Stars in the Shadow of Night

by Melody Song

Not All Black And White

The next day, Shadowstar entered the throne room after checking on their guests. The creatures had all been resting for quite some time, and Shadowstar found they'd acted a lot nicer to him after he'd helped them in their sleep.

Aunt Celestia was sitting on the throne, discussing things with Cadence, Twilight, and Shining Armor. Shining had remained behind to protect the Princesses when his troops had left to fight. However, he'd so far only been assisting some of the servants that hadn't been drafted. Only the elder ones and the ones closest to the Princesses had remained behind, leaving a sizable gap in age and many duties that required a young pony. So naturally, Shining had offered his assistance, living up to his name quite well. Shadowstar estimated the unicorn was now being filled in on what had all occurred.

"Ah, there you are Shadowstar." Celestia said, looking up to give him a small smile.

"Hello Auntie." Shadowstar trotted closer and glanced between them. "I assume you were filling Shining in on the creatures' arrival?"

"Yes, and I am rather interested in learning what their dreams were like." Celestia said, and Shadowstar shrugged.

"As normal as any pony's dreams. Fears, desires, hopes, that sort of thing."

"Even those changeling beasts?" Shining Armor asked, and Shadowstar flinched.

"Don't call them beasts Shining, in fact, out of the three of them, only one comes across as any manner of 'beast' and even that's a stretch. If I'm being honest, he simply seems devoted to protecting those he cares about, nothing more."

"Really?" Twilight asked, raising a brow. Shadowstar nodded.

"Yes, really. The other two preferred more peaceful dreams, though I had to transform one's dream into it for her."

"How can you tell if they're female?" Shining remarked

"Her voice sounds more feminine than masculine. I heard them all speak." Shadowstar informed him.

"Then that's that." Celestia stood and walked over to him. "Shadowstar, they are the most comfortable around you, so could you please bring them here? I must speak with them, including the injured dragon. Twilight, please fetch Luna."

Twilight nodded and turned to leave, while Shadowstar hesitated.

"Are you sure it will be alright? You aren't going to hurt them, are you?"

"Auntie Celestia would never." Cadence put in, and Shadowstar glanced her way.

"I know she'd never harm another without being provoked, but they made their way onto castle grounds in a way that can be viewed as trespassing."

"No, I will not harm them. I simply wish to know what they want." Celestia replied to Shadowstar, leaning down to brush their muzzles together in a maternal way.

"Okay." Shadowstar agreed, then took off and flew out, down the halls, and towards the room where the creatures stayed.

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Pharynx looked up when Shadowstar entered, and gave him a small nod. He sat beside Gilda and Gabby, who were preening each other's wings. Ember, who was awake now, was talking in a low voice to Thorax, who sat by her side with an air of concern.

The four youngest of the group were all tucked into a corner of the room. Gallus and Sandbar were curled up together. Gallus had his tail wrapped over Sandbar's body, one wing over him as well. Smolder and Ocellus were lying beside them, in a light slumber.

"Hey Shadowstar." Gallus greeted, raising his head, and the other creatures turned to greet him as well.

"Hello everypo-creature." Shadowstar replied, catching himself. "Auntie-I mean Princess Celestia, wants to see you."

"Even Ember?" Thorax asked, and Shadowstar nodded.

"Yes, she made sure to emphasize that. Celestia assured me she has no intentions of hurting you, she simply wishes to speak with you."

"Alright. I can make it out there, if some of you help me walk. I might limp a little but that's all." Ember said, sitting up in the bed, getting ready to get up. Thorax instantly rushed to aid her.

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Shadowstar led the group into the throne room, seeing his royal family waiting. He realized, slightly, what a strange crowd it must seem to those watching them walk into the throne room. He glanced back, both to make sure they'd all kept up, and to asses the positions they took.

He, Shadowstar, stood at the front, to guide them. Pharynx stood immediately beside him, to provide a sort of guard. Gilda also took up a defensive position, though she had Gabby walking along beside her, glancing around in awe, so the effect was slightly marred by her friend's excitement.

Gallus and Sandbar strode in side-by-side, the pony's flank brushing against the griffon's haunches. They stood this way to protect each other and no one else, it seemed. Smolder and Ocellus had adopted a more wary position, walking beside the griffon and pony but glancing around. Ocellus seemed nervous, while Smolder seemed simply hesitant to trust the other ponies. She-and the others, of course-hadn't gotten a chance to know them well yet.

In the very center of the cluster of friends was Thorax and Ember. The changeling was matching the dragoness in her stride. Ember had her right arm draped across her friend's back to appease her wounded left side. She walked with a slight limp that made her steps falter on occasion, but she made no move to stop or to allow Thorax to support her completely.

"Welcome, all of you." Celestia said, opening her large white wings. "I have asked you all into the throne room to talk."

Pharynx gave a curt nod as Shadowstar joined his family. Thorax helped Ember walk forward, and Gilda joined them.

"We are sorry to have intruded as we did your highness, Sandbar had mentioned you lived here and we needed help for Ember." Thorax said

"It is no trouble, but my family and I are concerned about why you sought out the Canterlot Castle in the first place."

"We..." Thorax trailed off, and glanced around at the others.

