Hello dear readers Halsenbert here, with a new chapter of Moonbeam for your entertainment.
As I promised this chapter is mainly focused on our dear Celestia. Wink, Wink…
So enjoy and as always… let's BEGIN!
Author's note: MLP does not belong to me, neither its characters, characters and OC's in this story belong to their respective authors, this story was made non-profit and for the sole purpose of entertaining.
Warning:The following chapter contains violent scenes or explicit sexual content, so reader's discretion is advised.
Read and review.
Moonbeam
Chapter 28 – Divided we fail.
There were two things Caramel enjoyed more than anything else. The first was to spend time with the Princess of the Sun accompanying her while doing her royal duties. The second was to stay in shape to make sure he was in optimal condition to always ensure Celestia's safety.
Every morning, the captain would jog around the castle a couple of hours before the Deity of the Sun lifted her star. It helped him to be fully awake and alert, especially in winter considering that the cold wind of the morning helped him to be fully awake.
Caramel was wearing a pair of sports pants, and a sweatshirt specially designed to keep his wings protected from the cold though with enough mobility to extend them if the situation required it.
While jogging, he kept a control breathing to prevent cold air from invading his lungs too fast. After all, in winter the royal captain knew he had to perform his routine calmer than in other seasons of the year.
That morning Equestria had dawned covered with a good amount of snow, which crate a thick layer on top of Canterlot's streets and buildings. The windows were covered in ice that had formed due of the temperature difference between theirs warm interior and the cold exterior.
The captain noticed in the distance the sunlight beginning to set aside the dark night, painting the horizon with an orange and blue that born from the distant mountains of the east.
The snow under his hooves was cold, but had a soft-textured, the accumulated ice glowed at his legs as if there were small stars spread along the way.
As he enjoyed the view, reluctantly he turned around to enter the castle's back garden. He observed the memorial monolith to the fallen, which was facing a huge number of tombstones representing the soldiers who had given their lives during the war against the Crystal Empire.
He walked between the graves and finally stops near the tombstones that had the names of several of his squadmates. Each of his comrades had fought valiantly and given everything they had I order to protect the kingdom's future. They certainly filled him with pride, although he could also feel some pain pressing his hearth, for he already knew well that he would not see them again, not until he joined them on the other side.
He continued to advance through the trees that surrounded the place, looking at their frozen branches, covered in snow and lawn.
-CAPTAIN!-
Another Soldier's cry immediately draws his attention, in his voice, Caramel could perceive great stress, and some fear, it was also easy to notice the pony's anxiety.
-What happens soldier?- asked the pegasai by pulldown his hood.
-Come captain, its urgent, something has happened in the back gardens… And… Well, I think it'd better to see it by yourself.
-Tell me the details as we get there- Caramel replied, worried about the soldier's news. He really hoped that it would be just a bad joke or even a misunderstanding, as the tone of the pony implied that the subject in question was quite serious. So he really expected it to be some mistake.
The soldier flew followed by the captain of the royal guard. They flew close to the ground not to draw too much attention, although being sincere, at that time of the morning, it was very difficult to find some other pony hanging around the castle, with the exception of the servitude of the night shift, who mostly consisted of guards that he assigned to keep the princess of the night protected along with the Night Guards.
Arriving at what appeared to be part of the princesses' private garden, which led directly to the labyrinth in which the statue of the Draconequus had been deposited by Princess Celestia's orders, Caramel immediately notice a couple of guards who were blocking the passage while another was on one side of a mare dressed in a maid's suit wearing a thick coat over her shoulders. The captain immediately identified the mare as one of the ponies that were dedicated to the castle's maintenance.
-Captain!- saluted the two guards before stepping aside to allow the captain of the royal guard to get closer to the other equines.
Caramel observed a strange cluster of snow that uttered quite a bit from the rest of the surface. He approached it to discover what appeared to be a slightly bare hoof near snow shovel.
The captain looked at the mare on the side of one of the soldiers, probably the snow shovel was been used to remove excess snow when the maid discovered the hoof of a pony buried beneath it.
Observing the position of the leg he calculated the position of the pony's head. Carefully, Caramel began to remove the excess of snow until he discovered the face of the unfortunate pony that was buried underneath. At first, he did not recognize the corpse, its colour was pale, probably due of the low temperatures to which it was exposed.
-I need a list of last night's assistants- ordered the captain.
-Yes, Captain… immediately- said the soldier who had escorted him to the scene.
The captain noticed that the size of the snow cluster was too large to cover the body of a single pony and too small to have been able to immobilize it if it had fallen on it by accident. In fact, Caramel had already seen this scene several times on the edge of the crystal empire, during the war.
