Chapter Twelve: Rhem's Promise
Princess Celestia made an odd noise, as if she was slightly disgruntled at this… but she gave another smirk and rolled her eyes a the dragon's playful mannerisms. Glancing over at her guards, she chuckled and shook her head, still giving the signal that everything was fine.
She knew she didn't have to worry. Should Rhem try anything deceitful, they would be all over him… despite the fact that they were quite thoroughly embarrassed over earlier. On top of that, she knew he was weak to magic, and she had him right at point blank range.
The draconic being's growling stomach reminded him how hungry he was. Sliding his tongue back into his mouth, he stepped away from the princess to allow her the freedom to get back onto her hooves.
"I suppose I better get some food before King Talonblaze comes around."
Moving to get up, a couple of pops originated from her back as she stretched out. Her horn glowed to levitate the feather duster back where she had found it, and nodded once.
"Good idea."
Ear frills jerking at each pop, the young dragon's facial expression morphed into one of concern.
"Did I hurt you, Celestia?" he asked, taking a step into her direction.
"I'm fine, Rhem," she replied, shaking her head. "Just had a few cricks in my back. I'm not used to rolling around on the floor."
He softly sighed with relief, glad that the princess had not hurt herself.
"Hm. I suppose not since you would be so busy. Do you schedule days to get exercise?"
"I try to. I do like to get flying in whenever possible. However, when I try to schedule something fun, no matter what, something always comes up. I can't even take a personal day without anypony knowing. The last time I tried that, half the kingdom thought I had disappeared forever. It was all but complete chaos."
"Chaos? What would chaos be in Equestrian terms?" Rhem queried with a dose of curiosity, giving a tilt of his head into the direction where they should be going as a gesture for her to join his side.
"A complete lack of order. Pandemonium. Fear and terror running rampart without any sense of control at all," the Equestrian monarch relayed, walking at the dragon's side. "Some would say an absolute state of insanity. Confusion. Bedlam…"
There was a pause as the mare's eyes narrowed with a glare at the floor.
"… Discord."
The dragon stared at the alicorn, noting the hateful glint in her eyes and he was reminded of the story of Discord.
"I apologize for angering you."
Princess Celestia closed her eyes, shaking her head. Opening them after a second, her purple orbs slid over to Rhem with a sorrowful expression.
"You did not anger me at all, Rhem." She sighed. "Those dark times should probably best be left forgotten. Thinking about them reopens old wounds."
The winged beast frowned, his heart going out to her.
"If it hurts you to talk about it, then perhaps we should not discuss it." In an effort to change the subject, Rhem's mind reeled for a topic. "Um… What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?"
Another pause, and a deep sigh. The mare seemed distressed, but her expression did an alarming 180 degree turn and she grinned at the dragon.
"I like reading, taking walks, flying, various games, the occasional prank every once in a blue moon, sampling new foods, sometimes just simply talking… listening to music, watching plays… among other things."
Rhem listened intently as he traversed down the hallway with the princess, absorbing the information with the eagerness of a learning student.
"I do not know what a prank or music is. Nor do I understand what you mean by 'watching plays'. Do you mean you like to watch others play?"
Princess Celestia chuckled.
"Actually, no. A play is a performance. Basically, ponies go up on stage and… well, they pretend to be other ponies. They act out scenes in the life of another for the entertainment of the crowd. We call it a play because the actors and actresses on stage are playing the roles of those other ponies.
"For example, there might be a pageant about how I came to power. They'll select a pony to represent me during the play." She giggled. "It's… actually quite amusing. And a little surreal."
"Oh… okay…"
Rhem furrowed a brow and cocked the other as he attempted to imagine the concept. He could understand pretending. It was the basic element in the art of deception.
"I kind of understand a little…" The dragon then went on to the next subject. "What about a prank or music?"
"A prank is essentially a joke on another," the mare explained. "Generally harmless, and designed to cause fun… at the expense of the other. Like… placing clear glass over a doorway, calling somepony inside, and watching them bump into it in confusion."
She giggled.
"As for music… well… it's sounds that can be described as a harmonic melody. It is a series of noises that can sound pleasing to one's ears, and it can be created by playing an instrument, or singing, or… even ambient sounds in tune with one another."
Rhem smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes, seeming to like the idea of a prank. He automatically knew something like that wouldn't be permitted back in his homeland.
"I do not know what singing is… Celestia? Would you… mind showing me later?"
The princess closed her eyes with a warm smile, and nodded, continuing to walk alongside him.
