away from the Crystal River, but the ponies of the city hadn’t been willing to give up on river trade. A raised road had been built all the way from Stalliongrad’s walls to the river, matching the full height of the walls. Additional guard towers that looked extra sturdy had been erected here to deter invaders from entering the city via the road, and more sets lined the road all the way to the river where a fortress had been constructed around the lift used for raising and lowering goods to and from the boats on the river. The Stalliongraders would do everything they could within Stalliongrad’s protective walls despite these precautions, so the city’s shipyards were part of Oldhome instead of being built down by the river. Ships for Braid’s river fleet were built here before being dragged down the road and lowered to the river. There was one under construction now, only the frame currently completed.

On the open stone between the shipyard and the river gate, Rogar practiced his swordsmareship. A few traders stopped to watch as their wagons were inspected for the second time after loading up at the Crystal River docks. There were also members of Rogar’s court gathered around but giving him enough space. After swinging his sword around at nothing for a minute, practicing forms, he beckoned a pair of guards forward to spar with him. It took him less than a minute to lay them both out on the ground and secure their surrender. They both arose on command and started the fight again.

“Halt!” Rogar shouted out as he spotted the newcomers to the crowd.

He and the guards bowed to each other in respect before he trotted toward them. Rogar wore a very plain and practical tunic, suitable for practicing his swordsmareship, though Quillon had led Shining Armor to believe that that was how Rogar always attired himself. The scion of House Haltrotsun glanced over at Band and couldn’t help noticing that Braid’s son’s attire was very similar. As a Cant’r Laht guard himself, Shining Armor could appreciate the sensibility. Perhaps he would have some luck with this stallion.

“Uncle Rogar, this is Lord Shining Armor, and the Brave Companions Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena,” Band introduced them as Rogar neared.

Rogar came to a stop in front of them and eyed the trio up and down. Sweat drenched his coat and some of his mane had pulled free of the long tail he’d tied it in, but he appeared calm and collected. A mare in the crowd of spectators glided over as Rogar examined them. Not his wife Auburn, judging by the livery of the servant who followed her at a distance, but his sister Tannes.

“I thought there were more of you,” Rogar said bluntly.

“Don’t be rude, Rogar,” Tannes said, “Obviously Braid sent the others to speak to Sephas and Khosar.”

“Of course, I am sure no disrespect was intended,” Rogar said, “It makes one wonder what a precarious position our royal cousin is in if he must call in help from Cant’r Laht to deal with his own family, though.”

“I do not believe that Prince Braid acts out of weakness,” Shining Armor spoke up, “A rebellion within the royal family can be disastrous to a realm, and there’s no telling who’s on your side and who’s already a traitor, so he sought out a strong ally outside his own realm.”

“Indeed,” Rogar agreed, “One could do worse than the Brave Companions, who grow in fame as they seem to travel across Equestria with free rein to go wherever they wish. Likewise with Celestia’s heir, even if she’s long been in exile, but who are you? Captain of Celestia’s guard, but what else? Who is Shining Armor?”

Who am I? In his frantic rise, Shining Armor had often thought such thoughts. His status seemed determined to continue to grow, but that wouldn’t change who he was. No title did he desire but one. Many in Cant’r Laht would call him an unambitious fool for this, but he didn’t care.

“My father is Night Light Haltrotsun, Prince of the City. My wife is Lady mi Amore Cadenza, heir to Regents Celestia and Luna,” Shining Armor said, and Tannes seemed taken aback by that latest bit of news, “But you did not ask who my father or beloved were, you asked who I am. I am just as you said, captain of the Cant’r Laht guard. That is the path I chose and whether I’m allowed to retain that title or not, that is who I choose to be.”

“Well said, though a bit dramatic,” Rogar laughed, “Very well, Shining Armor, captain of the guard. You may well prove to be good allies of House Stalanokov. You and your companions, though I can’t make out this one.”

“I’m a bard … and a baker … and I put together celebrations!” Pinkamena said, answering Rogar’s wondering statement, though not exactly satisfactorily.

“If you say so,” Rogar said before moving on to Rainbow Dash, “Now, you are clearly a Hunter, if I did not know that already. I would very much appreciate the chance to spar with a Hunter.”

“Sorry, but our code doesn’t allow us to spar with non-Hunters,” Rainbow said.