Using his forehoof, Caramel began to remove a little more snow, this time from the newly discovered corpse's other side. It didn't take long for him to discover a second lock of hair, with a different colour. The captain continued to remove the snow carefully until he discovered a second face, the latter had several spots on his face of what appeared to be black splashes. The captain examined the snow he had removed from the second victim's face discovering that the ice was slightly dyed red.
If he previously doubted that the first pony had been buried by accident, this confirmed his suspicions. Something that of course didn't please him in the slightest.
-Bubble Pop- he added, addressing one of the guards, who was preventing any pony else to come any closer.
-Yes, Captain?- replied the pegasus approaching the stallion.
-I need a meeting with the princess, hurry up and make sure to had the utmost discretion, I don't want to have to deal with panic, if possible-
The stallion nodded immediately before retiring from the site.
-Miss?- said Caramel in a softer voice approaching himself to the mare who was recovering from the recent shock.
-Y-Yes, C-Captain?- the maid replied between sobs before cleaning her own tears with her forehoof.
-I'd like to ask you a few questions, can I?- The mare nodded -Very well-
That morning the pearl-coloured alicorn awoke extremely exhausted, she had spent a large part of the night awake, enjoying the company of her beloved ponies and of course, also having conversation with her beloved sister and Luna's special somepony.
Chrysi was an educated mare, quite lovely and pretty; and most important, It was pretty obvious that the love she had for her little sister was 100% real. Several times Celestia had discovered the black coated unicorn looking at Luna when the younger princess didn't notice or whenever the deity of the night was talking to some other pony. Those looks Chrysi stole from Luna were… quite special, the way her emerald eyes glowed every time they watched Luna smile, savour some snacks, sneeze, laugh at some good joke, or grumble every time Celestia pranks her, which the princess returned in a new prank to Celestia… well, practically every time the black-coated unicorn looked at her sister, Celestia could notice the extreme affection Chrysi had for Luna.
That made grown Celestia's desire to help them with their relationship, unfortunately after her talk with Lady Gemstone last night, she did not hear from the Lady again for the rest of the night, so she decided that the first thing she would do after lifting the Sun would be to write a letter to Chrysi's mother, she would make sure to deliver it to her royal messengers so that the letter could be delivered as soon as possible and if everything went out according to her plans, Celestia could try to come to a good deal with Lady Gemstone to allow Chrysi and Luna to stay together. After all, it was worth a try. Last night Celestia had managed to make amends with her sister and planned to keep things that way.
-It will be excellent news for when Luna returns, to tell her that the mother of her special somepony has given us her consent to their relationship. Oh! I can't wait to see her face full of joy when Luna hears about it- said the princess placing her forehooves on her cheeks completely excited forming a big smile with her lips.
The whining of the pink pegasai that was still slept in bed caused the deity of the Sun to laugh slightly placing a hoof on her own lips.
-Sorry dear- said the princess approaching the colourful mane pegasai before kissing her tenderly on her forehead.
Cadence sketched a smile as she continued to sleep, the eldest of the monarchs immediately remembered that same expression on her sister's face when they were younger. She recalled that her sister always ended up asleep throwing the sheets everywhere and was completely uncovered on the mattress and it was Celestia who always ended up being the one who came back to her room to tuck her back in. Even now, The deity of the Sun still had that same hobby, especially when Luna was going back to bed after a long night.
With renewed energies, the deity raised the Sun on the horizon, letting the light of her star begin to warm the earth once again. She calmly proceeded with her morning routine, grooming her mane, tail and the rest of her fur and feathers, Then she puts on her princess items and Hoof-shoes before leaving the room, not without giving one last glance to little Cadence, to make sure she was still asleep.
She left her room addressing her sister's room, hoped that the alicorn hadn't been too wild the night before, and for some reason she felt she should go see her.
When the deity of the Sun stood in front of the huge wooden door of her sister's room adorned with that beautiful night sky and a huge Moon rising, Celestia Frost in place, just outside as if her hooves had suddenly ceased to answer her.
-Princess Celestia-
EEKKK
Another Female voice took her by surprise, making her jump and shriek.
-Oh! it's you Epsilon! You scared the most out of me- the princess said after noticing the black armoured mare who remained hidden under the hallway's shadows.
-It was not of my intention your majesty- the mare replied, coming out of the darkness to allow the princess to see her better.
-Do you know if…? No, forget it, I'd better get started with my morning activities- Celestia said turning around.
-Chrysi is no longer in Luna's bedchambers, she left a few minutes ago- said the mare without changing the expression on her face. The princess noticed something odd in the captain of the Night Guard.
-Did she tell you where she went?- asked hesitantly the deity, perhaps Chrysi's mother had asked her to return home sooner which complicated Celestia's original plan, the princess had to talk to Gemstone before gemstone decided to talk to her daughter and ask her not to continue dating Luna.
-No, she did not… As soon as she went, I just took a look inside to be sure Princess Luna was all right. As I noticed the princess was ok and still asleep, I decided to stay outside until Merak came to replace me, so I can take care of something else.