"Of course. I would be more than happy to."
His smile widened as he felt appreciation for her agreeing to his request. She truly was a wonderful ruler…
"I wish King Talonblaze was just like you. Though… it would probably be kind of creepy hearing his voice coming out of a female winged and horned pony version of himself."
Opening her eyes, the alicorn chuckled.
"Yes, I bet that would be rather… disturbing, if amusing." The mare paused in contemplation. "I wonder how I would sound if I deliberately lowered my voice?"
"Let us hear it then."
The Draconian general had to admit he was rather curious as to how the princess would sound with a deep, masculine voice.
Princess Celestia grinned, utilizing her magic to deepen her voice. Unbeknownst to her, a pale yellow pegasus would experience same exact voice involuntarily seven centuries later.
"I've been a singer, actor, writer, director," Princess Celestia's deep voice rumbled from her throat, lowering her eyelids with a sigh. "I've been in the business ever since the dawn of time. Backstage, we do a lot of sitting around. In my case… I drink coffee. A loooot of coffee."
As they entered the dining hall, the young male chuckled at the short performance Princess Celestia put on for him.
"Well done, but I prefer your normal voice."
Wanting to try altering his voice himself, he cleared his throat and lowered his voice in order to put on his best impersonation of the Draconian king.
"I am King Talonblaze. I am an old, grumpy, overgrown lizard with bat wings. I throw a tantrum at every little detail. I am so great and powerful."
The mare at his side couldn't help herself, and she began belting out a laugh, throwing a foreleg over her chest. Crossing over to one of the tables near the kitchen, she wiped a tear from her eye.
"That's… that's actually really good! You sound somewhat like him! You might be able to pull of a convincing impersonation!"
Rhem's tail swished back and forth, his smile stretching wider at the encouraging sound of Princess Celestia's laughter. She liked it! Sitting himself in the chair right beside her, he kept going.
"Impersonation? What are you talking about? I am King Talonblaze, ruler of Draconia, and you shall respect my authority."
The royal equine responded by laughing even harder, covering her eyes with one hoof and slapping the floor with her tail. Removing her hoof and shaking her head, she grinned over at the dragon.
"Very well. And what would His Majesty care to eat?"
Rhem was tempted to say "you" then pounce on her, but he figured that would be a good way to get himself into trouble, even if he wouldn't be serious.
"I would like to try those sandwiches you mentioned," he answered.
Nodding at him, she got up and stepped around the table and plodded over to the kitchen. Calling to the staff inside, she requested a meal for her friend and herself.
The dragon twisted his neck, his eyes following the alicorn as she left the table to order their food.
"Celestia? While you are at it, can you tell them the food they make is the best I ever had?" he asked, his voice now back to normal.
"Oh! Yes." Ducking her head back into the kitchen, she flashed an award-winning smile at her chefs. "Excuse me. Our exalted guest wishes to commend you all on a job very well done. Your cuisine is excellent-the best he's ever had."
The chefs and servants blinked, dumbstruck as they stared with frozen eyes. Comprehension slowly worked its way into their minds, but only half-processed it. Nodding their thanks, they went back to work.
Princess Celestia stifled a giggle as she pulled her head away from the doorway and sashayed back to Rhem's side. Sitting down, her repressed giggle was released.
"I quite say you dumbfounded them, Rhem. They were all quite shocked stiff."
"Really? Did they find it that shocking coming from a Draconian?" The dragon was swiftly struck with realization. "I suppose they would since we are meat eaters."
"Actually, I'd say recent events have suggested you're omnivorous, rather than exclusively carnivorous…" the princess mused. "I can see why you're more naturally inclined to eat meat. It's just how your biology works.
"Though, yes, you should have seen the looks on their faces," she chuckled. "I could have sworn I'd seen more than a few jaws drop."
"That shocked? I guess it will not be as shocking once they see me eat what they make," he said, one corner of his mouth curling back into an amused half-smirk.
"I daresay they'd be even more shocked." The equine lifted a hoof to tap her chin. "Most of the chefs and servants looked… disbelieving. Maybe we should call them out here and let them see for themselves?"
"Yes. When they are finished making our food. Should I feel bad that they have to make more since my body requires more?"
Rhem averted his gaze for a moment. At his size, the dragon himself needed at the very least three times the amount an average stallion consumed. With his metabolism and all the calories he burned daily through his brutal training, he had been encouraged to eat as much as he could.
