The most powerful sorcerer in history rescues a young Princess from her own curiosity, and helps her found a new Empire. But the sorcerer has her own reasons for doing so -- and they're not nice reasons...
The most powerful sorcerer in history rescues a young Princess from her own curiosity, and helps her found a new Empire. But the sorcerer has her own reasons for doing so -- and they're not nice reasons...
In canon, Sacanas is only mentioned in passing as the creator of the Staff of Sacanas, used by Tempest Shadow in her attempt to conquer Equestria. Yet what kind of sorcerer would fashion a staff designed to steal the magic of alicorns? Why was Tempest, while wielding the Staff and its power, so implacably, coldly vicious? And why does history seem to say so little about such a powerful mage? There's a backstory here, and this is my take on it...
One final note: I do not agree with or defend the opinions expressed here. My intent is merely to explore the question: can a pony somehow end up doing all the right things, for all the wrong reasons?
A roaring blizzard. Frigid winds and cutting sleet, shrouding the world in premature night.
Out of the gloom, a tall, dark-cloaked figure struggled. The electric-blue glare from within its hood fought to illumine a scant few yards of drift-covered forest ahead, even as the unicorn herself fought to contain a temper that verged on explosion.
This is justice?
She stabbed her forehooves into the numbing drifts, feeling for the buried dirt path that wound amid the frost-crusted trees.
I diagnose their mud-grubbing hoof infections, their feather-brained attention disorders. Attempt to educate their half-breed brats...
A rear hoof struck a hidden stump, a forehoof caught on her cloak. Snarling, she narrowly avoided pitching full length into the snow.
One sheep. They lose one sheep. One pitifully weak runt. Wouldn't survive the winter, useless waste of resources. Probably wandered off, got itself mauled by a manticore. Yet they have the gall to blame it on me. "Oh, it's that witch-mare living in the forest. She put the 'fluence on our Moxie, made her forget the little mite. It couldn't possibly be our own willful stupidity, now could it?"
She snorted crossly. And wound up near-blinding herself in the illumined steam of her own breath. She halted briefly, silencing her horn and shivering, allowing her eyesight to recover before moving on once more.
And they need only accuse me and that's enough? Their so-called magistrate can fine me, without even a scrap of evidence, not a word allowed in my defense? "We must set a firm example, maintain order and harmony within our little community..."
Her teeth ground.
Oh, yes. We know what this is really about, don't we? The looks on their smug little faces. They've longed for a chance like this, an opportunity to put me in my place. To show me that my knowledge, my experience, my wisdom are unwelcome here.
She wanted to laugh, bitterly as the wind itself.
As if I'd want anything to do with their little daub-and-spittle shanty town now! I come to trade for food, post the occasional letter. The last thing I want is to have anything more to do with such useless, addle-headed... crossbred... freaks!
She pressed on through the whirling darkness, her rage competing with the storm itself for sheer ferocity.
Yet gradually, grudgingly, her temper subsided with the ever-increasing distance from the village. All she wanted, right at that moment, was home. A roaring mage-fire in the fireplace. Her daughter snuggled next to her on the hearth, reading from her lessons and testing her own nascent horn-power. And every now and then, looking up... and smiling. A precious reminder that there was still something beautiful, something worthy, in a land chilled and blasted, frozen and near-blighted by the criminal incompetence...
Of them...
... of those ponies.
The unicorn abruptly came to a halt. She peered into the darkness ahead, in rising confusion and worry.
There should have been a light by now.
She'd reached the stone border wall, barely a half-dozen lengths from the door of the thick-walled cottage. Yet there was nothing ahead in the dark. No light, no movement. Just darkness and slicing cold winds.
Advancing steadily, watchfully, she came across hoofprints, many hoofprints. They criss-crossed the yard in every direction. Yet that in itself was no great worry. The louder, drunker villagers sometimes came all the way out here to hurl feckless insults at the cottage, to work themselves up into a lather of self-righteous indignation. And then finally tire of it, and totter off back home.
She was prepared for that. Nothing could get in through the stout stone walls, the protective wards she'd placed over its windows and on the chimney, the fire-proofing spell on the thatched roof itself. She came to the door, found it still sealed with her locking spell. Even if they'd had an army, they couldn't have gotten inside.
Then her hoof touched the frost-encrusted oak door, the frigid rime on the stone all around it. And she knew...
They hadn't needed to.
Windigo-baiting.
She'd heard of it, been warned of it in letters from other mages. Even so, she hadn't believed it. It was foolish in the extreme, almost suicidally dangerous. Yet since it was now known that windigos were attracted to dispute and conflict, and the negative emotions that went with them...
You simply gathered enough allies around some target. You pretended to argue, to fight, projecting sufficient animosity into the air so that one of the few remaining windigos, weak and emaciated, would have to come and investigate. And then, out of simple hunger, attack.
And if you were quick enough, or lucky enough, or both, you got out of the way before its frigid, soul-consuming influence got you as well.
She negated the lock spell. Hauled at the door until it wrenched free in a burst of ice shards. Shoved it open just far enough, so she could squeeze through, into the shadows beyond.
Ice.
Everything within was ice, encrusted and encased. Chill frost glinted and flashed everywhere in the electric-blue light from her horn. Her books, her research equipment, the scrolls on the worktable containing her latest spellcrafting efforts. All of it, frozen solid.
And, on the carpet before the stone-dead hearth, a small mound of ice, entombing a single small, amber-coated, rose-maned filly. Frozen solid, her eyes cast helplessly upwards, as if she simply could not comprehend the doom that had been brought down on her by the raging mob outside.
Eyes overflowing, the unicorn hesitantly reached out a hoof. She wanted merely to touch her darling, just one last time...
Something, perhaps a draft from the open door, a shift of the floorboards, even the miniscule warmth cast by the sole living thing left in the room, made the ice encasing her daughter...
Pop.
The chill night outside was rent by a piercing shriek, clearly audible even over the blizzard winds. Endless, hopeless, anguished, it raged on, unrelenting and unrestrained, a descent into madness beyond hope of redemption. Finally, mercifully, it faded to silence... like the last guttering of a candle flame before it died forever, leaving only fumes and ash.
Afterwards, something moved about within the snow-encrusted hut. It thawed out and gathered warm clothing, plus a few other necessities. Then it shoved its way out through the door, and plunged off into the night, seeking shelter, any shelter from the still raging blizzard.
Anywhere... that wasn't here.
It was a pony, but no longer saw itself as one. It was a unicorn. That was what mattered.
It was all that mattered.
It felt no loss, for it had nothing left to lose.
It had no further use for pity, or mercy, and above all else... tolerance.
All it had was a name, a single name. A dark and vicious invective hurled against anything and everything in the Three Kingdoms that was not unicorn:
There's a thing about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You generally don't realize it until far, far too late.
Broken Tooth grinned, as he and his hench-ponies advanced on the smallish, gold-cloaked, rose-maned filly backed in amongst the ashcans along the dead-end wall of the alley.
"And where would you be goin' this fine day, missy?" the hulking, coal-grey earth-pony said.
"Um... to the market?" The filly gulped, thinking fast. "To buy some... carrots? Yes, carrots. I like carrots."
Broken Tooth glanced at the others. "Uh-uh, darling." He shook his head. "Your clothes say money."
The filly grimaced. "I'm afraid I haven't any with me."
"Oh, I ain't talkin' donations, love!" Broken Tooth nodded. "I'm talkin' ransom. You're from the Castle, ain't ya? One of them lah-di-dah ladies and lords. Yeah... I reckon there'll be someone wantin' you back. Bad enough to pay beautifully."
Fear and pride warred on the filly's face,and she stamped a hoof. "You watch yourself, commoner! I am Princess Palladium! And you can get in a lot of trouble threatening me!"
Stick-thin Sharp Knife grinned. "We can get in a lot of trouble. Eh, Tooth?" He looked across at the other henchpony. "Ya hear that, Brick?"
"Yur. Heh-heh-heh." Brick Wall's eyes were hidden beneath the hanging-garden bangs of his haystack mane. He casually hefted a length of lead pipe in one foreleg.
"Nah, darlin'," said Broken Tooth. "I don't think we'll be in all that much trouble, really. After all, it ain't like you're the Crown Prince or nothing, is it?"
Palladium's fierceness died. Her gaze sank to the cobblestones.
"Awwww. There, there," Broken Tooth commiserated. "Real shame, ain't it? Being only second in line, eh?" His eyes narrowed. "Means you won't be worth nearly as much. Might have to take a little something extra to make up for it..."
"Yeah," Sharp Knife added, "like a slice of them rosy locks. I know a wig-maker'd pay beaut for mane-hair that shade, Tooth."
"Sounds about right." Broken Tooth nodded. "Only watch it, this time! We don't want to have to clean up after."
The three of them crowded closer. Sharp Knife was stropping the thin stiletto he normally kept hidden in his bushy tail, where nopony would suspect it. Brick was hefting his length of pipe, chuckling quietly to himself.
Palladium tried to squeeze back tighter against the cold stone wall. Belatedly she lit her horn, tried to recall a shield spell, a luminance spell, anything...
And then, from the open end of the alley, there came a quiet cough. Followed by a chill, stern voice. "The young lady says you could get yourselves in a lot of trouble," the voice said. "Sounds good advice to me -- almost prescient, really."
The trio of ponies turned to look. And saw, standing at the end the alley, a single tall, black-cloaked pony, one forehoof raised as if she'd merely paused while walking by. Within the night-dark depths of her hood a horn sparkled with crackling electric-blue magic.
"Bah. Beat it, witch!" growled Broken Tooth, though there was a note of uneasiness in his voice. "This ain't your concern."
"Oh really." The pony swung round to enter the alley. The hooded head tilted. One could almost feel the chill smile that lurked within. "That's astounding you know. I wasn't aware that dirt could talk..."
Broken Tooth rounded on the stranger. "What'd you say, witch?"
"You have a hearing problem as well... muck-hoof?"
"Eh, Tooth..." In a burst of mental arithmetic Sharp Knife had counted how many unicorns matched this one's description, and reached a frighteningly singular total.
Broken Tooth ignored him.
"I ain't afraid of you, hag!" he growled. "I ain't afraid of nopony!"
"Of course not," the cloaked unicorn sneered. "Fear requires intelligence."
Broken Tooth pawed the ground, incensed. "Right, That's it! I'm gonna use that horn to pick my teeth when I'm done with you."
The only reply was a dry chuckle.
Then the cloaked figure slowly, almost casually, lifted a forehoof. Despite themselves, the muggers flinched back from it. Yet the hoof simply swept on upwards, to point at the thin sliver of blue sky visible between the overhanging thatch of the neighboring houses.
"Oh my... would you just look at that..."
The muggers warily glanced upwards. Broken Tooth grunted. "Don't see nothin'."
"Wasn't talking to you."
Palladium had looked up as well, and she couldn't see anything in the cloudless sky either. Then there was a sudden electric-blue flash, filling the alley in front of her. It was accompanied by a brief, desperate shriek of agony, which dwindled to a burbling sigh, like thick broth being sluiced down a clogged drain.
The Princess looked down. There was nothing before her in the alley now, aside from wisps of crackling mage-fire dying in the air. And the cloaked unicorn, her face still hidden in the darkness of her hood.
Palladium hunched, staring up at her. "Um... where'd they go?"
"Nowhere you'd want to go looking for them just now."
"Oh. Um." Palladium nodded. "Thanks. For rescuing me, I mean."
Again the dry chuckle. "Is that what I did? Are you sure?" The dark-cloaked unicorn strode forwards, to stand looming over Palladium. "I mean, what's to stop me simply kidnapping you myself? For my own, nefarious purposes..."
Palladium's shoulders fell. She grimaced in shame.
"Would you... would you have to ask a lot of ransom for me? My parents... well, ponies think we're rich and all, but with the gems ponies are finding in this new land, we're not nearly as well off as everypony thinks we are."
Again, there was that unseen smile that one could almost feel, like a presence all its own.
"Ransom?" The unicorn sounded almost offended.
Looking about, she spotted the hunk of lead pipe left behind by the unfortunate Brick Wall. Summoning it with her magic, she hefted it with her foreleg. And then tossed it into the air. A flash from her horn, and it clanked down on the cobbles...
... as a lump of shiny yellow ore.
Palladium stared wide-eyed at the transfigured nugget. Then she cautiously reached out a hoof to prod at it. It wasn't an illusion charm, which any unicorn with some skill could manage.
It was still warm.
It was real...
"A pony with the ability to turn base metal to gold has little need for money, wouldn't you say?" The unicorn chuckled, then leaned closer, eyeing Palladium closely. "But power... influence... that has value."
Then she snorted disgustedly. "But I'm far too busy to get involved. Stay out of trouble from here on."
Without another word, the unicorn swept about and then trotted straight out of the alley. She disappeared around the corner, as if nothing had just happened.
Palladium stared after her, stunned. Then she raced to follow.
She caught up again halfway down the block. The unicorn kept striding straight ahead, apparently ignoring her.
"Are you a sorcerer, ma'am?"
"Only the worst kind," came the cold reply. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Sorry." Palladium winced. "I was just wondering... are you a pony, under there?"
The unicorn came to a halt. She tossed her head, flipping back her hood. Revealed was a dark maroon face with a berry-red mane, combed back severely. Plus large, fiercely intelligent eyes, and a razor-sharp horn, occasionally shimmering with magic overload.
"Satisfied?" she asked. And then strolled onwards, indifferently.
Palladium scrambled to keep up. "May I ask your name, ma'am?"
"Sacanas," the unicorn replied, sharply. "Sacanas is my name. And you needn't bother with "ma'am" or similar. I've no use for empty titles or fawning formality. I know who I am."
"Princess Palladium. I heard." Then the sorcerer glared narrowly at her. "What are you doing wandering around outside the Castle, Your Highness?"
Palladium shrugged. "I got bored. It was deportment again this morning. Then music. Then spell-casting, which I at least like. And then, ugh... dip-lo-mancy."
"Diplomacy," Sacanas corrected. "The art of smiling politely until you find a big enough stick."
Despite herself, Palladium giggled. Then she quickly stopped, seeing the sorcerer's disapproving look. "I just wanted to go... outside," Palladium went on. "Outside the Castle. See the town, meet ponies. So I snuck out by the servant's entrance, and wandered around. It's been loads of fun. Until I ran into those creeps back there, that is."
"A royal like you, wandering around unescorted?" Sacanas said. "It's foolish, dangerously unsafe. Though perhaps you already knew that."
Palladium nodded. "It's kinda what made it fun."
Sacanas glanced at her. Then snorted disapprovingly. "You should go home now, Your Highness."
"Well, that's the thing..." Palladium admitted. "I'm not too sure which way home is now. I kind of lost my way. And I didn't want to have to ask anypony, because..."
"... because you didn't want the embarrassment, ponies thinking a daughter of the Royal House can't even find her own Castle."
Palladium stared at the sorcerer, astonished. Sacanas's tone might have been coldly blunt, but it was neither scolding nor judgmental. She'd simply stated exactly what was on Palladium's mind, as fact. She understood, with a speed and precision that was disturbing, yet at the same time strangely comforting.
Palladium smiled up at Sacanas. The sorcerer might be coldly severe, quick to anger... yet there was something about her Palladium liked.
Noting Palladium's look, Sacanas came to a halt. And sighed, in a put-upon kind of way.
"I'm going to have to take you there myself. Aren't I?"
Palladium hesitantly tried one of her mother's pet phrases. "I wouldn't want to be a burden at all but..."
She felt silent. The unicorn was scowling coldly down at her.
"Did I say it was a choice? Come!"
And Sacanas set off at once, at a fast trot. And Palladium had to scamper to keep up with her, in a most unregal and undignified sort of way.
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In the silk-curtained Audience Hall of the grand Castle of the Unicorns, Her Royal Highness Princess Platinum held up a mirror in her magic, inspecting her perfectly coiffed violet mane, turning her head this way and that. Then she dropped the elegant silver-fleured crown back on her head and examined her reflection once more, with a look of smug satisfaction on her face.
Beside her, His Royal Highness Prince Argentum -- or "Argy Bargy" as the Princess playfully called him -- fidgeted nervously. He resettled his own smaller crown on his wheat-blond mane.
"Oh, I simply can't be bothered with decisions just now, Argy. I'm at my wits' end! What with Clover the Clever going off to continue her studies with that Star Swirl again. I mean, Clover was my right hoof! Whatever will I do for a replacement?"
Further regal lamentation was abruptly stilled when the doors of the Audience Hall blazed a brilliant electric-blue, then crashed open. They slammed to the walls, pinning the guard-ponies standing beside them.
Revealed in the corridor beyond was Sacanas. The sorcerer's head was held high, her expression coldly aloof. Her gaze settled on Princess Platinum.
"Your Majesty."
"Oh, ah." Platinum blinked. Undisputed ruler of the Unicorn Kingdom she might be, yet in the face of the black-cloaked unicorn standing before her, Princess Platinum felt like an intruder in her own throne-room.
She'd had nightmares of a moment like this.
"Sorcerer," she replied primly. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
"I happened across some mislaid valuables, Majesty. Which I thought I should return." Glancing behind herself, Sacanas snorted. "Front and center, young lady. I do not like having two shadows."
Palladium nervously trotted into view, and stood beside her.
"Pallas!" Princess Platinum frowned. "What is the meaning of this?"
Palladium tried to work up the nerve to speak. But the sorcerer spoke first. "I found her wandering around outside the Castle, Majesty. I thought she might be a little safer indoors."
"Indeed! Young lady, you will go to your room at once. And we shall have a serious talk about this later, believe you me."
Palladium blinked in surprise, amazed she was being let off so easily. Then she stared up at Sacanas, in even greater amazement. The sorcerer hadn't exactly lied. But she hadn't exactly told the truth either. She simply let Mother hear exactly what Mother wanted to hear, Palladium marvelled. I never once thought of trying that.
"Pallas! At once!"
"Yes, Mother." Palladium mumbled resignedly. She turned and headed gloomily towards the door. Then she came to a halt and looked back. "Sacanas?"
The sorcerer looked at her. "Highness?"
"Would you... would you like to stay for tea? We do a very nice tea. With little cakes and everything."
"Run along, dearest," Platinum scolded, though she too was staring at the Princess in no little surprise. "Let Mother and the sorcerer have a word in private, hmm?"
"Okay..." Palladium turned and trudged sadly out of the room. The guards, having recovered from their earlier assault, quietly shut the doors after her.
And Sacanas turned back to the royals. "This is usually the point," she said, "where ponies remark on what a lovely young thing she is, you must be very proud, and so on." Her snout wrinkled. "I don't think I'll bother."
"My daughter can be a hoof-full at times," Platinum said. "She's polite as a rule, yet she can also be stubborn and willful. And inattentive to her lessons -- we have had three tutors in already."
"Really, that few?"
"This month," Platinum added sheepishly. "I don't know what it is. We have tried strictness, we have tried kindness. We've tried privation and indulgence. Nothing seems to get through to her."
"I suspect, Majesty, that what she needs is not tutors and lessons and structure, but a guide. Somepony to provide direction, encourage her natural curiosity, while making sure it doesn't get the better of her."
"We should like to devote more time to her," Platinum agreed. "But with the move to the new Castle, the settling of this new land, the forthcoming unification... there simply hasn't been the time to spare."
Sacanas glared at her, in darkly disapproving silence. Uncertain, Platinum cleared her throat and glanced briefly at the Prince. "I don't suppose, Sorce--"
"Sacanas," the maroon pony hissed icily, "... is my name."
"Ah... yes." Platinum nodded. "Sacanas. I don't suppose... you might be so inclined? Mmm?"
The sorcerer considered it. She eyed Platinum coldly.
"I'm not a nursemaid."
"She has staff and minders."
"I would require a free hoof."
"You would have carte blanche."
"No interference. No micromanagement. No contradiction." The sorcerer frowned warningly. "I do not appreciate giving advice that is not followed instantly."
"Access to the Royal Archives," Sacanas went on calmly. "For the Princess's studies... and my own research."
"But of course! Er... we could also provide comfortable quarters? A study? A workroom if you wanted one?"
Sacanas eyed her coldly. "One thing at a time, Your Majesty."
"Oh, ah. Yes. To be sure."
Sacanas considered it a moment longer. Then she nodded, curtly.
"Then I think I'll just go and join the young lady for her tea."
"Ooh, by all means! Yes, do!" Platinum nodded eagerly. And had to steel herself not to drop a curtsey. She was the Royal Princess, after all.
Sacanas favored each of the royals with a thin smile. Then she swept about and headed for the doors. The guards hurriedly drew them open for her. Pausing at the threshold, she looked back at Platinum and her husband.
Doubtfully.
"I'll give you a week..." she said coldly. "I'll know by then."
She turned and left, rapidly pacing away down the corridor outside. At a nod from her Majesty, the guards shut the doors behind her.
And Princess Platinum let out a lengthy, relieved gasp.
"That went far better than we could have hoped."
"Are you sure, my dear?" Prince Argentum looked at her nervously. "You really think this is wise?"
"But of course! Have we been able to find a tutor whom Pallas will even pay attention to, let alone obey? Yet she seems positively in awe of Sacanas! And small wonder. Of the sorcerers in this land, that one stands alone."
"Because she's the only sorcerer living anywhere near here."
"Which merely speaks to her power and skill. The others don't dare to cross her. I suspect she could even give that Star Swirl character a run for his money."
Argentum glanced around, then whispered behind a hoof:
"They say she kills ponies on a whim!"
"Oh, psht! They say!" Platinum scoffed. "As if that made it true. Has she disposed of anypony we know personally? And even so, as long as it's merely the gutter trash of the street, who'll miss them? It's a public service really. Saves us the bother of sending the guard down to root them out."
"But my dear! A pony that powerful..." Argentum said. "What if she was after our crowns, our dominion?"
"Do be sensible, Argy. If that pony wanted our crowns, she'd have had them already. I half-feared she'd come to do just that. But for whatever reason, she's chosen to ally herself with us. And you know what a catch this is?" She smirked proudly. "There's something to throw in that Lady Indium's smug little muzzle. We have the most powerful sorcerer in the land under our roof." She looked excitedly speculative. "Perhaps we might even convince Sacanas to take on Clover's role, as our Royal Advisor? Oh, but we mustn't rush things, as she said. Mustn't lose such a valuable opportunity. We'll just... let her settle in, get comfortable. Yes, that's it."
"If you say so, m'dear. Now, er... about Indium's party?"
"Oh... I'll attend. Just for the look of the thing. Just to see who else that little tart has invited. And you can go off and play cards, dearest."
"Marvelous, thanks! You always know how to handle things, m'dear."
"Yes I do, don't I?" Platinum took up her mirror again and stared into it, preening smugly and fluffing her mane. "Just comes naturally, I suppose..."
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The butler and maids retreated from the stone-walled royal bedroom, bowing profusely, shutting the doors behind them. And leaving Princess Palladium sitting at the tea-table, near the open doors of the room's balcony.
Sacanas was seated opposite her. The sorcerer gazed scornfully around the room, eyeing the colorful knit animals on the deeply-quilted bed, the pastel wax-stick drawings pinned to the corkboard over the roll-topped desk.
Then her gaze fell on the bookcase. She rapidly assessed the level and scholarship of the volumes therein. And allowed herself a thin smile.
"You said you like spellcasting, Your Highness."
Palladium paused in the middle of slathering jam on a crumpet. "It's about the only subject I do like. Because I don't really have to study it, or at least not much. It's like I'm just discovering how my horn works."
"Really," Sacanas retorted. "Then let's see what you know." She pointed a hoof. "The teapot. Levitate it."
Putting down the jam-jar, Palladium lit her horn and concentrated. And the teapot lifted into the air for a few moments. Then it settled back gently, not spilling a drop.
Sacanas appeared unimpressed. "The cake-tree," she said, pointing.
Frowning, Palladium grasped the metal stand with her magic and lifted it. One of the less-balanced creampuffs tumbled off it and splatted messily on the tablecloth. But she managed to set it down again without further mishap.
"The scone-tray," Sacanas demanded. "And now the honey-pot. And the sugar-bowl. And now the..."