Not that she always followed the Hunter code. In point of fact, she’d indeed sparred with non-Hunters. Just last year, she’d gotten in a great deal of trouble for sparring with Applejack. The Grandmaster of the Order of the Falcon didn’t seem to care that there really hadn’t been much sparring since Applejack had been incredibly out of sorts that day. Rainbow Dash had no intention to be punished again, even if the likelihood of any bouts here in Stalliongrad were unlikely to reach Ponieville.

“Well then, the captain of the guard will have to do,” Rogar said, “Let’s see what you’re made of.”

“Uncle Rogar, we came here to speak about Vasil’s rebellion, not to duel,” Band objected as Rogar trotted away, leaving Shining Armor and the Brave Companions flabbergasted.

“Yes, but I must know the pony I’m speaking to,” Rogar said as if it were obvious, “Shining Armor has told me who he is; now I must know who he is.”

“Rogar, surely there’s another—” Tannes objected.

“No, it’s okay,” Shining Armor said as he began stripping off his cloak.

If Rogar wanted to fight, then he would fight. He hadn’t become captain of the guard for no reason, and despite some rumors, that reason hadn’t been that his sister was Celestia’s protégé. It hadn’t slipped his notice that Rogar had never spelled out what the point of this fight was, and it was all too likely that even if Shining Armor won, he’d end up supporting Vasil’s claim to the Stalliongrad throne anyway. He’d just have to hope that this fight meant something and wasn’t just Rogar testing him for no reason. One of the guards offered Shining Armor his sparring sword and he took it in his teeth, swinging it around to get a sense for it. He was surprised to find that the sword’s blade had not been dulled down entirely. It wasn’t sharp by any means, but it still had the ability to cut with the right thrust or swing.

Rogar came at Shining Armor without any warning other the sound of his hooves on the stone and brought his blade in a downswing. Shining Armor jumped back, bringing his own sword up to deflect Rogar’s next swing. The blades clashed, but Shining quickly extricated himself and strafed around his opponent. Rogar swung low, and Shining jumped, nearly managing to bring his hooves down on the other sword, before swinging toward the top of Rogar’s head. Rogar fell to the ground and rolled out of the way, deflecting Shining’s sword as he did.

As Rogar returned to his hooves, Shining Armor thrust toward him, keeping a close eye on his opponent as he was forced to crane his neck. Rogar swung for his neck, and he was forced to alter his course, jumping back. He was only rocking back on his hooves for a moment before throwing himself forward again. Rogar swung at him and he brought his front hooves down and twisted his body. Grateful for the iron shoes nailed to his hooves beneath his boots, Shining bucked at Rogar’s sword and managed to dislodge it from the Stalanokov’s mouth.

Gasps arose from the spectators and Rogar grinned as he tumbled after his clattering sword, Shining Armor’s follow-up swing missing him entirely. Rogar retrieved his sword and jabbed it at Shining Armor rapidly, forcing him back as he deflected or dodged the strikes. One thrust grazed him, the blade tearing at clothes and nearly managing to scrape flesh, as Shining moved forward. His blade struck Rogar’s crossguard, the edge fogging with his opponent’s breath. Rogar couldn’t break free of this without dropping his sword or exposing his face and neck to a strike. Unless …

Keeping his head mostly in place and blocking Shining’s blade, Rogar twisted his body and jumped onto his opponent’s back. Shining Armor rolled to the side, pinning Rogar under him momentarily before continuing to roll free of his blade. Rogar crept toward him on the ground, and their blades met. They continued to exchange blows as both arose. Back and forth, left and right, it seemed almost a dance as each continued to gain an advantage over the other.

All things considered, Shining Armor had had a slight advantage at the beginning of the fight, since he’d seen his opponent sparing beforehand and had some idea of his style. Rogar was getting a grasp of how Shining Armor fought now, though, and was more easily able to anticipate and counter his attacks. He was an impressive swordstallion, maybe the best Shining Armor had fought in years. Still, he’d held out for longer than Rogar probably expected him to, and he could see the crowd of spectators growing at times, though he didn’t acknowledge them. It reminded him of when he’d been a young recruit in the guard. Their instructors had trounced everypony, but it took some time for them to beat him. Thoughts of that time naturally also recalled thoughts of Cadence, since that’s when he’d first met her. What had that beautiful apprentice of Celestia seen in him, an awkward stallion trying to extricate himself from the rosebush beneath her window?

