Chapter One

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“Twilight, please take this message to Chancellor Evergreen.Tell her that I expect her answer by the end of the night.” A slip of paper was enveloped in a golden glow as it lifted off of the mahogany desk. It rose, and the drifted through the air, to land with a soft thump on the small writing desk of the unicorn attendant. With an absent minded ease, the paper curled, rolling itself into a scroll before the unicorn’s eyes. The golden light faded as the white form before the purple mare returned to her work, drafting yet another order for her armies to carry out, another letter to her nobility.

Twilight bent down, and careful to keep the paper dry, picked it up with her mouth. Only one edge of the paper was grasped between her teeth, and even that was a light touch, as light as she could manage. She turned to the door, and opened it with a brief thought and a whisper of power. The latch clicked as the knob turned, and the door jerked open half an inch.

“Oh, and fetch dinner on your way back.”

Twilight bowed to her Princess as she left the room, even knowing that there was no way for the ruler to see her gesture. She backed out of the room, careful to keep both her head low and the scroll above the floor. There was nothing wrong with the floor of course, like everything else in the Heart of the Dawn, the marble floor leading to the Princess’s personal chambers was spotless, the marble gleaming in the failing light.

Chancellor Evergreen, a young, shy mare who lived on the second floor, was the Ambassador to the neighboring country of Selene. Twilight had only seen the mare asleep once, while she was waiting in the Council Chamber during a small break between sessions. Between her duties as an ambassador, and the heavy burdens of translating the encrypted messages from her homeland, as well as arranging private meetings with Princess Celestia around the other duties the monarch held, work meant for a team of three ponies. Yet, somehow, she still found time to write rather impressive amateur mystery-romances, in between all of her duties.

The golden shoes denoting her position as the Princess’s personal handmaid chimed as they landed on the gleaming marble. Twilight walked through the long halls of the great spire. The Heart of the Dawn was a tower in the heart of Trottingham. To compare the building to a tower was like comparing a rock to a diamond. Correct in that they are both hard, and can be shaped. Other than that, they had nothing in common.

The Heart was a spiralling pillar of pure, flawless marble the Princess had raised from the depths of the earth when Helios was founded. Since that day, builders, sculptors, painters, and many others with a bent to the darker aspects of the mind had flocked to the Heart. Now the spiralling column little resembled the bare sided mount which had dominated the surrounding landscape. For centuries, artists had shaped and changed the great pillar into the beautiful halls and ornate carvings she now walked through and among.

In fact, as she walked, Twilight was forced to detour through several halls to avoid an area under remodeling. Feathertouch, the single most famous artist that Helios had produced in the last century was hard at work once more, was touching up the great carved story panels lining the walls of the Halls of Time. The panels chronicled the history of Helios, from the beginning with the Princess raising the Heart itself, to only one hundred years ago, where the ancient, half mad sculptor Bloodmane had depicted the violent, bloody war between the forces of the Light with the Dragons, Gryphons and many other unsavory creatures arrayed against the Dawn Guard.

It was a beautiful hall, and easily the most visited by aspiring artists and poets. The hall Twilight was now forced to walk through was decidedly less grand, having only the odd sculpture as a change from the constant, if beautiful, wall of marble. Here in the heart of the Heart, there was no natural light, instead the entire area was lit by thin, dim candles which would burn forever, unless the Princess herself broke the spell. Still, the darkness was unsettling for Twilight, accustomed as she was to the constant light of the sun during the day.

Even at night, she wasn’t truly without that light. The Princess herself shone in the darkness, emitting a soft glow lost in the glaring brilliance of the sun. The darkness scared the young mare, it hid things that the light of day would reveal. The darkness kept secrets, gave depth to otherwise shallow lies. It was everything that Twilight detested.

Loathe the black cloak though she may, Twilight also had to admit the allure of the swirling shadows. And while the darkness held secrets and lies, buried within those falsehoods were the shining sparks of light. Like a pearl, the darkness coated those specks of light, those truths. Layer after layer, it shrouded that knowledge, and only with the most patient, and dedicated assault could one pull that small grain of truth from the shell of deceit.

It was terrifying. Horrible in its intensity. But it was undeniably beautiful. Nothing was constant there, nothing solid. Everything was the smooth flow of shade and the occasional dim glimmer deep in the shadows.

The slow, measured clop of the unicorn’s hooves on the hard stone swiftly became a quick trot. Twilight paced down the hallway, her eyes flicking through the shadows with each step. Her pupils dilated and contracted as she passed into, then out of each small island of candlelight. The dark seemed to close in around her, suffocating her as she walked further down the hall. And with each breath shallower than the one before it, her pace quickened.

She burst from that dim hall in a near gallop, her sides heaving as she slowed to a stop. Her eyes had been shut tight, the purple mare stood in the warm light pouring in through the high windows, her body shaking as she stood in the glow of the setting sun. Sweat beading along her body as she stood there, her muscles quivering.

“Get over it Twilight! You are too old to be afraid of the dark.” She snarled, still shaking.

For a time she simply stood. Unmoving, letting the soft light warm the chills the darkness had sent rippling through her spine. Eventually, the panic subsided, and her breathing evened. She looked up then, finally able to move, the odd quiver still playing over her body. She turned, looking away from the cold, uncaring wall.

Twilight looked about herself, trying to determine where the hall had lead. The windows of the Hall of Dusk were enormous. Facing west, they bid the Sun farewell as their sisters on the east greeted the celestial orb each morning. Now though, now they were a canvas, a canvas on which colors flowed and mixed and swirled.

The far off clouds were splashed with red and purple, garish slashes or crimson and blue criss crossing the low clouds. The bare mountain peaks surrounding the city stood in sharp, stark contrast to the gentle rolls and billows of the clouds. The colors spilled into one another, clashing and mixing, terrifying and beautiful. As she watched, they began to roil, writhing like a captured snake.

It was nice to see the splendor of nature. Any storm that neared a settled area was quickly tamed by the vigilant Weather Patrol, ensuring that only what was pleasant and helpful would occur. This was raw, the forces of nature flexing their muscles, reminding all who gazed at the horizon why they feared the wild.

A sudden, lone bolt of lightning leaped from the clouds, arcing through the air, before it was swallowed by the ground. That bolt shook Twilight from her trance. She turned from the window, and hurried down the halls once more.

“Oh, hello Twilight. What can I do for you today?” Chancellor Evergreen was sitting at her desk, scribbling away as she always seemed to be doing. The little notebook she was writing in was usually kept tucked neatly beneath one of the mint green wings, discreetly hidden while the ambassador was working.

Now though, the small book was lying open on the table, while the young pegasus wrote. Twilight had read a small part of the book once. It had something to do with a pegasus and a vigilante. It had been a very... odd book. It told a story, rather than convey information. When she had asked the pegasus about the oddity, the mare had only smiled shyly. “It’s my art, my talent.”

“Still working on that book then?”

“Always. I’ll never really be finished, not if anypony wants to read it. I’ll just keep on writing. It makes all of us happy.”

“Well, can you spare a moment to read this?”

“Oh. Another letter from the Princess. Yes, but please, give me one moment. I just need to finish this scene.”

A few minutes, filled with the scribbling and scratching of the feather quill on the page, and Evergreen looked up. She smiled at the patient unicorn. Tucking her quill behind her ear, the little pegasus stood.. The small writing desk she had been curled over, not unlike Twilight’s own desk in the Princess’s chambers. It slid onto the floor with a soft click as the wood struck the stone, sliding off of the crossed legs of the pegasus. Evergreen stretched out her wings, the green feathers whistling through the air as the mare flapped them a few times.

Twilight turned away, shielding her eyes from the small gust. The silk tapestries, all imported from Selene, rippled in the gale, before settling once more to their beautiful illustrations. They depicted some great meeting, hundreds of ponies from every tribe gathered about a central dais, all seemingly waiting for something to appear. Twilight had once asked the ambassador about the cloth. The only reply she had received was that infuriating, enigmatic smile, and a simple “The Wait.”

“So tell me Twilight, how are you today?” She took the message from the the unicorn, before placing it on the desk. Shaking herself once more, the mare settled back down to the small desk, this time lying on the floor like any civilized pony should, not hunched over the thing in that ridiculous manner.

“I see. This is unfortunate, but unavoidable. Please, tell the Princess that I will speak with her directly, as soon as I have the answer. Please Twilight sit. Would you like to talk about anything?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not sure. You seem... upset isn’t the right word. Troubled. Like there is something that has happened which has rattled you. If its not too invasive, would you like to tell me about it.”

“I really would rather not, Chancellor.” Twilight smiled at her companion, “But thank you for your concern. Now, unless you have any more messages for me to relay, I need to find supper for the Princess, and tell her what you said.”

“No, that is all. Please.” The mare gestured to the door, bowing her head slightly. Twilight nodded in return, before opening the door and stepping back into the hall. Once outside, the soft hustle and bustle of the Heart’s nobility could be heard. The thick oak door had temporarily sealed the young unicorn away from the hubbub of everyday life, but after taking a moment to collect herself, Twilight dove back in.

Near the black stone of the Ambassador’s Wing, there was little traffic. Most of the Heart’s inhabitants avoided the place, as if simply by being near it they would contract some deadly illness.

The walls of the Black Wing, as many called the residences of the various ambassadors and visitors, were almost barren, only the occasional carving relieving the stark nudity of the black granite. Spaced along the walls, much as they had been before, there were small sconces, each holding a small, ever burning candle.

Only a few steps away, the dark stone gave way once more to the gleaming splendor of the marble halls Twilight was more accustomed too. Far away, at the distant end of the hall, the sounds of clamoring voices, and clopping hooves could be heard.

Twilight stepped across the rippled line of stone, the distinct boundary where granite met marble. It felt strange, crossing that barrier. Like something held the air in place, trying to keep her locked within the dark wall. Like always when she left the wing, she pushed through it, feeling the thickened air slide along her body, pressing into her, confining her.

Her sides shivered, a rolling twitch passing along her purple frame. Once she stood on the sun drenched marble, the sensation passed, once again subsumed by the warm glow of the radiant glory of the sunset.

It really was beautiful. The vibrant hues, painted across the cloudy canvas stretching from the edges of the horizon. Her namesake was a glorious beauty, one which never ceased to awe her, no matter how often she has seen it.

“Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. Are you alright?”

Twilight turned, looking about. Belatedly, she realized that somepony had touched her, a slight jostle as her shoulder was nudged slightly.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought.” Twilight turned, a obsequious smile firmly in place as she looked at the poor pony who had bumped into her.

The stallion her eyes fell on, an earth pony which her kindest thoughts could only describe as homely, grinned sheepishly back at her. Twilight repressed her initial reaction to inquire as to what the stallion was doing in the Heart, fearing that her kindly meant words would be misinterpreted. After a slight pause, she quickly asked “How are you this evening?”

“Me? Oh, I’m fine. I came to deliver a message to Miss Evergreen.”

“Oh, are you from Selene then? Welcome to Helios, and to the Heart. Can I help in any way?”

A courier? Interesting. They were not unheard of, in fact, they were quite a common sight on the roads leading into the Trottingham, the city which had arisen around the seat of power in Helios. What was unusual was to see the courier in the Heart itself. Often, they would merely deliver the message, and the pages would carry the messages to their intended recipient.

If the courier was here, then it was urgent. Or something that Selene couldn’t risk being seen by idle eyes.

“She is in her quarters for the moment, with a message from Princess Celestia. Would you like me to escort you?”

“No, I thank you though. This is not my first visit to the Heart of Dawn.”

The stallion bowed his head slightly, then glanced about. He turned, realizing he had passed his destination, and set off at a brisk walk.

The door to the kitchen opened onto complete, if loosely controlled, chaos. A haze of steam wafted lazily from many great cauldrons where soups of every kind and make simmered in smug content. Vegetables sizzled in grease as the many chefs seared, fried, and sauteed everything from broccoli to carrots.

Far away from the entrance, the confectionery delights which graced the high tables were being made and decorated at a truly mind-boggling pace by a miniature pink whirlwind. That mare had to have at least ten hooves.

“DUCK! DOOR!”

The reaction was instantaneous. Twilight, and every pony near the small entrance to this cacophonous dungeon, dropped to the floor. Overhead, a large... thing, flew through the air, and out the door, barely squeezing through the opening. It looked like... a moose? A chocolate moose? A chip of brown fell onto Twilight’s hoof, knocked off as the thing bumped into the door, and licking it, she savored the rich dark flavor. Definitely chocolate.

Rolling her eyes and grinning at the truly horrible pun, Twilight stood back up. And dropped once more as a second moose hurtled towards her. This time, the mare was not as prompt and one of the hooves of the rearing monster caught on her horn, the sharp tip carving out a sliver from the underside of the dessert’s hoof.

“OY! What in the bleeding heavens are you doing down here? Essential personnel ONLY! Why don’t any of you ever read the sign? Horsefeathers, why did I even buy the thing? YOU! What in the name of Light do you want, then get out of my kitchen!”

Twilight straightened, feeling the strip of chocolate begin to curl down from her horn, landing on her face. Reaching up with a hoof, she transferred the delicacy neatly into her mouth, smiling at the taste.

“Oh come on Colonel, you know who I am at least.”

“Aye, and I know perfectly well that you’re not supposed to be here! SPOON! LESS SUGAR!” The small black sheep roared, scaring the filly stirring what looked like yet more chocolate. The gnarly old cook, known only as The Colonel, let out an annoyed huff. Even if he was used to Twilight coming into his kitchen, it was the bloody principle of the thing, as he often told everypony nearby.

“Well Colonel, you know how much I like it when food tries to kill me, but I do actually have a reason for coming. The Princess asked me to fetch her meal, if you would please work your special magic to whip something up...” Twilight trailed off, letting the wheedling tone, and the unspoken challenge, work on the sheep. While the chef thought, and throughout her conversation, Twilight was continuously dodging as ladles of hot soup, slices of steaming bread, and thick vegetables flew through the air on wings of unicorn magic.

“Alright, but I dinna want this happening again, aye?”

“Aye.”

Twilight grinned. The Colonel only let his accent thicken when he was excited. The clever old goat... err, sheep, had something planned. Now hopefully he would make at least enough for a young unicorn to eat after her Princess was finished...

Suddenly, the door banged open. Everypony, and The Colonel, turned to see what was wrong now.

Twilight groaned softly, seeming to collapse in on herself. Tall. Check. Blonde. Check. Blue eyes. Check. This was not going to be pleasant.

“Well, what have we here? Shirking your duties, Miss Sparkle? Hardly behavior fit for the personal maid of the Princess, to be seen here of all places. You might ruin those lovely books of yours.”

Lord Blueblood, fifth Earl of Trottingham, and heir apparent to the Heart. He was also arrogant, rude, self assured, and more than commonly corruptible. And here he was, with Twilight backed into a metaphorical corner, with his smug smirk covering the only exit to the room.

“What would your dear brother think, to find his sister in such company. Tisk tisk. You are quite pretty enough you know, you don’t need to surround yourself with filth to attempt to show it. A fleece might have a diamond in it, but you’ll never find it through all of the dust, and dirt, and mud.” Blueblood grinned, eyes flicking to the turned back of the Colonel as he spoke.

The sheep’s back stiffened at the words, though he refused to turn to the stallion. Instead, he seized a long knife from the block next to the cutting board, and set too with a will. Beneath the skilled, deft hooves of the sheep, several onions disintegrated.

Blueblood’s eyes narrowed as the sheep blatantly ignored him. His sneer reversed direction for a moment, and he bared his teeth in annoyance. He looked around the room, passing over the hunched forms. When they settled on the smallest, most frightened mare in the room, a filly barely larger than the ladle she was stirring a pot with.

He grinned once more. “You, come here.”

“M-m-me, s-sir?” The pony asked, her silver coat shaking uncontrollably as she looked at that evil smile.

“Y-y-yes.” Twilight could feel her eye twitch as she fought back her own snarl. She had been bullied her entire life, until the Princess asked her to be her personal maid. Usually, Shining Armor had been there to defend his friend, but not always. And Twilight hated bullies, ponies who hurt others, then hid behind their families, or their money. Blueblood was a bully.

The mocking echo of the frightened stutter echoed around the almost silent kitchen. The other ponies turned away, focusing once more on their tasks. The only one who seemed unaffected by the tableau was the pink mare in the back of the kitchen, still industriously decorating a massive cake which occupied almost the entire surface of the counter before her.

“I said, come here. NOW!”

The filly slowly trudged over to the noble, her head hung low to the ground, quivering with each movement. Twilight was nearly vibrating with rage by now, wanting nothing so much as to wipe that smug, cruel smile from the stallion. She had been on the receiving end of many such smiles, and she knew that nothing but abject humiliation was awaiting the poor pony.

And there was nothing that she could do about it. The overgrown colt outranked her, whether or not she had contact with the Princess, and without the express wishes of said Princess, Twilight couldn’t interfere. And the Princess might not help her the next time she intervened on her own.

“Y-y-yes s-s-s-”

“Sir. You will address me as Sir, or my lord, servant. Do you understand?”

The grey pony nodded slowly, still shaking.

“Answer me.”

“I-I unders-stand s-sir.”

“How long have you been working here, servant?”

“A year s-s-sir.”

“Well then, by now you should have a basic knowledge of the culinary arts acceptable for the high tables of the nobility. Or are you limited to preparing base fare, fit only for the trough?”

“I c-can cook sir.”

“Very well then. I would like you to prepare and deliver my meal to my quarters within the hour. Now, you are to prepare several vegetables, slicing them into quarter inch slices, and arranging them in a series of circles, stacking row upon row, until you-”

“DOOR!”

The shout came from the far corner of the room, interrupting the vindictive pony. The cake came flying at the door, even faster than the moose has only minutes ago. Twilight, the Colonel, and the little filly, as well as every other pony between the corner and the door dropped flat again. Blueblood however was not drilled to obey the immediate command. Instead, he turned, looking to the source of the shout.

As the monstrous confection slammed into him, the room erupted into gales of laughter. Their merriment was only reinforced as he toppled over, landing with a thick, wet splat on the stone floor.

“Go on lass, I’ll send up your food once we get this fool out of the way.” The Colonel managed to control his laughter long enough to squeeze out the sentence, before he lost his head completely at the weak twitches of the buried stallion.

“Will he be okay?” The sheep nodded helplessly to her in reply, rolling on his back. Twilight herself was hard pressed not to join in with the festivities. A few of the younger cooks began to cavort about the mess, pausing only to take small licks of the confection.

Chuckling, Twilight left, slipping around the mess coating the stone, and the pony, taking a deep breath of the relatively fresh air of the corridor.

“And then he just stood there, and the cake plowed into him. Oh, it was so funny. You could only see one hoof shaking through the muck.” Once more Twilight chuckled, shaking her head at the almost poetic justice of the haughty bully being buried beneath a mass of sugar and flour. By now, Blueblood was most likely back on his estate, complaining to the legion of sycophants who seemed to follow him like a mourner’s wake.

“Well, you certainly seemed to have fun. Did that put a stop to the dinner plans, or are they bringing it up here?”

“Oh. I’m sorry Princess. Yes, The Colonel said that he would bring the food up in a moment. Is there anything else Princess?”

“Not at the moment Twilight, thank you. Would you care to join me for supper?”

“I would be honored Princess.”

Twilight finally felt her shoulders relax. The Princess wasn’t annoyed, she was amused. Food was on the way, and her message had been safely delivered. Now, if she could only curl up with a nice book, this would be perfect.

“Feel free to make use of the library. I keep telling you, but you never seem to remember.”

“Oh. Um, thank you Princess. I’ll... be right back. Do you need anything else?”

“No, thank you.”

Twilight paused in the doorway, her entire body going rigid for a moment.

She shook her head, and continued down the winding hall leading down from the crest of the Heart, the private chambers of Princess Celestia herself. Here, perched so far above the ground, the houses appeared to be little more than a filly’s toys. Small colored dots, barely visible at all, moved about the streets, pausing here and there, moving faster then, slower then. The lights of the city illuminated the darkness, sending rays of color into the sky.

Twilight loved times like these. Standing above everything, shrouded in the soft light of only of a few candles, gazing down upon the flickering glow about the city, where hundreds of torches, lanterns, and lamps sent, late afternoon light flooding over the cobblestones.

Twilight smiled, turning from the window. It was nice, to know that ponies weren’t in the dark, afraid. That they had light, and warmth, and friends. She set off down the hall once more, trekking ever further down, closer and closer to the base of the monolith.

The winding hallway which lead to and from the Princess’s private chambers were barren, save a few gilt inlays in the marble floor. The soft gold gleamed in the light of the many candles lining the walkway. It twisted and turned, offering no cover save the bends in the walls themselves. It was the last line of defense, should anything ever attack the Heart, a long hall, which could be collapsed, or flooded, or simply used to focus a magical attack as it rebounded through the halls.

In all of recorded history, only once had this beautiful, simple trap been sprung. Almost a two decades before, there had been an assault on the Heart by the Dragonkin. Wyverns, dragons, ampitheres, lindorms, the quarreling factions of Ryias had banded together, and attacked Helios. To this day, nopony knew what they were after, and none of the assailants had survived. They had cut a bloody path through the lower halls of the keep, killing ponies in numbers that were unheard of in civilized times.

But here, as they sought entry into the very bedchambers of Princess Celestia, they were smote. Whatever it was that they sought, the Princess was willing to kill them to protect it. She had stood before the great oaken doors that separated the opulent, lush interior of her abode from the stark emptiness of the long hall. The Princess had flooded the corridor with power, lashing out with the fury of the sun itself as she destroyed the dragons. When she was done, barely a second later, not even the ashes remained.

Twilight shivered. It was not one of the many stories the Princess herself had told her. It was a piecemeal affair, the assembly of the many accounts and whispered stories of that ruinous day. But she had never for one minute believed that the Princess would ever hurt anything unless she had no other choice. She would do anything to save as many as she could.

“Twilight?”

Twilight jumped, emitting a shrill squeak at the voice from behind her. She turned her head, looking for the speaker, and grinned. “Shining! What are you doing here at this hour?”

Her foalhood friend and self styled ‘brother’, Shining Armor matched her smile with ease. He pulled the mare in for a hug, pressing her tight against his chest, covered in heavy muscle, nuzzling her mane. “I missed you little sister.”

“Agh mffd ou oo.”

“Huh? Oh, sorry Twilight.”

“I said, I missed you too. Wow, you really are strong.”

“Well, being one of the leaders of the army does that to you.”

“You got promoted! That’s great!”

“Yeah, well, the higher your rank, the more paperwork you do.”

“Why do you think I like it?” Twilight’s wry voice made the stallion laugh, a hearty laugh which Twilight could almost feel. She knew that her friend wanted to protect everypony, and that he was a tactical genius. But she still hated that he was a part of war, of an act which ended in the loss of life. At least now, he was less likely to be one of those lost.

“Well, I hate paperwork. Because no matter how much you do, there’s always more. Not like fighting, then you know when it’s over.”

“Soo... how’s Cadence these days?” Shining armor asked as both ponies began to walk down the hall. This wasn’t the long hall Twilight had been walking through when she had been lost in her own thoughts. This was one of the many Story Halls, interweaving connected pathways whose walls were lined with statues and carvings, each telling a piece of the long history of Helios.

Twilight smiled, walking a little faster, hiding her amusement from her friend. “Oh, shes alright. I think she has her eye on somepony though. An officer in the army.”

“What!”

“Yeah, he’s supposed to be one of the best, strong and handsome and smart.”

“I bet I could take him.”

“I don’t know Shining. He’s kinda scary, but he looks like a nice pony at the same time.”

“I could definitely take him.”

“I hear that she hasn’t been asked to Hearts and Hooves day yet. This could be your big chance.”

“Do you really think so? I mean, after everything you’ve said...”

“What happened to ‘I can take him’?” Twilight paused, letting her smile widen.

“I can, but... if he makes her happy, then. Well, I guess he’s the right one for her. Hey, why are you smiling.”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“Huh?”

“She wants you to ask her to Hearts and Hooves day silly.”

“Why you little, come here.”

Twilight laughed, and began running, the laughing Shining Armor chasing after her, yelling dire threats of not so temporary harm as they ran through the halls. Twilight for her part shrieked like a filly every time he came close to her, shooting off down another corridor, running even faster than before.

“GOT YOU!” Shining roared in triumph, launching himself at the maid. He tackled her, sending both ponies to the ground, as he twisted in midair to land on his back, Twilight cushioned by his body.

There was a thump of impact as they landed, and Shining grunted at the force of the blow, but he still smiled. His grin dimmed however, when he realized where they were. And just whose pink hooves he was staring at.

“UGH!” The garbled shout came out more as a mangled yelp, and Shining shot to his feet, dumping Twilight to the soft floor of the library with a glorious lack of grace and care. “Cadence, umm, hi.”

The pink unicorn glared at Shining, her soft blue eyes narrowed. A fire almost seemed to be blazing within her, and even Twilight didn’t know whether it was rage or... something else.

“And just what do you think that you are doing here, Shining Armor? And look at what you did to poor Twilight. Its okay Little Light, I’m sure he didn’t mean it. Did you Shining Armor?”

The anger was clear now, a frozen rage which sprouted ice within Twilight’s veins, even from the periphery of its center. Shining stood petrified under that icy voice. “Well.”

“Ug, er, um, chi, uh, N-no! I’m sorry Twilight, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Um, Cadence?” The unicorn ignored her, glaring at the stallion.

“Little one, can you find your book on your own?”

“Yes...”

“Shining, come with me. Goodnight Twilight.”

Cadence spun about, her tail held high, nose in the air. She marched out of the library, trailed by a contrite Shining Armor.

“Umm, well, nice seeing you Twilight.”

And with that, his tail flicked around the corner and Twilight was left alone in the cavernous library. She was the sole creature moving about the large room, filled with dusty volumes and heavy tomes. Row upon stacks upon piles of books littered the library, spilling out of the shelves, covering the floors, tables, and occasionally the statuary.

The books ranged from histories to biographies to genealogies. A treatise on the use of herbs for healing sat side by side with instructions on how to create a hot air balloon. This was the Helian Library, and it had no rival in the known world. It had texts on almost anything that the mind could imagine, and many things that it could not.

Twilight had been systematically reading through this treasure trove since she could recall, working her way slowly through philosophy and legal works, then almost inhaling histories, sciences, and magical texts.

“Now, where would you be?” Twilight murmured to herself, pacing along one long aisle near the middle of the library. Sidestepping a scattered few lying about on the thick velvet carpet, her hoof caught on one slim red volume, causing her to stumble. Stepping on another book, she lost all balance, and toppled to the ground, knocking the wind out of herself.

Groaning, she stood back up, careful to avoid any loose books underhoof. Looking down, she saw that the book she had tripped over originally had no title. The soft red cover on the book was blank, save for a small section along the spine, where a tiny sun was drawn in black ink, rising over the horizon.

Twilight cocked her head, able to make neither heads nor tails of the odd little book. Setting it on top of a small pile of books, she decided to pick it up when she left. Continuing down the aisle, Twilight slowed, beginning to read the spines of the books as she passed, searching for one she had yet to read. It was the section on pony anatomy, including the odd book on the psychological reactions to certain things ponies tended to have.

Twilight smiled as she found the book, a relatively small one on the causes and meanings of pegasus wing motions. It was a bit dry, if it were like any of the others, but anything was interesting if she put her mind to it. For a moment, Twilight stood, her head bowed and her eyes closed. Slowly, magic began to swirl about both her horn and the book. As the book came away from the shelf, leaving a narrow gap between itself and its compatriots, Twilight grinned. Perfect.

On her way out of the library row, she slid the small book on top of the anatomical text, wrapping both in the soft purple glow of her magic. Then she left the room , trotting to make up time as she turned once more to her Princess, and her duty.

“I have no choice. Damn them all, they have me cornered. I need your help. Please?” Twilight froze at the door to Princess Celestia’s chambers. There was another voice sounding from within the suite. Deeper, more resonant, but with the same soft tone of command lacing every syllable.

“I can try. I’m sure that together, we’ll think of something."

"Now, I think we should invite my handmaid into the room. The corridor can’t be comfortable. Twilight.”

The door opened slowly, and Twilight stepped into the room. She flashed a guilty smile to the Princess, bowing before turning to her guest.

Her eyes widened as she saw who was standing near the fire merrily crackling in the hearth. Framed by the great marble carvings surrounding the fireplace, stood a tall pony, her body, from hoof to horn was the black of deepest night, silver armor gleaming. Twilight’s breath caught as she looked upon the flowing mane, interspersed with points of white light as it slowly moved in an unseen wind.

“P-Princess Luna.” Her voice came out more than slightly strangled as she hurriedly bowed again, a rigid, formal bow. Her knees bent, and she knelt on the cold floor, her head bowed still lower, until the tip of her horn hovered just above the floor, only a thought away from almost insulting servility.

“Please, do not trouble thyself. We do not wish to burden thee by our presence.”

Twilight waited another moment, to ensure the correct protocols were observed, before rising from the floor. Then she surveyed the Princess, and her guest. Princess Celestia seemed oddly ill at ease, her gaze flicking between both ponies every few seconds. As if some news borne by Princess Luna had distressed her, news Twilight was not to hear. From what she had overheard, the Princess of Selene was in need of assistance.

“Twilight, as I am sure you know, this is my old friend, and fellow ruler, Princess Luna. She has come from Selene to conduct a very delicate series of negotiations. I would like you to assist her in any way you can. She knows much of our history, but I fear that some of our newer customs may confound her.”

“I am more than capable of determining what is needed, Celestia.” Her face contorted, a haughty pout replacing slight embarrassment.

“Be that as it may, do you think that it would help anypony should you mistakenly break the customs the nobility hold to? I do not know what Selene’s nobility are like, but if they are anything like my own are, then there is little doubt that every indiscretion will be noted. Which will not aid you in any way. Thus, Twilight, I need you to help Princess Luna. Please ensure that she does not inadvertently cause mischief.”

“Yes, Princess.” Twilight nodded, her head dipping into another bow for a moment.

“And Luna.”

“Yes?”

“Please try not to cause too much trouble intentionally, please. I have to live with them.” Princess Celestia smiled, letting some small portion of the suns warmth seep through the action. Or maybe that was only Twilight’s perception.

Luna though, merely grinned. “I would never dream of causing trouble for you. Goodnight, Celestia.”

She turned, and strode out of the room, leaving the oak doors ajar.

“Twilight.”

“Yes Princess?” Twilight, who had moved to retrieve her dropped books, straightened.

“Please accompany her for the duration of her stay. Both to aid her, and... please keep me informed of her activities.”

“Yes, Princess.” Twilight bowed her head, and turned, leaving the room. And leaving the Princess to her thoughts.

Chapter Two

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A/N: I don’t think I will be making many of these, I hope, but I think its needed. In this, Luna looks like Nightmare Moon, but has Luna’s personality. This is mostly because, lets face it, Nightmare Moon looks like she could kick a dragons teeth in. Luna... doesn’t. Anyway, there's really nowhere in the story to explain it, so there you go. And regardless of the countless discussions on the topic, we are assuming that ponies age and mature the same as humans.

PS: By the Light, please tell me what is wrong with it if you downvote. I want to fix problems, not let them revel in anonymity.

“Twilight Sparkle, what manner of shrews are thine courtiers? They see fit to garb themselves in such darp attire. Have they taken a vow of modesty, or some other such ilk?”

Princess Luna stood in the entrance to the Great Dining Hall near the center of the Heart. Framed by the heavy marble pillars garlanded with wildflowers, roses, and all manner of petaled dancers. While normally quite beautiful to behold, the creeping vines and magically maintained blooms now seemed to writhe, moving in an unseen breeze, only enough to draw the idle eye.

“What? Oh, do you mean their clothes?” Twilight paused just inside the door, frozen by the whispered query and the sudden knowledge that she had left her charge behind, if only slightly.

“Verily, what is the meaning of this oddity?”

“Well, its just what they wear. Nopony ever really gives it much thought.”

“Hast thine people never heard of fashion? Such mundane wear, do they not grow tired of the monotony?”

“I don’t think so, at least I haven’t heard anypony complain about it. Are the nobles of Selene different?”

“Quite.” Luna’s tone quirked up, like her small smile, the droll amusement evident. “They take their dress quite seriously. Thee would hardly know them to be the regal, powerful ponies they are, if thee were to see them quibbling over the latest attire as birds over a worm.”

Twilight giggled, then turned away from the Princess. “Please Princess Luna, follow me. Princess Celestia has asked that we join her for the morning meal, and I believe there she will make the formal introduction.”

The visitor stepped forward, following in the unicorns wake, her eyes wide as she stared about herself, looking over each and every face as they passed. Remembering herself at the curious stares of the nobility, Princess Luna paused for a moment, correcting herself. Proud and tall, the Princess of the Night strode down the long aisles between the long, polished wooden tables.

In their turn, the many nobles stared unashamedly back as she moved among them. After all, this was not only a visitor from the mysterious and beautiful Selene, this was the very Princess of the land herself, walking among them as if this were her own court.

“Ahh, my good friend. Welcome to our Court this bright day.”

They had reached the high table, the smaller table running perpendicular at the far end of the great hall. Lit from behind by the massive windows, the light of the rising sun seemed to sear through the windows themselves, sending spears of light into the room.

It may have been chance which sent these beams cascading into Princess Celestia at her seat on the high table. Twilight doubted it though. Now, in the brilliant light of ‘dawn’ as the sun cleared the high peaks to the east of Helios, she seemed to be little more than a vague shape.

As she rose from her seat to greet her guest, the light splintered, her elegant shadow flaring out throughout the hall, spread by the glorious light of the morning sun. To Twilight, and all those directly before her, she was a black shape surrounded by the white light, features lost amid the radiance of the moment.

Altogether, Twilight thought, too perfectly impressive. Twilight smirked.

There was little doubt in her mind that Celestia had engineered the entire event, and she could not deny that it was impressive. It was a perfect show both of power, and it was incredibly beautiful, to see the splintered patterns of light thrown on the walls. The light seemed to shimmer, rebounding from the stained glass lining the walls back into the room, filling the white splendor with a multitude of colors.

Then the moment passed and the sun truly rose, the spell broke. Slowly, the glare faded from the eyes of every pony in the room. As the light faded, each pair of eyes sought the source of the shadow, though there was no doubt in any mind who lay at the center.

Celestia slowly came into view, the white blur resolving itself into the regal body of the Princess of Helios, fully bedecked in the golden armor she normally reserved for formal balls and times of war.

“Princess Luna Nocturnus, I welcome you into the Heart, and into our hearts as well. We hold hopes that you find your stay both pleasant and productive. As the Sun rises eternally, I bid you to sit with me, and break your fast at my table.”

Princess Luna bowed her head low, a formal indication of both her thanks, and the respect given by one powerful ruler to another. “We ask you not to trouble yourself on our behalf, though we sit at your table, let no food leave the mouths of the hungry, though we lay by your hearth, let no subject go cold. May you find us a boon, not a weight, and spare us not from that which we deserve. Like any traveler, we ask that you treat us and no more.”

In her turn, Princess Celestia bowed her head, slightly less deeply, and smiled at her guest. “Then I must insist that you join me. I imagine that there is much you wish to speak of.”

Princess Luna nodded her head, and walked around the table, Twilight trailing along behind her. For the most part the young unicorn was ignored, just another servant. It was treatment which, by now, Twilight was accustomed too.

The one exception to her otherwise lackluster reception was a pair of baby blue eyes glaring at her from one of the long tables. Lord Blueblood sat on the gleaming wooden benches lining the tables, and fires burned in his eyes as he glared at her. Evidently, he not only remembered yesterday, he held her directly accountable for his disgrace.

As she sat to the left of Princess Luna, who in turn sat to the left of Princess Celestia’s own great seat at the center of the table, Twilight glanced at the platters. While they had walked the long line between tables she had not truly seen what lay beneath piles of food weighing down the tables. Now, confronted with the barren dishes, Twilight was momentarily stunned. Rather than the usual gold, the plates before her gleamed silver in the morning light.

The silver reflected the light perfectly, creating a mirror on the table of what almost seemed to be fluid metal. Looking into the polished surface, Twilight could see her own reflection, wide eyes and all as she leaned forward.

The face that stared back out of the plates was her own, though so altered that it bore almost no resemblance to her own face. Where her own face bore the remnants of filly fat, cute in an infantile way, this face was lean, hard edged, and beautiful. In the reflection, her horn was not the short, blunted protrusion like it was in reality, it was long, and narrowed to a razor point. Her mane lay long, thick and lustrous, cascading down her neck, bangs covering half of her face. From the other half, the eyes of the strange mare gazed calmly back at her, deep burgundy looking out from the violet coat.

Twilight jerked back, startled by the visage. The motion was so violent that she nearly toppled wholly off the bench. Her fall was halted by a strong black hoof which shot out from the side of the Princess next to her. Princess Luna pushed her back into her seat, without so much as glancing at her, allowing the unicorn to retain what dignity she might. Too the room at large, even the brooding stare of Blueblood, it seemed as if nothing had happened, save a twitch from the purple mare.

“Celestia, we think that your Mirror-ware has frightened your maid.” Princess Luna spoke, slowly selecting her own meal from the array before her, accepting with a nod the glass of red wine offered her by a passing waiter.

“Twilight, it is alright. These are enchanted, given to us by Ryais many years ago. They show what the future may hold to those who gaze into them. But don’t be afraid, the future is no more solid than the air itself. Please, eat, you will feel better when you do.”

Twilight shook her head, and reached a hoof out to place some of the salad nearby onto the silver platter before her, anything to block that image. As she did though, she saw the reflection of her hoof. The violet fur continued to her hooves, were suddenly it met shoes of a black metal which appeared to devour all light which touched it.

Shivering, Twilight grabbed for the salad, hastily covering the image. In her haste, several leaves of lettuce scattered, one landing on the plate of Princess Luna. There, the fresh green leaf quickly stained red as the thick curry sauce the Princess had drizzled over a steaming slice of bread a moment before.

“Oh, I am so sorry Princess, please let me clean that up. I don’t know what came over me.”

Before Twilight could reach out and clean the wayward leave, Princess Luna ducked her head, and ate it. Smiling at the petrified mare, she giggled. “Please Twilight, do not trouble thyself with such trivialities. The Mirror’s have done more than disturb many who see it. Do not trouble thyself, thee can change thy fate, never forget this. Now, what dost thou call this scrumptious condiment?”

“Princess?”

Twilights soft call broke the spell which seemed to have lain itself over the room. The cozy bedroom appointed to Princess Luna was situated only a short way from the hall from where Princess Celestia rested, sleeping her afternoon nap.

The suit faced the west, letting the warm golden light of the setting sun shine into the small chamber, illuminating the lavish decor. The large bed dominated the room, thick and plush, the circular affair was almost half the size of the room itself. Down pillows lined the upper edge of the bed, while a large, deep blue blanket lay draped over it.

Twilight lay near the foot of the bed, resting on a large cushion, the book on pegasus anatomy propped open, leaning against her crossed hooves. Occasionally, the weak light of Twilight’s magic would appear, turning the page before her, the thin paper trembling as she struggled to maintain the simple spell.

Further back, resting in a lazy sprawl across the head of the bed, Princess Luna whiled away her idle time by by casting spell after spell, apparently oblivious to the occasional glances of the unicorn. Her spell sent the small objects in the room dancing above her in a complex, intricate routine, weaving about each other, dipping and rising, spinning and reversing direction, all in time with the soft humming tune to which the Princess gave voice.

The humming stopped after a moment, the quiet words slowly sinking through the peaceful morass of the daydreaming Princess’s mind.

“Oh, we beg thy pardon Twilight. What has thee asked of us?”

“Umm, yes. See, I was wondering, um. How do you do that?”

Twilight blushed a furious crimson. Luna froze, as did the twirling cascade above her, before they sped back to their original places. She twisted, turning her neck until she could see Twilight, her hooves hanging limp in the air above her.

“Did thine mother never teach thee?”

The words were spoken slowly, carefully. Since time immemorial, magic had been taught in the home, by the family. Often, the mother, thought sometimes the father, would set aside time each day to help the young unicorn harness and grow the gift of magic within them. They would nurture their latent powers, letting the small bloom become a towering tree. They would prune it, and tend it, ensuring that it grew straight and true.

Because if they didn’t, that power could drive a pony to madness. Bone Shard was one such, a unicorn of exceptional talent, and little training. Largely self taught after the early death of his father, his natural gift for magic began to bloom another way. It had become gnarled, twisting about itself, binding power into power, feeding on its own energy. He quickly grew from a gifted unicorn to one of the most fearsome magical talents in history. It had taken the cumulative effort of not only Helios and Selene, but of Ryais to stop the necromancer, and his army of the walking dead.

Like all things though, there was an element of good to his evil. Dragons had killed his father, the only family he had ever known. They were the heart of his madness, and they soon came to fear him more than any other. Bone Shard had been methodical in his early research on the dragons, and creative in his spellwork. He had created a spell which came to be known as Dragon’s Bane, one which not only crippled dragon, infecting them with a virulent disease, but upon the death of the wyrm, would ensnare their soul, resurrecting their corpse to add to his forces.

If Twilight were like him...

“My mother died when I was very young. I don’t have anyone else.” Twilight looked away, her voice soft and calm. As she did though, Princess Luna hear the pain so close the the surface. She knew what it was like to live without a mother, and it wasn’t easy, even for a pegasus filly. But to be a unicorn without any family, that had to be much worse than anything in her own foalhood.

“We are sorry for thee Twilight. Thou hast nopony to teach thee the use of thine magic?”

“Only Cadence, but she’s so busy already, I didn’t want to bother her. She’s always so busy. She has so many duties to attend to, and she’s always away on a diplomatic mission or something.”

Princess Luna paused for a moment, the name ringing a distant alarm in some far off corner of her mind. Brushing the thought aside, she looked at the mare on the other side of the bed. Should she try to comfort her? Or simply give her time to collect herself, to pretend nothing had happened.

“What?”

“Shh, it will be okay, we promise thee. All will be well soon.” Luna murmured into the purple mane. Silently, she had slid next to the depressed mare and grabbed her, holding her against her own warm body. The feel of another body, of the gentle touch was too much for the unicorn. The tears stained the black fur of her chest, leaving small damp spot which would have become chill had more tears not kept them moist.

Princess Luna sat there for a short time, before Twilight began to pull away. She gave a gentle squeeze, before easing away from the unicorn. She rested her hooves on Twilight’s sides, staring at her for a silent moment, while the last of her tears dried on her purple face. Then softly, she pulled Twilight in and kissed her forehead, as her mother had always done for her.

“We promise thee. It shall be better. Wouldst thou wish us to teach thee?”

“Yes Princess. I... I need to learn. And I don’t know who else to ask.” Twilight shook herself, forcing the tears away. This was not a time to be crying, not in front of a Princess.

“We are not an easy teacher, thou may come to regret thine decision. Art thou certain?

Twilight nodded, and the last traces of sadness left her face, replaced by a fierce determination. Fire blazed in the lavender eyes, where Princess Luna could see her own reflection gazing back at her.

“Very well. Catch”

Without even the glow of magic appearing about her horn, Twilight saw a small marble lift from the counter, coated in a translucent coat of magic, flat and smooth, rather than the sloppy, wavey lbur she could create. The marble was made of metal, the iron ball heavy and dense.

“EEP!” Twilight yelped. The iron sphere had collided with her ribs, hard. It would doubtless leave a bruise, and Twilight glared at the ball as it rolled away as she scrambled to her hooves, stopping with a click as it struck the black hoof of the Princess.

“Catch the marble.” Princess Luna said, while the marble lifted once more into the air. The Princess was calm, her face expressionless as the ball began to move back and forth before her.

Once more it flew forward, hurtling at Twilight’s side. Eyes wide, the mare threw herself to the side, rolling off of the bed onto the marble floor. Behind her, the marble stopped abruptly in midair, whizzing back at Twilight. She squeaked as she felt it land a stinging, bruising blow to her posterior.

“Catch it.” Without waiting for Twilight to stand, Luna grabbed the ball once more in her telekinetic grip. Twilight rolled to her left, dodging the ball as it pinged off of the floor where she had been, ricocheting towards the wall. Sensing danger, she rolled again, dodging the return volley.

“CATCH IT!” The Princess roared, and suddenly light began to show about her horn, black energy which seemed to absorb the light that came near it. The ball too began to glow darker, energy pouring into it. This time, it sped at Twilight with enough force to reduce the marble floor it struck after her dodge to disintegrate into powder.If one of those hit her now, it would do more than bruise.

Luna raised three more marbles, each one glowing with that ominous light. They circled Twilight, spinning about her faster than her eyes could follow, leaving trails of darkness in their wake. The room grew steadily darker as the spun faster and faster about her.

Before, Twilight had been afraid. Now, as the room became truly black, she was terrified.

“CATCH THEM!” The balls hurtled at the blind mare.

With a burst of violet energy, the balls meet a wave of power emanating from the mare.. As they touched the energy, they iron disintegrated, falling apart into nothingness.

“Very good Twilight. We commend thee.”

As the Princess spoke, Twilight’s shield flickered, and died about her, leaving only a blackened circle on the marble where it had touched the stone. Twilight was revealed, panting, sweating, and looking as though she could barely stand.

“Now, catch.”

Luna tossed the last sphere gently to the exhausted mare, smiling as it stopped in midair, sheathed in thin purple energy, before it fell to the ground, landing with a click as it bounced off of the polished stone.

“Art thou certain that this is acceptable? There is so little, and we are not convinced that such plain accoutrements are befitting a meeting of this caliber.”

“Princess, I can assure you that they are adequate, if anything, they are likely too formal.”

“Too formal? Thine customs astound us once more. If that is so, then would we be better dressed in nothing at all?”

Twilight blushed at the puzzled Princess standing before the large gilt mirror. Princess Luna was twisting and turning, in an attempt to determine what exactly this dull dress was meant to accentuate. In Selene, as she had told Twilight several times, there were several ponies who did nothing but design and create clothing, from dresses to suits, for every occasion. In Helios, while it was not unusual for the nobility to don such formal wear at court, many ponies, Twilight included, wore little more than the neckpiece which denoted their position and rank, and the shoes which marked her as a personal assistant to the Princess. .

The golden band Twilight wore was bare of such idle decoration that flowered so many of the servant’s chokers. Instead, hers bore the small emblem of the rising sun, the heraldry of the Princess of Helios herself.

Even so, used as she was to wearing little more than her fur, Princess Luna’s talk of going bare seemed almost scandalous.

She shook her head, staring into at the mirror. “No Princess. You had better be dressed as formally as possible for your first meeting with the council. You need to impress them, or they will never listen to you.”

“If thou art sure. Would we be better suited wearing a Helian garment, or one of our own countries make?”

“Umm, well. I don’t actually know. The only other pony from Selene I’ve ever met was Chancellor Evergreen.”

“Oh, art thou friends with Chancellor Evergreen? No, she never was one to wear anything ‘too fancy’ as she called such garb. Well then Twilight, we insist that thee sees us in our best.”

Luna shimmied her hips, letting the thick woolen fabric slid down her legs to the ground, something Twilight tried not to watch too closely. Try as she might though, the sight of the moving rump was something a hormonal mare was incapable of ignoring.

Catching sight of the distracted mare, Princess Luna grinned, giving her rump another shake, flicking her tail to the side for an instant. “Dost thou find us... distracting?”

This time, Twilight’s blush was almost tangible, the heat radiating from her scarlet face. “I umm, I’m sorry Princess. I don’t know what, I just, I’m sorry.”

“We apologize as well Twilight, it was not kind to do that to thee. Though we must say, it was quite amusing” The Princess laughed as she spoke, eyes twinkling with mischief as she looked at Twilight in the mirror. Twilight, for her part, was fastidiously looking anywhere in the room, other than the Princess standing before her, almost flirting with her.

“If thou would prefer to leave our presence for a moment, we would not take it remiss.”

Jumping at the opportunity, Twilight bolted, fleeing the room as quickly as she politely could. It was all she could do to keep her pace steady and calm, and not the furious gallop she felt she needed. Her heart was pounding as she walked through the halls, panting breaths coming hard and fast from her lungs. Reaching the end of the hallway, she stopped.

Here, near the peak of the Heart, the walls were lined with colorful stained glass windows, magically reinforced against weather and impact. There was little to see outside, the glaring light of the sun drowning out any color that might have been on the ground. A few pegasi could be seen above the wispy clouds which circled the Heart in lazy grace, shapes which darted in and out, around and around as they whirled and spun.

Watching them, Twilight felt her pulse slow, her breathing even out. Suddenly, a shape flashed past the window, leaving only the faint impression of orange in blue as it flickered out of view almost before her mind could register its existence. Looking down, she saw the blur once more, leveling out at the end of a dive, shooting off to the south.

“Twilight?”

At the sound of her name, Twilight turned, searching for the source of the voice. When she saw Princess Luna, she froze.

The clothing she had worn earlier had been thick wool, black and warm. It was not something unseen in court in the recent months, in fact it had been one of the more popular forms of dress.

Compared with her current attire, that woolen dress was little more than a monstrosity. Soft and supple, her dress flowed about her as she walked towards Twilight. The fabric was glossy, and a blue so dark as to be almost impossible to distinguish from her black body. It lay smooth against her back, before cascading down her legs, hugging her body invitingly. Just before it hit the floor, the glossy blue cloth flared out, ending in a pool of deep red and violet which trailed behind her as she walked.

“Dost thou believe we are properly attired now?”

Twilight nodded, unable to look away from the Princess. The afternoon light flooded through the window behind her, landing on the Princess, taking the already beautiful appearance and making it something truly stunning.

“Well?”

“Oh, um, I’m sorry Princess Luna. Would you care for me to show you to the Council Chambers?”

“I would like nothing better.”

The interior of the council chambers where the select nobility of Helios met to discuss policy was stifling at the best of times. Those times where in the dead of winter, while matters of such tedium as the decision as to which fields in a certain lord or lady’s estate will be growing what crop. On such days, the warmth of the circular room was almost pleasant, indeed, it was a welcome relief after the walk through the chilly halls leading to the room at the very center of the Heart.

The council of Helios met in a large room situated in the center of the Heart. The room was set around a massive semicircular table, carved out of a dark red wood. In fact, the whole room carried a red motif, from the crimson silk curtains lining the walls, to the fireruby set into the back of the throne where Princess Celestia met with the council.

Normally, only Celestia, Twilight, and one or two nobles would attend a meeting in the early fall, most would be occupied with feasts and balls. Today though, the room was filled with nobles, as every pony who could concoct a reason was in attendance, waiting for the arrival of Princess Luna.

Twilight was sandwiched between the wall and General Stormfront. The old pegasus was a veteran of almost forty years, until Princess Celestia personally told him that she would no longer allow him to fight. An advisement he completely ignored, though he did accept that he would be better suited to training and strategizing, rather than leading the charge at his age. He was the greatest tactician and one of the best soldiers Helios had produced in the last century, a comfortable peer to such names as Lord Northwind, General Silent Night, and Captain Greenwing.

Normally, the grizzled pegasus would be given room, in honor of his many achievements, and sterling record. He sat counter to Twilight most days, just to the right of the Princess, while she sat on her left. Today though, all honor and respect were seemingly forgotten, and the two ponies were pushed into the corner by the crowd. In fact, Twilight was being crushed into the corner, her body pressed hard into the stone wall behind the curtain until General Stormfront saw her. Now, she stood in the small space he had carved out for her, huddled in the corner in the clear space protected by the armored flank of the soldier.

“Light damn them all.” The pegasus growled low, eyes glaring sullenly about the room. “Least they could do is be polite. Pushing you back here Miss Twilight. Just isn’t right. Lady like yourself is good as any of them, ungrateful rude little foals. Better, I’d say.”

The General turned his head, and smiled wanly at her. Twilight smiled back, blushing slightly at the compliment. No matter how often it was said, she always felt awkward when reminded that, even as a servant, she was the equal in rank to anypony here save the senior council. Indeed, for years she had suffered the slights and insults of both the ponies who desired her position and their families. All because of the close contact she had with the Princess..

The room was filled with a sudden hush which spread like a plague from pony to pony, along with a whispered “Here she comes.”

Twilight stretched her neck, just able to peer over the strong, armored back of the pegasus. “Hop up.” The gruff voice made Twilight jump, blushing as she came back down. General Stormfront turned his head, winking at the mare. Twilight blushed again, nodding shyly to the old pony. She reared back in the small space, hooking her front legs over the armor clad back, resting with a clear view over the crowd.

Princess Luna’s entrance was a spectacle, regal and slow. She had dispensed with the flowing dress, and now wore only her silver armor, which took on a bloody hue as it reflected the light in the red room. Behind her walked Princess Celestia, resplendent in her own golden garb. The ponies moved back, clearing a small pathway for the Princesses.

The pair slowly walked forward, Princess Luna in the lead, following the small path until they at last reached the head of the table, turning to face the crowd of anxious, reserved faces.

Princess Celestia stepped forward, smiling at the assembled ponies. Many of them relaxed, having known that smile since birth. If there was one thing that they knew, it was that they could trust their Princess. She was as sure as the suns rising

“Hello, my little ponies. Today is not a formal meeting of the Council, for one because with so many attending, the introductions alone would take all night. So instead of the normal monotony which you will doubtless pay little heed to, let us simply allow Princess Luna to speak.”

The Princess of the Sun stepped back, bowing slightly to her counterpart. Princess Luna stood, striding forward a pace, until she stood in the center of the room, where each eye gravitated to her as though by some archaic spell. Her wings came up to a half mantel, a regal cloak shrouding the proud mare.

“We bid you good tidings this day. We have spoken with Princess Celestia, and she has deigned to allow us to speak with the council.

“We do not come to you out of war, nor of need. Indeed, it is our hope that the end of this meeting will spell the end for any need, nay, end the very possibility of such conflict. Lords, ladies, we bid you to hear our proposal, and know that our hopes are high that you shall look upon it with favor.

“We come to you to ask that together, we form a treaty. Not a treaty of necessity, nor one of alliance in war. Those treaties stand as they ever have, strong and able. Yet they are weak. Should one nation seek their own solution, or ally themselves with the dragons or gryphons, then what? Her sister shall be left exposed, ripe and begging to be plucked.

“So we offer our solution. We will form a union between our countries, and to ensure this alliance, we shall follow the accords of our long ago forbears, and bind this treaty in the joined blood of our two great nations. We offer our hoof in marriage to one of your nobility, and take them as our partner, and rule over Selene with them.”

Princess Luna stepped back, letting her black wings fall back to her sides from their half mantel. She returned to her seat, resting on the soft cushion placed next to the one Princess Celestia sat upon. The room was silent, to the point where Twilight was quite sure that she could hear the rustle of the curtains as they moved in the breeze of the joint breaths of the assembled nobility.

After years of watching the sly maneuvers of the court, Twilight was not so easily fooled. Many of the ponies did seem surprised, and all affected to appear so. But a flick of the eyes of Lord Rum Runner, a twitch of Lady Chrysanthemum’s ear, all the little tells she had learned over the years. Most knew nothing of this plan. But some did. Which meant that some ponies were intercepting royal missives. Twilight made a careful note of who the ponies she suspected were, Princess Celestia would like to know later, she was sure.

“Well, I do believe that we shall have nothing else of merit to discuss today, so this council meeting is dismissed. And please, do not speak of this. I urge all of you to hold your confidences, and to think long about how we shall act in this matter.”

Later that same night, so late in fact that the moon was nearing the horizon, when time met in that strange light where all is still and time has stopped. The grey light of predawn was slowly creeping over the high mountain peaks, seeping into every home and house.

Those who rested in the Heart were no different. Ponies tossed and turned in the restless atmosphere, trapped by dreams vile or fair, until such a time. Then, their movements stilled, and at last, they drifted on that downy soft, the rest of the dreamless. Where before, lovers minds traveled separate paths, now they converged, joining each other as dreams had for time immemorial. Hooves sought mates, lovers, friends, family. Anything and everything nearby, for at such a time, something as pure as love could never be hidden.

High in the monolith, Twilight rested as well as ever she had, laying still, almost without motions, even breath, to stir her from her repose. For her, there was nothing, she was free from the terror which gripped her, forcing her to dance on the whims of her nightmares. Now, curled beneath the brown woolen blanket, she lay still, her mouth slightly open.

Not a thing moved at a time like this, not birds nor bats nor ponies. All sought their rest, or lay ensconced within those pillowy halls. Only one creature stirred at a time like this. In the shadows of Twilight’s small room, the figure paced forward. She looked down on the young mare, hardly more than a filly, and felt a soft smile tug at her lips.

Slowly, gently, she sat on the floor beside the slumbering mare, watching her breath slowly in and out. The smile widened, though the longing in her eyes was palpable. She loved her, the way nopony else ever could. It was unfair to her, to have done this, to have hurt her like this. She had tried to make amends, quietly, from the shadows. She had tried to be her friend, her confidant, even now was unable to stop herself from being a mother to the young mare. It hurt her to see the naivete in those soft purple eyes, to see the hurt and desire whenever she saw families together. To know that she couldn’t tell her, ever.

Slowly, she began to sing. The lullaby was soft, her voice sliding fluid over the syllables. Her own mother had taught her the song long ago, whispering it to her as she fell asleep every night. It spoke of soft things and kind things, of things past and things yet to come. There were no lyrics to the song, save those she made on the spot. That was not the point of a song so sweet, so tender. It was meant to come from her heart, not her memory, as it had so many nights before now.

The song slowly died away, the final words trailing off into empty space as she turned back to the sleeping mare. “I love you, Little One, my Little Star. Greet the day with a smile.”

On a level far removed from that of conscious thought, the filly heard her. Her face clouded, worry coming to the fore as she frowned. “Momma?”

The word cut her to the bone, tearing at her heart. The sadness, the longing in the slumbering voice hurt her. It was all she could do to stop herself from grabbing the little pony, wrapping her in hugs and showering her with kisses. But she couldn’t. It would put her in danger. And she could never allow that.

Tears slowly welled in her eyes, leaking one by one down her face, leaving wet trails through the soft fur. She leaned down, and kissed the mare, her daughter, on the forehead, just above her horn. Twilight’s face smoothed, the worry and sadness gone with the simple touch. The suddenly, as the light of true dawn broke over the valley, flooding into the small room, she vanished, just as Twilight opened her eyes.

Chapter Three

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A/N: Don’t think I’ll write many. See how long that lasted?

Bah, whatever. Okay, before I forget, again, like the horrible person I am, I would like to thank my editors, LastLight, and Sasha Nein. Thank you guys, I love your help. And a big special thanks to Genjen for all of your help. I’m sorry honey. I hope you can find a better way to spend your time.

PS: Kudos and umm, I’m running out of words which express gratitude, *insert word* to source1 for his unasked for, and very kind error spots on chapter 2. Thanks honey.

“Twilight, come on sweetie, time to wake up.”

“Too early. Go ‘way.” Twilight groaned, rolling over on the small bed. Her hooves came up, dragging the lavender blanket over her head as she struggled to return to her dreams. They had been lovely, quiet, happy things. It was just a white light, and a soft humming song that she could almost remember.

“Twilight, come on. Please?”

No. She is not using that tone this early. That should be outlawed. Nopony could resist her.

“Please Little One. For me.”

“Cadence, I hate you.”

“No you don’t. You love me. You hate mornings.” Twilight groaned into her pillow. Cadence was using her ‘I won’ voice, smug and content. She knew that Twilight would get up, now that she was moving. Besides, nopony could withstand her pout.

Grumbling and groaning, Twilight hauled herself upright, supporting herself with a hoof. The other hoof came up, rubbing at her eyes as the unicorn looked blearily about. It was just past dawn, only slightly earlier than when she would normally wake.

The bedroom she lay in was the same as it ever was, a simple bed lying in the small marble room. The walls were crammed with bookshelves wherever there was room. Actually, the only thing in the room other than books, and her bed was the small table resting by her bed. On the table were a few oddments. Just random miscellania she had collected over the years, such as a scale from a visiting dragon and a feather Shining said came from a cockatrice.

However, the most prized item there was a small candle. The same candle had sat on that small table for as long as Twilight could remember, an endless source of heat and comfort on the cold, dark nights. It had been a present from Princess Celestia, almost as soon as she had learned of Twilight’s nyctophobia. Considering the magical energy stored in those candles, it was one of the most valuable magical items in the Heart.

It was dearest to Twilight for another reason though. It meant that one more pony cared about her. Enough to notice her fear, cared enough to make her such a wonderful, powerful tool to fight back her terrors. She wasn’t the only pony to receive such gifts, she knew that. There had to be others. Princess Celestia was just so wonderfully kind to everypony. That was why she was so happy to be what amounted to little more than a servant. Princess Celestia was worth it, more than worth it.

“Come on, or do you want to miss it?” Cadence popped back into the room, bright and fresh as a daisy. Some ponies needed to learn that morning is not a time to be happy. But then, Cadence was seemingly an eternally effervescent unicorn, whom nothing daunted nor deterred. Something as minor as sleep would never factor into her world view.

“Miss what?” Twilight snorted as she rolled to her side, dropping off of the bed with a heavy clack of hooves on marble. Turning away from the bright smile of her friend, she slowly trudged to the window. Taking the curtains in her teeth, she dragged the heavy cloth closed, leaving only a sliver of light to illuminate the room beyond the small sphere lit by the candle.

“Well, breakfast for one. I can’t imagine what Princess Luna will be wearing today. Wasn’t she so pretty yesterday. Even Shining noticed. For a few seconds.” Cadence grinned, and flicked her tail through the air. It the hair slashed through the air with a quiet hiss, and Twilight was willing to bet that there would be a very colorful bruise somewhere on the stallion.

Twilight grinned. That was why she hated it when Cadence woke her up. No matter how determined she was to be discontent, Cadence always found a way to make her smile. Not that Cadence was any more of a morning pony.

Twilight tried not to shudder. Once, when Twilight was a filly, Cadence had been sick. Twilight had stayed up all night, afraid for her friends life, though it was only a passing flu as she later learned. What stood out most though, apart from the fear which sent her sobbing to the bedside of her friend, was what happened when Cadence had woken up. She had been terrifying to the small filly, opening one eye in a glare, and bodily tossing the small unicorn out of the room with a spell. Cadence was very much not a morning pony.

The difference was that usually Cadence woke far earlier than any pony in the Heart. At times Twilight wondered which woke first, Cadence or the Princess.

“Speaking of Shining, how is he doing?”

Twilight walked out of the room, and slowly into the small room adjoining it. There sat an impressive tub of water, already steaming in the shining copper basin. Taking slow steps up the small ladder leading to the rim, Twilight hopped in. The small wave of her entrance lapped at the sides of the tub, a small amount washing over the sides.

“Oh, well, he’s Shining Armor. He bumbles about, and can’t keep his eyes off of every mare in the Heart. But I know that his heart is in the right place. Would you like the water hotter?”

“No, thats fine, thank you Cadence.”

Twilight brought her hooves out of the water, pulling a bar of soap to her. She heard a splash as Cadence entered the bath as well, and sighed as the pink unicorn began to rub soap into her back with firm, hard strokes. Cadence had been trained by a pair of spa ponies in massage, a wonderful fact to which Twilight could attest. She would often return to their room aching after a long day of running messages throughout the Heart, or even more painful, of sitting hunched over a writing desk all day.

“Mmmm, harder please.” Twilight spoke in a throaty moan, moving so the copper sides of the tub pressed into her chest. Cadence moved to compensate, and now that Twilight was supported, her hooves ground into the tight knots of muscle in her friend.

“Little one, what were you doing yesterday? You are so stressed already, and I haven’t seen you this tight since that emergency Council meeting last year. Was Princess Luna making you do something stressful?” Her words came out hard, the bite of ice behind them as she worked the muscles loose.

“Ohhh, higher. Yes, there. Oh, don’t stop. No, she was wonderfully kind, she just -ow.” Cadence had changed position, and her hooves had pressed down on one of the heavy bruises hidden by the purple coat.

“Ow? Why ow? Did I hurt you little one?”

“Huh, oh, no, its just a bruise. Its nothing Cadence.”

“Bruise?” Cadence’s voice froze, her body ceasing its comforting rubbing along the back of the purple unicorn.

“I- Cadence, please. Its nothing. I’m fine, Princess Luna was just teaching me magic.”

“Magic? Luna is teaching you magic?”

“Princess Luna is, yes. I asked her, since you are almost always so busy.”

“I. Twilight, I-. Twilight, if you ever need something, anything, you need to tell me. I love you little one, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Twilight turned grinning at Cadence. “It’s okay. Besides, look at what I can do now.”

The grin slid away into a frown of concentration. Slowly, the glow of magical energy encased her horn, before swirling out, curling its wispy tail about the small bar of soap. The bar lifted into the air, and Cadence’s smile spread.

“Oh little one, that’s so wonderful. You learned how to do this in just a day?”

“Yeah, but it was really, CADENCE!”

As Twilight spoke, the sheath of magic surrounding both the soap and her horn began to flicker. She could feel the weakening power of the spell, and she could see the bar begin to quaver in the air. She began pushing more and more power into the spell, desperate to maintain the display of power.

With her shout though, the soap shot out of her telekinetic grip, rebounding off of the wall beside the mirror. The bar sped through the air, until it stopped abruptly with a smack on wet fur.

“Cadence, oh Light Cadence. I’m so sorry. Please, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“I, no. Its okay honey. I’m fine. Really.” Cadence choked out, her voice little more than a hiss. Her hoof came up, rubbing her eye.

“Oh Cadence your eye. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh its nothing Twilight. I’m so proud of how far you’ve come though. Now, ugh, now just let me finish washing your back.”

Twilight came running up the corridor, her fur still wet from the bath she had left moments ago. She slowed her gallop as she neared the wide wooden doors, each covered with curling leaves and vines of pure gold. As she walked, the morning air chilled her fur, leaving her cold as she calmly neared the doors.Halting before the doors, Twilight calmed her breathing, before stepping forward.

“You wanted to see me Princess?” Twilight asked, opening the door just enough to slip inside, and pulling it closed behind her. She stood patiently by the door, waiting for her Princess’s permission to enter the room proper.

“Yes, please come here Twilight.”