Annoyed by the sorcerer's rapid-fire, almost badgering tone, Palladium dropped the items she was holding. Gritting her teeth, she wrapped her magic around the entire table, lofting it a foot into the air. But she couldn't keep it supported for more than a second. It slipped from her magic, banging heavily onto the stone floor. The teapot and cups jounced and overturned, chamomile slopping everywhere.
But the point had been made. Palladium held up her chin, proudly.
And found Sacanas nodding at her in approval.
"Very good, Highness. Treat every unreasonable demand with the sufferance it is due. But you must take care not to let irritation cloud your judgement."
Sacanas casually waved a forehoof, her horn gleaming. The teapot and cups righted themselves. The spilled tea and squashed creampuff vanished. The tablecloth straightened itself out. Even the jam from Palladium's crumpet returned to the jam-pot. It was as if nothing at all had happened.
"What was that?" Palladium asked, amazed.
"A failsafe spell," Sacanas replied. "A magical volte-face, if you will."
"Can you teach me how to do that?"
"In time," Sacanas allowed. "First you'd need to learn a lot more about the spells you'd be unwinding. Show me what else you can do."
Palladium willingly complied. Over the next hour or so, she ran through every single spell she knew and had sufficient power to invoke. She repeated them until Sacanas was satisfied she was doing them properly.
Despite herself, the sorcerer was impressed. The Princess had power, and more importantly focus. She didn't get spooked in the midst of a pyromancy spell and singe her own mane, the way some fillies and colts did. She didn't get overexcited while levitating a set of fragile porcelain pigs on an high shelf, making them dance. And when Sacanas deliberately knocked over a water glass while Palladium was signing her name with a quill on a scrap of parchment held in midair, the Princess merely frowned determinedly and kept her quill scratching away, not dropping a single loop.
"Er... excuse me, mum?"
Sacanas turned to see the head housekeeper standing at the door. The aproned, graying earth-pony bobbed nervously. "Beggin' your pardon, mum. The Princess does have an early bedtime this evening. Her Majesty's orders."
"Ah." Sacanas nodded, and waved away the menial with a hoof. Then she turned to Palladium. The Princess was avidly reading over a complex spell that Sacanas had set her as a challenge. "Bedtime, Your Highness."
"Ohhh... just five more minutes?" Palladium didn't even look up from the book, silently mouthing the intricate Ponish phrasing.
Sacanas snorted crossly. Her horn crackled, then blazed.
Palladium found herself snatched up, flung across the room, and shoved under the quilted covers, scattering knitted animals everywhere. "When I say it's bedtime," the sorcerer snarled, stalking over to stand beside the bed, "I do not expect to be contradicted."
Palladium stared up at the maroon pony's angry scowl, her eyes wide, shivering with fright.
But then Sacanas sat down beside the bed, and smiled mildly. "However, I've no objection to a glass of milk or cookie or suchlike first." The sorcerer's magic swiftly gathered up the scattered toys, replacing them neatly in a row beside Palladium.
Managing a small smile, the Princess sat up against the soft pillows behind her. "Can I have a bedtime story?"
Sacanas considered it.
"No. I've a better idea. You tell me a story, Highness."
Startled, Palladium thought about it. "Um, okay. Er, once upon a time..." She paused, and looked apologetic. "That's usually as far as I get."
The sorcerer didn't react. She just sat where she was, eyeing Palladium expectantly. Taking a deep breath, the Princess thought about it. And then nodded, and started again.
"Once upon a time," she said, "there was a Princess. With a beautiful rosy mane, that everypony told her was really nice. And she lived in a castle, and had ponies to comb her mane and make her bed, and teach her all kinds of lessons. Most of which she didn't like. And her parents were the ruling Princess and Prince. And they were very busy, all the time, so very busy that she didn't see much of them, and... well..."
She looked up at Sacanas wistfully.
"She was lonely. All the grownup ponies around her, they just took care of her, tried to teach her stuff. And there were other fillies and colts her age amongst the nobility, but they were all ladies and lords, all proud and stuck-up. None of them were her friends. None of them were there for her... you know?"
Sacanas nodded minutely, but still said nothing.
"The Princess wished that she had a real friend. Somepony who cared about her, who could make her wishes come true. Like in the breezy tales: a jinni, or a godpony, or a great and powerful magician... something like that."
"Go on," Sacanas said.
"And then one day... a sorcerer appeared. Who was very powerful. Very wise and smart. She knew all kinds of spells, so many that everypony around her was terrified of her." Palladium looked hesitant, and then went on. "And she was the Princess's friend. She listened to her, and cared about her, and taught her all kinds of fun lessons, and made wonderful things happen. And she never went away, not ever. And the Princess wasn't lonely, ever again. Um... The End?" she added uncomfortably.
Sacanas nodded. Curtly, dispassionately.
"A very nice story, Princess," she allowed. And then got up. "Now, I should be getting back to my own home before it gets late, and I have to deal with the riff-raff of the streets... again. Sleep well."
Turning, the sorcerer stalked towards the door.
"Sacanas?"
"Hmm?" The mage halted on the doorsill, turning to look back.
"Would you... would you come back tomorrow?" Palladium asked. "So I can tell you another story? Please say you will? Pretty please? Um --"
Sacanas held a hoof to her snout. The Princess fell silent. And the sorcerer smiled. The same cold smile, like a presence all its own.
"I shall come again tomorrow," she said. "I don't believe I have any other... pressing engagements."
"Thank you, Sacanas."
"You're welcome, Highness. Now, go to sleep."
The Princess willingly tucked herself under the covers, still smiling. And the sorcerer backed out of the room, pulling the doors shut behind her. Then she turned to head down the corridor.
And found two of the palace guard facing her.
The guards looked startled and apprehensive, as if they were uncertain whether to brandish their ceremonial weapons or hide behind them. Unruffled, Scanas stared back at them, smirking evilly. She flourished one forehoof, sole upwards. The sole of the hoof erupted in chill electric-blue flame. It roared threateningly.
She eyed the terrified guards in amusement.
"Don't bother, gentlemen," she said, as a loud thrumming tension built up in the air around her. "I'll see myself out..."
A blinding crimson flash, and she was gone, only a few crackling blue sparks fading away in her wake.
The guards looked at each other warily.
"Somepony just walked over my grave," one said.
"You think?" the other agreed.
Then they hurried off to find something reassuring to do.
------------------------------
True to her word, the sorcerer arrived the next morning as Palladium was finishing breakfast. She stalked into the Princess's room as if she owned it, scattering servant ponies before her like frightened geese. Then she sat quietly at the table, sipping at a cup of tea, while Palladium hurriedly finished her toast and then looked up at Sacanas eagerly.
"Will you teach me another spell today?"
"We'll see," the sorcerer replied. "First, why don't you show me around your Castle, Highness?"
Palladium willingly agreed. And after she'd carefully wiped the jam from her snout, the two of them set out together.
If she had been her mother, the tour might have included the drawing room, the Royal Gallery, the crypt and Royal Vault, and other similarly cultured destinations.
But Palladium was not her mother. They started with the kitchens, where the earth-pony cooks and housekeepers cowered before the looming, black-cloaked unicorn frowning at them in disgust. From there, Palladium led the sorcerer out into the high-walled Gardens spread on the rolling hillside behind the Castle, where the Princess had a small ornamental playhouse and sandbox of her own.
Then they went inside again, and down to the Armory. Here Palladium crept with delicious terror along a dark, chilly corridor lined end to end with empty-eyed, ferocious-looking suits of barding.
Sacanas paused and gazed at one suit of armor in particular. It was iron-gray and lighter than the rest. Decrepit and unprepossessing, it nevertheless had the distinct lingering tang of spellwork about it.
"Mage-armor..." the sorcerer whispered, almost to herself. And Palladium nodded.
"Back in the Age of Monsters," the Princess said, "fierce battlemages would charge into combat, facing creatures of Ultimate Darkness!" She waved her forehooves dramatically, enthralled by the very idea. "Using nothing more than their wits and their magic, and protected only by the spells they'd cast on their armor!"
Sacanas sniffed. "Sounds overly dramatic, for the sorcerers I know. We generally try to live a quiet, scholarly life."
"And," Palladium went on, not even listening, "they say this suit of armor was the one worn by Gusty the Great herself, when she defeated the evil Grogar, Father of Monsters!"
"They say," Sacanas scornfully replied. "As if that makes it true." Yet she didn't sound entirely unconvinced.
"Let's go look at the library next, okay?"
"All right." Sacanas allowed herself to be led away. Yet she cast one last lingering, almost appraising look at the mage-armor as they went.
The Royal Archives, as it turned out, were a bit of a disappointment. The Archives was reasonably sized, yet scarcely larger than any other private library. It filled a central study plus two small annexes, and the scrolls and volumes on its shelves seemed to have been selected more for age and antiquarian value, rather than authority or scholarship.
Yet there were some useful tomes, a few gems scattered here and there amongst the dross. And Princess Palladium seemed to know where every single one of them was. She dragged Sacanas from shelf to shelf, showing off her favorites. Most of them were books of spells, dry and formulaic. Yet the ones the Princess selected were invariably the most thorough, the most practical, leaning towards clear written examples rather than academic pontification.
But a few of the books that Palladium pulled out were art books, generally containing paintings and sketches of ponies at work or at play. The Princess would page through these, seemingly entranced by the sight of ordinary ponies doing ordinary things. And then reluctantly close the books and put them away again.
Next, the two of them trotted out through the Castle's main entry hall, on their way to inspect the drawbridge and portcullis, in particular the murder grate on the upper wall-walk.
"Through which," Palladium said, as if reciting, "palace mages could safely rain down fireballs or transfiguration spells on unfortunate attackers. And the spacing of the threads in the grate was carefully chosen so as to not create disruptive feedback in the spells cast through it, but also tight enough so projectiles couldn't be fired back."
"Your Highness is well versed in the gentle and caring art of warfare," Sacanas observed dryly.
Palladium shrugged. "It's fun to think about. Charging into battle, like Gusty the Great. Facing down monsters. Holding off castle sieges against impossible odds --"
"Hah! As if you'd ever be doing anything like that," a voice sneered.
A young unicorn stallion was approaching from the main entry doors. He was cloaked in a mantle of deep purple, trimmed with sable and ermine. His mane was shining blond, expertly coiffed. He carried himself with an arrogance that seemingly filled the hall. He was escorted by gilt-armored guards, and also by two other ponies: a titanium-armored pegasus, and a richly-cloaked earth pony.
The unicorn exchanged smiles with his companions, then went on speaking dismissively in Palladium's general direction, as if lecturing the air itself. "A Princess's place is in the Castle, readying the banquet for the return of the Prince and his conquering armies. But don't worry, Pallas. One day, your Prince will arrive and sweep you deliriously off your hooves!"
The stallion and his companions laughed derisively, as if they thought the mere idea as unlikely as it was fanciful. And Palladium reluctantly bowed her head, in silent respect, as the stallion and his companions swept past her.
Sacanas, for her part, simply eyed the young royal and his associates with thinly veiled distaste. In return, the Prince gazed back at the sorcerer in scorn, as if appraising an article of furniture at auction.
"Ah, yes," he finally remarked. "Mother did say we'd got a new tutor in for you, Pallas. Huh, we'll see how long this one lasts. How long it takes you to drive her insane."
Laughing at his own joke, the stallion proceeded on his way. He and his entourage turned up the stairs, heading for the royal suites, vanishing from view. And Sacanas wrinkled her snout.
"The Crown Prince..." she murmured frostily, as if naming a particularly unpleasant variety of garden weed.
Palladium nodded. "Prince Electrum and I don't get along -- at all," she said. "But he's next in line, so..." She shrugged.
"Hmph. That could easily be remedied." Sacanas grinned nastily. "He might one day softly and silently vanish away, and never be heard from again..."
"Absolutely not!"
Startled, Sacanas turned to look at the Princess. The filly was glaring up at her, an uncommonly stern look on her small face. "Mother always says, the succession is essential to the monarchy," Palladium stated firmly. "We need to accept it graciously, whether we like it or not. It gives the nobles and commoners confidence in us as their rulers. We're not scufflers and squabblers, like the griffins. We're ponies. We do things peacefully and properly, or not at all!"
The sorcerer raised an eyebrow, surprised. And then she bowed her head compliantly.
"I stand corrected, Your Highness."
Palladium looked regretful, and more than a little ashamed. "Sorry. It's just what I've been taught." Then she stared up at Sacanas miserably. "And there are times when I just really, really, really hate his guts!"
Sacanas smiled encouragingly. "I would not blame you for that, Princess, not in the slightest. Come along now."
The sorcerer nodded her head towards the main doors, and followed as Palladium led the way through them.
Scowling darkly over her shoulder, as they went...
------------------------------
After lunch, the Princess and the sorcerer strolled out through the front gate of the Castle. And this time they were accompanied by a small guard retinue.
"I can't believe you talked Mother into letting us go visit the town," Palladium said. "I thought I'd be grounded for life!"
"I merely told her it was part of your education, Princess," said Sacanas. "So do try to appear properly bored and inattentive, hmm? Just for show."
They strolled together through the streets of the town, and then into the market square. There, Palladium was allowed to roam freely from stall to stall. She examined vegetables, and hoof-crafts, and forged weapons, everything, with even-hoofed abandon.
At one stall in particular she gazed in awe at a finely-carved tin toy, a rearing unicorn mare clad in mage-armor. The unicorn had blowing leaves as her cutie-mark, painted on the armor's flank plates in fine white brush-strokes.
"Findin' anything you like, miss?" said the elderly, overweight unicorn behind the counter. "Oh!" she added, wide-eyed in recognition. "Princess Palladium!" She attempted as deep a curtsey as was possible within the cramped confines of the stall. "How do you do, Your Highness?"
"Very well, thank you. And a pleasant day to thee," Palladium replied formally, as she'd been taught. Then she went back to staring rapturedly at the toy. "Do you make these yourself? They're amazing!"
"Oh, well... my husband does these. Just a hobby, really." Nevertheless, the mare smiled at the compliment. "Would you be wantin' that one, dearie? I'd be pleased to make a gift of it to ye."
"No." Palladium firmly shook her head. "Mother's always taught me, noblesse oblige. I have to make you a fair return for it. Um... would you mind waiting, just one minute?"
"Of course, m'dear."
Palladium scampered off to talk quietly with the dark-robed pony standing nearby with the Princess's guards. And returned quickly with a small bit-bag. Carefully counting out the agreed price, she happily picked up the toy with her hooves and stared at it, entranced.
"Who's that with ya, dearie?" the mare asked, peering at the severely scowling, cloaked unicorn with nervous curiosity.
"Oh, that's Sacanas," Palladium said. "She's a friend of mine."
"Is she now?" The mare's eyes went wide. "A fearsome, powerful mage like that? They say she's not one to cross, honey, not if you value your life."
Palladium shook her head. "She's all right. She's kind of nice, actually. She does get a little cross sometimes, but it's usually for a good reason. Like if I'm not paying attention to my lessons."
"She's your teacher then, love?"
"Uh huh. She teaches me magic. And..." Palladium shrugged indifferently. "... other stuff. And she looks after me, in a way."
The mare stared at the sorcerer, astonished. Currently Sacanas was amusing herself by levitating a glob of water from a nearby well, and making it swirl in a glittering spiral like a miniature waterspout.
"I do declare," the mare said. "If you can get a powerful mage like that to be your friend and teacher, Highness, you can do just about anything. Yes, indeed! You'll make a fine, strong Royal Princess yourself someday. Just like Her Majesty."
"Oh. Uh... thanks." Palladium uneasily forced a smile. "A pleasant day to thee, ma'am."
"And the same to you, Highness." The mare curtseyed deeply again, as Palladium turned away and rejoined the sorcerer.
The same thing transpired at the book-peddler's stall, the bladesmith's, and the puppet-maker's. The market ponies were surprised one and all at how polite, personable, and curious the young Princess was. And they were equally impressed to hear that the most powerful and feared sorcerer in the land was her tutor and friend.
After that, Palladium and Sacanas strolled about the rest of the town. Along the way Sacanas had a few errands of her own to run. She stopped in at a local paper-maker, to buy scrolls and ink, and at the local blacksmith's to place an order. At the dressmaker's studio she sternly examined and selected fabrics. She seemed to be focusing more on tensile strength and conductivity than on attractiveness.
About these errands Sacanas would say nothing, save noting that her cloak "needed mending". Which mystified the Princess. The sorcerer's dark cloak seemed, as always, impervious to dust or wear of any sort.
Finally they returned to the Castle, and to Palladium's room. And here Sacanas at last yielded to the Princess's request to show her a new spell. Directing Palladium to place her unicorn toy upon the tea-table, Sacanas gestured with a hoof, muttering a few soft phrases, her horn singing with power.
And all round the rearing armored unicorn, a glittering palace of soft, shimmering blue light materialized. It had towers and spires and gently waving pennants. Small ghostly ponies marched along the ramparts, and guarded the gates. From the highest tower, a miniature Princess leaned out a window, waving a forehoof graciously at Palladium.
Entranced, Palladium cautiously reached out a hoof to touch the illusion...
... and it vanished, disintegrating in a small burst of electric sparks.
Sacanas shook her head. "Let that be a lesson, Highness. Dreams are delicate things, easily shattered. They are best let be, in their perfection."
Palladium said nothing, awestruck. She had to learn how to do wonderful spells like that. She just had to.
For the rest of the afternoon, the Princess studied history. But this time it was different: she actually wanted to pay attention. Because Sacanas was teaching her the history of sorcery.
"It is said the first and greatest of sorcerers was Gusty the Great. Hence the cognomen." Sacanas wrinkled her snout. "Of course, that's ridiculous on the face of it. Even Gusty had a teacher."
"A teacher... like you?" Palladium asked.
Sacanas gave her a dour look. "I'm not that old, Princess." Then she relented, shrugging. "Every sorcerer had a teacher. Even the mythical Faust, who legend says created ponies themselves out of thin air. Even she must have learned from somepony."
"But if she created ponies..." Palladium began.
"... was she one herself?" Sacanas finished for her, nodding. "Very good, Princess. Though be warned, that is the kind of hair-splitting chestnut that keeps devout theologians sleepless for days."
Palladium giggled.
Sacanas pointed a hoof at the list of names in an old grimoire. "Malvado the Mage," she intoned. "Segredo the Silent. Profana of the Torre. Each of them learned from somepony else. Sorcery is tradition, Princess. And scholarship. It's not all just hoof-wiggling and charm-casting."
"Hmm. What would you be in the history books?" Palladium asked. "Sacanas the...?"
She fell silent at the sorcerer's severe look.
"As I said, Princess, I don't believe in titles." Sacanas set her mouth in a thin, tense line. "Ponies give you a name like that, they think they own you, can make demands of you. A true sorcerer serves nopony. She makes her own rules."
Palladium quickly nodded. Then she turned to the list of names again. "Every sorcerer had a teacher..." she thought aloud. "Would that be like... a family line?"
"In a way." Sacanas nodded, becoming affable again. "Even when stallions took to sorcery, styling themselves as wizards, they followed our example: teacher and student, wisdom and knowledge, passed down hoof-to-hoof over generations." She snorted derisively. "But these so-called 'wizards', they know nothing. Useless, scatter-brained, overeager dilettantes..."
"Do you think I might be a sorcerer, some day?" Palladium asked eagerly. Then she looked sadly resigned. "After all, it's not like I'm going to be Royal Princess any time soon."
Sacanas eyed her. "It's not an easy life, Princess. It can be hard, and lonely. Knowledge may earn you respect but it doesn't earn you friends. Ponies need you, need the things you can do for them, things they can't do themselves. But as a result, they never truly trust you. They don't like being dependent on you. They can't understand who you are, what it is you do. And unfortunately," she softly growled, "what ponies don't understand, they fear, out of simple creature habit..."
Then seeing Palladium's worried look, the sorcerer forced herself to relax again and smiled wryly. "Anyways, that doesn't sound like you, Princess. You're far too personable. You want to be liked."
Palladium nodded. "If I were Royal Princess, I'd want ponies to be happy. I'd want everypony in my realm to be happy and comfortable and safe." She stared down at the grimoire. And then she giggled. "But knowing how to do really amazing spells as well... that wouldn't be such a bad thing, right?"
"Perhaps not," Sacanas agreed.
That evening after supper, with Palladium tucked up in her bed and the rearing unicorn toy standing in a favored shelf close at hoof, the Princess told the sorcerer another bedtime story.
"There once was a Royal Princess," she said, "with a rosy mane. And she lived in a Castle, but mostly liked to spend her time outside of it, talking with the ponies who were her subjects. She wanted to be sure they were happy. And also, she wanted to know all about the lands and creatures that were her dominion. So the Royal Sorcerer -- who was very wise and powerful," she added quickly, "made a kind of flying ship with her magic, and took the Princess far away to distant lands, where they had all kinds of exciting adventures together. But they always got back by supper-time, because the Princess loved being tucked up in bed, telling stories to her good friend, Sacanas -- I, uh, mean the Royal Sorcerer. Um... The End."
Sacanas nodded at the compliment. Then she gave Palladium an odd, mischievous look.
She leaned close to whisper in her ear:
"Your wish is my command."
Then she departed swift as a shadow, as if late for some errand.
------------------------------
The next morning, Sacanas didn't arrive in time to share breakfast. Palladium was just finishing, wondering what was keeping the sorcerer, when she started hearing guards clattering up and down the corridor outside.
A guard pony opened her door, looked in, saw she was safe, then slammed it shut without a word. There were shouts outside, calls to arms, a general note of panic in the air. Puzzled, Palladium trotted over to her balcony and looked down at the Castle's front courtyard, to see what was going on. Guards and serving ponies, plus a few nobles, were all milling about in the courtyard, staring upward and pointing at the sky.
Palladium looked herself, and blinked in surprise.
There was an airship up there. It was brilliant pink, with a rose-colored balloon and brightly colored wing-sails. It was descending slowly and sedately towards the Castle, chuffing softly, apparently moving under its own power.
As it came nearer, the guards below took up defensive positions, raising spears and longbows.
Then Sacanas looked down over the front railing. She rolled her eyes at them in disgust.
"Oh, for Platinum's sake," she called down. "It's only me. Put those things away before you hurt yourselves."
The guards lowered their weapons in astonishment. But they continued staring in awe as the airship swung round and dropped carefully downwards, to line up with Palladium's balcony. And Sacanas, looking more than a little tired and bedraggled, leaned on the railing and gestured with a forehoof.
"What do you think, Princess? Will this do?"
Palladium clapped her hooves. "It's perfect!"
"Then climb aboard," the sorcerer replied, and lowered a gangplank with her magic.
A little nervous at the height, Palladium climbed up onto it and started across. At that moment, guards charged through the door into the Princess's room.
Sacanas's cold glare halted them in their tracks. "At ease, gentlemen," she called, as she helped Palladium aboard. "And don't fret. We won't go beyond the town limits. You can even accompany us if you like... on the ground."
Withdrawing the gangplank, Sacanas motioned for Palladium to take a seat by the railing where she could look down safely. Then the sorcerer used her magic to direct the airship upwards and around.
The airship headed outwards, over the Castle's enclosing wall, and then downwards, to circle above the town. Palladium was entranced. She stared down at the streets below, at the townsfolk and shopkeepers and farming ponies all trotting along, heading to work or to the marketplace. Many of them looked up, caught sight of the ship and Palladium herself, and stopped in their tracks to stare.
Self-consciously, Palladium down waved at them. Timidly at first, unsure of herself. Then more boldly, grandly, as she imagined a Royal Princess with her own flying airship might do.
And the ponies below pointed and waved back, cheering excitedly. "It's the Princess! Princess Palladium!" The townsfolk hurried after the airship as it gently circled the town, their numbers growing by the minute, a loudly cheering stampede.
Sacanas joined Palladium, looking over her shoulder. "Seems you're attracting quite the audience, Highness. One might think the Royal Princess herself was on board."
"Oooooh." Palladium winced nervously. "Mother will be beside herself." Then she smiled, mischievously. "But right now I don't care. Thanks so much, Sacanas!"