"Don't." She smiled, sliding a hoof over his clawed hand. "You can't help it-you're a dragon… and you're still very much a growing boy. Besides…"
She turned back towards the kitchen.
"It's not just the staff's job to cook. It's also their passion-their special skills. Some of the cooks I've had here practically made it their life's mission." She returned her attention to her scaly friend. "I remember back… nearly a century ago, I had a chef… one of the best in Equestria working for me. Went by the name of Cookie Crumble. I swear, the mare never lived for anything else. She treated everypony-even me-as if we were all starving at times, even though we always had more than enough."
Princess Celestia neglected to share the fact that she had weighed a few more pounds while Cookie Crumble was on her staff.
The Draconian was washed over with warm comfort as the alicorn's hoof passed over his hand. It made him feel more at ease and at home despite the treatment he had been given by the more xenophobic ponies.
"The only dragons back at home who enjoy their work are the ones who deliver punishment…"
The princess exhaled a deep-seated sigh.
"There are ponies here who enjoy their work that… are rather twisted in their heads. Some motivated by greed. Or cruel desire. It's a rare occurrence, mind you, but it DOES happen. It's especially tragic when it does…" She bit her lower lip as a thought crossed her mind. "Rhem… I know I probably shouldn't have to worry, but… take care if you happen to be wandering the halls here by yourself. I… have a sick feeling somepony might try something. Not because of an attempt to act out of malice, perhaps, but I think a misguided sense of self-preservation.
"They may still see you as a threat to me. To them. I urge caution… especially if you intend to show them you mean no harm."
"Try something?" he mirrored with a tilt of his head. "Do you think a pony could actually take down a Draconian?" he questioned with a heavy dose of certainty that such a feat wasn't possible. A fragile creature like a pony possessing the physical prowess of killing a highly trained and powerful tank of a beast like a Draconian? Ridiculous!
Well, he had to remember the newly discovered weakness to magic, but still… magical assaults could be dodged via agility and high speed. He would not make the same mistake the last time he went up against those stallions.
"You would be surprised by the stories of great and mighty beasts being taken down by creatures less than a tenth of their size and strength. And though you demonstrated quite an amount of agility and strength earlier today, all it takes is a little rotten luck and somepony with enough ingenuity.
"Though… I suppose you're right." A serious mask painted itself across her face. If nothing else, she didn't want to find out her subjects inadvertently start a war by slaying Rhem in an effort to somehow drive off King Talonblaze. "If anypony tried something, that would just be the spark needed to start a war."
She lowered her voice down to a whisper.
"If King Talonblaze really wishes to start a war, the last thing we need to do is actually give him justification to start one."
"… I will not let that happen…" Now it was Rhem's turn, his hand settling upon her hoof this time. His eyes bore the image of sincere determination. He may not have been accepted by the mare's subjects at large, but this kind creature's existence was enough to give him a reason to protect her country. "I cannot allow anything to hurt you… or your subjects."
The alicorn gave him a warm smile. She wished to say she could believe him-having lived long enough as was to say she could honestly doubt him…
But, there was something in his words-his tone, his poise, that made her think she could trust him.
"Thank you, Rhem." She leaned in to nuzzle him. "That's… very noble of you."
Returning the nuzzle with a gentle smile, he removed his hand from her pastern, but paused his actions and his ear frills flared upon hearing a gasp. One of the servants, a unicorn who had dropped a bowl of salad upon witnessing the princess and dragon exchanging nuzzles, stared wide-eyed.
Princess Celestia drew back at the gasp, confused. Blinking, she turned her head and spotted the servant… and the dropped salad bowl. She gazed at him, then at the bowl, back to him, and delivered a disapproving stare. She said nothing, merely arching an eyebrow, as if to question what he thought he saw. However, she smiled a second later.
"Is there a problem?"
The servant shook his head to snap himself out of it and recollect his thoughts.
"Erm… No, of course not, Your Highness!"
Utilizing his magic, he summoned the bowl and stray bits of salad scattered upon the polished floor. Once the floor was clear of any traces of food, he scrambled back into the kitchen to make another.
"What is wrong with him?" Rhem wondered.
The alicorn shrugged her wings.
"No idea," she replied, though in truth she believed she knew. The servant had saw them nuzzling, she figured, and surmised rumors of the two of them would be spreading. She decided to make it a priority to pull him aside to have a chat with him. "He probably saw something that surprised him."
The dragon tilted his head again, this time in the opposite direction. Something surprised him? What could have possibly done that? He didn't see anything surprising around him. The matter befuddled him, but he paid it no further heed.