Shining Armor realized a moment too late that he’d let his attention slip from the fight. Rogar’s blade cut across the side of his muzzle before pulling the sword from his mouth. He stood there unarmed for a second with Rogar standing before him, blade to his throat, both of them breathing heavily and drenched in sweat from their bout. When Shining made no move to retrieve his out-of-reach blade, Rogar sheathed his own sword.

“Impressive, and you didn’t even use your sorcery against me,” Rogar complimented him, “Yes, I think you will be good allies of House Stalanokov. A pity Braid had the idea before any of the rest of us. So, here’s what you can tell my royal cousin. I will fight for him, but he must vow to allow me to take part in attacks and in any of his future conquests. Those are my conditions.”

“That’s it?” Pinkamena asked as Rogar’s court began to close in on the duo.

“That’s it. I think he’ll find them reasonable,” Rogar said, “Well fought, Shining Armor. May our blades only cross as friends.”

“Well fought, Rogar. May our blades only cross as friends,” Shining Armor echoed the friendly Stalliongrader expression.

But would it be possible? One of the places Prince Braid had his eyes on conquering was the Hill Kingdoms, part of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht. If Rogar intended to be part of any conquests, then surely he’d be involved in such a campaign. Whether Shining Armor remained captain of the guard or not, there was a high likelihood that he’d end up in such a war as well. He hoped only to face Rogar as a friend, but could such a relationship exist between high-placed ponies from two realms of Equestria that shared a border? Shining Armor just didn’t know.

***

The northern hordes were currently encamped on the northern bank of Lake Illien. Most ponies would require a four-day journey from Stalliongrad to reach this location, but Twilight Sparkle simply sliced a hole in the air for she and her companions to step through. The sorceress knew she had to maintain a professional air, but she couldn’t quite suppress that giddy feeling she got now every time she managed to create a portal. Applejack, Spike, Grigor, and Twilight’s guards followed her, and she allowed the portal to close. Forgetting themselves, everypony looked around at their new surroundings, marveling at how they’d been able to cross the distance so quickly.

Across the lake rose the mountains that marked the border with the Kingdom of Manehattan. A town was visible to the west on the lake’s shore. More prominent, however, were the hordes’ camps, which dominated the land between where Twilight had opened her portal and the lake. Tents stretched off into the distance, grouped by the color of the canvas they were constructed from. Dun, golden, sage, coral, cerulean, indigo, and umber; colors matching the names of the hordes they represented. Here and there banners stuck up above the tents, held stiff by lines fastening them both to their vertical posts and crossbars. The color of the fabric always matched that of the tents it had been erected among, but different symbols called out the different clans within the horde.

With all seven hordes gathered together, the tents formed a city of canvas. Its residents watched the newcomers warily as they trotted into camp—all except for the foals, who ran around between the tents and past the visitors, not letting anything interrupt their play. The sentries at the edge of the camp had let them pass without much in the way of questioning, though they had been surprised to see Prince Braid’s heir all the way out here without a larger entourage. They hadn’t asked many questions, but Twilight Sparkle was dying to ask some of her own. She wasn’t sure when the last time was that all the hordes had gathered together in one place. They had to have come together for some purpose, but what?

It was easy to get directions to the leaders of the hordes, but it would have been easy to find them even without directions. As one could easily guess, they were located at the center of the camp, near a gigantic tent made of faded and patched crimson canvas. The seven hetstalans sat around a campfire, smoking pipes and chatting among themselves while some members of their entourages stood around them or played card and dice games. Twilight recognized Rhikkit, hetstalan of the Dun Horde, from last year’s summit. Honestly, it would have been difficult not to recognize him once she knew which horde he belonged to, as each of the hetstalans wore a different color. He seemed to recognize her as well, for he rose as her entourage approached.

“Welcome, witch,” Rhikkit said with a deep bow.

He meant no disrespect by calling her a witch, as some would. The barbarian hordes of the north called all sorceresses witches and all sorcerers warlocks. Perhaps it was “civilized” ponies’ fear of barbarian mages that had led to such titles having negative meanings, but Twilight didn’t know for sure. She filed it away in her mind as something to research later.