Princess Celestia sat at her desk, the wide wall of glass behind her shedding morning light onto the papers still stacked in the neat piles Twilight had left them in the night before. Her quill was held suspended, while the letter she had finished rolled itself into a tidy scroll. The scroll floated away, landing neatly atop a stack of similarly perfectly wrapped scrolls, completing an elongated pyramid as they did.

“Good morning Twilight Sparkle. What brings thee here on such a fine morning? Should not such a young mare remain outside, enjoying the weather?” Luna smirked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Oh, Princess Luna, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Twilight slid into a hasty bow, keeping her eyes on Princess Celestia as she did. “I want to thank you again for all of your help yesterday.”

“It was our pleasure to teach what we have learned over our long years. We are simply here at the request of Celestia. In fact, we would quite like to know our purpose as well. Why are we here Celestia?”

“Oh, I wished to speak with you Luna, and I did assign Twilight to look after you. I would like her to keep a very close eye on you over the next few days. After all, with your speech to the Council, every eligible stallion will be chasing after you. You can’t seem to favor one accidentally, so Twilight will act as a chaperone, or a liaison if you prefer.”

Princess Luna smiled as she turned to Twilight, rolling her eyes. “This seems quite convenient does it not Twilight Sparkle? That our visit happens to coincide with one of thine holidays.”

Celestia only smiled at her friend. The white alicorn slowly rose from her cushioned seat, walking slowly and soundlessly over to the unicorn standing by the door. Once she neared the purple mare, she leaned down, her great wings spreading to maintain her shifting balance. She came close to Twilight’s ear, smirking as she whispered.

“Unless you have an objection Twilight? Some special somepony to spend time with today?”

“Wha- I, um no.” Twilight muttered, her voice strangled as her cheeks flame. Her head ducks to the side staring at the floor where her reflection blushed back at her. “I don’t have a special somepo- Princess? What happened to your eye?”

“Hmm? Oh this? I‘m afraid I may have had an accident, and bumped my eye. It’s nothing to worry yourself over.” Celestia dismissed the concern with a wave of her hoof. “So you have no qualms about watching over Princess Luna on Hearts and Hooves day?”

“I, yes, of course I will. If thats alright with the Princess.”

“Oh we have no objections. We do not even know the meaning of this ‘Hearts and Hooves’ day. Tis some holiday yes?”

“I think I’ll leave you two alone to talk before the flood of suitors appear.”

And with that, Princess Celestia turned, wings still held wide, and walked over to the back wall of the room. The magically reinforced glass shimmered as she touched the tip of her horn to it, molding itself around her as she slowly stepped through it. Behind her, Twilight and Luna turned to each other, eyes flicking back to the window as the Princess of the Sun dove from the balcony.

“Err, she likes to go flying in the morning. She says it helps her relax and concentrate.”

“Hm? Oh yes. We do much the same, though our flights are guided by the light of the rising moon, not the sun. It is a marvelous method for clearing one’s mind.”

The pair lapsed into an awkward silence, neither knowing what to talk about. After several minutes of shy glances and throat clearing, Princess Luna spoke.

“Tell us Twilight. What is this ‘Hearts and Hooves Day’ Celestia spoke about?”

Twilight looked away again, still blushing. “Huh? Oh, Hearts and Hooves Day is the day where you and your special somepony do something together.”

“Special somepony? Dost thou mean thee hast a holiday just for lovers?” Luna asked, her brow creasing as she turned to the unicorn. Her head cocked to the side, sending her mane cascading down over her shoulder, haloing her face in its ethereal glow.

Now that Twilight thought about it, both of the Princesses were surrounded by a glow. It was a light which pulsed slowly, barely visible in the daylight. She had long ago noticed the aura which followed Princess Celestia about. It was a warm golden light, almost like that of a candle, or a small hearthfire, tame, and tender. The light emanating from Princess Luna was a silver halo, cold and serene, almost swallowed by the light of the sun.

“Oh, well, yes. Hearts and Hooves day is the day when you can just be with the pony you love all day, without worrying about anything.”

“Yes, we have something similar in Selene, though we celebrate Nightmare Night in the autumn.”

“Nightmare Night. Somehow I don’t think its the same thing. But we need to get going. You’re going to have suitors breaking down doors in about an hour. You need to be ready to meet them.”

“GET YER RUMP OUT OF MY KITCHEN!”

The shout was followed by a heavy ladle which clattered off of the wall behind Twilight as the unicorn ducked. The iron implement fell to the floor, leaving a trail of gravy sliding slowly down after it.

Following the arc of the ladle, Twilight dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a second projectile. While not her typical reception, it was not one unexpected given the ruler of the fragrant domain. The Colonel glared at her in black fury as he walked towards her, his small body bouncing with each forceful step.

“What in the bloody blue blazes are you doin’ here? If you don’t like the damn soup, THEN DON’T DRINK IT! I, oh, its you lass. What do you want? I’m busy.” The small sheeps tirade faltered once she came into view of his failing vision. Twilight always had been one of the few ponies the chef actually liked talking to, probably because she neither laughed at his stature, nor stayed in the kitchen long enough for her lack of culinary talent to annoy him.

“Oh, I’m actually here to beg a favor.”

“Hm? Oh. One moment.” Leaving Twilight standing in perplexed silence, the ram turned, rummaging through the cabinets behind him. His small posterior waved through the air as he searched deeper and deeper into the wooden storage compartment, and as it did the young ponies throughout the room struggled not to laugh. Twilight was not immune to the humor bobbing before her, even if she was better able to conceal her mirth.

“I left it in here somewhere. Dammit, there were thirty of the blasted things earlier, so where in the name. Of. Light, did they go.” The Colonel grunted, followed by a heavy clanging crash as what sounded like the entire content of the Heart’s kitchen came crashing down in the small cabinet.

“Come here you little -OW!”

There was one final stentorian crash, then a shout of triumph. The Colonel emerged, and at once, every pony in the room resumed their tasks, striving to go unnoticed. It was quite a feat considering how many of them were shaking and biting their lips to contain their laughter.

In the rams mouth was a wicker handle to a large basket. Covered with a checkered cloth, the parcel was malformed in places where the bulges promised goodies to whomever looked inside.

“Aye, here you go. Last one, so you best not be wasting it.”

“Um, thanks?”

“What? Didn’t you come for a picnic basket? Every year on Hearts and Hooves we get all sorts of moonstruck foals coming in, begging me for a gift for their ‘special somepony’. I started preparing the bloody things early just so the wee gomerals stay out of my kitchen.”

As the ram explained, he shoved Twilight gently towards the door. The unicorn began to blush feverishly. She tripped over the ladle as they neared the entrance, stumbling the last few steps to the door.

“Now get.”

He butted her lightly on the rump, sending her a few shuffling steps out into the shining hallway, before closing the door with a sharp snap. Once it was shut, she heard his bellows resume, screaming at some poor pony to clean up his station.

Twilight shook her head, before turning to the side and picking up the basket. Still blushing like a candle, she set off at a brisk pace, trying to ignore the stares of ponies as she passed.

The wicker left a dry, woody taste in her mouth as she slipped out the great doors to the Heart, each manned by a burly pegasus in golden battle armor. The guards nodded to her, almost a bow, and opened the thick oaken barriers.

The evening air was cool on her fur after the brisk walk to the doors. For a moment the purple unicorn simply stood there, letting the gentle breeze play across her fur. But as ever, duty calls. She shook herself and turned, passing through a small hedge arch.

Twilight slid through a small gap in the manicured hedges, stepping onto a winding path which lead away from the Heart. The path lead, as she had found to her delight as a filly, to a small pond rimming the northern edge of the Heart itself. In the center of the pond, rearing in majestic power was a carved statue of an alicorn.

The few ponies who ever found the small trail, and followed it to the pond thought that the statue was Princess Celestia. According to Cadence though, it was in fact Terra, the ancient ruler who had controlled both where Helios and Selene now stand, and more beyond. The alicorn was bound to the earth just as Princesses Celestia and Luna were bound to the sun and moon respectively. She was rumored to be more powerful than both Princesses together, able to forcibly rout the joint assault of ancient Ryais and Gryphonia.

It was Princess Celestia who had originally shown the pond and its silent guardian to Twilight in her youth. Ostensibly, she had been simply going for a walk, and wanted Twilight there to take note of the letters she was still dictating. The Princess had glanced about her as she left the Heart, and waited while the last pony passed out of sight. Then, before any more arrived she slipped onto the path, whispering to Twilight to follow her.

That had been a wonderful day, one of the few times Twilight had been left alone with Princess Celestia while not pressed for time before an appearance to her nobility. Now though, it was a different alicorn resting on the soft grass edging the pond.

After the last suitor left, Lord Blueblood of course, Twilight had approached the black Princess. She had looked ready to scream in frustration, something Twilight could well sympathize with. She had quietly asked the Princess if she would like to have dinner outside, alone.

“Princess?” Twilight called out, her voice drifting through the warm evening air, setting the basket on the ground. One black ear swiveled at the soft word, and Twilight could hear a small laugh. Luna lifted her head off of her crossed legs, showing a small smile to the unicorn, obviously exhausted.

“We thank thee for thine aid Twilight Sparkle. It was kind of thee to act thus.”

“Oh, um,” Twilight stammered, her cheeks burning as they so often did near the alicorn. “I just couldn’t leave you alone. I mean, I know what Blueblood is like, and the rest looked pretty much the same. I thought that you needed cheering up. Not that I could cheer you up! No, I just mean, I thought you would like some time alone.”

“Again, we thank you Twilight. You are most kind to us. It is not something we are accustomed to.” Luna turned, laying her head back on the cool grass. Her chest heaved a huge sigh, blowing out the hot breath over the grass. The small blades shifted under the force of the breath. They slid along against each other, rustling in the evening air.

“Would you like something to eat Princess?”

Twilight looked over the wicker handle. Princess Luna moved, turning her head just enough to see the attractive bulges distorting the checkered cloth draped over the mouth of the basket. She smiled at the sight, smoothly standing and walking over to the unicorn.

“Interesting.”

“Beg pardon Princess?”

Luna shook her head, smiling broadly at Twilight. “Oh, nothing Twilight. Come, let us eat.” Twilight found herself grinning in response, the infectious cheer of the Princess eliciting a smile from her as well.

“No, not like that.”

The stern voice froze Twilight. Her mouth hung open, barely an inch from the cloth. She had leaned in to remove the covering, and begin to lay out the dinner she had retrieved for the Princess.

“Use your magic Twilight.”

Her mouth shut with a small click as her teeth came together. She glanced back at Princess Luna, and found the mare smiling still. Twilight let out an exasperated huff, but the cool blue eyes were unmoved.

Gritting her teeth, Twilight concentrated. Her brow furrowed as she began to glare at the cloth, as if daring it not to move under her intense gaze. Slowly, a weak purple light began to surround the cloth, barely visible even in the low light of the evening.

It took several seconds, but gradually the light began to brighten. The rough edges of the spell, shown in the tattered extremities of the magical light, began to smooth out. until it flowed with gentle waves of power. Still the light continued to brighten, until it shed a pale light throughout the clearing, washing all colors in a delicate magenta.

The light surrounded Twilight as well, suffusing her face with the lavender glow. Her horn began to shine brighter, while the hue of the magic surrounding it deepened. Soon, a white light flared out, flashing bright into the cool air. The cloth lifted off of the basket, laying itself neatly upon the ground. It was followed instantly by the contents of the basket, all moving through the air gracefully, placing themselves in exactly the right positions, forming a neat little picnic.

“Very impressive. But you must remember not to waste power. You could have more easily and efficiently used your magic to move them one at a time.” Luna commended as Twilight let out the explosive breath she had been holding. The unicorn smiled a little, sagging with exhaustion.

“Thank you Princess, and I’m sorry, I’ll do better next time. Would you like anything else?” Her voice showed traces of the strain of moving so many things at once

“Only one thing. Would you care to join us Twilight Sparkle?”

Chapter Four

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The great oak doors which guarded the entrance to the Heart creaked open slowly. Leaving just enough space to slip inside, Twilight patted the stoic guardian of wood gently. Pushing lightly, she let the door swing shut with a small click as the latch fell into its place, securing the door.

With the small opening closed, the entry hall of the Heart was thrown into a murky gloom. Taking a deep breath, Twilight forced herself to calm. Her heart was beating a frantic tattoo in her chest as sweat began to bead along her brow.

Shuddering, Twilight took a step into the dark interior. Her hoof struck the marble floor with a sharp clop, and the unicorn froze. For a moment, Twilight remained motionless save for her heaving chest. Her shallow breaths were the only break in the silence of the hall other than the fading echo of her step.

The entry hall of the Heart was one of the oldest portions of the monolith. It had been made along with the Main Hall, the Dining Hall, and the eyrie in which Princess Celestia had later carved her chambers. It was a long room, staggeringly wide near the entrance. Near the exit, it narrowed sharply, funneling anypony trying to enter the Heart by force into a small area. In theory, a small complement of Earth Ponies and unicorns could hold off an army many tens of times their number.

Of course, the only time any creature had dared to storm the Heart, the dragons of Ryais had batted aside the guards as if they had been little more than statuary.

The Royal Helian Guard still had a force stationed within the Heart itself at all times though. Just after dawn, they would still be rousing their brothers in armor, and slowly trooping to the sparce meal the Colonel had prepared for them.

She had seen the bleary eyed stallions trudging towards the kitchens from time to time. Often while carrying a message for the Princess, or when fetching a special breakfast when Princess Celestia wished to avoid the court. They usually had a sleepy smile for her, followed inexorably by a yawn.

As the echo faded, Twilight relaxed slightly. Her body still trembled, but this time, her step was silent. Taking care to tread softly, Twilight made her way through the dark chamber. With each step, her confidence grew, and the next followed slightly faster. Soon, she was creeping along at nearly her normal pace.

Nearing her goal, Twilight sighed. Her body calmed, the shivering muscles beginning to relax as the glow from the many windows in the main hall flooded the entrance with light. Here, the darkness was no more than the shadow a tree cast in the afternoon, dim, but not dangerous. Her breath came easier now, and her steps regained a measure of their normal bounce.

“-telling you, she has to be his sister. You’ve seen how he acts around her Mint.”
The deep voice of the stallion froze Twilight for a moment. Now that she listened, she could hear the clinking jingle of golden armor as a pair of guards neared their post. The sharp, heavy tread of armored hooves standing as a counterpoint to his words. As Twilight struggled to think of a way out of this situation.

By both duty and tradition, it was the task of the Royal Guard to question anypony entering the Heart from dusk till dawn. There was no way that Twilight could explain why she was only now coming back into the Heart. If she did, it would not only be her reputation that would be ruined. Well, damaged, but that was not the point. Her own reputation was of little enough value to her, she would always be the Princess’s servant, no matter what the nobility thought of her. But it would call Princess Luna’s into question, which would be catastrophic.

“Why did you do this, you stupid, stupid foal!” Twilight harshly reproached herself in a whisper. She knew that it was only partially her fault, she had been left alone when she awoke. That was no excuse though, she had put Princess Luna in danger, however marginally, and Princess Celestia had specifically ordered her to take care of the visiting alicorn.

“Think about it Raindrops, there is no way they aren’t related. He follows her about like she's his wife, and then there’s that little unicorn whos always with them. Talk about daughter substitute. What was Shining thinking? Doesn’t he know what that tramp’s done?”

A female voice cut in, shrill and nasal. The voices were coming closer, and Twilight’s time was almost up. Deciding that it was her only chance, Twilight moved faster. She was sacrificing stealth for speed, but in a few seconds, the entire entry hall would be lit up like a courtyard at midday. When that happened, she needed to be in position.

“Come on. Cadance? A tramp? She doesn’t even look at stallions.”

“That’s right,” Twilight shuddered, the pair were almost at the gate. Taking a few last steps, she resolutely turned, and faced the black space. She could almost hear the change, as sound seemed to be trapped by the darkness. Her body once more began to tremble. “You were on duty when it happened. It was just after Princess Celestia left to visit Selene, remember? Cadance had a wild side to her then, when she was what, fifteen? About that anyway. She was sleeping with every stallion in the court. When their wives found out, they were furious, they even kicked their husbands out for a while. So, the slut gets pregnant, and nopony knows who the foals father was, or what happened to it. There were a few rumors going about, the usual stuff. Either she gave it to a family that couldn’t, or she sent it to an orphanage. Who cares? The point is-”

“Miss Sparkle?”

The masculine voice cut across his gossiping friend. “Miss Sparkle, are you well?”

Twilight remained motionless, staring at the darkness. Her body was shaking violently now, easily visible in the light spilling from the Great Hall. Still, she stared into that black abyss.

Then she felt a rough shove, and toppled. Gasping, Twilight's eyes focused on the world around her once more. A green unicorn clad in gleaming golden armor stood above her, while a blue stallion hovered worriedly nearby.

“Feeling better?” The nasal tone cut through Twilight’s lingering daze.

“Mint, there’s no need to be rough with her, she isn’t doing anything wrong.” Raindrops, Twilight assumed. The blue pegasus shuffled his wings, He was seemingly adverse to actually looking at her, instead staring at the floor off to his right. Twilight thought she could see a blush on his sharply defined face, but it might have just been the overwhelming light spilling in from the entryway.

“Kiss my flank ‘Drops. you know the rules. She’s trying to sneak in, and its our job to find out why.” Mint purred, sliding a hoof along Twilight’s side “By any means necessary.”

“Oh come on, she wasn’t coming in, were you Miss Sparkle?” Raindrops asked, looking over at the mare lying on the ground, blushing anew when he saw just where the green hoof of his fellow guard was rubbing.

For her part, Twilight lay there in silence while the unicorn came closer to the uncomfortable mare. She kept her head moving gently, swaying back and forth. Then she felt the pressure of the mare’s hoof move to her rump, smacking it lightly. Shaking her head, Twilight shook herself.

“Huh? I mean, no. I was... I was trying to.” Twilight trailed off, shakily regaining her footing.

“Trying to what? Waiting for me?” Mint leered at Twilight, a smoldering smile fixing itself to her confident lips.

The blue pegasus was now extremely uncomfortable, watching his partner flirt with the studious page. His wings were, obviously against his wishes, flittering about at his sides, as uncomfortable as the pony they were affixed to.

“Mint, stop it. She afraid of the dark, she was just trying to conquer her fear, weren’t you Miss?”

Still shaking, Twilight silently nodded her head to the guard. Mint let out an irritated huff, her hot breath blowing out across Twilight’s back. “Well, I still think that we should question her.”

“Please, I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I’m sorry.” Twilight mumbled, looking down at the floor once more.

“No, I’m sorry Miss Sparkle. Mint isn’t usually this... well, its just, I’m sorry. And so is she”

The pegasus growled, shooting an annoyed glance at his friend. For her part, the annoyed Mint gave a curt nod to Twilight. Then she turned away, pouting like a spoiled foal.

“Please Miss Sparkle, I know you have your reasons, but you really aren’t supposed to be here so early. Next time, please wait for one of the Guard to arrive. Okay?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble.” Twilight ducked her head, shuffling past the armored pony. As she passed Mint, she felt a stinging slap and the mare flicked her tail, hitting Twilight’s rump once more.

“And you know where I am if you ever want to.”

The blow made Twilight jump, half expected though it was. She hurried away, Mint’s chuckles resonating in the dark hall. They abruptly ceased as the sound of another smack echoed through the room, followed by a yelp.

In the light of the floor to ceiling window, Twilight smirked to herself, casting a parting glance over her shoulder. Mint was rubbing her armored flank, where Raindrop had evidently smacked her in retaliation. The two had resumed their bickering, though it was now low enough that the retreating Twilight could only catch their tones.

“Crisis averted.” She mumbled, chuckling to herself softly. With a smile, the mare set off, looking for the Great Hall, and the kitchens.

The creak of the the double doors echoed through the Dining Hall as Twilight slipped inside. With a hoof, she nudged the door closed, eliciting yet another groan from the ancient wooden barrier. Huffing, Twilight rolled her eyes. During the day, not a single hinge in the entire Heart so much as squeaked, but the moment she was trying to avoid notice, they do their damndest to give her away. Contrary things.

The light from the windows lining long walls of the Dining Hall was somewhat more diffused than that of the Great Hall itself. Set high on the stone walls, they shed what little light struck them into the room. Normally, the Hall was lit by either the rising sun or moon, the grand windows at the end of the hall showing the eastern sky in all its glory. Now though, only the barest sliver of light crested the Drake’s Pine mountains.

Dim though the hall might be, the glare of the rising sun still hurt Twilight’s sensitive eyes. The empty tables lining the hall gleamed in the light, their worn and polished surfaces reflecting the dawn. Where the light struck them, the dark oak shone a burnished bronze.

Twilight made her way along the edge of the hall, keeping a wary eye on the door she was heading towards. Set off to the side, the door to the kitchens was infamous for its habit of suddenly opening and releasing a swarm of cooks without notice. Though it was unlikely that they would be rushing to wait the tables and remove trays and platters to be cleaned, there was always the chance that an experimental recipe would send them running.

Once, while the Colonel had been ill, one pony had decided to prepare a dish from her home village. The earth pony was but one of many in the small farming community, and knew most of the folk recipes of her home. One of those recipes involved the careful cooking of dried corn kernels, so that the heat of the fire would cause them to pop. The white ‘popcorn’ was an amazing success, much to the consternation of a certain sheep.

The Colonel had demanded that she prepare him a sample, over the protests of the doctor who had assigned him uninterrupted bedrest while he recovered. Upon tasting the dish, he had promptly ordered every page within earshot to send word that there would be a ‘popcorn party’, and that they were to alert their lords, and all other pages they saw. Then he had told the young mare to make as much as she could.

As it turned out, one pony simply could not make enough to feed the many ponies who showed up to the new spectacle. So, enlisting the aid of more of the kitchen helpers, the young mare had set the timer on a bomb. Her hurried instructions, broken as they were by her own preparations, had been garbled and confused.

So when the ponies had followed them, they had created a monster. The miasma of burning corn, and the still more foul odor of the burning husks and cobs had sent everypony fleeing. They had burst out of the kitchen, followed by a black haze of billowing smoke, and barreled into the waiting ponies. What had followed was a general panic as ponies scrambled to escape the scent.

Twilight had been a witness to much of the happenings that day, assigned to help in the kitchens while Princess Celestia was away on diplomatic missions. The rest, like the accounts of the Colonels wide-eyed reaction to his first taste of the buttery, salty treat, she had gleaned from the young mare who had first made the popcorn. So, while the bright morning light heralded no ill tidings, Twilight still kept a wary eye on the door.

When she reached the wooden entrance, Twilight grinned anew. Through the soup-stained wood, she could just make out the sounds of the usual clatter of a kitchen. The unicorn stood for a moment, basking in the familiar, warm sounds of pots and pans banging about. Mixed with the occasional exclamation of delight of a loud, vehement curse. Business as usual in the Heart Kitchens.

Still grinning, she nosed the door open. She remained in place, as she slowly inched her head into the room.

“OY!”

Twilight pulled back sharply, though not fast enough to avoid the improvised porjectile as it struck her nose. Her eyes watered as she heard the offending spoon, the cause of her recent injury, bounce off of the floor.

“AND STAY OUT YA GREAT OAF! I TOLD YA I HAVE NA SEEN HER!”

One thing that would forever be a mystery for the royal maid, was just how a sheep of all ponies became such a deadly marksman. He could hit almost anything with a spoon. Twilight had once seen the old ram pin a carrot somepony had dropped to the door half an inch from their nose. The poor stallion had nearly wet himself when he finally realized why half of his styled mane lay at his hooves.

Now though, the Colonel had only hurled a spoon with deadly accuracy. And was stomping over to retrieve the wretched object. “Umm, Colonel? It’s Twilight, would you mind if I came in?”

“Huh? Oh. It’s you lass?” The black sheep asked, no longer bellowing at her. Opening the door slightly, one green eye appeared in the crack. “Why are you here so early in the morning?”

“Oh, I um. Well. I wanted breakfast early?” Twilight asked. Her cheeks warmed as the green eye rolled, before flicking up and down her length.

Suddenly, the ram burst into a rolling laugh. “Aye lass. Of course.” He chortled, opening the door just wide enough for Twilight to squeeze through. The mare obliged, slipping inside the room.

As usual, the first thing the unicorn noticed about the room was the heat shimmering in the air. Where the rest of the Heart was comfortable, if slightly chilly, the kitchens were almost painfully hot. The second sense to be overwhelmed was smell. It smelled absolutely divine in the large room. Smoke, and the thick scentl of cooking spinach filled the air, laced with spices, and the warm, wet odor of soup.

Squinting through the heavy steam that filled the room, Twilight could see the sheep’s rump bouncing off. Hurrying to keep pace, she followed as the Colonel weaved through the many ponies already hard at work. Here and there, a pony would pause in her duties, watching Twilight walk past with the oddly cheerful sheep. It was a sight that they were unfamiliar with, for even when the unicorn visited on occasion, the Colonel was never happy. He was always on the lookout for failure, berating his underlings like a tyrant.

Now though, rather than the harsh care, he was almost silent as he walked among them. He even complimented one mare on her stew, shocking the poor pegasus into dropping her ladle into the thick concoction.

“Ye’ll be wanting food no?”

“Yes please. It was a long night.”

The sheep paused, looking back at her as they neared his tidy workplace. Chuckling again, he patted her on the shoulder. “Yeah, I’ll just bet ye did lass.” He ignored Twilights confused glance, turning back to the spotless area in the far corner.

The only pony the Colonel would ever allow in his ‘Castle’ was the pink confector. Every other pony who tried was soundly booted out of the area, before being chased away by the many improvised weapons of the sheep.

While Twilight waited for the sheep to leave the forbidden zone, she looked around the room. It was never boring to stand and watch the hustle and bustle of the kitchen staff. There was never a sense of stillness to the heated air. Ponies moved to and fro, looking for implements, or bringing a sample for others to taste. Exclamations of delight greeted some spoons shoved roughly into a friends mouth, while others were met with spluttering coughs. Promptly after a moment of hacking, the pony would race off in a frantic search for anything to take the vile taste from their mouth.

Twilight grinned as yet another pony rushed to the barrel filled to the brim with fresh water, dunking his head beneath the surface. A moment later, he was shouldered aside as a grey mare plunged her own burning mouth into the water. Hearing a small cough, Twilight turned.

Standing just behind her, Twilight found the Colonel. And in his mouth like the gift given by the Light itself, was a small wicker basket covered with a checkered cloth. Actually, the basket did look familiar.

“Isn’t that the same basket you gave me yesterday?”

The sight of the basket sent a shiver reverberating along her spine. Had the Colonel seen her, sleeping beside Princess Luna?

While not ideal, if the sheep had been the one to find them then at least the damage would be minimal. He might tease her, and possibly the Princess in question, but the ram’s heart was in the right place. He would never betray his friend.

The Colonel rarely left the confines of his kitchen though. He even slept on the small cot in the corner, the only time Twilight had ever seen him in his actual bed was when the sheep had been ill. If somepony else had found them...

“Hm? Oh. Nay lass. Don’t worry about that thing, I had em made so the wee beasties could pull them apart. Use em ta make nests and the like. This is a new one. Ya wanted food aye?”

“Er, yes. Thank you Colonel, I was just, umm...” Twilight stammered, taking the proffered basket. She set it down beside her, and with a satisfied snort let the magic dissipate.

“Worried I’d seen ya with yer ‘friend’?” The sheep asked, grinning widely at the mare.

“Yes.”Twilight replied absently, pushing the covering cloth aside with her hoof. Inside, the bright orange skin of several carrots reflected the dim light of the room. “NO! I meant no.”

“Oh aye, o’course ya did lass. Proper mare like yerself, whatever could I be thinkin’? What with ya asking for a basket on ‘Hearts and Hooves’, and all.” The ram’s grin changed, until he was leering at the mare before him.

Twilight’s face returned to what was rapidly becoming its natural color of crimson. Her head ducked as she mumbled something that even she could not discern in denial of the Colonel’s jokes.

“Ah, come on lass. I didna mean it. Look around, I need sommat to make fun of around here.I can only think of so much about how Flip-Flop’s ears are different colors.”

That elicited a snorting laugh from the unicorn, though she had the decency to cover it with a hasty cough. The Colonel, never known for his social acuity, began to roar at his own humor. His laughter echoed throughout the room, stilling every pony who heard it. As one, thirty heads turned towards the chortling ram.

“WHAT ARE YE LOOKIN AT YE GREAT OAFS! BACK TO WORK!”

With a squeak, and again acting in unison, the heads swiftly ducked, returning to their tasks. Much quieter, the Colonel chuckled again, looking over at Twilight. “Go on lass. Make sure ye give my regards to the Princess.”

“Thank you, I will.”

Twilight smiled at the ram, before leaning down to the basket. Taking the handle between her teeth, the mare lifted the light load. Nodding her thanks once more, she made her way briskly through the ponies who were once more hard at work.

Once more in the Dining Hall, Twilight took a deep breath. Compared to the warmth within the kitchen, the breath touched her lungs with a cool, refreshing caress. Several of the windows had been opened, allowing fresh air to slowly trickle down into the room, and let in a few birds to partake in the feast soon to come.

It was a custom of the Heart to leave the windows open at breakfast and supper, and everypony was expected to share their meal with any birds who wandered in. It was a custom that tha local feathered fauna knew well, and had come to expect. They even seemed to take turns, forming neat lines before breakfast has even started.

It was a tradition that the Princess had started herself. For several weeks, a single bird had flown in through the windows which had been opened in the hopes of catching a summer breeze. It would wait on the sill of the window for a time, before beginning a slow, graceful descent.

It was until almost a week of research had been done in Twilight’s spare time that she had identified the bird. It was a male phoenix, a ‘fire-bird’, according to the Encyclopedia Avis. They were easily identifiable to anypony who had ever seen or heard of one, with his vibrant purple feathers and large tail. The tail was especially noticeable, as a shower of fiery sparks would follow the phoenix about as it flew.

The firebird would land on the shoulder of the Princess, and take a long draught of her drink before stealing some food and taking wing once more. Ever since, the Princess had asked that the windows be left ajar in the hope that the bird would one day return to her. Alas, only songbirds were seen this morning, plump and happy as they flitted from table to table in search of food.

Eventually a green one, which looked like little more than a ball with feathers, found a weakness in the armor. He fluttered his fat body over to a page who was hurrying to return with his lords seed bun. Feeling the weight of the bird on him, the page stopped, looking over his shoulder. He smiled, before carefully lifting a few seeds from the bun for the bird to eat.Chirping happily once more, the bird swallowed the seeds in a hurry.

As Twilight walked along the opposite wall of the room, she watched the spectacle with a chuckle. ‘Captain Jack’ was the name that the pages, maids, and other staff of the Heart had come to know the green ball. He was a charming little rascals when he wanted to be, and ate like a bird thrice his size.

Interestingly, the bird was no fatter now than he had been when he had arrived, in spite of the countless treats he had been given. When the fat little animal had first flown in, about a day after Princess Celestia allowed the birds free reign, he had charmed almost everypony. With the exception of Blueblood, and a few other lords and a lady with sticks up their... well, needless to say, the only ones who disliked the dashing sparrow were those whose opinions mattered very little.

Jack trilled on the ponies back, nuzzling the rust-red mane, before flitting off. The page smiled at the bird as it left, before reaching down for the bun. Which was when he noticed the chirping laughter coming from the other end of the hall. Seeing that the little devil had stolen the bun and left, the page groaned and began the search. Once found, Jack would happily relinquish his spoils, but the little rapscallion enjoyed mischief too much to pass an opportunity by.

That was what the green swallow was known for, apart from his girth and endearing personality. Without fail, he would play a prank upon anypony who let their guard down. To the bemusement of all involved, including the unfortunate mare herself afterward, Captain Jack had once built a nest modeled after a sailing ship. He had done this with only a few small twigs, a touch of honey, and the mane of an unsuspecting mare at dinner one night. Nopony mentioned to her what the rascle was doing until, just as Jack moved the last strand of hair detailing a wave breaking across the bow, and taken a bow himself.

The movement had sent a spasm through the diners nearby, each one of whom had been surreptitiously watching him work. At his flamboyance though, food and drink went flying as ponies began to roar with laughter. Startled by the apparently sourceless hilarity, the pegasus had swung her head about wildly, looking for the cause. The look on her face when she caught sight of her mane in one of the silver plates had made even Princess Celestia lose her composure. Twilight was already struggling to breath when the Princess had let out a chortle.

Eventually, Dawn Shadow had calmed herself. She even got a chuckle out of it once Jack had disassembled his masterpiece. From now on though, she wore a hat whenever a meal was served.

Lost in thought, Twilight jumped when she heard a polite cough nearby. She whirled, and found a small speckled pony beside her.

“Excuse me ma’am. I would not like to impose upon you, but may I please pass? My master desires his morning tea ma’am.”

Twilight froze, her eyebrows somewhere in the vicinity of the ceiling. The small pony had blotches of brown strewn across his coat, and one that looked like an eyepatch covering the left side of his face.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I was thinking about something else entirely. I didn’t mean to block your way.”

“No harm done miss. I believe that Master Blueblood will not notice the delay. He and his lady-friend should be occupied for a time. Would miss like some help?”

“No. Thank you, my gentlecolt.” Twilight said with a grin. “I think I should be the one helping you.”

She liked the colt, he had a strange sort of charm. While the precise manners were something often found in the court of Helios, this little pony seemed different. He actually seemed to genuinely mean what he was saying, rather than simply jumping through the civil hoops. It was refreshing to know that there were still ponies, colts especially, who meant it when they were polite.

“Oh no miss. I would never dream of imposing upon you. It was not your fault that you were lost in thought. I have heard many things about Miss, and that she is the most intelligent pony in the kingdom is but one. None of them mentioned the beauty Miss calls her own.” The small pony said with a smile. And once more, Twilight was struck by the oddity. It sounded like a speech that, well, Blueblood would make. When he wanted to, that stallion could charm the moon right from the sky. It wasn’t flirtatious though. Once again, it was a simple fact that the page believed without question. He honestly believed she was pretty.

For Twilight, that anypony would notice her for her own sake was a rarity. She had many ‘friends’ among the daughters of the nobility, each one trying in vain to weasel in near the Princess. They weren’t interested in her, only her position. But to call her beautiful...

Twilight couldn’t remember the last time anypony other than Cadance had commented on how she looked, and Cadance was like a sister, so she didn’t even count.

“Why, thank you good sir.” Twilight bobbed her head to the colt, her eyes shining with mirth and delight. “If it is not to forward of me, may I ask your name?”

“I am Pip ma’am. It is a great pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Pip bowed to her once more, before glancing out of the window. “I am sorry miss, but my master would be most upset if I were to delay any longer.” The foal hurried off towards the kitchen, and Twilight turned away.

Lighting her horn, she held the basket before her. Rummaging through it, she pulled out a long, crisp carrot.

Setting off along the Great Hall, Twilight chuckled to herself. She liked Pip, he was so sweet. Twilgiht was not exactly the... touchy-feely sort of mare. She would far rather be nestled with a book than near anypony, except maybe the Princess. But even she felt her heart tugged by the little foal. She wanted to just pick him up and cuddle with him, almost like she did with Smarty Pants when she was lonely.

She had a feeling that Pip would be more fun to play with than Smarty Pants. The little foal would be a fine stallion one day, and she was sure that he would make some mare very, very happy when he was.

Taking a bite of her prize, and maintaining her spell, Twilight set off once more. The sharp cruching bites of the carrot were the only sounds in the empty passage, echoing off of the walls as she walked along. With the clop of her hooves muffled by the thick carpet running along the center of the hall, there was silence between each bite.

Twilight and Cadance lived near the top of the Palace, for the sake of conviniece. Twilight would need to be there to wait on the Princess under normal circumstances, and with Cadance at the beck and call of the Helian ruler, it was just simpler.

Sadly, their perch near the peak of the megalith meant that it was a long walk between the entrance, and their rooms. Passing the newly restored carvings along the wall, Twilight hurried past the dark hall nearby. She was nearing her goal, and had a spring in her step.

Nibbling the last carrot, Twilight was almost skipping when she rounded the last corner. Once faced by the small hall in which her room was located, Twilight stopped. Here was where silence was paramount. Taking her hoof off of the crimson carpeting, she set it down softly on the stone. There was a small click as her hoof touched the marble, but one that the thick wooden doors would block.

With the same care, Twilight placed her other hooves slowly on the marble floor. Grinning, the mare began to move along the hall each step as silent as the first. Soon, she was standing before her door, and a grin split her face.

Twilight lit her horn, and carefully raised the latch. The door opened with only a whisper, and the mare slipped inside. She had done it. Now just to sneak into her bed.

Then, a voice issued from behind her, one that nearly froze the blood in her veins. It was one she had never heard before, in all the years she had known Cadance. It was pure, frigid, rage.

“Where were you.”

Breakfast that morning was, for Twilight, an ordeal. She sat in moody silence, only broken by the occasional vicious attacks of her fork on the green salad. It was after one such loud, jab that she felt a hoof come to rest on her shoulder.

Twisting in her seat, she glared at Shining Armor. His blue mane reflected the morning light in the sparsely populated Great Hall. As the last few ponies woke from a long sleep, and rose for their late breakfast. Obviously, Shining was not one of them. His uniform was starched and perfect, the red silk a sharp contrast to his impeccably white coat and mane.

“What?” Twilight snarled, stabbing her fork down again. It missed the metal plate, and bit hard into the oak table. She left the utensil there, held upright by the wood it had sunk into. Absently, Twilight noted she had struck along the grain of the wood, save for the last tine. The last metalic protrusion had slammed into the wood, just outside of the sudden curve of darker wood.

Twilight transferred her glare to the fork.

“Twilight. Listen, I need... Hey?”

Twilight continued to glare at the fork, oblivious to her friend’s words. Images flashed through her mind, and she could once again hear Cadence’s raised, furious voice.

“Twilight? TWILIGHT!”

The purple mare jerked out of her memory, to find Shining Armor only an inch from her face. She lurched back, scooting father down the smooth bench, away from the stallion.

“Dammit Twi, what in the name of Light and Dark is wrong with you?” The Captain asked, waving a hoof about. Looking where the stallion was pointing, Twilight blanched. The fork was still lodged in the table. The tines still showed a stark contrast to the dark wood. Now though, the metal handle of the fork was a twisted, half slagged mess.

She had taken the steel implement, and reduced it to so much scrap. Glancing around, she saw that nopony seemed to have noticed her outburst, and she hurriedly pried the metal from the wood. She tried to anyway. She had driven it in so deeply, that she didn’t seem able to retract the fork from the table. If she left it there though, it would be bound to raise several eyebrows, and many questions.

Shining sighed, and closed his eyes. His horn began to glow with a hard, white light, which slowly enveloped the fork. Then with a grunt of effort, he wrenched his head upwards, and the fork came out of the wood, landing with a small clatter on the plates of watercress nearby.

“You want to tell me why you are attempting to end the lives of innocent silverware?” He asked, arching one eyebrow as he looked down at her.

In answer, Twilight snorted, and grabbed another fork from the untouched plates nearby.

“Twilight. What’s wrong? Please, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

“I’m fine.”

“And I’m a timberwolf. What’s up? Is it something I did?”

“No.”

“What about Blueblood? I know he’s a mule, but you shouldn’t let him-”

“It wasn’t him. I told you, I’m fine.”

Shining rolled his eyes. Of course, he had chosen to be friends with the most obstinate, reclusive pony in Helios. Twilight might complain if she was on fire, if she had no legs, or eyes. Other than that, Twilight wouldn’t utter a word. Granted, his fiance wasn’t any more inclined to talk about anything bothering her, but at least he could bribe her.

“Listen Twilight. Listen” He repeated himself, snatching the second fork from the mare’s grasp. “You have got to tell me what’s bothering you. I hate seeing you like this, it makes me worried.” He paused, waiting until he was sure she was paying attention. Then he laid out his trump.

“And you make Cadence... Cadence?” He trailed off, noticing the sudden, rigid posture Twilight had adopted. Usually, once he mentioned the pink unicorn, all of the fight would leave Twilight, she would relax and talk to him. Not today apparently, today there was trouble in paradise.

“Did Cadence do something Twilight? Come on, tell me. Whatever she did, she cares about-”

“Thats. Just. It.” Twilight growled. “She cares so much. Like I was her precious baby ‘Twiliee’.”

“Twi, she just wants to pro-”

“SHE’S NOT MY MOTHER!” Twilight shrieked, bursting into sudden tears. Around the hall, every pony froze, turning to find the source of the scream. Twilight slammed her hoof down on the table, making the plates, bowls, and tableware all jump into the air, before falling with a clatter.

“Twilight! Twilight calm down.” Shining said, backing away from her. His eyes were wide as he looked into the lavender mare’s, seeing the raging inferno in her eyes. The tears streaming down her face were not those of sadness. They were of a helpless, boiling rage, so hot it drove the water from her. Around her, plates and spoons began to crumple, crushed in time with her banging hoof as she slammed it into the table over and over.

Shining steeled himself, and silently begged Celestia to forgive him for this. Then he strode forward with quick, powerful steps, and hit Twilight hard enough to send her sprawling.

She didn’t rise, and the shimmering power vanished, sending the many objects held in the mares telekinetic grip clattering to the ground. She lay on the hard, cold stone, and sobbed. Again and again she hit her hoof against the marble, though now there was no force behind the blows.

Shining walked over to her, and touched her shoulder. The small body shook as the young unicorn continued to cry, oblivious to the soft touch. Sighing, Shining sat down beside her, hugging her to him as warm tears still flowed from the purple eyes.

The guard Captain glared about him, and the curious onlookers hurriedly busied themselves. This late, even the most idle of the nobility had eaten, leaving only the servants and the odd guards-pony or two to finish whatever was left over from the early grand breakfast. Even the scraps of that meal were more than enough to feed every pony who so chose to eat, and they ate like royalty.

Fruits and vegetables, some of the best crops Helios had grown this season, lay on the ground nearby. Bruised and leaking juices, an apple rolled over to the white stallion. It came to a stop after rebounding from his hoof, leaving a wet, sticky residue where the white-yellow flash of the apple pressed into his fur.

“hmi” He heard Twilight say, voice mutilated by both her sobbing, and because he was hugging her close to him.

Shining pulled away, still holding the tearful mare. “What did you say Twi?”

“Why. Why does she have to act like that. Why can’t she let me grow up? Why... why did they leave.” She asked, her voice breaking on the last word. Tears once more streamed from her eyes, and she pressed herself into Shining once more.

Shining was at a loss. What could he possibly say to that? What wouldn’t make the situation worse? Twilight’s mother and father had been killed in a surprise attack by Gryphonia. Both of the unicorn healers had been slaughtered, along with almost half of the battalion. Princess Celestia had gone out to their post herself, the first to respond to the assault.

There she had found death, and the wounded remainder of the guards. The battalion had barely survived the attack, somehow managing to fight the gryphons back. And amidst this carnage, the Princess of the Sun strode. There, coated in the dust and surrounded by rubble, she had found an newborn filly.

She had named the unicorn Twilight Sparkle, and every soldier who died that day had been raised two ranks, while those civilians who had perished became minor nobility. The Sparkles, for their heroism and determination, had become essentially the same rank as such nobles as Blueblood, and Shining Armor himself.

Twilight knew that. She had known since she was old enough to first ask that question. It wasn’t a logical answer she wanted right now. She didn’t want an answer at all. Heartbreak is not something to be soothed with words, and the pain a foal feels for her lost parents is something nothing could mend.

So he didn’t say anything. He just held her while she sobbed and raged, until eventually she sniffled herself into silence.

As her tears slowly trailed away, Twilight pulled away. “I need to go. I’m supposed to help Princess Luna.”

Twilight turned, and walked out of the hall. For a moment, Shining sat on the floor, surrounded by the detritus of the mare tantrum. He had never figured out how both Twilight and Cadence could just bottle up their feelings. When he was upset, he spent the day putting the recruits through hell, and trudging through the mire with them.

“Mares.” He muttered, shaking his head.

“Enough of this. Tell us what it is that troubles you Twilight Sparkle, because Light preserve you should you sigh once more.”

Luna’s voice broke the silence of the library like the crack of a whip. Twilight flinched back at the sudden shift in the mood of the room. The small red book beside her slid from the cushion she lay on as her head swung to face the Princess.

“Well? Tell us.” Luna commanded, her eyes boring into Twilight’s.

Twilight and been very quiet that morning, and now it was late in the afternoon. With her attempts at genial conversation met with a stony wall of impeccably polite, dull responses. The only other sounds that that unicorn uttered were the increasingly melancholic sighs which had been irritating the Princess more and more. Each repetition of the cycle only added to her growing ire.

Now, it appeared that her fraying patience had finally reached its end. As her head swung about, her wings flared behind her beating at the air. Her green eyes seemed to glow, even through the warm light of the late afternoon.

Twilight twitched under that gaze, fidgeting in place. She felt trapped in the room, pinned beneath that gaze. “I, what do you mean Princess?”

“If we recall, we asked you why you insist on this wretched sighing. So, what ails you so much that you feel the need to express it to the world in great detail with such repetition?” The elder mare asked, her voice a growl as she continued to glare at Twilight.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I just... have a lot on my mind.”

Luna grunted, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. When her eyes opened they had lost that malevolent aura which had held Twilight in place. Looking back at the mare, Princess Luna found the unicorn with her eyes cast down, scratching at the floor with her hoof. The velvet cushion made a soft creaking sound as she leaned forward, until both of her front hooves rested on the tile. Still looking at the floor, Twilight stood.

“I’m sorry Princess. I didn’t mean to bother you.” She said, her voice oddly colorless. “I got into an argument with Cadance this morning. She wanted to know where I was, and we fought.”

“Twilight?” Princess Luna asked. Her soft voice was little more than a whisper in the empty room as she stared at the mare. “Was this argument... our fault?”

“No Princess. It was something we’ve needed to talk about for years.”

“We are sure that she meant no harm. She was only worried about your wellbeing, we are certain.”

“She. Is. Not. My. Mother.” Twilight snarled, her face contorting. She stamped a hoof hard against the stone floor, the golden shoe producing a clear ringing tone.

Twilight was fighting back the tears she had dammed this morning, feeling them well in her eyes as she brought her hoof down on the stone once more. She knew that she was not acting like an adult, that she was in fact acting like a petulant child. She didn’t care though. She was so angry at the pink unicorn. She wanted to scream.

She wanted to scream and scream and scream. She wanted to throw a tantrum, the one she had never indulged. She wanted to hurl the green vase against the wall nearby. She wanted to watch as the delicate craftsponyship splintered into hundreds of pieces before flying apart.

More than anything though, Twilight wanted what she had always wanted. She wanted what every foal wants. She wanted to be held and hugged. She wanted to have somepony to take her hoof when she was lost, and cuddle with her when she was scared. Twilight wanted her mother.

“We...” Luna began. Then she paused, and an odd glint entered her eyes. “We are sorry that you do not know your mother Twilight Sparkle. We know how difficult it is to grow up like that. We experienced a similar youth, though we still had our beloved father.

“We assure you that we understand your feelings Twilight, and that we are sorry that we hurt you, however inadvertently. It was not our place to insinuate that she is something that you do not think her to be. But can you tell us something Twilight?”

Twilight looked away, knowing that she should not glare at the Princess. It was her duty to help Princess Luna, that was what Princess Celestia had told her. Disturbing her rest was in no way helping the ancient mare. Twilight’s face twisted once more, and her hoof nudged the small red book.

“Twilight Sparkle. When we speak, it is your sworn duty to listen.” Twilight shivered. The cold voice was one that the Princess of the Night had not used with her before. It was the tone of icy authority which Princess Celestia reserved for criminals, and the council. It was the tone used when the pony knew that she was in power, and expected them to listen.

Slowly, her head rose, until she was looking at the mare’s hooves. “Are you paying attention?”

At the unicorn’s nod, Princess Luna continued. “Twilight, how long have you known Cadance.”

Twilight glanced up at the Princess for a moment, puzzled by the odd inflection she gave the name. Brushing that aside, she thought for a moment. “My entire life. She’s always been there.”

“In Helios, foals attend school do they not?”

“Of course they do.” Twilight was looking the alicorn in the face now, her earlier emotions sloughing away. Now her body only conveyed a wary curiosity as her mind sped ahead, seeking the method in the Princess’s questions.

“We are sure you were sometimes upset by this yes? Something being taught that you did not understand,” Luna paused, chuckling softly at Twilight’s snort of derision. “Or perhaps the cruel tricks of your classmates.”

That made Twilight pause. It was true enough. An orphan, and able to simply comprehend material far faster than her schoolmates, Twilight had not been very popular for anything but target practice. They had levied insults and sneers on her, jeering at her lack of parents and her inability to use magic. She had responded by diving into her books, studying in every spare moment. Soon, she was being taught things that ponies a year older were learning, then two.

She began to scare her teachers, the little purple unicorn filly who sat silently in the back of class. The only sound she would make the entire day would be to flip through her books, reading page after page on subjects more complicated than the teachers themselves could process. She was horrible at casting spells, so Twilight became an expert on magical theory. She wasn’t liked, so she began to study group dynamics and social behavior.

That didn’t stop their words from hurting though. She couldn’t remember the time when she had huddled behind her books after another day of ‘Twilight-bashing’. She would hide behind the tomes, and cry silently. She would pray for the day to end, beseeching the Light to take pity on her. When the bell finally rang to end class, Twilight was always the first out the door, anxious to escape her tormentors.

“What about when you hurt yourself, falling from a log outside, or down the stairs. Surely that must have happened to you once.”

Twilight shook her head, remembering all too well just how often she had fallen. She had little balance and no grace, so falling was a very real, and ever present danger. She was in more danger of tripping over her own four hooves than to forget than anything else.

“So tell us Twilight. Who was it who comforted you? Who was there for you whenever you needed help, be it a friendly voice or a shoulder to cry on?” Princess Luna’s eyes narrowed. Once more, Twilight felt trapped beneath that gaze.

This time though, it felt different. Before, the frosty stare had sent shivers of fear skittering along her back. This stare too sent shivers, but it was not frozen. Her eyes were no longer the alien, angered orbs they had been earlier. Now they were deeper, darker, with something that looked like worry and compassion in them. Like the Princess was actually worried about her.

The only other pony who looked like that was...

“Cadance.” Twilight breathed.

“Exactly. Twilight, you must accept that you will likely never know your parents names. You might pass your mother every day, and not know her at all. She could be a servant in the kitchens, or a lady at dinner. She may be truly deceased.

“But she does not matter Twilight. If she is not the pony who you turn to, the one to whom you know that you will always have a home, then that mare doesn’t deserve to be called your mother.” Luna stamped her silver shod hoof. For the black alicorn, it was a far more impressive gesture. It sent a loud crack throughout the room, making Twilight jump. Looking down, she could see that the blow had cracked a small portion of the hard stone.

“No mother would abandon her daughter Twilight Sparkle. No real mother would ever leave. So I must disagree with you. Cadance may not be the pony you always wanted as your mother. But she is a better mother to you than most are to the foals they bear.

“Can you truly say that you have not thought that you would want a mother who is kind, loving, and who will protect you?”

Twilight blushed, and shook her head mutely.

“And can you say that Cadance is not those things?”

Again, Twilight’s head shook.

“So tell us Twilight Sparkle. How can you think that she isn’t your mother?”

The Night Mare’s question hung heavy in the air as Twilight looked away. She could still feel the deep, powerful gaze of the alicorn.

“You said as much to her didn’t you?” The voice of the Princess lost its tone of command, dropping into a softer voice. “You told her she wasn’t your mother.”

Twilight’s eyes watered, her head nodding. “Yes. Oh Light. I did. I was so angry. I didn’t, I should have-”

“Shh. Listen to us for a few moments longer Twilight. There are two more things you must know before we take our leave for the night. The first, and most important is this. You MUST speak with Cadance. You cannot let this fester, and become the rot which destroys your friendship. I am sure she loves you Twilight Sparkle, just as you love her. You need to talk to her, and tell her how you truly feel. Apologize to her, because she does not deserve to be treated so harshly. We are certain that she has hurt you as well. Tell her, both what she said, and how you feel. And most important of all, tell her that you love her. we can see it in your eyes Twilight. You do.”

Twilight’s eyes closed, and the tears were forced out. Two tracks of dark fur marked their passage, before the mare smiled.

“I will.” She said, looking up. “Thank you Princess. What else were you going to say?”

“Oh, we are leaving for a time. We must return to Selene, and confirm our choice in our marriage.” The black pony winked at Twilight. “We expect that the Council will have no objections though. We hope that soon we shall make one pony very very happy. Goodbye Twilight Sparkle. We hope that we shall see you soon. And remember our advice. Speak to her Twilight. To your mother.”

Chapter Five

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“Thank you for your report Captain Soarin’. We will take this breach of protocol very seriously. I can assure you, we will make all relevant investigations and proceed accordingly.”

The pegasus captain bowed. Clad in his blue and gold flightsuit, the Captain of the Wonderbolts stood in the light of the shining sun. “Thank you, your Majesty. I would not bring this to you had I can’t do anything about the boy myself. I apologize for causing you any inconvenience.”

“Oh, nonsense Soarin’. You know that I expect nothing less than the very best from my Wonderbolts. You are our elite flying squad after all. Even if Thunder Lane's father is unhappy, he will not challenge my decision. You need fear no retribution from that quarter. I would like for you to keep me informed about the young mare however.” The Princess smiled down from her cushioned throne.

It was nearing midday, and the entirety of the Throne Room was lit by the broken light of the sun far overhead. Largely blocked by the monumental shadow cast by the Heart itself, the chamber rested in a dim shade during the hottest hours of the day. Ample illumination filtered in through the enchanted windows lining the Heart, without the blinding glare one would expect at this time of day.

Beside the Princess, once more ensconced on the small velvet cushion behind the throne, Twilight was taking quick, neat notes. The small roll of parchment would be the official transcript of the meeting. Ever since she had been old enough to write neatly and swiftly, the mare had been sitting at the Princess’s side during her daily audience. She would record everything said by anypony who arrived, from their name, to their complaint, and the details of their difficulty.

Even Soarin’, the Captain of Helios’ elite pegasus corp, wasn’t afraid to come before the Princess. Today, the masterful flier had come to ask for her aid in dealing with a recalcitrant, but very well connected pegasus. . They were commonly held to be the best fliers in the entire world. They only had one rival for that claim, the Selene mirror of their group, the Shadowbolts. Between the two, neither gryphon nor dragon maintained true aerial dominance. In the air, they were elegant, powerful, and fast almost beyond belief.

“Spitfire ma’am? I will, and gladly. She’s a pleasure to watch, if you feel so inclined. I’ve never seen anypony fly so well in my life, and I’d wager you’d say the same. After all, I’m not getting any younger Princess. Need a replacement soon.” Soarin’ chuckled, stretching his wings slowly.

“I’m sure you’ll be fit and flying for years to come Soarin’, but I will keep that in mind. Thank you again for bringing your concern to me.” At the slight inclination of the alicorn’s head, Soarin’ bowed once more, before turning and leaving the nearly empty chamber.

Once the pegasus had left, escorted out by a pair of armor clad guards, the Princess sighed softly. “Who is next?”

Twilight continued writing for a moment, her elegant scrawl noting the end of the meeting. With a final looping -Fin, Twilight looked up. After a moment of thought, Twilight nodded to herself as she checked the scrolls contents. Rolling the scroll into a tidy little bundle, she bound it with a small piece of twine and set it on the growing pile beside her.

Each record would have to be opened later, read, and copied by one of the scribes employed by the Heart. Then a copy would be sent to the archive, one to the pony who spoke with the Princess, and the final would be given to the Princess herself.

Once they had been copied, the scrolls would be sealed with one of the many magical wards that the scribes were trained in the use of. It would prevent the parchment from being damaged in any way until the seal was broken, and would act as authenticity on any document which was delivered. The seals on the copies in the archive and in Princess Celestia’s personal library also had an added enchantment, which allowed them to be summoned with nothing more than a simple cantrip and the thought of what the scroll contained.

To her left, a far smaller pile rested. This pile was the assembled appointments which had already been arranged for the day, and the Princess’s schedule for the day. While the audience was open to anypony who believed that they had a relevant problem, most chose to arrange an appointment beforehand. Lighting her horn, Twilight lifted the day’s schedule from the pile.

Scanning the list, Twilight check off “Meeting with Soarin (Wonderbolts)- Thunderlane disciplinary action”. The next item on the list nearly made the mare groan aloud. “Lunch Meeting with Blueblood-Eligibility for Marriage-Macintosh Apple (Big Macintosh (Big Mac))”

Glancing over, Twilight saw that the scroll for Blueblood’s meeting was the only one remaining. Quietly, the mare stood and slowly stretched. Her back gave a small series of soft, pleasurable pops as her back arched.

Taking the scroll gently into her mouth, the unicorn trotted forward. Her golden shoes chimed on the marble floor, echoing after each of her light steps. She lay the scroll on the arm of the golden throne, glancing up at the Princess.

Princess Celestia sighed deeply, letting her head hang for a moment. Shaking herself softly, the mare looked up at Twilight and smiled wearily. “I am fine Twilight. A little tired perhaps, but well enough. I would be very grateful if you would bring me some tea though.”

Cocking her head to the side at the odd tone, Twilight nodded slowly. The mare turned, and trotted to the door. As she reached the door leading to the Great Hall, she heard a sigh. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the Princess stand, and stretch her wings.

Stepping out into the hall, she glanced at the guards standing on either side of the elegant wooden barricade. “The Princess is not to be disturbed until I return. Tell Blueblood that he can wait until she is done.”

“Yes Miss Sparkle.” Both guards replied in unison, their low voices melding. They straightened slightly at the glare the mare leveled at them, smiling slightly. Twilight found herself smiling as well, flicking her tail as she turned. Then she set off down the hall, towards the kitchens and the Princess’s tea.

At midday, the Heart was almost empty. Most of the nobility were at their nearby estates, being waited on hoof and horn by their servants, bemoaning the heat. The only ponies who chose to remain at the monolith were those with business there, or those who lived within the Heart itself.

So the only ponies that Twilight passed on her way to the kitchens were a pair of armored guards heading to replace those standing outside of the Throne Room. Twilight nodded to them, and repeated her instructions. After another short series of “Yes ma’am”s, she trotted off.

The Heart was one of the only things in Helios that was greatly decorated. Over the many years since the day Princess Celestia had pulled the Heart from the bones of the earth, a select few ponies from across the country had left their mark on the ancient stone walls. Those who had chosen to remain in Helios rather than Selene were often shunned and ignored, seen as a soft touch and one to whom real work was foreign. So while Helios was far older than her sister nation, only a few ponies has actually carved their craft into the walls of their capital.

One of those ponies had been the famous Bloodmane, the half mad sculptor who took it as his mission in life to record the bloody past and carve it horrific visions forever into the stone. Of the handful of sculptors to work throughout the centuries long history of the Heart, Bloodmane had been by far the most prolific. From bas relief depictions of some of the greatest battles in Helian history, to smooth marble statues of ponies rearing in armor, his art covered the halls.

But though Bloodmane’s work was by far the most common sight in the winding marble halls, it was not Twilight’s favorite. Twilight, like the Princess she served, prefered the work of a young earth pony named Milk Thistle.

Milk Thistle was a young mare almost two hundred years ago, and she had carved the most beautiful statues that Twilight had ever seen. She had only created a paltry few works compared to Bloodmane, but while he had a lifetime, she had only ten years to carve the many beatific statues which earned her a special place in the Princess’s Heart.

What Milk Thistle was known for above all were her ‘Reflection Halls’. The mare believed that in every ponies life, there were times when things were just too much to handle. At those times, her mother had always told her to go outside, and just enjoy nature. To listen to the wind, the water, to feel the earth and the warmth of the sun.

That was reflected in her art. She had carved several halls within the Heart, carving them from the living stone where before there had been nothing. They were in small, out of the way places, removed from the bustle of everyday life. There were places where a pony could go to think, or merely to forget themselves for a time. In the Hall of Wind, placed near the peak of the Heart and surrounded on all sides by windows, chimes and whistles sang a melody as the wind rushed past. In the Hall of Fire, embers and flames crackled as they leapt from a dragons maw, or fell from a phoenix tail.

The Hall of Earth, of Day, of Night, of Chaos and of Harmony, and Twilight’s favorite, the Hall of Water. All eight of the halls were beautiful in their own way, bit Twilight’s special favorite was the Hall of Water. It was a hall carved near the kitchens, both places drawing their almost limitless water from the same springfed cistern near the base of the stone palace.

The Hall of Water was, with the Halls of Earth and Night, one of the few that was not lit by the many windows lining the Heart. While the Hall of Earth was buried deep within the Heart, and the Hall of Night was dimly lit for obvious reasons, The Hall of Water lacked windows simply because of the crowded confines.

Fountains, statues, cascades, and many small pools lined the Hall. Once she was dismissed by the Princess, Twilight would sometimes spend hours in the secluded place. She would simply lie on the marble floor, on one of the many cushions placed neatly along the hallway, and read. The flickering light of the candles within the hall, and whatever light found its way along the hall from the outside, provided ample illumination. Between that and the shimmering reflections shining on the ceiling, the Hall of Water was probably one of the most well lit areas of the Heart.

Between the sense of the overpowering tranquility given off by the flowing liquid, and the shimmering lights, the Hall of Water was a place that Twilight frequented. She would find one of the many soft pillows stashed about the hall, and drag it over to whichever fountain struck her fancy. Then she would curl up with her book, and lose herself in the written word. The pitter of the water’s flow would lull her into a pleasant trance, and her problems would seem to melt away.

If there was ever a time she wanted to lose herself for a moment, now would be it. Cadance was furious with her, and rightly so. Twilight felt horrible for hurting her so, though she was not arrogant enough to believe that the entire farce was her own fault. No, she certainly carried blame, but so did Cadance. The mare should have at least listened to her before attacking Twilight.

Sighing once more, Twilight glanced to her right. The Hall of Water stood only a few short steps away, gurgling and murmuring enticingly. Biting her lip as she thought, Twilight glanced down the winding Great Hall towards the Dining Hall and the kitchens. The Princess had asked her for tea.

And she would get her tea. After Twilight took a moment to relax. She would be no good to the Princess so worried. The white alicorn already seemed short with her since Princess Luna left, though Twilight could think of nothing that she had done to earn the cold shoulder. Nonetheless, Princess Celestia seemed more distant now, like a wall had come between them.

Nodding curtly to herself, Twilight strode forward. Clearing her mind, and her face, she stepped lightly into the Hall of Water.

As soon as she did, the curious acoustics of the hall dampened the sounds of the outside world. As always, the shift brought a smile to Twilight. Milk Thistle had been brilliant, designing not only works of marvelous beauty, but for her almost preternatural understanding of shapes and how they could be used. Each of the Halls were different, in shape, placement and length. Yet each of them had this same effect. Had she not checked, Twilight would have believed that nothing but magic could had produced an effect so... magical.

As well as quieting the outside world, the curious construction seemed to cause the air to reverberate with the splashing of the many waterworks. The sounds seemed to come from everywhere at once, above and behind, below and ahead. They all seemed to be whispering in her ears, covering everything with their quiet murmuring trickle.

Twilight sighed happily, already feeling her mind calm. Then, she heard the faintest trace of another sound. Her ears flicked forward, swiveling to find the sound once more.

Taking a careful step forward, the soft clipped clop of her golden hoof on the tile caused something nearby to shift. Turning her head to the sound, Twilight heard the quiet sound of what seemed to be...

Crying. Somepony was crying. Doubtless, they had come to the Hall thinking that nopony would hear them over the water. They had come to be alone, and would most likely like it much more if she simply walked away. They didn’t want to be seen like this.

Even while her mind was busy with this analysis, Twilight strode closer to the source. It was hidden by one of the supple statues of a mare clad in bizarre armor. Inching her head close, Twilight craned her neck around the scales and fins covering the mare.

It was the colt she had met last week, curled in his blue page’s uniform. His back was pressed against the curved border of a small waterfall, the trickling stream of water breaking the sound of his quiet sadness.

Twilight froze at the sight, watching his small body shake as another sob wracked him. “Are you okay?” Twilight asked quietly, and could have kicked herself. Of course the colt wasn’t okay. He was more than obviously very much the opposite. “Err, that isn’t right. What I meant to say was, can I help at all?”

The colt had stopped crying the moment Twilight had spoken, his eyes flying open and finding hers. After a few sniffles and what sounded suspiciously like a hiccup, the page wiped his eyes with a hoof.

“Oh, oh no ma’am. I apologize Miss, I should not have disturbed your rest.” He looked away now, his eyes fastening on the golden shoes adorning Twilight’s hooves.

“Don’t be silly.” Twilight mumbled, blushing lightly. “You didn’t disturb me.”

Then, Twilight’s voice firmed. “And just because you are sad doesn’t mean you have to hide it. I...”

Twilight trailed off, trying to think about what she was doing. She shouldn’t even be here, she was sent to fetch tea. She still had to do that. Was there any way that she could help the little pony though?

“Only one way to find out.” She mumbled to herself.

“What was that Miss?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind. How would like to come with me? I’ll get you something to eat, and then you can tell me what's wrong if you want.”

“Miss, you truly needn’t bother. I am much better now ma’am, and I would hate to impose upon you.” Pip said, ducking his head close to the table. The pair were at one of the long wooden tables lining the Dining Hall, near the entrance to the kitchen Twilight had exited only a few moments ago.

“Pip, I’ve told you before. You can just call me Twilight. Ma’am makes me sound old, and Miss is something you call somepony important. I mean, I’m a maid. I might serve the Princess, but you and I do much of the same work, I’m sure.”

“Oh no Miss. Lord Blueblood says that I must always address nobles as such.”

“Well, Blueblood is a pompous ass!” Twilight snarled, her face darkening for a moment. Pip looked alarmed at the obvious loathing, and Twilight struggled to clear her visage. “No, I shouldn’t say that, I’m sorry. I was insulting the poor mules.”

Twilights last comment went unheard as she muttered it under her breath. Pip blushed though, stammering his apologies.

“I didn’t mean to imply that Miss was wrong! I was only trying to explain how I have been taught ma’am. I meant no insult to you. I am most sorry Miss.”