"My pleasure, Princess," the sorcerer gently replied.
And smiled back... the smile that was a presence all its own...
In the days that followed, the sorcerer became a familiar sight around the Castle and its environs. Sacanas finally deigned to accept the offer of the private quarters and study that had been frequented by Clover the Clever. And she spent a good deal of her time there, examining ancient texts or experimenting with spellcraft. The guards eventually learned to stop jumping whenever she suddenly appeared round a corner or out of a room or cul-de-sac which they would otherwise have sworn was empty.
And wherever Princess Palladium went, the tall, dark-cloaked, scowling unicorn went with her, or could be seen lurking somewhere in the background, silent and watchful. So much so, the sorcerer began to seem practically a part of the royal family herself.
One afternoon in particular, Lady Indium was holding her regular salon for the best and brightest amongst the town's nobility. Which meant, of course, whomever she deemed worthy of being considered so.
The peppermint-coiffed mare was standing in the front hall of her estate, greeting ponies as they arrived. She had just made a grand show of curtsying to Their Royal Majesties and the Crown Prince, and was turning to do the same to Palladium.
She was brought up short by the stern glare of Sacanas, looming behind the Princess.
"Ah," Indium said with a carefully bland look, "I am afraid this is a private gathering, for nobility and their immediate families. Not staff."
Everyone fell silent. There was a tense moment, as she and the sorcerer faced each other, exchanging cold glares of disapproval. Even Princess Platinum seemed to be nerving herself for an explosion. But then Palladium spoke up, brightly and cheerfully.
"Oh, this is my Aunt," she said, and smiled up at the sorcerer. "Auntie Sacanas."
Then Palladium looked Lady Indium square in the eye.
"And I never go anywhere without her."
Indium seemed taken aback by the assertion. Even Sacanas herself briefly eyed the Princess. Then the sorcerer smoothly shifted her gaze back to Lady Indium. And looked just a little smugly aloof.
"I... was not aware, Majesty," Indium remarked to Princess Platinum, "that you had a sister."
Platinum herself was still wrapping her own social barometer around the situation. "Oh, well," she finally said, waving a hoof airily. "She's more a sort of... distant cousin, really. But nevertheless, Pallas simply dotes on her, as you can see."
"Ah, yes." Lady Indium swiftly rearranged her mental dance-card. "My apologies... Sacanas. Please, do come in."
Palladium and Sacanas did so, following her parents and brother into the drawing room to be greeted by the other notables present. And as they went, Sacanas leaned down to whisper in Palladium's ear. "Very nicely handled, Highness. Color me impressed."
Palladium giggled mischievously. Then she suddenly looked worried.
"It is all right, isn't it? Pretending you're my Aunt?"
"Did I say it wasn't?"
"It's just, well... it's kind of how I think about you, really."
Sacanas came to a halt, considering that. Then nodded her head graciously. "I'm honored, Princess." Then she eyed Palladium narrowly. "But don't think it gets you out of writing that essay this evening."
"Aw, do I have to?"
"Yes. I have to have something to show to your parents, to prove you're still learning the boring stuff, now don't I?"
------------------------------
Somehow it was always lessons, whenever Sacanas was around. But Palladium didn't mind actually, since the lessons were seldom boring, and almost invariably practical. She did however sometimes feel as if the sorcerer enjoyed simply dropping her in at the deep end, to see if she could flounder her way out of it.
Case in point: a few days later Palladium and her brother were playing in the Garden behind the castle. Which is not to say they were playing together of course. The two royals kept as far from each other as possible.
Prince Electrum was play-sparring with his pegasus and earth-pony companions, fending off charges from the ground and diving attacks from the air. But more often he fell prey to the two of them ganging up on him, one distracting him, the other ambushing him.
Palladium, by contrast, was seated by herself in front of her playhouse, at a small worktable she'd set up. She was carefully taking apart a pendulum clock, to understand how the mechanism worked. It wasn't something Sacanas had set her to do. It was something Palladium wanted to do. In her opinion, taking things apart was much more fun than more traditional hoof-crafts like painting or tapestry-work. After all, when you'd dropped one stitch you'd dropped them all...
The royal siblings' play was interrupted when a vast shadow fell across the garden, casting everything into chill shade. Looking up, Palladium and her brother both saw a great pall of smoke spreading across the sky, blotting out the sun.
Exchanging worried looks, the Prince, Princess, and the Prince's companions all hurried into the castle, and up to the main hall. There they found Princess Platinum receiving a report from her out-of-breath Guard Captain.
"We think... it might be... a dragon, Majesty," the Captain gasped, then paused to catch his breath. "The smoke, it's coming from farther up the mountain. There are caves up there that might make a suitable lair for such a beast."
"A dragon!" Platinum looked horrified. "Oh, whatever shall we do?"
"Our forces are securing the Castle," the Captain offered, "and the town as well."
"That won't be enough," Prince Electrum snorted. "Not nearly! We need to act on this, at once."
"Yeah!" yelled the pegasus, darting through the air and swinging his hooves viciously. "Who's scared of a dragon? We should head on up there and fight it!"
"Or maybe offer it some gemstones?" suggested the earth-pony nervously. "Persuade it to head elsewhere?"
"Bribery? Or simple brute force?" Prince Electrum sniffed, affronted. "I think not. We need to show this beast the mettle of our new alliance. Come, my friends! We shall devise a brilliant plan, the three of us together." So saying, Electrum proudly led the way out through the door, into the courtyard beyond.
"Do be careful, darling!" Platinum called, following to stand at the doorway herself.
"Have no fear, Mother," Electrum called over his shoulder. "We shall show them what the three tribes are made of!"
The Royal Princess just stood there, in the doorway, fretting anxiously. Behind her, Palladium and Sacanas stood watching the three ponies depart as well. There was a disgusted, dismissive look on the sorcerer's face.
Then Sacanas looked at Palladium. "Well, Princess? What are you going to do about it?"
Palladium blinked. "Me?"
Sacanas shrugged. "You are a Princess. It's the kind of problem Princesses are supposed to be able to deal with."
"Oh. Right." Palladium bit her lip. And then looked hesitantly at Sacanas. "Could you banish a dragon? With your magic?"
"Possibly." Sacanas examined a hoof, unhurriedly. "But do we know that's what it is? Right now, all we have is rumor, hearsay." She let the hoof drop, scowling darkly. "And I have never trusted hearsay..."
"Right." Palladium thought furiously. "Right..." And then she nodded. "We should go find out," she declared firmly. "And if it is a dragon then... well, at least we can tell everypony where it is, huh?"
Sacanas bowed her head indulgently. "As you command, Your Highness."
Roping in a couple of guards who happened to be in the way, the Princess and Sacanas led the way up to the Princess's balcony, where the pink airship was parked. They boarded it, and Sacanas set it chuffing away up the slope of the mountain, in a wide circle to get around the plume of smoke. Palladium hung on the railing, her gaze following the plume to its source.
And she quickly realized it wasn't coming from a cave. "There's a fire down there!" She pointed at a clearing on a flat rise of ground, just short of the coniferous line. Several patches of flame were flickering, both on the ground and in the treetops, and were the source of the voluminous clouds of smoke.
In response, Sacanas brought the airship around and then down, and finally brought it to a gentle touch-down on an open stretch of meadow, well clear of the fire line.
Here they found an anxious emerald-coated unicorn, near to tearing her mane out, staring at an out-of-control bonfire of logs, brush, and other refuse. "Thank Platinum you're here, Highness!" the pony called, curtsying. "I was just doing a burn-off, to clean out some of this rubbish. I guess I stacked things a bit too close to the tree-line, and the wind caught the flames, and..." She shrugged. "It's what I get I suppose, for trying to do a little farming on my own."
Palladium was puzzled. "Don't earth-ponies usually do the farming?"
"Well..." The unicorn looked skeptical. "Even though we're supposed to be friends with these earth-ponies, I'm not sure I trust them yet. Arrogant hayseeds! I figured anything they could do, a unicorn could do better." She shrugged ruefully. "Seems I may have overestimated my skills."
"Can you put the fire out, Sacanas?"
"Easily," the sorcerer replied. "Stand clear, please."
Lighting her horn, and gesturing with a hoof, the sorcerer conjured a shield dome over the bonfire, and smaller shield bubbles around burning branches on the trees. Deprived of air, the flames died out quickly, though the glowing embers took longer to extinguish.
The unicorn sighed in relief. "Thank you, Your Highness! I hope I'm not in too much trouble, making you come all the way up here just to deal with this."
"Nopony was harmed, Princess," Sacanas quickly suggested, "I think we might put it down as a... learning experience, mmm? We ought to encourage self-reliance like this amongst our fellow unicorns, oughtn't we?"
Palladium nodded willingly. "That sounds right to me. I'm just glad we could help." Then she looked up worriedly at Sacanas. "But we'd better get back home quick. Or my brother will show up here with an army of dragon-hunters right behind him."
"Oh really?" The unicorn stared around anxiously. "Why? Somepony seen a dragon up here?"
"It was only hearsay," Sacanas said, with a self-satisfied smirk. "Nothing you need to worry about."
"As you say. And thank you, Highness." The unicorn curtseyed respectfully again, as Palladium reboarded the airship, along with Sacanas and the guards.
They made quick time getting back to the Castle. And when Palladium had appraised her parents of both the cause of the smoke and its resolution, Princess Platinum was beside herself with relief.
"My word! That was brave and resourceful of you, my dear. Even with your tutor's doubtlessly invaluable assistance." Platinum nodded to Sacanas. And then she looked smugly at Prince Argentum. "Seems we may have more than one capable royal in the family, hmm?"
"I have to admit it," His Highness agreed, "that took pluck." He nodded sympathetically to the Crown Prince. "Sorry, Electrum, m'lad! Better luck next time, eh?"
Electrum tried to feign scornful indifference. And failed completely -- he looked like somepony had just stepped on his tail.
"A lucky guess. Sheer chance that it was so simple. But!" the Prince added dramatically. "Had it really been a ferocious, flaming dragon, then Mother, you know what I and my friends would have done?"
"Turned tail and run like blazes?" Sacanas stage-whispered to Palladium. The Princess had to clamp her mouth tight shut to keep from bursting out in giggles, especially seeing the affronted look Electrum turned on Sacanas. And the way that Sacanas smirked back at him, aloof and untouchable.
At the very least, Palladium could not suppress a happy smile, considering how it had all turned out. It was the first time she'd ever outshone her brother at anything. And she had Sacanas to thank for it.
Palladium turned her smile on the sorcerer, unable to put her gratitude into words.
Sacanas merely nodded back at her, in quiet satisfaction.
------------------------------
A few days later, Palladium and Sacanas were taking lunch by the fountain in the town square, as they often did. It had quickly become Palladium's favorite part of the day. Everywhere she looked, ponies were bustling about, going about their jobs, chatting with one another. Fillies and colts scampered through the crowds, laughing and playing...
It was marvelous. It was like one of her art books from the library, brought to life.
Everywhere she looked, the townsponies bowed to her, or smiled and nodded pleasantly. She felt safe and welcomed, and more than a little important. It was as if the entire activity of the town revolved around her... around the Princess.
Palladium was just debating whether to go over to the sweet-cart for yet another jam-roll, when there was a loud squawking from the air overhead. She looked up -- and froze. Large winged shapes, like crosses between birds and lions, were swooping by overhead. They were armed and armored, carrying heavy pikes and swords.
"Griffons!" she gasped.
The townsponies had seen them too. They were panicking, running in every direction, heading indoors for shelter, shooing their children ahead of them.
But Sacanas merely sat where she was, idly examining a hoof. The guard ponies accompanying them moved to protect Palladium, but the sorcerer merely flicked her hoof imperiously, waving them back. They subsided, puzzled.
Then Sacanas looked at Palladium. Silently, expectantly.
"They're heading for the Palace!" Palladium said. "They're attacking us! But why? I thought we had a treaty!"
Sacanas shrugged. "Who can ever tell, Highness, with foreigners? They don't think the way we do."
"We have to do something!"
"I am open to suggestions."
Palladium stared, open-mouthed, shocked by the sorcerer's seeming indifference... and then she got it, nodding in understanding. Getting hold of her panic Palladium forced herself to think clearly, deliberately.
Like a Princess would...
"We have to protect the town," she said. "They don't have walls and guards here, like the Palace does. Can you do something about that, Sacanas?"
"Easily, Highness. Here," she said to one of the guards, "hold my cider."
As the guard uncertainly took hold of the levitated mug, Sacanas stood up, grasping her black cloak with her teeth. She flung it off, revealing a suit of polished black mage armor, with armored shoes to match. The armor was blacker than night, and there were sullenly glowing sigils on the flank plates: doubled lightning bolts, flame red in color.
Sacanas's horn sang with power. The sigils blazed. She stamped an armored hoof... and it was as if the earth itself rang like a bell.
The scurrying townsponies came to a halt, staring.
Sacanas seated herself, extending her forehooves to either side. She concentrated fiercely, her horn shimmering, the sigils on her armor lividly bright. A blast of crackling blue energy slammed outwards from her. It formed a huge dome, rapidly growing large enough to enclose the entire town. The few griffons unlucky enough to be caught in its path were batted away through the air, tumbling head over paws, before they finally managed to right themselves.
"There," Sacanas said. She looked relieved and just a little out of breath. "That should keep everypony safe."
She stood up again, then turned and made a show of bowing subserviently to Palladium.
"I await your command, Highness."
Palladium nodded. "We need to get back to the Palace, help Mother and Father defend it."
Sacanas nodded in return, then leaned closer. "Call for your air force," she whispered.
"But we don't have --" Palladium fell silent at the sorcerer's stern look. Then she glanced round, at the nervously watching townsponies. She spoke louder, as if only just thinking of it herself:
"We will need our air force, Sacanas. At once!"
"Your wish is my command, Highness," Sacanas replied.
The sorcerer turned, her horn gleaming. She flung up a hoof, sweeping it in a broad arc. Across the sky beyond the glow of the dome, bursts of flame erupted. They quickly coalesced into winged shapes, something between bats and dragons, though it was hard to tell since they did not hold any one shape for very long. Shrieking, the apparitions fell upon the griffons still passing over the town. The griffons attempted to swing their pikes and swords in retaliation. A few abandoned these and desperately tried their claws and beaks. But they could not get purchase on the wraith-like shapes, even as their pinions were being set ablaze.
"And now Highness," Sacanas quietly suggested. "Your flagship?"
And when Palladium called for it, loudly and decisively, the sorcerer simply waved a hoof and summoned the pink airship. It came chuffing down from overhead, thumping to a halt right beside the fountain. As Palladium boarded the airship, followed closely by Sacanas and the guards, a ragged cheer went up from the watching townsponies. And as the airship rose into the air, the cheering quickly swelled to applause, a thunderous rumbling and stamping of hooves.
The ship passed easily upwards, through the prickly blue shield over the town. Then it came about towards the Palace, escorted by the wraith-like fiery shapes, which swirled and darted, keeping back the few griffons who dared approach. Every now and then the flame-wraiths disappeared, dissolving into showers of sparks. But Sacanas simply waved her hoof, summoning new ones as needed.
Palladium stared ahead, trying to see what was happening up at the Castle, what they would need to do next. Now and again she cast a glance downwards at the townsponies below, safe beneath the blue shield dome. They were all staring up at the airship now, in eager relief, shouting and cheering...
For the Princess, Palladium thought. For me...
She was still frightened by the unprovoked attack, still worried sick about her parents. And about her brother, annoying and stuck-up though he might be. He was just liable to do something stupidly brave, after all.
Yet even so, Palladium found it wasn't quite as bad as she would have thought. Not with a powerful friend like Sacanas backing her up. Palladium felt like she could deal with this calamity. She could face it, and plan a way out of it. For the first time in her life, Palladium felt real confidence in herself.
She shouted for joy.
"Yeah! Let's show these feather-dusters what unicorns are really made of!"
------------------------------
The rest of the attacking Griffons were swiftly and thoroughly routed. They were sent winging off, battered and scorched, bellowing empty, powerless threats as they sped hurriedly into the distance. It was over so quickly in fact that everpony kept looking over their shoulders, unsure they could actually relax and let their guard down again.
A grand, jubilant celebration was quickly organized, both in the Castle and in the town below. And the high point of it was a solemn ceremony, conducted in the Royal Audience Hall of the Palace. A still-astonished Princess Platinum found herself presenting her own daughter with the kingdom's highest honor: the Fleur D'argent de la Valeur, in recognition of her courageous and decisive leadership in defense of the Crown and the Realm.
Sacanas, of course, blandly dismissed any such honor for herself. She stated firmly that she'd merely done as she was asked, by her very capable sovereign. During the entire ceremony she stood quietly in the background as usual, a look of proud self-satisfaction on her face. Yet no one could miss her presence there. Her new mage armor thrummed quietly with power, setting everypony's horn on edge.
In the days following, there was much excited discussion of the attack and the Princess's quick response to it. And along with this there was a rising tide of support for reinstatement of the matrilineal succession: in short, for Palladium to be officially named her mother's successor. While the call came mostly from the commoners, and less so from the nobility, the Royal Princess was not deaf to the general shift in public opinion. And Platinum was in favor of the idea herself.
"Perhaps," she noted, when the subject came up in privy council, "we may wish to give the old ways a try again. Just this once, eh? Just to be sure?"
There was a murmuring and nodding of agreement, and those who opposed wisely kept their own council, seeing where general opinion stood. With one notable exception, of course.
The Crown Prince was beyond opposition: Electrum was furious the idea was even being considered. He spent most of his time with his pegasus and earth-pony companions, scowling and grumbling and ranting and raving about the sheer unfairness of it all, working himself up into a high dudgeon.
"My sister did nothing to earn such honors!" he declared. "It was all the work of that witch-mage, skulking about at her heels. That sorcerer, friends, you mark my words, she's up to something. She's after the crown herself -- or worse!"
His friends nodded commiseratingly, but there didn't seem much that could be done about it. No one in the Castle, least of all the Prince, felt like facing down the sorcerer directly, as enigmatically, implacably powerful as she was.
Then one day the Prince was stalking aggressively along the main corridor of the Palace, escorted by his bodyguards. And nearly collided head-on with Sacanas when the sorcerer suddenly appeared out of a side passage. Taken aback at first, Electrum stamped a hoof and stood his ground, glaring aloofly at her.
"Stand aside, hoof-wiggler!"
"Is something troubling your Highness?" Sacanas purred. "Some difficulty with the succession, perhaps?"
"Hold your tongue! And make way for your betters."
Sacanas eyed him dourly. "You mean you?"
Electrum snorted furiously. "Have a care, mage!" He pawed the carpet with a hoof. "Or I'll show you your proper place, amongst those who fight fairly, openly, with honor!"
The faintest flicker of electric-blue power limned Sacanas's horn, as she stared levelly back at him.
"I should like to see you try, Highness."
The Prince's guards stared at her, wide-eyed, clearly wishing they were somewhere else -- anywhere else. Before the Prince could respond, the sorcerer went on.
"Not every problem can be solved merely with hooves and swords, my young Prince," she said. "Sometimes you have to think your way out. And make no mistake: sorcery requires the sharpest of wits." She tilted her head, appraisingly. "Perhaps you might consider adding it to your arsenal one day, hmm?"
Electrum frowned. He wasn't sure if he was being insulted or not.
"My sister should learn to keep better company."
"Unlike you?" Sacanas scoffed. "Who spends so much of his time consorting with representatives of lesser tribes?"
"Mind your words! In their realms, they are nobility!"
"Oh, please..." The sorcerer sighed. "A mud-grubber? A cloud-eater? You flatter them by calling them nobility, Prince."
"What say you?" Electrum looked puzzled. "They are friends, allies--"
"Oh, how willfully blind!" Sacanas shook her head. "They take advantage of your indulgence, Highness. And they will never thank you for it. At best they'll flatter you, lead you on, until they see their opportunity --"
Her armored hooftip struck the marble floor, ringingly.
"-- and turn on you, in an instant!"
"Rubbish! They are... comrades in arms," Electrum declared. "Mother has said we need to embrace this new unification, and she speaks good sense. Together the Three Kingdoms are far more than any of us would be standing alone. We are allies, honorable and true! Our differences are our greatest strength! Nothing can hope to stand against us in battle!"
Sacanas rolled her eyes disgustedly.
"I'd thought you smarter than that," she muttered. "You are too caught up in slogans, Prince, to see things as they are, to remember who you are... a unicorn." Her eyes narrowed. "Pegasi? Earth-ponies? They are not your kind, Highness, not your equals. And they never will be. You'd do well to remember it. Scum like that are beneath you..."
Her eyes glared fiercely. Her horn blazed with cold electric fire. Her voice was a growl, like a claw scraping wood.
"... they must be made to remember... their... place!"
Despite himself, Electrum edged back a pace, at her nearly unhinged ferocity. Merely out of caution, he told himself, not out of fear....
Getting control of her anger, Sacanas shrugged indifferently.
"Well. No one can say I'm not even-hoofed in my advice to you young royals." She started to turn away, then paused, as if suddenly remembering something. "I suppose," she added lightly, "it's just as well her Royal Highness is considering reinstating the matrilineal succession. After all, your sister already knows the proper company to keep, hmm?"
Chuckling, she turned away again.
Electrum furiously stamped a hoof. "We have not dismissed you!"
Sacanas languidly turned to look at him, with a dangerous calm. She held up a hoof. Its metallic surface blazed with electric fire. It was suddenly distinctly colder and darker in the corridor. Pulsing, thrumming energy made the air shimmer.
"I have never required your consent, Your Highness..."
An explosion of scarlet light, and she was gone, the air crackling with power in her wake.
Furious beyond speech, Electrum paused to get control of his own temper. Then he set off, storming angrily down the corridor, with the guards marching along uneasily beside him.
Something has to be done about her, the Prince fumed. And you're not nearly as invulnerable as you'd like to think, witch...
------------------------------
"And the Griffons," Palladium said, tucked up in her bed and gesturing with a forehoof, "they were so very cross about the Princess and the Sorcerer beating back their sneak attack, that they planned an even bigger assault... and committed all their armored wings to it!"
Sacanas gave her a wry look.
"Careful what you wish for, Highness. That might very well come to pass."
"Oh..." Palladium looked momentarily worried. "Well, you could handle them, right? Nothing stops you."
"I appreciate the compliment, Princess. But I am a sorcerer, not a knight-errant. I prefer a good book to defending an entire kingdom. Still," she added, smiling with pride, "it was passing enjoyable."
"It sure was!" Palladium said with a grin. And then she looked sheepish. "Thanks, by the way, for letting everypony think it was me. You did all the hard work."
"Not all." Sacanas shrugged off an armored shoe, then rested her hoof on the covers. "I had an calm, collected sovereign leading the way. I'm proud of you, Highness. You think under pressure. That's exceptional among royals in my experience."
"I still have a lot to learn."
"Well," Sacanas replied, "we believe in on-the-job training." She reshod her hoof, stamping it to make sure the shoe was firmly in place. "Now, do tell me more about this terrifying griffon army..."
Palladium readily resumed her story. She described a fiercely pitched battle, against near-impossible odds. The number of griffon attackers seemed to multiply every minute. She waved her forehooves dramatically, totally swept up in the drama...
...until her eyes became heavy, her hooves lowering to the covers, her yawns more difficult to stifle. Eventually, her head flopped back on her pillow, and she began gently snoring, sleeping the sleep of the valiant and the just.
Sacanas stared at the Princess at length, a faint, almost fond smile on her face.
Then the smile switched off like a light.
She rose and swiftly left the room, dousing the tapers with her magic, drawing the doors quietly shut. That done, she returned to her own quarters, the comfortable workroom and the small personal library which finally, finally, felt reasonably well-stocked.
With her magic, she gathered several aged grimoires she had recently acquired, arranging them around a dark, keg-shaped hunk of smoky black crystal sitting on her worktable. And settled in for a lengthy night's work. There was much yet to be done.
She could already summon creatures made of magic, but she needed something rather more substantial than mere fire-wraiths. With the additional spells she had researched she could summon forces even more fierce and determined, yet they would hardly inspire much fear or respect if they kept disappearing every five minutes. She needed something more self-sustaining. And she had an idea for that.