"We needed help." Ember replied, straightening up, though it made her wince and place a hand on her side. "We all...we want to make this resistance possible but we can't do that without magic. A unicorn to get on our side would be helpful."

"Why should we help you?" Shining asked. "All our lives, we have been taught that your kinds are dangerous and only after us for food and land."

Thorax backed away, earfins flattening. Gabby and Ocellus also looked scared and crept closer into the center of the group. Meanwhile, Smolder, Gallus, and Gilda moved forward, to join Ember and Pharynx.

"We aren't like the rest of our kind, then." Gilda replied

"We are." Pharynx contradicted, and Shining's horn lit up. "But," he added, making the knight halt.

"Yes?" Luna asked, encouraging him.

"Us being like the rest of our kind is not necessarily a bad thing. We are all different from usual expectations of our species, I'll grant Gilda that. But you have to understand, the changelings are mostly like us. We live in a society where the most important rule is: follow every order the Queen gives. She will lead us to food. We have always functioned this way, and for most it is their lifeline. For others, more serious...intimidation must be given for them to...shall we say...conform."

"Pharynx once rescued me from being punished when I accidentally mentioned it didn't feel right stealing love from innocent ponies." Thorax added

"Yeah, well serves you right for not being careful." Pharynx muttered, then turned back to the royals. "We may not be a literal hivemind-meaning we can hear each other's thoughts-but we are mostly educated the same way. We are told to follow orders, not disrespect or disobey the Queen, and in the end hope it leads to food. Every silly order the Queen gives, we obey. We are basically forced to listen to her every command. I count myself and my brother the lucky changelings who managed to escape. Ocellus too."

"The same goes for the Dragons." Ember stepped forward next, nearly tripping, but Gilda and Pharynx each reached out to steady her. "I'm not sure if you are all aware, your highnesses, but I am the daughter of the Dragon Lord."

"You mentioned this before, yes." Celestia remarked

"Well, I know for a fact that there is a powerful and magic artifact that my father uses to remain in power. It is called the Bloodstone Scepter. Every dragon knows of it and its power. The scepter creates a bond with whoever holds it. This is how each new Dragon Lord is chosen. But when the scepter bonds with its current owner, it makes so that whatever command the Dragon Lord gives, the dragons in question are forced to comply. We live under a rule where any orders given must be taken."

"But you and Smolder escaped." Twilight objected, and Ember laughed softly.

"So, yeah, funny thing...I'm not actually supposed to be here. My dad thinks I'm back in the Dragonlands...he said a battle was too dangerous for a Princess, especially a small, tiny one like me. Smolder is a good...friend of mine, and when she was also forced to stay behind-because of her age, but still-I asked her to help me get into the battle. Since my father never specifically ordered the two of us to remain behind, the scepter didn't affect us."

"Why would you do that if you clearly got hurt?" Cadence asked

"Because my father is being unreasonable!" Ember snapped, smoke coming out of her nostrils.

"Ember, calm down." Smolder urged. Ember collected herself and continued.

"He said that it takes big, strong dragons to fight and lead. He doesn't believe it takes more than being big and tough to be a good leader. I wanted to show my father that dragons can be smart, too. I figured out a loophole in my father's orders to get myself and Smolder onto the battlefield. I figured out where the changelings were going and offered them our alliance. I realized before my father that fighting only gets our subjects hurt. He's still too slow on the uptake to realize that. And I am the one who is seeking out a better way."

"Very well-reasoned." Twilight remarked, giving Ember a small smile. "I agree, you should show your father that brains are better than brawn."

"Make no mistake, I can still fight. Smolder and I trained with each other, we're both experts. It's how we managed to stay alive and uninjured in the battle for so long." Ember replied

"What about you, griffons?" Shining Armor asked.

"Our situation is a lot different from theirs. Unlike the dragons and changelings, we are not forced to obey our leaders. Which is because we have no leaders, we haven't since the reign of King Guto. Other griffons have it a lot better off, however. They have homes and food, so all they care about is gold and obtaining more land for our kingdom. To them, war seems like the perfect way to obtain both." Gilda replied

"You said 'other griffons'." Celestia said.

"Yes, she did." Gallus stepped forward. "Gilda, Gabby, and I have been living on the streets since we were young. I only met them when I was nine, they were ten. We've looked out for each other ever since, but each year we turn out the same: starving, cold, and utterly hopeless."

"When the war started, we all knew it would just make it even harder for us to live. We were prepared to deal with the even harsher circumstances, but then Gallus got sick. We didn't know what was wrong so we brought him to the Zebra in the forest. It was there that we met the others. They helped us think we could put an end to this war." Gilda finished, looking straight at them. "Isn't that what you want, too?"

The group of ponies fell silent and looked at each other, then Celestia looked back down at them.

"It appears we have misjudged you all too quickly. We thought because your species had done these things for a millennia you were like them. You have proven to us that the line between good and evil is not so sharply drawn. Nor does it stop at one creature and begin with another. Clearly, it is possible for creatures of every species to realize that just because there is a way things are done it is not necessarily the best way."

"So...?" Pharynx prompted

"We will heed your request for aid." Celestia finished.