“Please just call me Twilight.” The mare sighed, shaking her head slowly. “Anyway, I brought you here to eat Pip. Go on, I promise you that nopony will miss is.”

Twilight nudged the gilt tray bearing a small meal closer to the colt. The tray was something she had lifted off of the Colonel’s hooves. When the unicorn had walked into the kitchen, and dodged the almost instantaneous attacks of the little sheep, she had asked for a tray with a light lunch. Without so much as a sideways glance, the ram had pulled together a rather appetizing platter of a small sandwich and a much larger pile of hay fries.

He had tipped those last onto the tray with a wink, saying that they were his treat. It was a well known fact that Twilight adored the fried treats, as anypony who had seen her eat them could attest. While normally at least civil while dining, the mare became little better than one of the barbaric gryphons near the treats. She had almost taken Shining’s hoof off at the knee when he had come between her and the fries last night at dinner. During fry-days, everypony who lived at the Heart had quickly learned to avoid them like the plague, lest a wrathful unicorn fall upon them.

Even Princess Celestia left them alone, though that was likely more from the amusement she garnered from watching her maid snarl and horde her treasure like a dragon than anything else.

Today though, seeing the avarice in the smaller ponies gaze, Twilight relented slightly. “Here.” She grumbled, nudging a small portion of the fries over to the colt.

“I, oh no Miss. I could not. I simply could not deprive Miss of her treat, for I know how Miss enjoys them so.” Pip’s humble voice sounded. Looking at the table as his patchwork coat darkened in a blush, Pip gently pushed them back towards the mare.

“Look, I’m not any more important than you are. So stop with the ‘Miss’ and ‘Ma’am’ with me, okay? I’m Twilight Sparkle, and I’m a servant just like you are. So, ‘sir’,” Pip winced slightly at the heavy sarcasm in the mare’s voice. “Do we have an understanding?”

For a moment, Pip struggled to speak. Finally though, he nodded.

“Good, now eat up, you’ve been staring at that like an earth pony at supper.” Twilight chuckled at the mortified look Pip threw at her, blushing furiously. The unicorn lifted a hayfry slowly with her magic, nibbling on the end.

Hesitantly, Pip leaned in to eat. To Twilight’s surprise, the little pony was a very dainty eater. After separating all of the fries from the sandwich, before taking small, controlled bites. Chewing thoroughly, the colt would swallow, glance up at Twilight, and seeing her smile take another bite.

Watching him eat, something niggled at the edge of Twilight’s mind. The colt reminded her of something. Not a pony, she knew that until last week she had never seen the earth pony. Still, Pip had an air about him that was familiar, something lurking beneath the manners and polite conversation.

Lured by his seemingly magical talent for finding food, Jack flitted down from the ceiling. The little sparrow hopped along the table, trilling happily. The adorably fat little bird had already eaten well today, Twilight had fed him almost half of her own breakfast. Even assuming that she was the only one to feed the sparrow, which was incorrect regardless, the portion Twilight had given him would be more than enough for him today.

Which meant that Jack wasn’t so much hungry, but lonely. Twilight grinned as the feathered feind fluffed himself up, trying to intimidate her. Instead, the puffy feathers did nothing but turn him into a green ball with feet. Only the tip of his beak could be seen through the puffed up feathers, and Twilight giggled as the sparrow hopped in what he plainly thought to be an intimidating fashion.

Her laughter seemed to deflate the bird, and his feathers slicked down once more. The petulant look he threw at her made Twilight giggle once more. The bird winked at her, before craftily picking up a fry and hopping instantly away. Chirping his own laughter, Jack joined Twilight in her merriment, finally eliciting a laugh from the pony behind him.

Pip was chuckling quietly, looking at the bird. “He is a very spirited bird is he not? Is he a friend of your Miss?”

Pip quailed under the annoyed gaze Twilight leveled on him, tired of being addressed like this. Pip look mortified, squeaking out “Miss Sparkle. may I please call you Miss Sparkle?”

Twilight sighed and nodded. “I suppose. At least you are using part of my name. Watch out.”

Her bored warning, and slow wave of her hoof sent Pip’s gaze flying back to the sparrow. Jack had been taking advantage of the distraction of his mark to sneak closer to his tray. As he looked down, searching for the bird, Pip’s legs pulled the tray close to him in embattled reflex. He hugged the sandwich to himself, glaring at the bird sharply enough that even the roguish Jack took a few short hops back.

After only a moment, the colt realized how he was acting, and smiled apologetically at the bird. He held out a small piece of his sandwich gently, giggling as the bird immediately snatched it away.

Twilight had seen it though. She knew that she recognized the way the colt carried himself.

“So Pip, can I ask you something?”

“Oh, of course Miss Sparkle. How may I help you?”

“How long have you been in Blueblood service?”

“Three years this winter ma’am.”

“Pip, does he mistreat you? Is that why you were crying?”

Pip ducked his head, hunching his shoulders high . “I, he...”

“My little pony,” Twilight said, borrowing both the phrase, and the tone of gentle compassion from the Princess. “Please. I promise you, I won’t be angry at you, nor will he, no matter what you say.”

“Miss Sparkle I... Yes.” Pip blushed, looking down again. Jack, cheerfully oblivious to the somber turn in the conversation was still happily pilfering small pieces of the colt’s sandwich. ”He had a lady friend stay with him last night Ma’am. They wanted me to attend them all night Miss.”

Twilight could feel her jaw tense. A lady friend? All that meant was that the chauvinistic pig had taken a fancy to one of the sycophantic layabout who trailed after him. She kept her voice calm though. It was not Pip’s fault that Blueblood was an ass.

“And?”

“I, they kept me running Miss Sparkle. Fetching this or that, or bringing one of their other friends to join them. It is not new, I am more than used to it. But this time they didn’t stop. They did that all night ma’am, demanding that I find this or that. And then, in the morning... I am sorry for disturbing you Miss. I was just so tired from the night before, and so hungry...”

His voice trailed away, and Twilight had to work to control herself. “Pip. Does he feed you?”

Once more, the colt looked away, mumbling something.

“What did you say? Pip, this is important, I need to know.” Twilight repeated herself, but this time the soft tone was calcifying. If she was right, then she would soon be very, very angry, and Blueblood...

Well, he would be very, very sorry.

“Yes ma’am. He give Pip breakfast every day.”

“Take off your vest.”

“Miss?”

“Take it off Pip, I need to see.”

Obviously confused, the earth pony did. With a small grunt, he pulled the soft cloth over his head, and Twilight could feel her temper flare.

The colt was thin, almost to the point of emaciation. He had obviously been fed the bare minimum to keep him useful, drained of energy and sleep by the ruthless hours that Blueblood undoubtedly held him too.

“M-Miss?” Pip asked, his voice shaking. Jack too had backed away slowly, seeing the shaking mare.

“That little bastard is not getting away with this.”

Twilight’s growl made Pip cower back. Seeing the small pony, shaking as he looked at her calmed Twilight slightly. It was not his fault, in any way. It would be wrong of her to treat him with anger.

Twilight stood suddenly. Her hooves hit the stone with another ringing chime, and she looked over at the bird. “Jack, you can have what’s left. Your friends can join you. Pip, come with me.”

“But Miss! Your tea, and I must return to my duties soon. I-”

“Forget them, and come with me Pip. Don’t worry about your duties. I’m going to be having a nice little chat with Blueblood.”

“Wait here, until I call you inside.” Twilight told Pip, standing before the carved doors to the Throne Room. A sharp nod from both guards stationed beside the door assured her that they understood that he was not to be disturbed, nor was the Princess. Taking a moment, Twilight calmed her expression, checking it in the reflective stone floor.

Satisfied that she no longer looked ready to rip someone's head off, Twilight took a deep breath and opened the ornate doors. They slid open soundlessly, likely thanks more to the background noise than to any especial lubrication in their own right.

Twilight stepped inside the room quietly, the chime of her hooves muffled by the plush red carpet. The carpet itself was the color of good wine, full and strong. In fact, unless Twilight was very much mistaken, the carpet was wine-died to ensure the color of the dye remained true. The red expanse extended from the doors all the way to the foot of the stairs leading to the raised dais where the Princess sat.

As was customary, Blueblood stood where anypony petitioning the Princess stood, at the foot of the short stair. As the door’s latch clicked closed behind Twilight, the noblepony turned. A small sneer crossed his face, and he called out to her.

“Well, well, well. What have we here? A maid shirking her duties? Tisk tisk, such a breach. It is a wonder that the Princess is so fond of your obvious negligence.”

Facing Twilight as he was, Blueblood could not see the sharp glance Princess Celestia shot him. The Princess knew that there was nothing she could do about Blueblood’s attack on her servant though. There was no break in his etiquette, and he had a point.

“Twilight, why are you so tardy, and why have you not returned with the tea I sent you for?” The Princess asked. Her tone wasn’t sharp, but neither did it bode well if Twilight did not provide a satisfactory answer, and quickly. At the words of the royal mare, Blueblood’s sneer became something positively predatory.

“I apologize Princess. An urgent matter distracted me, one which I would like to bring forward as a formal complaint.”

Twilight had to force herself not to smile as she watched the sneer slide from Blueblood’s face. The pony looked livid at her announcement, and took no time in making the fact known.

“Yes, I am sure that your quest to save the endangered book has taken a new turn for the worst.” The lord drawled. “But you will have to wait to bring your ‘problem’ before the Princess. As she was very busy with her scheduled appointment before you so rudely interrupted.”

The stallion turned, facing the Princess once more. “As I was saying your Majesty, I cannot see how this uneducated farmer could make a possible ruler for a country. I have met the stallion, and I can assure you that he is nothing more than a brute. He can’t string more than five words together, and often far less. How can he present law and rule when he is obviously deficient? I am sure that Princess Luna will be more than capable of supporting him, but...”

The speech of the misogynistic stallion was cut short by Twilight, who had walked up next to him during his expostulations. Twilight had seen the white unicorn deliver a speech before. He would preen and hold a hoof to his chest, eyes closed, attempting to appear important. Twilight also knew the Princess well, having been beside her for years. So while Blueblood might not have noticed the tightening around the alicorn’s eyes, Twilight could tell that the Princess was rapidly losing patience with the stallion.

This was not the first time Blueblood had scheduled a meeting with the Princess. Almost daily in the week since Princess Luna’s sudden departure for Selene, the pompous stallion had been inside the Throne Room. Every day he spent attacking the other suitors of the foreign Princess, or stating why he was superior in every conceivable way. Had Twilight been the pony in question, she would have had the arrogant pony thrown bodily out of the Heart by now. Now, even Princess Celestia’s seemingly endless patience was beginning to fray.

“Please Princess. This is an urgent matter, one which involves all of the present parties.”

Her quiet voice seemed to be exactly what the Princess was waiting for. “What is it Twilight?”

“Your Majesty! You cannot mean to say that you-”

“Do not presume to tell me what I can and cannot do. Remember Blueblood, I am your sovereign, and it is your duty as a member of the nobility to heed my will. Or would you rather lose that burdensome responsibility?”

Princess Celestia didn’t so much as glance at the stallion, but her cool tone made him take a step back nonetheless. “Now, you were saying Twilight?”

“Your Majesty, I would like to submit a formal charge against Lord Supercilious Blueblood.”

The Princess’s impassive gaze rested on her for a moment and for the first time in years, Twilight had no idea what the white alicorn was thinking. “This is a very serious matter Twilight Sparkle. I must remind you that the penalty for a false accusation, made in spite is summary expulsion from the Heart, and that you will be stripped of your rank. Are you certain that you wish to proceed?”

Her tone was cool, and smooth as the marble floor of the room. There was no emotion behind her words, which sent alarms ringing in Twilight’s mind. The Princess only reacted with this cold, logical detachment when she was truly worried. The last time she had behaved like this was after a vicious attack along the Northern Line of the army by the gryphons.

“I am, Princess.”

“Very well, Lord Blueblood, you stand accused. Would you care to hear the accusation?”

The cool words snapped the pony out of his stupefied state. “Yes,” His lazy drawl came out tense “I would like to hear what old mare’s tale your maid has thought worth her position.”

“You are accused of the neglect and failure to care for your servant, Pipsqueak, as Helian law requires.”

From the corner of her eye, Twilight could see his body tighten. Tension suddenly entered his frame, and he took a small step to the side.

“Lord Blueblood, do you deny these claims?” Now even Twilight shivered. The voice from the Solar Princess had become something found in the dark of the frozen north. It chilled her blood to hear the sharp anger so tightly controlled.
“Of course I do. This filly has no idea of what she is talking about. I treat all of my servants as the crown has decreed. They are all fed, sheltered, and clothed. They are paid every week. If you have any doubts, ask Inksplotch, my scribe. He handles all of my accounts and can provide the records of this expenditure.”

Twilight allowed herself small smile, hearing the blustering of the noble. He was worried now, and if Twilight could tell, then the centuries old Princess before them could most certainly could as well.

“You are aware that speaking falsehoods while accused will result in a similar banishment for you as well. Do you wish to stand by your statement?”

“Of course I do. I have not spoken a lie. If you have any doubt, then lay a truth spell on the pair of us. I am sure that if anything, your maid will be the one found to be lying.”

“Very well. Twilight Sparkle, do you have any evidence to rebuff his denial? As the accused, he must be assumed innocent until proven guilty, and thus the burden of proof falls onto you.”

“Yes Princess, I do.” Twilight took a step forward, meeting the cool lavender eyes of the mare before her. “I have the colt who is the focus of this complaint. I would ask that you allow me to fetch him, and hear his words under spell.”

For a moment, Princess Celestia’s eyes seemed to shine. Twilight thought she saw pride shimmering there, before the white head bowed slightly. The unicorn mare turned sharply, and trotted to the entrance of the chamber.

Letting the gilded doors close behind her, she looked to the guards flanking the door. Both had rapidly resumed their rigid attention the moment they had heard Twilight’s hoof touch the wood, though they retained the ruffled appearance of those only just roused from a light sleep. Blinking the last of their nap form their eyes, they looked at Twilight. Her cold eyes made both of the stallions, much larger than Twilight herself, blush and look away. Her work done, Twilight glanced around the hall, searching for her witness.

She found Pip curled into a small ball on the sill of one of the great windows lining the hall. Sunlight bathed the young pony’s patchwork coat. The soft snores of a youngsters slumber completed the picturesque scene.

Much as Twilight hated to have to ruin his rest, she needed Pip now. Hooves once more ringing as they set down on the hard stone, she walked over to the colt. Touching his side lightly, Twilight called out to him.

“Pip. I need you wake up. We need to talk to the Princess.”

“Mmm?” The colt groaned, rolling a little further away from her soft touch. As he did, his head rolled into the window.

“Hmm? What was... Oh, Miss Sparkle! I am sorry Ma’am, but I was so tired that I seem to have fallen asleep.”

Twilight smiled at him, holding a hoof up to silence the colt. “It’s okay Pip. Believe me, I know that you deserve your rest, but we need to talk to the Princess now.”

“The Princess!” Pip’s eyes widened. “Oh, no Miss. I can’t. I mean, she’s the Princess. I, I can’t bother her Miss Sparkle. I just can’t.”

“Well, you don’t have too. I bothered her already, and now she wants you to come in and talk to her. So unless you want to ignore the Princess’s will...”

The colt gulp audible, his mouth working soundlessly for a moment. Finally though, it snapped shut. Glumly, he nodded, letting his head sag down as he did.

“Good, now come on.” Twilight tugged on his leg gently, pulling him out of the small alcove. She lead the colt to the ornate doors, pausing outside of them for a moment. Biting her lip, Twilight thought for a moment. Was this the right thing to do? To risk everything because she believed the little foal?

Yes. Yes it was. Twilight nodded to herself, before resting a hoof on the carved wood. Gliding silent on their hinges, the doors opened onto a scene exactly as Twilight had left it. Neither Princess nor noble had moved in the slightest, though as the door shut once again, they both turned to look at her. While Princess Celestia’s expression had resumed its statuesque facade, even from the far side of the room Twilight could feel Blueblood’s glare.

Twilight matched him glare for glare though, striding forward without any hint of hesitance. Pip jumped when she began moving, then scurried after her, trying to keep pace with the mare. The colt also kept Twilight’s flank between himself and his erstwhile employer.

“Princess Celestia.” Twilight said, reaching the foot of the dias. She dropped into a bow before the mare, her horn touching the soft carpet. Beside her, she could hear Pip make his own hasty show of respect. Unlike Twilight though, the earth pony did not rise, but remained prostrate before the golden hooves of the Princess.

“Is this the same Pipsqueak who is your servant?”

The sharp words of the Princess bit into Blueblood like the crack of a whip. The stallion took another pace back, now almost a full length behind Twilight. Shakily, his blonde head nodded, and his voice came out as a cracked facsimile of its normally self assured resonance.

“Ye,” The stallion halted, clearing his throat after his squeaking syllable. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Princess, as you can clearly see-”

“Twilight. This is a formal trial. You will remain silent unless spoken to.”

Twilight recoiled as though she had been struck. Never, in all the years that the unicorn had helped the Princess, had she heard such anger in her voice. Nor had the ancient mare ever lost the calm composure with which she spoke to Twilight.

Twilight nodded, her eyes fixed on the Princess’s hooves.

“Now,” The Princess spoke once more, and her voice had thawed. “Please tell me what evidence you have that supports your claim of neglect on behalf of Pipsqueak?”

Twilight looked up once more, meeting the impassive lavender eyes with her own confused gaze. Shaking her head softly, Twilight laid a hoof gently on Pip’s back. She could feel his back twitch at the soft contact, the muscles tight as he waited for... whatever it was that the little pony was waiting for.

“Pip, I need you to stand up please. The Princess needs to see you.”

The colt finally moved, turning his head slightly. One brown eye stared at Twilight, the huge pupil begging her to let him flee. Twilight smiled though, and touched his back once more.

“Pip, stand. let the Princess get a good look at you.”

The colt nodded, standing slowly. “Princess, this is Pipsqueak. I invoke my right as accuser, and ask that you lay Truth Spell on him.”

From behind her, Twilight heard a sharp intake of breath. Looking over her shoulder, she grinned. Blueblood’s eyes were round as dinner plates, and he was almost hiding behind Twilight now.

The Truth Spell was one of the most powerful spells that had ever come out of the College of Magic. The Helian scholars who dedicated their lives to the study of magic and the magical arts were among the most powerful unicorns in the world.

The Truth Spell was an invention by the pony who was commonly agreed to be the most powerful unicorn in history, Starswirl the Bearded. In ancient times, the unicorn mage had created the spell by doing the very simple. He conjured a wisp, one of those small, weak magical entities which live almost everywhere. One of the most peculiar aspects of a wisp was that it was subject to even the smallest of magical disturbances, such as those naturally emanated by a unicorn. Or by a lie.

The unicorn in question would buffer the wisp against the natural currents of magic which normally disrupt the small creatures. What is left is a glowing halo that surrounds a pony, which will vanish the moment a falsehood is uttered.

What Twilight was asking for was a form of this basic spell. While not truly simple, the casting of a basic truth spell is well within the talents of those unicorns with a moderate gift. What Twilight was asking for was what Starswirl, Goldenmind, and only a few other unicorns had ever been able to do. To force a wisp into a ponies mind.

The process was harmless, both to the wisp and the pony involved. The difficulty in the spell came from not only melding the wisp into a pony, but in shielding it from the energies that flow through all living things. Unprotected, the wisp would be torn apart by the flow within a pony. There was one overwhelmingly useful aspect of this spell though. For the short time the wisp inhabits a pony, that pony is utterly incapable of speaking a lie.

Both forms of this spell were the centerpiece of Helian justice, allowing fair decisions to be made based on only the truth. It was also very risky. If the evidence given under truth spell denied your claim, than summery banishment was the only option. The possibility of losing her maid might have been why Princess Celestia’s eyes narrowed slightly, the only break in the perfectly neutral expression.

Or it might have simply been that she disapproved of her maid raising allegations against one of the most influential stallions in the ranks of her nobility. Regardless, her gaze once more sharpened as she looked at Twilight, searching the mare’s face for any sign of doubt.

Then Celestia nodded, looking to Blueblood. “Do you wish to challenge her right to call for a Truth Spell?”

Everypony in the room froze for a moment. For Blueblood to challenge her right to invoke the Truth Spell would mean that he would be admitting his guilt. Gritting his teeth audibly, the stallion shook his head.

“Pipsqueak, do you consent to the use of the Truth Spell?”

“I, I am sorry Mistress. I do not understand what it is that you ask.”

“The Truth Spell is just that, my little pony.” Celestia said, smiling down at the colt. Her voice was once more its usual soft melody. “I will place a spell on you that will make sure we know that you are telling us the truth. Then you only have to answer a few questions.”

“I... Yes. I will Miss.” Pip bowed once more, and Twilight could hear Blueblood’s teeth grinding together behind her. Twilight grinned to herself, glancing away from the Princess for a moment.

Princess Celestia bowed her head for a moment, and the spell began to weave itself about her. Her horn began to glow with a beautiful golden light, the aura of power shimmering around her pointed horn. Below her, Pip was also sheathed in the golden energy. The Princess’s magic strengthened, the color solidifying from a mellow gold, to a deep amber.

The honey colored magic began to dim, fading away into nothingness as Princess Celestia opened her eyes. The amber glow lingered there for a moment, tinting her eyes the same powerful shade before slowly fading.

“Now, tell me. What does this pony, Lord Blueblood, do to you Pipsqueak? How does he treat you?”

“He, he treats me as I deserve ma’am.”

Princess Celestia turned her head slightly, one lavender eye narrowing as it focused on Twilight. The mare gulped under the narrowed gaze, before stepping forward.

“Please Princess, may I ask the questions?”

Both eyes narrowed this time, but seemingly in thought rather than ire. After a moment, the Princess nodded curtly.

“What? I must protest Princess, this leaves me at a marked disadvantage.”

Twilight rounded on the blonde pony with a snarl. “If you are innocent, then nothing I can ask will prove otherwise, not will it?”

“Twilight!”

Both unicorns flinched as Celestia’s voice rang out once more. “Ask your questions Twilight. And you Blueblood, you are not to speak until you are spoken to.”

Both ponies nodded dumbly, looking up at the Princess. Twilight shook herself, and looked to Pip. The little pony had righted himself once more, standing before the throne.

“Pip, I only have two questions for you. How often did Blueblood provide you with food?”

“About, about once a day Miss Sparkle.”

“Now wait just one moment. You cannot truly believe that I am responsib-mrrrbh.”

The expected denial from the noble was cut off as the alicorn’s horn glowed for an instant, and Bluebloods mouth sealed. Hearing the sounds of his muffled speech, Twilight and Pip both giggled. Even the icy exterior of Princess Celestia cracked for a moment, and a tiny grin flittered across her face.

“Sadly Twilight, he is right. By law, only one meal is required per day at the employer’s expense. While I find it... deplorable,” The alicorn’s lip curled into a sneer. “It is by no means illegal to treat your servants so.”

“I know that Princess. That was merely to exemplify that he is more than capable of neglect. My real question is this. Pip?”

The colt’s head snapped around once more, standing at rigid attention as his eyes bored holes into the marble steps leading up the dais.

“Pip, can you please tell us how old you are?”

“I am almost seven years old, ma’am.”

“And Pip, I only have one more question for you.”

“Hmmph.” The noblepony behind them snorted, a gleam in his blue eyes. Twilight bared her teeth at the stallion, a gutteral snarl issuing from between her clenched teeth. The white unicorn’s eyes widened, and he took several stumbling steps back. Tripping over his own hooves, Blueblood was sent crashing to the floor in an undignified heap.

Snorting explosively, Twilight turned back to Pip. “Pip, since you have been employed by Blueblood, when was the last time you went to school?”

The air in the spacious room seemed to have suddenly vanished. The tension was palpable as every eye locked on the small pony standing before the throne.

In Helios, it was required by law that every foal attend school. It was one of the founding laws of the land, and in fact was one of the core reasons for the division between the old Terran Empire and Helios. Celestia believed in education, and she would even take time to teach as a guest lecturer on occasion.

To deny any foal their learning was a crime that was punished immediately, and severely. Blueblood gave a choked squeak, and began to back away slowly. Just as slowly, the white head of the alicorn turned to face him.

“I have not attended school since I was hired Ma’am.”

The eyes of the Princess narrowed as they shot a glare at Blueblood. “Thank you Pip. Now, as for you. I think that losing your position is a small price to pay for breaking one of Helios’s founding tenets, wouldn’t you agree Blueblo-”

The Princess was cut short, her head snapping to attention. From outside the chamber, faint sounds could be heard. The muffled screams and bellows of ponies in a panic echoed through the halls of the Heart, and all three ponies looked to their Princess, eyes wide in sudden fear.

Chapter Six

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“The stars shine brightly upon our meeting anew, little sister. It gladdens my heart to see you hale and strong, though yet my bones grow frail and the keen of my mind is dulled.”

Princess Celestia bowed her head deeply to the visitor, the deep resonance of the dragon’s speech more similar to the grinding of an avalanche than any sound that rightly should come from a live throat. Though, Twilight supposed, the argument could easily be made that the dragon was not of the living. Could you truly be considered alive, if death wasn’t the implacable enemy waiting for you, but instead an annoying banker, badgering you about your debt? Annoying, and an annoyance that may find you in time, but no serious threat in the now.

After all, her mind went on, mercilessly following her train of thought. It isn’t as though a dragon can actually die, in the classical sense. They don’t age, and there is little chance of an enemy killing one once it has matured.

The little mare couldn’t even think of the last time she had heard so much as a rumor of a dragon dying of natural causes, and there were obviously no reliable historical texts in the library pertaining to the subject. She would have read them long ago, and she was sure that had she read any information so potentially valuable, she would not have forgotten it. Even finding out if there was an upward limit on a dragon’s age was impossible. Only a dragon truly knew how old they were, and they had the rather vexing habit of assigning themselves arbitrary ages. From what everypony had been able to glean from the occasional diplomat or exile, a dragon’s rank in society was determined by his age, before anything else.

The older a dragon, the more powerful in both the classical, and socio-political sense. They also tended to accrue terrifying wealth which they were famous for jealously hoarding. After age, it seemed, wealth was the only factor with any major importance in determining a dragons place in society.

Twilight Sparkle, the far calmer, rational voice in her mind interjected. You are rambling. Stop it. The Princess asked you to be here, so obviously she has some need of you. I would suggest that we pay attention to her, rather than the dragon. You can freak out once we are back in our room.

A fair plan Twilight decided. Closing her eyes for a moment, she settled her thoughts.To be fair, most ponies had reacted far worse than she when confronted by their first dragon. When that dragon was quite literally the size of several of the small hills in the area, Twilight believed that her reactionary tactic of throwing up idea after thought to protect herself had been a rather mellow reaction.

As Cadance had taught her when she first began schooling, Twilight calmed her breathing and forced her heart to beat slower. The flood of adrenaline that had saturated her system had begun to fade and the lightheaded, faintly nauseous reaction of her body was disorienting.

She forced her gorge to return to its proper place, and opened her eyes. This was no different from going to school. Just another new student. A new student who was several thousand times her weight, who breathed fire and had teeth larger than her entire body.

Obscurely, that thought was a great comfort to Twilight. Thinking that way, the dragon was far less intimidating than it had been only moments before. Sure, he was covered in thick scales which were almost impervious to any damage, and had teeth as long as her entire body, with fangs nearly twice her size. Apart from that though, he was just another bigger, stronger student.

Twilight had started school as a small, terrified filly, and like small predators everywhere, the other students had formed packs, and ruthlessly attacked the weakest member. Twilight had galloped home after little more than an hour on her first day in Magic Kindergarten. She had found Cadance, and thrown herself around the pink legs of her beloved friend, sobbing and begging her not to make Twilight go back.

The older unicorn had shot an apologetic glance at the Princess, who at the time Twilight hadn’t even noticed to have been in the room. Celestia had risen, nodding to Cadance and walked out of the room. Then Cadance had hushed Twilight, soothing the filly as she rubbed small circles into the youngster’s back.

She had eventually calmed Twilight, whose wailing sobs had subsided into hiccuping coughs of infinite depression. Her own eyes had been watering when she finally prised the little unicorn from her leg, setting her on her bed gently. She had sighed, folding her legs beneath her on the cold floor of the small room. She had looked up, directly into Twilight’s eyes, now on a level with her own.

Then she had told Twilight something that had served her well throughout the years. “Twilight. Listen to me. No matter what anypony else says. I love you. And if they don’t stop teasing you, or they scare you or make you feel bad, I want you to promise me that you will do something.”

“W-what?”

The pink mare smiled warmly, touching her horn softly to Twilight’s own stubby protrusion, sending a shower of sparks and a flood of warm emotion through the smaller mare. “I want you to close your eyes, and calm down. Then, open them, and look at them. Look at everything. I want you to focus on the smallest details. What did Diamond Tiara’s mane look like? What about Birdsong? Where was he sitting? What did the desks look like?”

“I... don’t know.” Twilight had replied, her voice distant, racking her brain for the memories. “I was busy c-crying.” She looked down, avoiding the soft gaze of her friend.

A pink hoof pushed her head gently back up. “Next time, focus on that. The little things. The real things. What they say or do doesn’t matter. None of that is real. Just the small stuff.” Then Cadance had smiled warmly. “And speaking of small stuff..”

She pounced onto the bed, sending Twilight squealing with childish delight into the air, before Cadance wrapped her in a warm hug as the filly landed on her. Eliciting further squeals and shrill giggles from the smaller pony, Cadance brought her mouth to Twilight’s belly, blowing a raspberry against her young friend.

“Feel better, little one?”

“Mhm.”

“Feel like going back to school?”

“... Yes. Thank you Cadance.”

They had hugged then, and Twilight had gone back to school. Since then, whenever the horrible behavior of others became too much to bear, Twilight would close her eyes, and call back that happy memory, and count to ten. Then she would open her eyes, and focus on the smallest detail.

The scales of the dragon were a series of minutely varying shades, but they conformed almost wholly to dark greens and purples, though the individual scales held colors so complex that Twilight couldn’t put a name to many of them. They almost formed waves that rippled along the beasts bulk, gradually transitioning from one shade to the next, whether the change be in the actual color or simply the luster of the scale in question, each one was utterly unique.

There was a slight banding to the scales, not very unlike the rings Twilight had seen in a cross section of a felled tree. The gardener who had been clearing away the detritus from the storm that had sent the old oak toppling had called Twilight over, telling her that each ring was a year of the trees life. Later research had revealed to her that it was in fact each doubled pair of rings where where the yearly markers, the dark bands that the mare had pointed to merely being the growth during the wet season for the tree, while the paler bands had been the dry season growth.

Was it something similar in the dragon’s scales? It was a common logical premise that the less variables a solution has, the more likely it is to be the true solution. Twilight knew that trees and several animals displayed such a banding pattern as they aged, showing growth of the individual over time, so it stood to reason that the dragon would not be any different. To further support the idea, Twilight’s view shifted to several parts of the dragon, form the broad scales of his legs to the finer ones on the leading edge of his wings, to the almost invisible ones lining his eyes.

Though the purple coloration made an accurate count difficult, a quick overview of all the areas showed a seemingly similar number of rings on each scale, as if the dragon had all of its scales at birth, or molt, or whatever, and they had simply grown with it.

Her mane, which was normally rustled by an invisible breeze, was now whipping about her head as though caught in some fierce gale. A common phrase used to describe the pastel rainbows gentle, undulating motion was that it was blown by the ‘solar wind’. The phrase was obviously a reference to the connection between the Princess and the orb blazing overhead during the daylight hours.

Seeing the reaction of her mane in the sunlight seemed to affirm this, for whenever Princess Celestia stepped hoof into the direct sunlight, then not only would the snail-like motion of her mane increase its pace, but the sun itself seemed to react to her presence, a flare of light shining bright and warm for just a moment when she touched the light.

Twilight was beginning to think otherwise though. She was a unicorn, and even as ill versed in the application and manipulation of magical energies as she was, the sheer force of the magic emanating from the scaled monster nearby was almost suffocating. Everypony knew that sunlight itself held inherent magical power, though it was a very small, specialized kind of magic. Thinking back, the Princess’s mane had also shown increased activity near any kind of magical artifact, such as any of the candles she had enchanted.

It wasn’t the sunlight her mane was reacting to, Twilight realized. It was the simple presence of magical energies, even the smallest traces like that given off by sunlight and the small enhancements in the Heart. It would be impossible to test her theory without sequestering the Princess wholly away from magic, which was utterly impossible, but it was an interesting prospect. It essentially made the Princess a detector for magical power.

For a moment, the image of somepony holding the Princess by her rear hooves, sweeping her across the ground in search of buried magical coins flashed through Twilight’s mind, and she snorted in brief amusement.

“Is this who I think it is, Celestia?”

The deep growling voice echoed slowly through Twilight’s mind, eventually penetrating the focused analysis of the purpose of the thinner, flexible scales on certain parts of the dragons body. She had just decided that the smaller scales were in places which required finer movement than the large, rigid scales would provide, such as around the mouth, nose, and eyes, when the words ordered themselves in her mind.

Twilight’s eyes flicked to the Princess nearby for a moment, before locking on the slitted blue-green pupils of the dragon. Twilight bowed her head to the guest, taking care that her eyes never left the dragons. Should he decide that Twilight was going to be his snack, Twilight very much doubted that even the Princess would be able to stop the monster, but she was not going to meekly let it have her either. His fat scaly carcass could chase her down.

The dragon laughed, sending a puff of scarlet and azure flames jetting from his mouth as he did. “Ah, Celestia. She is just as you were. Full of fire and with a mind to match it. Be at peace, little friend, for my scaly carcass would not be satisfied with so meager a meal.”

Twilight added apparent telepathy to the growing list of facts she knew about the dragon, turning to greet the newcomer galloping towards them.

“Not telepathy, starchild. I cannot see into your mind, only hear that which you are shouting.” The bulk behind Twilight shifted into what seemed to be a more comfortable position, looking out at the approaching pony.

Cadance pounded up to them, panting from her gallop from the Heart. The soft grass of the plain stretching out behind the marble fortress was soft under her aching hooves, and the mare looked spent. She raised herself nobly though, bowing her head deeply, first to the Princess, then to their guest.

“Ahh. Welcome, little mother.”

At the rumbling words, Cadance paled, the color leaving her face in a blotchy rush. The whites of her wide, innocent eyes were showing around the tiny pupils which had contracted to mere pinpoints. Then the mare glanced aside, first to Princess Celestia, and then to Twilight, before shuddering and looking determinedly at the ground between her hooves.

Fear. Twilight thought, looking at her old friend. Why would she be afraid?

Thoughts began chasing themselves around Twilight’s mind, and the mare tuned out the conversation of the other three for a moment. Princess Celestia seemed to be admonishing the dragon for his words, though Twilight was unsure what he had done wrong. Whatever it was though, it had a profound impact of Cadance.

Something the dragon had said had terrified her. What though? It wasn’t simply that the dragon had spoken, Twilight was sure that the growling avalanche of his voice could be easily heard as Cadance came to them from the Heart. He had seemed to know Cadance, though it was clear that the two of them had never actually met. That was little enough cause for freight though. She was a member of the nobility, and was known to associate closely with the Princess. Ponies form across Helios knew who she was on sight, as a means to gain power for themselves if not for the kindness and help she gave freely to everypony.

Mother then. That must be the word that had caused Cadance such distress. Twilight knew that she had hurt Cadance when she had spoken to her in anger, screaming that Cadance wasn’t her mother. As much as Twilight had hurt both of them with those words though, that was still not enough reason for the mare’s reaction. Did Cadance want to be a mother then? Or perhaps, the dragon was referring to Cadance’s own near mothering of Twilight. That could certainly cause alarm, given the current state of their relationship, but it still wasn’t enough.

‘Cadance had a wild side to her...’ The memory reared its head, and the words Twilight had overheard only a little more than a week ago returned to her. ‘She started sleeping with every stallion at Court...’

One great, reptilian eye fixed on her, shining with interest as Twilight’s organized mind almost screamed her thoughts into the ancient mind. Slowly, the other two quieted, following her guest’s gaze as he stared at the small mare.

‘So the little slut got pregnant, and nopony knows who the foal’s father is.’

Cadance had been a mother. In the past tense, for Twilight was sure she would have noticed if her friend had been secreting a foal about the Heart. That was why the dragon’s greeting had terrified Cadance, and why Twilight’s angry words had hurt her so badly. Cadance still loved her child, the foal she no longer had.

“Mmm,” The purple scales lining the dragon’s lips shifted and pulled away from the long white fangs. The snarling growl shook the ground as the scaled head rose on its long neck, glaring down at the pair of ponies staring at Twilight. “You have not told her? Celestia, I thought better of you. Are you nothing more than a child, afraid to face the chance of loss?”

“Hold your tongue!” The Princess whipped around, growling at the dragon in turn. Energy had, unconsciously Twilight was certain, begun to swirl around the alicorn as her anger called forth the forces of life and creation. “There is too much risk, and well you know it lizard. Or have you forgotten what happened when your vigil slipped?”

The dragon’s eyes widened as though the Princess had struck him, though not even the almost impossible strength that the white alicorn bore within herself would have been able to even discomfort the mighty beast. The golden shod hoof stamped hard on the ground, and the Princess continued to glare at her guest, obviously bombarding the dragon without a sound.

Seeing the Princess engaged, Twilight turned her head to look at Cadance. The pink mare was steadily regaining her color, though she still looked unhealthily pale to Twilight. She smiled weakly at the purple mare though, and sidled over while the two ancient creatures continued their silent argument.

“Cadance...” Twilight spoke, before turning to look at the ground. She swallowed heavily, her throat suddenly bone dry, and tried again. “Cadance, I’m... I’m sorry.

“I’m sorry for what I said to you. I was, it was wrong of me to say anything like that. You’ve always been there for me, and Princess Luna help me see that. She showed me what was right in front of me, all this time, and I’m sorry I yelled at you.” Twilight looked back up, tears glistening in her eyes. Her voice was still strong though, with only the faintest quaver. The pink mare was staring at her wide eyed though, her face pallid once more.

“You are my mother Cadance, in every way that matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re not related to me. You were there, you were real. I was just too stupid to see it.”

Cadance’s eyes watered as she stood for a long moment, looking at the unicorn. Then, with a wordless cry, she wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s smaller form, and gave her a warm, caring, crushing hug.

“Yes. Just as you were.” The deep voice rumbled, and Twilight lifted her head from the pink shoulder, looking at the pair of ancient creatures nearby. The dragon’s eyes flashed with something interested, amused, and utterly alien to her, though it wasn’t a threatening look. Princess Celestia was still panting lightly, as though she had only just pulled from a long dive, and the thrill of danger was still coursing through her body.

The lavender eyes were locked on the two, and something flickered across the long, kind face. Then it was gone, and the white pony smiled at them. Turning to her guest, Princess Celestia bowed her head. “Spike, if you would please join us. Now that the formalities are dispensed with, would you please assume a less... impressive form?”

“I will only promise that it shall be smaller, youngling.” The amused growl was accompanied by a snort. “Whether it is impressive is beyond even my control.”

The dragon grinned, and flares of green and purple light began to stream forth from its scales, bathing everypony in their light. The light intensified steadily as the overwhelming sense of magical power became something Twilight could taste, heavy and sweet on her tongue. Then it dimmed for a moment, the light pulled back in to form a sheath of opaque swirling energy around the humongous body in a dome.

The dome too began to brighten and a webwork of cracks formed in the skin of the material. Soom, Twilight couldn’t tell where the green light began and where the purple ended, both melding into a pure, white light. The golden cracks spidered around more of the protective covering, before stopping, a beautiful tracery of dimmer light shining through the wall of white.

The dome created an audible hum in the air, along with the sizzling crackle of the lightening that danced along its surface. The scent of ozone surrounded them all, horribly cloying and sharp, only occasionally broken by the charred smell where a stray bolt of lightning would arc to the ground, searing the grass to less than ashes in an instant.

That’s not possible. Twilight’s thought’s were calm, detatched, even as her body shuddered in pure reaction to the power before her. Not even the Princess’ magic is strong enough to become a physical sensation, not unless that was her intention. This is merely the excess power of the spell emptying itself into the environment.

The hum grew louder for the briefest moment, and Twilight saw something shift within the light. The form was odd, distorted by the burning brightness. It had four limbs, but they all seemed wrong. They were too long, and far too straight to be the limbs of a pony. Hair rippled out from behind its head, but there it stopped, seeming to be a mane shorn away once it passed the nape of the neck. The thing had odd, flat protrusions from the end of each limb, too thin to be hooves, but seeming to serve the same purpose.

Then the light shifted once more, and the hum was replaced by a sensation of intense pressure against every square inch of Twilight’s body, pressing on her with an uncomfortable, but not painful, force. She could hear a sound more like breaking glass than anything, though it was resonant and full, rather than a sharp crackling pop, and the light and pressure vanished.

Spike was standing in the center of a charred circle almost five hundred feet wide, a lazy smile stretching reptilian lips. Green eyes flickered around the group, and the alien orbs fixed on Twilight for a moment.

“Do not concern yourself. Most even among my own kind think me a male. Though I am flattered that you find me attractive. Now, Celestia, I believe you have a populace to settle?”

“Yes, thank you for being less obviously dangerous at least.” The Princess sighed, and rolled her eyes as the dragoness stretched gracefully. “I would be most grateful if you didn’t seduce my subjects.”

“Oh Celestia, you really have become a stick in the mud. Why, I seem to remember a certain filly who would not rest until I agreed to compete with her.” Spike spoke easily across the distance, breaking into a loping run. “What was that about again?”

Twilight and Cadance both turned to look at the Princess, too see something utterly new. The Princess, the ancient, wise mare who was never discomfitted, was blushing. Rather becomingly, as the delicate pink tinged her white features, but nonetheless, she was blushing. She took an unconscious step in place, while her wings rustled at her sides.

“Yes, well. I must be off. I will see you at dinner Twilight?” Without waiting for a reply, the Princess leapt into the air, her great white wings surging forth, propelling her swiftly through the air.

“She and I had a little contest some time ago.”

Twilight jumped, her heart in the throat, and found Spike behind her. The dragon’s clawed feet had been soundless on the soft grass, and the feline grace of her legs had let her simply come to a stop from her run in perfect silence. She wasn’t even breathing hard, though she had just run almost five hundred feet in only a few moments.

“She believed that she could seduce more of her mother’s guards than I. It really wasn’t much of a contest, as not only was she their charge, but she was also a scrawny, leggy thing. But then, fillies never do think that they are fallible.”

Twilight started, and turned. Now, face to face with the ferocious predator come pony, Twilight was once more struck by how attractive she was. The dragoness had reformed herself into something that looked much like a pony, though she still had the aura of danger and feral power about her.

The body Spike had created was tall, with smooth muscles flowing along the svelte, scaled hide. Nearly as tall as one of the Princesses, Spike had a lean build like that of a hunting cat, and her muzzle came down to a soft tapering point. On the end of the conical mouth were the dragons lips, most of her face covered once again with those small scales, though now they were almost invisible. Two slits above her mouth gave Twilight a brief glance of pink flesh as the dragon’s nostrils expanded with a breath, before being released in a small chuckle.

“Again, I must thank you for your kind sentiments.” She flashed Twilight a dazzling smile, and the unicorn shuddered at the sight of the two inch fangs hanging from the roof of the dragons mouth. In the instant they were visible, Twilight saw beads of murky venom coating the protrusions, before a slender tongue flicked out, wiping them away.

“Ahem,” Cadance cleared her throat loudly, and Twilight shook herself, pulling herself away from the dragon. “I believe the Princess would like us to meet her in the Heart once she has calmed everypony down. If we start back now, detouring through the maze would take us to the Dining Hall at just about supper time, wouldn’t you say Twilight?”

Cadance turned away, flicking Twilight in the nose with her tail. Her head turned, looking back over her shoulder and Twilight saw her friend grin evilly, before taking off at a full gallop.

“Shall I catch her?” Spike asked, stretching out her leathery green wings. With their armor of purple scales, the batlike wings came down with a rush of wind. Twilight shook her head though, grinning.

“I’d like to do it myself.”

Chapter Seven

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A/N: Hey guys. I just wanted to give a huge shout out and thank you to my saintly editors and proofreaders, Midnight Herald, Sasha Nein, and Last Light. Believe me, you would not want to see the mess I write before they go at it.

Now, I would like to apologize for this chapter being so short, because its umm... really short. But, its a full chapter, and I think that you will all be happy to know that the actual plot of my sordid little tale will actually start soon. (Yes, everything up till now has NOT been the story, its setup XD)

Well my dears, enjoy.

********

“Will you be needing anything else, Miss Sparkle?”

“Mmmm.” Twilight groaned as she slipped beneath the hot water filling the bathtub. “No thank you Pip. This is... wonderful.”

The unicorn slid still further beneath the surface, until only her nose and eyes poked out. Behind her, her dark mane flared out in the water, rippling and waving in time with the soft roll of the water in response to her movements. Whispy steam curled up form across the surface of the water, looping and whorling as it rose through the air.

She had finally extricated herself both from dinner, and from the nagging, prying questions of everypony had assaulted her with the moment she left the quiet chamber where Princess Celestia and Spike were still conversing softly. The two burly pegasi standing guard by the door had kept them from being disturbed, but that was all that they had been able to manage. Ponies were crowded around the entrance, waiting to catch one more look at the stunning visitor and their Princess.

Twilight heard the soft click as the door behind her closed, signalling that Pip had left to find his own bath and bed. Twilight didn’t know what the Princess wanted her to do with the colt. When she had finally dodged around a corner and hidden while her pursuers stampeded down the hall, Twilight had snuck back to her room, only to find somepony already there.

Pip had been waiting for her, apparently since that morning. He hadn’t been sitting idly either. Every surface in the small suite she and Cadance shared... had shared, was spotless. Pip had dusted, swept, run an oiled cloth along every wooden surface, shined the windows, washed the linens, made the beds, dusted off the two mares’ prized book collection, everything. When she had entered the room, he had hopped off the couch with a guilty twitch, before rushing off to pull a bath for her.

Twilight had chuckled when she had walked over to the couch to find which book the little colt had been so engrossed in. Allworthy’s Heir wasn’t precisely a book she would have chosen for a colt his age to read, but the witty satire that the author injected into the character, always poking fun at the politics and antics of the Helien nobility had made it one of the few books of fiction that she had ever read.

The book had been written almost two centuries before, but that apparently hadn’t stopped it from rousing the ire of every noble who leafed through its amusing pages. Twilight had almost forgotten she owned the book, the simple green binding lost among the many similar books lining the walls of Cadance’s main room. She had gotten the book several years ago, a gift from Cadance for Twilight’s success in her school’s Science Fair. Thrilled at not only winning the golden sun trophy for having the best project, but receiving a book, Twilight had been slightly disappointed when Cadance had given her the battered tome.

Its binding had been worn even then, and only grown more weathered and marred in Twilight’s care, even as fastidiousness as she was around any literature. It had obviously been the favored novel of its previous owner, read and reread countless times judging by the wear on the covers and binding. Maybe the little colt could find some solace in the book, imagining that rather than the ignoble assortments of stallions who torment Pony Joe throughout the tale, it was a real dastardly villain like Blueblood. It might help the foal to find some measure of solace knowing that through wit and luck the protagonist always wins.

Twilight sighed deeply before inhaling the sweet, wet air hovering just above the bath’s surface. The warm steam was laced heavily with the scent of the rose oil Pip had added to the water only a few moments before, bless his little heart. The oil would relax Twilight’s muscles whether the silly things agreed to the relaxation or not. That it smelled divine and that when she left the tub she would smell just as sweet was an entirely different reason to enjoy the warmth for as long as it lasted.

Twilight found that, to her shock, she rather liked having somepony wait on her. Certainly, she had done many similar things for the Princess on occasion, but Twilight was predominantly the royal mare’s scribe. A glorified scribe, and one who could at times be called on to aid the Princess at almost any hour, but a scribe nonetheless.

Twilight wondered if this how the Princess felt, soaking in a warm bath after a long day tethered to her throne. Cushioned or not, sitting in one position for hours on end had to be painful even after centuries of practice. Mentally adding Check with Bath Salts to her never-ending mental checklist, Twilight firmly banished any and all thoughts relating to anything outside of the bathroom.

For a time, Twilight drifted in the warm currents, feeling a gentle ripple pass through the water with every slow, deep breath. After her neck began to ache from her awkward bending, Twilight brought her head forward, letting the water splash about her. The water continued to drip down her back as her mane clung close to her neck, slicked back and saturated with the rose water.

Frowning in concentration, Twilight lit her horn. Behind her, Twilight could feel her mane shifting, sliding along her back as it slowly lifted and fanned out behind her. Quickly, just like Cadance had painstakingly taught her, Twilight used her magic to wrap her still dripping mane into a tight bun behind her, holding it in place with her magic as one last lock of wet hair wound itself around the base of the bun. Weaving those last strands into each other, Twilight pulled the binding tightly closed, and sighed.

After the momentary pain of having her mane pulled up so tightly, Twilight shifted her weight and settled back against the side of the tub. Leaning with her still wet bun dripping behind her, Twilight laid back against the lip of the bath, resting her neck on the rim. Tilting her head to one side, Twilight grimaced as the muscles protested, then sighed happily as with a soft pop her neck loosened and her head flopped back into place.

When the door opened some time later, Twilight was drifting half asleep in the tepid water. It was still hours before bedtime, so it wasn’t truly sleep that gripped Twilight, rather it was as though she had reached a state of utter, complete peace. Her breaths came long and silently deep as she reclined in the water.

Thinking that the pony who had entered the room was Pip coming to check on her, Twilight didn’t bother moving when the sluggish thought reached her brain. Instead, she shifted in the water, only now noticing that the liquid had begun to cool. Her lips shifted from their contented half smile to a mild frown at the thought that soon, she would have no choice but to leave the bath.

“You haven’t changed at all, have you?” A soft voice called, followed by a warm chuckle. There was the faint hum of magic in the air, and suddenly the bath was piping hot once more, the perfect temperature for soaking. “Hello, little one.”

Twilight felt her lips curve upward once again, then peel away as she grinned like a foal as the water heated. Her amethyst eyes sparkled as they opened, and she turned both smile and gaze upon the pony who slipped into the water beside her. “Hello, Cadance. How has your day been?”

“Oh, much like yours, I would imagine.” Cadance matched her smile, with interest. “A lot happened. A dragon showed up, and then turned into a pony. I think. I’m really not that sure what exactly she is. Then there was a really sweet moment that I had with a friend. She was being a silly little filly and apologizing to me.”

Twilight blushed as Cadance spoke that last, ducking her head under the water so that only her eyes could be seen. Cadance just chuckled, and continued.

“I thought it was sweet. Really. And it was partly my fault, but she was convinced I hated her. We made up though, and then we went to dinner. Oh, and dinner was splendid. The dragon who came to visit? Spike. Oh my, but she was stunning. Sitting with the Princess, and absolutely every eye was locked on them. You could hardly see the little purple spot next to them, hogging the hay fries like usual.”

If anything, at these words Twilight sank a little deeper into the water, a few bubbles escaping her nose and blooping to the surface.

“And finally,” Cadance stretched, and her own horn began to glow, wrapping her mane just like Twilight had previously. The effect when Cadance did it was altogether more impressive, Twilight thought. She only had the thin bands of different colors in her hair, and they were still dark except for the one magenta stripe. Cadance though, her hair was gorgeous pulled back as it was. Golds and purples and pinks and here and there a streak of iridescent blue. As she bound the glossy wet mane, Cadance shook her head slightly, letting a few strands shake free and curl delicately about her face. It just wasn’t fair. Twilight could never look that good that easily.

“Just when I think I might finally be done, I come up to find a strange young colt in my room. And a mare in my bath. A very rude mare too.”

“Rude!?” Twilight yelped, or tried to. All that came out was an enormous bubble, and the last of her air. her head shot out of the water and Twilight inhaled deeply, spluttering as she did. “What? But, how. I. Rude?”

Cadance tilted her head back and laughed, her body sending ripples through the hot water as she convulsed with mirth. After a moment of laughter, which Twilight spend in a state of mixed panic and confusion, Cadance leaned forward.

The pink mare took a stride through the water, until she stood before Twilight, grinning. Then her hooves came up, and wrapped themselves around her dearest friend in a warm, comforting hug, one that Twilight returned in earnest. Cadance pulled her close, resting her head on Twilight’s shoulder as she began to rock slowly back and forth, humming quietly.

“I’ve missed this, Twilight.” Cadance spoke softly, breaking off the light tune of her lullaby to whisper the words.

“What? D-don’t be silly. It’s only been a week.”

“I know.” Cadance’s voice was almost too low to hear now, intermixed with her song. Twilight squeezed her friend, the closest thing she had to a real mother, to a family. She would never let Cadance go again. “But I’m going to miss it.”

Twilight’s brow furrowed at that, but with a final tight squeeze, Cadance released her, slipping back along the tub. She sank once more beneath the water, still humming, and smiled as her eyes closed. “No more talking, okay? I want to enjoy being with you, little one.”

Twilight nodded, and, after a moment of hesitation, began to move. She slowly slid around the rim of the tub, until her flank bumped Cadance’s. Then, with a smile of her own, she settled in next to the older mare, snuggling down against her.

Once Cadance’s hooves rose up to wrap around her once more, neither pony moved until the water had cooled once more, and they both decided that it was time for bed.

“Miss Sparkle! Miss Sparkle!” A small voice cried, and Pip came running into Twilight’s small room.

As the small hooves clattered on the marble floor and the colt came bursting into her room, Twilight turned her head from the book she was reading, snapping the volume closed after carefully marking her page. “What is it Pip?”

“Miss Sparkle! It’s Spike, Miss. She,” Pip broke off, huffing as he tried to catch his breath. With only a slight furrowing of her brow, Twilight’s horn lit with magic and after only a moment, a glass of water floated into the room, suspended in a glittering purple cloud.

As Pip took a grateful gulp of the refreshment, Twilight grinned at how much she had improved. She was no stronger in magic than she had ever been, and telekinesis was about all she could manage, but she was finally learning magic. The basic charm, which almost every unicorn mastered by the time the graduated kindergarten, had been all that Princess Luna had been able to spare time to teach her before returning to Selene. Since her departure, Twilight had been practicing diligently, and at every possible time.

Normally, Twilight shared Cadance’s low opinion of anypony who used their magic when they didn’t need to. Some unicorns, like Pip’s erstwhile master, couldn’t be bothered to pass a salt cellar unless it was held in the glow of their spells.

At the thought of Lord Blueblood, Twilight felt her grin widen, almost maliciously.

After the hubub surrounding the arrival of Helio’s newest, and easily most attractive, member of court, the Princess had been swamped. Every noble in Helios was fairly demanding an audience with this new curiosity, and keeping the nobility in check and stopping Spike from inciting riot, accidentally or otherwise, had kept Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor just as busy as the Princess.

Only now, a week after the dragoness’ arrival were things finally dying down. Yesterday, Twilight had managed to just barely move the Princess’ schedule around so that she could go and mete out the smarmy unicorn’s punishment.

Sadly, her visions of banishment and reprisal, of all of the stallion’s affairs being transferred to little Pipsqueak were dashed. She had gotten to watch the Princess give him a tongue lashing though, and by the time she was done excoriating him, Twilight almost felt sorry for the noble.

Almost.

For now though, the stallion was to remain on house arrest, until the Princess could find the time to assign one of her own trusted staff, with a very generous pension, to nanny the egomaniac and ensure that from now on, all of his servants, and indeed anypony who depended on him, was treated well. The stallion had also been assigned civic duty, working at the small orphanage where he had acquired Pip, doing whatever the old matron wanted.

Finally, as a cherry finished a sundae, the Princess had lain out a topper almost as perfect. “And from now on, Blueblood, a tithe of your income is to go straight to the Royal Treasury, so that it can be used appropriately.” The alicorn had said, glaring at the white unicorn. The ‘tithe’ she had deemed fit had come out to slightly more than half of what Blueblood’s estate earned per quarter, to be collected and sent off every quarter for the rest of the arrogant stallion’s life.

Twilight had also, apparently, acquired Pip as her personal assistant.

Having finally caught his breath, said assistant looked up at her and bowed deeply. “Miss Twilight Sparkle. The Princess has asked me to inform you that, should you find time to spare, that Princess Luna of Selene has returned. She waits in her suite for the moment, and is unlikely to leave until supper.”

Pip was beaming by the time his formal little speech had ended, and Twilight felt her own lips quirk into an answering grin. With another magical flare, the book levitated away from her bed, and neatly slid into the open space on the bookshelf. The Strange Made Stranger: A Guide to the Practical Use of Impractical Spell would just have to wait, no matter how interesting the author’s solutions to the use of Silver Streak’s Ooze Conjurate’ might be.

“Thank you Pip. If you would be so kind, I would like you to check what meetings and other duties I have for today, and if at all possible, shift them and the rest of the week’s items. Write them in a separate list, we might not need the new list at all, but I want to have it on hoof all the same.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Pip bowed once more.

“After that, well. I don’t really have anything else for you to do, so when that’s finished, I guess you have the day to yourself. Going to continue the adventures of Pipsqueak, Scourge o’ the High Seas?” Twilight smiled, saying the name just like Pip had taught her.

That was one of the few things that Pip had revealed about himself in the time they had been together. The little stallion absolutely adored pirates, and thought that they might even be cooler than the Princess. Hearing this, Twilight had gone into the town when the opportunity presented itself, in the form of an errand to deliver a message to Lady Bountiful Harvest, to buy a small bandana for the colt. Small and red, with a white skull and crossbones emblazoned on one side, Pip had taken one wide eyed look at his present and squealed like a filly.

Twilight had gently lifted the cloth, and wrapped the tough silk around his head, so that the menacing sigil covered his brow. And thus, Pipsqueak, Scourge o’ the High Seas was born.

Twilight had been part of one or two of Pip’s adventures, as a damsel the scoundrel had kidnapped, and later saved from the lascivious attentions of his rum-soaked crew. To Twilight’s surprise, Pip had taught her that most pirates were actually noble, not ruffians at all. Most pirate captains anyway. Even when he was kidnapping innocent dockmare’s, Pipsqueak was never going to hurt them, and would return them to their home quickly with or without his ransom, like the gentlecolt he had been raised to be.

Of course, the next time she had played a role in Pip’s imaginary tales, she had been Princess Cutthroat, the Captain’s righthoof pony and almost cruel in her devotion to riches. When Twilight had asked why the good Captain kept such a violent first mare, the colt had smiled at her. ‘To keep the Captain ready, at all times. She’s made it clear if anypony kills the Captain, it’ll be her, or they will answer to her, and then the Light, in that order.’

“I think so. Will that be all, Miss Sparkle?”

“Yes Pip, thank you.”

One final time, Pip bowed his patchwork head, before flashing her a smile and walking off happily. Twilight smiled as well, watching the colt rushing off to finish his work so he could play.

After a moment of pleasant dread, wondering what the newest adventure’s of the drinking, gambling, wenching pirate would be, Twilight slid off of her bed. With a glowing flick of her horn, the thin woven band that held her mane pulled into a ponytail unwound, moving to rest lightly on her bedside table.

Twilight shook her mane out as she walked over to the door Pip had closed behind himself. Opening the door, she walked out into the small hallway that lead to the main living area of their suit. Passing first Pip’s door, then Cadance’s, Twilight stepped quietly up to the suits main door. Pushing it open with a gentle touch of magic, Twilight slipped out of the room.

To find her nose bumping into a sleek, strong black chest, sheathed in cold silver armor.

“Oh. There you are, Twilight.” The Night-Mare murmured, laughing softly as she reached out a hoof to help Twilight up from where she had fallen back in surprise. “We asked the little pirate where your rooms were, and he lead us to you. We hope you are not upset? Truly, it was no fault of his that we deceived him.”

“What? Oh, do you mean Pip?”

Princess Luna’s head tilted slightly as she tried to hide her smile. A soft chuckle rumbled from her chest as she watched Twilight stammer and blush. Her obvious amusement made Twilight blush harder, until she was truly afraid that she was going into shock. Making a conscious effort to calm herself, Twilight took several long, deep breaths. Raising her head from her contemplation, Twilight felt her cheeks warm as she met Princess Luna’s grin, but managed to speak with passing nod to solemnity.

“That is quite alright, Princess.” Twilight spoke calmly and evenly, bowing her head to the visiting Princess. “I hold no grudge to Pip, though I would like to politely inquire as to why you have sought my company? Are you in need of a guide once more?”

“Why, Twilight,” The black mare pulled her head back, widening her eyes in a show of hurt. “How could you? Did we not share something special?”

“I...” Twilight’s calm broke, and the blood rushed once more to her cheeks. How did this mare always seem to wronghoof her? “Ahem. I apologize if I have given any offense Princess. I wish only to serve however I might.”

The Night-Mare’s lips pulled back, and she barely contained her laughter. Her eyes sparkled as they fixed on the mare, still blushing, who was doing her utmost to remain proper despite her teasing. “I think I have teased you long enough. Tell me Twilight, would it be a burden if we were to speak with one another for a time?”

“A burden? Of course not Princess. I was...” Twilight trailed off, looking away as she bit her lip.

“Yes?” Luna prompted gently. “You were what?”

“Pip told me that you had returned, and I... um...” Twilight’s voice faltered again. Looking up, she caught the reassuring smile of the Princess, and the black head nodded slightly at her to continue. “I was coming to find you.”

“Were you, now...” Princess Luna tilted her head to one side, gazing speculatively at the small unicorn. After a moment of careful consideration though, she straightened and smiled at Twilight. “Well, then I am pleased to have saved you a trip.”

“Thank you, I-Oh!” Twilight’s eyes widened for a moment, then began to sparkle as her smile stretched wide. “Princess, watch this.”

Twilight took a step back, closing her eyes. For a moment, she stood like a statue of serenity, with only a small smile to break her expression of utter peace. Then, her horn began to glow. Energy began to collect around the stubby point, flowing down to the base before returning to the peak in a lazy spiral. Gradually, the ribbons of energy began to broaden, thickening and drawing closer to her horn as they did.

In a moment, the bands of power had joined together, forming a tight cone of swirling energy. A moment later, the door behind Twilight opened with a soft click as purple energy shifted the latch and pushed it. Then, in a mathematically precise line, book after book began to drift out of the room.

They traveled in perfectly straight lines, as though following some invisible track, rather than wobbling in place and shifting up and down as they moved. The Princess’s eyes narrowed as they flicked from the books, to Twilight’s horn, and back again.

With her eyes still closed, Twilight tilted her head fractionally to one side, and the books began to move once more. They arrayed themselves around her, several inches apart, each one facing towards the mare at the center of the circle of literature. Once the first layer had completed itself, with all twenty books spread evenly about the purple mare, the next layer began to arrange itself, in exactly the same pattern.

In less than a minute, every book was stacked neatly in the floating column, hovering in the air without so much as a page out of place. It was perfectly organized, and while not a spell that consumed a great deal of raw power, Twilight’s control of the flow of her power was stunning.

Princess Luna found herself staring at the mare, whose eyes were still serenely shut. Slowly, her eyebrow’s returned to their rightful place above her eyes, rather than in their impressed arch, and the alicorn began to circle the mare.

“I am impressed, Twilight. You are showing an amazing amount of control with this. I take it that you have been practicing?”

She had to have been. Anypony could send out tendrils of invisible power to manipulate objects near them. That is what gave their magic its wavering quality, the energy collected at their horns spread itself out unevenly, stretching to seek the object the unicorn desired. Twilight was doing something far more directed, sending out perfectly straight lines of power directly to their targets, feeding her spell directly rather than powering the wavering strands of magic.

“Yes.” Twilight spoke slowly, and her voice hummed with power as she did. It gave the words an odd, resonant quality as she spoke, like hearing an echo of the words a moment after they were spoken.

Luna completed her slow circuit and looked once more at the peaceful face of the smaller pony. “That’s enough, Twilight.”

Twilight’s eyes snapped open, and for a moment, Luna thought she saw a faint glow within the amethyst orbs. As her eyes opened, the precise positioning of the books slipped, wavering in place as they would for anypony. Twilight grinned widely at the Princess as she sent the tomes floating back to their shelves.

“That was... very impressive, Twilight.”

If anything, the alicorn’s words made Twilight’s grin widen. Unable to control herself, Twilight took a step closer to the Princess, wrapping her hooves around the strong black body as she did. She pulled herself closer to the momentarily stunned mare, hugging her tightly as a tear squeezed its way past her eye.

“Thank you, Princess. Thank you so much.”

After a moment of shock, Luna reached a hoof encased in silver armor around Twilight. She squeezed the mare gently, resting her head on the lavender shoulder for a moment. After several slow, deep breaths, she pulled lightly back, and Twilight let her go.

“You are most welcome, Twilight Sparkle.” She said, bowing her head to the young mare. “Now, before I begin to tease you in earnest, would you please do me one favor?”

“Umm, sure?” Twilight asked, more than a little worried at the threat of further teasing. It wouldn’t be too bad though, not like when other ponies teased her. Twilight knew that Luna meant her words in jest, not like the others who really did want to hurt her.

“Twilight, would you please attend the Council meeting this evening? There are matters that shall be discussed which involve you directly, and I would have you hear them from the horse’s mouth.”

The council room was, as ever, stiflingly hot. It was, however, rarely ever quite so full, or so silent. The presence of a visiting Princess seemed to be the only thing that would make the various nobles forget their quarrels and meet in peace it would seem. Every noble who could attend the meeting was somewhere in the room, and not one of them had spoken a word once the soft rumble of whispers at Luna’s entrance had died away. Now, every colorful mare and stallion in the hot, confined quarters had their eyes riveted on the visiting Princess, seated beside Princess Celestia at the room’s central table.

Around the disk-shaped table, the rest of the Senior Council sat, the members of that elite group choosen by lot from each sect present during the Summer Sun Celebration. Lord Marshtamer for the East, and Lord Nest Builder for the south. Lady Golden Crown sat in the inner circle as well, a representative for the merchants and the guilds of Helios.