An old spell she'd found in a half-burnt tome had given her a clue. She could enchant a crystal to serve as both a battery and a kind of projector. It would automatically and efficiently reinforce and renew the spell. And with the larger store to work with, she could invoke a much more complex incantation. Then all she would need to do was keep the crystal's store replenished. And that was no great difficulty, with the reserves she had to draw on.
Assuming I can properly tune this thing, she thought crossly.
She set to work, adjusting both the components of the spell and the crystal itself, shaping it with small taps from a hammer and chisel. She wished she could take more time on it, but she needed this done now. There would be time for niceties later. And once this piece was in place, the rest would be easy.
She would not be caught napping again...
Behind her, In the Princess's suite, Palladium slumbered, buzzing softly in the darkness like a tiny bandsaw.
For nearly a quarter of an hour, all was quiet.
Then, with the lightest of clicks, the latch to the balcony doors snicked open. The blade that had lifted it drew back. A hoof gently pushed the doors open, and a darkly-garbed, winged shape slipped into the room.
Listening for a moment, the pegasus nodded, then turned to the balcony and motioned his head. Behind him there followed a second cloaked figure, an earth-pony, glancing about nervously. The two of them turned towards the bed, the pegasus readying the blade, his companion holding a gag and a length of rope.
And they got more than halfway there before the earth-pony unwittingly trod on the edge of a carefully placed ward on the floor.
The floor blazed alight, in arcane, electric-blue sigils. An accompanying deep thrum filled the air. Reacting quickly, the pegasus leapt into the air and spun about, wings flapping, prepared to swoop out through the balcony doors to safety.
And then he hovered in confusion, and no little fear. There was something else there now, standing on the balcony, filling the doorway -- something large, hulking, and ape-like. Its face, dimly visible in the moonlight, was a black, angular fan-shaped mask. The eye-slits of the mask were lit with glowering points of scarlet light. The imposing creature carried an iron-gray shield and a forked pike, and its massive shoulders were covered by armor. On the shoulder-plates, a fire-red sigil gleamed: a doubled lightning bolt.
The pegasus stared at this apparition in shock, trying to gauge whether there was still room to dart past it.
Then something struck the back of the pegasus's head, something small and metallic and painful. Surprised, the pegasus looked down at the floor. And saw, laying across the edge of one of the glowing sigils, a small tin toy. A rearing pony, wearing mage armor, with blowing leaves painted on its flank plates.
Turning towards the bed, the pegasus saw a very wide-awake Princess Palladium. She was sitting up in bed, doing her best to look bold and regal and affronted, while at the same time all she really wanted to do was dive beneath the covers.
"How dare you!" she yelled. "Get out of my room!"
Feeling increasingly at a loss, the pegasus spun towards the interior door, thinking to make a break for it that way. The door crashed open, revealing the palace guards. Their horns blazed, casting sharp-edged shadows everywhere.
"Halt! Don't move!"
The pegasus frantically looked around for some other exit. The earth-pony, in a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation, darted forward and grabbed up the Princess.
And then struggled to separate her from the bedclothes, even as Palladium pounded on his head with her forehooves. Finally getting a firm grip on the Princess, the earth-pony turned to the guards in triumph. The pegasus swept downwards, bringing up the sharp blade to hold it at the Princess's throat.
And the Princess finally gave up trying to be grown-up and self-reliant about things. She shrieked, loudly and piercingly:
"Sacanas!"
In response, a single, booming syllable sounded throughout the room.
HOLD.
Everything abruptly froze. The intruders, the guards, the still-thrumming sigil on the floor. Everything that is, except Palladium, who stared around herself in amazement.
Then Sacanas strode into the room. The sorcerer shouldered aside the paralyzed guards at the doorway, her gaze darkly furious. "I thought things were too quiet around here." She snorted. "I should have guessed." Her gaze fell on Palladium. "Are you all right, Princess?"
Palladium nodded, her eyes wide.
Crossing the room, Sacanas gently but firmly extracted the Princess from the paralyzed earth-pony's grasp. And then held her close.
"I'm so sorry, Princess," she whispered. "I should have been here. I didn't think they'd be this bold..."
"It's all right." Palladium hugged her back tightly. "I'm just really glad you're here."
"My pleasure, Highness," Sacanas softly replied. Then she glared at the intruders, frozen helplessly before her.
"Consider yourselves lucky," she growled, "that I need to show these ponies what comes of placing trust in creatures like you. Or you would not leave this room alive. Guards!"
The guards were suddenly released from their paralysis, blinking and shaking themselves nervously.
"Take these things away," Sacanas growled, "and lock... them... up." She smiled nastily. "We'll let Her Majesty decide what's to be done with them."
The guard ponies willingly hurried forward to take hold of the still-pinned intruders, and dragged them from the room -- more to get out from under the sorcerer's baleful gaze than for any other reason.
In the meantime, Sacanas busied herself with tucking the Princess safely back into bed. With her magic she shut the doors to the corridor, and also the balcony, which again stood empty. She collected the tin toy and set it back on its shelf, and re-set the alarm wards.
That done, she sat down by the bedside. And smiled reassuringly down at Palladium, her horn softly glowing to act as a night-light. "Don't worry, Highness," she said. "I'm going to stay right here. From now on, I won't let you out of my sight."
"Thanks," Palladium said, and smiled up at her gratefully. "I love you, Auntie Sacanas."
The sorcerer nodded. "And I you, Princess... mi amore cadenza..."
Palladium looked puzzled. "What does that mean?"
"It's an Old Ponish endearment," Sacanas replied. "It means my little lovesong." Then she looked doubtful. "Or it might mean a small chest-of-drawers. It can be difficult to tell, with Old Ponish."
Palladium giggled. Then she snuggled down under the covers, shut her eyes, and tried to relax enough to be able get back to sleep.
And Sacanas sat watching her, smiling to herself in deep satisfaction.
And passed the time by planning her next move...
------------------------------
"...and we are greatly aggrieved," said Princess Platinum, standing on the dais before her throne, "that members of your respective tribes should take part in such a scurrilous and underhoofed attack on our kith and kin. For which we have not, as yet, heard a proper explanation." She harrumphed, then adopted a more-in-sorrow mien. "We shall have to give serious consideration, very serious consideration, to the terms of our agreements with your respective rulers. Whether there need to be additional safeguards in place. Perhaps the entire unification accord should be re-examined. Yes, we shall be considering this very closely, believe you me!"
Prince Electrum, as shocked as everypony else present, was startled by a voice whispering quietly behind him.
"My congratulations, Highness."
He turned, and found Sacanas had casually strolled through the assembly of officals and nobility, putting herself within earshot. "You encourage the other tribes to do your dirty-work," the sorcerer went on, "while you remain uninvolved and blameless. I commend your inventiveness, not to mention your impressive diplomatic skill."
"Hold your tongue!" the Prince snarled. Though softly, to not attact attention. "I had no part in this! Those two acted of their own accord, and... and..."
"Of course they did." Sacanas replied. "And they keep secret your part in it, out of a misguided sense of loyalty. They don't see how you easily manipulated their baser impulses. Turned their naive, wooly-headed thinking against them. I couldn't have managed it better myself, Highness..."
While the Prince was still sputtering angrily, trying to work up some response -- any response -- without exploding, Sacanas leaned closer.
"Don't worry," she said silkily, "your secret's safe with me. I'm not one to tell tales out of school..."
Turning sharply, Sacanas left the fuming Prince behind her, and casually strolled around to stand beside Palladium again. As she went she smiled the smile -- the one that made everypony around her edge away nervously.
Princess Platinum, having concluded her peroration of regal affrontery, called to her. "Sacanas!"
"Majesty?" Sacanas swung to face her.
"In recognition of thy quick response to this threat to the Crown, and its hier apparent --" She smiled fondly at Palladium. "We should like thou, henceforth, to take charge of security for the Princess."
"Her well-being has always been my priority, Majesty."
"And to that end, if there is anything you require..."
In response, Sacanas merely lifted a forehoof for silence. Then she tilted her head, as if listening.
The entire room fell silent. Everyone else could hear it as well now: a droning, chuffing sound, coming from overhead, increasing in volume by the minute.
Sacanas turned and crossed to the windows on the left side of the Audience Hall, followed by Palladium, as well as most of the attending nobles and guests. And the others all gasped in shock, looking up through the windows at the sky. Palladium herself simply stood staring, her mouth open in amazement.
A massive, grim-looking airship was descending from the sky. It was a warship, heavily armored and warded, chuffing steadily downwards, leaving trails of dark smoke in its wake. On its armored prow, Sacanas's sigil gleamed, a flame-red double lightning bolt, huge and livid. And on its main deck numerous large, hulking, ape-like shapes moved about, purposefully and aggressively.
The doors of the Audience Hall were thrown open. Through them marched two more of the ape-like soldiers, carrying shields and forked pikes. They brushed impassively by the astonished palace guard and rapidly marched across the Hall, coming to a halt to either side of Sacanas and Palladium.
Turning, the hulking soldiers took up a defensive stance, shields and pikes at the ready. Their eyes were bright red dots of flame in their mask-like faces. Their gaze shifted back and forth, eyeing the audience fiercely for any sign of a threat.
And Sacanas chuckled darkly. "I believe I have it covered, Your Majesty..."
She and Sacanas were taking lunch by the fountain as usual. But this time they were accompanied by a pair of Sacanas's looming, ape-like soldiers, with Sacanas's warship circling in the sky overhead.
"Everypony's talking like I'm going to be the Princess," Palladium went on. "Royal Princess, I mean." She glanced around at ponies passing by, who all bowed respectfully whenever they saw her looking at them.
"It's merely your fair due." Sacanas idly trailed a hoof in the fountain's pool. "They need a caring, thoughtful ruler such as yourself. And isn't this what you've always wanted, Highness?"
"Sure it is, but..." Palladium looked worried. "Do you think I'm ready? That I'll make a good Royal Princess? I haven't gotten all the lessons and training my brother has. There's so much to learn. I don't want to let anypony down."
"If you're aware enough to ask, Highness, you've no need to worry. Only an actual imposter would have no fear of being caught out." She smirked in amusement. "You want what's best for your subjects, to see them safe and happy. That's a start. The rest of it is just management and bookkeeping."
"It wouldn't have happened without you," Palladium said. "Thanks."
The sorcerer shrugged. "I want the same as you, Princess. To use my abilities to the utmost, to ensure the safety of my kind and keep them free from interference by lesser tribes." She made a face, then quickly smiled again. "And if I can help you to achieve your dreams along the way, so much the better for both of us, hmm?"
"But will we always be friends?" Palladium stared at her, looking worried. "I can't do this on my own. And nopony else seems to care about me the same way you do. There's nopony else around here I can just talk to about stuff. I don't ever want to lose that."
Sacanas stared at the Princess at length, looking troubled. Then she shrugged off an armored shoe, and reached over to touch the Princess's shoulder gently. "I am yours to command, Highness," she said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere. It's the two of us against the world, come what may."
Palladium smiled up at her, relieved.
"Thanks, Auntie."
The sorcerer simply nodded in return, for once lost for words. Then, clearing her throat, she reshod her hoof. "For Platinum's sake," she grumbled, glancing about, "what is all that noise? Is there some celebration we weren't told about?"
For there was a rising tide of cheering and applause now, off in the distance. It seemed to be coming up the main street, from the lower gate near the river. Getting up, Palladium and Sacanas crossed over to where the townsponies were gathering, lining up on both sides of the main street as if for a parade, murmuring agitatedly amongst themselves.
Seeing Palladium, Sacanas, and especially the two furry soldiers, the crowds respectfully made way for them. The Princess and the sorcerer found a place by the curb, at a corner where they could see down the length of the street.
And they saw, coming up the street itself, a tall pony with a long, white beard. He was clad in a blue robe and pointed hat covered in moons and stars. The hat had small gilded bells set around its brim. There were more of them decorating the hem of the cloak. He strode up the street as if he owned it, waving grandly at the crowds with a forehoof.
Palladium wanted to laugh. He looked utterly ridiculous, so pompous and full of himself, like a pantomime sorcerer.
Then she heard Sacanas groan in disgust. "Oh, please," the sorcerer sighed. "Not Star Swirl again!"
"Who?" Palladium asked.
"Star Swirl, the Bearded," the sorcerer replied sarcastically. "As if whiskers somehow connoted wisdom. And remember what I said about wizards, Highness? Overeager, excitable, meddlesome? Look no further than this one for an example. I can only imagine what hare-brained folly he's come up with this time and..."
The sorcerer's voice caught, trailing off to silence, and she stared, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Palladium did likewise, astonished.
Coming up the street behind the proudly gesturing wizard were two young fillies. One was tall, brilliant white in color with a flowing pink mane and tail. The other was shorter, with a pale blue coat and a sky-blue mane. Both had long, sword-like horns -- and wings as well, which occasionally fluttered and resettled nervously in response to the cheers and excitement being showered on them by the watching crowds.
The two fillies looked about, smiling bashfully yet proudly as Star Swirl led them up the street, apparently heading for the Palace. And as the two ponies approached, one could sense the strong, powerful presence that surrounded each of them: a combination of personality, thaumic strength, and sheer irrefutable being. One could not avoid noticing them. One could not help feeling trust and attraction, even devotion to them.
Charisma wasn't the word for it. These ponies needed a word all their own...
"Alicorns!" Palladium gasped. "I thought they were just a myth." She turned to look up at Sacanas eagerly, hoping the sorcerer might tell her something about them.
Then she saw the look on Sacanas's face. It was a pinched, wretched expression, as if the sorcerer had just swallowed something horrid that she wanted urgently, desperately to throw back up. It was a look of complete, utter, livid revulsion, a disgust so deep-seated and unrelenting that she appeared choked, almost strangled by it.
The sorcerer wrenched her gaze away, seeking something, anything to look at other than the proud, powerful fillies who were even now passing before her. She settled for staring at her own armored hooves, breathing hard and angrily, as if she might explode.
Worried, Palladium reached up a hoof to touch Sacanas's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Sacanas cleared her throat, gratingly and fiercely. Then, in a very quiet, very carefully controlled voice, she spoke.
"We should get back to the Palace, Your Highness -- at once."
She swung about and marched straight off without further word, without even a backward glance, glowering at anyone foolish enough to be in her way. And Palladium hurried after her, worried and frightened, even as she wondered about the strange fillies -- the alicorns -- who had arrived so suddenly and unexpectedly.
She couldn't see why they made her closest, best, and most powerful of friends look so sickened and anxious...
------------------------------
"Well, this is quite the news," said Princess Platinum. She was seated on her throne, with Star Swirl and the alicorns standing respectfully before her. "This... Canterlot, you called it? It would be the ruling seat for the entire unified kingdom?"
Star Swirl shook his head. "Not quite, Majesty. The three kingdoms will continue to maintain their own governments for the nonce, whilst we work out internal trade and other legal frameworks. But there'd be a central seat, a high seat, in Canterlot. To which disputes and issues affecting all three tribes may be brought for judgment, and if necessary, unified action." He gestured to the alicorns. "And our young royals here, they would be the ones to sit in judgment. As you can see, they represent in their own forms a unification of all three tribes, of all that is best in each type of pony: earth, pegasus, and we unicorns. They have already demonstrated a remarkable gift for diplomacy and impartiality. I think we can safely rely on them to listen, guide, and lead the way to a unified Equestria."
"Hmm..." Platinum looked troubled and doubtful. "Seems a rather long way to travel, any time there's a disagreement over pastry imports or the like. We already have plenty of long-range diplomatic issues with those good-for-nothing griffons," she added, sniffing primly.
The pink-maned alicorn stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "Your Majesty, my sister and I have discussed this. And we feel it would be best to create a Royal Council in Canterlot, so that decisions affecting all the tribes can be made and acted on with speed. It is our suggestion that each tribe have its own royal representation. More than simply ambassadors, the Council would include royals themselves, representing the interests of their tribes personally."
"And we also hope," the dark-coated alicorn added, "to establish a Court of the best and brightest in all the lands. A gathering of nobility, scholarship, and free exchange of ideas. If my sister and I are to properly render judgement, we shall need advice from and deep understanding of all those who have entrusted their kingdoms and futures to us."
At the words, Platinum's eyes lit up eagerly. "Oo-oooh! You mean a salon, of sorts? Where all the top ponies and trend-setters would meet and exchange ideas?"
The pink-maned alicorn nodded indulgently. "Something like that, Majesty. And we had hoped," she added, "that we might persuade you yourself to be part of it. We have already spoken to the Chancellor of the earth-ponies, and the Commander of the pegasi. They seemed quite positive on the issue."
"Hmph! Insistent, more like," said her sister. "They each said something about wanting to be there, just to keep an eye on what the other tribes were up to."
"Well!" Platinum nodded. "That puts quite a different spin on things, certainly. We should very much like to be part of this Court as well! Ahem, to hear the latest news and gossip, and see what the best and brightest ponies are doing and saying. Oh, doesn't it all sound so grand, Argy?"
"Well... I'd miss spending time with the fellows at the Club. But whatever you think best, m'dear."
"Oh, psht! I'm certain your friends would be there as well," Platinum enthused. "Everypony of importance will want to be part of this Court, this... Canterlot. It sounds positively thrilling! I'm all for it. Which means," she added quickly, "we shall have to move forward the succession a little sooner than planned. So that the realm remains in firm hooves in our absence."
Her gaze swept hurriedly round, flustered and excited. It swept past Palladium and settled instead on her brother. "Prince Electrum! It is our decision that you will succeed us," she said formally. "You will take charge of the Silver Throne immediately, whilst we are away at this Court in Canterlot." She gasped, starry eyed. "Oh, I simply can't wait!"
Electrum gaped, amazed and overjoyed. He turned to look at Palladium, smugly aloof as if already making plans for his first royal proclamations. He eyed Sacanas as well -- severely, suddenly unafraid of her. And then he trotted forward to kneel before Her Majesty, and graciously accept her blessing.
Palladium was crushed, utterly. She hunched miserably, aghast. Then she leaned forlornly against Sacanas, seeking reassurance. And the sorcerer obligingly put a hoof around her, holding her close.
Yet Sacanas's attention was fixed firmly on the two alicorns, standing so calmly and proudly before her. The look in her eyes was fierce, livid, beyond rage. Some things are not to be tolerated, that look said. Some things breach a boundary, cross a line we cannot allow to be crossed...
And this was one of them.
The only one, in fact, that mattered...
------------------------------
Late into the night, Sacanas bent over the worktable in her study. She'd consulted grimoires of dark-magic spells, ancient texts containing designs for arcane artifacts, and a few choice works on mythology as well -- those making up in detail what they lacked through excessive credulity.
The result, spread before her, was a broadsheet of spell-parchment. It was covered with sketches and finely lettered spell components, laying out the tools she would need. A staff, first of all -- a staff not of power, but one that would consume power, harnessing it and rendering it safely under control of the bearer. And proper mage-armor to go with it, to defend herself from any and all magic assaults. And also to project the darkest and blackest of offensive spells against her enemies. Plus other, lesser artifacts... nice-to-haves, so to speak.
Sacanas nodded in grim satisfaction. This was the easy part. Now she actually had to find what she would need to craft these items.
And she wasn't going to find it here.
"Auntie Sacanas?"
Sacanas waved a hoof, causing the scroll to snap itself closed and then levitate over to land in a small carryall nearby. The carryall contained the important things, things she could not afford to lose. She glanced behind her, to where two of the ape-like soldiers were packing other books and artifacts in crates, then hefting them on their bulky shoulders as easily as matchboxes, to be carried upstairs to the waiting airship.
Only then did Sacanas turn her attention to the door. "Yes, Your Highness?"
Palladium was standing in the doorway, another of the soldiers standing behind her as escort. The Princess rubbed her eyes and squinted around at the nearly-bare study.
"Are you going away, too?"
Sacanas considered a gentle lie, only to dismiss it. The Princess wouldn't be fooled for a moment.
"I'm afraid so."
"Why?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm not going to be welcome here much longer."
"But you're not afraid!" Palladium objected. "You're not afraid of anypony. Not my brother, or Mother, or anypony, or anything!"
"That's... not entirely true, Highness." Sacanus snorted in amusement. "In fact, were I to remain here I am afraid... that I might do something we'd all regret..."
Palladium trotted over to Sacanus's chair, hunting for words, and finding none. Then she simply sat down and silently held up her forehooves, a miserable look on her face.
The sorcerer hesitated, briefly. Then she reached down and picked the Princess up, holding her close. And Palladium hugged her back, tightly and fiercely.
"Take me with you," Palladium whispered.
It wasn't a request, wasn't a child's pleading. It was an order, a firm statement of fact. And Sacanas sighed.
"You know, Princess, there was a time when I would have simply spirited you off without a second thought. And now... now I'm not so sure I should. Looks like you've taught me a thing or two as well."
"I don't want to lose you," Palladium said desperately. "You're my best friend... my only friend."
"And you mine, Princess," Sacanas allowed. "But what of the succession? You're the one who lectured me about accepting it graciously, even if we don't like it."
Palladium sat back, looked her in the eye. "That was different. I'd thought Mother would be here, to remind Electrum to be nice. But she'll be away, off in this Canterlot place. And Electrum will be able to do whatever he wants. You saw him in the Audience Hall! He'll make me bow and scrape, put me in my place every chance he gets. Because he likes it. Because he can."
She shook her head.
"After that, I'll never be anypony's successor. Nopony will ever respect me again."
Sacanas nodded. "You might be right, at that."
"I'm not going to be Royal Princess," Palladium said, with firm finality. "So maybe I should try to be a sorcerer... like you."
"Remember what I told you," Sacanas warned. "A sorcerer's life is not an easy one. It's lonely. You have to live by your wits, most of the time."
"I don't care," Palladium said. "I want to be a sorcerer. Will you take me with you, and teach me? And maybe... maybe you and I can sorta be a family together. Teacher and student, like you said. That way, neither of us will be alone any more."
Sacanas stared at her, surprised -- and utterly lost for words. Then a crafty smile stole onto her face.
"What if," she said carefully, "there was a way you could be both? A sorcerer... and a Princess?"
"How?"
"Not here, Highness." Sacanas held a hoof to her snout. "If we're to do this properly, we'll need to be discreet." Then she eyed Palladium sternly. "And you will need to do exactly as I tell you. Understood?"
Palladium nodded seriously. "When do we start?"
"Not just yet. Right now, I'm going to need you to do something you're going to find very difficult and challenging."
Palladium stared, wide-eyed. "What?"
Sacanas smirked.
"Go back to your bed. And stay there quietly, until morning..."
------------------------------
"We shall be most sorry to see thee depart, Sacanas," Platinum said the next morning, as the sorcerer stood before her in the Audience Hall.
Electrum huffed. "Some of us won't," he muttered sourly. Then he quickly fell silent when Platinum glared reprovingly at him.
"We had dearly hoped," The Royal Princess went on, "that you might accompany us to Canterlot, and be our advisor there. And, of course, continue as Pallas's tutor. We shall want our heir apparent with us, and if the best and brightest of Equestria will be there too, she will need someone capable to serve as her guide. Someone to help her separate the silks from the satins, as it were?"
Sacanas raised an eyebrow at that. Then she shook her head firmly.
"I'm afraid it's not possible, Majesty. There are other, pressing matters that require my attention just now."
"Ah." Platinum nodded. "Well... we shall not pry. Do not meddle in the affairs of sorcerers, and so forth. Go then, Sacanas, with our thanks. And be welcome in our Court, whenever thou should chance to return."
Sacanas bowed graciously. "Majesty."
At that moment, the doors of the Audience Hall crashed open, and guards hurried in. Her Majesty made a face, then gave the guards a stern look.
"What is the meaning of this? I am trying to make a gracious and memorable farewell speech here!"
"Apologies, Your Majesty," the Guard Captain gasped. "But it's Princess Palladium -- she's missing!"
Sacanas whirled, incensed. "What? I left her sitting at her breakfast table not half an hour ago. Have you managed to lose track of her already?"
