Equestria Mares: The Secret Apprentice of Princess Celestia

by Coyote de La Mancha

Chapter Two: Reflections and Shadows

Sleep did not come easily to the new princess, nor quickly.

It wasn’t the stress. Not really. She was tired enough that her worries would normally just translate into dreams. Sometimes Twilight was grateful that Luna only appeared in dreams that did not concern her and Celestia. Other times she wondered how the Princess of Night could tell. Right now, she was too tired to care.

It wasn’t Spike’s snoring, either. Actually, most of the time she thought it was kind of cute, and a little comforting. It was certainly a sound she equated with being home, wherever she was.

No, it wasn’t her worries that were the problem, nor her roommate. It was a new pair of limbs that was keeping her up at night. Until a couple of weeks ago, if she couldn’t sleep, she could just lie on her back and go over the magical exercises she’d learned as a foal. The longer insomnia held her, the farther along her memorized series of visualizations she would traverse. It was both relaxing and empowering. But now, every time she rolled over, there they were. In the way.

Wings.

“Urgh!”

As she had for the two weeks since she’d undergone her Becoming (as the other princesses had called it), Twilight tossed and turned, struggling with body parts still unfamiliar. Every time she thought she had found a comfortable position – every time – something fell asleep, or pinched, or just jerked in such a way as to wake her up as she was dozing off.

It was better now than it had been at first, she reminded herself. The first morning after her transformation, Twilight had awoken both herself and Spike screaming. In retrospect, she shouldn’t have been surprised. New muscle sets were warring for space and energy with the old ones, even as they were struggling to move and strengthen themselves so she could properly fly. And being so new and unused, it made sense for them to easily strain. Yet, for her it had been a realization after the fact. By contrast, every time her wings had given her a particularly difficult morning – including the first and worst of them all – Cloudsdale’s fastest flyer had simply been there. Knocking on the door bright and early, with liniment rubs and back massages. And that had helped. Immensely.

The real problem was the nights.

So Twilight had tried several sleeping potions until she’d found a recipe that would both put her to sleep and let her wake up on time the following morning. She hated using it. But with everything she had to do the following day…

With a sigh, she reached out with her mind. A gentle violet was added to the room’s lighting as one of her bags opened, and a glass bottle half-filled with green liquid emerged and came to her waiting hoof. She scowled. Either she had forgotten to refill it, or she’d used it more in the last few days than she’d thought. Neither option was a good one.

I’m already exhausted, she thought, and my wings have been getting better. She sipped about a half dose, capped the bottle, and replaced it. That should be enough.

That first morning, she had briefly considered making herself a brew for the pain as well. The research would have been simple enough, and the mixing even easier. But after a few minutes’ consideration (and Rainbow’s ministrations), Twilight had rejected the idea. It wasn’t like she was injured, or sick. Besides, the more powerful pain potions tended to impair thought and muscle control, and she needed both. Not to mention that mixing potions was dangerous, even for the experienced.

Now, looking at her travel bags, she determined this batch of sleep potion would also be her last. Hopefully, she would have reached a better understanding with her new wings by the time she ran out. And if not, well, she would deal with the exhaustion. As she felt her body starting to relax, she pulled the covers over herself. Rolling over onto her side, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

---

The door made no sound as it opened.

The sun was still shining near the western horizon, its rays only starting to paint the room in different hues through the curtains. The guards outside continued their vigil as the visitor eased the door closed again, confident that her mind spell would cloud their thoughts for however long she needed. Her cloak was ancient and ragged, obviously cut for a smaller pony than herself, her travel bags worn and in need of mending.

Her face hidden in shadow, only her horn protruded from its depths.

As she scanned the room, her blue-green eyes narrowed at the sight of a dragon hatchling near the upstart’s bed. Palace guards had been one thing, even en masse. But a spell powerful enough for the dragon, or the alicorn sleeping nearby, might be noticed. The stakes were too high for such a risk. Concealing her arrival had not been easy, and she was not ready for a confrontation with her enemies. Not yet.

She waited, still as stone.

It shifted onto its back, blanket falling to its side. After a moment, it twitched. Then it started half-groping for its fallen cover, making helpless, open-mouthed noises. The blanket glowed cyan as it wrapped gently over the hatchling, tucking it in again.

The hatchling muttered a “Thanks, Twilight,” then rolled over onto its side again.

Again, she waited, motionless. Minutes passed.

The dragon started to snore.

Satisfied, she moved through the room with a serpent’s grace, her eyes scanning everything around her. Soon, she was standing near the alicorn’s bed, staring at the nearby coronet.

She spent several more minutes magically examining the crown. It was, after all, one of Equestria’s greatest and most prized treasures. In a sense, it was as old as the land itself. The Elements of Harmony were the means by which Discord had been overthrown, and only after his downfall had it been possible to impose seasons and diurnal rhythms upon the world. The Elements had also been instrumental in the destruction of Sombra, and the defeat and banishment of Nightmare Moon. In many ways, the entire planet owed its very existence to the talismans, and once the set was broken it would never function again.