Shortly, a different servant emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of wine to pour the liquid contents into the golden jewel encrusted goblets sitting in front of the princess and her reptilian friend. She was quick with the task, wishing not to spend a second longer around the beast.
Pulling the goblet closer, Rhem peered inside, his nose barely touching the lip as he inhaled the strange smell.
"What is this?"
"That," Princess Celestia began, lifting up her goblet with her magic and brought it to her lips to take a sip, "is wine. Brambleberry, I believe! Quite lovely, if a bit bitter."
She lowered the goblet.
"You should try some. It's fairly decent!"
"Oooh." Bringing the cup even closer, Rhem lined his head with the mouth of it and proceeded to lap up the wine. After having an experimental taste, he raised his head with a lick of his lips. "It is good."
Princess Celestia watched him. She seemed a little surprised, but then recalled he would have no formal training in any sort of etiquette. To be fair, she actually seemed a little more astonished that he didn't just start chugging the drink down.
Smiling lightly, she nodded.
"We have many types of wine. Brambleberry, snozzberry, blueberry, blackberry…" Her face contorted and she stuck her tongue out. "Raspberry…"
"I have never heard of those. Snozzberry sounds like it comes from someone's nose," he commented, scaly features scrunching up in disgust at the mental imagery.
"Well, snozzberry is really just a flavor. It's not an actual berry. Kind of like blue raspberry. Raspberries are real, but blue raspberry is a flavor. It's the same thing. There is a popular myth about how snozzberry came to be.
"I don't know it in full details, but from what I understand, there was a pony who owned a winery looking to find a way to distill and ferment a type of wine made from a certain fruit. The process was that it had to be done in a certain manner or it wouldn't turn out just right. One day, the winery owner and his family were in the process of extracting the juices and setting them up to be fermented when the youngest daughter made a mistake and put in a different kind of sugar than what was supposed to be used.
"This happy little mistake changed the process dramatically. The owner originally thought this batch was ruined-when he noticed the juice had a distinctively different smell to it. He happened to like it… and tasted it-which he found he enjoyed. So, he went on to ferment it anyway and tested it out around with the rest of his family and friends. And thus a new flavor was born."
She shrugged.
"That's the story from how I heard it. It actually could be a completely different truth."
Rhem smiled as he quietly listened intently to the story, absorbing every single word. As it came to a close, the dragon took another taste of his wine, never taking his eyes off of the alicorn.
"That is interesting. It is a good thing the pony's daughter made the mistake."
"Sometimes the greatest of things that came about was because of a mistake. You never know what discoveries you'll make! It's one of the reasons I love seeing the results of my scientists… It's always exciting seeing what they discover, regardless of whether or not what they find was what they intended."
"Our superiors do not permit mistakes. If any are made, then punishment follows. Our soldiers are afraid to make any because of that."
Rhem went back to his wine, slurping it up, accidentally sending a few drops flying across the tablecloth.
"Even if those mistakes create something that happened to yield more positive results and would be more beneficial in the long run?" Princess Celestia asked, even though she knew what the answer was. Arching an eyebrow, she bit her lip. "I ought to already know the answer to this by now, but morbid curiosity leads me to ask anyway. Does King Talonblaze support… any independent research at all? Even if it's for the sake of the Draconian Empire?"
The dragon nodded, his stomach clenching at what he was about to relay.
"Yes… Most of it goes to testing out our weapons and combative maneuvers. A lot of dragons that have been rejected as breeders are used as test subjects. That is all I know of that. No one will tell me anything more."
Princess Celestia was in the middle of taking another sip when she nearly spat her drink back out. Swallowing the wine, she coughed-some of it having slipped down her windpipe. Setting the goblet down, she spent the next few minutes trying to clear her trachea of the liquid she accidentally inhaled.
Settling down, she stared at Rhem, her eyes wide in horror.
He watched, body frozen in anticipation, waiting for her to respond. As the silence remained, he decided to be the one to break it.
"I… Yes, that is what happens."
The shocked equine slowly shifted her attention from the dragon at her side down to the table. Her eyes still wide, she was quiet and still for a good long moment longer before she squeezed her eyes shut. She appeared to be whispering something. She rose a hoof to her eyes, then finally rose her head and opened her eyes.
"May the souls of those poor individuals be watched over in the afterlife… They don't deserve such cruelty…"
"Afterlife? There is an afterlife?" Rhem inquired with incentive interest. No one had ever told him about the existence of a Heaven or any sort of life after death. He had always assumed that once one was dead, that was it.