"She was there, Your Majesty," the guard objected, beside himself with anxiety and confusion. "I have four officers who will swear to it! The next thing we knew she was gone! We are already combing the Palace, but there's been no sign of her, or of who might have made off with her!"
Sacanas examined a hoof darkly. "Somehow, I doubt you'll find one," she muttered.
"What say you, sorcerer?" Platinum asked. "Do you know where she is?"
Sacanas turned back to the throne, scowling angrily. "I've had my suspicions of late, Your Majesty." Her baleful glare swung briefly in Electrum's direction. Then she turned back to the Princess. "The Griffon Kingdom would not permit our routing of their assault to pass so lightly. They were made to retreat in utter failure and disgrace. That is unlikely to sit well with their leadership, such as it is. And whose name, after all, is associated so indelibly with the repelling of their attack?"
"Pallas..." Platinum gasped. "Oh my darling, what have I done?"
Sacanas shook her head. "It was not thy doing, Majesty. If anything, it was mine. But one can never tell... with foreigners..."
She came to attention, tall and proud. "It is fortunate that I had not yet taken my leave. For I still consider the Princess to be my personal responsibility. I shall set out at once to locate Her Highness and bring her home, safe and sound."
"Oh, Sacanas!" Platinum smiled gratefully. "If thou can do so -- I mean, when thou does so -- thou shalt have our undying gratitude!"
Sacanas nodded respectfully. "Majesty."
Then the sorcerer trotted forwards, to stand glaring practically snout-to-snout with Prince Electrum. "And if I should find," she growled, "that you had anything to do with this, Prince... well, let us just say there won't be a hole deep enough."
"What!" Electrum shouted. "You would dare threaten the Crown?"
"Oh no," Sacanas replied silkily. "I would never threaten the Crown, Your Majesty." Sacanas added a brief glance in Platinum's direction, then returned her gaze to Electrum. "I'm threatening you, personally. So take my advice, young royal: don't get in my way, and don't give me a reason!"
Snorting angrily, Sacanas swung round, strode back to a clear space before the throne. Then she turned and bowed one final time.
And in an explosive flash of teleportation, leaving a star-shaped scorch-mark on the carpet...
... was gone.
------------------------------
Through roiling, ice-white clouds, the small fleet of armored airships skulked like leviathans. They appeared briefly, half-glimpsed like looming predators. Then faded, slipping back into the swirling mists.
Aboard the largest, most heavily-armored of the airships, Sacanas stood watch near the prow railing. Her horn sang with a clean, clear, shimmering electric-blue magic.
And in her eyes, there was only cold, scheming death.
Behind her were two of the looming eldritch servants. They edged closer, put together massive paws that could have crushed a pony's skull, and bowed obsequiously, servilely. They awaited the command of the pony whose power had called them into existence... and who now barely tolerated them.
"Maintain course and speed," she snapped, not looking round. "We will make use of the cloud cover until we clear the northern range. Then bring us about northwest, for the caverns in the Crystalline Mountain. We'll hide there until we know we're not pursued."
The servant on the right rumbled and hooted worriedly. And now Sacanas did look round, with a glare that made the furred behemoth hunch fearfully.
"You had best hope we were not followed!" she growled. "I don't have to tolerate failure. And if there is an airship back there, tailing us..."
She came about, her face set, merciless and grim. Her voice hissed sharply, like a blade unsheathing.
"Bring... it... down!"
The servant drew back, concerned.
Sacanas snarled, disgusted by the show of weakness, of mercy.
"You heard me! No survivors! No witnesses! GO!"
Bowing anxiously and repeatedly, the servants backed away. Then they turned and hurried off, their large feet thumping heavily on the deckboards. Shifting to aerial forms as they ran, they spread broad wings and took to the skies. And as they went, they summoned others, forming up into an implacable winged armada and flying off into the mist, to carry out their mistress's orders.
Sacanas snorted in disgust, swung back to the railing.
The things we have to put up with, she thought sourly. But one day... one day soon, I'll rid myself of them. Of all of them! All the lesser creatures who would stand against me. They shall bow, kneel, serve my will. And then...
Her teeth gritted in cold, heartless fury.
... then I shall annihilate them.
She paused. Her expression softened, just a bit.
And then maybe... just maybe... she will finally be safe...
Behind her, the door leading below-decks cautiously creaked open.
The maroon unicorn swung her head round to look over her shoulder. And smiled kindly, comfortingly.
"It's all right, Princess. It's safe to come up now."
Palladium glanced about. Then, pushing through the door she trotted over to the railing. She hooked her forehooves over it and peered out at the roiling clouds, and the ghost-like warships escorting them.
"Why did we have to leave in the middle of the night?" Palladium complained. "I thought you said I should stay in bed until morning."
"To throw them off track, of course. The illusion of you at the breakfast table worked perfectly. They'll believe you've been kidnapped, but they won't know by whom." She smirked proudly. "And as your guardian and protector, I of course had to immediately set out to find you..."
She bent her head to whisper in the filly's ear. "How fortunate I already have, hmmm?"
The Princess giggled. "It's like a game. Like hide and seek?"
"Yes, Princess. With one important difference. They shall not find us. None will think to look this far in the eternally frozen north. The memory and fear of the Windigoes is too fresh in their minds."
"But you're not afraid, right?" The Princess smiled up at her. "You're not afraid of anything!"
The unicorn was silent for a long moment, staring down at her.
"I gave up fear a long time ago, Princess," she said, "when everything else that mattered was taken from me."
Then she drew herself up, proudly and fiercely.
"And that is why," she went on, "I shall see to it nothing happens to you. We shall found an Empire of our own, you and I. In the Frozen North, where nopony ever comes... save for those select few whom we shall allow. I shall place a shield around it, so that you will always be safe, from the weather and from any... inferior creatures who would try to harm you. The lesser ponies, who think themselves our equals, the earth ponies, and pegasi..."
Her teeth ground. "And worst of all, those accursed alicorns, who would set themselves up as our masters." She snorted, aggressively. "Hmph! They are unworthy of our loyalty."
Regaining control of her temper with difficulty, she smiled again.
"And you, Princess, shall rule over a land eternal and unsullied, a land that reflects your kindness and love. As is your rightful due, as Royal Princess of the Unicorns."
"Wow..." Palladium peered off into the distance, as if trying to see the promised Empire through the swirling mists. "I only hope I can be a good Princess, and make everypony feel welcome and happy and loved and safe and..."
"I'm sure that you will," Sacanas interrupted softly. "Much as you did for me, when nopony else would have." She smiled fondly down at Palladium. "You are a truly special little pony, you know that? There is none like you, none in all the world."
"And you'll teach me? How to be a sorcerer, I mean?" Palladium asked. "You said I could be both, right?"
"Of course. That is, if you'll still have me as your regent and tutor."
"You bet!" The Princess smiled up at her. "I love you, Auntie Secanas!"
Eyes welling with tears, the sorceror bent her head to nuzzle the filly's mane.
"And I you..." she whispered, her voice catching. "My little love... mi amore cadenza..."
Several hours later -- plus a few heart-stopping minutes -- things were very different.
Princess Palladium peered out from a small, icicle-rimmed cavern located high on a snowy mountain peak. On the deeply drifted slopes below, she could see the crashed pink-hulled airship, lying on its side with its rose-colored gasbag deflated and useless.
The warship, and in fact all of the other ships, had been nothing but an illusion, a magical projection. There had only been her small pink airship the whole time. The crashed ship was surrounded by scattered crates, broken spars, and various other jetsam, littering the slope.
In the distance beyond, Palladium could see nothing but snow and icy mountain peaks, extending seemingly to the horizon. The air was chilly but thankfully quiet so far. The cavern appeared to be sheltered from the brunt of the winds, though the reedy whistling about the edges of the cave mouth suggested this could change at any moment.
Palladium was dressed warmly in a sky-blue faux-fur-trimmed cape, the one she liked the most since its color matched her magic. It was one of the few personal items Sacanas had allowed her to bring, so as not to raise too many suspicions. The rest were stowed in a small gilt chest that they'd dragged up the drifts and into the cavern with them.
Next to the chest was a large, barrel-shaped cylinder of smoke-dark crystal. And seated in front of this, warming his paws at the small mage-fire burning fitfully on an open stretch of the rocky floor, was the sole remaining member of Sacanas's soldiers. Apparently the soldiers themselves were also illusions, projections from the barrel-shaped crystal. And all of it had been powered by Sacanas's magic.
And therein lay the problem.
Sacanas was exploring among the stalactites at the rear of the cavern, by the light of a fitfully-burning spar clutched in a fetlock, and muttering to herself fiercely. Whether the mutterings were black and terrible summoning incantations, or mere angry cursing, it was difficult for Palladium to tell.
Grunting in annoyance, the sorcerer finally returned to the fire. She tossed the length of wood down in the flames, raising a cloud of sparks. Then she sat down beside Palladium and traded a gloomy look with her.
"I'm sorry, Princess. This is not at all the grand arrival I had planned for us."
Palladium leaned against her. "It's okay. You said a sorcerer's life is sometimes hard. I need to learn how to deal with that. And you couldn't have known --"
"I should have known!" Sacanas growled, stamping an armored hoof. "I should have made certain of it. I had everything planned, everything! But I did not count on there being something here already. Something that saps our magic, draining it away and consuming it."
Palladium could sense it herself, a chilly draw at her power whenever she attempted to use her magic. Sacanas had warned her to avoid doing so as much as possible, to conserve her remaining resources against dire emergency.
"So... what do we do now?"
Sacanas eyed her coldly. "You will wait here, Princess. Whatever this force is, it's coming from somewhere deep in the caverns in this mountain. So I am going to go down there, to find it and put a stop to it. One way or another."
Palladium stared up at her, frightened at being left alone. Then she set her small mouth determinedly, and nodded calm assent, like a Princess would.
"Very well, Sorcerer. We shall be guided by your advice."
Despite her anger, Sacanas smiled at that, and bowed her head in respect. Then she rose, casting a glance about. Her gaze fell on the soldier hunched beside Palladium.
"Guard her," she snarled.
The soldier nodded hurriedly, and moved to put a large paw protectively around the Princess.
Grunting in disgust, Sacanas grabbed up her carryall with her teeth, and flung it on over her armor. Then she grabbed up the burning spar again, sending more sparks flying. She stalked off fiercely, without another word, swiftly disappearing into the darkness at the back of the cavern.
Palladium looked up at the soldier, who stared back at her silently, somehow managing to look just as nervous as she felt. Then Palladium looked towards the cave mouth. The whistling of the wind was starting to pick up now, and starting to blow in through the cavern as the sun shifted position overhead.
Palladium shivered.
"I am a Princess," she reminded herself. "I can handle this. I know I can..." And, she thought fearfully, as Sacanas once said, if I tell myself that enough times I may actually start believing it...
The furred soldier felt the chill as well. He hooted, softly and mournfully. Huge and hulking as he was, the creature sounded forlorn, lost and alone there all by himself.
Palladium looked up at him, concerned. She wanted to help, to comfort him somehow, but wasn't sure how. Realizing that there was little else she could do, she settled for simply snugging herself closer against the creature's soft fur. The soldier looked down at her in surprise, and then leaned over to set his broad, furry arm closer around her, shielding her from the chill.
Palladium smiled grimly.
If I can do nothing else, she thought, I can at least show the kindness and concern a Princess ought to.
She looked round at the dark, barrel-shaped crystal, sitting beside the gilt chest. Within the crystal's blurred depths there was a low, flickering glow, like the last gutterings of a candle. As the glow faded, she felt the soldier fading away too. He was becoming thin and insubstantial as the magic that animated him drained away. She could feel the creature shivering, not with cold but fear, nervously facing the end. The soldier might only be a summoned thing, an animated form of directed magic, but he felt his existence. He could fear death.
Palladium suddenly couldn't stand that any longer. Looking to the crystal again, she lit her horn. Even as she felt her magic being sucked away, she cast it at the crystal, just as Sacanas had done earlier. She saw the flickering light within the crystal rise, ever so slightly, like a candle flame given just a little extra oil. And at the same time, felt her own reserves run completely dry.
The soldier became just that tiny bit more substantial. Palladium nodded. It might be a useless gesture, a waste of power, but at least the creature had stopped shivering. She looked up at him, smiling.
And then blinked in surprise. The color of the fur on the soldier's massive shoulders had changed. Before, it had been a bright flame red, like Sacanas's mane and the double-bolt mark on her armor. Now however it was lighter in color, a pale sky-blue.
The creature peered down at her, then rumbled and hooted thanks, giving her a gentle, friendly squeeze.
Palladium nodded back. "You're welcome," she said.
It was foolish she knew, unwise and improvident. Sacanas would be furious with her for taking such a risk. But it felt like the right thing to do. It's what a Princess would do, she assured herself proudly.
Thinking about Sacanas made her turn to look at the back of the cave again. And wonder if the sorcerer was all right, wandering around down there in the darkness...
------------------------------
A sudden draft deep in the tunnels under the mountain caught the guttering flame of the spar, and blew it out. Sacanas cast the charred wood aside. It hardly mattered now. The time for half-measures was over.
Steeling herself, she lit her horn and cast a luminance spell. Bright and clear, but with the least possible draw she could manage. Immediately, she felt the tug of power being drawn from her reserves. It felt like shadowy claws, scrabbling at her horn.
Rather than fight it she allowed it to guide her. She set out to follow it, through the twists and turns deep into the labyrinth of ancient caverns and lava tubes. It eventually led her down into a broad chamber deep underground, far from the Sun and the Moon, buried away from the light and the dark, where only the shadows remained.
She silenced her horn. It was no longer needed. The room itself was suffused with a sinister, burning glow, a side-effect of the magic that had been drawn here.
Before her stood a circle of six massive columns, of jagged, dark-red crystal. In the center was a larger crystalline formation, blood-red with broad, flat facets. The mirror-like facets on the columns and the central pillar reflected her image as she approached, her own murky reflection glaring back at her in legion.
And Sacanas smiled.
A simple-minded pony, looking at the crystal pillar, would see only their reflection, as in a mirror. A more sophisticated breed of mage might think they saw a portal, a gateway to an alternate, dark realm. A doorway to be passed through. If they were clever enough. And had sufficient magic reserves...
But she was Sacanas. And she, more than any other mage, could see this place for what it really was:
Power.
The power to bend the world to her will. To make ponies do as she wanted them to, to think as she wanted them to. Willingly, even adamantly, as if it had been their own idea all along. To bend them to her will and make them respect her, as was her due. And finally, to set them against those other ponies -- and wipe them out. So that she would finally be free of them, forever.
Compared to this, her crystal projector spell was a mere filly's toy. This was true power. And all she had to do...
... was take it.
------------------------------
Shivering, Palladium peered towards the back of the cavern again. Sacanas had been gone a long time now.
She gritted her teeth, steadily losing the battle with her fears. What if she doesn't come back? What if I'm stuck here, all alone? What am I going to do? Oh, I wish she'd come back. Even if she hasn't found whatever it is down there that's draining our magic, at least she'd be here. We could plan something, anything, together. What to do next...
Palladium sighed and felt ashamed. A Princess ought to be able to decide for herself, she knew, but...
... but that doesn't mean I always want to.
Then Palladium paused. She tipped her head, listening, and hoping beyond hope.
Are those hoofsteps? Is it...
Then several things happened at once.
The wind suddenly picked up, blowing from outside directly into the cavern. It was as if the depths of the mountain were suddenly drawing in a huge, chill, suctioning breath. The inwash snuffed out the mage-fire, scattering its driftwood ashes in a sooty smear across the stone floor.
At the same time, Palladium felt the magic drain abruptly intensify. The glow in the crystal behind her was snuffed out. The soldier beside her simply vanished, one paw raised helplessly as he disappeared. Palladium found herself totally alone, huddled on the chill, shadowy stone floor of the cavern, and staring wide-eyed into the darkness at its rear where the stalactites lurked, like huge teeth...
In the tunnels beyond she heard galloping hoofsteps, drawing closer. And there was something else: a deep, bellowing, gutteral roar, like some great angry beast. It sounded huge, vast, as if it was coming from a very long way off, yet at the same time was still nearly about to pounce on her.
Palladium jumped to her hooves, steadying herself against the wind. She faced the darkness watchfully, readying herself to bolt if necessary.
The galloping hooves reached her, and Sacanas hove into view, dodging around the stalactites as she charged into the cavern. The sorcerer was running recklessly, desperately, wide-eyed in panic. Her mane was disheveled and wild-looking. She had one eye held tight shut, a livid, bleeding gash running across that side of her face. An armored hoof caught on a jutting rock edge, and unable to stop herself, Sacanas went sprawling, landing heavily and painfully on the rock floor.
From a pocket of her carryall, a large chunk of what looked like colorless crystalline gemstone bounced out onto the cavern floor. It skidded across the remaining distance, ending up right in front of Palladium, who automatically put up a forehoof to keep it from smacking into her.
Sacanas's head jerked up. She stared at Palladium desperately.
"Princess! Get out of here! Run!"
Even as she spoke, a deeper darkness was approaching behind her, a huge, dark shadow looming out of the darkness of the tunnels. It fulminated in the air near the cavern's roof, like smoke from a huge bonfire. But it wasn't mere smoke. There was something hideously, burningly, malevolently aware about it. It was pure sentience, formed from the very darkness itself.
The sight of it made Palladium's blood run cold, made her limbs freeze. The thing seemed to sap her will, leaving her unable to run, unable to fight, unable to think, unable to hope, unable to feel anything at all except...
... despair.
The black shadow gathered itself, pausing briefly, hovering over the collapsed mage. It extruded numerous shadowy, rope-like extensions, as if readying itself to pounce upon Sacanas and rend her to pieces. It roared again, the same here-and-not-here bellowing cry. As if what Palladium could see before her was only the merest fraction of the thing, here in the cavern with them.
Palladium stared at the darkness, and felt the thing staring back at her. She could feel its eyeless presence, regarding her dismissively, in utter contempt.
Its attention returned to Sacanas, but the sorcerer ignored it, her gaze fixed firmly on the Princess.
"Palladium! Go! Now!"
Palladium fearfully, reluctantly drew herself up, preparing to turn and run...
... and then stopped, staring down at Sacanas. At her tutor, her guardian, her friend, lying there helpless, powerless...
And Palladium suddenly decided that, even if it killed her, she was not having this.
"No!" she yelled, as fiercely as she could manage. It sounded pitifully weak, even in her own ears. "You get away from her!"
The apparition paused, seemingly confused by her impudence. It bellowed a challenge at her, hugely, warningly. But Palladium stood firm, a forehoof still resting on the crystal.
"You heard me! Get away from my teacher! Don't you dare touch her!"
Something was happening. A livid, fierce, protective force was welling up inside Palladium. It felt like magic, but also somehow distinct, somehow different. She felt her horn sparking with it, felt her eyes burning, blazing alight. All round her, the chill winter winds from outside the cavern were steadily being pushed back, replaced by a warming breeze, an implacable sense of calm, of well-being, of safety...
... of love.
"You get away from my Auntie Sacanas!" Palladium shrieked, tears running down her cheeks. "She's mine! And you will not harm her!"
The magic force surged down her hoof, flooding into the jagged chunk of crystal. The crystal blazed alight with a piercing blue luminance. It filled the cavern with an aura of calm, of peace. Its shimmering cerulean light rippled on the walls like sunlight reflected off gentle waves in a sheltered grotto.
But it was not gentle magic, not at all. A sudden explosion of force, a wall of implacable shield energy blasted outwards from Palladium. The power washed harmlessly over Sacanas, instead lashing into the dark mass of smoke looming above her. It drove the shadowy presence backwards, fiercely, shoving it backwards down the long tunnels in the mountain, to wherever the thing had come from.
Palladium didn't care where. She just wanted it gone.
"GO!" Palladium yelled, her voice hugely amplified. She gasped as the surging, uncontrollable power flowed out from her, down into the crystal, and then outwards into a massive shield wall which she could feel expanding to encompass the entire mountain peak. "LEAVE!" she thundered, her voice cracking with the strain, "AND DON'T EVER, EVER COME BACK!"
The shadow was gone, utterly. Stillness fell, save for the echoes of her titanic shouting, and the gentle thrumming of the crystal. In through the mouth of the cavern, a soft, summery breeze flowed.
Sacanas painfully lifted her head, looked around. She squinted with her good eye down the tunnel behind her. It was empty, still glimmering with the crystal's projected magic.
Then the sorcerer looked forwards, at the small pony before her.
Palladium's eyes were blazing. Her mane, robe, and tail were being whipped by the backwash of the energies still rushing through her. And she was sobbing helplessly.
"Sacanas!" she yelled. "Help! I can't control it!"
The sorcerer managed to haul herself to her hooves, and stumble forwards. "Yes, you can," she gasped raggedly. "You can, Palladium. It's gone now. You don't have to worry anymore. Just relax, calm yourself..."
"I can't! I can't! It won't stop!"
Sacanas scowled, suddenly furious. She felt every ounce of the pain, in her limbs, in her lacerated face. And she snarled.
"Get a hold of yourself, Highness! It is a magic surge, nothing more. If you will your power to stop, it will stop. You can do this. And don't let me hear such weakness from you again!"
The brutal command got through where gentleness had not. Palladium paused in shock, her mouth hanging open. Then she nodded. She took a deep breath and gradually, desperately, managed to push back her terror. She brought the strange magic under control. The flood of power through her slowed, subsided. Her eyes returned to normal, her horn ceased sparking.
And she almost collapsed on the ground. Almost, save that Sacanas had stumbled forwards to catch her. The sorcerer drew her into a tight, relieved hug. "Thank you," the sorcerer said quietly. "Thank you, Princess."
"What happened?" Palladium asked, weakly. Her whole body was still tingling, spasming from the unrestrained flow of power.
"I don't know," Sacanas admitted. "I honestly don't know." She scowled crossly. "I detest not knowing."
Palladium suddenly focused on Sacanas, in particular on her face. "Ouch... does that hurt?" She pointed at the gash across her teacher's face.
Sacanas winced. "Yes. But it will heal. And it will serve as a reminder," she added, "not to go poking my nose in a hornets' nest."
Still holding Palladium close, Sacanas eyed the chunk of crystal lying on the floor. It was still pulsing with energy, still sending out the barrier protecting them.
She reached out a hoof towards it, hesitated briefly, then... touched it.
Nothing happened.
Sacanas lit her horn, drawing on the magic she felt even now returning to her reserves. She cautiously cast a spell at the crystal. Then several other spells. The result was the same.
Nothing. No reaction. Snorting, Sacanas shoved at the crystal with her hoof. It was completely, frustratingly unresponsive.
"Well," she said. "That's... unexpected."
"I'm sorry," Palladium said. "I don't know what happened. I don't even know what I did."
"What you did..." Sacanas said, through gritted teeth. Then forced herself to relax. "... you did very well, Highness. And that's all that matters. With this artifact, and your unusual... talent in controlling it, we can now defend ourselves. We can restore our reserves of magic, restore our fleet, and return to the task we came to do: building an Empire we can truly call our own..." She nodded proudly, smiling at Palladium. "Very good, Highness. Nine out of ten."
Palladium smiled back weakly. "But how did all that happen?"
"Apparently this crystal..." Sacanas frowned at it. "... responds to magic of a sort very different from that which you or I understand. But which you seem uniquely attuned to. You did say you wanted to learn truly powerful spells, Princess. Well, now it seems you have an entirely new branch of magic to call your own."
"So... what do I do with it?"
Sacanas considered it. Then smirked. "Perhaps it's time for one or two of the more advanced lessons, eh?"
"Really?" Palladium's eyes lit up, her fright instantly forgotten.
"Mm hmm." Sacanas looked around. Her eye fell on the barrel-shaped dark crystal. She'd been about to cast her own magic at it, to restore the soldiers. Instead she looked at Palladium, and nodded towards it.
"Why don't you give it a try, Princess?"
------------------------------
Several minutes later they stepped out of the cave mouth. And into a changed world.
First, there was a large squad of soldiers accompanying them. The fur on their shoulders and arms was a soft coral blue, the color of Palladium's unusual magic. One of them carried the Princess's gilt chest. Another carried the barrel-shaped crystal projector.