Surely, the princesses would guard such a treasure with all their power. Perhaps protected by spells so subtle and secret that an enemy could not easily detect them. Invisible guardians, spirits bound by ward pacts, nothing was beyond the realm of possibility.

All of which was fine with the intruder: there was no way they could have prepared for her.

After scrutinizing the crown, she scanned the table. She scanned the sleepers. She scanned the room itself. Then, thinking she must have missed something, she did it all a second time.

The Element of Magic was protected by a series of interlocking protections and wards against magic and various energies, the complexity of which was impressive, even by her standards. They even included several identical wards against chaos magic, interestingly enough, powerful and bound together in a redundancy loop.

More importantly, the amazingly intricate latticework of mystical energy was also bound to the link that had formed between the element and its mistress. Which meant that, on a minor note, the wearer would also be protected against everything the crown was. Grudgingly, the robed figure acknowledged the strategy as a good one.

But of more immediate consequence, the spell weave ensured that if the crown or its protections were tampered with in any magical fashion, even telekinetically, the alicorn sleeping next to it would be alerted. Probably along with several others.

The interloper mentally shrugged at that last precaution. Those outside the room would sense nothing, she would see to that. It was the wielder of the Element of Magic, bound by sympathetic link and sleeping right next to it, who was the greater concern. Or, at least, she should have been. But instead, the element’s wielder was in a magic-induced slumber, apparently of her own making.

The burglar’s blue-green eyes narrowed. She had come ready to spend hours, with frequent interruptions and tremendous risk of discovery, just dealing with whatever security her enemies might have between herself and this key to ultimate power. Instead, she found its protector unconscious and the prize all but unguarded, simply waiting for her to pluck it like a ripe fruit and taste of its power.

Unbelievable.

She layered the folds of her concealment spell around herself, her energies, and the room. Then, she grasped a corner of the crown’s elaborate weave of enchantments with her mind, and gently began unweaving its pattern. The magical protections were strong and had been flawlessly cast, but she was in no hurry. Slowly, slowly, the spells began to unravel, drifting away and dissolving into the aether. Precious minutes ticked away as the vagabond concentrated, body relaxed, mind focused with laser precision.

Then, at last, it was done. The figure on the bed frowned in her sleep, and again, the intruder froze with an attitude of endless patience. But the alicorn only tossed slightly. She whispered something; it might have been a name. Then, her breathing became once again deep and regular.

A simple act of telekinesis placed the treasure into the burglar’s bag. Only one risk remained. By her will, a lump of raw lead and a few crystals floated out from her saddlebags. Then, holding the image of the element’s current form in her mind, she concentrated. The ore ran like wax and began to gleam, the crystals glowed, shifted, cracked and merged, changing color as they did. Perhaps another minute passed, and it was done. Examining her handiwork, she nodded. It was a perfect duplicate of the true Element of Magic. Even the most cursory magical examination would reveal the deception, of course, but she doubted that would happen anytime soon. The switch would probably go unnoticed for days, perhaps even longer. Certainly more time than she needed.

All told, she had been in the room less than ten minutes. No one would see her leave. One long walk through the palace halls unseen, a few moments’ concentration, and she would be gone. With the leisure her stealth afforded her, no one would sense her ultimate departure.

And then, she would have everything.

She gave a look of pure and utter contempt to the figure almost hidden by bedsheets, a sham princess asleep beside a counterfeit crown.

Fool.

Satisfied, she turned to leave, only to see the door was already open.

---

Princess Cadence nodded happily to her palace guards, and they all smiled as they bowed when she passed. To say that life had been difficult for her subjects was a massive understatement. After all, to them it had been only a short time since Sombra was king and darkness had fallen over the land. She, on the other hand, had had years to spend learning, growing up, falling in love, and even getting married. Only then had she returned to the Crystal Empire, and later faced down the demon of her childhood nightmares for her people’s sake.

It had therefore taken time to help the crystal ponies get accustomed to an existence without tyranny, and longer for them to accept that such a state would, indeed, be their new way of life. As their princess, she had been working to help them adjust to the modern world, and to re-establish diplomatic ties with other lands.

There had been the inevitable ups and downs (and long periods of bureaucratic boredom in-between) as Princess Cadence and Shining Armor had accustomed themselves to the arduous task of running a government. Even now, her husband was unfortunately away on business that would likely keep them apart for the next several weeks.

But, at the moment, there were no pressing affairs. No special envoys, no catastrophes, no last-minute adventures. All arrangements for the Princess Summit had already been made, and any last-minute adjustments had been successfully delegated to her major domo. The Crystal Princess had, for the next several hours or more, absolutely nothing that just had to be done.

What a rare and wonderful event.

Furthermore, Twilight was visiting. And even though her old friend was technically there on business, Cadence was looking forward to being able to spend time talking in private with her. It had been too long. And if she could help Twilight get a handle on her newfound title and abilities, so much the better.

She nodded again as the door guards bowed, thinking to herself for the thousandth time how fitting it was that the mare she loved and the stallion she adored were brother and sister.