All twenty of the Senior Council had fixed their eyes on the Princesses just like the rest of the crowd, though they too glanced occasionally to the dragoness seated on Princess Celestia’s right. Spike’s scales shone a dull grey and a deep maroon in the faint red light of the room, far less stunning than her usual emerald and amethyst, but hypnotic nonetheless.

Almost unnoticed, sheltered off to the serpentine visitor’s right, Twilight tried to make herself as small as possible. She needn’t have bothered. The stunning trio nearby quite capably distracted everypony’s attention, save General Stormfront, who cast an occasional glance her way.

Twilight just wanted to know why Princess Luna had been so insistent that she attend the meeting. So far, the only topics that had been discussed related to a proposed raise in the tax on grain. It wasn’t exactly what Twilight would deem urgent, and the Princesses and Spike had only spoken a few words throughout the discourse. Now though, Silver Scales was shuffling the papers before her, straightening them out as the agenda for the Council session proceeded to the next point.

The scribe read the paper, and Twilight could see her eyebrows shoot up. After she reread the paper several times in quick succession, the grey mare cleared her throat, bringing a hoof up to straighten her spectacles. “Ahem. Now, as I was saying, we now move on to the next point on our agenda for the evening. Princess Luna, would you care to speak?”

The grey pony turned her head towards the black alicorn, who nodded gravely.

“Then the chair would like to recognize the right of Princess Luna of Selene to speak as a visiting dignitary. Are there any objections?” Silence met her questioning gaze as she slowly swept it around the room. “Then the floor is yours, Princess.”

She took a step back from the section of desk which held her papers, clearing a small space for the Princess to slip into. Then, once the Princess was situated and the top piece of paper was turned neatly over to obscure the remainder of the meeting, the chair pony bowed deeply to the Princess.

“Thank you,” Princess Luna spoke softly, inclining her head to the old pony with a slight smile. Then she turned to face the crowd, and her voice firmed. “I would like to apologize for my speech the last time we all met in this very chamber. It has been nearly two centuries since the last I visited this nation, and I am afraid that I wrongly assumed that your customs had changed little.

“My ignorance is no excuse however, for I should well know that nopony can stymie change. The seasons turn and turn again, passing in the endless cycle of ages. Ponies change with them, every season bringing new thoughts, new ideas. We lose some friends every year, and gain new ones. While at one time we may face a drought, the next we might be blessed with a seemingly endless bounty.”

The crowd stilled once more, every eye in the room locked on the black body as the Princess spoke. Twilight found herself leaning in against the wooden table, trying to catch every word the Princess spoke.

“But unlike the skies, we do not begin each season anew. For we are as blessed as we are cursed, with the gift of memory. We recall with sorrow those friends whom we shall never again see. We remember the hardships of the drought, and endeavor to keep a store set aside in case one should strike again. We travel through life not only peering out across the bow at the endless expanse of this beautiful, terrible life, but casting our eyes behind us. The past stretches out behind us all as infinitely as does the future.

“If the future is the unknown waters that lie ahead, then memories must be the wake the spreads out with our passage. It flows through the waters of time just as easily as the future shifts between any of its countless possibilities, each ripple affecting everypony.

“I do not speak thus simply for my own amusement. Those among you who have seen the timeworn cycle turn over and over know of what I speak. You have seen fifty, sixty, seventy seasons pass as fluidly as the first, but never has the same season come again. Never is our realm the same. So it is to you I speak when I say that I wish for another change, a greater one.

“How long have we laboured, both of our great nations, to placate the tyrants of Ryais? How long have the sons and daughters of Helios given their lives to stem the tide of the gryphons from razing our lands to the barren soil?”

“Damn right, girl.” The grizzled general growled, looking around. “You’ve all been there. You know what hell the front is.”

His words were met with nods and murmurs, and not a few shudders as everypony relived their time fighting against the gryphon. It was a bloody war that had stretched on for centuries, and the beastial aggressors simply would not hear diplomacy.

The Princess inclined her head to the veteran, before resuming her speech. “And why do they strike? Sadly, that blame lies in part with me.”

Silence followed her words as the Princess of the Night swept her gaze about the room, as though daring anypony there to challenge her. Nopony did.

“To my great regret, I found that I could no longer accept many of the traditions of Helios at the time. I, and those of a like mind, petitioned Princess Celestia to form our own nation some four centuries ago. At the time, we had no idea of the turmoil that we would create. Little more than a quarter of a century later, the Queen of all ponies, Terrace, passed from this world. With her passing, all that remained of her ancient kingdom, a land known as Equestria, fell under siege.

“Long held back by the fearsome might of the Queen, the dragons and gryphons no longer had her wrath to hold them at bay. While both nations were mourning the loss of our noble leader, Equestria, what is now Helios and Selene, was attacked. While ponies squabbled over who was to inherit what from the great empire, they struck.”

Luna’s voice faltered then, and she looked down at the wooden table for a moment. From her nearby seat, Twilight could see the muscles of the black mare’s legs tighten like iron bands, and her wings twitch sporadically as she fought against whatever emotion gripped her.

Twilight cast a worried glance over her shoulder, towards the Princess and Spike, only to find both of them similarly fighting off their own memories, all three of the ancient, beautiful creatures bore the same expression of grief and regret on their faces.

“We were fools.” Princess Luna spoke, and her strong voice wavered slightly as she lifted her hoof. Then she slammed it down on the table, and her head swung up to glare about her. “We sought to remain separate. We refused to join together, to become one people again for the sake of vanity and broken egos. I freely admit, I was one of the loudest voices that fought against reunification, crying out against Helian ‘tyranny’ until all would believe nothing else.

“What I seek now, is the Council’s permission to begin to heal that wound. I seek to close the rift I have created between our countries. I ask, no. I beg you to come to my aid. I have convinced the Council of Selene that my plan is sound, and they have consented to my plan. Now, I have only one obstacle removed. I seek to join our two nations indelibly. I wish to reform Equestria, slowly merging our two countries into one, so that we may lead them to a greater, brighter future. A future free from the tyrannical might of the dragons, whose power comes from our division. Free from the attacks of the gryphons, so that we may finally live in peace once more. So that our sons, our daughters, our foals do not need to die before their time.

“I propose a marriage to ensure this alliance. I offer myself to this union, as I am sure you all remember. So finally, I must ask.” Princess Luna’s voice softened as she spoke, before turning to face Princess Celestia once more. “With your leave, Celestia?”

The Princess nodded at her black counterpart, and beside her Spike inclined her head as well.

“Thank you. Now. Twilight Sparkle. Will you marry me?”

Chapter Eight

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For a moment, while the Council Room was utterly silent, Twilight’s mind raced. Her? A Princess? Was that even possible? Why her? What was happening? Was Luna joking.

No. Luna wasn’t joking. She was staring at Twilight silently, her calm blue eyes giving nothing away as she stood there. Her body was leaned in slightly, as though she were as nervous as Twilight was about what the unicorn would say. Her wings had subtly shifted, as though they had moved to settle themselves, but had stopped when the mare consciously forced them to still. It made only the faintest movement, but it did cause one or two feathers to stick out of place, and she wouldn’t be able to smooth them back into place without drawing attention to her discomfort.

Twilight herself was uncomfortable. She had just been asked, without warning or preparation, to marry a Princess. She liked Luna fine. The alicorn was witty, charming, and delightful company. She was also, Twilight was fully aware, very attractive physically. Her long, thin frame, silky fur and exotic mane were things that engendered lust in even the most barren individuals.

Sexuality aside though, and Twilight wasn’t immune to her physical charms by any means, there was the overwhelming factor of her position. She was one of the Princesses. She ruled her country, just as Celestia ruled Helios, and the prospect of marrying one with so much political clout both within her own realm and in the countries of others would be the stuff of many a noble’s wet dream.

As if those were not reasons enough to strike Twilight speechless, there was also the sheer magical power that Princess Celestia and Luna could call upon. They were, in every effectual sense, goddesses, even if they both despised being referred to as such. They held sway over the heavens, and the sun, moon, and stars danced to their whims. They were both kind, and terrifyingly intelligent, and had the accumulated experience of centuries to help guide their decisions. They were never wrong, never.

Except, apparently, that one of them had just asked her; young, weak, secluded her, to become her bride.

In the thought-filled second after Luna spoke, the room was silent. Many of the ponies were smiling slightly, sure that this was some joke, or that they had heard wrong. More of them looked about themselves confused, wondering if the impossible words they thought the Princess had uttered could have true. A few of their faces turned to Twilight, and here and there, a friendly face smiled at her, those few friends she had in attendance showing her their support. General Stormfront nodded his grey head solemnly when she looked at him, and the Colonel was grinning from ear to ear. Twilight had never seen the sheep sitting in on the Council meetings before, but there he was. Spike was smirking to herself, and obviously enjoying some joke, though Twilight tried not to envision what her mirth was based upon.

For every smiling face she saw as her eyes swiftly flicked about the room, there were at least five glaring at her. They were the upper crust of the nobility, those whose rank was her equal, or more. They knew that they hadn’t misheard or misunderstood the Princess, and they were all furious that they had been passed over. They were the nobility, with pedigrees that would take an hour to recite, most of them, every one wealthy and powerful both in magic and in their devious, political minds. And they had just been told that a filly barely old enough to foal was better than they, than their children, to rule a country. A filly who had been nothing but a disappointment magically, as they all knew from their children’s accounts from their school days. That was who the Princess of Selene thought more worthy.

Then, as the moment passed, Twilight felt her heart finally thud out another beat. She hadn’t been struck down by the announcement, as she had feared and half hoped she would have been. She took another breath, and as she inhaled, she saw many of the puzzled and amused faces slowly fade away, replaced by anger and disbelief as they began to realize that Luna hadn’t been jesting. Then, as more and more faces contorted in fury and shock, the outcry began.

Twilight didn’t hear what they shouted. A soft humming had been resonating in her ears since Luna had finished speaking. There was a song hidden within the complex weave of the music, a lullaby that sounded familiar. Twilight was sure she had heard it before, though she was at a loss to recall from where, or even what the words were to the sweet song. Still, the humming was a comfort to her, and it sheltered the poor unicorn from the uproar as nobles stamped their hooves and shouted over one another, voicing their complaints.

She was grateful for the song, and even though it was rude of her to have so rudely invaded Twilight’s mind, the purple mare sent a silent thanks to Spike, who winked. Then, the green scaled head turned back to the crowd, and a brilliant jet of emerald fire erupted from the dragoness’ maw. Her wings flared out behind her as she spat flames into the air, narrowly missing the crimson trappings of the room.

Everypony backed away quickly as the flames appeared, even the General taking a startled step back. The humming abruptly ceased, and Twilight was aware that everypony was silent, every eye was locked on Spike. The dragon’s head came back slowly, arching on her long neck. Then, with deliberate slowness, she spoke.

“You will be sssilent.” Her voice was low, threatening, with a reptilian hiss on the s. “If you must speak, do so civilly, without this racket.”

As a group, the crowd nodded. They didn’t take their eyes off of the dragon, or move at all, until she had settled once more on her cushion, wings tucking back to her sides. As the leathery wings folded back against her flanks, the dragon glared at the assembled ponies once more, before resting her head on her crossed front legs. The taloned toes attached to her legs, feet she called them, clicked against the marble with a sound that made even Twilight shudder, and briefly try to imagine what it would be like to have those jet black claws sink into her body.

I don’t eat ponies. Just their crops.

One reptilian eyes rolled back, fixing itself on Twilight as it shone with amusement. Twilight felt her own lips quirk at the thought. It would certainly fit the mischievous dragon’s personality, swooping down out of the sky with a roar, frightening ponies away, only to daintily munch on a cabbage or five.

After another long moment, one pony stepped forward through the crowd. The mare was one of the first to catch on to the fact that this wasn’t a joke, nor a prank. Hers had been one of the first faces to flush with rage after Luna uttered Twilight’s name. Apparently they had chosen her to speak for them, for that was obviously her intent.

Taking a long stride forward, seperating herself from the crowd, the Grey Lady as everypony knew her, stood insolently. Her eyes, bright silver like the light glinting off of a knife edge, locked on Twilight for a moment, before shifting to the Princesses. Even though she had only caught her gaze for an instant, Twilight shuddered.

High Lady Snowdrop, the Grey Lady, was one of the most powerful and influential ponies on the Council. She held the far Northern border, a region so barren and frigid than even the gryphons left it in peace. Rich in minerals and home to arguably some of the most beautiful works of nature in the world, the icy mountains she called home were even less hospitable than the molten heartlands of Ryais. Nothing grew in those passes during the winter, and even in the summer, only sparse grass and one kind of flower, her namesake, bloomed.

She was a force to be reckoned with, borne and bred of ponies who were survivors. She had more innate magical power and aptitude than any unicorn in Helios, and her wealth made her nigh untouchable in politics. Alloyed with her sharp, starkly beautiful features, dangerous and sly mind, and her utter ruthlessness, her name was one to conjure with. Though she rarely spoke on any issue, her opposition or support was more than enough to sway the Council’s vote, nopony willing to risk losing the future support of the mare, and her enormous wealth.

She had no scruples, as far as Twilight knew, and seemed to be without fault. She rarely voiced an opinion, and was never contradicted. To her credit, while she had no compassion for others without her drive to survive in spite of hardships, it was also true that she was not cruel either. That was likely all that one could say in her favor, though.

All in all, the Grey Lady was likely the last pony you would want to be glaring at you, offended and angry. Her eyes slid away from Twilight as the mental dossier flashed through the mare’s mind, and she cocked her head as she stared at Luna.

“If I may speak, Princess Luna.” She paused, bowing her head when the black mare nodded her head. “I think I speak for all, including Twilight Sparkle, when I ask what you mean by this. Please, forgive my bluntness Princess, but there are many here who would question the wisdom and validity of your choice. Many of those same ponies would resent your choice as well.”

She spoke softly, with only the hard light in her eyes to reveal that she was one of those ponies who felt cheated by the Princess’s decision. It was a well known fact that she prefered mares, for all that she was married to a stallion. She doubtlessly would have found an alliance with Selene, and personally becoming a ruler herself, to be desirable in many ways.

Luna seemed to notice the angry shine of her eyes though, because her own voice hardened as she spoke. “I do not need to justify my decision. She is suitable, and she is the pony whom I have chosen.”

“Actually, you do need to justify your choice. Meaning no disrespect Princess, but we would all like to know why you think that this mare,” She gritted out, eyes flicking back to Twilight. It was clear that Snowdrop was forcing herself to remain polite and proper, to control her anger. “Why she is more suitable a match than another.”

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but caught a look from Celestia. With a snort, her mouth closed and she took several deep breaths.

“She is your equal in rank, Lady.” Luna spoke, her clear voice carrying to everypony in the room. “My reasons for my choice are not your concern, so you will satisfy your curiosity by knowing that she is suitable.”

“I really don’t think that-”

“My choice is my own, and was made for reasons I will not disclose. If you wish to challenge my choice, then so be it, but know that you will only be able to challenge it on the grounds of illegitimacy. I rather think that is not a claim you would be willing to press, hm?” Luna hummed her question, eyes hard. She knew that the only way Snowdrop could challenge Twilight’s suitability was to challenge the legitimacy of her birth, and in doing so cast blame on her parents, the Princess, or both.

The Grey Lady backed down, though her own hard edged gaze was locked on Twilight. She obviously blamed her for this entire event, convinced that the unicorn had somehow manipulated them all. Or maybe she was simply furious to have been cheated out of such a juicy political opportunity.

Still, she backed down, stepping slowly back into the crowd. When she was once again entangled in the mass of nobles, Luna smiled slightly and nodded.

Twilight suddenly resumed an awareness of her own body, something that had fled once Luna had spoken to her. In a rush, she realized that she was still standing perfectly still, with her sides barely moving enough to draw in her shallow breaths. The muscles along her back were quivering, and her shoulders burned where the muscles were locked hard and tight like bands of steel.

Twilight took a moment to relax, letting her body loosen its death grip. Slowly, with her eyes closed, she felt the release of her strained body, and her rigid stance slackened. Shuddering slightly, Twilight took a long, deep breath, and felt the sudden relaxation spread throughout her body. Once again, the sense of serenity entered her, though this time she wasn’t seperated from herself, she was aware of each deep breath, how the stifling heat of the small room pressed against her.

“Please, everypony.” Twilight, and everypony in the room, turned their head at the soft tone. Princess Celestia panned her eyes over the crowd slowly, seeming to stare at every pony in turn before she spoke again. “This is a shock to everypony here, not the least to Twilight herself. If you would, I would like to adjourn for the evening. I think that until Twilight has decided, this matter should be dropped, with the promise that should Twilight decline the offer, then the Council will meet to determine who is a suitable candidate, and chart a course of action. If, that is, that such a plan is acceptable to Princess Luna?”

Twilight, Celestia, and everypony, looked to the black alicorn who glared at Celestia for a silent heartbeat, before clearing her expression of its stormy clouds, smiling and nodding her head slightly. “That sounds acceptable.”

Turning back to the group, Celestia nodded. “Then please, go. Once Twilight has made a decision, a message will be sent. Thank you everypony. If you would excuse us.”

With a subterranean grumbling as they pushed against each other and shuffled about, the nobles slowly exited the room. Before they turned to exit though, many of the ponies gave Twilight one final, venomous glare, one that promised great discomfort for the little mare for daring to consider Luna’s proposal.

And she was considering it, to her own shock. Once her initial panic subsided, replaced by dispassionate thought, there really was nothing that truly made her unacceptable as a candidate. While it was also true that she had no outstanding virtues to recommend her more than the rest, she had no glaring vices either. If, as Luna had said, her status was the only consideration that was publicly known, then there was nothing that discredited her.

Even if she was the maid to the Princess, that did not detract from the basic fact of her social standing. She was, courtesy of the posthumous honors bequeathed upon her parents, essentially a viscountess, though without the land to give her title political weight. In a city where every other pony was Lord or Lady Whatnot, Twilight’s titular rank was less than impressive, especially once compared to those pony’s very real wealth and influence.

In a technical sense at least, Twilight could find nothing that invalidated herself as a candidate. Which left only the long list of other faults that obstructed the matter. Her weak magic being paramount among them, followed closely by her naivete concerning politics. After all, weren’t Princesses meant to be wise, powerful, and kind? She wasn’t any of those things, except kind. Even then, she was not above the occasional irrational fit of jealousy or loathing, look at the vindictive manner she had attack Blueblood only a week ago, jumping on the first opportunity to cause the arrogant prat suffering for once in his life. That wasn’t the actions of a just, kind ruler, it was what an upset filly would do.

The door swung shut behind the Colonel. The little sheep winked at Twilight as he tapped the locking bar with a hoof, slipping the door closed as the heavy crossbar came down with a thunk. Twilight chuckled as the small black hoof waved once, before slithering back through the small gap between the door and the wall, letting the door lock behind him. Now, there was nopony who could disturb them.

As the door closed behind the little sheep, Princess Luna’s face dropped out of its cool, confident mask, and she exhaled gustily. She shook her head, looking at the heavy oak wood of the door and frowned.

“Tell me, Celestia, are they always this obstreperous? Or is it merely in honor of my presence?” She turned, and the corner of her mouth quirked up in a wry smile.

“Oh,” Princess Celestia chuckled. “I’m afraid that was only slightly more animated than the usual. Normally they are close to pulling each other’s feathers out, if they don’t get their way. Are the nobles in Selene so different? When last I visited, they seemed very similair. Or did you have them all exiled, so you could have some peace and quiet.”

The white alicorn’s posture also began to relax, and her voice was gently teasing as she tossed a small smile at her friend. At her words, the small smirk that was hovering about Luna’s lips grew, stretching into a full smile as she laughed. “Alas, no. They have become more tempered though, and less prone to,” She broke off, making an annoyed humming noise to indicate just what she felt about the constant rabble and infighting amongst the nobility.

“Politics?” Spike suggested innocently. Her words brought everypony in the room a renewed fit of the giggles though, and it took them a few moments to remember the fourth member of their little party. When they saw Twilight though, they sobered at once.

“Twilight?” Princess Celestia asked, taking a small step towards her maid. “Are you well?”

“Am I well?” Twilight whispered. The muscles lining her back were tight, hunching her shoulders behind her neck as she glared about. Her voice was calm, but in the same controlled, ferocious manner that spoke as plainly of strong emotion as the screaming she refused to indulge in. “Of course I am not well, Princess. I have just become the default target for every noble in Helios, up and and including the senior members of the Council, and they all know as well as you do that I am about as magically competent as a slug. And all of this, because somepony I only met a few weeks ago asked me to make probably the biggest decision of this century and MARRY HER!”

Twilight knew she was being rude, almost unpardonably, but she had had enough and more than enough. There was just no way that they could expect anypony, any rational pony, to simply accept such a proposal. Even without the rest of the Council to worry about, Twilight was barely old enough to marry at all.

Twilight saw the Princess’ eyes widen in shock at her outburst, and her mouth twisted into a ferocious snarl. She didn’t care. How dare they push her into this corner. She couldn’t accept the proposal. She was just a filly, and the political machinations in Helios and Selene would eat her alive. She wasn’t even skilled in magic, so that should somepony challenge her, she would have no choice but to back down. On the other hoof, she couldn’t refuse the damnable Princess either. Luna was charming, kind, and witty, and Twilight genuinely enjoyed her company. She couldn’t bring herself to take away the obvious happiness the black mare was showing.

Twilight’s eyes began to burn, and she closed them tightly before her frustrated tears could fall. Her hoof cracked down on the marble floor, and Twilight screamed. She was acting like a filly, and she knew it. She just didn’t care right now.

Her outburst caused any remnants of amusement to leave the room, and all three of the ancient ponies looked at her as though expecting her to burst into some fiery conflagration. Spike was the only one of the three who seemed to have expected her fraying patience to snap though, Twilight could see a self satisfied tilt to the scaled pony’s lips. The other two looked as though she had suddenly sprouted a pair of wings though, and Luna’s mouth was hanging open ever so slightly.

Twilight stamped a hoof again, hard enough to send a ripple of pain up her foreleg. Twilight stared hard at all of them, letting her frustration show through. Her eyes were watering, and the assembly swam in and out of focus as Twilight blinked her eyes repeatedly, trying to hold back the agonized tide.

“How can I be well? How can you even think that?” She whispered, her voice harsh and rough. “You just... just asked me to make a decision that could affect everypony’s future. To choose how the rest of my life is going to be spent. And you did it so that every noble in Helios will want nothing more than to crush me and take my place. Would you be all right?”

She glared at them, and this time she didn’t break and look away, blinking her eyes clear. She let the furious tears flow one by one down her cheeks. She raised her hoof again, as though to slam it a third time into the marble floor. She lost the will to complete the action halfway through though, and slowly, jerkily, returned it to the floor.

Her anger fell away as her hoof touched the stone, and the pain, the hurt and betrayal it had been keeping at bay suddenly swelled up to consume her. How could the Princess have let this happen? How could she have planned this? She had to have done, since Luna had obviously been looking to the older mare for approval before she made her speech. Celestia had set this entire meeting up, Twilight was certain, and that certainty made her feel as though somepony had kicked her in the tummy.

“Twilight...” Luna spoke softly, taking half a step forward. Twilight wasn’t looking at the black alicorn though, and didn’t see the pained expression in her teal eyes. Her gaze was locked on a pair of lavender irises, eyes that looked almost as pained as Twilight felt.

“How could you?” Twilight whispered. The pained look in Celestia’s eyes vanished as the white lids closed, and the alicorn looked away.

Twilight whirled, and shoved her way through the door, unlatching it as she neared it. She burst into the hall at a gallop, eyes streaming as she ran away from the three of them. From the three who had done this to her, who had forced her into this posistion. She almost didn’t hear the hoarse whisper from within the Council chambers over her own pounding hooves.

“I’m sorry.”

Twilight was nestled deep within the bowels of the library. Surrounded by the heaping, unorganized mounds of literature, she finally felt safe once more. She flicked the page of her book over with a gentle nudge from her nose; even the thought of using her magic right now was too much for her. The page made a pleasant crinkling sound as she turned it, and Twilight took a moment to inhale the crisp, slightly musty scent of the old parchment.

She even loved how this place smelled. The thought, conjuring as it did the happy memories of many a free afternoon spent cooped up in this room, brought tears to her eyes. She would miss it. Miss the old smell of the room, miss the little fort she had slowly built up about her favorite plump white cushion, the one with the golden tassels that she had fallen in love with the moment she saw it for the first time, resting on the floor looking almost exactly like the Princess standing beside it.

Twilight had been a filly, just starting school then, and the Princess had needed some old scroll from the library. Rather than just conjure the material with magic, the white alicorn had stood, stretching, and told her maid that they were off to the Library. They had spent almost an hour in the messy room, searching high and low for the record of a land sale between the ancestors of a pair of nobles who were arguing over the possession of a small fig orchard. Twilight was sure that the Princess had found the scroll after only a few moments of searching, guided by either her magic or her nearly infallible memory, but the filly had loved the exploration.

At the end of the hour, the exhausted unicorn had flopped down onto a small red cushion, only to see the Princess drop onto another cushion, one that matched her colors perfectly. They had talked then, whiling away another hour on their cushions, laughing and chatting. The Princess told her the history of the great library, and how nopony ever visited it anymore, as almost nopony enjoyed reading the dry accounts and scientific studies stored there.

When she spoke about how the library had been abandoned by everypony save the very few who actually enjoyed researching, the white alicorn had seemed immeasurably sad. It had seemed to Twilight then, and now as she recalled the scene, that perhaps the Princess had felt a certain kinship to the ancient repository of knowledge. Maybe that was why she had seemed so pleased when Twilight stood, and proclaimed that she would make sure she visited the library as often as she could.

The Princess had laughed at Twilight’s antics, made all the more amusing by her utter seriousness, but she had been touched by her statement all the same. Twilight could almost see the way her eyes had shone happily at her maid’s declaration. Since then, whenever Twilight visited the library, she would steal away along the shelves, until she reached this cushion, the white and gold sanctum that was hers, and hers alone.

Twilight had made up her mind. She couldn’t turn Luna down. Too much had been risked in her proposal, both for Selene, and the Princess herself. If Twilight declined the offer, it would be seen as a slight, by the nobility of the dark country, if not by the Princess herself.

Once the shock had faded away, Twilight had been able to think about the proposal as dispassionately as she could. It had taken almost an hour for her eyes to clear enough to read the book she had cradled to her chest the moment she had arrived. Plants, Animals, and the Magical Properties They Contain.

Twilight had thrust the book away from her in disgust, brushing her chest with one hoof. The book was a vile, if highly detailed, treatise on the harvesting, use, and magical properties of many different plants and animals. The thought of pulling the teeth from the mouth of a baby manticore was enough to make Twilight want to burn the wretched tome, bibliophile or not.

Her reaction had gotten a half choked laugh out of her though, and she magicked the book back to where it belonged, far out of reach and hopefully out of mind. Instead, she had pulled another book down at random, and begun reading. She had paused only once, lighting the many candles scattered about the library when night fell. She had carried several of the fat, white little things back with her, arranging them all around her nest, so that she sat in the middle of the warm, flickering glow they cast.

“I thought you’d be here.”

Twilight looked up, snapping the book shut as her heart thudded in alarm. Cadance was standing outside the ring of candles, lit from below by the nearest one. Her eyes were soft, and a little sad, but they turned up as the mare smiled at her young friend. “Mind if I sit with you?”

Twilight shook her head slowly, and pulled the book away from her chest where she had clutched it as an impromptu shield. Not that a record of Cloud Crasher’s historic speeches was likely to protect her from the entirely verbal attacks she had expected, but the nearness of the hard cover had been a comfort.

Cadance stepped daintily over the candles, hopping her back legs lightly over them. They landed with a muted click on the stone floor, and the unicorn smiled down at Twilight. “It’s okay, little one.”

Cadance smiled and slid onto the cushion beside Twilight. She wriggled slightly, jostling Twilight, then repeating the action, making the lavender mare giggle. It was an old game they had played, and still played every now and then. Cadance would keep nudging and poking Twilight to get her to move, even resorting to swatting her lightly with her tail if Twilight refused to budge. Though the older mare obviously wasn’t feeling playful, her actions had the desired effect, and Twilight relaxed.

She shifted after a moment, and curled her body around Twilight’s until her head was resting over the smaller pony’s shoulder, cupping her against the warm pink fur. Twilight hummed as Cadance nuzzled her neck softly, and leaned back against her friend.

“Are you okay?” Cadance asked, some time later. Twilight had stopped humming, but still reclined against her warm body. At this though, she twisted about, taking her eyes off of the book. She stared hard at Cadance for a moment, before looking away with a sigh.

“Yes. I guess you heard what happened?”

Cadance chuckled, an action that Twilight felt more than heard. “Yes. When you didn’t return, I was worried. So was Pip, but I told him that you were busy, and to go to bed. It didn’t take long to figure out that something had happened, not when all of the nobles I past glared at me like I had just insulted every member of their family personally.”

Twilight laughed in her turn, easily imagining how most of the uppity nobles would act. They would see Cadance, then glare, and turn their heads aside with a dignified sniff. Occasionally one would do this with such vigor that they would stop looking where they were going altogether, and walk headfirst into a wall.

“So when they wouldn’t tell me what happened in the meeting, I went to Celestia and told her to tell me what in the name of Light she had done.”

“You didn’t?” Twilight asked, both horrified at the rudeness of the act, and touched by how much it showed Cadance cared. “What happened then?”

“She told me that Luna asked you to marry her, and I asked if she was going senile.”

Horror at her friend’s rudeness was lost in the amusement and mingled guilt at having caused her friend so much worry. She was pleased that at least somepony cared enough to stand up for her, though. Guilt suddenly overpowered her at the uncharitable thought, and she rubbed her head against Cadance’s side.

“Then I left, and I know you always come here when you’re upset. You seem a lot more calm now though.” Cadance finished , and Twilight could tell by her voice she was remembering her actions with a smile. “Given it any thought?”

Twilight felt her conviction falter, and suddenly she had doubts about her decision. Maybe she really wasn’t good enough for the task. She was smart, but what if she messed up horribly before she could learn what to do? What if she only made enemies amoung the Selene ponies? What if she never... never saw Cadance again?

“Shh, sweetheart.” Cadance murmured, and wrapped her neck around Twilight’s in the closest thing to a hug she could manage. “It’s okay. It’s not the end of the world.”

“B-but what if I never see you again?” Twilight asked, and she could hear the terrified tremble in her voice. Not the stuff of a ruler, but she wasn’t one, not yet. Even if she did take Luna’s offer, she didn’t have to be strong yet.

Cadance could feel the soft heave of Twilight’s sides as the mare tried to stop herself from sobbing. She didn’t say anything for some time, just pulled Twilight close and held her, humming a lullaby to her quietly. After several minutes, Twilight’s panic attack faded, and she began to breath more calmly.

“I... I know that song?” Twilight mumbled, sniffling. Cadance’s humming froze for a moment, then resumed. She pulled away from Twilight for a moment, and pressed a soft kiss to the lavender pony’s forehead, just above her stubby horn.

“I used to put you to sleep with it.” Cadance whispered, then shifted so that she wasn’t quite so close to the younger mare.

“Cadance?”

“Yes, little one?”

“P-promise me we’ll keep in touch?” Twilight asked, suddenly afraid Cadance would be furious with her. She knew that her friend didn’t much like Luna, and she had almost no respect for either Princess beyond a grudging admiration for the difficulty in running a kingdom in a constant state of war. What if she refused to talk to Twilight again? What if the last thing she would ever say to her was that she was disappointed in her for going with Luna? Twilight couldn’t bare that thought, never seeing her friend, her mother again.

Her body stiffened as panic set in once more, and her breathing became a shallow pant. she couldn’t do it, not if it meant she would lose Cadance. Honor, duty be damned, she wasn’t going to make the pony who had been there for her, who cared for her more than anything-

“Of course I will.” Cadance said, soft and a little sad. She kissed Twilight again, before putting a hoof gently on her friend’s cheek. Gently, she pushed Twilight’s head until the mare was looking into her honest, azure eyes. “Twilight, you mean more to me than anything, even more than Shining. I will never, never let something come between us. I think you will make a wonderful ruler. Luna is a very lucky mare.”

Relief washed over Twilight like a tidal wave, burying her in grateful happiness. She nuzzled her friend, laughing and crying. She fell asleep like that, still with tears clinging to her lashes, the combination of relief and the soft lullaby from her foalhood gently letting slumber steal her away. Her last thought swirled muzzily through her mind as she felt sleep coming to claim her. Luna was a lucky mare. But she was even luckier, because she had somepony who cared so much about her.

Chapter Nine

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Soft, harsh whispers dragged Twilight slowly through the foggy divide between sleeping and waking. Like a line about her waist, the arguing voices dragged her through the molasses, until slowly they came into focus. She couldn’t make out their words, precisely, but she knew the ponies speaking regardless. She had only heard Cadance and Princess Celestia angry a few times, but both mares had scared her enough to make the memory an indelible one.

The young unicorn tried to open her eyes, to look around herself and find the irate mares. Perhaps she could calm them down, before the Princess hurt Cadance’s feelings, or the pink mare offended the monarch enough to merit punishment. Not that Twilight ever thought, rationally, that Cadance would rouse the Sun Queen’s ire that much, but rationality was rather late to return to her as she woke. There were several more words, sharp with their finality, and a growl from Cadance. Then there were sharp clicks on the marble floor, and the library door slammed shut.

Cadance grunted, and Twilight heard the thunk of a hoof driven into the thick wood of a door, followed by several more. As the mare let out a huff of utter aggravation, Twilight had a nasty thought. Could it be… was she the cause of their fight? She thought she had heard a word shaped like her name, but there was no way to tell if it had been or not. The tone of Cadance’s voice she had gritted out the Twilight-shaped word though, that was enough to send the hoofmaiden into a panic. She surged to her hoofs.

And promptly fell face first into the floor. Still unsteady form her recent slumber, Twilight’s legs had gotten tangled together when one caught on a roll of the plush pillow, and sent her sprawling. The mare grunted in pain, and tears filled her eyes as she rubbed her aching cranium. The pain did have two positive side effects though. It sent Twilight’s mind rocketing out of the remnants of the haze of her dreams, and it also made an annoyed pink face appear around the side of one of the shelves.

“Are you alright, Little One?” Cadance asked, annoyance no longer making her eyes flash. The bright blue orbs were wide with worry, and she rushed over despite Twilight’s nod. “How long have you been up?”

“Long enough,” Twilight groaned, submitting herself to Cadance’s soft, but insistent, touch. She yelped as Cadance’s hoof brushed the growing egg on her head. “Ow. Light, that stings. I heard you arguing with somepony. I think it was Princess Celestia.”

“It was, and we were.” Cadance said sharply, and again her kind eyes flashed with anger. Then they shifted to Twilight again, and the pink mare smiled. “I asked her to let you sleep in a little this morning. She was wondering where you were, since you hadn’t shown up in her chambers yet. I told her that I kept you up last night, and got her to agree to let you wake on your own.”

“Guess that was a little pointless then, since I’m up now.” Twilight chuckled, though the laugh was interrupted by a yawn. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Anyway, she wanted me to tell you that you could go get something to eat, then report to Court. I think,” Cadance paused, but she seemed to decide something. “I think you should go back to our rooms. I’ll have somepony bring some food up, but I’m sure that Pip is worried sick about you.”

“Oh!” Twilight blanched. She had completely forgotten about the little page she had rescued from Blueblood, and she just knew that he had stayed up all night, waiting for her. In all the excitement, she hadn’t spared the little colt a single thought. “Oh.”

She repeated herself, but this time, her voice was small, and flat. Thinking about last night brought back all kinds of things, from the startled look on the face of every noble, to the silent petrification she had felt when Luna had asked her hoof in marry. There was no way that she could help but to remember the jolt of fear when she thought of never seeing Cadance, her sister, her… her mother, ever again. She remembered the way she had fled the Council room, leaving it stunned by her screaming fury at being forced to choose. She couldn’t have her life anymore, no matter what she chose. If she accepted Luna’s proposal, which she had, though nopony but Cadance knew yet, then she would be whisked away to Selene, leaving her friends, her family, and her home. But if she stayed, it would be little better. Now everypony knew that she had connections to the rulers of both nations, and they would be after her like timberwolves. And, as she had reluctantly concluded last night, there was no better, but many worse, choices for the position. She wouldn’t try to steal Selene’s throne, she didn’t want it. But almost every other mare, and especially the stallions, would like nothing better than to become the sole ruler of a nation.

“Cadance?” She asked, seeing the many scenes from the night before flicker past in her mind. The one thing that kept returning, no matter how often she shoved it aside, was the gnawing fear that maybe, just maybe, Cadance was upset with her. “You will write to me, won’t you?”

For and moment, the older mare’s face was blank, a mask of perfect confusion, and Twilight’s heart took up residence in her hooves. Her shoulders went limp, and the scribe, now a Princess, seemed to collapse in upon herself. Then her heart shot back up into her throat, and bgan pounding as memory made Cadance beam.

“Of course, my little star, of course I will write. I will write every day if you want. I promised, after all.”

And just like that, just as it had the last night, Twilight felt the burden of her decision lift from her shoulders. There were still worries plaguing the mare, and there would be no end of obsticles in her path, but her heart was a thousand times lighter now. She could meet the challenges, and surpass them, as long as she still had Cadance. As long as she still had her, at least in writing, Twilight felt like she could take on the world.

“Now, you need to get going, Princess Celestia said she wants you with her as soon as you finish eating.”

Twilight nodded, and, on impulse, threw herself around Cadance’s neck. The larger mare hadn’t expected the sudden attack, and the air was knocked out of her with a woosh as she fell to the floor. With her hooves tight around the strong, long neck, Twilight toppled over as well, both mares giggling.

“I love you, Cadance.”

“I love you too, Sweetheart.”

Twilight blushed a little, but it was a pleased one, not a flush of annoyance at being treated like she were a foal. Still, the light kiss Cadance pressed to her cheek, warm and friendly, make her face flame with blood, and Twilight returned the kiss, nuzzling the pink neck for a moment. Then, with obvious reluctance, she stood, and slipped out into the hallway.

The hall leading to the Library was a very small, eternally empty passageway. There were not even statues adorning the plain marble hallway, the only break in the monotonously pale walkway was the odd torch ensconced here and there high on the walls. These were almost unique in the Heart, since they were real, burning torches, not magically enchanted ones. Black soot stained the pristine marble behind them, and Twilight paused.

Would there be anything like that in Selene? They were a country of the Night, of artistry, not industry. She had know doubt that whatever the nocturnal equivalent to the Heart was, that it would be opulently adorned, but would it be lit? The thought made Twilight shiver. She could bear the darkness, barely, but it left her pale and trembling, sheened in a cold sweat to do so. Would the Princess mind if Twilight took the small, enchanted candle with her? It had been a gift, after all.

Resolving to ask her when there was a moment, Twilight shook herself from her reverie. This was no time to be nostalgic, now she needed to eat, and get to the Throne room before Spark Note’s hoof gave out from writing. The scribe was only Twilight’s replacement after all, and today was going to be busy.

“Pip?” Twilight called, nudging the door open. She wasn’t using her magic, she didn’t want to hum to wake the colt if he were sleeping. Her soft voice might have been a thunderclap though, because it sent the colt rocketing to his feet. Since Pip had been very deeply asleep on the sofa, and he was a good bit shorter than the mares it had been made for, he followed Twilight’s earlier example, and plopped face first into the stone floor. “Pip! Are you okay?”

Feeling queer, Twilight rushed over to the colt, gently holding him steady as he sat back. His round, chocolate brown eyes glistened as he fought back tears, blinking at the three Twilights before him. Pip shuddered, and rubbed his head. “Blast and buggerin’ damnation!”

“What?” Twilight asked, confused by the colt’s sudden accent. The matter of her never having heard the little earth pony curse aside, it sounded like he had said ‘Ast n burin mnation’. “Are you okay?”

Another stream of words that Twilight could only assume to be some bizarre form of Equic flowed from Pip’s lips. Unsure of how to react, or what the little colt was saying, Twilight began to rub his back slowly, rocking the little pony slightly as he cradled his skull. After a minute or so of half-muttered oaths, silent tears, and what Twilight knew from experience would be blinding agony, Pip calmed down. Calmed down enough to catch the tail end of his last string of expletives anyway, look to Twilight, and blush a furious crimson.

“Begging your pardon, Miss Sparkle!” He yelped, springing to his feet. For a moment, the colt swayed alarmingly with the sudden change in position. Then he righted himself, stared intently at the left Twilight, there were only two now, and bowed.

“Um, I’m over here Pip.” Twilight began, trying not to laugh as her assistant reoriented. “And you are more than forgiven, for whatever you think you’ve done.”

“But Miss, I used… I said words that are not appropriate to be said in the presence of a lady.” Pip blushed a little more, and Twilight idly wondered if any blood was reaching his brain. “Oh, will you be wanting breakfast ma’am? Or a hot bath? I stayed up all last night tending one, so you could have it at a moment’s notice. I… I am sorry I fell asleep Miss Sparkle, doubtless it will have cooled by now. But I can warm it up for you if you like?”

“That sounds wonderful,” Twilight began, and raised her voice a little as Pip turned to carry out his duties. “But I haven’t got that much time this morning. I overslept, and I’m just going to eat before I head down to Court. And when I’m gone,” Her tone brooked no resistance. “You are going to lie your little rump down and take a nap, understood?”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle.” Pip said, looking at the floor. The marble was buffed to a glossy polish, and Twilight smiled as the colt looked at himself in its shining surface. Twilight watched the colt yawn, though Pip did try to hide it, and she took a step closer, lowering her voice.

“How about you go to my room and sleep? It has to be more comfortable than the sofa,” Twilight tossed her head at the thing. It was old and worn, with barely anything left of the original fabric, almost all of the seat overrun by books. When Twilight’s personal library grew too large for her room, some of her older, or less revisited books began the journey to the couch. How, by the Light, had he been able to sleep there in the first place?

“I couldn’t!” He gasped, looking away from his reflection in horror. “To take your bed, Miss Sparkle? No, no no no. That would be uncommonly rude of me, I could never put you out of your own bed!”

“Pip,” Twilight called over her small friend’s panic. “Pip, you aren’t putting me out of anything. I’m offering it to you while I am working with the Princess, so that you can get a decent sleep. Actually,” Twilight amended herself, seeing Pip open his mouth to protest again. “I’m not offering. I am ordering. Now, in bed, now.”

Pip still seemed inclined to argue, but Twilight smiled sweetly at him, and the colt felt a gentle smack on his rump, propelling him down the hallway towards Twilight’s bedroom. Bowing before the inevitable, Pip let his head hang on his neck as he trudged along the short hall. There was a soft rap on the door though, and the colt perked up at once. “Please, allow me to an-“

“Bed. Now.” Twilight cut across him, walking to the door. She gave the colt her best, and only, admonishing glare. Weak though the look was, it sent Pip scurrying all the way to her room. As he turned though, Twilight noticed something. “Wait, Pip.”

“Miss Twilight?” The colt asked, turning at once.

“You look…” Twilight paused, trying to think how to word it delicately. Light, she would need the practice if she was going to throw herself into the political arena. “Are you eating well?”

Pipsqueak blushed, looking down. “Well enough.” He muttered

“Pip.” Twilight glared again, honesty fire blazing in her eyes. “As soon as you finish your nap, I want you to go straight to the kitchens. Ask the Colonel, he’s the sheep yelling all the time, ask him to make you something. Tell him I asked him to do it, if you have to, but please, you need to eat more. You’re barely more than skin and bones.”

The colt swallowed hard, but nodded his head. There was another knock from right next to Twilight, and the mare jumped. Seizing the moment, Pip scurried into her room, shutting the door behind him. Twilight waited for the click of the latch before opening the front door. “Hello, how may I-“

“Ah, thought it’d be you, lass.” A stout voice ignored her, and a covered platter pushed her aside as it floated into the room. Beneath the silver dish, still speaking, the Colonel’s small, fluffy tail could be seen twitching back and forth in time with the slight bounce of his step. “Now where in Celestia’s great white ti- ah, there it is.”

The laden sheep shuffled through the room, depositing his burden on the sofa Pip had been sleeping on. He glanced over his shoulder and winked at Twilight, flipping the domed lid off of the tray with a flourish. A salad, garnished with bright red tomatoes and several white and purple slivers of onions, sat beside a smaller bowl, which held a single, enormous green apple.

“One of our suppliers gave me that,” He said, nodding his head towards the apple. “Grand old mare, told me to give it to somepony special. Figgered yer it.”

“Thank you,” Twilight blushed as the Colonel winked again, a rakish grin affixed comically to his round white face. “Everything looks delicious.”

“Aye, it damn well better be. Need te feed ya up before ya leave now, don’t we lassie?”

“You heard about that?”

The sheep snorted, a very eloquent, if not polite, sound. “The bloody town heard about it, Twilight. Moment they left the room, the whole flock of the loons scattered. Whined about it to everypony they met, I expect.”

“Oh Light!” Twilight groaned, rolling her eyes. “Today is going to be horrible. I guarantee you, there will be nothing but complaints all day.”

The Colonel laughed, and edged past her to the doorway. Before he left though, he looked over his shoulder. “Today’ll be hell for ya. But stick it out girl, I know ya can, and ya should. If,” He continued, and the lighthearted mirth faded. His voice softened, and his small, beady black eyes narrowed in seriousness. “If ya think she’s worth it.”

“Wait!” Twilight shouted, and the ram paused, sticking his head back through the cracked door. “I, its about Pip, I-“

“Aye, I heard ya fine. I’ll make him somethin’, never fret your bonnie head, lass. Light,” He chuckled, slipping back again. “He stays long enough, I might just teach him to cook for himself.”

“I would like to lodge a formal complaint, Princess.” High Lady Snowdrop said, walking slowly to the front of the crowd. Everypony moved aside as the mare approached, nopony willing to stand in the way of her warpath. As she paced closer and closer to the raised dais where Princess Celestia presided over the Court, her icy gaze flicked from side to side. With each glance, lords and ladies alike looked away, cowed by the Grey Lady’s fury. “A complaint on behalf of all rational parties.”

Twilight winced, but dutifully jotted down the notation of the mare’s words. She knew that, for all intents and purposes, she wasn’t in the room with the noble ponies. For all the notice that she was mean to attract, she might as well simply be a desk placed discreetly behind the dais. Today though, today she had never felt their oppressive glares lift. As each stallion came forward to bemoan Princess Luna rejecting them, she caught them looking at her, with dark anger flashing in their eyes.

When the Grey Lady’s ice white eyes flicked to her though, Twilight saw no anger there. There was calculation, as cold and hard as frost, and there was a sly amusement there as well, but no anger. Snowdrop caught Twilight’s gaze, and quirked an eyebrow. Then, as the mare quirked an eyebrow, she turned away from Twilight with a private smile, staring respectfully over Celestia’s shoulder.

“As you are aware, as your will was forged into this law, it is beyond all question that a ponies right to marry whomever they choose, regardless of circumstance, is never to be infringed?” Her words came out with the softest of inflections. Again, there was a brief flash of something in those cool eyes, and her lips twitched upwards. “Moreover, it is the sole decision of the proposed to accept, or decline as their own spirit wills. One may not solicit or govern the choices of another ‘With regards to whomsoever any mare or stallion chooses to bind his or her life, no imposition of the state, nor of family, shall be enforced, save when such claims are examined, and deemed adequate.’”

The quotation, from the Codex of Helian Law, made Twilight stop scribbling for a moment. She looked up, brows knitted in confusion, and stared at the mare. There were only a few copies of The Codex, and those were both valuable, and almost solely in the charge of the Heart. Five out of the seven known transcriptions of the original, and the original tome itself, all rested on stands scattered throughout the Library. Twilight would never expect the elegant, terrifying Lady of the North to be perusing the ancient books in the Heart’s battered library. Which meant that Twilight had either been laboring, like everypony, under a very incorrect impression of the mare, or she owned one of the two copies still unaccounted for. Celestia’s eyes narrowed, but the mare didn’t call the noble out. Instead, the sharp horn dipped as the Princess nodded, allowing the mare to continue.

“What I think that many of my… peers,” The mare’s face was calm, but the disdain she felt for the nobility was perfectly clear in her voice. “Seem to have forgotten, is that they have no say in the matter. It is upon Twilight, and only upon her, that the decision lies. Should she accept the offer of marriage, then there is nothing that anypony here can do about it, unless…” She trailed off, and a wicked grin flashed across her features. “They claim to have some knowledge that would make the marriage invalid for some reason. Such a claim would, of course, be investigated thoroughly, and the penalty for false accusations are… severe.”

“Now now!” Lord Rumrunner yelped. “There is no need for such talk. Nopony here is making any accusations, we only wished to, to determine the wishes of the young… lady.”

The last word came out from between gritted teeth, the only break in his pompous demeanor. Rumrunner, a stoutly built earthpony, had been one of the most active in his attempts to woo Princess Luna into marriage, and had not taken her rejection of him lightly. At the moment, with his chest puffed out with self-importance, Twilight thought he looked like nothing so much as a large barrel of the rum he made his living on.

His words had almost as much of an effect on the crowd as Lady Snowdrop’s had though. While the Grey Lady’s speech had cowed the nobles into order once again, Rumrunners words had the opposite effect. Now, the stilled crowd began to stir again, milling about as they murmured to each other in agreement. They were swiftly convincing themselves that yes, all they had ever wanted was to know what Twilight thought about the marriage. They would never want to imply any illegitimacy on the decision of the Princess, nor cast any aspersions on the wedding to be.

Under the cover of ending forward to check her notes, Twilight rolled her eyes. As though any of them were something besides greedy, self-important, self-centered mules. There were the odd exceptions, where a noble was truly an embodiment of their title. In the recent years, there had been several nobles who had acquitted themselves, well, nobly in battle, serving to protect their troops, and fighting side by side with them. There were, admittedly few, even some who made it their honest duty to see to the needs of the ponies living within their borders, feeding the hungry, and caring for the destitute. This gaggle, barring Lady North, were not among the true nobles of Helios.

“Yes, let us hear what you think, Miss Sparkle.” One pony called out, and was greeted by shouts of ascent. “Do you wish to marry the Princess?”

Oh well. Here was the cliff, it was time, to jump. Twilight smirked to herself as she carefully noted the stallion’s words, before wiping her face clean, and turning it to the crowd. “I think, that if Princess Luna believes I am an acceptable choice, then I have no reason to disbelieve her. She is much older than anypony here, saving Princess Celestia,” Twilight bowed her head to the mare seated near her, who smiled warmly back. “And whatever her reasons for her choice, it is not my place to question them.”

“So you won’t answer.” Snowdrop muttered, and Twilight’s eyes fell on the mare. For an instant, the High Lady met her gaze, and the unicorn saw true amusement flicker through the white eyes. It warmed the frigid mare’s face, as did the minute smile that played across her lips for a moment, turning her from a pretty ice sculpture into something beautiful. Then the mare controlled herself again, and raised her voice. “Thank you Miss Sparkle. Princess.”

The lady ducked her head in thanks, and Princess Celestia inclined her own in return. Lavender eyes sparkled as they watched the noble turn and walk slowly back into the crowd that she had, Twilight realized, just tamed. Now, there was nothing that they could say against the marriage, not without fearing that their words could be taken as an attack on the match, something that Helian Law took a very dim view of. Twilight smiled again, and turned back to her little desk, scribbling down her own words.

Author's Notes:

Okay, I know that this is not my best chapter. It's been a hard week on my editor, and she didn't get around to it, so I promise you, there will be more mistakes than normal in this. I forced myself to stop revising, rewriting, and swearing at this chapter, and decided that it would be best to just get the story rolling again, rather than constantly agonize over something minor. That being said, I actually have a chuck of the next chapter written, and am about to write some more. Hopefully, the next one will make you less inclined to damage my person... I like being pretty.

On a far more cheerful note, I would like to thank four wonderful people who made Is Immortality Really Worth It possible. I would have added them to the chapter, thanking them there, but I forgot, and I didn't want to add another one just to thank them, and annoy everypony else. So, Genjen, first and foremost my dear, thank you. You made that story possible, and in so doing, you introduced me to my best friend. I'm sorry we parted on bad terms, but I want to let you know that you made a huge impact on me. Thank you. Sasha Nein, Midnight Herald, and LastLight, I want to thank all of you as well. You were wonderful editors, and you kicked me out of my angsty whining long enough to actually write now and then. Thank you all, very much for all the help you have given me.

Addendum: I forgot to say this, but I was reminded by a comment. I did not, I swear, know that Snowdrop was an OC. I made her up on the fly, and needed a winter themed name. I wouldn't believe I could accidentally give a pony the same name, body, mane, and eyes as something I've never seen, but I am serious. At least the Grey Lady isn't blind, right? That's a plus?

...

Is the OC Snowdrop blind?

Chapter Ten

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“Why would she do that?” Twilight asked the empty room, not that she had expected the steaming bath to answer.

She had come back to her room after Court, to find a small note pinned to the door to her room, telling her that Pip was still in the kitchens, and that Twilight was to take the bath Cadance had prepared. She found, with a mixture of amusement and annoyance, another note pinned to the bathroom door, this one telling her that if she wanted to have a hot bath, she would have to heat the water up herself, and ‘not to pretend she couldn’t because I have already talked to Luna about her lessons, so don’t even try it Missy.’

And here she was now, reclining in the hot water, relaxing as the steam curled about her. She had taken the time to pull her mane back before entering the tub, giggling as she slid a pair of Cadance’s ornamental sticks through the tight bun. Then she had slid into the water, and allowed the heat to melt the stress of her day.

“Could have been worse,” she mumbled, half dozing. “Snowdrop helped. Ugh, imagine if they had all gotten to complain.”

She moaned, and slid lower into the tub. The water slid up around her, until only her eyes were left above the surface, breathing out a slow stream of bubbly curses. It would have been hell, listening to every single noble approaching the Princess, making veiled insults to not only Twilight, but Princess Luna as well, and being forced to record each and every word they said. It was disgusting, transcribing what they said. It made her feel dirty, as though she were the one saying those vile things, insulting the Princess.

It wasn’t though. Twilight knew that Princess Luna had her faults, one of which was her sadistic ‘lessons.’ By the Light, even Princess Celestia had a few faults of her own. But there was no excuse for the rude behavior of the nobility. Had they forgotten that those ‘doubtless well meaning, but clearly misguided’ actions that were being attacked were made by the same ponies who gave them their station? Even if Princess Luna hadn’t been the pony to elevate the Helian nobility to their ranks, she had done so in her own country, and deserved their respect.

That brought the mare’s thoughts full circle, back to the odd behavior of Lady North. Why, in the name of the Light, had she defended her? Twilight was nothing to the white mare. There was no connection of blood between them, and the Grey Lady had never given Twilight more than a glance on the rare occasion she was at the Heart. Why was she acting so differently?

“Why indeed,” said an amused, reptilian voice.

Twilight screamed, the shriek encapsulated into an enormous bubble. Her head shot out of the water, and Twilight felt Princess Luna’s lessons come rushing back.Instinctively, as thinking would only weaken the spell, Twilight jerked her head. Her horn flared with a rough, unrefined burst of energy, and she felt the tub stir. With a rush, the water filling the tub flew into the air, crashing down on the intruder.

Not offended in the least by the sudden attack, Spike cocked her head to the side, and sent her own power surging into the tide. The deluge stopped a few feet away from the dragoness, frozen in midair. Quirking an eye ridge at the mare peeking over the tub’s walls, Spike smirked and whirled about. Her tail came crashing into the irregular mass of ice, bladed tail held sideways. With a crack, the flat of her tail smashed into the ice, and the block shattered.

The pieces of ice fell for a moment, only to be caught on the updraft of magic as Spike lifted them back into the air, sending a stream of icy shards cascading back into Twilight’s tub. Twilight yelped, and pressed herself to the tub’s wall, sending power back into her horn. She felt the wall of fire she summoned pressing against her, the heat waves slamming into her alike fist. The spell was sloppy, but effective. As the ice water came pouring back into the tub, it passed through the fire, steaming away until the entire room was obscured in a wall of white.

“Most impressive. Luna, or Celestia?”

“You mean who taught me?” Twilight asked. With a soft grunt, she dispelled the flames, blinking into the haze. “It was Princess Luna.”

“That would explain why the spell was so… messy.” Spike hummed in amusement, and Twilight turned to face the sound of talons clicking on tile. “I don’t mean to offend you, of course. It was a very good counter, if unrefined. Next time though, if someone is attacking you with ice, summon heat, not fire. Fire is a waste, it needs fuel, and you have to spend more energy to keep it roaring. When you summon heat though, you only need to power the spell itself.”

Without warning, the white haze constricted. Over the span of a few moments, Twilight watched as the vapor swirled, swirling into a large ball above the tub. It tightened again, pulsing like a heart, and the white mist suddenly became a small sphere of clear water. It was perfectly round, held suspended in the grip of a mage with eons of practice. There was no subtle jarring to distort the image, no changes in pressure. It hung above her, small and perfect, and Twilight stared in wonder at her own reflection.

Then there was a giggle in the back of Spike’s throat, and the ball dissolved. The ball burst, and Twilight saw that the small sphere was a very large one, held compacted by Spike’s spell. That was all the time she had to examine it though, before it poured back into the tub, a deluge that seemed to be centered on her head. Twilight felt a tugging on her mane, and then a sharper yank, and felt the neat bun pulled apart by the flow.

The mare rolled her eyes under the water, then pushed herself back to the surface. Her head broke the water with a great gasp, and her mane clung wetly to her neck as she shook her head to clear the water from her ears. “What was that for?!”

“That?” Spike said, baring her fangs in a wicked grin. “That was for attacking me.”

“You snuck up on me.” Twilight grumbled, sinking low into the water again.

Spike laughed again, shuffling her wings as her tail flicked back and forth. “Would you mind if I joined you, Twilight Sparkle? Your thoughts were loud enough to be heard in the gardens, perhaps I could help? Cider?”

“Sure, and yes please.” Twilight mumbled. “Sorry for throwing water at you. I didn’t mean… I mean, if I had known it was you-“

“No offense taken, little star.” Spike smiled gently at the mare, before turning to fetch the stout mugs of cider she had brought with her. She carried the first back with her tail, extending it to Twilight with a wink. Then the dragon turned back towards the door.

Cautiously, Twilight took a sip of the drink, tasting the strong, sweet taste of The Apples’ Cider. The apple family always made the best cider to be had in Helios, and unlike their desert dwelling relations, their brew was made for flavor, not alcohol. Groaning quietly in pleasure, Twilight took another sip, glancing at Spike.

She was attractive. Twilight had been aware of the… physical allure of the ponies about her for years. Surrounded by the nobility, of the ponies whose impeccable breeding had produced creatures of exquisite beauty, Twilight would have had to be frigid not to feel their pull. Spike though, and Princess Luna and Celestia, all three of the ancient creatures had an ethereal grace about them that transcended that earthy attraction. While all three were classically beautiful, with tall legs and lithe bodies, but that wasn’t what made them so alluring. It was that sense that they were older than time, preserved in eternal youth, with the subtle promise of decades of experience at their beck.

As if she had been waiting for the moment, Spike chose then to stretch herself, letting her front legs slide forward as her wings flared out. There was a series of soft clicks at the reptile’s spine popped, and then a splutter from Twilight as she coughed up cider. Quickly, the scribe turned away, staring determinedly at the bath she was in. She hadn’t quick enough to avoid seeing Spike’s tail swish to the side, swinging up like a pendulum, and revealing a slash of bright pink nestled between the vivid green scales of her legs.

The mare’s head ducked down, submerging her flaming cheeks below the water, staring intently at the smooth wall of the tub opposite her. Did she really just… Was Spike intentionally show her, umm...

“Call it... marital training.” Spike said, slipping soundlessly into the water. Her smooth, scaled body didn’t even make the fragile surface ripple as she slid into place, directly across from Twilight. She reclined against the walls of the tub, just as Twilight did, her green spines folding limply down along her back. She smiled at Twilight, like a cat seeing a fat little mouse. “Perhaps I should continue with a… practical demonstration?”

“NO!” Twilight yelped, still underwater. Her exclamation rippled through the bathwater, emerging as a bubble. As her words ran out, water rushed in, and Twilight jerked herself above the water again, coughing. “No!”

“Calm yourself, Twilight Sparkle. I was merely jesting. While you are… attractive for a pony, I find myself inclined towards a more… draconic mate?” Spike mused, still smiling. Suddenly, the enigmatic grin widened into a grin displaying her wicked fangs. “Of course, I still have urges that you might be able to satisfy…”

Twilight blushed again, though not as hotly as before. She averted her eyes from the seductive gleam in the emeralds across from her, looking at the window. The sun was setting now, casting a brilliant crimson hue cascading across the sky. She focused on that, the brilliant banners of light in the sky, bidding a fond farewell to the sun that warmed them through the day, and ushering in the night with the muted tones of indigo, and violet.

“I’m sorry, Twilight. That was improper, me propositioning you, an engaged mare.” Spike’s subtle, mysterious smile was back. “She was the only one wise enough to know that the game was already lost.”

“Huh?” Twilight asked, brought back to the present with a jolt. “Who is wise, what game?”

Spike sighed, and shook her head theatrically. “Snowdrop. Tall, bluish grey mare. Unicorn, one of the most magical entities in the world. You may have met her a time or two?”

Twilight glared at Spike. The dragon smirked. “And the game? Why, your marriage. Or rather, the competition for Princess Luna, a game you won handily.”

“That doesn’t explain why she helped me. Us.”

“Doesn’t it? Think for a moment. Lady Snowdrop is no less ambitious than her fellows.”

Twilight fell silent, looking at the reclining dragoness. Why did Spike say Snowdrop was no different? She was different. She wasn’t trying to force her way into marrying Princess Luna. She was actually helping both Luna, and Twilight herself.

“So you mean…” Twilight said slowly, following the train of thought. “That she wants to ingratiate herself? She knows she can’t change Luna’s mind, so she wants to be our ally?”

“Exactly.” Spike smirked. “Now, with your questions answered, perhaps I can find some rest. You are a very loud thinker, little star.” The dragoness slithered out of the pool of water, the drops sliding off of her smooth scales. She stepped onto the marble floor with the soft click of her talons once more, dry as she had been entering the little room. “Your servant has returned, with your supper.”

“He isn’t my servant!” Twilight called after the reptile. In reply, Spike only chuckled, and bent forward again, swinging her tail wide. Before she could catch another mortifying glimpse of the beautiful dragons intimate regions, Twilight squeaked and turned about. There was another, louder chuckle as Spike left the little room, and the flustered mare within. “Stupid dragon.”

Twilight sighed, then felt a reluctant chuckle bubble up from within. She liked the dragoness, she couldn’t deny it. The wanton, cynical reptile was engaging, intelligent, and had so many experiences to draw upon, Twilight was more than a little in awe of the creature. From the casual comments she had made throughout her visit, Twilight gathered that she had been here long before Princess Celestia, or even Queen Terrace had been born. Spike spoke of mountain ranges that were no more, of great oceans that spanned the whole world. Neither the Princesses, nor Spike herself had said as much in words, but Twilight was sure that the dragon was far older than anything else in the world. After all, what was revealing her nethers to a monster who had seen the passage of ages?

The mare shook her head. She had enough to think about right now without wondering about the endless expanse of time Spike must have seen. With another sigh, Twilight stood up, summoning a fluffy towel to her as she stepped out of the tub. The towel flew to the purple unicorn as she walked slowly across the floor, briskly rubbing her fur dry. Satisfied with her handiwork, Twilight draped the towel over its rack again, and followed Spike’s path to the door.

“Oh, there you are, Miss,” called a chipper voice. Turning, Twilight saw Pip walking down the short hallway leading to her room, a large silver platter balanced on his back. “I just got back, and I wasn’t sure whether you had returned or not, Miss Sparkle. I’m sorry for being gone for so long, but I was learning how to cook.”

“Oh?” Twilight said, feigning ignorance. The little colt was beaming at her, pride obvious on his cute face.

“Uh-huh!” He grinned. With a little careful maneuvering, he edged towards the same indent in the mass of literature that the Colonel had used that morning, letting the platter slide off of his back smoothly. There was a slight clatter as the end fell off his back, making the cover rattle against the base. Pip winced at the sound, shooting a furtive look at Twilight. At her smile though, he only blushed, nosing the platter into place. “Bon appetite.”

His horrible attempt at the formal phrase made Twilight giggle, a sound she stifled before it could hurt his feelings. “Why thank you, good sir,” Twilight said, bowing to him.

Pip ducked his head, taking the small knob atop it between his teeth. He flipped the cover off of the platter with a flourish, eyes twinkling. The flashing silver drew Twilight’s eye, and she followed it as it flipped through the air, landing on Pip’s outstretched hoof with a dull clang. He stood then, taking a comical bow, like a magician before his crowd, and Twilight applauded.

“Umm. What… is that?” Twilight said, jerking back from the strange confection on the tray. There was a bowl of some kind of stew, something she had never seen before. Pale chunks of something floated in the thick broth, mixed with the small flecks of pepper suspended within the creamy mixture. Beside the bowl, an assortment of readily identifiable vegetables rested in neat groups, bright carrots alongside brown slices she thought were onions. Finally, as an obvious desert, there was… something. Sliced into pieces, whatever it was seemed to be covered in spices, and coated in a thin, shiny glaze of what Twilight thought was honey.

“It’s potato soup, with grilled greens and carrots.” Pip chirped, grinning widely as he pointed to each item in turn. Then his hoof swung to the small plate with the aberrations. “And those, those are fried apples! Momma used to love making them, and they are very popular in Selene ever since she started selling them over the border.”

“Oh,” Twilight mumbled, trying not to wince at her slip. Pip’s mother must have been a chef of some kind, working in a town along the border between Helios and Selene. Gryphons had been raiding along the border for years, trying to block the trade caravans running between the two countries, but they rarely succeeded. All the raids usually did was wreak havoc with the towns and farms running along both sides of the border. His mother had no doubt been caught up in the crossfire.