And the mountainside they stepped out onto was utterly transformed.
Everywhere under the dome of the protective shield, everywhere, there was green, pleasant grassy meadow and forest, under a warm, sunlit blue sky. Flowers were just opening, hurriedly, as if in surprise at the sudden arrival of summer. Small birds and insects flitted about eagerly.
Palladium was in the lead, with Sacanas close behind her, a hastily-fashioned bandage tied round the sorcerer's head, and the thrumming chunk of blue crystal tucked safely in her carryall pocket.
The Princess came to a halt, looking up at Sacanas. The sorcerer nodded back, encouragingly. The soldier carrying the projector crystal brought it forward and set it in front of Palladium.
And the Princess set her hooves firmly on the ground, faced it, lit her horn, shut her eyes... and concentrated, just as Sacanas had taught her.
She pictured the small pink airship, restored and repaired, its gasbag healed and reinflated, ready to rise into the sky. She pictured the other ships ranged around it, their hulking, armored crews standing at the ready. With the image clear in her mind, she unleashed a flood of magic at the crystal.
And opened her eyes. And gasped.
Before her was her pink airship, as good as new. Better than new in fact: it was now a massive flagship, as grand as a small palace. It hung directly above the mountain slope, a pair of soldiers already lowering a side entry ramp from it for them to board. And around, behind, and above the pink airship... there was an armada. A fleet of dozens of the airships, black and armored. They still had Sacanas's double-bolt mark on their prows, but now it gleamed a soft coral blue -- the same color as the point-like eyes in the soldiers' mask-like faces.
The color of the crystal, thrumming in Sacanas's pocket... the color of Palladium's new kind of magic. A magic, it seemed, based on pure love itself.
"Where shall we go now?" Palladium asked, looking up at Sacanas... with just a hint of pride on her small face.
Sacanas glanced round, at the snow-capped peaks still visible through the wall of the shield spell. And smiled back, a little of her old haughty reserve returning.
"Why don't you tell me, Highness? You're in charge here. But if you'll take my advice, we'll need a place where this magic of yours is the strongest." She nodded towards the entry ramp of Palladium's flagship. "We can see better from the air. Come on, up you get."
The Princess laughed, and willingly ran forwards, up the ramp and into the ship. Then she turned and scurried towards the stairway leading to the forward deck.
And Sacanas followed. Quietly, thoughtfully, accompanied by the soldiers -- who now served Palladium, not her.
This will take some getting used to, she thought with irritation. But it's nothing we can't handle...
------------------------------
The Princess's flagship circled about over the center of a broad, flat plain covered in mounded ice and snow, beneath a glowering sky filled with ragged, grim-looking clouds, and encircled by ranges of sharp, snow-buried mountains.
Palladium peered down over the railing, turning her head this way and that, her horn glowing. "Right about... there," she said, pointing a hoof downwards, at a relatively flat area near the center of the plain. She looked up at Sacanas, standing next to her. "What do you think?"
The Sorcerer nodded, her expression neutral. "Almost ideal, Highness. A conjunction of leylines, to provide power. And open ground in all directions. More than enough room for a sizable population."
"Almost ideal?" Palladium asked, worriedly.
Sacanas shrugged, and nodded towards the higher, snowier peaks beyond the plain. "There are valleys further in the hills that would be more secure. They offer less space to build on, but would be easier to defend. On the other hoof," she allowed, "going too much farther into the hills we risk running into the Yaks. They live in the high tundra."
"The Yaks? Are they... dangerous?"
Sacanas raised an eyebrow. "Let's just say they'd be rather... rowdy neighbors."
Palladium sighed. "I know we want somewhere safe and out of the way. But I'd rather it wasn't too hard for ponies to get here, if they really want to."
Sacanas seemed about to debate it further. Then she acquiesced, and gestured to the plain below them. "If this spot seems suitable to you, Princess, let's go down and stake our claim and have a look round. By the look of things, we won't have to fight anypony for it at least."
The flagship swept downwards and came to a gentle landing on its keel, near the center of the plain. Overhead the other warships circled, watchfully. The boarding ramp was flung down, and Palladium descended it, with Sacanas right behind her. Palladium stopped at the end of the ramp, doubtfully prodding at the deeply drifted snow. Then she gingerly stepped out onto it.
And promptly plunged into it, up to her neck.
Sacanas pressed a hoof to her snout, holding back a laugh. "You might want to employ the warming spell I taught you, Princess. It should easily melt a path for you."
"But... that would be wasteful of power, wouldn't it?"
"Says the pony standing on a conjunction of three leylines." Sacanas rolled her eyes. "I've taught you to be chary with your reserves in the past, Highness, but things are different now. And you'll need to learn how to handle having power to burn."
Palladium glanced around, at the banked snow almost burying her. Then she shut her eyes, lit her horn, and concentrated. Her horn sang, projecting the warming spell. Waves of palpable heat made the air ripple about her. And all about her, the snow steamed. It sublimated straight to vapor, rising and drifting away on the cold breezes. The hard-packed earth was quickly revealed: bare, dead, and bone-dry.
Grinning at her success, Palladium turned towards the location she could sense ahead of her, by the feel of the magic fields arcing in towards it -- the place that felt just right, somehow. She swept her horn back and forth as she moved forwards, using the warming spell to industriously clear a path to it.
And Sacanas stalked along in her wake, occasionally glancing about over the snowdrifts for signs of trouble. Yet so far, apart from the two of them the plain was empty and quiet. There was only the sad hollow soughing of the wind, like distant voices lost in the cold wastes.
Palladium finally reached the point she was aiming at. She cleared a wide circle of bare ground around it. And then with a mischievous giggle, scraped a large "X" in the dirt on the exact spot. Just to make the point.
She looked up to Sacanas, who nodded. Opening the carryall with her magic, the sorcerer brought out the chunk of crystal. It was still faintly shimmering with the cerulean energy Palladium had charged it with.
Sacanas set the crystal on the ground, at the spot Palladium indicated. Then she took a step back cautiously, and gestured with a forehoof. "The rest... is up to you, Princess."
"I know. I know. I'm still not sure I know what to do, though."
Sacanas shrugged mildly. "I'm unable to guide you. It's your talent. You'll need to feel your way to it."
Palladium looked momentarily frightened. "You'll help me, won't you? If I get it wrong?"
"In as far as I can," Sacanas muttered, a little sharply. Then she smiled. "Don't worry, Princess. I'm not going anywhere."
Palladium nodded in relief, and took a deep breath. Then, setting her hooves firmly, with one hoof resting on the edge of the crystal, she cleared her mind as Sacanas had advised her. Then she thought back, to that moment in the cavern when she'd felt the power welling up inside her, when she'd felt it flowing through her. It hadn't felt like ordinary magic, coming from her reserves. It seemed to come from somewhere else entirely, someplace unique and new. But she still had no idea where that was, or how to summon the flow of power again.
How do I do this? she fretted. How do I make it work?
She looked up at Sacanas. At her teacher, standing patiently and watchfully nearby, with a hint of a smile on her face. Not judging Palladium, not telling her what to do. Just being there for her, keeping her safe, making things work out, the way she always did. She was Palladium's one true friend in all the world. The one pony who made the Princess feel truly safe, truly at peace with herself, in the midst of all this strangeness, in the heart of this distant, chill, lonely land...
And as Palladium thought that, she felt the power beginning to flow, just a hint of it. It welled up, filling her with a sense of relief, of well-being. And she knew just what she needed to do.
She smiled up at her teacher, her friend, her protector...
"I love you, Auntie," she whispered.
And her eyes blazed. The crystal shone with the power flooding from her, spilling into it. Then the power projected from the crystal, upwards and outwards. It sprang into the air like streamers of shimmering fire, creating a gleaming aurora in the air beneath the looming gray clouds.
Around them, the shield dome materialized. It covered a wide section of the plain, hundreds of lengths across. Beneath it, snow, ice, and chill wind all vanished instantly, replaced by green rolling meadow and soft warm breezes. The grim, gray clouds were banished, and a brilliant, shimmering sun shone down from a perfectly clear blue sky. All around them the grassy plain was laid bare...
... and so were several large, multi-faceted crystalline structures which had been buried under the deeper drifts of snow. In shape they were like huge gemstones except that they had openings, like doors and windows. Like houses. An entire city of them, buried under the ice and snow.
They were beautiful, glittering... and utterly abandoned. It was like a ghost town. A very, very expensive ghost town, made entirely from shining crystal.
"Wow..." Palladium breathed, staring at the revealed crystal structures. She was about to run across to the nearest of them, wanting like anything to explore it.
But Sacanas held up a hoof warningly. Motioning with it, she summoned a squad of the furred soldiers, who took up station around Palladium and her crystal.
"Stay here," Sacanas snapped. "And be ready, Princess."
"For what?"
"That is what I hope to find out..."
The sorcerer turned and crossed cautiously towards the nearest of the abandoned dwellings. Stepping through the empty, gaping doorway, she peered around inside, her horn shimmering brightly to light the gloomy interior.
Little remained save dust and dirt, and some crystalline shelving holding what looked like... pottery? Puzzled, Sacanas trotted over to examine the artifacts more closely. There were vases and urns, of various shapes, some with lids and some without. The pieces were functional, but not glamorous, fired with a serviceable, nondescript blue glazing.
Sacanas rummaged among the shelves, seeing little of value either for a collector or an archeologist. Then she came across one piece that had apparently been given a bit more care and attention, as if it was the long-vanished artist's final masterpiece.
It was an urn or jug, violet in overall hue, decorated with fine brush-strokes of blue and white pigment. It depicted a repeated montage, in which ponies -- or what seemed like ponies, since they were somewhat stylized and had unusual looking horns -- were gathered beneath a shining icon, a stylized heart. The heart appeared to be projecting rays of energy down towards them, which the ponies received with evident joy.
Or... is it the ponies, Sacanas mused, projecting energy upward at the heart?.
Either way, it gave her an idea.
Setting the urn gently back on its shelf, she headed back outside, to where Palladium was anxiously waiting.
"I don't think we need worry," Sacanas said. "This place seems long deserted. But it will take some work to make it suitable for your subjects, Your Highness."
"As soon as I have any," Palladium said doubtfully.
"It might be sooner than you think," Sacanas warned. "For one thing, while we clearly won't have to worry about the weather, your dominion will need food. And that means farms and livestock, and ponies to manage them. Plus we will want artisans: cultured ponies who can shape this place into an appropriately regal city from which you can rule. And," she added, "you will need a proper royal palace. Situated right here, I think. From which your crystal gemstone can project its shield in perpetuity, guarding your realm."
"Well, even with the power I can call up," Palladium said, "I doubt if I could manage to keep it charged like this -- not forever, and not by myself."
Sacanas leaned closer, smiling craftily. "Leave that to me, Highness. First, let us see about constructing your palace."
"How? And from what?"
Sacanas gestured towards the crystal. "This should suffice, if you'll lend me the power we need. Remember how I taught you how to do a remote-casting spell? It can also be used to share magic, and transmute between different types of magic. Let me show you how..."
After a quick lesson, and a bit of practice, they were ready. They moved a short distance away from the center of the plain, to a position close by the innermost ring of crystalline dwellings. Then Palladium set the shimmering crystal gently on the ground, and put her hoof on it. It felt as if she was dipping her hoof in an immense, sparkling pond. The power tickled somewhat, as it flowed back up her foreleg, returning to her.
Concentrating, she remote-cast, converting the power into a form of magic that Sacanas could draw upon and share.
And the sorcerer lit her own horn, feeling just a little exultant at the seemingly depthless resources she could now weild. She lifted her hoof, gently sketching a rough form in the air with it. Then she cast the spell...
And before Palladium's eyes, a shimmering, ghostly blue outline appeared, towering high overhead. It had four broad legs at its base, which swept together and upwards in graceful curves towards a narrow, needle-like point a dizzying height above her. The magic gradually solidified, freezing into a soaring, graceful tower, a regal palace of glittering white diamond. The tower had balconies and spires, and slender sub-towers connected by flying buttresses. The four broad legs of the tower enclosed the spot Palladium had marked, the conjunction of the leylines. And these also appeared to be reflected by the six major avenues stretching away from the new tower, between the crystal dwellings.
Apart from its titanic height, the new tower fit in perfectly, amongst the abandoned houses, as if it had always been there: the central gemstone of a huge jewelry setting.
Sacanas exhaled, wearily but proudly. Wielding that much magic was a struggle, though she would never admit it, not even to Palladium.
"Well, Highness? What do you think?"
"I love it!" Palladium gasped. "But... it won't disappear when I touch it this time, will it?"
"Not this time," Sacanas smiled reassuringly. "It's as solid as you or I. But it's not quite complete yet." She pointed at the shimmering crystal. "If I may?"
Still staring up at the tower, Palladium nodded, allowing the sorcerer to take the crystal up in her magic. Conjuring a small hammer and chisel, Sacanas set to work on it, carefully chipping off small shards, delicately and exactingly shaping and re-tuning it.
Finally finished, she held it up to show her work.
"Voila."
"A heart!" Palladium gasped. "A crystal heart!"
"The literal heart of your city," Sacanas said. "Appropriate, don't you think? And there's already a place prepared for it."
With her magic, the sorcerer swept the crystal over beneath the tower, to the center of the open space that was bracketed by the tower's legs. As she moved it into position, spires of crystal emerged from the tower and from the ground, into the gap between them. The crystal drifted into the gap between them and then, drawn by the force of its own power, it snapped into place, spinning gently.
And the heart blazed.
Its power, conducted upwards through the tower, was magnified, amplified by the power of the leylines, the mathematically perfect shaping of the tower itself. It caused the entire structure to gleam magnificently. And from the tower's peak high overhead, the magnified power launched into the sky in massive, aurora-like streamers. It spread across the sky and down again, forming a massive shield dome centered on the palace. Not just a personal shield, nor the mountain-sized shield that Palladium had conjured on her own. This shield was immense. It spanned and enclosed most of the plain around them, reaching almost to the ramparts of the mountains beyond. The shield practically became the sky itself, its protective influence turning the entire landscape of the plain into green meadows and gentle summer air, lit warmly by a shining sun from an utterly cloudless blue sky.
"There." Sacanas smirked. "Now your Empire is properly protected, Princess. And with this level of power to work with, well..." She laughed. "There can be little we cannot do together." She eyed Palladium in amusement. "What say you, Princess? Want to give your new Palace a look-see?"
"Do I!" Palladium grinned. And she galloped off, racing past the crystal heart spinning in its sconce, heading towards one of the doors set into the broad legs of the tower.
Sacanas allowed her to lead the way, following quietly at her own pace, accompanied by the furred soldiers... and making plans.
Now, Princess, she thought calmly, we'll need a populace for you to rule.
And I think I know just where to find one...
------------------------------
Wheat Husk unhappily scuffed at the bare, unproductive soil, on the field that he and the other earth ponies had managed to painstakingly clear and plow. It was just outside the small group of clapboard shacks and other structures that they'd thrown together to form their new town. New-fallen snow already dusted the field, and the increasing drifts on the hilltops nearby weren't reassuring.
This far north, the growing season would be cruelly short, so far from the heartlands of Equestria and the ambient magic that earth ponies could channel into the soil and use to produce crops, even in the poorest of conditions. It would be hard work sowing, and even harder reaping, enough food to support the whole settlement.
But it's better this way, the brown, muscular stallion told himself. Better to work hard and make our own destiny, rather than having it dictated by those... what were they called again? Alicorns?
Wheat Husk frowned disgruntledly. Things were better in the old days. Earth ponies plowed, the otherwise useless pegasi brought the wind and the rains. And the unicorns... well, they managed things, like the sun and moon, with their magic. And they lived high and mighty far away in their ivory towers, as nobility should.
It was simply how things were meant to be, Wheat Husk told himself. The three tribes each went their own way, according to their abilities, trading as and when the need arose. And otherwise, just leaving each other the hay alone.
All this talk of unification, of the three tribes living and working together, he thought grimly. What use is it? It only causes trouble...
Yet deep in his heart, the hard-bitten farm pony was troubled. He worried that maybe, just maybe, they had bitten off more than they could chew this time. Leaving the warm valleys south of Van Hoover and heading north, away from the heartlands. Way up here, where they could do as they liked with no interference... and with nopony around to help if things went sour... well really, then weren't they just asking for trouble?
What if it all goes wrong? What if we can't produce enough to feed everypony? What if... Wheat Husk shuddered. What if we're forced to go back, hat in hoof. Beg for our old homesteads back? What if it turns out...
He made a face.
What if it turns out we're wrong?
The gloomy thoughts were suddenly interrupted by an unexpected wafting of warm breezes. Looking up in surprise, Wheat Husk was astounded by the sight of a grand airship approaching, high in the sky.
Light pink in color, with a rose-colored balloon, the palatial airship was descending slowly towards the town. And it seemed to be bringing summer right along with it. The air swiftly warmed. The dusting of snow on the ground vanished. The skies cleared, the sun shone. The air itself felt unexpectedly, comfortably humid.
And Wheat Husk felt the magic flowing all round him, felt the earth-pony connection to the earth, and the winds, and the seasons, strengthening every second.
He felt alive, in a way he hadn't felt in countless moons, even before the coming of the Windigos, with their killing ice and frost.
The other earth ponies in the town had felt it too. They came crowding out of their houses, galloping over from their own plots around the town, gathering in awe and wonder and chattering amongst themselves, as the airship steadily rode downwards and came to a landing before the crowd.
A boarding ramp swung down, thumped to the ground in front of them.
From the ship's interior, a pony emerged. Tall, forbidding, dressed in polished black armor, the scarlet-maned unicorn stalked fiercely and proudly down the ramp, like trouble incarnate. But on reaching the base of the ramp, she stepped to the side and turned to stand beside it -- stiffly, at attention.
"Presenting!" she called sharply. "Her Royal Highness: Princess Palladium!"
And a small, rose-maned unicorn filly appeared at the doorway, dressed richly in a light-blue fur cloak, her mane and tail perfectly combed and coiffed. She trotted sedately down the ramp, coming to a halt near the bottom where she could still see over the crowd. She smiled at the astonished earth ponies, as if they were the most wonderful thing she'd seen all day.
"Good morrow, citizens!" she called. "And a pleasant day to thee!"
Old habits die hard. The townsponies swiftly bent knee to the small unicorn. Begrudgingly, yet it was the thing to do. Especially when faced with magic-users, and their powerful, unpredictable ways.
"I have come to ask your help," Palladium went on, trotting down the ramp to stand at its base. "I am founding an Empire, far in the North. And I would like you to come live with me, to help build it and help feed us all by working the farmlands. I can offer you plenty of land, free for the asking and ready for homesteads. And the freedom to live as you wish, if you'll be willing to have me as your sovereign."
The townsponies looked at each other in astonishment. Then Wheat Husk cautiously raised a hoof.
"Beggin' your pardon, Highness, but... we're barely scratching a living as it is, this far north. And you want us to go even further?"
Palladium nodded. Then she gestured towards the black-armored unicorn, who had moved to stand beside her. "This is Sacanas," she said. "My Royal Sorcerer, and advisor... and my very great friend." She smiled up at the sorcerer. And Sacanas gazed around coldly at the farm ponies, eyeing them in a stern silence. The homesteaders felt distinctly uneasy under her sharp, disapproving glare.
Then she turned back to Palladium, and bowed her head graciously and subserviently.
And Palladium went on: "With her magic, Sacanas has created a spell that grants eternal summer in my Empire, in the heart of the Frozen North. She's a really powerful sorcerer, and this is only a sample of it." Palladium gestured about herself at the warm summer climate surrounding the airship, bringing a sense of comfort and hope along with it. "Your fields will never need to be cleared of snow. You'll be able to plant and harvest as often you wish, year round. You'll have more than enough to feed yourselves, as well as to trade with the other ponies who come to live in my Empire. You'll never have to struggle to make a living again."
"But... we'll have to follow your commands?" asked a gray-maned mare, skeptically. "Bend knee, bow and scrape? Do as you tell us?"
"Only when necessary," Palladium replied. "I can't tell you how to farm the land, and I wouldn't try to. I'll rely on you to tell me what's needed. All I wish to do is create an Empire where my subjects can live quietly and safely, and be happy. I can't do it on my own, not even with a sorcerer like Sacanas helping me. I need your help. And in return, I'm more than happy to give you the land you'll need to live and work on. Just come with me, help me build my Empire. That's all I ask."
Despite themselves, the rough-edged farm ponies were impressed by her quiet, honest eagerness. They saw the caring look in her eyes. They felt the warmth and comfort she brought with her, the sense of hope and security that surrounded her.
And they shuddered to think what it would be like, if she left, and it all went away again...
"So," asked Wheat Husk, "it'd just be you ruling us, then? Not them alicorns, in that new city down South? Canterlot, or whatever it's called?"
Palladium nodded. "I will want to ask other unicorns to come and live in my Empire. To serve as my Court, and as artisans and mages. But only those who want to live there, only those who'll accept me as their sovereign. It's my Empire, and I will be its Princess. And I'll do my very best, every day, to be a good one."
The farm ponies muttered quietly amongst themselves, both positively and negatively. Then Iron Plow, nominal Mayor of the town, cleared his throat.
"It's a startling and quite generous offer, Your Highness," he said carefully. "We'd like to take some time to discuss it amongst ourselves, if that's all right with ye?"
"Absolutely!" Palladium nodded. "Go right ahead."
The debate began in earnest, with ponies raising their voices and arguing back and forth, the consensus flitting this way and that as issues were raised, challenged, and raised again.
Yet Sacanas could tell they were already sold. It was simply too good an offer to pass up. She stepped closer to whisper to Palladium.
"There are a couple of other settlements we should also visit," she said. "Ponies who've moved out here, to the fringes of society, to live free of interference. Their sudden disappearance won't raise unwanted questions. And they should be just enough to start with." She snorted scornfully. "They're welcome to live on their farmsteads, out on the borders of the Empire. Where they can keep to themselves."
"You do think they'll want to come with us?" Palladium asked nervously.
"No doubt of it, Highness. No doubt at all." Sacanas looked around at the furiously debating farm ponies. "They know a bargain when they're offered one. And they have as little desire as we do to be ruled by alicorns. They'll see in the end that it's in their best interest to throw in their lot with us."
And, she added to herself, smiling, they will do everything we ask of them. After all, the enemy of my enemy...
"Awfully late, for anypony to be knocking at this hour," said Gingham Square. "Eh, dear?"
She glanced at the sketched portrait on the wall, of her late husband Stone Cutter. She liked to pretend she was still talking to him rather than to herself. It felt less lonely that way.
Cautiously, the elderly mare edged open the front door of her cottage, and peered round it, ready to throw her not inconsiderable weight against it if she saw reason.
Then she flung it wide in shock. "Princess Palladium!"
The rose-maned Princess smiled up at her. "A pleasant evening to you, ma'am."
Grabbing the fringe of her nightdress, Gingham curtseyed deeply. "It's really you then, Your Highness? You're all right? We'd heard you'd been kidnapped."
"It's... sort of more complicated than that," Palladium said. "But I'm fine, really. Though I can't stay for long. May I come in, please?"
"Of course, Highness! Where are my manners? Come right in." Gingham stepped back, gesturing welcomingly. "Sorry 'bout the mess. Wasn't expectin' royalty this evening."
Palladium smiled, looking round at the spotlessly-kept dwelling. At the shelves, full of small carven knick-knacks. At the watercolors on the wall, the marvelously crocheted cushions on the couch and embroidered curtains on the windows. And all of it expert hoof-work as far as she could see. It was like standing in a small art gallery or museum, instead of somepony's living room.
I knew it, she told herself proudly.
Gingham shut the door, and smiled down at the Princess, though a little uncertainly. "What brings you by this late, deary?"
Remembering, Palladium turned to her. "I wanted to ask a favor of you, ma'am. A big favor." She held up a hoof, on which was the small, sculpted figurine of Gusty the Great. "You said your husband makes these?"