“And the uncrowned prince,” the leader of the Sage Horde said once all the hetstalans had greeted Twilight in the same way as Rhikkit, nodding to Grigor to make his intentions clear, “What brings you here?”

“Haven’t you heard of the rebellion?” Grigor asked.

“Of course, but that doesn’t answer my question,” the Sage hetstalan replied.

“What are you doing here?” Grigor asked.

“Yes, that’s the one,” the Sage hetstalan replied glibly.

“Erritt, there is no need to antagonize him,” the Coral hetstalan rebuked him, “We are here because the Great Rada is meeting.”

Each horde was led by both a hetstalan and a council known as the rada. The hetstalan served as the horde’s military leader and representative while being advised by the rada, which even had the power to overrule his decisions in some cases. When a hetstalan died, the title did not automatically pass to his son, though it often did if both were well-respected warriors, which all in the hordes tried to be. Instead, the rada would choose the next hetstalan. Diplomacy between the hordes was almost always conducted by the radas, though such a meeting wouldn’t be considered a Great Rada unless all hordes were involved, as they were here. The worn crimson tent that matched none of the hordes was reserved for a meeting of the Great Rada, and the Coral hetstalan gestured to it as he spoke.

“They are deciding what action we are to take regarding Vasil’s rebellion,” Rhikkit added.

“And how are they disposed?” Grigor asked.

“It is not for the hetstalans to know the business of the rada,” the Umber hetstalan laughed as he blew out smoke, “Rumor says they may call for the hordes to break all ties with the Stalliongrad crown, plunder the lands from here to the Agate Ocean, and hire or capture boats to take us to Stygra, but that is just a rumor.”

“Enough! I want an answer to my question for the uncrowned prince,” Erritt said, his face hard, “Berheir, Rhikkit, and Terren may be pets of Prince Braid, but not all of us are his slaves.”

“Watch what you say!” the Coral hetstalan (Beiheir, judging by Erritt’s disparaging gestures) said as he and Rhikkit rose, “We are no slaves!”

The guards scattered around the campfire were suddenly attentive and all looking in at their hetstalans. Hetstalans were forbidden from carrying weapons around other hetstalans when meeting peacefully, so all the leaders around the fire were unarmed. Their guards, however, weren’t, and would step in if things got ugly.

“You asked why I am here,” Grigor said, attempting to keep the situation from escalating, “I think you know. My father would appreciate your help in putting down Vasil’s rebellion.”

“I’m sure he would, but what has Prince Braid ever done for us?” Erritt laughed, “He forbids us from raiding into Manehattan or the Hill Kingdoms, and once the Haeldmark was brought under control, he forbade us from raiding there as well! What are we supposed to do? Settle down, build towns, and tend farms? That is not our way.”

“What about y’r oaths?” Applejack asked.

“We made our oaths to Bann, a strong pony and warrior, and thought that in making them to the stallion who killed him and seized his throne we would find an even stronger ruler, but that has not been so,” Erritt disparaged Braid, and a few of the other hetstalans nodded in agreement, “He does not treat us as the warriors we are, and I doubt your brother would act any differently.”

“What about me, then?” Grigor asked boldly, “I cannot pretend to know everything about you and your ways, but I have not been given the chance to learn them. You accuse those who my father has tried to build a relationship with of being his slaves, but there are those among you who heed the commands of Lady Sephas instead. Does that not make you hypocrites? Your devotion to Bann’s widow when my father didn’t give you everything you wanted is the reason that relationship has broken down. You have nopony to blame but yourselves for the distance that’s grown between you and the crown.”

“Bold words for the uncrowned prince of Stalliongrad to speak while in the midst of our camp,” the grizzled hetstalan of the Sage Horde rumbled.

The guards around the circle had abandoned their games and were all looking inward now, ready to grab their weapons and cut Grigor down if their hetstalans demanded it. Ream and Baldavin seemed to be aware of this and were favoring their own weapons in case they were needed for defense. Twilight prepared to open a portal in case things went south and they needed to get out quickly. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to it, but it might if Grigor kept antagonizing the hordes’ leaders.