It wasn’t right. There was no reason that there should even be a border. Was the slight differences in their culture worth risking the lives of so many? There wouldn’t be a border raid if it weren’t for the imaginary line. Trade could be done from town to town, instead of following the ancient laws that required everything to pass through the capital first. It was stupid, wasting the trader’s times, and it risked so many ponies over an old rule that had no point anymore.

Precisely. A cool, slightly annoyed voice chimed in. Your marriage, and the bond it creates, will be a balm to many such wounds. Now, if you please, cease your internal monologue, I would like to sleep.

Twilight blushed, then concentrated on forming her thoughts clearly. How do I stop it?

The same mental defenses of magic work for the mind. Close yourself behind a wall, and your thoughts will rebound upon it, rather than spill out for all to hear.

“Thank you.” Twilight said warmly, careful to shape her thoughts again, before throwing up her mental shields. Princess Luna would flay her if she found out that Twilight had forgotten the defense that should be second nature. With her mind closed once more, Twilight focused on the little colt, smiling. “If it was your mother’s recipe, I just know I’ll like it.”

The thick stew and tart sweets, Twilight decided later that night, were delicious and filling. A bit too filling, as a matter of fact. Troubled by her fully tummy, Twilight hadn’t been able to sleep. The night had become a pitched battle between Twilight's increasingly uncomfortable faculties, and her mind’s foolish fear of the fallen dark. In the end, her body’s southern department had won out, leading the little mare out of her room’s small globe of light.

Of all the places in the Heart, her own rooms were the most familiar to her. If there was anywhere that the little mare should have felt comfortable, even in the blood chilling darkness, it should have been here.

It wasn’t. The dark was still paralyzing. It was shameful, to be so distressed by something so common. She hadn’t even been able to use the privy without lighting the entire room with her horn’s glow, not even when her bladder had been nearly screaming its protest. This wouldn’t do. She had agreed, publicly, to marry Princess Luna. She was going to be bound to the Queen of the Night, living in a country devoted to the darker aspects of life.

It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with Selene, as a country, nor her peoples. What they did though, their arts and songs, the delicate craftspony’s hoof at work, or the minstrel’s epic poem, they were all things suited for the darkness. There was something about the night, about darkness. It lent itself to lovers. Twilight thought it was because the night seemed so close, like a shroud, something to block out everything but that which is closest to their hearts.

“Huh.” Twilight grunted, walking to the door of the water closet set in a corner of the bathing room. Nudging the door open with one hoof, she turned, taking a small wooden rod between her teeth. The rod was attached by a thin chain to the ceiling, and Twilight jerked the rod down sharply. Behind her, there was a satisfying woosh as a pipe in the base of the privy opened, and the unpleasant necessities of life were washed away in a tide of water. A few moments later, the hollow echo of the drain ended with a clang as the lid slid back into place, and the flow of water shut off again, leaving the small basin full of clean water once more.

The unicorn continued walking through the room, caught up in her own thoughts. She would never have called herself a poet before, but that bit about the night and lovers had been a little too close to that mark. She grinned in the dim light, chuckling. Maybe that was why Princess Luna had been so taken with her, she was a Night Pony after all.

Twilight’s soft giggle stopped suddenly. Something about that thought, about even thinking that she might be a part of the darkness. It shook her, and some deep part of her rebelled against it. She was Helian, but it was more than that. She was a mare of Light, born and raised beneath the gentle rays of the sun. To be anything but its vessel, that seemed so fundamentally wrong that her stomach turned over again.

In an instant, panic flung itself over her again. Could she still be a part of this world, of her world in Selene? Surely there must still be daylight there, how else would anypony know what night was? She would be married to the Princess though. She would have to be a part of Court at the very least, which would undoubtedly be held after dusk. What if they didn’t even need light there? Maybe they had some strange magic that let them see in the dark without even a hint of light. That would suit them, wouldn’t it?

Twilight shook, envisioning such a scene. They would be inside, of course, maybe in a palace like the Heart. But the inside would be cold and black as a dragon’s heart. She would be trapped, unable to find her way out, while everypony stood somewhere in the darkness, talking as though nothing was wrong. Nothing would be wrong, they would be able to see perfectly. It would just be her, curled in a corner, shaking.

She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t even think about something so horrible. She was shaking already, and she was still surrounded by her own magic’s glow. How could she have been so stupid? She couldn’t marry Luna, no matter how kind the mare seemed. It was unbelievable that she could have just charged into the agreement, without ever thinking about the possibilities. If something like that happened, what would she do? She couldn’t embarrass her wife by cowering in a corner.

No, said a cynical voice in her mind. For a moment, Twilight thought that it was Spike once again, before recognizing the cool tone of her own detached thoughts. You couldn’t be seen doing something so pathetic. You would have to sit by her, smiling and pleasant, while the dark closed in around you, smothered you. It would make your skin crawl, wouldn’t it? To be stuck there amid the darkness. But you wouldn’t show it, it would be your duty to be silent.

Duty. It always came back to that wretched word. It was her duty to Helios to wed Princess Luna. It was her duty as the Princess’s maid to do as she wished, whether it be to act as a scribe or clean her chambers. It was Shining’s duty as a Guard Captain to put himself in danger, defending his country. It was Cadance’s duty to do… whatever it was she did for Princess Celestia. Light, even the Princesses were bound by duty, a duty to their subjects. It was an enormous, never ending cycle of duty and honor, each strand feeding another, until every one was unbreakable. She had given her word, had promised to marry Princess Luna. It was her duty to stand by her word, to help everypony, in both countries.

Twilight had stopped walking while her mind chased its tail, standing still by the doorway leading to the winding hallway that stretched the length of the Heart. She could go through that door now, slip into the hall, out the main doors, and vanish into the night. The urge to disappear was terrifying, but oddly alluring as well. She could leave this all behind. Duty and honor be damned, she would be free, be her own mare. Nopony would have any hold on her, she could go where she wanted, do as she pleased. She could leave, and never return.

And then what? The voice was back, amused now. Where would you go? Every stallion and mare in the kingdom knows who you are by now, there would be nowhere you could hide. And if you left civilization altogether, how long would you last, hm? You are better at magic now, true, but you have no hope of stopping a rampaging manticore. Even a timberwolf would leave you bloody and dying. You cannot run.

“Shut up.” Twilight snarled at the voice, annoyed by its logic. In response, her mind threw image after image at her, of just how a fight between a timberwolf would play out, illustrating silently just how hopeless it was. “Fine, I won’t leave.”

“I am glad to hear it.” Luna’s soft voice chimed, as the black mare stepped silently from the empty shadows.

Twilight screamed, backing up sharply. Her rump met stone, and a jolt of pain lanced through the purple mare’s rump, and her legs went numb. Legs collapsing under her, Twilight dropped to the floor.

“Twilight!” Luna yelped, trotting across the room to kneel beside Twilight. “Are you okay? OW!”

The Night Mare stumbled back, pained tears welling. “Light, it’s me Twilight.”

“You scared me half to death!” Twilight hissed, trying to keep her voice low. The last thing she needed was to have Pip wake up. She leveled a glare at Princess Luna in the dim lavender light, snorting as the mare rubbed the place where Twilight’s hoof had slammed into her jaw.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Luna said, rotating her jaw. There was a soft click as her jaw popped back into place, and she groaned in relief. The black mare let out a rueful chuckle. “I guess I did deserve that.”

“I’ll say,” Twilight groused, trying to keep her voice down. “And how did you even get in here? I know that you didn’t knock!”

The Princess smirked at Twilight’s outraged confusion, and adopted her most haughty demeanor, suitable for cowing petty politicians and low level army officials. “My dear, there are many doors, and only one needs be knocked upon.”

“What!” Twilight hissed, eye twitching. “By Celestia’s rump! Tell me how you got in here, and then get out! Do you have any idea what would happen if somepony found you here?”

“What, is a bride not allowed to visit her affianced?” Luna smirked, lifting a brow.

“No, she is not! There is a week period before a marriage where the two are not allowed to sleep together, to dissolve any possible love charm in place. If they see you here, then the whole court is going to think I’m using a spell to control you, and the penalty for ensorceling royalty is banishment!”

“Well, then walk with me.”

Twilight groaned, “Aren’t you listening? If anypony sees us together at night, alone, then they have all the evidence they need to call off the marriage that you worked so hard for! And I did not go through hell just to give it all up because you are bored!”

Twilight stamped her hoof for emphasis, making a loud chime echo through the nearly silent chamber. To her dismay though, rather than laughing the very legitimate worry off, and bidding
her goodnight, Princess Luna stood still. Her tall black body seemed to collapse into itself, and Twilight suddenly realized that the alicorn’s eyes were shining with tears, not mirth.

“I- Princess, I didn’t mean…”

“Please,” Luna said softly, blinking her tears away. “Twilight, please. Will you walk with me. I swear you, everypony is already asleep. I would not ask you to risk so much otherwise.”

“But what if they wake up, then-“

“Then I will feel it!” Luna snapped, suddenly angry. “I rule the night, Twilight. I can feel when somepony is asleep, that’s how I knew you were still awake. If they wake then I can bring you back the same way I entered. Now, will you please walk with me? I…” She trailed off, whispering the last words. “I need to talk to you alone.”

Twilight whined quietly, a small sound issuing from the back of her throat. Her teeth set into her bottom lip as she glanced from Luna to the closed door to the Heart. “Okay.”

Princess Luna seemed to expand then, standing a little straighter as she bowed her head. “Thank you, Twilight. It is an honor to have your company on this fine night.”

Twilight blushed furiously, and hurried through the door the Princess pushed open. After a few quick steps, her hooves sank into the plush carpet running down the center of the Main Hall, turning in time to see the ebony magic of her bride-to-be closing the door behind her, slipping the heavy latch into place silently.

“End your spell.” Luna breathed, and Twilight jumped. A moment ago, the alicorn had been several paces away, but in a heartbeat, she was suddenly breathing gently on Twilight’s neck.

“I… I can’t.” She choked out, tasting the metallic tang of fear at the thought.

“Hm?” The voice above her hummed in inquiry. “Surely you aren’t lost in the spell.”

Twilight snorted in derision at the thought. Even a foal wouldn’t be caught up in the tides of magic of such a simple spell. Being snared by a spell was always a danger to the untrained, those whose minds weren’t shielded from the siren song of magic. The more powerful a spell, the more easily it would trap a unicorn in its depths, unable to end the spell until they lost consciousness, or died. It was one of the most dangerous aspects of magic’s nature, but one that was directly linked to the energy of a spell. A simple light spell was so weak that nopony had ever been recorded as falling to the magic.

“Well, then why can’t you end it?”

“I…” Twilight began, choking on the words. Princess Luna hummed this time, a slightly annoyed sound telling the little mare to spit it out already. “I’m afraid of the dark!” Twilight whimpered.

For a moment, Selene’s Princess was silent, looking at Twilight. Then the slight confusion in her eyes vanished, and a knowing look replaced it. “I see. Do you trust me?”

“I… suppose. I mean,” Twilight amended as the Princess opened her mouth. “Yes, of course I trust you.”

“Then end the spell. I promise, all will be well.”

Twilight froze. End the spell? That would let the darkness come rushing back in. It would surround her, suffocate her, just like it always did. The young mare’s body began to tremble as she looked at the Princess. Then she swallowed hard, and shut her eyes, cutting off the flow of magic. For an instant longer, the dim purple light colored the insides of her lids, before they too became dark.

“Open your eyes, Twilight.” A soft voice called, gentle but firm. It was what Twilight had always thought a mother’s voice would sound like, fully of tenderness, but with a mild rebuke tittering on the verge of speech. “I promised you, it will be okay.”

Twilight shook for a moment longer, then slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a wall of black before her, and she felt her tummy flop around unpleasantly. Then the wall moved, and Twilight realized that it wasn’t the darkness, but the silken coat of the Princess. Following the line of utter darkness along, she found herself face to face with a smiling Moon Goddess. Before she could move, the mares eyes sparkled, and she bent down. She pressed a soft kiss to Twilight’s upturned mouth, a gentle caress that lasted for a long moment. Then she sighed happily, and pulled back.

“See?” She said warmly. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Twilight didn’t reply, but raised her hoof slowly from the floor. Tentatively, wondering if the tingling in her lips would disappear if she touched them, she gently touched her hoof to them. The tingling didn’t vanish, and she lowered her hoof, running her tongue lightly along them. That didn’t stop the pleasant sensation either, it only added her tongue to the list of parts humming with the Princess’s touch.

“Oh. Oh my goodness.” She said, taking a breath she had neglected. “That was… very nice.”

Princess Luna tossed her head back and laughed, still muffling her voice. “I meant the darkness, beloved.”

Twilight felt her cheeks flame again, what was it about ancient creatures that made her blush constantly, and blinked a few times. “It isn’t dark.” She said softly, confused. “What…”

“Tell me,” Princess Luna said, starting to walk slowly down the corridor. “Do you know why you are afraid of the dark?”

“I… I thought that it was like being afraid of heights.” Twilight mumbled.

“No, it isn’t. At least, I am sure that it is not with you. I am sure that, in your case, it is because you can no longer feel magic.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, walking at a good clip to keep up with the strolling alicorn. That was one thing that both Princesses and Spike had in common, they were so much taller, they forgot how much faster even their slow pace was.

Unaware of her companion’s slight difficulty, Luna hummed softly as she thought. “What do you know about the sun?”

“It’s raised and lowered by Princess Celestia, and it keeps the world warm and allows the crops to grow.” Twilight answered. It was common knowledge that everypony learned very early in school. The sun was essential to all life, providing the heat and light that every creature needs to survive. Without its light, the world would be cold and dead, with frozen oceans and silent mountains. Nothing would grow, no animals would survive.

“Allows the crops to grow,” Luna chuckled. “But it doesn’t. You can grow plants underground easily. You do so here, do you not?”

“Well, yes.” Twilight said slowly. “There is a hothouse beneath the kitchen where the more delicate plants are grown. There are still windows though, they must allow enough light in to keep the plants alive.”

“True, they do. Here. But there are other places where crops grow. Ask Spike, the cave where she rests for centuries at a time is full of plants and animals, though it is buried deep beneath the mountains. There is no light in her home, Twilight, yet there may be more kinds of flora and fauna there than anywhere else. How can that be, without sunlight?”

“I… don’t know.” Twilight admitted. The admission made her shudder, every cell rebelling against the fact that there was something that was completely counter to everything she knew. She
could either believe that Princess Luna was lying, or that she, Twilight, was wrong. She was sure that Princess Luna would never lie to her, she had promised.

“Magic. Sunlight has almost nothing to do with life. I am sure that you noticed how both Celestia’s and my own mane react when we are near one another, or when Spike is near either of us?”

Twilight nodded slowly. “Yes, I did notice that when Spike first arrived. I thought…”

“Yes?”

“I could almost taste the magic coming from Spike. I thought that it must be reacting to the magic.”

“You were quite right.” The alicorn said, turning down a side passage Twilight knew was a shortcut. “Spike is perhaps the greatest source of magical power. She could quite literally level both Helios and Selene, with enough left over to flatten Ryais at once.”

“Light.” Twilight hissed, shocked.

“Yes.” Luna said, and Twilight thought she saw a grin on the mare’s face. “Light. Light isn’t just created by a sloppy spell Twilight. Magic is light, or more accurately, light is magic. That is why you can see when you are near Princess Celestia or myself. We have not the control Spike does, so the magic welling up from within us shines through dimly.”

“But what does this have to do with me being afraid of the dark?” Twilight asked. “I mean, this is very interesting, but it doesn’t explain anything about me.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Twilight winced. “I’m so sorry. That was very rude of me, I didn’t mean to sound so conceited.”

“Stop worrying.” Luna laughed. “I want you to speak up, Twilight. You are my wife, or will be soon. I don’t want somepony to ignore everything I say, but I cannot respect one who does not speak her mind.”

Twilight nodded, smiling up at the Princess’s turned head. The older mare had been pulling slowly ahead as they walked, and Twilight was now walking along behind the firm rump swaying before her. Which, upon consideration, Twilight decided she liked a great deal.

“The reason you are afraid of the dark is linked to what I was saying though. It isn’t the darkness that frightens you. It is the lack of magic.”

“Huh?” Twilight pulled her eyes away from the Princess’s tail, blinking as she focused on the tip of the mare’s spiral horn. “I don’t understand.”

“If light is magic, then the absence of light would perforce be the absence of magic.” Princess Luna said, adopting a lecturing tone now that her student’s mind was fixed fully on her words, not her hips. “Thus, those who are accustomed to the constant pressure of magic are upset by its negative. You are a very personally powerful pony, Twilight. Your own magic is very strong and well grounded, though you are not properly trained yet. But here, your own magic works against you. The sudden decrease in magic around you affects you to a greater degree than other ponies.”

“Okay.” Twilight said, following the Princess’s words. “But then wouldn’t that mean that everypony would be affected as strongly, assuming that they were as magical? Shining Armor and Cadance seem fine with the darkness though.”

“They are both weaker than you, and better able to defend themselves from the effects of darkness. You… I do not mean to offend you, Twilight, but your magical training is laughable at best. It is a shame that you were forced to learn what is essentially impossible for you to master, but your schools are set up for unicorns to learn magic. Cadance and Shining Armor, whoever they are, are sure to have learned to shield themselves very early in their magical upbringing. Have you tried to maintain a shield while it is night?”

“Yes, you told me to keep my defenses raised at all times.”

Princess Luna nodded, turning down another passage. “Good. Do you remember how to create a reflective shield?”

“Yes.” Twilight said. The shield was a variant on the standard, flexible wall that protected a unicorn’s mind and body when casting spells. It was designed to reflect the forces of a spell away from the pony, rather than absorb them and ground the energy.

“What I am certain that your friends are doing is casting a similar shield subconsciously, one that rebounds their own innate power back upon them, creating a kind of bubble of magic around them. You could try it, but I wouldn’t advise doing so.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Luna said, turning to flash Twilight a brilliant smile. “That would mean you wouldn’t have to follow me around so closely. I rather like having you close.”

Twilight froze, then tossed her head, laughing. “Princess,” She said, still giggling. “I just don’t know what you think.”

“Hm?”

“One moment, you are lecturing me about the nature of magic, things that I haven’t even read about. Then the next, you are flirting with me again. It’s just…”

“Just what?” Luna asked.

Twilight only shook her head, chuckling. Luna huffed at the mare, but she smiled.

“Well, it is nearly midnight now.” The alicorn said quietly, hearing Twilight’s stifled yawn. “Thank you for walking with me, Twilight. I… I enjoyed your company. I was feeling very lonely tonight, and you were a delight. You should go to sleep now though, big day tomorrow.”

“Huh?” Twilight asked, yawning again as they turned one last corner.

“Silly filly.” Luna said indulgently. “You are getting married tomorrow. Did Celestia not tell you?”

“Mmmm, no.” Twilight mumbled, paying little attention to the Princess’s words. Luna shook her head, and mumbled something too low for the unicorn to catch, then smiled.

“Goodnight, Sweetheart.” The Night Mare said quietly, moving forward a few steps. Half asleep already, soothed by the walk and the calming presence of the Princess, Twilight followed, and wasn’t at all surprised to find herself standing suddenly in her room, though they had been walking down for almost an hour. Drowsily, she climbed into bed, and felt the blankets slide up to cover her in a cocoon of warmth. There was a soft kiss on her forehead, and she heard Luna say something else, but she was too far gone to make out the words.

Chapter Eleven

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“I’m sorry, Twilight.” Luna whispered, giving the unicorn beside her a worried look. Before Twilight could do more than give her a wan smile of reassurance, yet another noble walked up, smiling broadly and congratulated the Princess on her happy day. The Heart’s lawn was full of them, nobles seeking a chance to express just how…. happy they were, in the wake of Luna’s wedding. The black alicorn turned to the stallion, and gave him a radiant smile, once more explaining that this was more than just a happy day for her, but that it was one for everypony.

Twilight turned away, and she let a small, annoyed huff escape her. Her back ached from standing motionless all day, greeting pony after pony. Her cheeks had long since gone numb, the burning from hours of constant smiling fading into a dull throbbing. Worst of all though, the dress she was wearing kept sending painful jolts of static arcing down to sting her. Why had she agreed to this?

That was a question that she had been asking herself all day, ever since Pip had shaken her awake, wide-eyed. Apparently, his own peaceful slumber had been interrupted when somepony had begun pounding on their door, which Twilight had wisely slept through. Not to be denied though, the moment the latch lifted, the tailor had barged into the room, and informed Pip that if Twilight wanted to be married wearing anything but a stitch or two, she needed to be fitted now. Still half asleep, Twilight had selected the red dress, almost identical to the others except for the color. The tailor had obviously thought it would look the best, and Twilight didn’t know the first thing about fashion.

What had followed was an hour of the tailor, a very disgruntled grey stallion, poking her with pins as he determined how to pull in and let down the fabric, while Twilight tried not to snarl at him. After he had taken his measurements and left, Twilight had groaned, and asked Pip to please bring some breakfast up. And that was when the floodgates opened.

From the moment Pip left for the kitchens, until a few brief minutes before the ceremony itself, Twilight’s day had been nothing but a sprint from one urgent errand to the next. To each and every pony who needed her help, their problems were the most dire, and if they were not fixed were sure to absolutely ruin the wedding itself. Twilight thought that each and every one of the ponies could bloody well handle their own problems, and that of all of them, she ought to be the one on the verge of tears. She couldn’t tell them that though, after all, their worry was on her account as much as their own, trying to make sure that her wedding was perfect down to the last ribbon hung from the branches of an oak.

By noon, when she was shepherded promptly into a small room on the Heart’s ground floor. She was left there by a matronly mare who squinted at her and shook a hoof in warning. “Now you stay here, ya here? Can’t have ya seein’ the bride before the weddin’, bad luck. Ceremonies start in an hour, so ya have enough time to clean up and get inta yer dress. Best hop to.” She had said, closing the door behind her. She left a crack open though, and Twilight jumped as her green head reappeared. “Oh, and congratulations, think its nice that somepony isn’t marryin’ fer money or power still, been a while since I seen an honest weddin’s.”
Twilight had nodded her thanks, and given the old mare the first of many forced smiles. It seemed to work, because she returned the smile, though with fewer teeth, and tottered off, shutting the door snugly behind her. The old mare had been the only pony she saw for an hour, alone in that little room. She had been left with only her dress, and its complimentary shoes and tiara, and a full length mirror. Most of that hour had been spent crying as quietly as she could, wrapped in self-pity and utter hatred for the position she had been forced into.

That anger wasn’t something that she could hold on to though, no more than she could hold on to her despair. She hadn’t been forced into this marriage, she always could have said no. Princess Celestia and Luna were both too kind, to gentle to allow their subjects to suffer when a chance at a better life had finally been found. Neither of them could have lived with themselves if they didn’t go through with the treaty, even if Twilight had refused. They would have found a solution, even if it meant that Luna had to marry Blueblood. She had choked on a laugh at the thought of her Luna marrying Blueblood, they would have stricken the law before the Night Mare would wed filth.

After an image of Blueblood’s face, as incredulous and furious as it had been the last time she had seen it, Twilight had risen. Fair or not, she had agreed. She had told Luna that she would marry her, and seal the treaty between their countries. If it wasn’t for love, then she at least had her duty binding her to the marriage. With that thought, and a slow, calming breath, she had dressed and waited.

“Twilight?” Luna whispered as the press of effervescent ponies moved away for a moment. Glancing around to make sure that there wasn’t a timid filly or colt waiting their turn to speak, Luna hurried across the small platform to where Twilight stood. “Twilight, are you well?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight whispered back, turning her head away from the black alicorn. “I guess I’m okay. Just not used to smiling this much.”

Luna let out a quiet laugh. “Mouth hurt?” she asked, tone wry but not without sympathy. At Twilight’s nod she gave a rueful little chuckle. “I’m sorry love, but that’s going to be something you feel far too often. I might be able to help though.”

“How?” Twilight asked, turning to look up at the mare standing beside her. Luna’s black lips curved up into a smile, and she bent down. When they had been wed, when Princess Celestia had uttered the words, ‘You may kiss.’, Luna had swept down in a graceful arc, giving Twilight a quick, chaste kiss to seal their wedding vows. This kiss was anything but quick, and somewhat less than chaste. Luna’s lips were soft and warm, and Twilight felt herself relax into the embrace. Pulling back slightly, Luna kept her eyes closed for a moment, exhaling slowly. “Better?”

Freed from the spell, Twilight blinked several times, opening her eyes wide. “Oh, um. Yes. Yes that was… nice.” Nice wasn’t the word that Twilight wanted to use, but her mind was still occupied trying to recreate the sensation in memory. Sadly, as many had discovered long before her, it was not a feeling that lent itself to memory. So instead of grasping for its fleeing tail, Twilight decided to take the bull by the horns. This time, she was the one who moved, stepping closer to reach up, kissing Luna.

Twilight stayed like that for a long moment, and this time Luna let the unicorn take the lead. For every movement of Twilight’s, Luna’s would be a gentle reciprocation, something tender and warm. After a moment or ten, Twilight stepped away, panting lightly. Perfectly normal, she rationalized, trying to focus through a world that was spinning. She was just a little dizzy from asphyxiation. Yeah. A moment later, Twilight was back in control, and she looked up at the Princess she had just married. Then, she gave the tall, black figure a radiant smile, one that Selene’s Princess returned.

“Ahem, Ah’m not interrupting nothin’, am I?” An amused voice asked. Twilight’s smile faded a bit as she turned to face the newcomer, but at least now it wasn’t something that made her mouth ache.

“No, of course not, Miss…” Twilight trailed off, trying to remember the mare’s name. She was an orange earth pony, voice thick with a country accent she knew she had heard recently. Her blonde mane and tail were both bound into the common laborer style, something that they called a pony tail. On her head, a soft brown hat rested, wide brimmed and covered with the battle scars of a long life well lived. The mare wasn’t dressed up, but she had added a bright red ribbon to her hat, encircling the base of the heavy cloth. Red, the same color as one of the suitors… “Miss Apple.”

Macintosh Apple’s sister looked startled that Twilight knew who she was, for a moment her mouth went slack. Then, with a glint in her emerald eyes, she chuckled. “Well, I’ll be. That one a yer fancy Princess magics?”

“No, I remember meeting with your brother, Macintosh. He was a very nice stallion.”

“Don’t Ah know it? Y’ shoulda seen how happy Big Mac was when Princess Luna announced that she was marryin’ you, and not him. Ain’t neither of us thought that he’d be any good at rulin’, and he’s damn good at farmin’.” Her eyes twinkled as she smiled at Twilight. “By the by, mah names Applejack.”

Twilight laughed, and inclined her head. “Well then, Miss Apple.” She said, emphasizing the words so that the farmer rolled her eyes. “How may I help you?”

“Help? Shucks sugercube, I don’t need no help. Farm’s doin well enough, crops are good quality, and family’s happy n’ healthy as horses. What more could anypony ask for?”

That made Twilight pause, and look at the mare. It wasn’t her words, so much as the casual surety that what she was saying was true. Twilight would have used to tell her that the sky was blue, and that the sun did indeed rise in the east. Familiar as she was to the empty prattle of the nobility, each and every one of them confessing that they have no higher desires at all, the frankness of the mare’s remark was startling. Twilight looked at the mare again, and gave her a smile.

“I apologize, Applejack. May I call you Applejack?” At the farmer’s affable nod, Twilight went on. “I didn’t mean to imply that you needed help.”

“No harm done.” She said, and winked at Twilight. “’Sides, reckon ya’ve had nothin’ but spoiled brats askin’ ya fer this an that all day.”

Applejack raised her voice at that, and Twilight flushed a little as several nobles turned to look at the farmer, affronted at her casual insult. The many lower class mares and stallions mingling through the crowd though ducked their heads, trying to hide their sparkling eyes and hold in their laughs. Twilight saw her wife’s lips curl in, trying to hide her own mirth from the indignant stallion standing in front of her. That was nearly enough to set the young Princess off, but she bit her tongue and gave Applejack a stern look.

“I am sorry about that, Lord Harvest.” Twilight said, bowing slightly to him in apology. “My friend is not used to high society, and she doesn’t understand how dire your petitions are. What was it you were saying about a drought?”

“Oh, a drought, yes. It is, uh, it is very dire indeed, Princess.” The sorrel stallion blustered, cheeks tinged red as he turned back to Princess Luna. “As I was saying Princess, we are in, erm, great need of your-“

He was the lord of a small section of land near the border with Selene, and had been neglecting a draught for several months. While it wasn’t something serious enough to cause real harm to the ponies in the area, it would mean that many foals would grow up on strict rations, as their parents struggled to keep everyone fed. He had been asking the Princess whether she was willing to buy a large quantity of raw silver that he had discovered buried near the surface of several farms.

Twilight turned away from the two with a tiny smirk, and looked back at Applejack. The orange mare had an answering smirk, and she stepped a little closer to the unicorn. “Very nicely done, Princess.” She said, speaking more softly. “Him diggin’ up the fields for that silver would’ve meant that there woulda been a mite less food fer his ponies. Guess that’s what they meant.”

“What do you mean?”

“Everypony’s been talkin’ about how Princess Luna chose ya. Me and my brother stayed in town after he tried, and sold our apples. Ain’t every day we can charge a city price fer our crops. One night, we stop by a tavern, and some stuff-shirt unicorn is sittin’ at the bar. Guess he was turned down too, ‘cause he was knocking back whisky like it was water, talkin’ about how ya weren’t ‘qualified’. Next thing I know, some sheep’s in his face, tellin’ him off like a puppy. He said y were wonderful, and y just didn’t know what y knew.” Applejack winked. “Said you were beautiful too, and I reckon he was right on all three points. Best be happy she saw you first, sugarcube.”

Twilight blushed, but she had a pleased smile as she did. Then, emboldened by the compliment, and possibly a few of the bubbly drinks being liberally passed around, Twilight giggled. “Maybe you should be happy I saw her.” She said, and gave Applejack a rakish wink.

Apparently, it didn’t work, because the farmer blinked once, and then let out a loud bark of laughter. “I tell ya, Princess, yer somethin’. If you ever get tired of listenin’ to these hotheads,” she said, nodding to the nobles. “You can always come down to mah farm. Sweet Apple Acres, its down to the southeast. It ain’t on the border, but I figure half this marriage is to get rid of that notion anyway, and its close besides. Yer welcome anytime, and we’re more than happy to knock yer ego down a few notches. Maybe even show ya how to roll in the hay, too.” Applejack’s eyes sparkled with humor, and she gave Twilight a much more lascivious smile than she had received. Behind them, one or two of the nobility turned around, mouths agape at the rude implications, but Twilight only laughed. Applejack bowed her head, tapping the brim of her hat as she did, and left. As she did, Twilight closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. That was a very strange encounter, all things considered. One that she hoped she would have more often. Honesty was nice.

“Well, she was certainly… interesting.”

Twilight whirled around, taking a few short steps back as she came face to face with a wide, white smile. “Princess Celestia!” she yelped, ducking her head in a bow.

“Oh Twilight, you don’t need to bow to me. After all we are sisters, in a manner of speaking.” Celestia’s smile widened as Twilight straightened up, looking confused. Then her smile became a something more thoughtful. “Actually, technically, I would be more like your aunt, or maybe your mother-in-law.”

The white alicorn shuddered lightly, mane flowing gracefully brisk wind blew over them. “It has been far too long since the Heart last saw such happiness.”

Twilight turned, following Princess Celesitia’s gaze as the ancient pony surveyed her subjects. It was late, and the few nobles still waiting to speak to Princess Celestia. The rest of the crowd weren’t the rich, genteel nobility of Helios, they were the rough, honest worker ponies who kept the country running. As the official party wound down, following the westering sun, the real party was beginning. As Twilight watched, several large stallions hauled on thick ropes, pulling up heavy wooden posts. As the posts rose, they dragged heavy canvas up with them, and Twilight giggled.

“I always liked this party more than the other.” Celestia sighed, still with her kind smile playing around her mouth. “I don’t think that the nobles give everypony else enough credit. Sometimes, I think that it was a mistake to offer up such positions.”

“What do you mean?”

Celestia looked down at Twilight, and gave her a sad little smile. “Do you remember who the first noblepony was?”

“Lady Brightsheild.” Twilight answered promptly. She hesitated for a moment, then took a step closer to the Princess. Celestia glanced down at her, and gave her a knowing little smile. Her eyes closed for a moment, and the subtle glow of magical energy that always hovered around the alicorn intensified. Twilight gave the Princess an apologetic smile, but Celestia only chuckled.

“Yes, Bright was a wonderful mare.” Celestia went on, speaking fondly. “She nearly died defending those foals, and she did lose her eyes. I gave her a position of nobility so that she was not left wanting. It was a different time then, things were more… wild. A pony would depend upon the kindness of others if they couldn’t feed themselves, and that was something that wasn’t always enough. It was horrible.”

Celestia’s voice had become something hard and steely. “There was nothing that I could do, and I hated it. We were at war then, and it took everything we had to stop the dragons from destroying Helios. I couldn’t help them.”

Twilight shifted uncomfortably, looking at the wood beneath her hooves. In her world, in the Helios she knew, it was unthinkable that anypony would risk death from something as simple as hunger. Even when their friends and family couldn’t aid them, if their lord couldn’t, or wouldn’t, help them, then Princess Celestia would. There was always a large store of both food and money in the Heart, kept magically stored in a chilled room in the bowels of the monolith. It was her job, twice a year, to go through the entire collection, with the Colonel’s help, and pick which foods needed to be replaced, and how much could still be stored. There was enough stored in those rooms to feed the entire Heart for years, and all of Helios for several weeks at need.

“It was a different world Twilight, you can’t even imagine. So I had a choice, either I could watch Brightsheild, my friend, and a truly noble mare, slowly starve, or I could not. I chose to not. I named her a noble, the first Lady, and gave Fillydelphia into her keeping. You don’t need eyes to stand fair judge in a trial, or to decide what is the most pressing problem facing a city. She could live, and live well, even though she couldn’t do any hard labor. I was so happy when she married Stouthoof.

“For better or worse though, I did set a precedent, and it was only a matter of time before somepony used it against me. They aren’t evil, Twilight, don’t ever think that. But some ponies are selfish, and they saw a chance to have an easy life. Most of our, of my nobility,” she said, correcting herself with a small smile. “They aren’t anything like the mares and stallions I intended to have wielding that kind of power.”

“You didn’t want ponies like Blueblood to have control over others?” Twilight asked, a little more sharply than she had meant to. She blushed a little, uncomfortable at speaking like that to her Princess. She didn’t back down though, and Celestia gave her an encouraging little nod. “I… I’m sorry Princess, that was rude.”

“Yes,” a soft voice said behind them, wry amusement evident. “But you aren’t wrong.”

“Hello, Luna.” Princess Celestia grinned, watching as several pegasi secured guy lines to the edge of the pavilion. With a few grunts, and some deft hooves, the crowd of ponies finished, and stepped back to look at their tent. As the three mares watched, more ponies darted to and fro, each one with a heavy torch in their mouth. “This is my favorite part.”

“What do you mean?” Luna asked, but Twilight and Celestia just smiled. As the rays of the sun began to sink below the horizon, the three could see the edges of the tent flapping as the torchbearers did… something. Then, there was an almighty FWOOSH! and light burst into life inside the tent, two dozen torches suddenly crackling with a merry fire.

Taking their cue, the small band that had been playing quietly struck up a sudden tune. It was much louder than the stately, background that the professionals had been playing, something course and rough and almost begging everypony to dance to its cheerful tune. Blankets covered with simple, hearty food appeared as if by magic, and several large barrels accompanied them.

“I think we had best leave them.” Celestia said, and then laughed. “They’ve earned their party.”

“Actually,” Princess Luna said, turned and bowing to Twilight. “I would like to take a stroll. Would you care to join me, my love?”

Twilight bit her lip, blushing furiously, but nodded. It was hard to tell, with her black form at the edge of Celestia’s radiance, but Twilight could almost taste her wife’s smirk. With a deep breath to try and cool her cheeks, Twilight nodded gravely. “I would enjoy that, Princess.”

“Then I shall leave you two alone.” Celestia giggled. “Oh, and Luna?”

“Yes, my heart’s sister?” Luna said, smiling wickedly.

“You are still my guest, so I must ask you not to do anything… improper.”

“Oh, but sister mine, whatever could you mean. Is a marriage not to be consummated?” Princess Celestia laughed at that, and left them, leaping into the air with a graceful sweep of her wings. IN a few moments, she had vanishing no more than a white form against the marble of the Heart.

Twilight twitched, and Luna turned to her. “I was only joking.” She said quickly, seeing the nervous mare beside her. “The wedding is legal, we don’t need to, um. What I mean is…” Luna trailed off, and Twilight realized that Luna was just as uncomfortable as she was. “I mean, there is no need for, for us to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”

That made Twilight laugh, a little bitterly. “I’m not comfortable with any of this, Princess.”

“Luna.” Princess Luna said, sternly. “You are my wife, please call me Luna. And I know you aren’t comfortable with this,” she said, voice softening into an apology. “I wish I hadn’t been forced into doing this to you, Twilight. Asking Helios to abandon one of its oldest traditions, with everything else that I was asking them to change, it wasn’t fair.”

“And this is?” Twilight asked, voice heated. “Is this fair?”

Princess Luna looked down at her, and shook her head silently. She started to slowly walk forward, and Twilight thought she saw the Night Mare’s cheek glisten in the moonlight. “Twilight, please walk with me.”

Twilight huffed, but followed her wife. The thin silver shoes on her feet made a few loud thuds as an angry Twilight trotted to catch up to the black mare. She leapt lightly off of the pale oak of the stage she had been standing on for hours, and landed with a soft thump in the grass. Princess Luna paused for a moment, letting Twilight catch up, and then continued walking slowly away from the newly reborn party.

“I know it isn’t fair, Twilight.” Luna said, breaking the silence after several minutes. “And I wish I hadn’t forced you into this marriage.”

Twilight didn’t reply at once. She walked at Luna’s side in silence, watching as the soft, neat grass of the Heart’s lawn slowly gave way to the rougher, wild grass of the plains. The tracery of spells pushed tiny streams of water out from deep beneath the heart were growing weaker they walked, the deep succulent green fading gently into a duskier green, with little patches of brown showing up suddenly. After she skirted one of the dry spots, Twilight cleared her throat, breaking the tenuous silence.

“I believe you.” She said, and her words were almost lost in the rustle of the grass. “I don’t know why, Luna, but I believe you.”

“Twilight, I-“

“No.” Twilight said, a little surprised to find her tone so harsh. She swallowed, and continued a little more gently. “Luna, please, I need to talk.”

The Night Mare nodded her head, and the silver of her helm suddenly flashed in the moonlight. Briefly, Twilight wondered if the small silver circlet she wore was as brilliant, but she pushed the vain thought aside.

“I don’t understand why, but I believe you. It doesn’t make any sense, but I know that you won’t lie to me. Even if it wasn’t -isn’t fair, I know that you were forced into this marriage as much as I have been.”

Twilight paused again, and the night rushed in to fill the void. All around them, the mares could hear the soft chirping of crickets, and the scrabbling of tiny paws on the drying earth. One daring mouse stood stalwart in their path, ears forward and whiskers twitching as he looked down his pointed snout. Then, with a snort that dismissed them, he turned back to the half decayed apple he was dragging along the ground. The sight of the tiny rodent didn’t make Twilight laugh, but it did make a smile stretch her lips, and a throbbing pain lanced through her aching cheeks.

“Well, His Majesty has dismissed us.” Twilight said, and Luna let out a surprised snort of amusement.

“Perhaps we should pay him?” Luna chuckled. “A tax for the privilege of passing through his lands.”

There was a faint humming sound, and Luna’s horn suddenly vanished beneath the cloak of her magic. It was strange to see, the soft glow of the horn extinguished, and the flowing outline of Luna’s black magic blotting out the stars behind it. There was a low buzzing in the air, one that gradually grew louder, and then a sudden snapping sound. Then, as Selene’s Princess sighed in relaxation, her black magic flowed away from the small pile of apples that had appeared at her hooves. The rat, who had frozen at the new sound, stood up on his hind paws, gripping his rotting apple in both forepaws. When his beady little eyes fell on the small cairn of fruit though, his mouth dropped open. The apple he had been jealously guarding fell to the ground as the rodent bounded over to the pile, inhaling deeply, and smiling at his ‘tax’.

“Luna?” Twilight asked, starting to move forward again. Her smile had faded, but it still lingered in the corners of her mouth. The Princess took a few long steps to rejoin her bride, and made a quiet, inquisitive hum. “What did you do to me?”

“I… I don’t know what you mean, Twilight.” Princess Luna said, refusing to look at the younger mare. Then, obviously feeling that she hadn’t even convinced the grasshoppers, she added, “At least, I don’t think I’ve done anything to you.”

“Well,” Twilight’s voice was wry. “You did marry me less than half a day past. That isn’t what I meant. You did something to me, at least twice. The first time, I didn’t really notice anything. Something happened when you started to teach me how to use my magic, but I thought nothing of it. Nopony is that good though, nopony can teach somepony, who could barely levitate paper, how to conjure a solid wall in less than a day.”

“I-“

“Last night.” Twilight cut across her again, speaking very calmly. “You did it again. I don’t know what you did, but I know you did something. I feel… something. Connecting us, and I don’t know what it is. Since I woke up, I’ve known just where you were, Luna. I could feel you, and I think I could feel Princess Celestia and Spike as well, but they weren’t as clear.”

Twilight kept walking, silent and carefully watching the grass. Every now and then, an insect would suddenly spring from the grass directly in front of her, leaping out of her way. Eventually, Luna stopped walking, and Twilight slowed to a halt as well, turning to face her wife.

“What have you done to me?”

Luna looked away, refusing to meet Twilight’s calm gaze. She looked up instead, over Twilight’s head at the empty darkness broken only by small, brilliant gems. “You said you trust me?”

“I do.” Twilight whispered. “Light save me, I do trust you, Luna.” Twilight began to shake, and her voice broke as she spoke. “Why is this happening?”

“What do you feel when you see Celestia, or that pink mare.”

“I, what?” Twilight asked, confused and surprised by the sudden change of topic. The black Princess sighed, and looked at her. Twilight looked into her cerulean eyes, and thought she saw them shine for a moment.

“Twilight, please. Tell me.”

“I feel, warm, I guess.” Twilight said, speaking slowly. “I don’t know what to describe it as, but they make me feel warm, safe.”

“Do you love them?”

“Yes.” Twilight answered. “They are… my family.”

“Then Twilight, how do I make you feel?”

“What does this have to do with-“

“Light,” Luna swore. “Twilight please.”

“I,” Twilight took a step back, scared by Luna’s sudden anger. “I feel safe.”

Luna didn’t speak, but her eyes stared back at Twilight, sad. Her voice was calm though, the same dispassionate tone she always used when teaching Twilight. “Do you love me?”

“…”

“I know this is… sudden.” Luna said. “But I didn’t choose you because I had no choice, Twilight. I wish that I hadn’t been forced to act so abruptly, but even if I hadn’t needed to marry to seal the alliance, I would have returned. For you.”

Twilight straightened slowly, wide eyes fixed on the shining blue eyes of her wife, the mare she had sworn herself to only hours before. “I love you, Twilight. I don’t know if it happens in Helios, but we have a phrase in Selene. Love at first sight. Ever since I first saw you, I…”

“I love you, Twilight.”

Chapter Twelve

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For a time, Twilight was silent, standing like a statue in the swaying grass. Luna watched her for a few long moments, before looking away. When the black alicorn looked down, staring hard at the ground, Twilight cocked her head to the side, ears flicking back for a second. Then, enunciating clearly, she said. “Horse shit.”

Luna’s head whipped around, blue eyes wide. “I, what do you mean?”

Twilight laughed quietly, with a small, bitter edge to the sound. “Princess. Luna. I am not the kind of pony to inspire poets. Nopony just, falls in love. Just like that. You can’t.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because, love isn’t something that just happens. Love is something slow, and fragile. Both ponies have to work for it, and work hard. ‘Love at first sight’? That is just infatuation, lust, and desire all rolled into one. It isn’t love.”

“How would you know?” Luna snapped. Her eyes blazed in her own glow, and tiny arcs of black electricity danced along her body.

Twilight just shook her head. “Luna, I watched Cadance. I have watched her for my entire life, and I know how she acts. I know that she loves Shining Armor, not just lust, but genuine love. She can barely keep herself from smiling if you even mention him, and the look in her eyes… you can see how much she cares about him.”

Twilight went on, speaking louder as her wife opened her mouth to argue. “I saw other things too. I could always tell when they were fighting, because of the way anything that affected her genuine love affected every aspect of her life. She looked horrible. Her eyes were sunken, she couldn’t smile, all she could do was plod her way slowly through her day, and hope that things would get better.” Luna blinked as Twilight continued, shocked at the sudden appearance of this assertive side of the mare she had married. “She was always worried any time he was away from Canterlot. She cried herself to sleep sometimes, when he was on the front. She was miserable. But when he was there, when they were together, she was beautiful. It was like every worry in the world was gone, like she didn’t care if the world ended, as long as it ended with him at her side. That is love, Princess. So tell me the real reason. Why did you marry me?”

Princess Luna stared at her, then muttered something under her breath. As she listened, the angry lightning had faded away, and though her eyes still danced with fire, she was breathing steadily once more. The words she spoke were foreign, something liquid and heated, but whatever it was seemed to calm the ancient mare. She closed her eyes for a long moment, repeating the phrase, almost bitterly, and then opened cerulean eyes that were once more calm.

“I can’t.” she said, and then cut Twilight’s angry retort with a cascade of furious words. “No. I cannot tell you. Not, I do not wish to tell you, and am not able to. There are… things happening, Twilight. You say that you have seen love? Between your…” Luna paused, face twisting into that of someone who had just bitten an overripe apple. “Between Cadance and Shining Armor?”

“Yes.” Twilight gritted out, trying to keep venom from her tone. She hated when somepony condescended to her , almost as much as she hated not knowing something. Less than a day into her marriage, and her wife was doing both.

“They’ve been getting more and more worried recently, haven’t they?” Luna asked, and at Twilight’s curt nod, she gave one of her own. “I thought as much. Do you know what is happening, Twilight?”

“No. What?”

“Helios and Selene are about to be attacked. There are—” Luna paused again, choosing her words carefully. “Forces, moving. Forces that haven’t moved in centuries, and they are moving against us both. There is a reason that Shining Armor, a tactical genius, was recalled from the front lines where he could be saving countless lives. His new squad isn’t training to defend against the gryphons. Celestia is making sure that she has a legion able to stop dragons.”

Luna stopped, staring intently at Twilight. The little unicorn opened her mouth to demand that Luna finish, but snapped it shut at the expectant gaze being leveled at her. After a few seconds, she spoke, slowly and carefully. “So, what you are saying is that something, or someone, is making the dragons agitated? Something that has Princess Celestia worried enough to lose dozens of good ponies just to train an elite squad to stop a theoretical dragon?”

Luna nodded, and Twilight continued. “So, to make up for the ponies who are being lost training this new legion, and for other reasons, you and Princess Celestia decided to try and join our countries?”

“Something like that.” Luna said, not meeting Twilight’s widening eyes. Twilight passed over the obvious evasion, slowly working her way along the logical path. Her ears flicked back, and she shifted her weight uncomfortably, as images of Shining Armor’s soldiers flashed through her mind. She bit her lip, reaching the conclusion Luna had been shepherding her towards, and felt the bottom drop out of her stomach.

“So, you are both expecting an attack. No, more than just an attack.” Twilight shook her head. The night air tasted bitter, a thick, foul syrup sliding down her dry throat as she sucked in a breath. “Y-you think that the dragons are going to start another war?”

“Not start, they come to end the war that Celestia halted.” Luna said grimly. “They have had almost seven centuries to gather their forces and plan their attack. If the dragons attack again, they will not stop until every pony in Helios and Selene is enslaved. I’m not even sure if Celestia can turn back the dragons like she did the last time they attacked. Then, she only had to face a few of them, who were all focused on attacking her. Defending her entire country from a cataclysm…” Luna shuddered. “Even if she could, I could not. Selene would be no more, and I would rule over naught but the dead. So, I proposed the alliance to save both nations from a threat most haven’t seen on the horizon.”

Twilight was stunned. The possibility of the dragons attacking had always been present, but other than a single incursion, which was focused solely upon the Heart itself, no dragon had set claw in Helios in centuries. Something nagged at her though, something about the way Luna still wasn’t looking directly at her. Twilight decided to trust her hunch, and asked. “What else?”

“I,” Luna said, grimacing again. She looked pained, as if fighting some compulsion, before sighing. “I can’t tell you.”

“Then we should probably head back.” The chill of the night air added an unwelcome tremor to Twilight’s voice. “It will be morning soon.”

“Twilight.” Luna spoke before Twilight could turn away, voice filled with implacable authority. “Look at me.”

Twilight did, turning to meet the intense blue gaze. Luna stood suddenly close, her deep eyes so close to Twilight’s that she could feel her warm breath. “I do care about you, Twilight. No matter what other reasons I had for doing what I have, I care. And I don’t want you to ever forget that.”

Twilight nodded, then hesitated. Her mouth opened, as if she were about to say something, then she gave a small snort of amusement. Shaking her head slightly, Twilight reached up and gave Luna a light, chaste kiss. Without speaking, she turned, heading back towards the Heart.

Princess Luna caught her up in just a few strides, slowing her pace once more to match Twilight’s. The unicorn gave her a soft smile in thanks, before she felt a yawn bubbling up from deep within. Her mouth opened and Twilight could feel her jaw pop painfully as she let out a massive yawn, making her wince and rub her twinging cheek.

Something large and soft came to rest on Twilight’s back, and the unicorn squeaked as she felt the strong limb pull her close to Princess Luna’s warm flank. Before Twilight could move, Luna ducked her head, kissing the pained area gently. Her lips were soft, and Twilight struggled for a moment, before relaxing into the sensation. When Luna pulled away, Twilight blinked her eyes open, opening and closing her mouth a few times.

“How did you…” Twilight asked, letting her voice trail off. Princess Luna didn’t answer, she just gave Twilight a small, enigmatic smile, and began walking again.

Twilight walked with her, shaking her head with a smile. Giving in, she leaned her head against Luna’s strong neck, letting her wing cover her like a soft blanket.

“Miss…” Pip began, neatly setting a book into a box. “Um.”

“What is it Pip?” Twilight asked, sparing a second to smile at her young helper, before turning back to the dusty tome. “This is a theoretical treatise.”

“What kind?”

“Shimmer’s Guide to Illusory Phantasms.” Twilight said, snapping the book closed to levitate it over to the colt. “Can you put it with the other texts on magical theory? And what was it you wanted to ask?”

“Oh, I was just wondering, what I should call you, Ma’am.” Pip said, with an adorable blush coloring his cheeks and turning the tips of his ears pink. He went on stumbling over the words a little. “I mean—do I call you Missus now? You are married, and I thought that… I mean, you were out late last night and-“

“Oh, that.” Twilight said, flushing a little. She hadn’t thought about what her disappearance last night must have looked like. “ It wasn’t- we just talked. Here, this is a catalogue of magical plants in Selene.”

Pip’s cheeks were still flaming, but he bent to his task, tossing Shimmer’s Guide onto the large stack to his left. Catching the slim book Twilight passed to him, he lay it onto the center stack, much smaller than the others, and spoke. “So, Miss Twilight?”

Twilight swallowed, and forced her blush away, turning kind eyes to her servant. “Yes Pip?”

“Can you tell me what it’s like?”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, opening a very old scroll with care. A thin layer of dust had collected on the rolled parchment, and Twilight turned her head quickly. Her violent sneeze made her eyes water, but at least she hadn’t desecrated the ancient writing.

“Light keep you.” Pip said automatically, clearly still thinking about his question. “Can you tell me what it’s like, being in love?”

Twilight froze for a moment, thinking. Then slowly, she rerolled the scroll into a tight furl, and set it atop the small pile she had begun to construct herself. Turning to Pip, she cocked her head slightly. “Pip, can I ask you something?”

“Of course, Miss Twilight.” Pip replied instantly.

“Why do you assume that we love each other?”

“Well, you did get married.”

Twilight bit her lips, thinking carefully. Standing, she stretched straightening her cramped legs. “Tell you what, how about we go down to the kitchens, and ask the Colonel if he will take pity on two dutiful souls? We can talk on the way.”

“Okay?” Pip asked,nose scrunched in confusion setting down the green volume of Pony Jones Twilight had found him sleeping with not long ago. Then he rose with her, stretching his own small limbs on the marble floor. Straightening, he walked over to the door, and politely held it open for Twilight, before following her out of the suite.

“So, can you tell me why you think that Princess Luna and I have to be in love?” Twilight asked, starting the long walk down to the base of the Heart. Idly, she wondered what life would be like in Selene. Would she still be perched at the peak? Did Luna even have some analog to the Heart in Selene? She could vaguely recall a trader talking about the capital of Selene, saying something about black stone and a pillar.

“I just, I always thought that you only married somepony you were in love with,” Pip said, blushed faintly at the admission.

Twilight laughed softly, turning to look at him with sparkling eyes. The colt’s soft brown eyes met her in confusion, but Twilight just shook her head. He was so innocent. “You have a cute blush, Pip.”

Pip’s cheeks made the shift from a slightly embarrassed pink, to scarlet in a few heartbeats, and Twilight laughed again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just thought that it was adorable. You shouldn’t try to hide it.”

“But it isn’t very... you know...”

“Grown up?” Twilight suggested wryly. Pip nodded, staring at the floor as his cheeks burned. “Pip, you aren’t grown up. I know you’ve had a hard life, especially compared to the ponies you see here. But you don’t have to be a grown-up now, not for a long time. It’s okay to be silly, and to play. Besides, maybe some nice filly will think it’s cute too.”

Pip brushed that aside with a little shake of his head, but he did look at Twilight. “But, in all of the stories, the stallion is supposed to be a big, strong pony, who’s kind and smart and brave. I mean, Shining Armor is just like the hero in every book I’ve read. He’s amazing, just like you and Cadance! All three of you, and the Princesses, you are all so, so kind and understanding. But I’m just… me.”

“Pip, is it brave to run into a fire to save somepony?”

“Yes. Of course it is.”

Twilight waited a second, then said slowly. “What about if you know that the fire can’t hurt you. Like, let’s just say that you have a Fireproofing Potion, and drink it. Is it still brave to go in?”

“I, I think so.” Pip said, hesitantly. He could tell that his mistress was making a point, but he couldn’t make out what she was trying to say.

“Okay, that wasn’t a good example, I’m sorry. What I mean is, are they the same, running into a burning building when you know that you can’t be hurt? Is it the same to do that, as it is to know that you can be hurt, maybe hurt badly, but you do it anyway?”

“No.” Pip said, thinking. “It is still a good thing to do, its noble. But I guess it isn’t bravery, if you know you can’t be hurt.”

“Exactly. Because you know that you won’t be hurt, you aren’t being brave, you are just doing the right thing. Bravery is doing the right thing, no matter what, even if you are scared, or could get hurt. Shining Armor is probably the nicest stallion I’ve ever met, and I couldn’t love him more if he was my brother. But I don’t think that he is brave.”

“But-“ Pip spluttered, gaping like a landed fish. “How could you say something like that? He’s so brave and noble. He’s an army commander!”

Twilight winced at the high pitched squeak of Pip’s indignation. “Pip, think about it. Being kind, and noble, those are part of who Shining Armor is. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think that you can think better of somepony just because of who and what they are. That would be like me thinking that I am better than you because I am a unicorn. Or maybe, you should think that I am stupider and should be a servant, just because you are physically stronger than I am.”

“But I’m not.” Pip protested, thoroughly confused now. “I’m not any stronger than you are.”

“But you are an earth pony, and they are just stronger than unicorns. That’s the way the Light shines through you, in your physical bodies, like it shines through unicorns in their magic. So placing value in something that is a fundamental and essential part of who and what they are doesn’t seem to be as valid as to give them credit and praise for overcoming their shortcomings.”

“That’s stupid.” Pip said, then glanced guiltily at Twilight. “I mean, I’m sorry Miss Twilight, but that doesn’t sound right. Nopony should think that they are better than another just because of the way they were born.”

Twilight smiled at him, pleased. “Exactly. That’s just what I mean, when I think that Shining isn’t very impressive. Who, and what he is. Those are things that he can’t change. Well, I should say that he hasn’t changed. The way I see it, Pip, you are far more impressive and brave than Shining will ever be.”

“What do you mean, Miss Twilight?”

“You have had a very hard life, Pip. I feel horrible for the things that have happened to you, and how you have been treated. Nopony, especially not a foal, should be treated with cruelty or neglect. Despite that, you are still a kind, caring young stallion. You are polite, not because I demand it, but because you think that you should be. You are kind to everypony you meet, and you are even nice to Jack. You go out of your way to be nice, and that is amazing, if you think about how badly you were treated for so long.”

They walked for several minutes in silence, moving slowly while Pip considered Twilight’s words carefully. Twilight was content to let the little stallion think. After all, what she said had been more than a little odd. She hadn’t ever tried to express the way she felt about ponies before, but she knew it couldn’t be something easy to understand. When she had explained a little of it to Cadance, years before, the pink mare had chuckled at her. When Twilight had asked what was so funny, the older mare had just shaken her head, saying something about her being just like her mother.

They rounded a corner suddenly, and Twilight reached out a hoof just in time to stop Pip from walking into a very harassed looking pink mare. “Hello, Cadance.”

“What?” Cadance snapped, before looking at Twilight again. “Oh, I’m sorry, Twilight. I need to find Princess Celestia, have you seen her?”

“No, I’ve been sorting through our books.” Twilight said, shifting to look at Cadance. “I think she is in her rooms, though. Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Cadance said, already trotting up the long hallway towards the peak. She turned the corner and was gone in a moment, leaving Twilight puzzled by the meeting. As she slipped out of sight, Twilight caught a glimpse of several tightly bound scrolls haphazardly shoved into the small saddlepack resting on her friend’s back.

“Well, that was very strange.” She muttered. Pip nodded his head in agreement, but it was clear he was still deep in thought. Trying to lighten the mood, Twilight jostled the colt lightly with her shoulder. “Hey, what are you thinking about?”

“How does that make me impressive?”

“Huh?” Twilight said, with an utter disregard for elegance.

“You said that it was impressive that I was still kind and polite.” Pip said, and Twilight nodded in agreement. “How does that make me impressive though? Maybe it is just my nature to be kind and polite. I don’t mean to be rude, Miss Twilight, but it seems to me that your idea is flawed.”

“How so?” Twilight asked, without any anger. She was curious, not only about the problem, but what Pip had been reading, if he had suddenly become a philosopher.

“There isn’t any room for good or bad.” Pip said simply, as though it was obvious. Twilight raised an eyebrow, and he went on. “You say that it is impressive if you change something about yourself, but you can’t do that. Even if you act different, how you feel is still something that is based in who you are. Therefore, you can’t ever be a good pony, or a bad one. I think it is an interesting way to think, but it isn’t much of a moral theory.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Twilight said, chuckling. “I’d honestly never given it much thought. It wasn’t ever really my job to pass judgment on how ponies acted, just to write it down.”

“I- I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Twilight asked, looking back at him.

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” Pip blushed again. “It wasn’t my place.”

“Pip.” Twilight stopped walking, glaring at the little colt. “I don’t want to hear those words leave your mouth again. You aren’t a slave; you are a friend. If you want to say something, then please, do so. You never have to be afraid of talking to be about anything. I love talking to you, just like I love talking to Cadance or Princess Luna. You are a very bright young stallion, and you have a very different perspective on life than I do. If you want to say something, say it.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Pip mumbled, looking down.

“Besides,” Twilight continued, smiling. “You were right. I hadn’t ever thought about it that way, but you were perfectly right. There isn’t any way to determine the validity of anything. Thank you.”

Pip nodded his head, cheeks fading from pink to their normal white. Curious, he asked “Have you ever read On Governance”

The rest of their walk was a spirited discussion of philosophers and morality. To Pip’s shock, and secret delight, it was a topic that Twilight was almost utterly ignorant about, and she ate up Pip’s minor knowledge. Both of them were laughing, comparing Mass Theory to the Moral of Action, laden with the Colonel’s gifted dinner.

***

“Horn Pox: A History, by Blighthoof?”

“Um,” Twilight hesitated, biting her lip. “I’m not sure. You could count it as a history.”

Pip moved to set the last book onto the small pile of histories, when Twilight hedged. “But You could also say it is about magical theory. I mean, he talks about how horn pox is spread, and you can only catch it by mixing your magical energy with somepony else’s…”

Pip moved, holding the brown book over the fourth pile of magical theory texts, looking back at Twilight for confirmation.

“He writes about it from a historical perspective, but he continually talks about the methods for contracting the pathogen, and how the magical vogue of the day was joint spells. If there hadn’t been so many ponies joining their magicks, then there wouldn’t have been such a large outbreak.”

“What do you mean?” Pip asked, interested. “Is it rare for unicorns to use their magic together?”

“Oh, no. It’s actually very common for a group of unicorns to come together to pull off some really powerful spells. The Archmage and the senior wizards working together can even rival Princess Luna’s power, and move the sun and moon if they have need to. That wasn’t a good example, because they do have to meld their magic, but it isn’t very common. If they are just moving a large rock or something, most unicorns will just work together by lifting a different piece of the large object, rather than each one of them lifting an equal portion of the total object. It’s like if you had a really heavy board on your back. If you are the only one holding it, you have to balance the board, and lift at the same time. But if you have a friend or two, then they can both lift one end, and you even out and lift together.”

“And horn pox is only contagious if you mix your magic with some other unicorns?”

“More or less.” Twilight giggled at the little colt. “But other than in the university and the army, most unicorns never mix their magic anymore. It is dangerous, and not just because of horn pox. If somepony can feel your magic, really mix their own power with it, they can learn a lot about you. It is very hard to hide something from somepony you join with, and it gets harder the more often you join and the more power you combine.”

“Are you okay, Miss Sparkle?” Pip asked, cocking his head.

“Hm?” Twilight hummed, looking up. “Oh, I’m fine, just a little tired. But since it is so hard to hide anything, Horn Pox died out on its own. Nopony wants a stranger to know her deepest secrets.”

“Which is why,” a laughing voice said from the doorway, “It is normally only married couples who allow their powers to meld.”

“Princess Celestia!” both Twilight and her young assistant yelped, leaping to their hooves. They both swept into identical bows to the white Princess, making Celestia laugh again.

“Please, don’t let me disturb you.” Celestia fairly radiated a beatific smile. “I came to speak with Twilight, if you don’t mind?”

“Of course not.” Twilight and Pip said in stereo, before glancing at each other and Twilight giggled again. Shaking her head a little, Twilight took a step forward. “Of course I don’t mind, Princess Celestia. Pip, I can carry these back to the library by myself. Why don’t you go to bed?”

Pip glanced between Twilight and Celestia, then nodded his head. Bowing to the Princess again, he scurried away.

“He sleeps in your room?” Celestia said, puzzled and amused as the colt shut the door softly.

“No, not usually. He’s just trying to give us a little privacy.”

“Well, far be it from me to discommode such a courteous young stallion.” Celestia spoke a little louder, just enough to carry through the wooden door. She winked at Twilight, and flashed a wicked grin. “Would you be willing to part with him?”

Twilight giggled, and spoke up as well. “Not even for you, Princess.”

Celestia chuckled quietly, and tilted her horned head towards the door. “Walk with me? I don’t want to wake Cadance. She’s had a trying day.”

Twilight nodded her head, and smiled at the white mare. She stepped forward, and nudged the door open with a hoof, holding it politely open until her Princess walked through the small entrance. Celestia took a short, sharp breath as she entered the long hallway, and the light surrounding her flared for a moment. Twilight winced, squinting into the light, and shut the door. After a few long moments, the brilliant glow faded again, until the normal shine of white light surrounded Celestia.

“Are you okay, Princess?”

Celestia paused, taking a short breath before smiling at Twilight. “Celestia. You and I are equals now, Twilight. I never was fond of ‘Princess Celestia’ or ‘Your Majesty,’ anyway. It seems too formal for a friend to use, and I certainly hope you think of us as friends?”

“I,” Twilight stammered. “I mean, yes. I hope we are friends, I mean. And I know what you mean; I’ve tried to convince Pip to call me Twilight and so far all I managed was to get ‘Miss Sparkle’ from him.”

Princess Celestia tilted her head back and let out a hearty laugh. “He is very proper and correct for his age, isn’t he? I hope you don’t mind, but I arranged for him to travel with you.”

“I would have insisted on it.” Twilight admitted, smiling to herself. “He is a very sweet colt, isn’t he? He doesn’t deserve all of the hardships he’s suffered.”

“But is it not those same hardships that have shaped him into the kind, polite stallion he is growing up to be? If you take his trials away, how can you know he will still be himself?”

Twilight rolled amethyst eyes, and smiled. “Pip and I had exactly this conversation earlier today.”

“Great minds think alike.” Celestia chirped, and Tiwlight stopped. Princess Celestia turned a mischievous smile on her former servant, and asked innocently, “What?”

“Forgive me, but you seem…” Twilight struggled to find the right word. “Ebullient.”

“My dear, are you implying that I am not ever the spirit of delight and good cheer?”

“I’m sorry, that isn’t what I meant. Usually you are much more, focused. That’s all.”

Celestia grinned at her, and Twilight arched an eyebrow. “Twilight, this is one of the few times I have been able to speak with anypony as an equal in the last half a millennium. You have just had a wedding, and I adore being able to see my dearest friends happy. Why shouldn’t I indulge in being a little bit effervescent?”

Twilight couldn’t help herself, she laughed. She was used to seeing what she thought was the relaxed Celestia, the kind, ancient mare who would speak soft words and who had a gentle smile. She had only seen flashes of this… she hesitated to call the ancient beauty before her a filly, but that was the way she was acting. Like a filly who was immersed in the simple pleasures of life.

“Not an inaccurate description.” Celestia admitted, winking. “But the pleasures of life are anything but simple. I can’t think of anything more complex.”

“Ugh.” Twilight groaned, hanging her head. “Is there anypony who can’t tell exactly what I’m thinking?”