It was only as she raised her hoof to knock that she paused. Her visitors had all been very tired, she reminded herself. Twilight might not be up to company, though knowing her she’d likely protest otherwise. Between her relatively recent transformation and the day’s journey, Twilight could easily need sleep far more than conversation, a friendly ear, or advice. And besides, she would be staying for at least a week.

I’ll just peek in on her, Cadence thought. Twilight won’t mind. If she’s asleep, I’ll just speak to her tomorrow.

Gently, silently, she opened the door…

For an instant, the princess could not credit what she was seeing. A unicorn mare in a tramp’s cloak stood over Twilight Sparkle’s sleeping form. Her hood had fallen onto her shoulders, revealing a disheveled mane streaked in crimson and gold, her coat a brilliant amber. From within a face weathered by time and hardship, her cyan eyes bored into Twilight’s helpless form with sheer loathing for only an instant before darting over to stare at Cadence. Through a hole in the stranger’s travel bag peeked a crown identical to the Element of Magic.

Cadence was taken aback for an instant, but only for an instant. Her horn flashed azure as she commanded, “Stop!”

Yet if seeing the strange mare was startling, what happened next was a shock. Even as she spoke, even as Twilight and Spike started awake and they took in the tableau before them, Cadence was raising her magical defenses to protect the room’s occupants and herself from attack.

But, instead of attacking with magic, the tramp simply charged without hesitation. The force of impact knocked the wind out of Cadence as she was shoved aside, her half-formed spell dissipating into light. Reflexes gained from years of training guided the guards’ response and they moved immediately. But instead of blocking her assailant, they focused upon their princess, allowing the trespasser to run free.

“Your highness!”

“Are you alright?”

And from within the room, Twilight’s voice cried, “She’s stolen the Element of Magic! Stop her!”

“Forget about me,” Cadence pointed at the fleeing pony. “Sound the alarm! Stop the thief!”

There were guards along the hallway in any case, but now more filed in from adjoining chambers and halls.

“There!” Princess Cadence shouted as she ran. “The thief! Stop her!”

“Stop, thief!” yelled Spike.

The hallway guards looked around themselves frantically as the intruder ran right past them. “Who? Where is she?”

“They can’t see her,” Twilight called out. “It’s up to us!” In a moment she vanished in a violet flash.

Even as she materialized between her target and the throne room, Twilight’s binding spell seized upon the cloaked figure. Yet she scarcely had time to shout, “I’ve got her!” before being thrown back, her enchantment not merely dispelled but actually shattered from within. The intruder did not even break stride, galloping past her as if she were not even there.

Meanwhile, in the palace gardens, the sisters suddenly stared at one another.

“That was Twilight’s magic,” Celestia said.

“An offensive spell,” agreed Luna. In an instant, they were flying through the halls of the crystal palace.

Even as Twilight’s spell burst asunder, the alarm sounded and more voices took up the hue and cry, Stop, thief! Stop, thief! Doors along the hallway flew open as Twilight’s friends ran out.

“Hang on, Twi! We’re comin’!” The words were barely out of Applejack’s mouth when the intruder’s ragged cloak took on a life of its own. It rose up from her back, growing, spreading out before the six pursuing friends. It burst into crimson flame even as it filled the entire section of corridor, descending upon them and the nearby guards like a great winged devil. Rainbow Dash, by sheer instinct, thrust herself back and out of the way with a single beat of her wings. But the rest were not so fortunate, and she had less than an instant to gape in horror as the rest screamed and dove in vain for cover.

Yet, even as they did, Spike leaped headlong into the blaze with a defiant yell. The animate cloak engulfed him, driven back by the force of his leap even as it wrapped itself around him, falling to the floor in a blazing heap.

Rarity cried out his name in sheer terror, running to the conflagration that rolled and writhed and bunched up on the polished floor. Instantly, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew up, tore a massive tapestry from the wall, and bore it down over the eldritch flames while Rarity’s horn flashed pale blue, covering the robe and the tapestry falling over it with frost.

This, then, was the scene that greeted the Princesses Celestia and Luna as they charged through a side entrance into the hall. Crystal guards everywhere, confused, trying to protect against a threat they apparently could not see. Most of the Main Six frantically extinguishing a magical fire that the sisters somehow had not sensed, shouting Spike’s name. Twilight looking around dazedly, plainly shaking off some kind of backlash. And in the middle of it all…

Celestia stared at the strange unicorn with an expression of heartbreak, taking in her eyes, her face, her coat and mane. And last of all, impossible to deny, her cutie mark: a blazing sun of red and yellow, the colors writhing at its heart in an eternal spiral of opposition.

“Sunset—”

But the flame-maned pony only spared her a glance of purest hatred before vanishing in a flash of cyan.

Luna whipped around, staring at the direction of the throne room. “What…”

All the ponies were staring at those massive doors now, save for two. Even the most unskilled among them had felt that pulse of pure, alien power. Only Celestia and Rarity had not turned. Rarity, frantic, was still pulling and tearing at the charred cloth to reach the young dragon within. But Celestia simply stared at the space where the intruder had been an instant before.

“Oh, child,” she whispered. “What have you done?”

Comments

[Ice Star]

“Oh, child,” she whispered. “What have you done?”

Oof.

[n3k1dsk1llz]

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