“I speak only the truth,” Grigor said obstinately, “You have soured things with my father, but I do not believe that all is lost. Sephas has made it clear in these past years that she cares not for you other than as a political weight, so abandon her and honor your oaths to Prince Braid III Stalanokov, Lord-Protector of Stalliongrad, Crown-Protector of the Hordes. In exchange, I, the future prince, will do all that is necessary to earn your trust and respect. I would learn your ways, take any reasonable vows of my own, even take a wife from your numbers if that is what it takes to gain your loyalty. I will speak on your behalf in my father’s ear, and when I am prince, will take full advantage of your unique abilities to expand the realm and gain you glory and plunder in the process. What say you?”

The hetstalans stared down Grigor, some scowling, but their eyes looked thoughtful. Perhaps such brashness was exactly what was needed with the hordes, and perhaps Grigor knew that. Perhaps he was just being his father’s son and getting straight to the point of what he meant. Either way, it seemed like it might work. Even the hetstalans’ guards seemed to be considering the future prince’s proposition.

“The Iron Oath,” the hetstalan of the Golden Horde said after a few long minutes of silence.

“Trigrid, such an oath has never been made with one outside of our people,” the hetstalan of the Cerulean Horde rebuked the suggestion.

“And never before Prince Bann did the hordes agree to fight for a landed leader,” the Sage hetstalan said, “We had the wisdom then to take the offer given, but not the foresight to ensure our future. This could change things.”

“The Iron Oath, huh?” Erritt considered, “Yes, I would agree to this.”

One by one, the hetstalans expressed their willingness to make the Iron Oath.

“As I said, I will do whatever is necessary,” Grigor said, “What is this Iron Oath?”

“It is a bond of brotherhood for those who do not share a natural father or mother,” Rhikkit explained, “A rod of iron is turned into two rings inserted in the ears of those swearing the oath as a permanent sign. They represent an unbreakable bond between the two to seek each other’s honor, glory, and betterment. To remove the ring is a grievous insult done only if one intends to break the oath or believes that the other has already broken their oath, and there is no recourse other than war. If you make this oath, then you agree that not living up to it to our satisfaction will result in war you cannot dispute the validity of and will mar you forever as an oathbreaker and a traitor. Do you still wish to make this oath, uncrowned prince?”

“I do,” Grigor said without a moment’s hesitation.

“Then let it be done,” Terren, the Umber hetstalan said.

The hetstalans who weren’t already standing from the earlier confrontation rose and emptied their pipes into the fire. Their guards hurriedly cleaned up their dice and cards and prepared to move out. Now that the Iron Oath had been explained, Twilight Sparkle noticed that several of the hetstalans had iron rings in their ears or puckered holes where they’d once been. She looked over at Spike, who’d already anticipated the sorceress and taken down everything Rhikkit had said, as well as a few rough sketches of the different hetstalans’ ears.

“Is this something the Great Rada should agree to?” Twilight Sparkle asked as the leaders prepared to leave.

“They have no say in ponies making Iron Oaths,” Tigrid said haughtily, “This is something they cannot overrule.”

“But this will change their decision about the rebellion, will it not?” Twilight asked.

“Undoubtedly,” Tigrid replied, “Once the Iron Oath is made, we will go with the uncrowned prince. Anything else would be to abandon our oaths and shame ourselves immediately. The decision is no longer theirs to make.”

The hetstalans seemed to feel that there was nothing more to say on the subject and set off through the camp, their guards tagging along but keeping their distance. They marched through the Indigo portion of the camp, the ponies they passed pointing out the procession of hetstalans and strangers to their fellows, wondering in hushed tones what was happening. The Indigo hetstalan directed them straight to a smith, who’d set up a whole smithy in and around a partial tent using only gear that could be easily transported. Twilight was sure that Rarity would be interested to see such a thing, but she had another of the Stalanokovs to help deal with.

It took only a mention of the Iron Oath from one of the hetstalans to set the smith quickly to work. He called for assistants while drawing out iron into a long, thin rod. The smith directed the ponies making the oath on where to go, and Grigor and Erritt both lay their heads down on a rough wooden table facing each other. Once the end of the iron rod was white-hot, the smith snipped off the end before splitting it in two. Quickly, his assistants took the short rods over to the future prince and the Sage hetstalan. Grigor gritted his teeth as the rod, still incredibly hot, was driven through his ear and bent into a ring, the flesh sizzling as it went through. Once the rings had cooled sufficiently, he and Erritt were allowed to sit up.