“Don’t worry, it isn’t a common ability at all, at least without using an actual spell to form a mental link. Spike, Luna and myself are all the exceptions, not the rule. And no, I didn’t know you had a crush on me as a filly, until just now. I only picked up the trick of it a few days before your wedding in fact.”

“Light.” Twilight moaned, turning and banging her head lightly against the marble wall. “I didn’t want you to know that.”

“Twilight, you need to learn something if you are going to survive ruling a country.” Celestia said, seriously. Twilight turned to look at her, and lavender eyes trapped her as the Princess spoke. “You need to learn to enjoy yourself. Take pleasure when and where you can. I adored talking to you, and it was often the only thing I looked forward to in a day. Nopony wants to sit on a Council meeting about the irrigation plans for a settlement for five hours, no matter how important it is to the ponies who live there. When I was young, I used to dream about just leaving, and letting the nobles make their own decisions.”

“You did?”

Celestia chuckled, a little ruefully as they began to walk once more. The long hallway was empty this late at night, and the echo of their steps gave a soft background to their speech. “Of course I did. I couldn’t stand being cooped up for so long. I had just barely gotten my wings, and all I could think of was flying. But I knew that if I left, then there was nothing to prevent the more… self-interested parties involved from sneaking some advantage in while I was away. So I stayed, and I like to think that I didn’t do a horrible job of guiding Helios through the centuries.”

“You just got your wings?” Twilight asked, and it was Princess Celestia’s turn to freeze. It was only a fraction of a second, but Twilight saw the Princess pause, before taking another long, slow stride.

“Yes.” She said softly, looking down. Then her jaw set in anger, and Twilight looked away.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you haven’t done anything wrong, Twilight.” She said, smiling down at her young friend. “I said something I wish I hadn’t. Too many bad memories. What I meant was, you are going to rule a country. You will have Luna there to help you, and you will both rule Selene together. But you have to do what you must, to ensure the health and safety of everypony. Once you have done that though, don’t be afraid to indulge yourself. Go on walks, talk to your friends. Maybe have a nice, romantic dinner. Don’t become a slave to duty.”

Twilight didn’t say anything for a long time. They reached one of the many halls cutting through the belly of the mountain, the Hall of Memory, before she spoke. “I’m not sure if I can do that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Princess, Celestia.” Twilight hesitated, grimacing before continuing. “You and Cadance are the closest things I have to a, a mother. You are both so kind, and noble, and so much more than anypony I have ever met. I love you, Celestia, just like I love Cadance, and Shining. They are my family, and you are what I have always aspired to be.”

She stopped talking, taking a few deep, calming breaths. She let out her held breath with a hiss, and scratched her neck with a hoof. She was mortified to hear her own words. “You, in particular, are everything I ever hoped I could become. Kind, wise, caring. I know, better than anypony, how much you have given up for Helios, to keep everypony safe. So if I can be even half the mare you are, I will be.”

Twilight turned, and gave her Princess a smile. She couldn’t tell if she was looking directly at the mare she had spent her life serving, there was too much water in her eyes. She swallowed, and croaked. “Even if I am miserable, it will be worth it.”

“Twilight,” Celestia said softly, and held one leg out invitingly. Twilight moved into the embrace, and felt the tears that had blurred her vision begin to fall. She was smiling, and laughing weakly, cuddling up against Celestia’s strong, warm chest. She heard a rustle she recognized, and felt the soft brush of feathers as the Princess’ wings bent forward protectively, cradling her just like the gentle hoof.

Twilight stayed there for a long time, shaking with laughter and sobs, feeling the warm hug. It took a long time, but slowly, she reclaimed her composure. Sniffling a little, she weakly pushed away, and Princess Celestia let her go without protest.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“It is more than all right, Twilight.” Celestia said warmly. Twilight looked up, and was more than a little dazzled by the alicorn’s kind smile. It wasn’t something that she saw very often, a simple, genuine happiness and compassion. “Sometimes, we just need somepony’s shoulder to lean on. It isn’t a weakness.”

Twilight sniffled, but let out a breathy little laugh. “Even you?”

“Why do you think I kept you so close?” Celestia’s smile dimmed slightly, and her lavender eyes focused on something far away from a long moment. Then the Princess returned, and leaned down to nuzzle Twilight gently. “I will miss you, Twilight.”

“I’ll miss you too, Princess.” Twilight whispered, barely able to talk through the hard lump in her throat. She swallowed, hard, and smiled back up at her Princess. “I guess this is goodbye.”

“For now,” her words were echoed by the hard stone walls. Twilight felt something stir about them, a ripple of magical power that jolted through the air around Princess Celestia. “But we never leave those we love. Not for long.”

Twilight smiled up at her for a moment, then moved forward. Without asking, she reached up, and wrapped her legs around the white mare’s strong neck. Twilight squeezed, hugging her Princess close, then let go. Looking up into those lavender eyes, Twilight thought there might have been a hint of a tear, or maybe half-hysterical laughter was making them shine. Swallowing, Twilight spoke up. “I should… be going now.”

“Yes.” The alicorn responded, a little too quickly. “After all, it is late. Goodnight, Twilight. I wish you a safe journey on the morrow. And,” Celestia hesitated a moment, then smiled. “I wish you the best of luck.”

“Princess?” Twilight blurted, catching the old mare as she turned. Celetia turned her head, and peered over her shoulder at Twilight. “Would you like to walk with me?”

“I cannot.” Celestia shifted, her eyes and smile both slipping away from the young Princess. “I am sorry.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Goodnight, Twilight.”

“Goodnight, Celestia.”

Celestia started off up the long hallway, her golden shoes making a soft ringing chime as they struck the marble. The stone gleamed around her, illuminated by the glowing aura of the alicorn rebounding from it. Twilight stood for a moment until the last of Celestia’s glow faded into the background, and she was left standing alone. Cool, dark glass sparkled with the light of distant stars cast their light upon her right side, while the warmer, nearer blaze of torches bathed her left. She turned her back on the torches and took a few steps forward until her breath misted the glass.

Her reflection stared back at her, a dim shade hovering only a few inches away, speared by the tiny points of the starry sky. Did Luna make the stars?

Twilight shook her head, and turned to look down. The light of Hoofington shown farther down, a sphere of cheerful, orange light glowing at the base of the Heart. She could see the tangled maze of hedges that lined the path from town to the Heart, and the small clearing where the tiny white bodies of statues reared. A few small ponds glimmered in the moonlight, and Twilight grinned. She had once spent an entire day lazing about by one of those pools, alone except for Cadance. They had talked and played and slept, and simply enjoyed themselves. It had been a wonderful, beautiful day, full of warmth and sunshine and laughter.

Twilight sighed, smiling fondly down at the little pond. It was easy to pick out among the hedges, it had the long, serpentine statue of some bizarre creature standing over the pool, and she could see the marble body from her perch. There were more statues, of course, scattered throughout the gardens. Statues of pony nobility, of heroes and heroines from ages long passed. A few were creations meant not to remind of the past, but encourage the future. Here and there, among the armored warriors and robed mages, statues of foals frolicked. There was even a statue from Selene, a large granite ball, supported by a stream of water. The ball slowly turned, and even a foal could change the way it spun, just by pushing on it lightly.

Twilight chuckled softly. There were bound to be more of the strange statues in Selene. So many ponies were artists, there would doubtlessly be more creativity there than anything she was used to. The smiths and artisans of Selene were legendary, and even the dragons adored their work. Though, Twilight thought cynically, that might be just because they were shiny.

She shuddered, and felt the muscles clench in a painful spasm around her stomach, a feeling too deep and gnawing to be simple fear. A sudden wave of unease washed over her, and the young princess struggled to swim to the surface of her thoughts again. She had gotten used to her fears, her doubts. About Luna’s choice. About herself. This time, it wasn’t worry that made her stomach flutter. It was fear. She knew it was irrational, that nothing bad would happen to her. But Selene was so… alien. It was a country with an entirely separate history, with different values and ideas. She was as foreign to them as she was to the gryphons. And tomorrow, she would have to meet them all. Just, walk up and announce that she was their ruler’s wife. Could she do that?

“Yes.” Twilight said softly, and smiled. “Yes, I can.”

Chapter Thirteen

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I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t-

Lights above. An exasperated voice broke through Twilight’s litany of dread. If you would stop bemoaning your ignorance, you could begin to fix it.

Twilight blinked, and blushed. Across from her, Spike’s tail twitched irritably. Twilight flashed the dragoness an apologetic smile, and tightened her mental shields again, trying to focus on what was being discussed.

“As far as we can tell, this movement means that Rylias is preparing to move en masse towards some tactical point. What they could want in the Waste, nopony is sure, but they may be using it as a staging ground to enter both Selene and Helios,” The soldier said, standing at attention before the watchful eyes of Helios’ Lords and Ladies.

One of them, Lady East, was fretting at her lower lip, while her hoofmaid was scribbling notes furiously. It made sense that she would be worried. Her lands bordered the Waste. In the past, the barren stretch of land, the scar of some long forgotten conflict of titanic powers, had served as a wonderful barrier protecting the fertile lands. Without water, or any real source of food, trying to cross the Waste was a feat just shy of active suicide. Only a few narrow trails led from small spring to small spring, zigzagging their ways across the dust.

If the dragons had found a way to keep whatever forces that they had assembled alive in the Waste…

Twilight’s eyes narrowed in thought, and she took a closer look at the magical map being projected in the center of the room. The rich red fabric stained the bright blue lights an eye searing purple, but the model was more than large enough to allow details to be seen. If she remembered correctly, then there was a small outpost along the eastern edge of Selene’s border.

Spotting the outpost, Twilight tried to tune out the chattering of the council. Some were arguing about what to do, while others were talking about raising taxes to fund the army. To her slight surprise, the same mental shields that kept her from ‘yelling’ her thoughts also provided some measure of defense against physical sounds as well. Twilight took a moment to strengthen the shields, and went back to looking at the map.

Suppose she were leading Rylias, and everything she had heard indicated that there was a single leader coordinating the different Dragonkin. If she were planning an invasion, why would she attack that way? There wasn’t much to offer along the Eastern borders of real military value. It was rich farmland, but Helios had that in plenty, and while it was where most of the Selenian farmers worked and lived, the vast majority of the dark nation’s foodstuffs were traded and imported.

There were no mountains of silver ore, or any known deposits of any other rare mineral either, at least as far as anypony in Helios knew.

Luna? Twilight sent the thought out to brush her wife’s mind, and would have giggled at the way the centuries old mare jumped like a colt caught kissing the Lord’s daughter. Sadly, Twilight was still focused on the task at hoof. Are there any metals in the hills along Selene’s Eastern border?

Not that I am aware of. Luna replied, trying to hide a smile. Her amusement colored her thoughts though, and Twilight looked up, momentarily distracted from her thoughts. Ever since their ‘honeymoon’ had been cut short by an urgent council meeting about Rylias suddenly mobilizing, Twilight had been spending more and more time communicating with her wife mind to mind. The connection was one that was amazingly convenient, and, in the privacy of her own mind at least, Twilight was thrilled that she was beginning to learn how to feel the emotions behind thoughts. If she had any doubts about Luna caring for her, a moment’s contact with the mare cured them. Why do you ask?

Thinking. Twilight replied, a little abruptly, before returning to her examination. She could feel the other Princess’ annoyance at being brushed off before a wave of chagrin and embarrassment washed over the ancient mare. A wordless, warm ‘hug’ echoed along their mental link, and brought a small smile to Twilight.

The rolling hills surrounding the Waste, on both sides, were excellent for cultivation. Several scholars, including the lauded Maud Pie, had made extensive geological survey’s of the area, determining the compositions of the rocks, and the method of their formation as best they could. From what Twilight remembered, several centuries ago, a stallion had postulated that the rocks had been formed from molten slag. Something about a powerful magical artifact caught in a power loop and imploding from feedback.

Most geologists believed this hypothesis, even after several magical scholars ran calculations that made it impossible for any implosion powerful enough to carve the region to not carve it into a neat circle, like somepony took a melonballer to the earth itself. The geological community insisted that the mathematics were flawed, or that the artifact that malfunctioned was not of unicorn make, or at least, that it was nothing like modern artifacts.

The newer breed of geologists, who supposed that all rocks form along a few basic principles, suggested some kind of volcanic event. That the hills were simply built up magma plumes, and that scarred landscape was rich in some mineral lethal to plants. Their idea had a lot of support, more than the artifact camp, because it would account for the odd shaping of the Waste, as well as the surprising fertility of the land around it.

Maud Pie published a book on the Waste several years ago, which had a different explanation. She like many ponies who visited the Waste, had noticed that there was a gradual, but still noticeable, grade to the ground. It all sloped down towards the center of the waste. Maud suspected that it was the scar of some kind of cataclysmic magic, yes, but not a feedback loop. She thought that something used magic to obliterate… something, in the center of where the waste now stood. That whatever the magic had been, it had slagged all of the rock near the blast sight, turning anything that lived nearby into a flaming comet.

Though she was a young mare, she was very much respected in the geologic field, and her ideas were gaining weight as more and more ponies tested them, and found her entirely correct. The sudden appearance of the Waste, and the unnatural fertility of the lands bordering it, would be explained in her model, and without the expanding globe of magic, the shockwaves of whatever spell it had been would have only broken through rocks that were too weak, explaining the long, relatively narrow, stretch of wasteland.

The thought twigged something in Twilight’s mind, and she grabbed at the logic with gusto. Something in the center of the waste had been a threat, a threat so dangerous that something had cast a spell of almost unthinkable power to destroy it. They had managed it, but the scars of whatever spell it had been were still healing. There were caves dotted all over the Waste, most of them half fused shut when the molten rock around their entrances deformed.

Caves. Something about caves. Caves, where dragons hide their treasure. Twilight thought, eyes flickering to Spike. Caves, and a harsh, hot environment. Maud had written something about evidence that the area had originally been a… a. Damn it. Twilight snarled, forgetting to keep her thoughts soft, and noticed Luna, Celestia, and Spike all wince at her shout. Sorry.

It had been something like a huge volcano, a… calderon? Calmer? Something like cauldron. Anyway, a huge, fairly flat volcano. Maud said that she had seen evidence of another such caldum near the southern border of the Gryphon Empire on one of her trips. When the volcano released pressure, it vented superheated magma out of numerous vents, collapsing into the bowl where the lava had been.

So, a giant, now extinct volcano, with lots of caves. The perfect habitat for dragons of all varieties, except the Linnorms. The overgrown Wyrms preferred their swamps to a magma bath, but still. Something was still tickling Twilight’s mind, so she went over the facts again. It was a dragon habitat, that suddenly became barren and untenable. Something collapsed the area with enough force to melt rocks all around it, despite there already being magma nearby. And the dragons were returning there to stage a coup into Selene and Helios. Why would they want to attack either country though?

They don’t. It was a simple thought, but Twilight straightened abruptly. Abruptly enough that everypony in the room turned to look at her. ”Oh” Twilight mumbled. “Light.”

“Would you care to inform us of what you are thinking, Princess?” Lady Grey asked, politely as ever. She seemed ever so slightly amused, as Twilight’s movements had made Golden Bushel stop his ranting about taxes. As if everypony didn’t know he kept a portion of the taxes for himself.

“I was just…” Twilight trailed off, turning to look at Spike over the gleaming table. “Spike, can I ask you something?”

“You obviously just did.” Spike smirked, fangs gleaming a brighter purple than her scales in the reflected light. “But I will allow another.”

“How old are you?” Twilight asked, making several nobles snicker behind raised hooves, while one or two snorted in disgust at the mare’s impropriety.

“You should never ask a lady her age,” Spike teased, adopting an overly dramatic voice. “Why, I think I may faint.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, and just looked back at the dragon, making Spike pout. “Fine.” She said, petulantly sticking out her lower lip to further enhance her mocking pout. “I’m almost twelve thousand years old. Why?”

Twilight ignored the question, instead using her horn to create a glowing purple dot on the map, right at the dead center of the Waste. “Do you know what used to be here?”

Spike shrugged, indifferent. “It was an old breeding ground, one of the oldest in fact. Something happened while I was taking a nap, and when I woke up, it had been a wasteland for a few decade, and nopony knew what happened.”

“I know that this is-“ Twilight started, before forcing herself to be more dominant. “Most dragon mages specialize in fire magic, correct?”

She saw Luna smile next to her, and another warm thought, full of amusement with a dash of happiness at her more forceful attitude rippled into Twilight. A moment’s thought, and Spike nodded.

“Yes, most dragons are fire mages, though with how long our lives are, many who begin with that talent often learn how to cast other types of magic as well. Care to share with the class what you are thinking?”

Twilight pointed to the dot, which hadn’t moved while the projector slowly rotated. “I think I know why they are heading into the Waste.” Twilight said, and turned to the stallion. “Can you make a different map? More like a paper map? Looking at things from further away I mean.”

The guard nodded his head, more than a little confused by the strange mare. Carefully, he zoomed further and further away from the Waste, until the Heart came into focus at the edge of the map.

“Stop!” Twilight ordered, and the guard dutifully stopped panning out. Quickly, Twilight’s horn lit up and she drew lines along the surface of the map with magic. Starting with the Heart, and the leylines that ran through it, she drew as many lines as she could.

One of the older stallions, a baron in a Western Province, snorted. “She marries a princess, and thinks she can just interrupt meetings of the council.” He grunted, speaking loud enough to be overheard, while just softly enough that he could have meant to be mumbling inaudibly. Luna’s eyes narrowed as she surveyed the stallion. “Liked her better when she kept her mouth shut and just took notes.”

The aide by the stallion saw the Night Mare’s eyes narrow dangerously, and she moved away from her Lord as subtly as she could.

Twilight finished drawing the lines, and looked up. When she did, she saw a few unicorns nodding slightly, understanding what she had drawn, but looking just as lost as everypony else watching. Only the Princesses and Lady North’s eyes widened as they noticed the same peculiarity Twilight had.

“Everypony knows what a leyline is?” Twilight asked mildly, using the same polite, emotionless voice Celestia had occasionally used. Her eyes smoothly locked onto the old stallion, before slowly moving along. The council gave a collective nod, even the stuffy members forgetting to mock her under their breath.

“There are hundreds of leylines all throughout Helios, and I’m sure Selene has a vast number as well.” Twilight looked to her wife, who nodded amicably.

“I could draw them for you, if you wish.” She said.

“No need,” Twilight said, looking once again around the room. “Does everypony notice that the leylines just stop when they hit the waste?”

“Where nopony could note where the leylines are?” A young mage asked, looking up from his notes with a blotch of ink staining his snout.

“Wrong, we can still check the length and direction of the lines. But in the Waste, there aren’t any.”

The student’s eyes widened, as did everypony who’d had a basic course in magical theory. Twilight explained for the benefit of her audience. “One of the less known facts about a leyline is that it draws it magic from the environment around it. The more life, the more powerful the leyline, which in turn makes the environment more healthy. These effects loop until the leyline is saturated with magic, and then it just dispenses the magic wherever it is needed.

“In the Waste though, there are no leylines.”

“Because everything died there?” Lady Minnow Creek asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Yes, and no.” Twilight said, trying not to get annoyed at the slower members of the council. A few Lords and Ladies had glassy eyes, and she knew they were only pretending to listen. She tried to pay them no mind.

“Yes, the lack of wildlife would have sucked some of the life out of the leyline. It would have taken centuries to recover from the damage done to its power, but it would recover.

“Here,” Twilight pointed her horn at the Waste. “Is something different. It wasn’t that something killed everything, and the leylines vanished. Somepony destroyed the leylines themselves, and the effect kept anything from returning to the area. It almost looks like somepony moved ALL of the magic that used to be in the Waste, and pushed it beyond the borders. That is why the area is so fertile, because there is more magic to nurture the plants.”

Several heads nodded, including Spike, and Twilight almost hummed with pleasure. It only lasted for a moment though, before the seriousness of the topic hit home. “I think that Rylias is expecting us to attack them where they will be weak. They want us to think that there is nothing in the Waste.”

“There isn’t anything in the waste,” the baron said, snorting in annoyance.

“Precisely.” Twilight emphasized, looking straight at the overweight stallion. Even in normal lighting, his mustard yellow fur looked positively hideous. Here, it was an abomination. “There is nothing. No food, no water, and most importantly, no magic. Dragons are fire mages, and every mage knows that fire is a purely innate element. They will be the least affected by the lack of ambient magic, using their spells to add power to their fire breath. Meanwhile, our entire military structure revolves using magic to cover our troops. Without that shield, we would be slaughtered.”

“It’s a trap?” Spike said, rolling her eyes. “You could have just said, it’s a trap.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Lady Grey objected, flashing Twilight a small, apologetic glance. “Trap or not, if we do not engage, then there will be no way to prevent them from raiding both of our nations at their leisure.”

Twilight grimaced, but nodded. “I-“ she began, before looking at her wife. Luna smiled at her, and nodded her head.

I trust you to say what you feel needs to be said, Twilight. Luna thought to her.

“I know.” Twilight said, looking Lady Grey in the eye. “What I’m saying is, that when we engage, we need to do it with a better strategy. We can’t use magic in the Waste. And if we don’t do something, then they will slowly bleed us to death. One family at a time.”

The council was quiet for a long moment, thinking. Slowly, Celestia rose to her hooves. “We have much to think about. The council will reconvene tomorrow evening. I will send a courier when I have determined the time.”

“What was that back there?” Shining Armor asked, pulling Twilight aside as the council chambers began to empty. The stuffy Lords did their best to ignore the two commoners, something that made the hairs on Shining’s neck bristle. He did his best to ignore them in turn, but he couldn’t keep the small frown off his face when he turned back to Twilight.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked, following her big brother’s example in trying to ignore the nobility.

“That thing you did. With the map, and the leylines. How did you know what their plan was?”

“Oh, that?” Twilight asked, surprised. “All I did was think about why they would want to move there.”

“So was everypony,” Shining said slowly, like he were explaining something to a foal. That got Twilight’s hackles up.

“There isn’t any useful military resource in the area. Along both borders, the only tactical advantage you have is having decided the grounds, and forcing everypony to respond to you. If we did nothing, then they would have been free to attack every settlement within a few hours flight of the Waste, which would cripple us, and cost thousands of lives. The only reason to declare open combat like that, so obviously, is for either a very important resource, or to force us to react, acting in haste and making a mistake. If we had just marched into battle, like we do against the gryphons, then the absence of ambient magic wouldn’t be something we’d realize until we were in the midst of battle.”

Shining nodded slowly. “Right, because we’d still have the power in our bodies, so we wouldn’t immediately notice that it wasn’t being restored.”

“Exactly, at which point they would slaughter us while our troops panicked.”

“Okay,” Shining agreed, wincing at the thought of what his next words would cost. “But we can’t let them set up a base in the Waste either. We don’t have much of a choice.”

“Maybe,” Twilight hedged. Her eyes narrowed in thought, and she looked past Shining. “I.. I need to check a few things.”

Twilight turned, trotting away quickly, deep in thought. Shining blinked after her, taken aback. Twilight hadn’t just… dismissed anypony before. Had she? He shook his head, and sighed.

“Is it just me,” Luna said, walking up behind the stallion and making him jump. “Or does my Twilight seem... “

“Distracted, Princess?” Shining supplied, giving the black alicorn a rueful smile. “I don’t know. She’s always been sort of… detached, I guess. Since she didn’t really have friends growing up, and Cadance and I were always so busy, she doesn’t really understand how to act around ponies sometimes.”

“So I gathered,” came Luna’s dry response. She nodded to the guard Captain as she walked past. Shining scrambled to bow in response, slipping and barely catching himself before his nose fell onto the marble floor. Princess Luna chuckled, and walked off.

Meanwhile, Twilight was lost in thought, heading towards the library to research. She still had a niggling feeling about the whole report. Something that didn’t add up. Mentally, she started writing up a list.

Activity is noticed in Rylias.
Dragons start to mobilize in large numbers, indicating an attack force.

The flighted dragons have the advantage in that they can pillage.
There is no magic in the Waste.
Any defensive movements from Helios and Selene would take heavy casualties.
Those casualties would, almost certainly, drive off the dragons.

Then is clicked. Supply. The entire Helian Army’s supply line was magically maintained. Most of the spells that kept it running smoothly and efficiently were open enchantments, drawing on the magic of their surroundings to power them. The moment the supply line hit the Waste, the lack of ambient magic in the area would siphon off everything in the supply train as well. The whole thing would collapse in a few days, at the very most.

The supplies weren’t like enchanted weapons, able to draw power from a local source, like a pony or a crystal. They had to be open ended by their very nature, or nopony could remove what they needed from the caravans. And by fighting in the Waste, the dragon’s secured another advantage for themselves.

“Typical.” Twilight huffed. She turned in place for a moment to regain her bearings. With a goal now in mind, she set off for the library at a trot, grumbling to herself.

Author's Notes:

Okay. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you. I didn't want to write this story. Between life and school, I sort of fell away from the pony fandom. I wasn't as interested in it as I was in more... realistic things, I suppose. I wanted to do things with more meat to them, that felt more real.

Basically, I was the kind of flakey sorority bint that I despise.

I'd like to thanks my friend, with a special thanks to you Kali, for getting me to go back and start watching the show, and more importantly, slap me hard enough to wake up. So, I'm going to level with everyone now. I'm not going to be making anymore bitchy little selfpitying blog posts about how sorry I am. I'm not. I don't regret anything that I've done with this story, other than my own whining. So I'm no longer going to do it. I can't promise how often, or how long, chapters will be coming. I can't promise I'm going to finish this story, because I very well may not. But as long as I'm interested in writing it, I'm going to continue.

If you read all of this, then I want to thank you. I know that this has been dead for... a while. Maybe I'm related to Resputin though, because my necromantic little plot is ressurecting this.

Hugs and Kisses,

Nadake.

TL;DR: Go read it you twit.

Chapter Fourteen

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The door to the Heart’s Knowledge, the greatest library in Helios, was hideous. It was pockmarked, scored with the heavy damage of years spent in neglect. The solid old oak tree that had given its wood to the door had held up over the centuries, helped along by powerful spells of preservation. However, no amount of spellwork could fully stave off the passage of time, with each successive year marking another deep warp to the wood.

The hinges were fastened to the door with large bands of blackened iron, darkened by the forge rather than soot. The same spells that preserved the wood were anchored in the metal, and had at least held back the inevitable rust to a minimum. Thin bands of metal wrapped the solid door, anchored to two ornate hasps, cutting a small furrow in the wood when it had expanded in some long forgotten year. Even the small cuts and nicks in its surface didn’t show the pale flesh of new wood. They were the same darker hue, where grim had sunk so deeply into the timber that it blackened the surface, and the deeper layers too.

But for all that the ancient monstrosity was ugly, it was still a masterfully built door. It fit snugly into the frame, some subtle spell keeping it perfectly sized, so that not even an ant could squeeze past it. It was heavy oak, and with that weight came the comfort of strength, and almost boundless resilience to the world. The ancient door kept the library it guarded a still, nearly silent place. And finally, it was all but utterly silent. No creaking of arthritic lumber, nor the faintest squeak of hinges. Though time had worn on the old wood, it still guarded its treasure with the same care as it had in bygone ages.

Not unlike its Princess, Luna thought with a smile. Though Celestia was by noponies measure an ugly sight, she was just as deeply scarred by time’s passage as the wood. And like the door, she too can be an obstinate bulwark when she wants to protect something.

Luna shook off the thought, her smile fading a little. Even if that protection does more harm than good.

The Night Mare pushed the door open with a nudge of her hoof. The silver shoe scraped against the wood with a soft sound, before the door swung in silently. Delicately, doing her best not to disturb the lattice of spells surrounding the entrance, Luna stepped inside the Library.

Inside, the library was surprisingly dark. Nopony wanted to risk the wealth of knowledge in this room with torches, or even small candles. A few braziers were scattered about, enchanted to burn slowly for years without attention. The small braziers wafted a sweet smoke into the air, one that smelled to Luna like wet rock. She recognized the scent of Spider’s Delight. It was an herb used to keep away pests, creating a semi-magical barrier that even most magic devouring insects couldn’t pass. It also had the pleasant side effect of being a mild soporific, calming anypony who inhaled the smoke of the burning weed.

Though the room had no windows, the wide pathways were easy to find with the aid of a small magelight. The problem was that Luna’s magelights, ironically, illuminated next to nothing, as her magic was only a shade or two lighter than her coat. Luckily, while her directed magic was black, her body was forever sheathed in a layer of silvery energy. That glow was more than enough for her to see by, after a moment to adjust to the dimness as the door swung shut. With a small smile at the title of the nearest book, she set off through the library.

Most of the room was still a cluttered mess, with books and scrolls jammed without any apparent regard to order. Texts on flight were bracketed by notes on the reproductive cycles of gryphons. A book on farming was set haphazardly atop a pile of scrolls on advanced alchemical formulae. While most of the clutter was contained to the shelves, more than one previously precarious pile had toppled. The resulting flood of paper tended to block off most of the pathway between rows.

Her shoes made soft chimes as she stepped around the piles, and walked through the library. It appeared that her hoofsteps were the only sound in the entire room, a quiet echo of her past with each movement. It seemed that everything was peaceful in the library, even if the entire place was such a disorganized mess that only the curator of this demesne could possibly find anything by some metric other than blind luck.

Which she was coming to realize was fairly descriptive of her wife. She found Twilight’s mix of mania and kindness to be a rather endearing feature, and the comfortable clutter suited her.

Not that it made finding anything, particularly a young mare, any simpler amidst the kerfuffle. With a sigh, Luna plucked at their strengthening bond as gently as she could. The mental connection vibrated slightly, and the Nightmare began picking her way through the dark room with more certainty.

Turning a corner, she smiled. Twilight was sitting at a table halfway down the aisle. She had attached half a dozen candles to the table, shining a bright, warm glow about her. The table looked like one conjured with magic, too simple to fit with the elegant, if dusty, surroundings.

Luna kept her steps soft, walking slowly over to where Twilight was slumped over the table. What she saw made the dark Princess smile.

Twilight was slumped forward, resting her head on the table. Several papers, all bearing Twilight’s rapid scrawl, were being employed as a pillow. Her mouth hung open slightly, emitting a small snore with each slow breath.

Luna lit her horn, gently lifting Twilight’s head. A thought conjured a velvet pillow, and she neatly swapped the pillow for the notes. She let Twilight’s head fall back onto the pillow, chuckling when she began to snuggle down into the softness.

Curious, Luna scanned the pages she had saved. Twilight’s words were cramped, but legible enough. They seemed to be largely disjointed though, jumping from a note about the leylines leading to the Waste, and into another about researching grindstones. It took a moment, but soon the pieces clicked, and she felt another warm smile grace her lips. Smaller piles of scrolls littered the rest of the table, some precariously close to the wax dripping from the candles.

Careful not to wake the slumbering mare, Luna settled herself beside Twilight. What she had written was intriguing, and Luna was curious now. Unfortunately, she ran into a problem.

When Twilight had conjured the table, she had conjured a table she could comfortably sit at. Luna, however, was almost twice as tall, and she just frowned at the annoyance. A moment’s consideration laid her options before her, and forced a reluctant laugh from her. She didn’t have much choice, she could either enlarge the table, letting it fit her larger frame, and possibly wake Twilight up. That option was immediately discounted. Which left her with a simpler solution. She knelt beside Twilight, feeling the mare’s warm side brush hers as Twilight inhaled. She folded her hind legs, shivering when her belly touched the cold floor.

Her shiver seemed to rouse Twilight, who mumbled something into the candlelight. Luna quickly sent a soothing pulse along their bond, calming the young mare and sending her back into her slumber. She smiled again, a small, personal little smile, and settled herself. Her wing slowly lifted, and wrapped around Twilight like a cloak. With a soft peck to her cheek, Luna turned to read the papers hovering before her.

Twilight stirred a little more than an hour before the sun would begin its daily journey through the sky. It sometimes shocked the mare, to realize that even hidden away in the depths of the Heart, she could still easily keep herself to her schedule. Still, her bed was awfully comfortable. Her blanket was draped over her, warm and inviting. Silky feathers brushing her sides in time with her steady breaths.

Twilight opened her eyes, and suppressed a smile. Her pillow was drowsing peacefully, face relaxed in sleep. For all that the Night Mare held sway over dreams, it still surprised Twilight to see how serene Luna was in repose.

It was a little embarrassing for the newest Princess, but every night for the past week, she had woken like this. Cuddled against a strong, soft body, with one of Luna’s wings sheltering her. It never failed to bring a measure of serenity to Twilight, no matter how manic she had been when she finally drifted off. Last night, she had been awake for hours, busy doing research and drawing up plans.

Now, even though she still felt the need to complete her work pressing on her mind, her heart was content to bask in the moment for just a little longer. Ever since their wedding, Twilight had been more and more willing to listen to her heart, and see where it lead her.

For a moment, Twilight cursed Rylias for causing so much trouble. She and Luna had been set to travel to Selene, where Twilight could be introduced as Luna’s consort officially. The ceremony in Helios was official as well, but it was a show, something to set the nobility and the Council at ease. Even if the Selene marriage was almost identical, Twilight had felt Luna’s desire to be wed within her own realm, where nopony could contest her claims to Twilight’s affection.

That sense of pride, mixed heavily with fondness and a dash of desire, had been one of the reasons Twilight had come to feel so much more at ease with her wife. Luna had been coerced, somehow. Twilight felt certain that it had something to do with the night that they had first met, when Luna had met with Celestia privately. Something had happened, and it had forced Luna to seek a wedding. Twilight had been willing, if not thrilled, to do her duty to Helios, and to help out a mare who was rapidly becoming one of her few friends.

After that first night, when Luna had come to her in her sleep, Twilight had felt a similar rush of affection wash through her. It wasn’t lust, not entirely. It was a feeling that, with great care to keep the thought heavily shielded, Twilight believed might be the beginnings of love. Maybe not the grand, sweeping romance of fairy tales, of the saucy romance novels from Selene, but love all the same. It had the same quiet, endless strength she had seen between Shining Armor and Cadance. But it was too early for her to be sure, and Twilight made sure to keep her mental barriers up in those moments of introspection.

Not that she didn’t trust Luna, she thought, snuggling closer to her pillow. Luna made a soft noise in her sleep, too gentle to be a mumble, and shifted her weight. Her other wing stretched out as she shifted, flapping once before tucking itself away. When she was done, Twilight was nestled a little closer to her wife, both mares lying side by side.

Twilight giggled and rubbed her neck over Luna’s, shivering a little as her soft black mane tickled her throat. After a moment of hesitation, Twilight shifted herself slightly, and pressed a soft kiss behind Luna’s ear. She had found that the alicorn mare was sensitive there, and even in the depths of sleep, Luna purred at the touch.

Sighing happily, Twilight let herself lean into the warm weight next to her, closing her eyes. She really, really didn’t want to get up just yet. But she knew she couldn’t put it off much longer, either. Again, she sent a silent curse at Rylias, and to the courier who had ruined her honeymoon. If that stallion had waited just a few hours, they would have been happily on their way to Selene. Pip had left at dawn that day, tending to their, okay, her, baggage. Just as they were set to leave, the stallion had burst into the entrance hall, shouting about needing to see the Princess.

And from there, everything had gone downhill. A week of waiting, everypony on edge, to see what the mobilization of several flights of dragons would do. A week, without Shining Armor, who had been running himself ragged trying to adapt his small force to fighting dragons, rather than gryphons. A week, when Cadance had simply vanished, without a word to Twilight, leaving a note on the door to their suite apologizing. A week, when Princess Celestia had been equally difficult to find, often buried in paperwork or meeting with some general or other.

That last one had made Twilight furious. Princess Celestia had been her ward for years. Yet now, when her organizational skills and swift pen would be of the most use to the Princess, when they were most needed, she wasn’t able to help. Princess Celestia’s scribe was the only pony able to attend the private meetings, kept bound that way by ancient magicks. And to Twilight’s fury, she was no longer that scribe. Instead, she was a Princess with nothing to do, no way to help, and she didn’t know what was going on.

In the end, she had sequestered herself in this library. She had been here all week, studying as hard as she could to adapt the commonly practiced healing spells into something she could use. It had taken her days to learn each spell, and she had only mastered one of them, a small cantrip to heal minor wounds. It was a popular spell, one that sealed small nicks and cuts, as well as healing large, shallow wounds, like sores and very mild burns. She hadn’t had a live subject to practice on, and found the thought of cutting herself revolting, but she was confident that she could cast the spell.

The other two were much more powerful, a bone setting spell, and a fairly gruesome flesh melting curse. The first was fairly simple, just exhausting. Every medic learned the spell, which could be cast in several ways, depending on the power a unicorn fed into it. Twilight had felt pretty sure that she had the power to cast the full charm, which would instantly and painlessly repair broken bones. However, the spell had been known to produce horrific side effects if the spellcaster wasn’t skilled enough, or ran out of power halfway through casting. The other spell, the curse, was one she would leave to the medical professionals. Light knows the kind of damage she could cause accidentally.

She had worked herself to exhaustion, often forgetting to eat. And when she woke, like today, she would find Luna resting beside her, with a wing shielding her from the world. If she hadn’t eaten enough the day before, a tray of breakfast would be set on the table. But it was always a safe, happy place Twilight awoke to.

Sadly, now she had to get up.

Slowly, Twilight rolled her shoulders, brushing close to where Luna’s wing met her flank. The touch was one she had learned from one of her books on anatomy. In pegasi, it activated a reflex action that moved a wing. In a sleeping alicorn, the wing didn’t suddenly flare up and away from the touch, but it did lift enough to let a young mare slip away without waking her wife. She carefully extricated herself, and kissed Luna softly on the cheek.

Twilight paused at the small door, weighing her options. She could hear a muffled clatter and bang coming from the other side, but she had yet to see the door fly open. Either the pastry chef was still asleep, which Twilight personally thought was impossible. She had yet to see the sugar crazed mare slow down, much less sleep.

And if she wasn’t asleep, then the moment she walked into the kitchen, she would have to fall flat or be clobbered. Somehow, that mare ALWAYS knew.

Still no response from the door. Twilight’s belly growled, an uncomfortable ache making very clear her body’s thoughts on the matter. If she were buried under a cake, well, she would just have to eat her way out. Sometimes, Twilight thought that her tummy had a hidden agenda.

Sighing, Twilight carefully approached the door.

Already expecting it, Twilight dropped to her belly. The door swung open with a shouted warning, the edge barely an inch away from her nose, and a colossal cake sailed through the air, hurled along the passage with incredible strength.

Not for the first time, Twilight wondered what in the world happened to the assorted goodies once they reached the end of the hallway.

Brushing that aside, and taking an appreciative taste of a splotch of frosting that landed on her hoof, Twilight walked into the kitchen. And promptly stepped to her left, dodging as a spoon wizzed through the air. The projectile thudded heavily into the door, quivering.

“Oh, its you lass.” The colonel grunted, trying to appear gruff. “What’re you doin’ down here at this time o' day?”

Twilight grinned, and nodded to the spoon. “A spoon? Why a spoon?”

“Because its dull, you twit. It’ll hurt more.” He retorted, lifting another spoon from the drawer near him. “Want an example?”

“I can hardly believe you stopped tossing knives at everypony who walks in.” Twilight teased, taking a step closer to the Colonel. The sheep didn’t notice, too busy looking over his shoulder.

“SWEET RADISH! I TOLD YOU TO ADD THE YAMS AFTER YOU SIMMER THE ONION!” He roared, making a young mare squeak with fright. She dropped the yam she had been holding, barely catching it before it splashed into the bubbling pot.

“Anyway, what can I do fer- OY!” He yelped, dancing back as his array of cutlery suddenly lifted into the air. “Now lass, there’s no need for rash actions. We’re all friends here, aren’t we?”

“Of course we are.” Twilight said, smiling. A pair of butter knives pinged off of the large pot lid the sheep had grabbed. “I just thought I should return fire.”

“I dinna think that’s really needed, Princess.” He grunted, staving off a flurry of small forks. “Besides, didn’t you come for a reason? Not that I don’t love your company!” He quickly added, scrambling behind the bend in his counter as half a dozen sharp knives attempted an early shearing.

“I did, as a matter of fact,” Twilight sniffed. She lifted a pair of delicate looking soup spoons, inspecting them while she spoke. “I was hoping to see if I might scrounge some oatmeal. With cinnamon. And brown sugar. Lots of brown sugar.”

“What!” The Colonel shrieked, poking his round head out. “You want me to ruin perfectly good parritch! You can’ even taste the bloody oats in it with as much blasted sugar as you like!”

A pair of forks had been sneakily moving around the counter while they spoke, and jabbed the sheep in the rump, making him jump and squeal. Just then, another scream of, “DOOR!” echoed through the room, and a relatively small chocolate pudding came sailing towards the duo.

The Colonel’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. He couldn’t do anything but watch the pudding barrel towards him, like an oncoming locomotive. Suddenly, there was a firm jerk on his hooves, and he crashed into the marble floor with a huff. The door swung open, and the pudding sailed through it neatly.

“Ow. Thanks lass.” He muttered, rubbing his rump irritably. He didn’t look particularly pleased when he went on. “I suppose I should see about getting you that parritch.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said with a small curtsy, voice positively saccharine. “That would be lovely.”

Chapter Fifteen

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“Captain,” Princess Celestia murmured.

Across the dim confines of the Council room, Shining Armor nodded his head while moving to shut the heavy door. He heaved against the door, a small grunt working its way from his throat as he rammed his shoulder into it a second time. This time the door slid home with a dull boom, and Shining Armor stepped back.

He took a slow breath as magic began to swirl around his horn. It was a surprisingly delicate lilac shade, almost seeming to be a mist clinging to his horn. As more and more power cloaked his horn, the color began to darken, solidifying into a solid cone of power. Unlike most unicorns, whose magic was simply a loose cloud, Shining had reinforced the cone with layer after layer of powerful defensive wards.

He had once boasted to Twilight, saying that he could stop Princess Celestia’s magic, if she gave him enough time to prepare his barrier spell. He couldn’t hold up the shield against that kind of onslaught for long, but it was a feat nonetheless. Now, the same interwoven lattice of spells had congealed into a single, impenetrable barrier waiting to be released. At a nod from the Princess, Shining touched the tip of his horn to the metal of the door.

Magic flared with brilliant light for a moment, racing along veins of silver that traced all over the edges of the room, hidden by the thick crimson hangings on the wall. Even through the layers of silk, the flash of magic arcing around the room was near blinding. A moment later, the bands of impregnated silver dimmed, to a purple glow easily hidden behind the decor. Near the door, Shining Armor sucked in a breath, trying not to pant like a colt after his first tumble in the hay.

Straightening, only slightly red faced from the exertion, the Helian Guard Captain bowed formally to the Princess. Celestia bowed as well, a shallow dip befitting her position as his superior, and turned to face the Council members present.

“With that attended to, we may speak in privacy.” Celestia began, looking from face to face. “Doubtless, you are wondering why I have summoned so few of you?”

Her words were met with a round of nods, many confused. Only Princess Luna and Lady Snowdrop remained still. Lady North blinked slowly back at the Princesses before calmly standing.

Celestia acknowledged the silent question with a nod, sitting to give Snowdrop the floor. The grey mare nodded to her, and spoke.

“On my advice, Princess Celestia has convened a Closed Council. As many of you know, protocol dictates that the pony requesting such a council must have a legitimate claim that must be attended to, as well as one that is too sensitive for public discussion. As such, I will be putting forth my claim, after which we shall vote, excluding the Princesses, as to whether the motion is entertained.” She paused for an instant, eyes flicking to Twilight before she resumed. “As there are two members of the convened Council who have not sat upon a Closed Council, I will elucidate the relevant information. This is a private Council, one which may not be spoken of beyond these walls, unless the Council collectively and unanimously decides to divulge such information at a later date. In a Closed Council, the original protocol of the Helian Council are to be rigidly observed, including but not limited to speaking only when given the floor, and under the certain knowledge that any and all misconduct will be severely punished. It is also noted that anypony with a grievance relating to the matter at hoof has the right to call out the giver of said grievance to a traditional duel. Does anypony have a question?”

Snowdrop surveyed the room for a moment, but nopony moved. Nodding, she turned to walk to the door. She came to a stop next to Shining Armor, who was standing at impassive attention, motionless. Taking a step forward, Snowdrop surveyed the Council again.

“I have called for a Closed Council, on the grounds of both the sensitivity of the information to be discussed, and the possibility of treason by way of military espionage. Are these claims seen by the Council as valid reason to hold a Closed Council?”

Several ponies nodded, but Lord South stood and leveled a cool gaze at Snowdrop. The Lady North appeared unfazed, and nodded to the stallion, taking a step back.

“I question the nature of such claims,” he said firmly, looking at his fellow Council members. “Though preventative measures must surely be taken when discussing military tactics, there has not been a reasonable claim for the exclusion of the lower members of the Council.” He sat, seeming more interested in what Snowdrop would say than truly objecting to the proceedings.

“A valid point,” Snowdrop said, again taking the floor. “My request to exclude the minor nobles from sitting on this council is twofold. The first is that they are, frankly, largely self-serving. Helios is in a state of military preparation, if not in active war. We have little time to entertain greedy aristocrats in a time of crisis.”

She paused, and many of the ponies around the table nodded. Though there were only a few selfish members of the Council, excluding the entire ‘civilian council’ would prevent any of those troublesome agitators from adding their two bits and muddling the waters more than they already were. Many of those nobles were from hereditary lines, with little or nothing of merit to their name, save that which their ancestors left them by way of legacy or wealth.

“The second reason is a matter of necessity,” she said, leveling a faint glare at Princess Celestia. The Princess stared back in quiet disagreement. “As everypony knows, the minor nobility are under no obligation to undergo military service. Many simply refuse to join the Guard, and as such, lack both the discipline and knowledge to have relevant information for the topic at hoof.”

Twilight looked over to the Princess, who seemed unfazed by the Grey Lady’s words. She couldn’t stop the hot flash of both anger and what Twilight thought was embarrassment that rippled through the air between herself and the other two Princesses. Twilight blinked and saw Luna shake her head very slightly, looking pointedly at Lady Snowdrop. Twilight turned back to the Grey Lady quickly while everypony was again nodding to the logic in the mare’s words.

“Does this satisfy your questions?” Snowdrop asked, looking as calm as ever once more. From his seat, Lord South nodded his head. “Are there any further statements?”

Nopony moved, and Snowdrop nodded. “Then I put it to a vote. What does the Council deem appropriate in this instance? Those in favor of continuing the Closed Council?”

Around the room, hooves rose into the air. Everypony in the room, save the three Princesses and Shining Armor, raised a hoof in support of the grey mare’s motion.

“Very well.” Snowdrop said, and everypony lowered their hooves. “Then I shall proceed as quickly as possible, as haste is needed.”

“As everypony knows, the dragonkin of Rylias are moving a large force into the Waste. We already have reports from the East of several raiding parties seeking food from the surrounding countryside. We have little time to deliberate over their actions, and that is a facet of their strategy.

“As Princess Twilight said yesterday, the Waste is an area devoid of any form of ambient magic.” Snowdrop said, and Twilight felt her cheeks warm at the title. Everypony sat focused on Snowdrop though, and Luna sent a soothing pulse of calm tinged with amusement to her wife. “This was a calculated maneuver in the dragon’s favor. Their position is excellent, and they have mobilized and marched in a short time. They seek to goad us into a rash response, sending a large force to attack them, without considering that our unicorns would be all but useless in the Waste. As the Princess noted, the sudden failure of the majority of our mages would send the army into chaos, allowing the dragons to inflict heavy casualties while facing only minimal opposition. Luckily, we avoided their plan.

“However, we still have yet to answer the threat that they pose. That is what this Council must determine now, as any more delay will only strengthen their position in the Waste, while they wreak havoc in the Eastern Province. I will now open the floor, and return the control of the Council to Princess Celestia as mediator.”

Snowdrop turned and walked to her seat once more, and everypony looked around the room. A nod from Princess Celestia met their confused gaze, and she rose to speak to the Council.

“As Lady North has said, we must act with haste. I will act only as mediator and spectator to this Council, as will both Luna and Twilight. While we may speak when relevant information is needed, we act only as a tiebreaker in a vote, should a quorum not be reached. By opening the floor, Lady Snowdrop has invited open conversation in the manner of a general council session, though the various other rules of a Closed Council apply.”

“I say we meet the dragons head on.” Lady East said, almost growling. She had always been a fairly cheerful mare, often the first to laugh in a Council session. After hearing about the threat to her ponies though, she had been quite vocal about her anger at the attacks from Rylias. “If we move quickly, we can stop them from attacking and drive them away from our borders.”

“And how would this be achieved?” Lady North asked. Her voice was neutral, and her face was blank, giving no hint to what she was thinking.

“We would need the Southern Guard,” Saffron began, only to have Lord South slam a hoof onto the table.

“Now wait right-“ he growled, rising. A flash of golden light slammed into him, forcing him back to his seat, and Princess Celestia rose. Her wings were mantled about her and her horn still glowed with energy as she spoke loudly into the silent room.

“You will remain silent while somepony else holds the floor,” the Sun’s Champion said, eyes and voice both hard. “We sit on a Closed Council, and we are here to determine the best course of action. We have no time for petty squabbling, and you will remain silent until you are called upon to speak. Am I understood?”

Around the small room, heads nodded in agreement. Even Lord South nodded, though the grizzled stallion did so grudgingly. With another hard stare around the room, Celestia sat, nodding for Lady East to continue.

“Thank you, Princess.” Saffron said, trying to shake off the shiver that her Princess’s words inspired. “As I was saying, if we wish to succeed we will need the Southern Guard to move to the Eastern Border. They are the only ponies with active experience fighting the dragons, and without their expertise, we may well fail. Even in victory, we cannot hope to escape without thousands of ponies needlessly dying.”

Lord South was flushed, both with embarrassment at being told off by the Princess, and with lingering anger. Having said her piece, Saffron took her seat again, ducking her head at the stallion. Not eager to be reprimanded by Celestia once again, he looked to her before standing.

“Lady East, you seem to have forgotten what the purpose of the Southern Guard is. As you said, they are the ponies with experience fighting the serpents.” He growled, and his wings shifted at his side. “We are the first, last, and only line of defense against the snakes invading along the southern border. Pulling our troops from that front is a glorified invitation, and they will not hesitate to send a welcoming party. You speak of losing hundreds of warriors needlessly, but allowing them free entrance to Helios is no different than slitting the throats of every stallion, mare, and foal in Helios.”

Saffron stood, face contorted. She managed to contain her explosion though, and at a warning look from the Princess, resumed her seat with ill grace. Lord Fireflier went on, pointedly ignoring the mare.

“I have fought the dragons, which I hazard to say nopony else, save Princess Celestia, can boast. I know just how hard it is to kill one of the beasts, and only the restless runts invade the border. They are little more than children to their minds, and it takes two companies just to drive one off. Nothing grows in the Southern Badlands, because nothing can be farmed for fear of attack. Nopony lives there who has not suffered loss at their hands, and only the need for a defensive bulwark keeps my ponies there. They suffer and die to keep your ponies fat and happy, Saffron-”

“You will curb your tongue, Lord South.” Princess Celestia interjected with some force. “Speak as you will, but you will not insult anypony within my hearing, not during this meeting.”

“Yes, Princess,” the old stallion said, in a voice just barely more polite than a snarl. A glare from Twilight, Luna, and Shining Armor converged on him, and the warhorse let out an irritable sigh. “I apologize. My age has done my temper no good. And I apologize to you as well, Lady East.”

Saffron didn’t look pleased, but nodded her head in acceptance. Around the room, the various ponies who had been glaring at the pegasus relaxed a little and continued to listen.

“What I meant was, my ponies are warriors. Born and bred, they know how to fight, and fight all manner of serpent. But only the best are part of the Guard, and leaving them to defend the border is imperative.” He raised a hoof to Lady East, who had been about to interject, admonition or not. “I know what you will say. However, you are, respectfully, not a soldier. The Captain understands what I mean when I say that the drakes have us over a barrel. We cannot leave the southern border undefended, which forces us to keep our best forces spread thin along the border. Meanwhile, we cannot afford to pull soldiers from the Western border, or we risk invasion by the gryphons, and there is no way for us to win two wars at once. Finally, we cannot simply let them run rampant through the Eastern quarter, or we will slowly starve. They have forced our hooves into an unwinable situation.”

The old stallion sighed, and sat down. Lord West stood, and received a nod from the Princess.

The Western Lord was somepony that Twilight cordially hated. He was fat, rather than Saffron’s pleasant plumpness. Lady East’s appearance made her look like nothing so much as a cheerful, kind mother. Lord Golddigger’s girth was more comparable to a barrel than anything else Twilight could think of. He was bedecked in the same metal of his name, with heavy golden bangles around each hoof, and a necklace of thin gold chain. He had a white coat, and blue eyes under a blonde mane, and anypony who saw him would recognize him as the sire of Blueblood.

And like that stallion, Lord West shared his vanity and greed.

“My Lord and Ladies,” he began, puffing his chest out. “I think that we should use this opportunity. Much profit can be turned from a cave-in, and nopony knows just what will be revealed in the midst of action. My Lord South is quite right. We cannot strip our Southern Guard of their most esteemed members.”

Lord South snorted in agreement, and Lord East’s lips curved up as he continued. “Equally, Lady Saffron is correct in that we must do something about the Eastern situation. While the thought of starvation is an unpleasant one, we cannot move our troops away from either border. I know that I can only spare two cohorts to aid the eastern border.”

“However, perhaps there is a solution. While they are less prepared and far less hardened, Selene has a military presence, do you not?” He asked, turning to Luna. Slightly taken aback by the sudden question, Luna nodded her head. Twilight groaned mentally as his smile widened.

What is it, L'etoile? Luna sent, slipping the thought around Twilight’s mental barrier.

What did you call me? Twilight asked, surprised. She was met with a burst of merriment through their mental link, and a warm sensation filled her. It brought a faint blush to her cheeks, thankfully hidden by the darkness of the room. Never mind, this is more important. Lord West is a vain, greedy stallion. He doesn’t do anything that won’t help himself, so if he’s asking you about Selene, you need to pay attention. And don’t fall for him. He’s very persuasive.

Indeed? Luna asked, with a wry amusement as her eyes flicked over the stallion. His charisma must be purely for those who lust for power.

Twilight rolled her eyes and closed off the link again, a clear indication to her wife to shut up and listen. Luna obliged with only a moment’s hesitation, just in time to hear the stallion start speaking again.

“And, if I am not mistaken, then your own eastern border lies upon the sea?”

Luna shook her head, speaking slowly. “You are not.”

Oh, sweet Celestia’s teat. Twilight swore, making both Luna, and Celestia herself, jump. Quickly, she relayed her realization to Princess Luna, and watched as sapphire eyes narrowed at the stallion.

“Then surely our allies can see to it that we have their full support at a time as dire as this.”

“I am sorry, my Lord.” Luna said, voice cold enough to freeze the blood. “But as you are assuredly aware, Selene has only enough troops to defend our own southern border. Sparing even a century would be disasterous.”

“Then-” he began, but Princess Celestia cut him off sharply.

“That is enough, Lord West. You will not cause difficulties for Selene at a time of dire need from both countries.”

“Very well,” Lord Golddigger conceded, with a bow that bordered on insultingly shallow. “Then may I ask you a question, Princess?”

Celestia nodded to him, and the fat unicorn leered. “Why will neither you nor your counterpart take to the field. Surely, this is a matter of defense. And you have shown yourself more than capable of handling dragons.”

Celestia’s eyes went suddenly flat, so devoid of emotion that it made Twilight shudder. “I may not enter battle, save to defend myself personally from an attack. Luna and Spike are bound by the same laws of magic. Our abstinence is all that keeps the other, evil powers from rising. Helios would not survive the repercussions of our doing battle. When elephants fight, the mice tremble.”

There was a long moment of silence after her proclamation before the Grey Lady stepped forward. Her voice was calm as ever, but the chilly bite was gone from her words when she addressed the Princess. “What, pray tell, do you mean by that?”

Celestia sighed, and nodded her head to Luna. “As is evident, Luna and myself are princesses, alicorns, rather than a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. Magic has changed our bodies, enhancing the forms we were born with. We are not a member of any tribe of pony, but exist as a combination of them all. It was the magic saturating our bodies that have forced these changes upon us. Had they not, I would likely have died many centuries ago as a unicorn who barely left a hoofprint on history.”

A wash of amused disbelief from her wife made Twilight glance at the mare. The Night Mare’s head shook a fraction, and Twilight focused on the speaking Princess before she missed any part of what seemed to be an important lesson if ever there was one.

“As a result of the choices I made, however, I was touched by a magic more ancient than anypony knows. But in doing so, I too joined into an ancient contract.” Celestia sighed and seemed to steel herself. “Surely, everypony here understands how a magical bond functions?”

A series of nods met her words, though Twilight thought privately that both Lady Saffron and Lord South seemed somewhat less than sure of themselves when they did.

“The… power, that I joined with as a young mare was one of those bonds. The bond itself is not too unlike the imposition upon Spike herself. She is uncountable eons old, far older than even the mountains. Her power is a vast ocean, compared to my own humble puddle. Yet she cannot use her power in a way that will harm anything living. The very same magic that gives her such strength, comes from life itself, and the magic refuses to prey upon its mother, to extend the anthropomorphism.” Celestia could see that she was beginning to lose all but a few ponies with her explanation, and paused for a moment. “What I mean, is that none of the magical heavyweights can fight in any manner but self defense. That is why, when I was attacked, personally, two decades ago, I was able to repel the draconic assault. Now, however, they are not attacking me, they are attacking Helios, and I am once more bound by my bond.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Lord South asked, grimacing. “If we can’t use magic, and you can’t just stop them with your magic, what can we do?”

For a long moment, nopony spoke. With a gulp, and a look to her wife, Twilight slowly rose. “I don’t want to add to the burden, but there is a detail that I believe has been overlooked. We’ve been looking at how the lack of magic will affect the unicorns. But, there is another thing it will affect. Our supply train.” A series of blank looks met her, until she glanced to Lord South. His face, and Shining Armor’s by the door, were both blanched white.

“I read somewhere that an army marches on its stomach. And even the little bit of information in the Heart’s library seems to point to that conclusion. Our food, supplies, water, everything is supplied by a train of enchanted wagons. Enchanted to move on their own, enchanted weightless, enchanted to keep things hot or cold, depending on what’s needed. Every single wagon is laden with more enchantments than nearly anything in Helios. And those enchantments all draw their energy from their environment, just like unicorns.” Twilight’s words grew stronger as she spoke, and the tight edge of worry sounded clear in them. “However, unlike a unicorn, the wagon’s don’t have any internal energy to subsist on. Not having magic for a unicorn is painful, and debilitating, but it isn’t fatal. If the wagons cannot draw magic from their surroundings, they will stop working entirely. And, since the wagon train is linked together…

“Okay,” Twilight hedged, seeing that almost everypony was lost. “The wagons are all magically linked together. It helps them even out the energy drain that they have over a very large area, so nopony and no animals are harmed by the magic being siphoned off. But when the first wagon enters an area without magic, like the waste, energy starts to leak out. And it will leak out of the entire train of wagons at once. It wouldn’t be instantaneous, but the wagons would suffer sudden collapse, and I would need to test a few variables, but they could explode when they do.”

“Celestia’s fetlock,” Lord South swore, before wincing and turning an apologetic shrug to the Princess. Celestia looked… somewhat amused, and affronted, but nodded to him with a certain austere dignity. “They wouldn’t need to fight us. That would mire the army for days.”

Lord South turned to face Twilight. “I assume, from your mention of this matter, that you have at least some idea of how to solve this problem?”

“I do,” Twilight hedged, looking suddenly nervous. “But I’m not an expert, but I have some ideas…”

Author's Notes:

Okay, so I would like to start with saying thank you to Georg for helping me with my atrocious grammar and occasional misspellings. I would also like to thank my friends for helping me thresh out plot when they have a few spare hours.

With that said, I really, really don't like this chapter. It feels clunky, awkward, and it never got any better with rewriting it, even from different angles, or entirely changing the setting and characters. That said, I felt like it was important to at least give a glimpse into the preparation Helios is undergoing at a political level. Worry not, fair readers, because I will avoid doing a chapter like this with every fiber of my being.

If you like it, that's great. I question your sanity, but its great. If you see a problem though, please give me a heads up, be it grammatical or (more importantly to my mind) the characters and plot of the chapter.

As always, Hugs and Kisses,

Nadake

Chapter Sixteen

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Twilight slipped under the water with a happy sigh. Luna’s bathing room was much larger than the one she had shared with Cadance. The tub in the center of the room was more than large enough for several ponies to sit comfortably, and the dark tiling of the room was shot through with delicate patterns and whorls. Cracking an eye open, she considered the dark, sloping floor. They were some kind of flower, slim and delicate. They were painted in a deep violet, so dark that it almost blended into the shiny black of the tiles themselves.

She couldn’t tell what kind of flower it was, but the thought didn’t bother her. Maybe it was a flower from Selene, a reminder to Luna of the home she was away from. A smile touched her lips as she thought of just what kind of bathing chamber Celestia would have in Selene. Would it be something like this, a sanctuary, a little slice of her home? Maybe with a marble floor, with the lightest brushstrokes painting white-gold lilies on the floor? The tub would look almost identical to the one she was currently relaxing in, though a little deeper throughout. The Princess loved to sink herself to the neck, and feel her worries float away just like her long mane in the water about her.

“Celestia?” A startled voice asked, jerking Twilight out of her trance. Her head lifted out of the water with a start, and she turned to see who was speaking.

Luna stood in the doorway. Her cerulean eyes were wide as she looked at the room, and the tall, white mare reclining in her bathing chambers. Then she took a closer look at the confusion present on Celestia’s white face, and the much darker purple of her eyes.

The amethyst gaze was all it took for Luna to realize what had happened, and smile. The Night Mare closed her eyes for a moment, and felt her magic coil about her. It wreathed her body in black light, swirling in thin, lazy wisps. Then, with a small grunt, the magic sank back into the floor, and the Princess smiled.

“L'etoile, I must say I’m impressed.” Luna said. Her smile widened as she focused on her wife. “Normally I am the one who casts such illusions.”

“Illusion?” Twilight asked, before looking around. The floor, which had been so dark only moments ago, when she entered the bath, was now almost startlingly bright. The same white marble covered the floor, emblazoned with golden lilies so delicate that they almost faded into the stone. “Did I do that?”

Luna chuckled at her wife’s confusion, and walked over to the tub. “It would appear that you have. And as I said, I am quite impressed. It is not often that anypony can fool me with an illusion.”

Twilight felt her cheeks warming at the compliment. “Why not?”

“What do you think that dreams are?” Luna asked with a merry laugh. “They always have been little more than an illusion that you yourself are trapped within. And I am their Mistress, after all. For you to have fooled me so completely is impressive. I can think of only a few others who have accomplished that much, even for a few moments.”

As she spoke, Luna’s eyes narrowed into an expression that on a pony less regal, Twilight would have termed a leer. When she spoke, her words sounded almost like a purr. “You must have a most excellent imagination.”

“What did that word mean?” Twilight asked, voice shaking. Luna’s leer softened with a fluidity that took the unicorn aback. The gentle smile gracing her dark features was even more startling than the sudden shift. The expression* was one Twilight had never seen, one of mixed love, joy, and a deep, aching sadness. Immediately, Twilight rose from her bath. As she lifted a hoof to step out of the tub though, Luna shook her head, hoof upraised, and took a breath.

“It is… a word from my youth.” Luna said, letting her legs fold beneath her. The silver scraped against the dark tiles with a jarring sound, but Luna seemed not to notice as she considered her words. “It means ‘the star’, or more often, ‘my star’. A… a very special pony in my life called me that. It was one of the only ways that she could show her affection.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, leaning out over the edge of the tub. Luna had lain only a short ways from the hot bath, more than close enough for Twilight to nuzzle into her wife’s neck. The soft pressure seemed to calm the Princess, and she returned the gentle touch.

“You have to understand Twilight, that I come from a very different world than the one you know. Some things are the same, the threat of the dragons, the relative peace along our borders. But many, many more are different. I was born only a few years after the death of-“ She stopped abruptly, wincing. “After Queen Terra died. Helios had been a nation for almost half a century, but they were still very heavily influenced by the old ways.”

Luna shifted, rising to her hooves. She didn’t rush, slowly divesting herself of the silvery regalia that seemed ever present. The silver floated away from her body in a cloak of black magic, coming to rest ever so delicately on the floor. “Only Celestia truly understands how utterly different the world was. Spike, well, Spike is Spike. She is far more ancient than anything, save maybe the bones of the mountains themselves. She has seen more than any of us can imagine. But she didn’t grow in the culture of Equestria. She never really understood how much our way of life has changed since then. To her, they are still just silly, meaningless customs that make little sense, and that are all, ultimately, futile. Many of things you would take for granted though, were never present.”

Luna slipped into the hot water, spreading out both her wings. The wide appendages reached across the entire length of the pool, resting gently on the surface. The heat, both from the water itself, and from the lazy curls of steam rising up from it, jarred Luna’s thoughts for a moment, making the Princess purr. Her deep blue eyes closed with contentment, and it lifted Twilight’s spirits to see her expression smooth into one of contentment. When she did eventually open her eyes, the sense of melancholy had lifted, and her smile returned, bright and as warm as the water around them. One wing lifted in invitation, and Twilight slipped onto the bench beside the Princess, lying down as a strong, black wing curled around her like a blanket.

“You said that things were different,” Twilight began, hesitant. “Could you… explain what you mean?”

In a flash, the sadness was back, and Twilight felt a pang of guilt at the sight. However, the expression softened once more as Luna cuddled closer to her wife, inhaling deeply for a few long moments. “I’m not sure where to start. There was quite a lot that had changed between now and my own youth. Though,” she said with a faintly wry laugh. “I suppose that you would like to know what, specifically was meant by the beginning of this conversation?”

Cuddled into Luna’s side, Twilight nodded her head, and felt an amused tendril of thought brush her mind for a moment. “I would, yes.”