"Yes." Princess Celestia nodded. "Well… that's what most ponies believe, at any rate. The vast majority of the ponies here believe that there is a world after this one that their spirits move on to when they die. Some say it is a world almost exactly like this one. Others say it is a paradise free from pain, disease, and suffering-but almost all believe that it is a realm of peace where they are reunited with their deceased loved ones."
"A paradise free from pain, disease, and suffering…" Rhem repeated in a distant voice, his mind going numb at the sheer concept of such a thing. "That is what we need…"
She smiled, her eyes closing halfway. Sighing and leaving her drink on the table, she turned around and headed towards one of the windows.
"Yes, a paradise. That would be wonderful, wouldn't it? To live and not experience such things… To know such delights that the dead know they no longer have to suffer." She paused to sigh. "I've often wondered. If the day ever comes if… I were to die… where would I pass on to? Would I make it to such a paradise? Or… would my spirit go elsewhere? Would it become one again with the natural aether that alicorns are said to emerge from…? … Or would I just… cease to be…?"
Rhem watched as Princess Celestia left the table, her musings stimulating new thoughts.
"Celestia? Can… dragons go to this paradise after dying, too?"
The mare was silent for a moment, lost in her thoughts. She turned to Rhem after what seemed like a few minutes after he asked his question.
"I don't… see why they couldn't. Personally… I don't believe that this paradise denies anypony from entering. Pony. Zebra. Griffon. Dragon… I am sure that everypony meets back in the realm beyond."
"Will… your deceased subjects be afraid of me there?" he asked immediately after his first question had been answered. The Draconian didn't want to go to an afterlife where he wouldn't be welcome… But, he wanted an honest answer.
"I don't see why they would," she said. "I would assume they would not. It would be a peaceful place. A warm place, a joyful place. So, I see very little reason why anypony there would ever fear you… Or fear anything, for that matter."
Rhem felt immensely relieved to hear this. Exhaling a sigh, his ear frills twitched at the sound of hoof beats upon the marble floor. He turned to see a pair of waiters with salads in their magic hold. Cautiously approaching the table, they placed them down and zipped back into the kitchen.
"Good… It would not be much of a paradise if everyone was afraid of me."
"I can imagine." Princess Celestia slowly walked back to the table, having seen the two servants run away. Taking her seat, she smiled. "… And… don't worry about them. They'll come around, I'm certain of it."
Maybe, if some of the ponies were introduced to him as foals… perhaps they wouldn't fear him.
"Yes… You cannot be afraid of something forever, right?" came the reassured note in the dragon's voice as he issued a gentle grin. Exhaling on another sigh, he re-positioned his eyes upon the salad in front of him. "This looks good."
The princess of the sun lowered her head to eat the salad off of the plate, not even bothering to actually pick up a fork with her magic. Munching on her mouthful, she nodded.
"Fear is a basic emotion, but it is unhealthy to remain terrified of something. Like I said, my ponies may be afraid of you now… but, so long as you give them no reason to be so, they'll come to accept you with time."
The winged reptilian's ear frills fell upon remembering something as he stared down at his salad.
"Yes… but I am not… really going to have much time to stay here in order for them to get used to me, am I?".
"… No… No, I suppose not." She lifted her head, her eyes upon him. "You're not exactly here to stay, are you…"
"I wish I was… But I have a country and a princess to protect from King Talonblaze, don't I?" he responded with a small forced smile as he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze. "From my place in Draconia, I shall sabotage all plans he has in order to prevent him from invading Equestria. I will be punished severely, but… anything for you."
Princess Celestia smiled warmly, her eyes misting over. Scooting her chair closer, she slid a foreleg around him to pull him into a hug.
"Oh, Rhem. You're very brave… And very noble. Are you absolutely sure about this? There must be some other way."
Swept with bliss at receiving more affection, Rhem sank into the hug.
"Yes, I am sure. You are the first to show me kindness and happiness… I will willingly give myself to protect you and your kingdom."
The mare felt an odd swell of pride at this information. A relatively unknown dragon vowing to protect her and her country, even though he was not part of it? To an extent, she had a thought that, were it not for the regulations and red tape, she would induct him into her own forces…
If nothing else, at least an honorary member. Though, that would still probably cause some ponies to question her. Moreso if she decided to knight him outright.
"Thank you, Rhem," she said again, squeezing him lightly and slowly letting him go. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