Gingham looked bashful. "Oh, well... actually he's been gone these many moons, rest his soul. I tells ponies that at the stall 'cause it makes a good story. And too, if everypony knew that I did these... oh my word, dear! There'd just be no end of it! Ponies wantin' custom this, and custom that, all in a hurry-like and no thought for anypony but themselves --"
"You mean, you do all these?" Palladium interrupted, her eyes wide. "Wow! That's even better!"
"How so, love?"
Palladium glanced around. "This is a secret. You can't tell anypony."
Gingham nodded willingly, though still looked puzzled.
"I'm founding an Empire," Palladium said. "An Empire of my own, which I'm going to rule. It's in... uh, it's a long ways from here. Sacanas is my Royal Sorcerer, and she's helping me. And there's other ponies helping too, making everything ready. And it's warm, and safe, and there's farms for food, and beautiful crystal houses for everypony to live in..."
She paused, uncertain.
"But...?" Gingham gently prompted.
"But it still needs something," Palladium said. "To make the place really pleasant for everypony. I need somepony who can... I don't know..."
"Add a few homey touches?" Gingham suggested. "Carpets and curtains and suchlike? Little decorative bits?"
"That would help," Palladium agreed. "But it's more than that. I need somepony who can make all of it nice, the whole thing. Kind of like... a decorator, but for the whole Empire." She smiled. "And right away, I thought of you. And this." She held up the toy. "If you can do wonderful things like this, and show others what to do, and where to put them so they look their best, I just know it would make all the difference."
"So let me just understand you clearly, dear," Gingham said. "You want me to come with you, to this Empire of yours, and use what I know to make it a place other ponies would love to call home?"
Palladium nodded eagerly. "I want a place where my subjects will feel happy and safe. I want to be a good Princess, a worthy Princess. And I can't do it all by myself."
"I should think not! Sounds a tall order, Highness, and no mistake. But even so, I've never shirked a royal command in my life, and I don't intend to start now." Gingham curtseyed, as deeply as she could manage. "Not that I've gotten many of 'em you understand, but that's neither here nor there. Just give me a mo' to throw a few things together, and we'll be off."
Palladium stared at her, amazed.
"Just like that? Really? I thought I'd have to convince you. I had a whole speech worked out, too. With reasons and everything!"
"I'm sure you did, love." Gingham smiled warmly at her. "But you needn't have bothered. I was ready to go with you before you asked. The moment I saw you, in fact."
"Oh?" Palladium looked overjoyed. Then her face fell. "Oh, I'm sorry... I did forget to ask. How are things here?"
Gingham shook her head. "It ain't been the same, dear, not since your dear mother went off to Canterlot. The Prince has been... well, I never want to speak ill of the monarchy. And I'm sure he's a firm ruler and all, but..."
"It's okay," Palladium said quickly. "I don't really like him, either."
"Aw, now there's a shame. You and he not gettin' along. It wouldn't surprise me, though. Well as I say, it's not been pleasant. And I just know if you were the Princess, you'd be a good'n and no mistake. And I'm not the only one as thinks so. The townsfolk here all remember how you stood up for us, against the Griffons. How much you cared about us. We'd follow you to the edge of the earth, Princess, and that's a fact. You just put out the word and you'd have half the town along with you in a trice."
"Well..." Palladium winced. "I have to be careful. It's risky even being here talking to you. But I was hoping you might come along. And I'm going to ask a few others. And once we've all worked together and built up the Empire so that it can stand on its own, then maybe... well, maybe others will be able to come there too."
"I shouldn't doubt they'll want to, dear." As they'd been talking, Gingham had shrugged out of her nightdress and into a warm cloak, and gathered a few tools and mementos into the pockets of a carryall, which she slung across her back.
"There, that should do, I'd think." She blew out the candle on the side-table, pluging the room into darkness save for the soft glow of magic from their horns. "Lead on, Your Highness."
Palladium smiled, and turned towards the door.
Which swung open, revealing Sacanas standing outside. Two of the furred soldiers were with her, as escort for the Princess. The sorcerer's horn sizzled and crackled with a harsh, electric-blue glare. And with the scar across her face, the dark scowl of her eyes, and her iron-black mage armor thrumming with power, she looked like somepony's worst nightmare brought to life.
But her voice, when she spoke, was quietly calm.
"Are we off then, Your Highness?"
Palladium nodded. "It turns out all I had to do was ask."
"Indeed?" The sorcerer's stern gaze swept towards Gingham. "Most fortunate, is it not? That Her Highness is so naturally persuasive?"
Gingham shivered, as she turned to shut the door behind her. It still mystified her how someone as kind and caring and gentle as the Princess could persuade a fearsomely powerful sorcerer like Sacanas to follow her around so willingly...
------------------------------
The work proceeded swiftly, yet with an exacting care, so hardly any notice was taken in the kingdoms down south.
A village or two out on the fringes of society would be suddenly found abandoned, but this merely prompted a few vague rumors in the rural counties of rogue mages, or a return of the Windigos or the like, even though there'd been little sign of either for many a moon. And too, the rumors helpfully kept ponies from venturing too far north into the cold and ice.
Here or there a unicorn mage or artisan would suddenly leave town or move away without a forwarding address. Yet it was always someone unknown, someone quiet or antisocial, whose skill and talent went unnoticed or even ignored. So little remark was made of their disappearance.
The sudden resignation of a few sections of the Unicorn Guard, along with a few of their officers and lieutenants, did prompt questioning in higher echelons. But it was ultimately put down to general dissatisfaction among the guard ponies with the rule of His Royal Highness Electrum. And the officers who left were generally martinets, who'd always believed they could do better than their superiors. Consequently, the whole thing was quietly hushed up for the good of morale and the sake of the regiment.
Certain shipments and categories of goods would now and again be unaccountably redirected, or be suddenly harder to come by. But such things were not unknown. Trading was risky business, and such events were simply treated as an opportunity by middleponies to briefly hike prices without worrying about the details.
All in all, it was expertly managed, with a coldly unerring precision. No notice was taken of the founding of an entire Empire, deep in the Frozen North. Which was precisely how Sacanas wanted it...
------------------------------
In the square beneath the diamond-like Crystal Palace, the Royal Sorcerer waited patiently, together with an honor guard of the ape-like soldiers and a few pony guard officers as well, as Palladium concentrated on feeding power into the heart-shaped gem, spinning in its sconce.
Finally silencing her horn, and taking a weary breath, Palladium smiled weakly at the group of waving and cheering citizens assembled around the Palace to watch the near-daily ritual.
Then the Princess looked up at Sacanas. "I'm glad that's over," she said. "I'm not sure, but it seems to be getting harder, with all the new ponies living here."
Sacanas nodded. "Don't worry, Highness. I have an idea about that. And a way to make it easier on you."
"Oh? What?"
The sorcerer glanced around. "Not here, Highness. Let's return to your throne room to discuss it."
So saying, Sacanas flourished her forehoof, which erupted in blue flames. The pony guards cringed nervously, even though they'd been through this before. The ape-like soldiers merely came to attention, readying themselves.
A brief, scarlet flash, and the entire group was instantly teleported upstairs, into the diamond-walled Audience Hall of the Palace.
The Audience Hall was dizzyingly high. Its buttressed roof rose far into the sloping spire of the tower itself. The walls were supported by multi-faceted crystal columns. A richly woven carpet led down the length of the hall and up the multiple tiers of the Amethyst Thone, standing at its far end.
Near one of the tall, arched windows a small group of earth pony decorators were putting finishing touches on the curtains.
"Gingham!" Palladium called, trotting over to them.
The elderly unicorn, now dressed in a fine brocade cloak, turned and smoothly led the group in curtseying deeply to their sovereign. "Your Highness," Gingham replied. "We were just finishing up in here. Do you like it?"
Palladium looked around at the graceful silken curtains, the small decorative vases on crystal plinths, the general feeling of clean, thorough polish on everything. "It looks marvelous! Thank you all so much!"
"Our pleasure, Highness."
Noticing Sacanas's disapproving scowl at her earth-pony staff, Gingham gently shooed the other ponies ahead of her, out of the Hall, following them out herself. The unicorn guards shut the doors behind them.
And Palladium, still a little nervous, trotted up the ramp and sat down on the high platform of the Throne. She felt a little small and lonely sitting way up there. But looking down, she saw Sacanas standing proudly before her, smiling up at her. And Palladium felt better, having her best friend close by to help.
"Ahem," the Princess said, adopting a firm, commanding tone. "Sacanas. You said there was a way in which we might make it easier to keep the Heart charged. Please proceed."
Sacanas smirked, and bowed her head compliantly. "Highness." With a gesture of a hoof, she conjured an image in the air beside her. "From what you've told me, the Crystal Heart appears to be powered by love itself, the boundless, unconditional care and affection that you display towards everypony in your realm. And as there are more and more ponies in your realm, it becomes harder to project that same level of care to all of them, unceasingly."
"It sure does!" Palladium agreed. Then, remembering, she cleared her throat. "Pray proceed, Sacanas."
"What I propose," the sorcerer said, "is we reverse that. You, Princess, should be the focus of the attention, the loyalty, the love of your subjects. We can make use of that to power the Heart. A simple love charm, but in reverse and on a much larger scale. Your subjects give their love, their allegiance to you. You add your love for them, and then channel it all into the Heart. And with that, the Heart can be charged to a level sufficient to maintain the protective shield over the Empire, all on its own, nearly indefinitely."
"Nearly indefinitely?" Palladium looked worried. "For how long, do you think?"
Sacanas thought for a moment. "Without trying it, it's hard to say. But I think it would be many moons at least, before recharging would be needed."
"So... maybe once or twice a year?" Palladium asked. "Just to be safe?"
"That would be adequate," Sacanas agreed.
"Hmmm... and we'd need to bring everypony together," Palladium said, thinking aloud. "Here in the city center. The nobility, the artisans, the farm ponies..."
Sacanas wrinkled her snout, "I suppose it would be necessary, to bring every kind of pony here. So that they can all contribute their love and allegiance," she added quickly.
"Wait! I've got it!" Completely forgetting herself, Palladium bounded in place excitedly. "We could have a grand celebration! Right here, in the city center. A yearly Royal Faire, just like we used to have back home. Everypony in the Empire gets together to celebrate, and there'd be games, and crafts, and events, and wonderful food... wow! It would be so perfect!"
Sacanas appeared surprised by the idea. Then smiled craftily.
"An excellent suggestion, Highness. That would work nicely I think. An opportunity for you to demonstrate your kindness and generosity, inspiring your subjects' adoration all the more. Yes, indeed, it would be perfect."
"Oh! I love it!" Palladium said, nearly unable to contain herself. "When can we organize it?"
"Hmmm." Sacanas considered it. "Immediately, if you like. Though I have an suggestion, Highness. We should combine it with a proper coronation for you -- as Empress. To mark your ascension to the throne of your new Empire. A touch of grandeur like that would be the icing on the cake."
"I hadn't thought about that," Palladium said. "I suppose we should have a proper coronation. Though I'd feel a little strange being called 'Empress'. I mean, everypony is already so kind and loyal to me, it's not like I need some big title."
"It makes it official," Sacanas said, "in the minds of the common ponies. And that is essential, Highness. We need their trust, their loyalty for this to work. We need that loyalty to be absolute, unquestioned. They need a ruler whom they adore and trust. And that ruler, Highness... is you."
"I guess," Palladium said doubtfully. Then she brightened up. "Hey! I want to go find Gingham again. I know she'd have some wonderful ideas for crafts and games and such. For the Faire, I mean."
Sacanas bowed submissively. "As you wish, Your Highness."
Without another word, Palladium raced down the ramp and down the length of the Audience Hall, then through the doors still being hastily opened by the pony guards for her.
And Sacanas remained where she was, eyeing the empty throne, with thoughtful amusement.
Sometimes, it was almost too easy...
------------------------------
A few days later, Palladium gradually came awake in the warm, comfortable canopied bed in her Royal Suite. The suite was situated even higher in the Castle, high in its tallest spire, accessible by a spell that only Sacanas knew.
The suite was round, panoramic. Through its grand, arched windows gentle breezes brought distant sounds from the city far below. The sounds of ponies talking and laughing, the occasional tap of a hammer or rasping of a saw. And wonderful aromas too: flower bouquets, and baked goods, and sweet treats...
A bird suddenly flew across the room, chirping loudly. And then swooped away again. And Palladium sat up, excited. She'd just remembered:
This is it, she thought. My coronation day.
She looked down at herself. She didn't feel any different. She was exactly the same pony she'd always been. It was kind of like a birthday: they snuck up on you and felt the same as any other day... except that they weren't, because they were special. Because ponies who knew you remembered them, and celebrated them.
Palladium got up and crossed to the nearest window arch, to stand at the small balcony looking down. Below, the Empire gleamed like a polished jewel setting. There were banners and bunting everywhere. Around the base of her Palace the Faire grounds were set up, with booths and stalls and ponies bustling about getting it all ready.
The Princess felt both excited, and frightened, all at the same time. This is the day, she thought. The day I've been waiting for all my life. I'm going to be crowned Royal Princess -- no, Empress, she hurriedly corrected, of my very own Empire.
There was a sound of armored hoofsteps, coming from the stairway leading down. Palladium turned to see Sacanas march up into the Suite, sternly and proudly, her mage-armor polished until it shone. She was accompanied by Gingham Square, and a small squad of seamstress ponies, carrying Palladium's coronation dress and robe.
"Are you ready then, Your Highness?" Sacanas asked with an enigmatic smile.
"Am I!" Palladium bounded with joy. "I can't wait!"
Which made the final fitting itself seem to take forever. Palladium had to steel herself against fidgeting, since it was unseemly for a Royal Princess to appear impatient or overeager. At last it was done and she stared at herself in the mirror, at the beautiful sky-blue gown, the elegantly sculpted mane-style with dozens of small gemstones, and a small blue crystal heart, hung right over her forehead.
"It's beautiful..." she breathed. She smiled at Gingham and the others. "Thank you so much, everypony!"
The Royal Designer dimpled, and curtseyed. "Our pleasure, Your Majesty. You know that. We all want to help you look your best."
Properly attired, Palladium allowed Sacanas to teleport the two of them down to the proclamation balcony, situated on the Palace's sloping front facet. From here, Palladium had an even better view of the activity below. She could barely contain her excitement. She wanted to rush right down there and check it all out. But of course, she had her own duties to perform first.
With a glance at Sacanas, Palladium cast the amplification spell she'd learned, and then stood with her hooves upon the balcony railing, calling out to all the ponies below -- to everypony, throughout her new Empire:
"HEAR YE, HEAR YE! I, PRINCESS PALLADIUM, DO CORDIALLY INVITE EACH AND EVERY SUBJECT OF MY EMPIRE TO THIS, OUR VERY FIRST CRYSTAL FAIRE! COME ONE! COME ALL! ENJOY, BE MERRY! AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, BE WELCOME IN THE EMPIRE WE HAVE ALL BUILT TOGETHER!"
A rousing cheer went up from the ponies gathered below, and they waved and smiled up eagerly at her. Palladium beamed down at them, overjoyed. Then she cast a glance at the shield overhead. It was looking a little thin to her eye, and normally she'd have gone straight down to the Heart, and charged it back up again.
She looked to Sacanas. "Shouldn't we strengthen the field, just a little?" she asked. "Just to be safe?"
Sacanas shook her head. "It will serve for this morning, Highness. And given we are not entirely sure what the Heart's capacity is, it would be best to have it at as low a level as reasonably possible before your subjects power it up again."
"All right." Palladium grinned. And then gave in to eager desperation. "Now can we go visit the Faire, Auntie?"
"Who am I to stop you, Your Highness?" Sacanas said indulgently.
With a wave of a hoof, Sacanas teleported them both down to ground level. And Palladium threw dignity to the winds, as she darted from stall to stall throughout the Faire's market area. There was so much to see. And she felt like no matter what she was looking at, there was something else equally wonderful nearby that she was missing.
There were the stalls selling hoofmade crafts: carvings and tapestries, and pottery, and hats woven of fine straw. There were all kinds of foods, from berry pies to candied apples to wonderfully sticky, stretchy taffy. And too, Palladium's personal favorite, rock corn. The angular, almost mineral-looking cobs of corn looked utterly inedible... until you bit into one, and then the honey-coated, battered crust was just so crunchy and buttery, the taste just exploding in your mouth... Palladium just couldn't get enough of it.
"I think we should make this the Empire's national dish," she told the surprised amber-coated farm pony running the small corn-cart. "Call it... I don't know, 'crystal corn', or something. It's just so perfect!"
"Uhh... just as you say, Your Majesty," the pony replied, in awed amazement.
There were a few surprises at the Faire, even for Palladium herself. The pony regiment of the Palace Guard had set up a small jousting arena off to the side, and were doing a few practice runs, their armor and lances gleaming under the warm summer sunlight. Seeing Palladium standing at the counter-tilt fencing, they swiftly came to attention and bowed formally to her. The Princess waved back excitedly, then moved on, not wanting to interrupt their practicing.
Over on the other side of the Faire, the farming ponies had set up a presentation area, almost a small county fair of their own. They had rides, and traditional games like ring-throwing, chicken-chasing, and even a pig-toss. And there was a petting zoo with miniature sheep, which the farm ponies tended for their fluffy, pastel-colored wool.
Palladium found it hard to tear herself away from the sight of the sheep and their lambs, milling about in their pen, munching hay and blinking innocently at everything. "They're so adorable!" she gasped, smiling at the shepherd ponies who'd brought them along. "I just want to hug all of them!"
The shepherds smiled back gratefully, feeling their spirits lifted even as the Royal Princess hurried off to the next thing that had caught her eye.
It was like that all morning. Everywhere the Princess went, her eager, childlike excitement made the gathering ponies nod, and smile, and feel warm and contented. The new Empire might be a little strange, it might be far away from everything they'd ever known all their lives. Yet even so, it felt like home now. With a ruler like Palladium, so caring and generous, so unashamed to show how happy she was to be among them, they themselves felt proud to be subjects of a dominion like this. One they had helped build, whose sovereign was always there for them.
This is our home, the thought ran through the mind of every single pony at the Faire. And she is our sovereign. This is how it was meant to be.
And right behind Palladium, everywhere she went throughout the Faire, the black-armored sorcerer Sacanas was never far behind. Watchful, silent, the mage pursued the excited filly around the Faire, her forbidding look and chill manner unnerving and unsettling everypony she passed. But then Palladium would come running up to Sacanas, excitedly sharing some new discovery, or breathlessly suggesting something for her consideration. And the sorcerer would smile indulgently, bowing her head, and whispering gently back to her. And everything felt just perfect again. The Princess and her powerful, enigmatic Sorcerer had created this Empire. And so long as the two of them were together it seemed, no harm could ever come to it.
At long last the great moment arrived. The citizenry assembled in the open area around the base of the Palace. Here, a grand platform had been erected, directly in front of the diamond-white spire of the Crystal Palace, in sight of the Crystal Heart, spinning gently in its sconce, gently glowing and softly thrumming.
On the platform stood Princess Palladium, accompanied by her honor guard, both the armored Palace Guard and Sacanas's own hulking furred soldiers. Near to the Princess was Gingham Square, holding a silken cushion, on which was Palladium's crown, a delicate confection of shimmering blue crystal.
And standing right beside Palladium, as always, was Sacanas. The sorcerer gazed about smugly at the excited citizenry. She could hardly have asked for better.
"Have you decided?" she asked Palladium quietly. "On your coronation name? I'm going to have to tell them something."
"I think so," Palladium said. "I think I'll just keep my own name. After all, if I'm Empress Palladium, they'll still know that it's me. That I haven't changed any."
"As you wish, Highness," Sacanas replied, unconcernedly. "Though I'm pretty certain they won't think any differently of you... afterwards."
"I hope not." Palladium sighed.
"Are you ready, then?"
At Palladium's nod, Sacanas signaled to the heralds to sound their flugelhorns, and winced a little at the piercingly flat notes produced by the curious, curlicue trumpets.
Then she stepped forwards, into the sudden silence that had fallen over the entire audience. "Citizens of the Empire," Sacanas called proudly, "by the authority vested in me, as Regent and Royal Sorcerer, it is my very great privilege to present to you, Her Royal Highness, Empress..."
The solemn moment was suddenly interrupted by a loud crackling sound, coming from overhead.
Looking up, Sacanas saw that the shield dome was flickering, its sky-blue coloring fading and sharpening, revealing whenever it faded brief glimpses of the chill gray skies of the Frozen North. The sorcerer took a step back, moving closer to Palladium. The Princess herself was staring up at the shield. She glanced behind herself, at the Heart, turning steadily in its sconce.
"What is it?" Palladium asked. "Is it the Heart? Is the shield spell running low?"
"I think not," Sacanas said, crossly. "The shield itself is under attack."
She stared around at the onlooking crowds, worriedly looking up at the shield, and then looking at Palladium, seeking answers. The jubilant, abandoned atmosphere was slipping away.
Sacanas snorted angrily. So close! she fumed. The spell is almost complete! But there may yet be time...
She swept up a forehoof, which blazed with blue fire. She cast a scrying spell, and directly above her hoof, a shimmering sphere materialized, displaying a fish-eye view of the distant boundary of the shield. Sacanas swept her hoof round, in a tight circle, using the image to scan the boundary's circumference, everywhere it touched the ground.
And she found the cause. There, on the northern boundary: a large crowd of heavy, hairy, horned creatures were attacking the shield wall. They were waving banners and bellowing fierce war-cries. And, as usual, eschewing common sense for noisy belligerence, and calling it bravery.
"Yaks," Sacanas snarled. "Displaying their usual poor understanding of timing or tact."
Palladium gasped. "What do they want?"
"Who can tell?" Sacanas sneered through her teeth, "with such unruly, noisy barbarians? With foreigners..."
She swept her hoof down sharply, terminating the scrying spell. Her jaw was set, her gaze sternly grim. She growled under her breath furiously.
"But they will not interfere, Princess. Not this time! I will not let them... they will not harm you..."
"Huh?" Palladium asked. "What do you mean?"
Sacanas wasn't listening. Her breath was rasping, her eyes were staring, horrified, at something only she could see.
"Never again..." she breathed, shaking her head, her eyes damp with tears. "Never again..."
And then her voice rose in an anguished shout, which echoed across the Faire-grounds:
"NEVER AGAIN!"
And then, it was like a wall came down and her expression turned coldly, horribly fierce. She swung round, glaring at the attending guards.
"Watch her!" she growled, pointing at Palladium. "If you value your lives at all, let nothing happen to her -- nothing!"
Before anyone could speak, the sorcerer's horn blazed. There was a blinding flash of scarlet light...
... and she was gone.
"Sacanas!" Palladium called, too late. Then she stared about in shock, unable to understand. Why was Sacanas so upset? She sounded almost... scared. But that was impossible. Nothing frightened her.
Palladium glanced at the guards, then at the worried crowd. And saw that everypony was looking at her, looking to her, as Princess, to tell them what to do. To know what to do, for a start. She had to do something. She was the Princess. But what?
Then she nodded, knowing what she ought to do. Sacanas was her sorcerer. And she was the sorcerer's friend. And if there was something wrong, something that terrified the one pony that nothing frightened...
... then she needed help. And Palladium would provide it.
Turning, she stared at the Heart. Its power was perilously low but she only needed a boost for what she had in mind. She put up a hoof and concentrated, summoning the power back from it, even as she concentrated very hard on a spell.
She glanced at the guards around her. "Hang on," she called. "I'm still practicing this one..."
A large flash of cyan light lit the stage. And when, blinking their eyes, the crowd of onlookers could see clearly again, Palladium and her guards had vanished too.
------------------------------
Prince Sunderland roared with delight, and tossed his horned head proudly.
This what yaks live for! he thought. A show of Yak strength, a battle for glory and honor. It be something new to talk about while smashing logs round campfire. It get truly boring some nights, the Prince added ruefully, hearing same tales over and over...
The massive blue dome that had appeared over the Forbidden Plain seemed to be weakening under the continued assault of the front-line hoof-soldiers. The yaks pounded it with their hooves, their armored horns struck sparks when they head-butted it. The roaring of their battle-chants echoed from the distant mountains like unleashed thunder.
Yes, indeed, Sunderland thought. It good day to be Yak!