Luna took a deep breath, shuddering ever so slightly as she did. “As I said, it was only a short time after Helios had formed, split off from the Equestria that Queen Terra had carved out for herself, and all of ponykind. The Queen was… almost terrifyingly powerful, Twilight. She was intelligent, strong, and the most powerful mage I have ever seen. She wielded more magical strength that Celestia, myself, and you together could muster. In the time she ruled, Equestria didn’t merely become safe, it became something of an empire. Many of the small, hostile clans that once bordered the lands of our neighbors were simply consumed by the ponies of our past.

“While she was devastatingly powerful though, and the dragons feared her more than anypony in history, she wasn’t precisely open minded. She was the product of her own times, long before mine even. And as such she had… certain views and values she clung to. Her devotion to the gods of her ancestors was almost fanatical, and many of the tenants of that ancient cult were written into law. Most of those same laws remain, as they were ultimately, good laws. But some were simply… wrong. One, the one that is important to us right now, was one regarding family. It said that every stallion should have at least two wives, and that those mare’s had a duty to bear as many foals as they could.

“It was…”

“Barbaric,” Twilight said, disgust dripping from the word. Luna turned her head to look into her small wife’s eyes, and found a brooding dragon staring back at her. The ferocity and hot blooded rage in those amethyst eyes nearly made the centuries old mare jump in surprise.

“Are you saying that it was a law that turned every mare into… into bloodstock?” She spat. In her anger, Twilight didn’t notice the slight purple glow her lit horn shed on the surroundings. “And that every stallion was basically ordered to have his own harem?”

Luna’s only response was a shrug. She turned away from Twilight then, looking at the stone wall of the room with an expression as rigid and unyielding as the marble she gazed at. “Essentially, yes. Further, any other relationship, intimate either sexually or romantically, was deemed heretical, and was punished. Anypony who sought monogamy was condemned. Stallions who were unable to sire foals on his wives constantly were mocked, and cast out of society. Mares who wanted nothing to do with a stallion were beaten, and if they weren’t married, were considered open to whichever stallion could ‘plunder’ her first. And any interest in sex with another mare was seen almost as treason. Any stallions who had the same feelings, they were called coltcuddlers, were treated the worst. Their actions were, by law, unholy, improper, and villainous. Any time they were caught, they would be dragged out of town, and stoned to death.”

Twilight looked up at Luna, aghast. Her ears were flat against her head, and her wide eyes had lost their sense of righteous anger. Now, they shone with mingled fear, and horror, at the world Luna had been born into. “But that’s…” she began, trying to think of any words strong enough to convey how she felt. Alas, even her extensive vocabulary failed her, and Twilight shook her head. “Its…”

“Wrong?” Luna asked, voice like a whipcrack. “It was the law.

“That doesn’t make it right!” Twilight snapped, eyes narrowing. “Just because it’s the law, that doesn’t make it right.”

“I know,” Luna said, the steel in her words melting. “And I never agreed with those laws. Nor did the mare whom I loved.”

Twilight felt the fight drain out of her, once again. That same sad, loving look was once more twisting the lips of her wife, and to her shock, and horror, she could see that her cerulean eyes were watering. “Her name was… was Petra. I always used to joke about her name, saying that she really was my rock. The place I could always cling to, get back on my hooves. And I was her L’etoile, her little star. The one bright spot in her life.” Twilight heard the soft plish as Luna’s tears fell into the bath. She pressed herself into the older mare’s side, and felt the strong wing hug her. As she spoke though, Luna’s voice became steadier, the words beginning to pour out.

“She was almost a decade older than me, the second wife of my father. She never tried to hide how much she loathed him, and once I grew up, I understood why. He was a vain, brutish coward. He loved to throw his weight around, but whenever a stallion would stand up to him, he would run away. Right back home, where he’d take his frustrations out on my mother's and myself. It started with beatings, but over time it… changed.

“Petra saw the way he had begun to look at me. She had always loved me, more than the mare who birthed me. She was never distracted by Father’s wealth, or by the meaningless trinkets he would buy to placate her. She cared for me though, and helped me as I grew older. Our… relationship began one day after father left, after he…. Forced himself on her. She told me about how she hated him, and why. When she saw my face, when she talked about loving mare’s she…” Luna broke off, and took a breath. “It wasn’t long after that, when Father caught us. He was furious. He.. he beat me. And he, Petra was, she.”

“She was killed?” Twilight whispered. Luna couldn’t speak, but the mare nodded her head, eyes closed as her sides shook with silent sobs.

“He said it was an accident, but… I couldn’t stay there anymore. I ran away, to Helios. But I never… I don’t think anypony can ever really forget where they come from. Or the ponies they love.”

The room fell silent. It took several long moments for Luna to calm herself. Every time she began to regain control, some new memory would be thrust into the fore of her mind, and she would shudder, gripping Twilight tighter, and continue to cry. To say that her behavior was disturbing would be an understatement, but Twilight kept herself silent. She cuddled into her wife’s side, and waited.

Eventually, the older mare’s sobs died away. She sniffled, and took several deep breaths before turning to look at Twilight. Her eyes still shone wetly in the muted light that filled the room. “I,” Luna began, her voice somewhat rough. Her jaw snapped closed as her words caught in her throat though, and the ancient mare tried to swallow to knot in her neck.

“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning down to nuzzle gently at Twilight’s mane. The little mare was still cuddled into her side, but she could feel her smile. “For listening.”

Twilight smiled up at her wife, a tinge of humor shining in her own teary eyes. “I thought we were supposed to support each other? Or did you only marry me for my body?”

Luna let out a surprised bark of laughter, giving Twilight a gentle squeeze with a wing. “I do love you, Twilight. I’m not sure anypony wouldn’t.”

Her wife’s words had warmed the cockles of her heart. She didn’t want to let Luna fall back into sad memories though, so she kept her tone dry. “Oh, I can think of a few.”

“Really?” Luna replied, amused. The wing that had been draped across Twilight’s back lifted, tucking neatly back against Luna’s side. “Name two.”

“Well,” Twilight mused, ears flicking back in thought. A smile stretched her lips, one she tried to twist into the facsimile of contemplation. “There are so few who don’t adore me, it’s true. Hm. Blueblood?”

“He doesn’t count!” Luna objected, instantly. “That pompous ass couldn’t possibly care for anything that didn’t involve his ‘excellent breeding, obscene wealth, and perfectly maintained appearance’.”

Twilight laughed. “That does sound like him. When did he say that?”

“I’m surprised you forgot, L'etoile.” Luna teased, nudging Twilight with a shoulder. “He was one of my suitors.”

Twilight fell against Luna’s side like a falling tree. The impact actually rocked the much larger princess, and she hummed with amusement. From her side, she could vaguely hear muffled words.

“He created so much paperwork.” She whined into her wife’s shoulder. She lifted herself away from Luna’s flank, and glared at the older mare. “Do you have any idea the amount of trouble your immediate rejection of that ass was? If you had just pretended he was a candidate…”

“He was a vain, greedy, small minded colt, too fussed with his mane to understand how to run a nation. And besides, he thought he could impress me by ‘displaying his wares’. Personally, I found them somewhat lacking.”

“So you told him no.” Twilight said, and Luna nobly agreed, nodding her head. “So he went around and started organizing meeting after meeting with the Princess, trying to discredit, remove, invalidate, or otherwise sabotage every other stallion who sought your hoof. Have you any idea how much paperwork that is? validating the complaint, validating the request for an audience, filing, adding the meeting to the daily roster, doing background research on all parties involved, in triplicate, and then taking the minutes of the meeting itself, also in triplicate.”

“It was a labour of love?” Luna teased, voice almost dripping sugar, it was so sweet. Twilight just glowered. “Oh all right, I’m sorry.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, and rose to her hooves. She cast a cool glance at her wife, holding the older mare’s gaze for a long moment. Then she leapt over Luna’s back, and dove into the large bath with a splash.

“What are these?” Luna asked some time later, gently nuzzling Twilight’s mane. After her dunking, Twilight had used her magic to curl her slick mane up into a tight bun. A few errant strands had escaped, curling against her neck, but the majority of her mane had been pinned in place by the pair sticks Cadance had given her. The wooden lengths were a glossy black, just like her mane, and covered with designs in deep emerald and sapphires so dark they seemed to appear suddenly against the black once noticed.

“Hm?” Twilight hummed, then felt her wife’s nose brush her mane. “Oh. To be perfectly honest, I’m not really sure. Cadance gave them to me. She has a pair just like them, but she never did tell me where she got them. She only puts her mane up when she is reading, and well, neither of us like to read in front of anypony. We both get… animated.” She finished, blushing.

Luna chuckled. “I can imagine. Well, if I’m not mistaken,” she hesitated, peering closer at the sticks. “Actually, I’m almost certain that these are divining rods.”

“What?” Twilight asked, curiosity piqued. “I’ve never heard of them.”

“Divining rods are tools used by the zebra tribes. They use them to aid in scrying spells. They can’t cast spells like we can, but they have the same ability as earth ponies, to push their magical energy into objects. They charge these little rods, and then attach small stones carved with runes to the base. The runes focus the magical energy of the rod, and the rods will point towards whatever they are attuned to. The zebra use them to find water, but in theory, with the right runic matrix, you could find anything you wanted. But I’m not a spellcrafter, much less and artificer.” Luna finished, mildly self deprecating. She leaned in to sniff the wooden rods, yelping as a bolt of energy snapped to her nose. She lifted a leg, rubbing her nose. “Light, that stung. I’m not sure what they are attuned to, or if they really are divining rods, but whatever they are, they are full of magical energy.”

“Really?” Twilight asked, gingerly lifting her hooves to draw the sticks from her mane. She gave them a gentle toss to the side, before letting her magic catch the sticks, several feet away. “How full?”

Luna shared her wife’s caution. “Extremely. If I were to guess…” she paused, and Twilight felt Luna’s magic flow over her own, covering the sticks in darkness while the Night Mare closed her eyes. After a moment, a moment that left Twilight’s body tingling from the magical contact, Luna laughed. “Clever.”

“What is?” Twilight asked, somewhat flushed from the contact.

Luna pulled her magic away, chuckling. “I do believe Cadance gave you a very useful tool.”

Twilight turned a deadpan face to her wife, making Luna chuckle again. “They aren’t really divining rods. As full of magic as they are, they must be charging themselves from your aura. It can happen with very powerful unicorns, as long as the magical drain is relatively small, most don’t even notice. So anypony with their own divining rod wouldn’t need to craft a rune stone to find you. They can simply find these rods. And, unless I’m very much mistaken, if you were to give them rods a forceful blast of your magic, then they would explode. Violently.”

“Really?” Twilight mused, hovering the sticks a little further from herself. She had expected the possibility of the sticks exploding from magical overload, a common problem with some types of magical artifacts. That they could be used to find her was a surprise though. “Cadance is overprotective?” She offered.

Luna snorted. “I’m sure.” she muttered, voice full of dark amusement. Then a shark’s grin sprang to life. “Though, now that I know what they are, I think I can…” she trailed off, and her horn flared once more into dark light. After a moment, she cut the magic, and blinked. “Well then. I never knew she was that paranoid.”

“Do I want to know?” Twilight asked, voice as dry as the desert sand.

“Probably not.” Luna said with another dark laugh. “But I think I can safely say that you will never be hard to find.”

Twilight groaned, and stepped out of the tub. She began to focus her mind, letting her eyes fall shut. She dug down, and took ahold of her magic once more, more firmly than usual, and began to draw it out. She could feel it begin to well up from within her, flooding her body with energy. A mental nudge shifted her magic slightly, and the energy rippling through her suddenly became a slowly increasing heat, radiating out of her.

“There,” she said. Her muscles twitched in a pleasant shiver as she slowly pulled the magic away from her skin, and she smiled. “All dry.”

Luna chuckled, and stood as well. “For shame. I wanted to rub you down with a towel.” she pouted.

Twilight rolled her eyes at the mare, and smiled. “I guess I’ll have to remember that for next time, won’t I, milady.”

Luna snorted at her exaggerated bow, but straightened, and sneered at the peasant. “Yes, see that you do. Oh, Twilight?”

Her words cut through Twilight’s chuckle, and something in Luna’s tone made the unicorn turn to look back at her. “Hm?”

“The reason I joined you, originally,” she said with a small smirk, obviously remembering the scene she had walked in on. “was to inform you that Celestia would like a word with you, at your earliest convenience.”

Author's Notes:

*While I was looking for a good way to describe her expression, I actually found a perfect fit. Sayang, it is a Malaysian expression that refers to mingled love, affection, pity, and sorrow. However, because Twilight only speaks English, I couldn’t really use the word. However, I thought you all might like to know it. There are some very interesting, and moving, words that can’t be well translated into English. Personally, I’m most pleased with Toska, because trying to explain how you feel when you fell thus, is difficult, and never well understood.

I'd also like to take a moment to bring up a point. I have started up a Patreon for anyone who would like to support me in writing. Whether or not people do or do not patronize me, I will continue writing. I tried to make this chapter of higher quality than normal, and wanted to use this as a general baseline for the quality and size of future chapters. Any support would certainly give me more opportunities to do so, in the midst of juggling work, school, and a meager social life. I'm also not going to bring this up again in the story, other than a retroactive post at the end of the first chapter. Whatever you choose, more stories are coming.

Hugs and Kisses,

Nadake

Chapter Seventeen

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Twilight’s smooth trot slowed as she neared the door to Princess Celestia’s chambers. The hallway was lit by the same flickering torchlight, a warm glow on the marble. It cast a golden sheen over the smooth stone floor, and spilled out of the great stone edifice through the windows lining the outer edge of the Heart. A small army of dedicated servants kept the walls, ceilings, and floors around the torches fastidiously clean, scouring the soot away day and night. Twilight had walked past an older stallion busily engaged in scrubbing the wall only a few minutes ago. The soap that they used to clean the soot away had a light, fruity scent to it, a smell that always reminded Twilight of the oranges Cadance sometimes brought back with her.

So when she came near to the door to Celestia’s suite, and could smell the sharp, oddly pleasant reek of charred wood, Twilight hesitated. A glance at the wall to her left showed that the torch had been cleaned only a short time ago, with barely a dusting of black marring the marble it was anchored to. All the torches nearby were similarly cleaned, and the pair nearest the doorway were the heavily enchanted, everburning torches that the Princess made from time to time. Those never needed cleaning, as they never burned away the wooden stakes.

Idly, Twilight wondered what they could possibly be. Any kind of fire she knew of would burn whatever it was affixed to, in varying amounts of time. Those two had been in place for centuries, according to everypony, and haven’t been replaced or cleaned since they were lit. Perhaps they weren’t really flaming torches, but merely illusory globes? And illusion would explain the flickering quality of the light, and its seemingly eternal brightness, but it wouldn’t produce the same heat that these did. Had Celestia, somehow, contained a small amount of Elemental Fire, and placed that at the ends of the stakes? It was certainly possible, but how she cajoled a Salamander to part with its blood was something Twilight wasn’t sure she wanted to know. It was technically possible to have a minor entrance to another place, and the torch was simply holding the portal so some other, greater fire? The Augury Flames in the Drakkenspine? Only a few ponies knew where the temple lay, high in the mountains, so it was possible.

While her mind whirred along, chasing the tangent, the greater majority of Twilight’s focus was on her worry. What could have happened to the Princess. If the dragon’s had sent another attack, like all those years ago, then she was sure she would have heard something. The last attack had been a bloody slaughter as the dragons tore through the lower levels of the Heart. And Twilight had a suspicion that if Celestia had truly vented her fury on an invading force, the magic would make the ground tremble.

In the absence of gore decorating the halls, or sudden earthquakes, she couldn’t think of what might make this area smell like woodsmoke. Was Celestia roasting one of those pompous asses on the Council? My imagination is so cheery, she thought. She couldn’t deny that the thought of the Princess tormenting Gold Digger, or his son for that matter, gave her a feeling of warm fuzzies.

Steeling her resolve, which was aided by her growing curiosity, Twilight strode to the door with a sure hoof. She lifted the large steel knocker with her magic, and gave a short, sharp knock on the door. She waited a long breath for an answer. When no answer came, she gently pushed the door open.

“Princess?” Twilight called, taking a hesitant steps into the room.

With the door open, the reek of woodsmoke grew stronger. Under that smell though, there was the hot tang of burnt metal, the acrid stench of hundred year old tapestries smoldering, and another smell, something newly horrific. The last scent was something indefinable, almost appetizing. A gust of hot wind washed over her face, carrying with it the odor of charred meat. For Twilight, the sudden, overwhelming tide of sensory information was stunning. She froze with a hoof inside the door, working furiously to quiet her rebellious stomach. Once her stomach was calm again, she looked around, gently closing the physical door behind her while slamming home the door in her mind where a young filly had started gibbering.

Celestia’s room was in tatters. All that Twilight could see within was scorched to slag and ash, but for a small spot of unmarked stone where Celestia’s ancient oak desk sat. Where the desk had been, she amended. Currently, she suspected that the desk was just another part of the ash and soot piled against the corners of the room. The comfortable, homey furnishings Celestia enjoyed had been demolished, with only the odd bit of metal to show where they had been.

The floor around the unmarked patch, and throughout the room, had been shattered. Twilight had never seen marble torn and warped by heat before, but the floor was webbed with deep lines, some that looked almost a foot deep and still gave off the occasional pop or crackle as the hot stone cooled. . The edges of several of these crevices gleamed where silver, steel and gold had melted into puddles, seeping into the cracks before cooling again. In a few places, small puddles of the same metals were hardening into rough disks, welded to the stone they rested upon.

The walls and ceiling had been no more spared than the floor. The ornate tapestries that had adorned her walls for centuries were gone. The delicate chandelier that provided a warm glow from the dozen or so ever-burning candles was no more, and the candles themselves had certainly been consumed by the fire. Only a pair of small flames shone in the evening light, knocked to the corner farthest from the epicenter.

Queerly, it was that last fact that comforted Twilight, and stilled the fearful murmuring in her heart. Until she had seen the candles, or rather, hadn’t seen them, she had been afraid for her Princess. She had feared that somehow a dragon had snuck through the Heart itself, and attempted to kill the Princess. A very small, dark voice in her mind had even whispered just how it had happened. How the dragon had slipped his fangs around Celestia’s throat and torn her long, white neck to shreds.

But Twilight felt sure that Princess Celestia was the only creature alive who could actually burn away those candles. Not even Salamanders, the Avatars of Fire, could douse the flames with their own. The power of the sun alone could reduce those enchanted items to ash. Celestia must be alive, at the very least. Hurt, possibly, but alive.

With that surety, Twilight felt the fear that had been flooding her body begin to fade, draining away as she began looking at the floor of the room. If she were to guess, then the Princess was probably just out of sight, ensconced in her bedroom proper. She could see a flickering light casting a hot glow on the stone near the entrance to the room, likely a candle.

Luna must have left with Celestia’s message before she did… this, Twilight thought, slowly picking her way through the wrecked floor. She could still feel the lingering heat of whatever had shattered the ground. It warmed the floor beneath her hooves, and she could feel the waves of heat rising to meet her as she moved forward.

She couldn’t imagine what ‘this’ was, though. Something must have happened, that much was clear. Had Celestia been attacked after Luna had left? Once more, Twilight felt a twinge of fear at the thought.

Be rational, Twilight Sparkle. She thought to herself, careful to keep the words behind a mental barrier. She winced as her imagination showed her a wonderfully colorful image of what a panicked Luna would do if she felt Twilight’s fear. Of course today my imagination seems to be overreacting to everything. Not enough was going on already, obviously. Light forbid I have just three crises to deal with at a time, what’s a few others?

She shook her head sharply, nearly losing her balance. The burnished copper of her shoe slid over a patch of soft gold, and Twilight had to struggle to regain her perch between several deep cuts. With a sigh, she focused her mind again as she moved forward.

I’m beginning to think that Perhaps she wasn’t attacked. Twilight mused, mincing to the side to avoid a nasty rift with several large splotches of metal near it. A small fragment of china lay amidst the pools of silver, black soot coating the ceramic. That was her tea set. Oh Light, she’s going to be angry about that. But if she wasn’t attacked, then why would she have done… this? I’m sure that if her doors hadn’t been so heavily enchanted she would have demolished those as well, and who knows how much of the hallway beyond. I hope nopony was in here with her, at least. There’s no way they could survive.

“Princess?” Twilight asked, hopping over the last crevice between her and the entrance to the smaller chamber where Celestia slept. The small chamber had its own door, just as heavily enchanted as the pair that guarded the entrance to her chambers. The small knocker Twilight remembered resting on the door had apparently not been enchanted though. It lay in a puddle on the floor with several long streaks of grey metal on the door itself showing where the steel had dripped down.

Twilight considered her problem for a moment. The steel puddle had cooled some time after the Princess must have entered the room. She could see that the pile of ash that circled the room had been moved just before the door itself, scattered across the marble floor in an arch before the wood. However, the metal had cooled in contact with the enchanted wood, effectively sealing the door closed.

Well, Twilight thought with a small sigh. Her ears fell flat as her head drooped. I suppose she won’t mind a little more damage.

Twilight began to gather her magic once more. She gave an experimental push against the door, pressing her telekinetic grip against the wood in a smooth plane, and pressing against it. The door didn’t even budge, and Twilight retracted the spell-arm. After a moment’s thought, she reshaped the spell into a spade, trying to slip the thin blade of magic under the metal somewhere. Then, with a frustrated sigh, she simply bashed at the metal with her magic, feeling her spell rebound from the door suddenly. The recoil knocked her back onto her back hooves for a moment. She growled, falling forward to stare at the door.

Once again, Twilight focused on her magic, closing her eyes this time. Her telekinesis was most certainly her most practiced magical ability, and the only one she felt comfortable manipulating and modifying on the fly. This was an emergency. She could feel her magic well up from within her. It felt cool, compared to the oppressive heat of the room. Slowly, as she drew as much of her power as she could, she could feel the pressure begin to build. Her body began to warm, heating from the inside as power sizzled in the air around her. Flickers of static began to dance across her body, now cloaked in a deep purple cocoon.

With a wordless roar, more of pain than fury, Twilight hurled her magic at the door. No, she didn’t throw it at the door. Twilight threw her power through the impregnable barrier, determined to force her way past the doorway, imposing the utter surety of her knowledge that the door would not stop her.

She wasn’t met with either the painful impact of her reflected spell, nor with the terrible crack of shattered oak. Instead, a moment after Twilight cast her power out, she felt suddenly cooler. And was met with a shocked, “Twilight?”

Her eyes snapped open, and Twilight let out another sigh, this one of relief. “Thank the Light,” she said, with a weak chuckle. “You’re okay.”

“Yes, I am. I’m sorry about your door…” She trailed off, eyebrows rocketing up as she turned to gesture at the intact door. “Um. Princess? How did I get here?”

“At a guess,” a faintly amused voice rasped from the bed. “You just teleported.”

“Cadance?” Twilight gasped, turning to face the speaker. When she saw her mother though, her second shriek of “Cadance!” was one of horror, not surprise.

“What happened?” Twilight demanded, rushing over to the bedside. The pink unicorn was lying on her side, head propped up on a pair of soft cushions. the rest of her body was covered in bruises, and here and there the soft, silky fur had been seared away, along with the flesh underneath.
Her breaths came in shallow gasps, nostrils flaring wide as she greedily sucked at the air.

“I…” Celestia said, voice shaking. Twilight whirled when the ancient alicorn paused, feeling her magic snap up in an instant. Her pain and fear, and the sudden, burning anger summoned her power against her will, but Twilight didn’t let the magic slip away as she glared at Celestia.

“What did you do to Cadance?” she asked, forcing each word through gritted teeth. She shifted her body, coming between her liege and her mother.

Twilight? a panicked voice suddenly rang in her mind.

Another sudden pulse of magic rippled through the room and Luna appeared in a flash of black magic. The air crackled with discharge as the sloppy spell vented power into the air around Luna. The magical fallout sent small bolts of black lightning slamming into everything near the dark princess, charring the bedside table and the coverlet, and chipping the marble floor at her hooves.

“Twilight?” Luna asked again, aloud. Cerulean eyes widened as she looked from Twilight to Celestia. Her eyes rested on Cadance for an instant, before narrowing as she too turned to face Celestia. “What is going on here?”

“Twilight. Princess. Calm down,” Cadance rasped from the bed. She stirred weakly, struggling to push herself up.

“Lie down!” All three mares roared at once, glaring at the pink unicorn. Startled, her leg collapsed under her, sending her back onto the soft coverlet with a whimper.

“Celestia,” Luna said, breaking the uneasy silence that sprang up. Her voice was still shaking with anger.

That, Twilight found odd. There was no reason for Luna to be outraged. Upset, certainly. Twilight was sure that when she was confronted by something she didn’t understand, then the Night Mare would waste no time in finding out exactly what she wanted to know. This was a personal anger, and Twilight could feel, mixed in with the waves of fury, a sense of confusion and dismay. The jumble of emotions echoing in her mind, all of them from the mental link that had formed between herself and Luna. But why…

Her eyes sprang wide as Luna slammed a hoof down on the stone floor. “What have you done!”

This wasn’t Luna. Her Luna was never this angry. Even during the first meeting, when the dragon invasion was announced, Luna hadn’t been furious. She had been determined, a grim determination that refused to bow to anypony or anything. She had been focused, and what anger there was, it was cold, hard, and it had been just another tool in her arsenal. This kind of fury, self righteous and blinding, wasn’t like Luna.

It was her anger.

Twilight squeezed her eyes closed, as Luna started to stalk closer to Celestia. Silently, she cursed herself for letting her barriers fall in her anger. Her horn was glowing menacingly, black magic glowing as she drew nearer to the white mare. With her eyes closed, Twilight focused on her mind, willing the mental wall back in place. Feeling the barrier snap shut on the bond seemed to quench the fire in her belly as well, calming her anger into something she could tame, could use. Something about the bond must echo emotions across itself. Anger compounding as it infected the other. Would it do the same to love, she wondered. Was that why she was warming to the mare she had, realistically, been forced to marry?

She tucked the thought away, like so many others, to examine later.

Taking a deep breath, ears flicking back, she opened her eyes. Her wife stood several paces away from Celestia. Her blue eyes blinked several times, and her head lifted. The crouched, aggressive posture straightened as the excess anger slowly bled away from her mind. After a moment of thought, her eyes widened, and she whirled to look at Twilight.

The younger mare looked down, ashamed. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I let my temper get the better of me.”

“Sounds like somepony I know.” Luna said, in a voice drier than the magma fields of Rylias. Her eyes flicked back to Celestia, and the dark mare took a deep breath. She bowed her head to the older mare. “I apologize for my actions, Princess Celestia. My emotions overcame my judgement, and I beg your pardon.”

“Luna,” Celestia said, dropping her eyes from her counterpart. “There is no need to apologize. Nor is there a need for you, Twilight. Your anger was… justified. It was my actions, my negligence, that caused Cadance such harm.”

“Horsefeathers.” A raspy voice broke in. The words were weak, but the annoyance her blue eyes was unmistakable. Cadance was less than pleased with her lady. “Tell them, Tia. No point beating around the… the…”

She broke off with a wheeze, pressing a hoof tenderly against her flank. one of the charred patches was near her throat, and Twilight had a sudden vision of the kind of damage that could have happened to her mother’s lungs.

“We need to get her to a medic.” Twilight snapped, shoving herself between Celestia and Luna. She stamped her own hoof on the stone, making the metal shoe chime loudly. “Whatever happened can wait until she is safe.”

“Twilight, she can’t be mov-”

Twilight shouted despite herself as a little of her quenched rage flaring to life. “She is my mother, and if I have to blow your light damned door off its hinges to help her then I WILL!”

Celestia blinked slowly at Twilight, lavender eyes wide. Twilight saw something flicker deep in those ancient eyes, something she had never seen in them before. Pain, loss, sorrow. Some deep, agonized feeling swept across the face of the ancient mate, before she looked down.

“I will be fine, Little Star.” Cadance said, her voice stronger than it had been a moment ago. The rasping wheeze that had accompanied every one of her breaths faded also, replaced by a steadier and deeper breathing that abruptly stopped when Twilight threw herself at the bed.

“Cadance!” Twilight yelled, throwing herself at the bed. She stopped, just before colliding with the injured mare, and gently wrapped her legs around her, giving the other unicorn a gentle hug.

“Celestia, what happened.” Luna asked, stepping closer to the other Princess as Twilight clung to Cadance.

“I,” Celestia began, ashamed. “I lost control of my temper.”

Luna’s chest rose with a calming breath, nodding her head in understanding.

For Twilight, this explanation left something to be desired. “What do you mean, lost your temper?” she gritted out, trying to stay calm.

“Our tempers are… similar, Twilight. We are both very, passionate, when roused.”

“She means,” Cadance said, gently nuzzling Twilight, “that when she’s angry, she tends to set everything on fire.”

Luna nodded absently, tilting her head. “Yes, though I have only seen her truly angered once before. Am I to assume that this too is treachery?”

As she spoke, Luna pressed against Twilight’s mental barrier, just enough to slip a stray thought into her mind. L’Etoile, please. Stay silent for now.

Twilight shifted against her adopted mother, giving Luna a slight nod.

Across from Luna, Celestia winced. Slowly, her head bobbed, but the older mare didn’t look up. “Yes. Cadance found information that is… disturbing. The dragon’s are not here to fight.”

“What!” Luna yelped. After a moment, her eyes narrowed. She and Twilight both began running through possibilities.

“Don’t.” Cadance said, with a rough chuckle. “I can tell you what’s going on. The dragon’s want to return to their breeding ground. Their ONLY breeding ground. It has been a barren field for longer than anypony would believe. They’ve been dying out ever since the magic was sealed away from them.”

“That can’t be.” Twilight objected, immediately. “We have reports of young dragons raiding the Southern Border for centuries. If they can’t breed, how can there be young dragons?”

“Because they don’t breed like we do. Dragon eggs are the next thing to indestructible. And the dragon inside will sleep for years, sometimes centuries, before being hatched. Even the dragons don’t know what makes them hatch. But ever since the breeding ground was destroyed, they’ve been slowly dying out. They finally have a way to restore their way of life. The only reason that they are bringing older and more experienced warriors is because they saw our preparations. They never intended to invade us.”

As she spoke, the roughness to her voice began to fade. Her words took on the same faint lyrical tone that always marked her speech. And though the fur her legs were gently wrapped around was still tacky with blood and other fluids, Twilight didn’t feel the hot edges of the burns when she shifted her weight to look up at her mother.

“Cadance?” Twilight asked, detaching herself from the mare. She stared hard at the smooth flank before her. Her eyes shifted back up to meet fearful blue, confusion clear. “How are you healing so quickly?”

“I…” she said, wincing. She turned to Princess Celestia, seeming to ask something without speaking. The white mare sighed, looking away from Twilight.

Slowly, she nodded her head, striding over to the wide windows. Her back to the bed, staring out at the darkness of the night.

“Twilight?” Cadance asked, voice soft. “Look into my eyes.”

Twilight turned, tearing her eyes away from the white form by the windows. To Cadance. To where her mother, her sister, her best friend, had been sitting a moment ago.

Smooth, black chitin gleamed in the light. Long, slender lines of neck and legs lay on the bed, joints oddly mounded with what looked like armored plates. A pair of dainty, wickedly sharp fangs peeked out from her lips, at the end of her sharp muzzle. The stubby horn of a unicorn lengthened, growing thinner as it curved up from her brow. Small, jagged grooves formed, the tips of the circular divots wickedly sharp.

But her eyes were the same. The deep, loving blue eyes that Twilight had known all her life. A blue as deep and warm as the sea, teeming with life. But those eyes stared out at her from a face more alien than any she had ever seen.

Chapter Eighteen

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“What is going on?” Twilight asked, stepping away from the creature lying on the bed. “What are you?”

The large… thing, shifted its weight, gingerly stepping off of the bed. The tacky remnants of the horrific burns that had scared Cadance’s chest when Twilight entered the room were still there. The residue had apparently been real, even if the creature wearing them had been… under an illusion? That didn’t make sense, an illusion wouldn’t have been able to create a real, physical fluid that would remain after the illusion fell. This thing must have actually been burned then. Twilight felt her stomach recoil at the thought in being covered in insectoid gore. She had been able to ignore the sticky, disgusting feeling of her matted fur until this moment. It had been Cadance, her friend, the pony who raised her. A little blood leaking from rapidly healing burns was a small price to pay to know she was going to be alright.

The creature took a slow step forward, blue eyes shimmering as if through a haze. Cadance’s eyes. The shimmer resolved itself as the last illusion fell away from the thing, the last reminder of what form it had been concealing itself as only moments ago. The thing’s true eyes were no less beautiful, she noted mildly. Rather than a compassionate cerulean though, these were a deep, endless emerald. A green even darker and more brilliant than Spike’s. Beautiful though they might be though, they weren’t Cadance’s eyes. And like that, Twilight felt her hesitation melt away.

Her spine straightened, and she stood rigid. She felt her eyes narrow as the creature took another shaky step, coming to stand beside Celestia. She couldn’t stare down her nose at the beast. It was of a height with the Princess, maybe a hair shorter. But by Thunder and Lightning, she could damn well glare at it.

“I said, what is going on.” Twilight repeated herself, voice soft. “What are you?”

“Twilight,” the creature said. Her voice, and Twilight was sure that it was female, had a queer quality to it. Not an accent, precisely, but an odd intonation and inflection. It was almost as though she were hearing words made from a thousand tiny instruments, not a living throat. She had an enchanting voice, lyrical and vibrant, unlike anything Twilight had ever heard.

Quickly, Twilight threw up another layer of mental shielding, then another, and another. The words were enchanting, in the most literal sense of the word. Intentional or not, and Twilight was rather disposed to think the worst of this female at the moment, magic flowed through every word the creature spoke. The stout barrier she had kept up, cutting Luna off from the raging emotions she had bottled away, had alerted her to the presence of the magic. It was only luck that the spellwork hadn’t slipped into her mind, doing Light only knew what.

“Stay out of my mind,” Twilight snarled, forming the final defense with a little more force than strictly necessary. She saw Celestia and the black thing wince as the last door to her mind slammed closed, and felt more than saw Luna gasp as the connection between them was blocked so abruptly.

“Little Star,” it began again, taking a step towards her. She could see pain in those deep green eyes, and hear it in her musical voice. Her voice was still hauntingly beautiful, but Twilight could feel the magic woven into the words break upon her barriers like waves upon the mountainside. Thankfully, the mental fortifications kept any more magic from entering her mind, but the words were still enchanting.

Once again, Twilight spoke across the bug. She took a step forward, feeling her magic rise up like a cloak about her. “Do not call me that,” she said. Her words were soft, and as cold as a mountain spring. Her eyes narrowed, and she felt her body shift slightly as she tilted her horn towards the creature. “I will ask you once more. What. Is going. On.”

The insect took a startled step back as magic began to condense around Twilight’s horn. The tip began to glow as a pinprick of magic formed, angled straight at the creature’s throat. Twilight wasn’t sure how strong that thing’s carapace was, but she would reduce the creature to ashes if it hurt Cadance.

Its fanged mouth opened for a moment, as if struggling to find words. Helpless, it turned to the white mare standing beside it. Celestia let out a sigh, one centuries older than even the Princess. It was the sound of resignation, the sigh of a martyr before the pyre. Twilight could almost hear Celestia’s voice, muttering in that worldweary tone, “Best to get it over quickly.”

Celestia nodded to the creature, who closed her eyes as that same resignation, this time with the tang of fear, crossed her own features. Her head ducked down, eyes closed as the bug mastered herself. Then she looked up, looking deep into Twilight’s eyes. Her own shimmered again, with tears this time. She took a deep breath, seeming to fortify herself and commend her spirit to the Light itself. Then she spoke.

“My name is Cadance,” she said, shaking her head sharply as Twilight growled. “Allow me to finish, Twilight. My name is Cadance. I am a changeling Queen, born many centuries ago. Now, I am the last of my kind.”

“A changeling?” Luna asked, alarmed. Her shock turned to anger in the next instant. “What do you mean, the last? Where is your hive?”

Cadance turned to look at Twilight, eyes deep and sincere. “I mean I am the last of my kind. The last hive was destroyed centuries ago, and only its young queen was spared.” Her words were soft as she spoke, and in only a moment she was speaking not to Twilight, but to a ghost. Her eyes gazed at the young mare, but looked through her, and through the mists of time as the changeling lost herself in the memory.

“I watched them die, and was spared the silence only because my ability to…” she took a shuddering breath as her eyes closed. It seemed to break the spell of whatever memory had entranced her, and she opened ancient, sad eyes. “I am barren. I was spared because I was made to never bring forth life to my children. There will be no more hives. And once my song falls silent, then the Changelings will pass from the world forever.”

“Celestia,” Luna snarled, voice as cold and hard as a snowy mountain peak. “Why have you let this monster live?”

“Luna!” Celestia gasped, eyes wide with shock.

“You know what they are!” Luna roared at the older Princess. “They are monsters, and whoever destroyed them did the world a great boon.”

“What are you talking about!” Twilight shouted, torn between defending Cadance, and turning on the changeling.

“Changelings are monsters, Twilight.” Luna snarled, glaring at the creature in question. “They change their shape and-”

“And feed on the love a thinking, feeling creature has for another.” Cadance said, voice flat. “Those are the stories you have heard, are they not?”

Luna jerked her head in a short nod.

“Such stories are the reason that my people were hunted to extinction.” Cadance growled. The angry words were a far cry from the ethereal beauty of her speaking voice, the many layers and harmonies in her words suddenly falling into discord. “We feed on emotion, Princess. Love, anger, despair, joy, we consume it all.”

“You take the place of ponies we love and see us for food!”

“We do not!” Cadance roared, slamming her clawed foot against the marble floor. Her talons carved three narrow gouges out of the stone as the changeling took half a step forward. “My ancestors were the monsters you so hate, child, but my mother, and my sisters learned from the mistakes of our mothers! We stayed small, kept our hives under control. We stole nothing, we only consumed what emotions we found!”

“Then you admit that you are no better than a parasite? You are a flea, a tick, glutting yourself off of pony-kind for Light only knows how long! You are a thief by your very nature, and I would be in my rights to smite you where you stand, insect!”

“Luna, you will calm yourself!” Celestia added her voice to the argument, shouting over Cadance’s furious defense of her race. “Cadance has done no wrong in the centuries I have known her.”

“She is a shapeshifter, Celestia!” Luna screamed, magic flaring. “They live by lying, hiding, and eating the most important parts of who we are!”

“ENOUGH!” Twilight shrieked.

“Twili-”

“Shut up, Luna.” Twilight snarled. She glared up at her wife, some of the magic she had called to herself leaking from her eyes and she shifted her glare to the other two mares in the room. “We don’t have time for this!”

“Twilight,” Cadance began, voice gentle. There was still a hint of that discordant chord in her words, but soothed. It occurred to Twilight suddenly that everypony in the room was on the edge of exploding into a firestorm of magical power. She could feel the oppressive weight of their collective power crushing her own aura of emotionally charged magic.

Their magics even feel different. She noted with interest. They all… taste? Yes, they all taste like anger. But Celestia’s power feels like the weight of sunlight streaming down on the hottest days of summer. A heat so fundamental you feel its weight, more than feel its burn. Luna’s smells like the mountains. No, not the mountains, a blizzard. Snow and ice so cold they burn, swirling and flying in flurries that obscure everything. Impossible to see through, to think. And Cadance… her anger is salty. Tears. Anger, and sorrow. I can feel the pain of her history in her magic. Changelings must have a deeper emotional link to their power than we do. And I can feel the traces of Celestia and Luna’s magic in Cadance’s. LIke she’s absorbing some of it, and it’s feeding directly into her power. What does my magic feel like, I wonder?

Twilight blinked. The distraction had taken barely a heartbeat to ponder, before she snapped back to the present. All three mares were still looking at the much smaller pony, all of them wrestling to regain control over the turbulent magic that roiled in their minds. Twilight lifted a hoof from the marble floor as she reached out to take a firm hold on her power.

She slammed her hoof against the floor before her with a ringing crash, sucking in a deep breath. As she pulled in the breath, she gathered up the mantle of power surrounding her, and sent the power deep into the stone of the Heart. The hard thrust of her hoof against the stone jarred her shoulder painfully as the impact echoed up the leg. But it was the magic suddenly rushing out of her body that caused the stone underneath her to fracture with a mighty report.

“We have much bigger things to worry about right now. Luna, if I can set aside my anger with her, then so can you.”

“But-” Luna protested, voice cracking with anger.

“But nothing.” Twilight said, voice cool as she turned to glare at her wife. “She was my mother, in every way that mattered. And if I can set aside my anger at being lied to for my entire life, then you can set your grievances to the side until more pressing matters are dealt with.”

“I-” Luna began again, but she trailed off as she winced. Just as suddenly as Twilight had, the black mare withdrew her magic, though she didn’t fracture several inches of marble in doing so. Resigned, Luna nodded to her wife. “You are correct. I can… wait.”

“Thank you, Twilight.” Cadance said, smiling at the younger mare as both she and Celestia drew their powers back as well. Her smile faltered as Twilight turned a frigid glare towards the Queen.

“Make no mistake, Cadance. We will settle our issues when this is over, as well. There is a reckoning coming.”

The Changeling’s shoulders slumped as she sighed. Her head bobbed in a weary nod. “I understand.”

“Now, Princess Celestia.” Twilight said, voice somewhat less explosive as she addressed the most innocent of the party. “What is going on. Why did you destroy your chambers, and nearly turn Cadance into a briquette?”

“Changelings are extremely resilient naturally, and their magic reacts defensively on instinct.” Celestia corrected absently. “It is unlikely that anything short of an intentional attack of extreme power would incapacitate or kill a Queen. And as said before things… escalated, we have found information about Rylias’ recent behavior.”

“Please remind me,” Twilight asked, eyes narrowing as she focused on the Princess. “I was, understandably, distracted at the time.”

“Of course.” Celestia nodded, gaze sharpening. “The summery of what Cadance found while infiltrating the dragon’s camp is that they are not a warband.”

“Yes,” Twilight muttered, brow furrowed in thought. “Something about their breeding grounds being destroyed?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Cadance spoke up, taking a step toward the center of the uneasy circle of mares. “It wasn’t destroyed, so much as stolen, if that makes sense.”

“It doesn’t.” Luna said, barely suppressing her glower. She couldn’t quite keep the growl from her voice though.

“From what I could find out, they haven’t been able to breed in nearly four thousand years. Even if they are effectively immortal, they will die out eventually if they can’t replace their losses. They’ve lived through centuries full of disease and conflict. Ever since the magic of their breeding grounds was sealed, they’ve been living on borrowed time, as it were. There isn’t much written so far into the past, but a few of the songs of my mothers speak of those times. I can’t recall much of the tales, but they spoke of a land of great fire where the Waste is now.” Cadance winced, once more looking away, haunted. “Whatever magic it was that permeated their breeding grounds was unique. Without it, something vital is missing. The females can still lay clutches of eggs, but the eggs never hatch, no matter how long or jealously she broods them. They have been living on borrowed time for centuries, and what few dormant eggs they had are slowly running out. The last baby dragon will be born soon, and unless they can do something, it will be the end of their race. I know the kind of desperation that they are feeling. They have nothing left to lose, and they have a chance to save their entire species. They stole the object the magic was sealed into and they are bringing every dragon they can to release the magic back into the Waste. It’s their only hope.”

“Wait, so why didn’t they talk to us?” Luna asked, so confused she forgot to growl at the Changeling. “If we had known that they only wanted to save their people, then we would have surely allowed them to…”

The black mare winced, and Celestia nodded. “They assumed that we would attack if we knew that they were weakened.”

“But that doesn’t explain your anger, Celestia.” Twilight insisted, thinking furiously. “I remember Luna saying something about betrayal being the only thing that caused you that much anger.” Here Twilight’s eyes flickered to the chitinous body near her with a venomous fury. “A sentiment I can understand.”

Cadance and Celestia both winced at her words, but the white mare squared her shoulders and soldiered on. “It is. Part of the reason that the dragons didn’t trust us was who sealed the magic of their breeding grounds.”

As she spoke, Twilight could feel the Princess of the Sun’s rage building once more. She could feel the waves of oppressive heat rolling off the mare once more, and all three ponies took a step or two away from the alicorn.

“Spike has been using us. She sealed the magic that they need to breed, and her presence here, now, has lead them to believe that we were complicit in the theft.”

“WHAT!” Luna roared, whirling to face Cadance. The Queen nodded her head in confirmation.

Spike sealed the dragon’s magic? How does that implicate Helios and Selene into this though? She must have sealed it thousands of years before either country was ever formed. Wait.

“Why did Spike show up here, Princess?” Twilight asked, turning to the white mare.

Celestia once again withdrew her power, and inclined her head to Twilight in an jerky nod. “She claims that she felt something significant was about to occur. I thought, originally, that she meant the marriage of our nation's through you, Twilight. Later, that she foresaw something of the invasion from Rylias.” Her voice dropped to a feral snarl, though she kept her magic reigned in as she spoke. “But she foresaw nothing, she knew that the magic had been returned to the dragons. She came to make the dragons wary of what she may tell us, and bring a military force with them to ensure their success. Seeing this, we would move to defend ourself, and she could reclaim or destroy whatever is holding that magic contained.”

:Celestia, do you understand what you are saying?” Luna demanded, sounding more shocked than angry. “You cannot truly believe that Spike has been playing the traitor for millennia. Not even she could possibly hold an act together for so long.”

Celestia sighed, letting her head droop. “I don’t know, Luna. I wish I did. But I cannot say what Spike has planned, nor what she has done in the past. Her current actions must make us examine what else she may have been lying to us about. We cannot afford to assume anything that she may or may not have revealed, nor to whom she divulged those secrets too.”

The white mare’s body twitched as her muscles spasmed, and one bare hoof slammed into the stone beneath her. Celestia lifted her head, looking from pony to pony. Twilight meet the Princess’s eyes and had to fight not to take a startled step back. The soft, lavender eyes of the Princess burned with fury, enough that Twilight could smell the hot, metallic reek as the marble beneath Celestia’s hooves began to glow a sullen red.

“It was my negligence that allowed this to occur. Had I not extended my trust blindly, then our nations would not be in this predicament. My role in this treachery is not something I will skirt about, nor will I let my failings hurt my ponies. For now, though, we must remain quiet on this matter. I will accept your judgement, but our priority now must be seeking a peaceful conclusion to this situation. Twilight, I must ask you something,” Celestia turn to her former hoofmaid. Her words had been spoken calmly, with more than a little steel mixed into the words. Had she not been practically glowing with suppressed anger, an anger hot and terrible, Twilight would have called the tone chilling. As it was, the youngest pony present turned to face her fellow as stoically as she could.

“Yes, Princess?” Twilight asked. A disjointed voice in her mind seemed to wince at the words, and Twilight wondered for a moment if there was a more formal way she could have responded to the inquiry. None of the ponies here were less than five centuries old, save her. Anything she came up with couldn’t sound too archaic for them.

“Twilight,” Celestia snapped, voice cracking like a whip. The sharp tone derailed Twilight’s distracted thoughts, and the white mare winced. “I apologize. But I… we, need to know if you are able to keep your mind closed to Spike? While I doubt any of us could keep her out of our minds should she desire entry, we can certainly hold enough of a defense to notice her intrusion. If she is alerted to what we know, the results could be disastrous. Can you keep her from reading your surface thoughts?”

“I can,” Twilight said. She shushed the nagging doubt mumbling something about her ‘shouting’. “At least until she really tries. She taught me several lessons. She said something about me ‘shouting’ my thoughts for several days after the wedding. That it was disturbing her slumber.”

“Good.” Celestia said, cutting Twilight off before she could begin to ramble further. She turned to Luna. “Luna, how quickly can the Selenian military mobilize?”

“I gave the order for them to assemble the moment we received word of the dragon’s movements. It is likely that they are assembled already, and awaiting marching orders.”

Celestia smiled. “Excellent. Tell them to continue the evacuation of the region bordering the Waste. Whatever happens in the next few days, I want to ensure that no innocent ponies will be harmed over… this.” She said, waving a hoof in a gesture that encompassed everything from the ruined blankets to the changeling beside her. “I will have Shining Armor facilitate the evacuation of the Helios side of the border. Cadance, you need to ferret out any information you can on their plans. Get back into the dragon camp, gather the information, and return to me in a week’s time.”

“Why a week?” the Queen asked, cocking her head. “Wouldn’t more information be better?”

Twilight spoke up, eyes narrowed as she thought. “Because you won’t be able to reach her after a week. That’s when the Southern Guard are arriving, and when the bulk of the military force is heading out. Princess Celestia has to go with them, especially now that we might be able to forge a peace. And while I have seen that you are a master of subterfuge, dragons can also shapeshift, and the Southern Guard are probably the most dangerous soldiers in Helios. You can’t sneak through to see the Princess, of all ponies, and they would spot an additional soldier wandering around where he shouldn’t be in a heartbeat.”

Cadance blinked, turning from Twilight to look at Celestia. The alicorn gave her friend a tight smile, and nodded. “Twilight is right. So I want you back by the night before we leave, one week from now. You must find out everything you can, without revealing yourself.”

“Luna, I want you to keep control of Selene, but do so from here. If there is a confrontation, together we may be able to contain the traitorous bitch long enough to draw her away from the innocents.”

Twilight blinked. Had the Princess just called Spike a… Well, not that Twilight thought that the dragoness wasn’t one, but she couldn’t remember hearing the Princess swear before, at least not with so much venom in her voice.

“Twilight,” Celestia called again, the snap of her word drawing Twilight’s attention back to the present. “I know that it is unlikely, but I want you to see if you can figure out what exactly, this stolen magic is. Everything I know about magic says that to steal magic, Spike would have to seal it into something, probably a crystal of some sort. I need you to try and track down whatever it is that she sealed it into, and how and when the dragons got their claws on it. No matter what, we need to gather leverage, on both sides of this conflict. I don’t expect miracles from you, Twilight, but every scrap of knowledge you can find will help us, and save lives.”

“What of you?” Luna asked. Her voice was hard and determined, just like her counterpart. “What will you be doing?”

Celestia let out a mirthless bark of laughter. “I will be trying to sway the council to search for a peaceful solution. Most likely, by setting them at each other's throats.

“Suddenly,” Cadance noted, in the same wry tone Twilight remembered from her youth, “I feel much better about infiltrating a nest of magically potent, firebreathing predator soldiers and their mages. I’ll leave the scary job to you, Princess.”

Chapter Nineteen

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The depths of the Heart were home to some of the greatest treasures that Helios had collected over the centuries. In one small chamber, an array of seven stones rested on pedestals. They were the Runestones of the seven zebra tribes, entrusted to Princess Celestia in the dying hours of the last of the last free shaman. Nearby, at the end of a hallway covered in some of the most powerful wards that the world had ever seen, a blood red door stood barred from the world. Occasionally, on the darkest of nights, the whispers of the Revenant can be heard slithering out of the hallway. The immortal creature had been sealed by the Princess herself, at the cost of most of the Mage’s Circle. Since that day, since the fall of the archmage who became that foul creature, the Circle had been forbidden from reforming. Now, only the memory remained of what had once made Helios, together with Rylias, the unquestioned masters of the known world.

Still deeper in the bowels of the mighty stone structure was a room jokingly referred to as the Trophy Room. It was filled with trinkets, both great and small, all with some significance. The corpse of the last Windego, bound still in the chains of eternal sunfire that the Princess had been forced to call down upon the unholy beast. The peculiar shading from scales to feathers that was the pelt of a Coutle, given as tribute and peace offering when the blood-crazed Diomedians had finally bowed to the pony nation. A small oil-lamp from the Arabian’s, given as a sign of mutual respect and friendship between their nation and Helios, before they too had been consumed by the gryphon empire. It was said that the lamp had once contained a being of nigh-limitless power, able to grant a single wish to whomever freed it from its prison.

Room after room filled the depths of the Heart. Each and every one was unique, with its own stories and pasts, and many barred from any but the Princess and the greatest of her mages from entering. The contents of many rooms were dangerous. An unfortunate result of the darkest magics, many deadly and vile magical items had to be sealed away, forever immune to disenchantment, or destruction, even under the combined might of the Avatars of Light and Night. Even the few evil artifacts from Selene were sealed under the Heart, as even the slightly dark nature of Luna’s palace made it vulnerable to their corrupting influence.

Not all the rooms were dark, and not all were sealed. Though many of their stories are sad, one of the largest rooms hidden away beneath the monolith was barren of all earthly adornments. Instead, it was lit by the baleful lights of hundreds of spirits. The peaceful ghosts of ponies long past were allowed by the Princess to live in the depths of her home. They all had stories and tales to tell, from the ancient unicorns who purposefully preserved their spirits to pass on their collected knowledge, to the young earthpony mare who was left broken and bleeding when her fiancée was finished with her. While not a particularly cheerful place, it was one of the only rooms that was forever open to the public, as long as you were escorted to and fro by a guardspony.

The only other room that was open to the public at any time was the Heart’s library. Unlike the many rooms full of dark artifacts, the dangerous tomes and scrolls hidden away within the library were under countless enchantments, protecting anypony who wasn’t a gifted mage herself from even finding them. The collected writings of every great mage, philosopher, and scholar were collected within the cluttered shelves. As can be expected of a nation with such a rich history, and so many powerful mages, those two topics filled well over half of the contents.

It wasn’t always immediately clear to an outsider how the library was organized, with books and scrolls piled on the floor as often as they were tucked neatly into the shelves. It had been many years since anypony had set hoof into the room, until Twilight Sparkle hid herself away as a foal. It had been just as cluttered and messy then, something that annoyed the little filly. It was only after several weeks of attempting to clean up the confines of the library that she realized one of the many secrets of the room.

Even the densest pegasus couldn’t miss the oppressive weight of magic in the air from the moment that they neared the door. The collection of their precious knowledge was something that the Circle took very seriously, with a series of mages who could have easily been elevated to mastery, or even archmage, instead devoting their lives to collecting, protecting, and adding to that great body of information. It was a treasure, beyond all the gold in the world, and they spared no expense nor spell in guarding it. Spells of preservation, stasis enchantments to keep even time from affecting the tomes. Spells that simply absorbed any fire, except for special candles that couldn’t leave the walls of the library itself. Spells to keep moisture separate from their beloved books. Every conceivable problem had been dealt with, with multiple layers of redundancy and many slightly varied copies of those protections.

One of the many spells was one that sorted and categorized the library. The enchantment was one of the most complex Twilight had ever encountered, involving, among other things, the manipulation of space, and the temporary displacement of dimensions. The entire library was akin to a catalog, with every book and scroll placed loosely where it can be found among other items similar to its topic. However, what made the spell work so ingenious was something that Twilight hadn’t discovered for years. In fact, it was only in the last week that Twilight Sparkle had uncovered one of the most useful facets of the library’s enchantments. Not dissimilar to one of the more common security spells, which reacts to a spoken password, the library responded to requests.

It had only taken Twilight a few minutes to bring her favorite table to rest amidst the books relating to magical theory. It was several days of fruitless research that she made the discovery. A frustrated mare had slammed close the most recent of thick tomes, this being penned by Understudy Book Worm, on the nature of magical energies suspended within a crystalline matrix. It had been just as useless as the many other books that lay scattered about her table. Furious beyond belief, after her beloved library had failed her yet again, Twilight had screamed at the room.

“WHERE IS IT!” she roared, her magic burning brightly about her. Like all unicorns, her emotions were a linked directly to her magic, and like most, nothing brought forth power like anger.

Twilight hadn’t forgotten the near cataclysmic consequences of her outburst in front of Celestia and Cadance. She remembered the feeling of drowning, and her rage fueled Luna’s, rebounding across their mental link like the rising tide. She had ruthlessly slammed the doors to her mind closed, before she and her wife lost themselves to that mindless fury. Twilight had been careful to keep her mind tightly shielded since then as well, as much to keep her own emotions dulled and tamed as to keep her thoughts hidden from the dragon.

But after days of endless searching, of endless, fruitless toil, Twilight’s patience was at an end. Her magic struck like a coiled serpent, a tendril of power streaking away from the mare. It slammed the heavy tome she had been scouring for the past nine hours. The covers snapped together with a dull boom as the ancient book was closed, almost covering the sharp crack as the wooden table began to buckle. With an angry through, the same tendril flicked out again, sending the book rocketing away. Somewhere, in the depths of the library, there was a dull thud of leather bound book slamming into a bookshelf, and an avalanche of smaller thuds as the shelf disgorged its contents.

Twilight stood there, sides heaving as she glared at the thin crack that ran the length of her favorite table. Her power was under her control, barely, and Twilight was careful to keep it cloaked about her body. Even as tightly leashed as she could keep it, Twilight could feel her magic lashing out at whatever it could reach. The thin tendrils of power that flickered out into the air around the mare waved threateningly, straining to reach out further, and begin destroying everything within several meters.

Twilight heard a soft whistling. It was the only warning the mare received, before a heavy tome thudded into her head, before coming to a gentle rest on the table before her.

The blow had been painful, but other than a rough jostling and a mild headache, the impact didn’t seem to have damaged the mare. Twilight lifted a hoof, rubbing her head.

“Stupid, useless library.” She grumbled. Curious, Twilight leaned in to read the book’s cover. “A Good Night’s Rest: A Collections of Legends of the Selenian Night.”

Twilight stared at the book for several long moments, before she blinked. Shaking her head, Twilight yawned. “Light, I’m tired. I can’t look for that stupid information if I’m going to act like a spoiled filly with a broken toy. Maybe you’re a sign?”

On the table, the book remained silent.

“Oh Sweet Celestia, I’m talking to books.” Twilight informed the empty library. “Maybe a nap is what I need after all. Maybe I’ll think of something when I wake up in, in the morning.” She mumbled around a leonine yawn. “Just a short sleep.”
She set her head down on the book that had snapped her out of her tantrum, letting her eyes fall closed. She fell asleep before her next breath. It wasn’t the first time she had been found with a book for a pillow.

Twilight woke the next morning to a gentle hoof shaking her. Blearily, the young princess opened her eyes to see another face only a few inches from hers.

“AH!” Twilight yelped, jerking back from the other pony. Her sudden movement startled her assailant, making the splotched face mirror her movements, jerking away from her. That was all Twilight had time to see, and the vague blur of soft brown eyes, the colour of melted chocolate, before the fell onto her back with a ‘whuff’.

“Miss!” A young colt fidgeted nearby, obviously concerned.
Still groggy from sleep, and both winded and slightly dazed from her less than dignified awakening, Twilight wasn’t feeling particularly generous. As it had done more and more often of late, Twilight’s magic snapped up around her in the time it took to blink. As it had been, the magical power that she held close to her body gave the young mare a glow of violet light as the magic cloaked her. It seemed almost eager, like a hound who has seen a favorite toy thrown far afield, twitching and squirming with desire. Just waiting for its master’s command to spring into frenetic action.

She couldn’t sense any hostility from the pony who had woken her, not even the mild resentment some servants held towards the nobility. Not that Twilight believed that anypony with the intent to harm her, or any other resident of the Heart for that matter, could have slipped in. They would have needed to slip through and around many layers of guards pony who had been on alert since the first stirrings in Rylias. Nopony could be too careful, and it was a well known fact that some of the more powerful dragons could shift their shape.

Of course, judging by what I saw with Spike, that might not stop a shape shifter. She turned from that massive dragon form, into a mare only a little bigger than the Princess. Why shouldn’t she be able to change herself even smaller, into a fly maybe? Nopony is sure if the detection wards would trigger, and only the Southern Guard has the knowledge to inspect a live ward of that power. It certainly hasn’t stopped Cadance in the past.

Sternly, Twilight told herself to calm down and to focus at the task before her. It had only taken a moment for her to roll to her hooves, one that had been taken up with her musings, but Twilight knew that a lot could happen while she was chasing ideas down within her own mind. Instead of dwelling on the possibilities, Twilight turned to face the pony who she could hear scurrying over to check on her.

“Pip?”

“Are you well, Miss?” The little colt worried, shuffling nervously a few paces away.

“What,” Twilight asked, letting her magic fall away and drain into the ground beneath her. She shook her head, blinking. “I’m fine, Pip. But what, by all the Light touches, are you doing back here? I thought you were safe in Selene already.”

To her surprise, her servant smiled at her, shaking his head. “No, Miss. Miss Applejack and I were near the border when we were turned away. They told us that there were dragons ahead, and that it would be too dangerous for us to go further.”

“And what did you do after that? Did you walk all the way back here?” Twilight was puzzled. The two should have been well past the border into Selene by the time that word had come of the dragon attack.

When word came of the dragon attack. Which must have been several days later.

“Light!” Twilight swore, moving forward quickly, and kneeling on her forelegs to inspect her ward. “You would have been in the middle…”

To Twilight’s surprise, she saw Pip’s grin fade, replaced by a look of solemnity that seemed somehow wrong on his young face. The colt nodded his head. “Miss Applejack said the same thing, that we would have been halfway to the Wildwood. But before we left, Miss Applejack said she needed to talk to somepony, down in the kitchen. She and Pinkie Pie, she’s the pastry cook, the, um… pink one.” Pip’s smile was back, and he grinned at Twilight. “She and Miss Applejack talked for a little while, and she made Miss Applejack promise to visit her sister on the way. If we hadn’t stopped for the night…”

Twilight winced. She then did something that surprised even herself. She leaned forward, and brushed her neck against Pip, pulling him into a soft hug. Pip stood still for a moment, surprised, but quickly squeezed back.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Twilight mumbled, and to their mutual horror, they could hear just how watery her words were.

Pip let go of his mistress quickly, shuffling back a few steps, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground as he moved. Twilight, for her part, had suddenly decided that the cracked table needed to be inspected more closely. The sawdust from last night must have gotten into her eyes.

“So, did, um, did you enjoy your time with Applejack?” Twilight asked, after a long moment and several deep breaths. She could feel her lips twist up in a grin as she spoke. “Maybe she could live with us in Selene too.”

To her surprise, Pip chuckled. Not his usual, somewhat childish giggle, but a knowing chuckle. “I don’t think that Miss Maud would appreciate that very much. She says that the rocks in Selene are just dreadful. All full of shiny ores and other imperfections. She much prefers the boulders and stones of Helios.”

“And…” Twilight said, waiting for the colt to go on.

“I certainly wouldn’t want to upset my wife by asking her to move to a new country,” Pip said, grinning. “I don’t Miss Applejack wants to either.”

“Oh,” Twilight chuckled. It seemed that her assistant had picked up a dry humor from somewhere on his trip. “I see. I suppose in some cases, discretion is the better part of valor.”

Pip cocked his head slightly, brown eyes confused. “What’s discretion?”

Twilight tossed her head back and laughed. She laughed and laughed until she fell onto the soft pillow she had been sitting on for days. Then she laughed some more, helplessly gasping at the air.

“What?” Pip asked, hurt at her laughter. “You told me to ask if I had questions, Miss.”

Struggling to control herself, Twilight sat up. Her dark amethyst eyes sparkled with mirth as she smiled at her little servant, at her friend. “I did, Pip. I’m laughing because I’m so happy you’re back safe.”

“Oh,” Pip mumbled, sounding befuddled. “So can you tell me what discretion means?”

“Of course.” Twilight smiled, closing her eyes to think. “What is discretion. Well, discretion would be when you are cautious. Cautious about how you act around other ponies, so you don’t cause trouble. You display a lot of discretion Pip, because you are always polite. You don’t upset anypony on purpose, and you have excellent manners. If somepony says discretion is the better part of valor, what they mean is that sometimes, you need to be brave.” Twilight’s eyes opened. “But it means that, right now, it’s better to be careful. To not charge in head first.”

“Miss Twilight?” Pip hesitated, looking behind his mistress. “Thank you for explaining, but why did you pick up that book?”

“I didn’t,” Twilight turned, seeing a newer looking book hovering a pace or two behind her. “Huh?”

Twilight reached out with her magic, gently wrapping it about the open book. She could feel another levitation charm acting on the book as she took ahold of it, a wispy power she felt was vaguely familiar. As soon as her power was shrouded about the heavy book though, the foreign magic vanished again, making the book dip slightly before Twilight’s spell caught it. Pulling it closer, Twilight read the small print.

“Discretion: to act in a manner so as to avoid offense or without revealing sensitive information. To have the freedom to decide upon one’s actions.” Twilight read aloud, words half mumbled. She noticed Pip cock his head, looking at her, but ignored him for the moment. Twilight snapped the book closed, quickly reading the cover.

“A dictionary?” Twilight muttered, mind whirring. She shook her head slightly, trying to jar loose a thought. All the movement did was cause a twinge of pain from the lump on her head from the night before.

From the night…

Twilight turned, reading the book that she had been sleeping on the night before. A Good Night’s Rest.

What is discretion. Twilight’s mind piped up. WHERE IS IT!

Last night, I wanted to find a book, find anything, about the destruction of magic. And I was hit in the head by a book, one about sleeping. And just now, I was talking to myself, and asked ‘What does discretion mean’. Twilight felt herself freeze, a tentative hope blossoming in her chest. Last night she had been furious, so angry that her magic was lashing out. Today, she was positively glowing with happiness at the return of her friend. BOth times, her emotions had been high, feeding into her magic.

Gently, Twilight reached out with her magic. She left the power unfocused, simply allowing it to saturate the air near her. Slowly, she spoke. “Where can I find information about pegasus anatomy?”

A moment later, Twilight heard a series of faint thuds, the sound of a dozen books falling to land on the ground. Then, zooming down the small aisle between bookshelves, Twilight saw a black tome approaching. Like the dictionary, it flew through the air gently, wrapped in a dim silvery light. It came to a rest before Twilight, hovering in the air a pace or two away. Like before, when Twilight reached out with her power, she felt the delicate aura of unknown magic suspending the book vanish.

The book was Fleetfeather’s treatise on pegasus anatomy. She recognized the book, the eminent work on pegasus anatomy and physiology in the world. She knew the soft, worn leather, she even knew the tracery of light scars on the cover.

The hope that had been smoldering in her chest began to blaze, fed by her excitement. Again, Twilight pushed her magic into the air. “What formed the Waste!”

“Miss?” Pip questioned, voice soft. Twilight turned to face the small colt, grinning broadly. To her surprise, she saw the colt flinch away, his ears drooping to lie flat. His legs bent slightly, and Twilight could see worry in his wide eyes. “Miss, is something wrong?”