“That wasn’t so bad,” Grigor said as he carefully reached up to his ear and drew his hoof away as he caused the still-warm ring to shift in the tender flesh.

“Good,” Erritt said with a wicked grin, “Because you’ve got six more to do.”

***

That night, the visitors from Cant’r Laht and Braid’s column were assembled again in the prince’s audience chamber. Twilight Sparkle and her brother had already relayed their experiences, and Cadence was just finishing up on Khosar’s demands and her promise. Prince Braid didn’t look happy, but neither did he seem displeased. It seemed to Twilight that it would be hard to take joy in assembling an army to put down a rebellion raised by your own offspring.

“All of House Stalanokov is yours,” Eudos remarked as Cadence finished her explanation.

“And we have secured the independent loyalty of the hordes, greatly weakening Sephas’s position,” Grigor added.

“Yes,” Braid said drily, looking dubiously at the new ornaments running up the side of his heir’s ear, “My forces are nearly assembled outside the city. Once they are, we will march with all haste to put down this rebellion. The Lady Cadence has made it clear that she does not intend to return to Cant’r Laht until this is through, but the rest of you are free to return to your homes if you wish. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.”

“If I may, your Highness,” Twilight Sparkle said, “We would like to stay and investigate if Vasil is under the influence of Discord before we return home.”

“Very well,” Braid said, “However, understand that whether you find what you seek or not, I must deal with my son.”

“Does that mean … killing him?” Fluttershy asked nervously.

“If that is what is necessary, then yes,” Braid said forthrightly, “When I killed my brother Bann, I expected it to be hard, but it was not. He needed to be removed, and I knew what had to be done. I did it without feeling any hesitation before or remorse afterward, nor guilt that I felt no remorse. It was necessary, so I did it. It will be the same with Vasil. If he has rebelled against me, then I cannot allow his continued existence. I will pray every morning, night, and noon that it will not be necessary to take the life of yet another of my kin, but if it is, then I will do it without a single shred of hesitation or regret. I am Prince Braid III Stalanokov, Lord-Protector of Stalliongrad, a city of stone that does not sway or give way, and I must be just as unmovable and unmoved. If Vasil must die for the sake of Stalliongrad and for the sake of House Stalanokov, then die he shall.”

Comments

[hamster wizard]

Well, I'm stumped where this is going next. It's possible that Vasil is possessed, or even that he's a changeling, but it could just as easily be an ordinary bid for the crown.

[TasermonsPartner]

Again, you leave me amazed at all the time, energy, and thought you give to the details of your chapters. Not only have you created and laid out a whole city and principality, but have gone to great lengths to create and lay intricate and detailed family linages, with many moving parts and different interconnected relationships. You could write a whole story based on just Stalliongrad alone.

“Well said, though a bit dramatic,” Rogar laughed, “Very well, Shining Armor, captain of the guard. You may well prove to be good allies of House Haltrotsun. You and your companions, though I can’t make out this one.”

Um, extremely minor, but I think he meant to say House Stalanokov. House Haltrotsun is Shining's house.

I was also kinda hoping to see Eudos the druidress interact with Fluttershy. It's interesting that a family of such high standing would allow their daughter to become one, since druids are apparently general social pariahs in this story. It leads to questions about how one goes about becoming a druid, and whether the druids have a type of "protected" status that means that once a pony decides to become one, no other pony can counterman the decision, no matter their family lineage or standing?

[ShiningBeacon]

“That’s it. I think he’ll find them reasonable,” Rogar said, “Well fought, Shining Armor. May our blades only cross as friends.”

“Well fought, Rogar. May our blades only cross as friends,” Shining Armor echoed the friendly Stalliongrader expression.

But would it be possible? One of the places Prince Braid had his eyes on conquering was the Hill Kingdoms, part of the Kingdom of Cant’r Laht. If Rogar intended to be part of any conquests, then surely he’d be involved in such a campaign. Whether Shining Armor remained captain of the guard or not, there was a high likelihood that he’d end up in such a war as well. He hoped only to face Rogar as a friend, but could such a relationship exist between high-placed ponies from two realms of Equestria that shared a border? Shining Armor just didn’t know.

Anybody else got the feeling this is a tragedy in the making?