Shouldering his way through the melee to the front line, he brushed back the mane falling over his eyes to peer through the blue wall of shimmering energy. He thought he could just see, in the distance beyond, huge gemstones the size of houses. Hundreds of them, leading off into the distance.
Good, thought Sunderland. Something interesting to smash. Troops will want something relaxing to smash, to wind down after concerted attack on magic shield bubble.
Then there was a flash of crimson light, in the blurred distance beneath the dome. And something approached, faintly visible through the shield glow. Something tall and dark, with a gleaming horn on its head.
Ponies. Sunderland nodded grimly. The strange and powerful equines from down south had of late been making new inroads in the northern lands. Though he had to admit, few had yet dared to come this far. Sunderland was about to call to his troops, to rally them, to ready them for a fierce, unyielding assault that would brook no challenge.
But then a voice spoke. Almost pitifully soft compared to Yak battle-cries. Yet it somehow managed to be heard over every single Yak voice shouting at once.
HOLD.
An invisible force, a giant invisible claw, grasped every single one of the warriors. It hauled them off their hooves and into the air, where they hung helpless, unable to move, unable to call to each other, almost unable to breathe...
The approaching dark shape strode straight through the blue wall as if it wasn't there, to stand before them. It was a single, scowling, maroon-coated unicorn, with a blood-red mane and tail, dressed in some kind of dark battle armor. Its face was lividly scarred, its horn shone with the crackling electric-blue power that had pinned the entire Yak army.
The ponies, it seemed, had sent their champion to the fight.
Sunderland was not afraid. Yaks did not fear. Yaks believed in calculated risks, trusting their innate boldness would carry them through. Yet somewhere deep in his heart of hearts, the Yak leader was troubled. This strange, arcane magic of the unicorns, their inscrutable, sometimes capricious whims, made dealings with them very difficult.
With magic ponies, Sunderland thought sourly, Yaks always get sharp end of horn.
This armored unicorn was glaring about at the pinned yak warriors. Her gaze was fiercely, lividly outraged, as if offended beyond reason somehow.
Her gaze fell on Sunderland. She stalked over to stand snout to snout with him.
"Would you look at this..." she rasped coldly. "Look what's come knocking at our door this time, Princess!" Her eyes glared insanely, and she seemed to be talking to herself. "A miserable, ragtag band of Yaks. And, oh look, They're unable to smash, unable to shout, unable to damage so much as a single blade of grass..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Are we sure they're still Yaks?" The unicorn snorted, derisively. "How would one tell, in all this unbroken, unsullied quiet?"
Now Sunderland was afraid. That look in her eyes, it wasn't mere fury, wasn't battle-rage, wasn't just posturing...
... it was the look of a very sharp axe, about to fall.
"This time, Princess," the unicorn hissed, "this time, they will not harm you. This time, they will not even get near you. We will see to that... we won't even give them the chance!"
The unicorn wasn't even speaking to Sunderland now. Her wild-eyed stare wasn't focused on him at all. Instead, it was like an open gateway down into the depths of a lost, empty soul... a tortured, merciless pit of despair...
It was Death itself, glaring at him, out of a pit of tortured darkness.
The unicorn's horn, already shimmering with power, blazed alight. It spat blue crackling bolts of energy, becoming a miniature thunderstorm atop her forehead.
Sunderland mentally prepared himself for the end. He wished he could give one last rousing cry to his warriors, or even just shut his own eyes against the killing blow.
And then...
"Sacanas!"
Through the shimmering blue shield wall, another pony hurried out, a small filly with a rose-colored mane. She hurried up to the armored unicorn, staring up at her in shock.
"Get back, Princess!" Sacanas snarled. "I won't let them hurt you! Not again! I will slaughter them first! I will annihilate them! All of them! No pity! No mercy!"
She was in tears now, screaming with uncontrolled anguish.
Palladium guessed that reason would not work now. The sorcerer was beyond it, lost in some horrible place in her own thoughts.
Well, if reason wouldn't work...
... then we'll just have to try the other way she taught us.
"Sorcerer!" Palladium stood tall, proud. She stamped a hoof. "You will stand down now. And get a grip! I will not have such a display from you, today of all days!"
Sacanas turned to glare at her, hotly, furiously. For a moment, Palladium feared the Sorcerer would attack her as well.
But then Sacanas's expression shifted... to astonishment.
She stared at Palladium, as if seeing her for the first time. "Princess?" she whispered.
"I know you're upset," Palladium soothed. "I know you're angry at the Yaks for interrupting the Faire. And for... whatever else happened. But maybe the Yaks had a reason." Taking a breath, Palladium lifted her chin. "And I wish to hear them. You will let them speak, Sorcerer."
Sacanas swung her head to glare at the Yaks, unwilling to release them.
"Now, Auntie!" Palladium insisted.
Sacanas's horn abruptly fell silent. The energy holding the Yaks vanished, and they plummeted to the ground. They shook themselves, staring around in surprise.
And the Sorcerer turned to her Princess. And knelt subserviently. "I am yours to command, Highness," she whispered.
Palladium trotted through the drifting snow towards the largest of the Yaks, who appeared to be in charge. And Prince Sunderland took a cautious step back. If this small pony could command obedience from the black-armored demon who had nearly slaughtered his entire army... then she was somepony worth listening to.
"Now then," Palladium said, "A pleasant day to you. I am Royal Princess Palladium. And you are?"
"Prince Sunderland!" the yak bellowed in reply, as boldly as he dared. "Leader of Yaks!"
"Well, Prince Sunderland," Palladium replied, "you should know that I'm kind of cross with you myself. I mean, you did interrupt my coronation and everything. But my Empire is based on everypony being happy and safe together, so there's no need for arguments or fighting. And I'd want the same for the Yaks as well. So tell me, is there something wrong, something that we did, that makes you so angry at us?"
Sunderland considered his words carefully, not wanting to appear weak or appeasing before his warriors. "Yaks not angry!" he protested. "This Forbidden Valley. No yak live here!"
"Oh?" Palladium winced. "Are we trespassing, then? Why is it forbidden?"
"Yaks not know." Sunderland shrugged. "Nothing live here, not for longest time. Then one day, yaks see ponies living here. Yaks think, if ponies live here, where nothing live, ponies must be bold, brave warriors. So yaks come to fight with new neighbors. Offer chance to show prowess in battle. And afterward, swap stories over traditional beverages. Is all good."
"Really?" Palladium looked confused. "You say hello... by fighting?"
"Of course!" Sunderland nodded. "Is yak way!"
"Wow. Well, I'm not sure ponies do things quite that way, but..."
Then her eyes went wide.
"Oh my gosh! I just realized! Today's my coronation day... and you're my first visiting foreign dignitaries! Yes!" She scampered eagerly in a circle, overwhelmed by the idea. "I'm so sorry we didn't think to invite you. We should have! After all, if we're neighbors, it would be only proper. And we'd want to be the best neighbors we can be."
Coming to a halt, she drew herself up again, properly. "Prince Sunderland, would you and your brave warriors do us the very great honor of being our guests, at the Crystal Faire, and the royal coronation? It would make it just so perfect, having our new neighbors from the Yak lands here to celebrate the day with us! Oh, please say yes!"
She stared up at him with childlike eagerness, as if begging for sweets.
Sunderland was utterly baffled. This strange sort of challenge. Not traditional battle at all. But if this was how ponies did things, by skipping the battle and going straight to celebrating together, he would demonstrate his great honor and leadership by obliging their odd ways.
"Yaks approve!" he shouted. "Yaks honored to be first guests at pony royal ceremony!"
"Thanks! And... does this mean that yaks and ponies can be friends?"
Sunderland nodded.
"Yaks and ponies friends! For a thousand moons!" he added imperiously, waving a hoof to his soldiers. Who immediately began stamping and shouting their approval, making the ground shake and the distant mountains ring with the echoes.
And Palladium, overjoyed, turned to Sacanas, to see her reaction.
But the sorcerer was staring at the ground, looking ashamed. Palladium trotted over and cautiously reached up a hoof to touch her shoulder.
Sacanas looked at her -- and winced. "I'm so sorry, Your Highness." She looked about to speak, then fell silent again.
Palladium nodded understandingly. "It's all right," she whispered back. "You can tell me later. If you want to."
Together, she and the Sorcerer led the party through the shield, and back to the city center and the Faire. And it quickly became a sort of triumphal parade, even though there had been no battle. The Princess and the visiting yak Prince marched proudly in the middle of the group, surrounded by both Palladium's Royal Guard escort and the jingling, noisily cheering yak warriors.
And Sacanas trudged right alongside the Princess, avoiding her gaze all the way back.
------------------------------
"Citizens of the Empire," Sacanas called.
As before, the sorcerer stood tall on the stage beside Palladium, before the Crystal Palace. But her voice held none of its earlier arrogant pride. She spoke formally, stiffly now.
"By the authority vested in me, as Regent and Royal Sorcerer, it is my privilege to present to you, Her Royal Highness, Empress..."
"Princess," Palladium quickly interrupted. And then she looked up at Sacanas, smiling reassuringly as she added: "Princess... Amore."
Sacanas stared at her, surprised. A hint of a smile appeared on her lips, then almost immediately vanished, as she turned back to the crowd.
"Princess Amore!" she called. "Royal Princess, of the Crystal Empire!"
The crowd before the stage shouted and cheered eagerly, ponies and yaks together. And then they knelt, one and all, before the newly-crowned sovereign.
And the spell worked. The simple love-charm, amplified by the power of the leylines, and the Princess's unusual form of magic, suffused the entire land. The very ground beneath the kneeling citizens glowed with power, as their willing devotion to their ruler flooded from them, and spread through it, towards the Heart.
The crystal artifact drew the power in, glowing brighter and brighter still, thrumming as it spun in its sconce, its glow ramping up to near-blinding brilliance as it became suffused, then overcharged with magic energy.
And then when it could take no more, it overflowed. The power channeled upwards, through the tower of the Palace, spilling into the sky in aurora-like streams. It struck the shield dome, energizing and renewing it. The shield became rock-solid once more, became like the very sky itself over the Empire. And throughout the crystal city, there was an overwhelming sense of warmth, and peace, and caring.
As if in sign of it, there was a great wash of energy outwards. It swept through the guards, through the citizens, outwards to the very limits of the Empire itself. And everything, everyone that it touched, ponies and yaks alike, suddenly glistened with a breathtaking crystalline shimmering. As if they were somehow made from crystal themselves.
Everyone, that is, except Sacanas.
Alone of all those present, she was unaffected by the bizarre crystalline effect. While the ponies and yaks all stared at each other, admiring the strange illusion, shouting eagerly about it, the sorcerer stood alone, in her black armor, entirely excluded and looking utterly devastated.
"Auntie?" the new Royal Princess stared up at her, concerned.
As if she suddenly could not take it any longer, Sacanas turned and bolted from the stage. Shoving her way through the crowds, she hurried off into the distance, along one of the avenues. Not using her magic, not teleporting away. Just running, as if trying to escape from something, just trying to get away from whatever was tormenting her.
And behind her, the newly-crowned sovereign called to her anxiously:
"Auntie! Auntie Sacanas!"
------------------------------
It was late in the evening, very late. Princess Amore sat alone, tucked up in her comfortable bed, in the grand Suite high in her Crystal Palace.
Far below, she could hear her subjects still celebrating the coronation, the powering of the Heart, their own unusual crystalline appearance, loudly and exuberantly. Among the voices Amore could hear the distinctive ear-splitting bellows of the Yaks, boisterous and unabashed as always. She smiled at that. The Yaks weren't such bad company after all, at least not when noisy celebration was called for.
Amore slurped quietly at a mug of warm cocoa that Gingham Square had brought for her. The Royal Designer had sensed something was troubling her newly-crowned sovereign, but would never dare intrude on her thoughts.
Amore watched the stairwell leading up into the suite, hopefully. There was one pony who would dare, she knew. One who would make a point to ask what troubled Palladium, teach her how to deal with it, help her when she needed help the most.
Amore desperately wished Sacanas would reappear, sudden and unannounced. Stalking into the room triumphantly, as if she owned it. Scowling imperiously, at anypony who dared get in her way.
But the sorcerer hadn't been seen, not by anypony, all day. She hadn't been in her workroom. Hadn't been in the library, or anywhere else in the palace or the surrounding city. Amore had looked all over for her, but it was like she'd vanished entirely.
And Amore couldn't settle down and go to sleep, not knowing where she was, not knowing whether she was all right.
Finally, finally, there came an unusually quiet tapping of armored hooves on the stairs.
Amore quickly put aside her mug, and sat up hopefully. "Sacanas?"
The sorcerer came into view at last. Her face, when she glanced at Palladium, was uncommonly drawn and hollow. She looked lost.
"Princess?" she asked.
"Sacanas!" Amore called, smiling welcomingly.
The sorcerer reached the top of the stairs, and then stood there for a moment, uncertainly. Then she crossed to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, hunched and withdrawn.
"Auntie?" Amore asked nervously. "What is it?"
"I wanted to apologize, Your Majesty," Sacanas said, uncomfortably. "For my behavior earlier with the Yaks. I was not setting the best of examples, not being the tutor you need me to be. I wanted to apologize for that..."
Before Amore could reply, the sorcerer held up a hoof for silence. Then she sighed, forlornly, and continued.
"But... I realized I couldn't, Highness. I couldn't apologize! Because of how I feel, how I think! And I think... I think I finally understand why..."
She fell silent. And remained quiet for long enough that Amore reached out a hoof to touch her shoulder.
"Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story, Auntie? That usually puts you in a good mood."
"No." Sacanas shook her head. "Not this time, Princess." She eyed Amore, with an unreadable, flat gaze. "This time, let me tell you a story."
"All right." Amore settled herself comfortably to listen.
"Once upon a time," Sacanas began, "there was a powerful sorcerer... with a red mane." She eyed Amore with a touch of her old sardonic humor. "And she lived by herself in a forest. She studied and researched magic, learned everything she could. And she was happy... so happy... just to be left alone, all by herself, with no one to bother her..."
Sacanas fell silent again, breathing harshly. Her eyes pooled with tears. She swallowed uncomfortably.
"And then... and then something awful happened. Something horrible..."
She shut her eyes, shaking her head, briefly unable to continue. Then she hauled herself up sharply, like a puppet yanked by its strings. "So horrible in fact, that she could no longer feel anything, care about anyone... apart from herself."
Amore nodded, wide-eyed. But she said nothing, not wanting to interrupt.
"So this sorcerer, she threw herself into her work, since it was all she had left. She studied, practiced, became the most powerful, most feared mage in all the land. None could challenge her. She could terrify ponies just by walking into a room." Her expression turned dark, cold. Her voice turned icy, heartless. "And she laid plans... intricate and subtle plans..."
"... for vengeance!"
Amore drew back, despite herself. That look, on Sacanas's face... as brief as it was, it was terrifying. The look of a wild animal baring its teeth, threateningly, fierce and uncontrollable.
"She laid plans," Sacanas went on, her tone flat and unrepentant, "for acquiring power, and influence. Dominion over an empire, which would serve as the means for her revenge. And ponies who would serve as her army. And a Princess who could rally them, serve as a focus for their admiration and their loyalty."
Sacanas paused. She seemed... puzzled, almost. "And for the longest time, it all seemed to be going so well. A few minor setbacks. A few twists and turns to be dealt with."
"And then?" Amore cautiously asked.
"And then the Yaks attacked the shield." Sacanas sounded almost wondering as she spoke, as if she was merely talking about something odd she'd seen in the market square the other day. "And to the sorcerer, it was as if she was back in the past again. It was as if she'd accomplished nothing. Like it was all happening again..."
The sorcerer took a long, shuddering breath.
"And I could think of only one thing, Princess, one thing. I had to stop them. I had to stop them, keep it all from happening again. I had to keep her safe... keep you safe," she quickly corrected, staring at Amore. "Make certain they could never harm you again."
"But the Yaks didn't want to hurt me," Amore objected.
Sacanas nodded, and looked to Amore. Who nodded back in understanding, and went on. "And then I stopped you," she said. "I made friends with the Yaks. I invited them into my Empire... when you wanted like anything to keep them out. That must have felt awful."
Sacanas nodded in sad agreement. "But that wasn't the worst of it. Afterwards, at your coronation, when the entire Empire gave their love and allegiance to you, powering the Crystal Heart, filling it with their adoration, their love... you saw the result. All of them shared in it, even the Yaks. All of them... except me. Because I can no longer love. I can no longer love... anything. Because it might be taken away again. And for all my ability, all my wisdom, all my power... I would be unable to do anything to stop it..."
Sacanas looked at Amore. But this time the Princess looked back at her silently, waiting for her to continue.
"It made me ask myself," Sacanas went on. "Something I'd never asked before, since it all started. What if... what if I was wrong? The way that I feel, the way that I think. All these plans I make, all these schemes. Sometimes..." She winced, and lowered her head. "Sometimes I wonder whether I should be your regent, be your teacher at all. Sometimes..."
She shook her head, stared at her hooves.
"Sometimes, Princess, I wonder if I'm quite sane..."
Sacanas felt a hoof touch hers, and looked up. Amore was smiling up at her, reassuringly.
"If you weren't here, Auntie, if you weren't my teacher, I'd miss you. You've always been here for me. You've always stood up for me, defended me. You always cared about me, always listened, in a way nopony else does. And you've taught me so much, how to think for myself and everything. I would never have been able to deal with the Empire, the Yaks, any of this without you. You've helped me find my way to everything I always wanted, helped me to be everything I've wanted to be. And it all feels like something I've earned -- it wasn't just given to me on a platter."
Amore smiled then, her wonderful child-like smile.
"You've made all my wishes come true, Auntie. You truly are my best friend, in all the world."
Sacanas stared at her, looking miserable -- but smiling a little.
"So... you'd still want me as your advisor? As your regent?"
"Are you kidding, Auntie? Obviously!"
"But what if..." Sacanas cleared her throat uncomfortably. "What if I forget myself? Lose my temper again?"
"Everypony does." Amore nodded reassuringly. "But even so, you've always been here for me, Auntie. So I'll be here for you. We'll help each other, the way we always have. Like you said, you and me, the two of us against the world. Come what may, no matter what happens."
Sacanas stared at her, astonished. Then nodded gravely.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Amore beamed, and put up her forehooves. Sacanas drew back, hesitating...
... and then leaned in, to hug the Princess gently. Amore hugged her back, tightly, unreservedly.
"I love you, Auntie Secanas!" she whispered.
Sacanas hesitated. Amore could feel her tense slightly.
"You know, Princess..." the sorcerer warned, "I may not ever be able to truly love you, to care about you, the way you want me to. I'm not sure I'm able to, any more..."
"It doesn't matter," Amore whispered back. "I love you enough for both of us, Auntie. I always will..."
And Sacanas seemed to relax then, and willingly hold her close.
"Then I love you too, Princess."
"Princess Amore," the Princess softly corrected.
And Sacanas sighed, nodding.
"Princess Amore," she whispered back, just as softly. "Mi Amore Cadenza..."
Moons passed, and then years. The Crystal Empire prospered. It was all but unknown to the outside world, hidden safely in its mountain-ringed plain in the chill Frozen North. But it was sufficient to itself, and had no needs or wants that could not be satisfied.
The Yaks visited often to trade, and for the annual Crystal Faire, and other official celebrations. And whenever their boisterous nature prompted them to visit. But otherwise, the Empire shunned outside contact, save for those few like-minded ponies who found their way to it, and decided that the Empire was just the place they'd always longed to be. It was such a pleasant place in fact, so safe and welcoming, that no one who came to it truly wanted to leave.
And with the power of the Crystal Heart drawing on the love and devotion of the Empire's citizens, and projecting back the strange spell that gave them their shimmering, crystalline appearance, they came to think of themselves as an entirely new tribe of ponies. Not unicorns or earth ponies any longer, but Crystal Ponies, citizens of the Crystal Empire. With the passing of years, custom became tradition, tradition became history, and history mingled with the few scattered relics found in the ancient crystal dwellings to become cherished lore and myth. The citizenry simply forgot they'd ever lived anywhere else. They were Crystal Ponies, always had been.
Princess Amore, influenced by the devotion of her subjects and the power of the Heart, grew unusually tall and strong, a giant among unicorns, both in size and in magical prowess. Yet she remained ever and always the kind-hearted, light-hearted Princess she had always been, beloved by her subjects. In the Audience Hall of the Crystal Palace, justice was swift but always fair, disagreements were quickly and satisfactorily reconciled. Her Majesty's attention and care were unflagging, from morn until night.
Save for one thing. One event which always brought the workings of her administration to a complete standstill.
The Royal Sorcerer, as was the way with powerful mages, would sometimes disappear for days or weeks at a time on mysterious errands of her own. Then unexpectedly she would return. The doors of the Audience Hall would crackle with blue electric fire and slam open. And into the Audience Hall, she would stride, the armored, cloaked sorcerer. Powerful, masterful, utterly aloof, as if she owned the place.
Sacanas would march straight up the carpet to the base of the Amethyst Thone. And bow her head, deeply and willingly, to her sovereign. "Your Majesty."
"Sacanas!" Amore would shout, delighted to have her back again.
Throwing aside all other work, the Princess would hurriedly descend from the throne and throw her forehooves around the fiercely proud mage, hugging her with cheerful abandon. And Sacanas would indulge the closeness, holding her tightly with a hoof, with both pride and pleasure.
The Princess's court knew enough to put their agenda on hold as the Princess got caught up with her beloved Regent and friend. There would be no distracting her, while she chattered away with the mage. Petitioners who had to be rescheduled did not begrudge their Princess the disruption. Her Highness was the perfect sovereign otherwise, and none would deny her these reunions, seeing how they brought her so much joy.
Finally, Amore would return to her throne, recomposing herself as the powerful and fair monarch she had become. And Sacanas would take her accustomed place at the base of the throne, as Royal Sorcerer, ready to turn her wits, her power, her craft to the needs of her Princess and her Empire.
Seeing them together like that, everypony in the Empire would breathe a sigh of relief. Somehow, whenever Sacanas returned, whenever the Crystal Princess and her Royal Sorcerer were at each other's side, it seemed as if there was no problem, no issue that could not be overcome, nothing the two of them could not handle together. At such times, the Crystal Empire was truly at its best. It felt to the citizens of the Empire as if nothing could ever change it, nothing at all, not ever...
And Sacanas, in the deep, quiet privacy of her thoughts...
... would smile, coldly and ruthlessly.
Everything was just as she'd planned it. She had her dominion now, to serve as a power base. Had a powerful, beloved sovereign to rule it for her. An easily swayed populace, utterly devoted to their kind and loving Princess. And that Princess in turn was utterly devoted to Sacanas, accepting and trusting her every word, her every suggestion.
And thinking she did it out of pity, out of kindness, out of love for her poor, mad beloved Auntie...
It was exactly as Sacanas had intended, ever since she'd determined that the Princess, not the Prince, was the true path to power amongst the unicorns. And had used rumor and gentle proddings of magic to encourage the Princess to become dissatisfied with life in the Palace of the Unicorns. So that one day she would venture out of it, and need to be rescued from her own curiosity. At which point Sacanas herself could step in, as if by chance. To rescue her, and serve as her guide and her teacher...
... and her friend, her closest friend in all the world. Before whom, she had no others.
Sacanas nodded. It had all worked perfectly.
They were ready now.
Let them come, she would tell herself, in her darkest, blackest heart of hearts. Let the other tribes come and try to challenge us. Them, and those accursed, obscene alicorns! Only they could possibly stand against us. But we have a plan for them. Oh, yes! Don't we, Princess? Don't we just?
Sacanas would look up at Amore, exchanging a smile with her beloved Princess. Who never suspected a thing, never suspected she was being used -- had been used, all along...
And the best part of it? The part that Sacanas found so astonishing and wonderful?
She was still here. Her darling daughter had never been lost, not at all. And she never would be. Sacanas had sworn herself to that.
They will not harm you, the sorcerer would whisper to herself, solemnly, fiercely, viciously. Swearing bitter, merciless vengeance against everyone, everything, that was not unicorn...
Never, she swore to herself. Not while I draw breath. I alone will protect you... from them...