You are going slightly manic, Twilight. A soft voice in her mind chided Twilight. I’m sure that you appear more than slightly manic to the poor dear. You’ve had next to no sleep for days, and even less food. Now, stop smiling before you scare Pip off. He can get us food.

Not for the first time, Twilight spared a thought questioning her sanity, as she often did when she found her inner monologue treating her as if she were a separate entity entirely.

Chapter Twenty

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Though I find my apprentice’s actions to be abhorrent to a degree that I have yet to find words for, it would be remiss for me to fail to document here the findings recovered from the remains of her lair.

The focus of her research seems to have been almost exclusively on the manipulation of the quintessence that abides within the breast of all those of the superior race. Anathemic though it was, it seems her goal was twofold. First, she sought to strip away the quintessence from those she deemed unworthy and instill their vitality into herself. The latter goal, however, seems to be one her lowly bedfellow had contrived. As is well known among these members of the Circle, those of the lesser races, the pegasi and the terrans, have some small dose of the quintessence which abides within our own species. To a greater or lesser degree, their innate power varies, but it seems to be present in all but the smallest portions of the populations, those with whom only generations without the infusion of the superior bloodlines have this power to some measurable amount. And like many of his lowliest station, my apprentice’s lover seems to have been the cause for her corruption. Had he not whispered lies upon her pillow, I much doubt such traitorous thoughts as those that lead to her abandonment of the Circle would have sprung forth, for twisted trees grow not from pristine fields.

I digress, however, and return to a summery of her findings. While the first is one which has long been known to be possible, the nature of both the Faceless Ones and the Nightstalkers leaving little doubt that the magical energies which flow so purely through our kind can be stolen away, it appears her goal was not simply to modify their abilities into a spell. Instead, it appears she sought to sunder their connection to the living planet wholly, sealing off their quintessence as she drained it into herself. This would leave her in possession of their power, as well as their innate capacity and knowledge of the ancient arts, but also sever any ability the mage may have at reforming such a connection. So complete is this severance that she observed a greater than half proportion of her captured subjects suffering extreme mental distress, and several tens simply fading away as the magic Which had sustained them through disease, injury and time, slipped away from them. In her earliest experiments, it seems that she sought not to steal their magic, but followed another abhorrent tangent to her studies. She attempted to break one of the oldest, and most steadfast laws upon which the art of magic is based, its essential nature. As every member of the Circle must know, there is no way to destroy magical energies, only to take that which has been captured by a living quintessence, or that which has been locked away within a crystalline matrix, and return it into the living source of all magic, praise be to the ancient Earth-mother.

Regardless of this well known law, my apprentice attempted to sunder the magic utterly. One feverish note written after several failed attempts making allusions to a goal of sundering all magic throughout the world, so that only the efforts of one's body could elevate a pony. As mad as her ramblings may have been, it is truly brilliant the ways in which she sought to circumvent this law. In the end, however, even her greatest accomplishment was only a marginal success, prompting her to simply steal away the quintessences of her subjects rather than destroy them. It is my belief that her methods, as barbaric as her experimentation was upon the members of the superior race, would serve the Circle of Stone well. Let it be our retribution upon her shade, to know that her attempt to destroy this body has instead given it the weapon needed to ensure the continuation of the Circle, as well as a means to punish the superior race and the lesser with equal ease.

Twilight Sparkle closed the heavy book gingerly, staring at the well worn leather binding. The scratched and tattered brown cover of the tome bore the remnants of an emblem that had long since faded from memory. Even on the spell-guarded leather, the sigil was blurred and all but invisible. Only the barest impression of a circle of stones remained. More than anything, they reminded Twilight of the small circles of Ritual Stones scattered across Helios. They were all perched near small hamlets and villages, and all anypony seemed to know about the odd constructions was that they amplified and focused ritual spells conducted within them.

Generally assumed to be the result of the magically saturated stone, which has a high incidence of quartz, resonating with the energies gathered and manipulated during the course of the rituals themselves. While it has flaws, such as the mechanism by which the quartz impurities, which is known to be all but immune to magic, became impregnated with such a high level of magical energy, and the absence of noticeable decay of that energy should it exist, it would not only explain the empowering of ritual spells, but also explain why only ritual spells are empowered. Almost any other known amplification of magical energies would be consistent to within a negligible margin of error regardless of the nature of the spell being cast. The hypothesis that the magic is resonating and condensing the ritual’s energies would explain why only rituals, which are exclusively long and drawn out affairs, are affected.

Twilight Sparkle put her face down into old book lying on the table and took several calming breaths as she tried to talk through her problem. The smell of dust and ancient ink had always helped her get over stressful situations. She was going to need a shelf.

Why is it, she thought to herself with a half-exasperated snort. With all the work that I’ve put into learning every aspect of theoretical magic I can get my hooves on, why is it that I can only ever call to mind extremely interesting, and utterly useless information?

Twilight lifted her head to wearily glare at her pillow, it really was a foul document, before letting her head fall with a thump. A thousand books on the practical uses of magic, and what does the ancient tome on the Circle of Stone call to mind? Meaningless, useless rituals.

Hey! The soft voice broke off with an indignant huff. She had been continuing her ramble about the focusing of magical energies into quartz crystals, and proposing measures for testing the rate of magical decay within such an insulated crystalline matrix.

“Well, you do take an… unorthodox tangent regardless of the topic.” Twilight muttered while her magic reached out to shroud the rather horrific old tome.

As I am just an anthropomorphic representation of your own typically random thought pattern, can you blame me? And isn’t it more than a little hypocritical for you to be insinuating that I am not aware of the weight of the situation. I am basically just an externalized locus of thought with which you can discuss ideas and explore theories while leaving the majority of your conscious attention to the problem at hoof?

Twilight rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile at the voices comment. Even she had to agree that it sounded very… Twilight.

Her inner monologue, now rambling about the possible psychological implications of her own existence, faded into the background, and took Twilight’s lingering amusement with her. She didn’t need any deep thought to interpret what was meant by that truly disgusting passage. The book was a collection of personal accounts kept by the Circle of Stone, an ancient order of mages who, apparently, reigned over the inhabitants of the kingdom once ruled by Princess Celestia’s mother.

From all accounts, and Twilight had read more than a few that turned her stomach, the Circle of Stone was part cult, part government, all unicorn, and the next best thing to pure evil. The collection had been compiled long after the Circle fell, to what Twilight wasn’t entirely sure, but even with a dozen years separating him from their ghosts, the editor of the compilation still seemed more wary of them than was entirely healthy. With their iron-hoofed rule, and barbaric punishments for anypony who broke their draconian laws, Twilight couldn’t say she could blame him for his paranoia. Gruesome as the reports were though, they ultimately confirmed what she had begun to expect. Despite several centuries of collective work, following many different branches of inquiry, not even ancient, forgotten tomes of magical lore had confirmed the idea that magic could be destroyed.

It made a bizarre kind of sense, Twilight supposed. She slid the book she held back into the sealed chest the library had dropped near her table, reactivating the powerful wards protecting the contents, and those who might seek the knowledge within. A sensible precaution.

The idea that magic could be destroyed was almost laughable, something which Twilight had never even considered until the current fiasco. It wasn’t just common knowledge that such a feat was impossible, it was illogical. Magic was energy, in its purest, most elemental form. Scholars had been studying every facet of magical inquiry conceivable since the scientific approach to magic had been introduced. The very fact that consistent results could be obtained lent credence to the idea that, for all its apparently sporadic nature, there were rules governing every aspect of magic. One of the most steadfast rules was that magic, like all energy, was constant. It could be focused, it could be mutated. It could be stored, channeled, converted, or trapped, but it couldn’t be destroyed.

Twilight froze, the heavy lid to the chest falling heavily shut as her concentration and her magic, retreated into her mind, frantically chasing the thought.

Magic could not be destroyed. It was obvious, and even her constant scouring of the library had yielded nothing. Therefore, Spike could not have destroyed the magic of the dragon’s nesting ground. She must have moved the power into something else, almost certainly a crystal. The crystalline matrix was one of the only known substances whose structure and composition were ordered in a way to allow magical energy to be pushed into them without it immediately releasing that energy in a violent fashion. Spike could have sealed the magic away and hidden the crystal in Helios. She could even have hidden it within the Heart itself. It would explain the attack that had occurred around the time of her birth.

It would make sense. Seal the power away to keep it from the dragons, and then gift that sealed magic to the Princess at a later date. If the dragons could figure out where their magic went, and who had it, they would still have to fight their way through an entire nation to retrieve the gem.

Princess Celestia’s peytral! It has a large amethyst worked into the metal!

But Twilight discounted her excited thought almost the moment it occurred to her. Princess Celestia would have noticed if a matrix of the magnitude necessary to wholly absorb that much magic was placed next to her heart. It couldn’t be the collar.

Think. She urged herself. When has Celestia reacted oddly, like she was in the presence of enormous power even though she shouldn’t… have…

“And the sun and moon are but the youthful harbingers of ancient wisdom, as you who have spoken to the eternal darkness know. Hail ancient one, and dain to impart the teachings of times long past to this foolish youth.” Princess Celestia said, bowing her head deeply to the dragon.
Her mane, which was normally rustled by an invisible breeze, was now whipping about her head as though caught in some fierce gale. A common phrase used to describe the pastel rainbows gentle, undulating motion was that it was blown by the ‘solar wind’. The phrase was obviously a reference to the connection between the Princess and the orb blazing overhead during the daylight hours.

“Light!” Twilight swore, unable to even call to mind one of the many colorful variations on the curse in her panicked state. She couldn’t believe that she had missed the connection, the two were so obvious in retrospect. Celestia’s mane had been reacting to the powerful waves of magic rolling off of the great dragon on the day Spike had arrived, before she took on her pony form.

It was a relatively poorly understood topic, but she had read more than one treatise on the theory of shapeshifting. Changing somepony’s appearance, even shifting the actual structures rather than an illusion, was simple. Time consuming and very dangerous, but ultimately a matter of brute force being slammed home behind a perfectly aligned razor, all that force directed to one point. However, a problem faced by almost anypony interested in shapeshifting was the distribution of mass. If you wanted to become smaller, you only had two options. Either increase your density to account for your smaller form, or to shove any excess mass into a pocket reality until you needed to resume your native shape. Considering the size and bulk of the dragoness, Twilight felt safe in assuming that she had used the second option to change her form. And, though she hadn’t noticed it at the time, when the dragoness had become pony-sized, Princess Celestia’s mane had ceased its frenzied motion.

And dragon scales are all but indestructible, and are immune to all but the most devastating magical strikes. Likely due to a large quartz content. It isn’t unreasonable that a structure as magically inert as quartz could contain a very large store of magical energy without undergoing undue stress.

Twilight paled, and whispered the words into the silent library. “She sealed the magic into herself. Spike turned herself into a living crystal. Light!” She hissed, taking off at a gallop.

The Princess needed to know this, now.

“What are you saying?” Princess Celestia asked, speaking slowly.

They were standing in the throne room, though it seemed the Princess had been holding court with her generals rather than her nobles today. Celestia had sent away everypony when Twilight had burst through the door, telling them only that Twilight had sensitive information that couldn’t wait. Twilight had barely waited for the door to close before launching into a frantic explanation of her discovery.

“I’m saying,” Twilight said, forcing herself to speak in the same calm, careful tone the other mare had adopted. “That I know what happened to the magic. Spike didn’t destroy the magic, she captured it.”

“And she stored the energy within herself?” Celestia continued, brow furrowed.

“Yes!” Twilight winced at the annoyance in her tone. With an effort, she throttled her emotions again, and took a steadying breath. “Sorry. Yes, she stored it inside herself. Dragon scales are known to have a very high quartz content, that’s a large part of why most magic simply bounces off of them.”

“Then how could she have stored the magic within herself?”

“She saturated her scales, pushing more power into them than they could repel. It must have taken… a very, very long time, but she eventually sealed away all of the magic in the wastes, or at least enough that the rest collapsed in on itself. I’d have to know a lot more than I do about what was happening at the time to tell you, but what’s important is that the majority of the magic, at least, is still in her.”

“But why not use a gemstone? They are much better at absorbing and utilizing magical power.” Celestia pressed on, though her tone seemed odd to Twilight. Celestia was certainly puzzled, but she didn’t sound as though she doubted Twilight’s conclusion.

“I…” Twilight winced. “I don’t know. Perhaps as a safeguard? If too much power is stored in a crystal, it can shatter, and release that energy. If something broke a crystal containing that much power, I think that we wouldn’t have to worry about replacing a few buildings.”

“I suppose, though it seems odd that it would suddenly care about casualties.” Celestia conceded, venom dripping from her words. Twilight scowled.

“Stop talking about Spike like she’s an animal.” Twilight snapped, her words as crisp and cool as midnight snow. As she went on, the frosty edge to her words thawed slightly, but didn’t melt. “Everypony is upset, Princess. Everypony in Helios is probably scared out of their minds right now, or chomping at the bit to go out and fight the dragons. Do you remember when I asked you why you put up with the nobles on the Council, even though I could see that you despised them.”

“I remember.” Celestia spoke softly, and her shoulders slumped as her righteous indignation flagged slightly. Though her eyes still glinted like lavender-hued marble. They weren’t as narrowed as they had been a moment before. For a moment, a smile quirked the alicorn’s lips. “You had only just started taking notes at Council meetings the month before. You were furious at how they behaved, how obviously selfish some of them were.”

Twilight felt the ghost of Celestia’s smile graced her own lips. “I asked you why you put up with them, with their greed and their disrespect. Do you still remember your answer?”

Celestia paused for a moment, before nodding slowly. The anger began to drain out of her eyes as she spoke, the inferno slowly being banked. “Yes, I do. I told you that even if sometimes I wanted to bring the whole Heart down on their heads at times, I needed them. I couldn’t govern all of Helios on my own.”

Twilight nodded, and spoke very softly. “And you said that you had to attend the council to make sure nopony caused too much trouble. That you couldn’t trust anypony there to always do what they thought right.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed in reproach, and to Celestia’s surprise, she flushed with chagrin. For all of her seven centuries of life and almost unimaginable power, something in her former maid’s behavior made the ancient princess feel like a filly who had been caught fibbing. “You said that they needed you, but that you needed them. That they reminded you that you weren’t perfect, and that they fought for the needs of their citizens.”

Celestia winced as Twilight’s voice trailed off, knowing that the unicorn wanted her to finish the rest. “And that they needed me to keep them in line, and unite them. That they needed a leader, somepony who can look at their problems without becoming…”

“Without becoming emotionally involved. Back then, you said your job on the council was to be fair, and objective, and to keep everypony in line.” Amethyst eyes flashed bright with emotion. “And Helios needs their Princess, their leader now, more than ever. You can’t afford to let your anger cloud your judgment.”

Celestia looked away, and for the first time in Twilight’s memory, the Princess of the Sun looked truly ashamed. Lavender eyes closed tightly, and Twilight could see Celestia’s muscles tense until they trembled. After several long moments, she relaxed, head still lowered.

“You are right, Twilight.” Celestia said, words soft. “I shouldn’t be allowing my anger with Spike influence my actions, nor my words. And you are right, the ponies of Helios do need a leader, somepony to look up to and to tell them that they will be safe.”

Celestia looked up, fires of a different sort flaring to life behind her eyes, burning away the last remnants of her shame. This wasn’t a raging goddess, this was The Luminous One, the Champion of the Sun.

Or, a soft voice whispered in the confines of Twilight’s mind. Perhaps this is her oldest name. Celestia, the Radiant Guardian.

The voice paused for a moment, and Twilight felt her lips quirk up in a smile. What silly names you have, my Princess. Then I give you another, Celestia, the Golden Judge.

Her next thought wiped the smile from her lips, and the little mare sighed. “Princess?” She called, sending a brief prayer to any beings who might be listening. Celestia was certainly not going to like this.

“Yes?”

“I’ve had a thought, and I believe I know how we can find out what happened, for sure.”

“How?” Celestia asked, eager hope bright in her expression.

“Well,” Twilight hesitated, before wincing and forcing the rest out. “I think we need to talk to Spike.”

Chapter Twenty-One

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“You.”

The word was short, simple. An acknowledgement, an affirmation of existence. It was a word used to inform someone of your intent, to tell them of just what you expected of them.

But when the word fell from the lips of the Princess of the Sun, somehow it gained new meanings. Celestia didn’t so much say the word, as spit it at Twilight. Twilight couldn’t bring herself to look at the white mare, hadn’t been able to look away from the pristine white of the marble floor. None of the occasional impurities were present in the Great Hall. The entryway to the Heart was one of the only places in the monolith whose entire length was unmarred. A gleaming, snowy white that stretched a hundred long paces before abutting the massive doors.

Though she couldn’t look the Princess in the eye, Twilight didn’t need to see her former mistress to know her thoughts. Even in a single word, Twilight felt the full weight of the Princess’ emotions. Betrayal. Fear, disbelief. The alicorn couldn’t understand what she was seeing. She could hear confusion, and no small amount of disgust.

But what Twilight heard most clearly, what she could feel as the Hall began to tremble, was the mounting fury of the Herald of the Dawn. She could feel it as Princess Celestia drew in power, calling up magic as instinctively as she flared her armored wings. She could hear her retainers, the vanguard who pledged their lives to defend their Princess, cry out in pain. She could hear them scramble across the marble floor, armor clinking. She shut her eyes, feeling the sting of tears as she did.

“YOU!” Celestia roared, and Twilight barely heard it when the Princess struck her hoof upon the marble floor.

No matter how loud her shout, though, even Celestia’s magically enhanced scream was deafened as the Heart itself let out a shriek. The snowy marble where her hoof struck let out an unholy scream, deafening, as it was rent asunder.

Shocked, Twilight stumbled back, hind legs collapsing beneath her. Her rump hit the cold stone, and Twilight’s eyes snapped open, desperate to know what was happening, what was causing the noise.

The Celestia at the other end of the Hall was nothing like the Celestia Twilight knew. She was clad in gold, as she often was, but this was far more than her crinet and tiara. Now, her body was cloaked in the shining metal. As the Princess glared, Twilight could see the heavy haze of magic blurring her features. It didn’t hide the shell of metal covering almost every inch of the proud mare.

Her usual crinet, set with a large amethyst, was discarded for a battlecollar, a crinet stretching the length of her neck. Her forelegs were clad in greaves, adorned with blades that were visible even through the heat-haze. A crupper clad her rump, wavering in smooth arches as it contoured to her body. It was the peytral and shaffron that drew Twilight’s eye though. Both were done at strange, sharp angles, not like how the simple battlearmor appeared on the statues several halls above. She couldn’t see them clearly enough to tell what they were, but both changed what might have been radiant, but possibly decorative armor, into something that lent an air of ferocity and violence to the peaceful Princess.

The other thing that Twilight noted, almost absently, in the instant she opened her eyes, was the Princess’ mane. While the crupper covered her rump entirely, hiding her tail from view, Celestia’s mane was a riot of colors. Her usual, tranquil pastels were gone. Now the Princess’ mane was a kaleidoscope of darker hues. It kept its rainbow of colors, but deeper, almost gem-like. Amethyst, pink sapphire, cerulean, ruby, all deeper, somehow angrier. And unlike her usual, gently flowing banner, her mane was near vertical, standing behind the Princess either from the intense heat radiating from the mare, or from the flow of magic creating it.

The frozen moment seemed to end for Twilight, beholding her Princess in her full, enraged, glory. If it weren’t terrifying, Twilight would have thought it the most beautiful thing she had beheld in all her life. But even adrenaline fueled awareness was but so fast, and before the unicorn’s mind could process the magnificence of her Princess, the world seemed to snap back into motion.

The floor near the Princess was blasted ruin, the heavy stone warped and cracked, though not a badly as her room had been a week before. Idly, Twilight noted that the Princess must have been keeping her power tightly leashed, if the iron taste of Celestia’s fury was anything to judge by. The unholy screaming she had heard was the stone’s shrill protest as it was heated to unimaginable temperatures in an instant. Even now, it glowed a pulsating orange beneath the Princess’ bladed shoes. Twilight had a curious thought, a fleeting question flicker through her mind for an instant, wondering how the soft gold wasn’t as slagged by the sudden heat as the stone beneath her hooves, before Celestia spoke.

“Spike.” She growled, as energy began to leak from her eyes in golden trails. “What have you done?”

The dragoness standing beside Twilight snorted. Twilight turned aside, shamefaced, as the Princess glared at the two, but Spike met her gaze squarely, baring her teeth in answer to Celestia’s challenging tone.

“I’ve done nothing.” Spike said. Her voice was calm, collected. Twilight could tell that, despite her posture, the dragon wasn’t looking for a fight. The mare offered a swift thanks to the Light that one of them was rational.

“Liar.”

The word was soft, barely audible with the echo of stone still fading. Though her voice was quiet, the single word thrummed with restrained anger.

The hostility she could feel was something Twilight hadn’t ever experienced herself until that moment. She had seen a faint glimmer of the Princess’ anger stirred when she brought Blueblood before Celestia. She had been angry at the pompous stallion, and Twilight had thought she detected an almost sadistic pleasure in serving up that nobles just desserts.

She had felt the fading echos of her fury a week ago, stumbling into the blasted ruins of what had been Celestia’s sitting room. It had been a stark reminder of just why the mare had ruled over desirable lands for centuries. That Cadance had somehow survived that firestorm, one that reduced steel to puddles and shattered stone through heat alone, only made the Changelings final reveal more acceptable. Nopony could survive in that inferno.

Twilight had even seen some of that anger focused at her a few hours ago, when she suggested that they speak with the dragoness. Celestia had snapped at her, magic and heat rolling off of her in waves. She had ranted, had snarled, and had flatly forbidden Twilight from seeking out Spike.

But now, faced with the full fury of the Princess directed at her, Twilight felt just how small she was. Spike seemed blissfully ignorant of the oppressive weight of power clouding the air. But Twilight didn’t have the ancient wyrm's resistance to such attacks. As Celestia spat the word, ever so softly into the room, Twilight’s faltering steps stilled.

Suddenly, Twilight’s mouth felt dry. She swallowed, lowering her eyes from the challenging gaze leveled at her by the Princess.

“What do you want, Spike?” Princess Celestia asked. Her words were still soft, but the seething fury hidden beneath them was even clearer as she shifted to keep her eyes fixed on the advancing dragon.

When the Princess’s gaze moved off of her, Twilight took a deep breath, suddenly feeling many times lighter. The air still seemed thick, both heavy and harder to breath, but it was a gift compared to the focus of the Princess heaped squarely upon her shoulders.

“I want to stop you from throwing lives away, Celestia.”

Twilight turned to look at the dragoness. Her reptilian voice rasped at the air, full of some powerful emotion.

She sounds like Celestia. Twilight thought to herself, watching the dragon stand proud before the Princess. She sounds old, and tired.

“If you wanted that, then you would not have started this war, worm.”

Celestia opened her mouth to continue, but was cut off by a sudden swell of power.

“Know. Your. Place.” Spike snarled, biting off the words one by one. Just like the Princess, her eyes began to glow with an angry inner light, spilling magical energy into the air. “I have come to prevent you from killing thousands, Celestia, guilty and innocent alike. Will you listen to me now, or will we need to flatten half your country first?”

“I am not a foal anymore, Spike. I will not be so easily cowed as I was in my youth.”

“Such arrogance. Just like your mother.”

That stopped Celestia cold. The small movements that the Princess had been making stilled. Instead of shifting slightly back and forth as the magic flooding the hall washed over her in waves, she could have been mistaken for another immaculate statue, were it not for her mane.

Very slowly, the Sun Princess closed her eyes, cutting short the trails of amber magic flowing from them. Twilight could hear the small shifts in the golden battlearmor as Celestia tensed, taking deep, calming breaths.

“You should not make such comparisons.” Celesita spoke softly, but her words rang in the silent hall. Her eyes opened once again, revealing hard chips of amethyst, angry eyes the very shade of Spike’s scales. With a visible effort, the mare sawed at the reins of her power, pulling it sharply to heel as she glared across the hall.

“I only make them for you have made them truth, Starborn.” Spike growled, somehow making the predatory sound gentle. “She too sought to make the world safe, once. She left on a righteous crusade, for the best of reasons. And faulty assumptions.”

Celestia’s gaze flickered to Twilight who was now several paces behind the slowly advancing dragon. Her eyes didn’t soften when they landed on the smaller mare, but Twilight fancied that they at least didn’t have the vorpal sharpness they had only moments ago. Now the weight of that disappointed stare only threatened to smother Twilight, not cut her to her very core.

Twilight felt her face flush hot with embarrassment, dropping her eyes to the smooth floor.

“Celestia, we do not have time for my usual games.” Spike said, and Princess and consort alike snapped back to attention, focusing on the dragoness. “You have already placed hundreds in danger.”

“I will not allow those… allow Rylias to attack my ponies. Nor will Luna allow her own subjects to be endangered.” Celestia said , anger creeping back into her voice. “If we allow them to invade with impunity, then we will no longer have a nation at peace, we will have one locked in endless war.”

“I am suggesting nothing of the sort. I wouldn’t expect anyone I respect to simply allow others to suffer without cause.” Spike came to a stop, standing somewhere near the center of the massive room. “Twilight, if you would be so kind, tell the Princess what brought you to my chambers?”

The mare jumped, startled at having been so suddenly roped into the conversation. Flushing, she glanced at Celestia for a moment, before nodding to herself.

“After we,” Twilight hesitated, glancing at the Princess once more. “After we talked, I went to ask Spike a few things. It was… like what I told you. The events didn’t make sense. It wasn’t logical for Spike to have been some diabolical mastermind?”

“And so you disobeyed me, and went to a probable enemy to explain everything you knew about our strategy, and intelligence?” Celestia glared. “That is how ponies are killed, Twilight. By the thousands. Mistakes like that.”

“She trusted her instinct, and unlike some,” Spike snapped, glaring at the Princess. “She at least had the sense to not allow her emotions to cloud her judgement.”

“It was wrong for her to do so.” Celestia stood firm, glaring back at the dragon. Twilight thought she could see a flush coloring her white cheeks as she spoke though.

“Setting possible indiscretions aside,” Spike snapped again, plowing forward. “Twilight made the right decision. How long have you known me, Tia?”

“Don’t call me that.” Celestia growled. Her reaction was so immediate, so… foalish, that Twilight could barely contain a sudden giggle. “I’ve known you since I was… for as long as I can remember.”

“And you really think that I would betray you?” Spike asked, sounding genuinely upset. Her voice shook ever so slightly.

This time, Celestia had the grace to look ashamed, eyes locking onto a spot on the immaculate marble floor. When she spoke though, the words were old, sad, and tired. “Treachery hurts so much, because it comes from the ponies we would never expect.”

“And do you trust anyone?” Spike inquired softly. “When was the last time you trusted someone?”

“Don’t lecture me,” Celestia whispered. Her head bowed she began to tremble. “Don’t you dare.”

“Then don’t allow what has passed to cloud your vision of the present! You know as well as any that Lights-on-Water was a fool. You know that what he did he did for you. In his own, idiotic, simpleminded way, for you, Tia! So stop letting his actions affect you still!” Spike roared, glaring at the shivering mare standing only a few paces from her.

“Spike!” Twilight shouted, dragging herself forward. The heavy shroud of energy made the warm air feel as thick as soup, seeming to press back as Twilight pushed forward. “Stop it!”

“Stay out of this, Twilight.” The dragon growled, not taking her predatory gaze off of the armored mare. “This is something that she had needed to hear for more than five centuries.”

“You know nothing-” Celestia snapped, jerking to glare up at Spike. The dragon in question cut her off with a roar.

“I KNOW ENOUGH!”

Twilight saw the great, leathery wings of the dragoness spread open, before they beat a single, savage swipe at the air. The force of the gale Spike created was almost enough to knock Twilight off her hooves, standing so close to the source. It was nothing like the agitated fluttering of the pegasi she had occasionally seen. Even the Princess, when filled with nervous energy, tended to keep her movements to short, sharp bursts.

Spike is bigger than pegasus. She’s bigger than Celestia, and has to outweigh her by almost five stone. If not more. And she can fly. Even with magic allowing her to create the force she needs, the amount of mass she has means that she has almost no choice but to have out-sized wings. They have to be nearly four times the size of Luna’s. And she flaps enough to make a noticeable wind too. Add to that, without the feathers, more energy can be directly generated, with less input, and I’m shocked she didn’t sweep me off my hooves.

Huh. Why did I think about Luna’s wings, and not Princess Celestias?

Twilight snapped out of her diversion in time to watch Spike’s jaws snap shut with a furious clack.

“Until now, your childish fixation with your own pain has been nothing more than an insult to yourself, and an embarrassment to those aware of it. Now you are risking lives, Celestia. I have seen enough of war to last me a dozen lifetimes, and I will not allow you to begin another simply because you are still obsessing over something that happened five hundred years ago!”

Celestia shied away as though the dragon’s words had struck her a physical blow. The golden armor rattled and chimed as she danced back a pace, glaring at Spike. Until then, even when Spike was speaking, Twilight could sense Celestia’s continued attention, a sense of pressure emanating from the mare. It had fluctuated wildly, from the agonizing force when she had torn the stone asunder, to the hot pressure of the midday sun beating down. Now though, Twilight didn’t feel anything from the Princess. Spike had managed to capture the alicorn’s full attention.

“You know as well as I,” Spike went on, speaking more gently now. “You know that what Lights-On-Water did, he did with the best of intentions. And can you truly call him a traitor, when he sacrificed himself?”

“He took the coward’s way out.” Celestia growled in a harsh whisper. She didn’t look at Spike though, dropping her gaze to the floor as she spoke. “He wouldn’t even face the consequences for his crimes.”

“And where those crimes worthy of death?” Spike snapped. “Heed me well, youngling. There is no higher price one can pay than one's own life. Do not cheapen his actions by pretending he was a coward. He saved you, and your kingdom, and paid the price in blood. I have been content to let you deal with what happened until now. But I will not allow you to throw away the lives of pony nor dragon needlessly. If nothing else, then you will then be no better than he was.”

“I would never betray my ponies!” Celestia roared, slamming her hoof down with a thunderous crack. Golden energy began to swirl around the Princess, dancing about her flesh like so many tendrils of flame.

“And what do you think you are doing, when you show so clearly how worthless you think their lives?” Came Spike’s calm response. She didn’t seem to be angry anymore, she seemed… tired. “Tia, have you even tried diplomacy.”

“There is nothing to say. They have invaded my lands, they have attacked my ponies.”

“Do you know why they are in the Waste?”

Twilight looked at the dragoness as she spoke, some small change in tone drawing her attention. She still sounded tired, almost like old Lady Petunia. The old mare was the lady of a small town of little importance. When she turned the title of Baron to her son, she had come to live in the Heart, to be close to Court and the friends she had made over the years.

The old mare sometimes spoke in the same tired voice, one that showed her age, and just how much the mare had to regret. She had never been shy about her past, and the few times Twilight had spoken to the old lady herself, Lady Petunia would always use that same tone, telling Twilight not to let her life pass her by.

Regret. Twilight thought. Just like when she told me about her husband. She talked just like Spike is now.

Celestia seemed to be thinking something similar, because for the first time since she had turned to face them, the white mare’s aura of angry power seemed to fade, replaced by confusion. “It is relatively simple tactics. They have the advantage of flight, as well as being heavily armored. The only troops that we have who can effectively combat a dragon are the battlemage battalions, and the Southern Guard. Without special training, our pegasi can’t approach a fully grown adult safely, and our knights will be useless unless the dragon is grounded. Unicorn troops tend to move slowly, since they are tied most heavily to the baggage, and their supplies. In the middle of that wasteland, not only would our troops be at a severe disadvantage, but they would be slow moving and vulnerable to attack unless they moved at an even slower pace. Meanwhile, the dragons can move about easily, and require more food, but less often than ponies, limiting the effects of a barren encampment on their own forces.”

Twilight could almost feel Spike roll her eyes as the dragon replied in a dry tone. “Yes, it is all but impregnable, which only makes your decision to attack them more foolish. However, I’m sure it took your tacticians about two hours to work all that out?”

Celestia nodded hesitantly. “I’m not sure, but it was relatively simple to determine. Since then, they’ve been working on ways to overcome or neutralize those disadvantages.”

“Then I will ask you what Twilight asked me.” Spike spoke carefully. “Why is it that the dragons haven’t done something so obvious, until now?”

Chapter Twenty-Two

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Silence rang through the yawning maw of the Heart. It slithered around the three of them, dragon, pony, and Princess. It dug cold talons into the chest of Celestia, a sudden niggling of doubt worming its way into her staunch heart.

“Well?” Celestia demanded, glaring across the short distance. “Tell me this greatest of secrets, wise one.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed at the acidic tone, but the dragoness brushed it aside. She drew in a long breath, holding it. Flames licked through her teeth as she exhaled with a hiss, turning to look past Celestia, out through the open doors. Her wings shifted slightly as the reptilian pony settled herself.

“They are here because they have grown weary of me,” Spike whispered. Twilight could barely hear the soft words over the gentle breeze that began to blow in through the doorway. The wind rustled the unicorn’s mane, and Twilight had to shake an errant strand from her eyes.

“I’ve sometimes wondered, did you ever hear stories of the king who ruled over the ponies before your mother?” Spike asked, turning her head to look at Celestia. The grave stare seemed to take the Princess aback, and her mouth snapped shut on a flippant retort. Returning the blank look with one of petulant compliance, Celestia shook her head.

“I didn’t think so. And you certainly haven’t heard of King Petrichor who came before him, or Queen Nightshade before him, nor of Princess Surf Strider before her.” Spike snorted a mirthless chuckle. “It has always fascinated me, watching you ponies forget yourselves. An alicorn ruler seems to live forever, and every one of them seemed so convinced that they were the first child born to one of those immaculate beings. Until you, Celestia, none of them realized, or cared, that their birth had nothing to do with the gifts I gave them. I cannot tell you how pleased I was when you sought me out, to turn a young pegasus into the Princess she is today. Luna has made a kind ruler.”

A soft smile hovered around the edges of Spike’s scaled mouth, and Twilight couldn’t help but feel her own lips tug upwards. The thought of Luna, of her Luna, being praised by someone so clearly experienced made her heart swell just a touch. She felt her private smile fall away when the dragoness exhaled another gusty sigh.

“I’ll spare you the long line of pony royalty. Suffice to say there were many, and all that they shared in common other than the long life I gifted to them, was the kindness and goodness that they initially showed. What they became after centuries, that was often beyond my control. But even your mother, Tia, was once a generous soul, full of life and joy.

“The short answer to why Rylias is moving now, is that they cannot afford to wait any longer. As I am excellent proof, a dragon will never die from simple age. And as the centuries pass, we simply grow in strength and size.” Spike shifted a wing to point in the general area where her titanic dragon form had landed long ago. “The only change between an elder dragon, like myself, and an adult, save the size, is that an elder cannot breed. After several thousand years, a dragoness no longer lays eggs.”

“So you sealed the magic of the dragon breeding grounds away,” Twilight ventured. The dragon’s head snapped around, and a single gimlet eye glared at the unicorn. Twilight felt herself shrink before that eye, like a mouse who senses a hawk. Or maybe a snake, with merciless reptilian eyes.

“Nothing so simple,” Spike snapped, before calming herself. “You have no idea what the world was like, so long ago. Creatures you couldn’t begin to imagine were building civilizations that would rival Helios and Selene at their grandest. Heliopaths galloped across the desert sands. The treants tended their groves far from most mortals. The zebra you know are a shadow of the mighty empire they once commanded, casting their dominion over the farthest reaches of the plains. By comparison, Equestria was a land barely a third the size of Selene. All of the different ponies gathered for their own protection, not from some noble ideal of friendship.

“And do you know who held sway over all the races?” Spike growled. “Do you know who attacked without warning, killed without mercy?”

“The dragons,” Celestia said. It wasn’t a question, her voice rang with surety as she spoke. Her purple eyes were still dark with repressed anger, but they seemed to have softened slightly from the flakes of frozen gemstone they had been.

“My people were the stuff of nightmares. A single warrior was the worth of an army on his own. Few dared face us in magical combat, and none dared open warfare. The empire of Rhyss’velt grew by the decade, annexing everything near it.” Spike’s voice dropped into a guttural snarl as she continued. “My brother and I lead them to countless victories. And when we slaughtered the Priest-King of the Zebra, only three nations stood between us and the domination of the world.”

Spike scoffed, though Twilight couldn’t tell if it was disgust with herself, or at the actions of her people.

“Next came the heliopaths,” Spike continued, nodding to Celestia. “They were creatures of fire, tied to the power of the sun in ways nobody fully understood. There were few of them, and they refused to ever leave their desert home. It was difficult to kill a creature of living fire. A thinking, breathing inferno. Fang despised them to the point where I sometimes wondered at his sanity. I tried to keep what few heliopaths were captured as comfortable as I could. Just because they were on the wrong side, didn’t mean that they needed to die for nothing.”

“Fang disagreed. He killed them, in creative ways, often.” Spike whispered, gazing once more out of the doorway. Peering through time into a memory, Twilight thought. It was a long moment before Spike began to speak once more, and Twilight could feel the anger trembling just beneath the surface.

“My brother and I had lived for centuries, millennia, maybe. Time is meaningless to us, we never saw a reason to measure its passage. But even for an immortal, we had known each other for many lifetimes, for so long we could no longer remember when we had met. We were friends, the best of friends, and we both knew that we would always have each other.”

“But when I saw how he attacked the Heliopaths, how he chased them down for sport, I finally saw who he really was. Fang was a monster. Just like the rest of my kind.” Spike spat the last words with sulphurous venom. “Once I had seen it in my brother, I began to see it in others. Dragons I had known for many years. My family, my friends. I saw what monsters they all really were. So… I stole their magic. The Heliopaths had an understanding of magic in a way that we dragons would never comprehend. I still don’t know how the spell worked, but I convinced a dying sage to cast it. He took my blood, the blood of a brood mother, and stole away the life from our eggs. He took all the magic that lets a dragon be born, and sealed it into the very scales of my body. He only begged that I stop the rampage my brother had started.

“This happened many eons ago,” she said, heaving a sigh. Her great armored flanks rose and fell, gemstone scales shining in the light. “I killed my brother, my best friend. I doomed my people. I cursed them to a horrific fate. I condemned them, condemned us, to watch as our ‘noble’ race withered and died.”

“A dragon’s egg will never hatch, unless it is bathed in fire magic for decades.” The dragon chuckled forlornly. Twilight thought she could hear a note of shame in the laughter, a hysterical note hidden within the sound. “You ponies think we guard our clutches like treasures, but that was never the case. Long ago, we simply made our nests in places of the purest fire, a place no living creatures save us could survive. And now… it hardly matters where a mother’s nest is now. Many have even taken to eating their own eggs in an attempt to...” Spike trailed off, shaking her head slowly.

“While this is fascinating,” Celestia began, not unkindly. Spike whirled at the words, baring her teeth, but Celestia raised an armored hoof to silence her, and continued. “While it is fascinating, this doesn’t explain why the dragons of Rylias are moving now. Nor does it tell us why they are marching on the Waste.”

“The latter is the simpler question.” Spike said, nodding towards the entrance. “What you call the Waste was once our favored breeding grounds. Molten rock bubbled to the surface, making pools. In my youth, the dominant females would lay their clutches within the lavapools themselves. Weaker females would lay theirs as close to the pools, or the boiling water that surround them as they could. It was a favored breeding ground, and it was said that eggs born from the pools of lava bore the strongest hatchlings. My brother and I were hatched there.”

“So they hope to restore the magic of the Waste?” Celestia asked.

“But how can they do that, if all the magic is inside you?” Twilight inquired, looking between the two larger creatures. “You said that the Heliopath sealed the magic into you?”

“Because even with the power of the spell the Heliopath used, he could not draw upon all of the fire magic in the world. He could draw up all of the released fire magic, and that was an enormous sum of power. It is the source of my magic. However, there were other sources, other vessels filled with it. The dragon’s act now, because they have found one of those sources. Or rather, they stole it from you, Celestia, some years ago.” Spike grimaced, teeth flashing as her lips pulled back. “My kind can feel fire magic for leagues, it warms us. Like basking in the summer sun.”

“The attack several years ago?” Celestia asked, voice sharp. “They were here for some kind of fire magic you hid here?”

Spike twisted, nodding towards the bowels of the Heart. “One of the ornaments I returned to you after the unfortunate demise of your mother. The fire magic contained within my body drew me to the stone only a few years after the collapse of the Rhyss’velt. Buried deep within the dormant hollow of the Waste, I found an egg. There are…” Spike winced. “There are no words in your tongue to describe the creature slumbering within. It is not unlike a phoenix, a creature of elemental fire. It is a titanic creature, the likes of which the world has not seen in eons. It is molten rock given form, a creature of fire and stone. My kind spoke of them in whispers, for even a dragon cannot withstand their fury. We named them Kyssht, and they were often spoken off to younglings to scare them into good behavior.”

“Then why do the dragon’s want to bring forth such a creature?” Celestia asked, eyes narrowing. “I’ve seldom seen you pay any creature the heed you speak of this… thing. The last was the Revenant.”

“This creature is far worse,” Spike growled. “The Revenant was powerful, but the Kyssht is something far stronger, and just as vile. They are evil, Celestia. Mindless, and hungry. They are the dark aspect of fire, all consuming, passionate hunger, and one that can bring forth fields of molten rock as easily as you and I breathe. They are almost unstoppable.”

“Then why would the dragons unleash this beast?” Celestia asked, eyes wide. “And why have they waited until now?”

“Because they are desperate!” Spike snapped, jaws clashing. “They see their doom looming closer every time one of their youngsters dies in some pointless conflict, with the lindorms, with the gryphons, or with the ponies. For all their might, dragons are not invulnerable, Celestia, and there are maybe half a hundred of us LEFT!”

Spike’s flanks rose and fell rapidly after her shout, one that still rang in the empty chamber.

“Spike?” Twilight asked, flinching as the reptilian head snapped around to face her. “Why did you wait until now to tell us?”

The little mare shuffled back a step, grimacing. “Er, what I mean is, why didn’t you do something as soon as the dragon’s stole the… egg, or whatever it is?”

Celestia’s eyes widened in surprise, before she turned to Spike. “A good question.”

Spike grew very still as Celestia stared at her. Her eyes slowly closed, and the dragoness released a shuddering breath. Celestia and Twilight turned, glancing at each other, before turning back to the dragon. Celestia’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Because,” Spike growled, digging her talons into the polished stone. Flakes and chips of marble flew into the air about her clawed hand, a cloud of dust and rubble jumping into the air. “I planned to kill the last of my kind, Celestia. I doomed them , doomed us, to a slow death. If you want to know what it is like to know that your kind has no hope, ask your pet Changeling.”

The floor had deep grooves torn into it now, with the powerful claws sunk deep into rock. Spike seemed to not even be aware of her actions, a reflexive tightening of the muscles in her foreleg.

It startled Twilight to see such a casual, even accidental, display of physical strength. It was easy to forget that Spike, even with the doubt and suspicion she had been cast under for the last week, was a dragon. While she was nothing like a pony, in either manners or appearance, her good nature and dry wit had left Twilight reluctantly fond of the female.

But seeing how easily Spike tore through, not just dense rock, but through the layers of mystic enchantments laid into the very floor, to strengthen and protect the very stone of the Heart. And Spike had torn through it as easily as Twilight could have torn a page in her haste to find out what came next. It reminded Twilight of the first sight she had of the mighty dragon. It reminded her of the titanic creature who had dwarfed the many ponies flanking it.

The dragoness hadn’t finished though, and as she spoke, Twilight could see the marble around her claws change slowly from white to a cherry red. “I would allow them to cast their spell, and call forth a beast of dark fire. The spell would consume the last dragon mages, devoured by the monster. It would bring forth the fires of the Waste once more, so that the eggs still dormant there would begin to grow again. And I would hunt down the survivors, the last dragons. I would kill my species, Celestia, and spare them watching their future die. While they still have some hope left.”

Celestia shook her head fiercely, taking a staggering step back from the furious drake. Her eyes were wide, and once again, her magic poured off of her body, seeming to rise like a bulwark against the power rolling off of Spike in waves. Twilight moved away from the dragoness as well, sheltering behind the shield of Celestia’s will. The white mare didn’t turn to look behind her, but one feathery wing flared out slightly, a protective movement that seemed almost as reflexive as Spike’s demolition work moments ago. So close to her magic, Twilight could taste the emotion’s playing through the other mare’s mind without seeing the look on her face.

Coppery anger was present, the same flavor that had tinged the room since Twilight and Spike had entered. It was the righteous fury of a betrayed Princess. But it was a hot aftertaste to the frigid, nuclear peppermint of Celestia’s shocked disgust.

“I cannot bear it,” Spike whispered, still not meeting the disgusted, horrified look that had been plastered to the armored mare. “I can feel their despair, their fear. It torments me, Celestia. I cannot bear it any longer. Better that their end comes swiftly. So I allowed them to enter your kingdom. It was not the first time they sought that stone. But this time, they succeeded. They stole it away, and began to prepare this spell.”

“But why do all this?” Twilight asked. Her voice trembled, shaking almost as violently as the air between the magical heavyweights. The heat rising from the two creatures made the form of Spike blurry, but she was still visible when she turned a startled gaze towards the unicorn. Twilight gulped, but continued. “If you only wanted to... end their suffering, why not just do it yourself. It isn’t as though anypony could stop you.”

“Oh,” Spike mumbled, blinking as if poleaxed. Her eyes had sprung wide as she heard Twilight speak, and her grip on the rock relaxed. Then the dragoness grimaced. “Because I planned only for the cruelty of the dragons to die, not all of my kind. There are still dozens of clutches buried beneath the cooled lava of the Waste. When the Kyssht is born, it will bring forth the fire magic once again. Then I simply need to slay the monster, and the rest of my brothers and sisters. Once they are gone, and the eggs are safe I will… follow my kind.”

She ended with a whisper, and the words shocked both of the ponies. Before they could reply, Spike went on. “Without the hubris of their elders, feeding them a diet of nothing but their own superiority, then maybe the dragon’s will no longer bring death to the world.” She sighed. “I never wanted to cause so much pain, Celestia. I only wanted to bring peace.”

Celestia’s voice was cold, a jagged spear of ice that pierced the dragon’s tough scales. “Peace, bought with blood, is a lie. You told me that, when I was a filly.” Celestia’s breathing hitched, growing uneven. “You are as much of a monster as your brother.”

“I cannot deny that.” Spike whispered, sounding defeated. “But my kind’s barbarism dies with me.”

“Why did you stop us, then?” Celestia asked, voice ringing with command. It was the voice of a monarch, one who does not expect, but knows she will be obeyed. “Why did you not allow us to clean up your mess?”

“Because, this is my shame.” Spike murmured. “My responsibility. And I will not allow you to throw away lives that need not be spent.”

“How noble,” Celestia sneered. Then her eyes narrowed, and locked onto the dragon’s reptilian ones. “I will pull back my troops, Spike. But you will join me, and Luna. And we will meet with the dragons. You need not slay any more lives needlessly.”

Spike opened her fanged mouth, but Celestia cut her off, turning to spear Twilight with a hard purple gaze. “And you, Twilight, will accompany us, as will my honor guard. I trust you will see to it that no foul play comes of our parley?” She addressed the last to Spike, who blinked.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, shocked.

“I am going to end your stupid, selfish, VILE plan!” Celestia snapped. “You don’t get to take the coward’s way out, Spike. And so help me, I swear by the blood of my mother, and the cursed blood of yours that flows through me, I will bring you justice for these… atrocities.”

Celestia straightened, and Twilight felt the barrier of magic between herself and the dragon fall. “Now, if I may indulge in a bit of flamboyance of my own,” she snorted, in obvious contempt of Spike’s martyrdom. “I have a race of creatures to save, and only a day to do so. Shall we?”

Chapter Twenty-Three

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Twilight had never been so far from the Heart in her life. She had never been further than the town that sat at the foot of the monolithic capital of Helios. For all that she could see for leagues from the high windows of the Heart, out onto the gentle plains and rolling hills, actually going through those rolling hills was a new experience. From the dull ache she had felt growing in her legs for the past several hours though, it was an experience she was sure she would have decidedly mixed feelings about.

Not that you wouldn’t be conflicted regardless. An amused voice tickled her mind, nudging gently past the heavy wall she had kept up from habit. The voice was familiar, and the way it slid over her mind, smooth and warm and hard, told Twilight precisely who she was speaking to.

Spike? She prodded along the mental link, almost stumbling as she focused. She didn’t want the thought to be projected to anypony who might be sensitive to them, but the task of focusing on her barrier, the question, the tenuous mental connection, and walking in a straight line almost overcame the poor mare.

Who else? The voice asked, amusement even more clear now. The link between the two solidified as she replied. I somehow doubt that Tia is going to be in the mood to trade thoughts with you for some time.

Twilight grimaced at the thought, and again as her hindleg gave a painful twinge. She had stretched it a little too far coming down the last hill. How is it that you can speak to me?

Because, little one, you haven’t half the skill with your mind you think. Spike chuckled, and Twilight thought she could hear the soft chuffing of the dragon’s laugh reach her ears, as well as echoing through her mind.

The laughter made the mare snort, hackles raised. Before she could snap a reply, Spike’s thoughts brushed her once more.

I meant no insult, Twilight. Only that your focus is scattered now, and you haven’t had the decades of experience to keep such mental defenses in place constantly.

It isn’t as though I could keep anypony out of my mind anyway. Twilight groused, feeling her lip curl as she sidestepped a muddy puddle. She had never been a fainting lady, like some ponies who frequented Court, but hours on the road had given her a rather fastidious avoidance of muck and grime of any sort. You, Luna, and Princess Celestia all have centuries of practice.

And what difference would that make? Spike rumbled. I’m bored.

The sudden statement made Twilight blink, before blushing. How did you-

It wasn’t telepathy. Spike cut her off, somehow sending the sense of rolling her eyes through the link. Ponies, dragons, everything is predictable to an extent. You were wondering why I suddenly spoke to you, and why I have continued to do so. Your response to mine was just as predictable.

Well, I hope I can be an adequate diversion. Twilight huffed, and rolled her own eyes.

Spike winced, a sense of chagrin pulsing between them. I apologize. I become rather…

Cantankerous? Twilight suggested, thoughts drier than the dusty saddlepack draped across her back.

I suppose that works. Spike chuckled. As I was saying, however, experience makes little difference in breaking into someone’s mind, Twilight. Ultimately, your ability to defend your mind is your ability to focus. If your will is strong enough, and you do not allow trivialities to distract you, nothing will be able to pierce your mind.

But you can’t focus on two things at once. Twilight objected. She was so involved in her mental conversation, she didn’t even seem to register that they had begun to climb yet another hill, something that had drawn a whimper from her before. It isn’t possible. At best, somepony can change what they are focusing on very quickly.

True, Spike sent a feeling of acknowledgement to the little mare, something akin to a small nod of agreement. And that is precisely what experience will give you. With enough practice defending itself, your mind can be trained just like a muscle. Eventually, you will react to a foreign presence with an immediate defense, even if the touch is one so light you are not even aware that you are aware of it.

“Then what makes it different from a reflex?” Twilight wondered.

“Makes what different?” A stallion asked from nearby. Twilight jumped, hearing the deep voice so close. The stallion, an earth pony wearing a golden peytral emblazoned with a stylized sun, moved closer. “Are you well?”

You really should remember that you needn’t use your mouth to speak. The amused voice of the dragoness hissed, clearly laughing at the mare’s expense. Her thoughts reached Twilight while the knight was speaking.

“What?” Twilight blinked, trying to sort out the tangle of words. “Oh, no. I mean yes, I’m well. There is nothing wrong.”

Confused by the strange little mare, the stallion arched an eyebrow, looking Twilight up and down with a critical eye. His fur was a dusty tan, a few shades lighter than the dry and hard-packed dirt that composed the main road from Helios to Selene. His eyes were hard to place, a color that seemed to shift subtly between a vague blue and an apathetic green. Their indeterminate color did nothing to soften the sharp gaze though, and Twilight shifted uncomfortably under it.

The stallion seemed to take her movement as a sign, and grimaced slightly. His sharp gaze softened, and he gave her a gentle smile. “C’mere.” He said, reaching around to unclasp one of his saddlepacks. Before Twilight could say anything, the stallion had pulled out a small canteen from his pack, clutching the cork lid carefully between his teeth.

After taking a moment to glance over, and see that Twilight was still walking only a pace or so away from him, he flipped his head, and tossed the canteen to her. The sudden throw made Twilight jump a little, and her magic flared to catch the metal container. Seeing this, the stallion nodded to her. “Take a drink or two, you need it more than we do.”

“What?” Twilight stammered. “No, I can’t do that. It’s barely midday, and I’m carrying less than anypony here. I can’t-“

“Just do it,” the stallion sighed, rolling his eyes. “Everypony here is either a trained soldier, or a centuries old creature of unimaginable power.” The stallion paused, and grinned. “Or a piece of shiny new armor.”

The earth pony knight had raised his voice as he said that, loud enough to carry along the small group. From somewhere out of sight, Twilight heard an indignant shout of “Oy!”. The familiar voice, raised in just the same amused outrage as in her foal years, made Twilight grin.

The sight of her smile made the stallion wink, before turning in the direction of the voice and calling back. “Sorry, Captain Shining Armor, sir!”

He turned back to Twilight, and gave her an encouraging nod. “I mean it, Princess. We are all trained to march like this from dawn till dusk. You aren’t. I don’t know about the dragon, but even Princess Celestia has stopped for a mouthful a time or two.”

“She has?”

The guard nodded again. “Mhm. And given as how you don’t have wings, I’m guessing you aren’t quite as tough as Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are.”

Twilight forced a rueful chuckle, and lifted the canteen to her lips. The water was hot, and tasted strongly of metal. Despite that, Twilight had to force herself not to gulp it down in greedy mouthfuls. She took one small sip at a time, feeling the water soothe a throat she hadn’t even known was parched.

After a long minute of small sips, Twilight allowed herself a single large gulp, before she passed the stallion back the canteen. The cork rose to meet its home as the canteen flew, slotting into place with an odd sucking sound. The stallion caught it by the cork, and stowed it away once more.

“Don’t go for too long without water again, Princess Twilight. It could be dangerous for you, and it will slow us down. Princess Celestia won’t leave you behind, and Captain Green-horn won’t either.”

“Damn it, Meadows!”

Twilight chuckled again, much more freely this time. “Thank you, and I won’t.” She assured the stallion, before turning to look ahead once more.

Well, that was rather sweet of him. Spike murmured with an audible smirk.

Twilight rolled her eyes, but smiled. I doubt it. Shining Armor told him to keep an eye on me.

The surety of Twilight’s voice made the dragoness blink, then grin. Ah, he is the Changeling’s beau, is he not?

They are friends. But Cadance made sure he always looked out for me. There was an… incident when I was younger, involving a flowerpot. We were playing hide and seek in one of the gardens, and I tripped and hit the pot while he was chasing me. It wasn’t much, but the fall gave me a little cut a bit beneath my eye. We didn’t think about it, and kept on playing. When Cadance found out though…

Twilight grinned, remembering the sudden glare her mother had sent the stallion. She tore into him like an apple pie. Ever since then, he’s always been careful around me, making sure I didn’t get hurt.

That does seem to be how the Changeling would solve her problem.

How’s that? Twilight asked, feeling the honeyed amusement of the dragoness fill her chest.

She approaches all problems in a similar manner. In the most expedient fashion, and with the maximum of force.

Twilight smirked. You underestimate her. You make her sound like a battering ram, bashing away at her problems until they are solved.

And she is not? Spike arched the thin, supple scales that ringed her eyes. It echoed through their minds like the susurrus of dry leaves brushing together. Each time I have seen the Changeling Queens, their goals are as predictable as their strategy. Infiltrate, control, and enslave their newest source of food.

Twilight shook her head, acidic bubbles of disgust burning bitter on their tongues. No, Cadance isn’t like that. She’s subtle.

You say this only because she deceived you for so long, Twilight Sparkle. Spike stated, calmly. And that was likely only possible because you simply weren’t aware that such creatures-

She isn’t a creature. The connection between the two began to roil, as her anger pulsed along the bond for a long moment. It wasn’t the hot fury that had been so common in the Heart of late, the kind that stirred the magic all around into a frenzy. It was indignant, not passionate, and though is sent ripples through their connection, Twilight kept the volatile emotion from affecting her magic.

You have improved. Spike noted drily, and Twilight could taste the ancient creature’s amusement. If you keep doing so, soon you shall put Celestia and myself to shame.

What? Twilight asked, blinking in confusion. The distraction lifted her attention from the ground for a short moment, just long enough for her hoof to land with a solid squish in a muddy puddle.

You may want to watch where you step, little one. Spike said. The mirth in her voice bubbled just beneath the words, but the dragoness restrained her laughter for the sake of her dirty friend.

What I mean, Twilight, is your self-control. she continued. The hint of her laughter was still present, an aftertaste to the dragon’s words. It softened the serious tone just a touch, smoothing out the rough edges that clung to the thoughts, soothing the tatters of an unseen memory. That is something that neither I, nor your Princess were ever able to master. For all our power, our wisdom, we are ruled by our emotions.

A harsh laugh echoed through Twilight’s mind, full of self-reproach. Many think that long life dulls the senses, lessens the power your emotions hold. They think that you move on, you accept the inevitable. None of them understand the pain of waiting and watching as all the things around you waste away. It wears on your mind, in ways you cannot hope to understand.

The dragoness sighed, and Twilight felt the stirrings of regret in the mental exhalation. You may have… noticed the extreme reactions that Celestia has displayed recently. Her shifts in mood, her sudden, violent anger, at times even her childishness.

Well, yes. Twilight spoke, hesitant. She worried her lip for a long moment, before continuing. Princess Celestia has been behaving, oddly.

None of us are far from our emotions, Twilight Sparkle. As we age, we only become better at controlling them. Perhaps it is that very few are willing to tell creatures like Celestia and myself that we are wrong, so few would, or even could, punish us for behaving like younglings. I know that you can feel it when our anger runs hot. You could feel the way our rage seeped into our magic, took control of it.

That you can restrain yourself, on a topic you hold so close to your heart, speaks well of you. The simple ability to control yourself in such a way may not seem a gift, but it is no less valuable for its plain appearance. I envy you that skill.

Twilight felt her cheeks flush as she walked, hearing the surprisingly gentle words. The sudden, sweet scent of apples filled the mare’s nostrils, and it took her a moment to untangle the mess of signals being sent to her mind. The smell wasn’t something Spike had sent her, though it did make the mare wonder just what thought or emotion would smell like fresh apples. Instead the appetizing aroma was carried on the afternoon breeze, mixing with the drier smells of dirt and sweat and hot summer air. The sharp stench of warm metal, armor baking beneath the sun.

Spike? Twilight hesitated, steps slowing as she considered her words carefully. Why are you telling me these things?

I can’t make conversation? The dragon’s amusement, something that felt like dry leaves crackling underhoof. It was crisp, and pleasant, but it held the same sense of finality about it. The amusement dimmed slightly as Spike continued. I… thought that you deserved to know. Little one, you must understand that you are in a position that few could ever imagine, and at a time that allows you to see the world that is often hidden from view.

The ponies of Helios see Tia as many things. She is wise, fair, and kind. She places the needs of her subjects before all else, and she cannot abide injustice. Twilight sensed Spike shake her head, a frustrated tic. You have seen far more of the Princess than any of her subjects. You have seen that she can feel uglier emotions. Annoyance. Anger. But also tenderness. You have seen her humor, genuine smiles. But even you, Twilight, have only seen a few facets of her. Tia is old, and has had centuries to learn control. What the world sees, she fully intends to show them. Even to you, she…

What? Twilight asked, feeling somehow that the thought itself trailed away. Her words echoed in the empty space for a long moment, before Spike sighed.

I do not mean to say, or imply, that Celestia has lied to you, Twilight. No more than the Changeling lied about her love for you. But Celestia has never allowed many of the darker aspects of her history come to light. And you have seen that, when she is under the kinds of pressure placed upon her now, she... cannot keep up her façade. She cannot act at all times as the wise leader. Her hot-headed nature is more apparent now, is it not? She has always been impulsive, and somewhat reckless. And as I told you, we creatures of such long lives do not truly have any more control over how we feel than does anyone. We simply have become masters of controlling our reactions to them. When pushed too far though, you see us as we truly are. Petty. Jealous. Wrathful. All of the ugliest parts of our personalities, the parts we try to hard to hide, to ignore, they stand out in sharp contrast to what you expect.

You recall how… extreme Celestia’s reaction was, when she believed she had been betrayed? If the wards surrounding the Heart were anything less than they are, the surge of magic would likely have been felt halfway to the sea.

I remember. Twilight took a deep breath. That day had been… eventful. It still burned in her memory, a stark reminder of just how easily her whole world could be fractured.

Tia takes treachery personally, in a way that few I have ever met in my eons has. When she was still young, her lover betrayed her. He chose his love for Tia, his need to protect her, over the lives of Tia’s subjects. Had Lights-On-Water still been alive when she discovered what he had done, I shudder to think of what she would do to him. It took nearly four centuries before the legends of her rage faded, and ponies forgot just what their Princess could do.

Spike fell silent as their small band neared yet another of the seemingly endless hills. The hardpacked dirt of the road had grown soft as they spoke, shifting slightly underhoof now. Twilight blinked, and turned to look out at the trees that crowded the road. The warm, crisp scent of apples was even heavier on the air now, and the siren song brought forth an answering growl from her stomach. How long had she been speaking to Spike?

I am no less stubborn, in my own ways. Spike suddenly stated. The words were rushed, and her thoughts had a sense of deep conflict to them. I have become accustomed to being… unchallenged. It has been centuries since somepony last opposed me. Since I was last questioned. It made me, arrogant.

Even now, I cannot- Her thoughts dropped into a frustrated snarl. The feeling of lashing her thickly muscled tail filled Twilight. I do not believe that my plan, for want of a better term, that my plan was in error. Celestia does not appreciate the horrors that my kind have wrecked upon the world. If they are allowed to, live, then there is no assurance that they will not descend into that madness again.

Twilight cocked her head to the side. Before she could speak though, Spike began to speak in a rush.

I understand Tia in ways even she can’t appreciate. I am certain that I know what she intends to do, the solution she has in mind to this mess. I understand, and I sympathize with it. She has perhaps the best chance of ending this conflict without bloodshed. Without waking the Beast, and without sacrificing hundreds of ponies and damning my race to extinction. But even knowing this, I cannot rid myself of the certainty that MY plan, one I have pursued for centuries, is the only resolution.

Twilight heard a loud clack rend the quiet afternoon. The sound reached her at the same time as the sudden tightening of her own jaw.

Spike’s voice was tight now, trembling with rage. Did you never wonder why my method of dealing with mine kin was so convoluted? Did it seem incongruous, when I could simply have destroyed them all? I could unleash upon them an inferno that would turn even dragon bones to ash. Do you know why I let them live, when I hate them so?

Twilight shook her head, and winced as a spike of loathing slammed into her gut.

Because I had to know that I was better than they were. That I wasn’t a monster, like Fang. If I let them live, then they could find peace, find a way to rise above their cruel natures.

Twilight felt the dragoness pause, her mind soaking in the brine of Spike’s self-reproach. Into that silence, the little unicorn spoke, and she felt the ancient being flinch at her words. You needed to know that a dragon could be more than a monster.

Yes. A harsh whisper flowed into Twilight. The thought was a ragged thing, one that scraped raw edges against her mind. It trailed memories and emotions, far too strong, too confused, to be intentional. For the first time since she had begun the queer method of communication, Twilight felt as if she had somehow violated another. The pain in her mind was too foreign, and she could feel the emotions attaching themselves to unrelated thoughts, seeking to solidify themselves in her mind.

The sensation was terrifying. And Twilight fought back at the infectious thoughts with a reflexive fury, pushing back wherever she could feel it creeping closer. The thought of losing her mind, even a tiny fraction of it, filled the unicorn with a dread that was wholly her own. She couldn’t tell how long she spent fighting back the overpowering emotions, but when Twilight broke through the surface of that roiling ocean, Spike was speaking once more.

I had to give them a chance. If they showed that they could live in peace, I would have found a way to return the fire magic to them. Even if I had to die, I would have returned their future.

Spike had calmed slightly. After that first tortured word, her thoughts lacked the horrible barrage of memories and feelings. Though the slow, heavy words, not unlike the way one would gasp between sobs, still were full of emotions, they were no longer suffocating. It still felt as though Twilight were being clubbed about the head with the sheer intensity of the emotions though.

But they didn’t. I gave them thousands of years to change. I watched as century after century they grew weaker, as the younglings that remained were killed in foolish raids. Every time I woke from my slumber, more and more of my kin were slain, either by their own foolishness, or by chance. The linnorms, the wyverns. All the draconic creatures, the ones not damned, encroached. Every time I woke, the number of my kind grew fewer, and the confidence of the creatures who saw their weakness grew. Now there are only a few left. Barely enough to breed. The females will be lucky to bare a single clutch now, even if the fires return. If they can, if, by some miracle, Tia can find some solution in the midst of this torment. Spike’s voice grew distant. Sad. Her words were hollow, like they echoed up from the bowels of a stone cave. I hope that she can. Twilight, I’ve never wanted something so much. I want my people to live, I want the pain and the guilt to stop. But I don’t think she can. I don’t think anyone can help them now, help me, now. I hope that she can save us from the depths of this despair. But for as noble as she may be, even Tia cannot save the damned.

Twilight hesitated, feeling Spike grow distant once more. Before the dragoness could break the link though, she spoke. I don’t think you are a monster. I just think you’ve been forced to make decisions nopony should ever have to. You tried your best. You aren’t perfect, but… Twilight’s voice trailed away for a long moment. Then she smiled, and she knew that the light, sunny warmth of it reached out along with her thoughts. But I think that you will find a way to right the wrongs of the past. You are too good not to try.

Spike stayed quiet for a moment. Then, gently, Thank you.

Her Mother's Daughter

by Nadake

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three