Now the Princess of the Sun was puzzled. Why would Epsilon could be suspicious of Luna not been ok.
-Can I?- asked the deity pointing at the door with her forehoof.
-I am no one to prevent you to come in your Majesty, after all I have not received instructions from Princess Luna telling me otherwise-
Hesitantly, the princess of the Sun lit her horn to open the door of Luna's bedroom. The deity entered the room careful not to make any unnecessary noise followed by Epsilon, who seems to look every move she does, as if holding out some kind of distrust from Celestia. Though the Captain did not say anything, her yellow eye watching every move started making her feel some chills.
Luna's room felt strangely colder than normal, or at least colder than Celestia remembered it, the darkness of the room was quite thicker too. Even considering that the curtains were closed, it was quite difficult for any room to be able to dismiss such amount of darkness.
"Probably some kind of spell casted by Luna" thought the deity as she made her way through the room followed by the mare behind her back, who was like some kind of wolf hunting her.
The eldest of the sisters approached the bed Luna was resting on, as she had imagined, her sister was completely uncovered from the tail to her head. Luna's fur looked darker than usual, but she imagined it was a visual effect caused by the darkness that enveloped the room. The younger princess' waving and fluffy mane was shedding flashes of light, very similar to those of the stars of the night sky.
Celestia could not help but smile by noticing that her sister appeared to have slept with her mouth open drooling her pillow.
Lighting her horn, Celestia took the sheets, grasping them with her golden aura and proceeded to tuck her younger sister, as she passed a forehoof by her chin closing Luna's mouth and then stroking her cheek caringly. Just then, she noticed that the other mare's seems to softened a bit.
-Princess?- asked Epsilon approaching the monarch.
-It's been a long time since I did this- mumbled the deity of the Sun as she continued to caress her younger sister.
Celestia's caresses produced a small smile in the indigo alicorn, who despite being sound asleep could feel her sister's love through her delicate touch. The deity of the Sun could not help but smile as well, that reminded him of the numerous nights that both had spent in the old castle during their childhood.
-Rest dear sister- Princess Celestia said, crouching down to kiss her younger sister on the cheek. Then she turned around and preceded to leave the room followed by Epsilon.
Celestia closed the door behind them, trying to make as little noise as possible by doing so.
-I need to find Chrysi before she meets her mother- Celestia thought aloud.
-Princess, there is something important that I must inform you- the other mare said, drawing the monarch's attention.
Before Epsilon could say any other word, however, the call of one of the soldiers interrupted them.
-Princess Celestia, I'm glad to finally find you!- the guard called her as he trotted to them.
Celestia noticed the soldier's nervous tone and fear in his gaze. She knew that those would not be good news, yet she kept her composure and using her usual calm tone she asked as the soldier approached to them.
-What happened Bubble Pop?- Noticing the gaze of the stallion traveling to Epsilon, to look her with some distrust, the ruler immediately added -It's all right, you can tell us, Epsilon is the captain of the night guard, she's a trusted mare- The soldier hesitated a couple of seconds before continuing.
-I need your to come with me your majesty, it's an urgent matter, an incident occurred in the back garden and Captain Caramel requested a meeting with you to discuss the matter- the soldier said.
-I understand- the princess replied, turning around to face Epsilon once more -We will talk later, it seems that something important arose- the other female simply nodded once before bowing - Bubble Pop, tell Caramel that I will see him in my studio, there we can talk in private- after nodding, the soldier departed -Would it be fine with you if we meet… lets say after lunch in the Throne room?- she asked Epsilon.
-Of course, your Majesty- replied the mare.
With this the princess withdrew leaving Epsilon alone in front of the door of her sister's room.
-Seems I need to take care of this first- mumbled Epsilon, her yellow eye looking at the princess back.
Her studio had always been a special place in the castle, where the princess felt free to do and say whatever she wanted, it was like a small room where she could forget about her problems for a moment and enjoy her numbered free moments.
Celestia commonly used that room to meditate, relax while reading a good book, enjoy one or four desserts she managed to take from the kitchen without been noticed. You could say it was like her sacred place.
At that time, however, the princess's gaze was totally stunned, after Caramel's explanation, the princess's mind seemed to have gone blank. Celestia found it hard to believe that two nobles had been killed a few yards from her and was especially concerned that this had happened during the heart's warming eve.
The princess of the Sun certainly couldn't stop things like this from going on in different parts of the kingdom, but the hearts warming eve was a special night, although many ponies still had trouble adapting to the changes in the kingdom and especially to the new rules that were gradually being established to maintain order in Equestria. Every pony knew well that Heart's Warming Eve was the most important night, because not only was it a celebration that maintained the harmony of all Equestria but also prevented darkness from falling on the kingdom which could end up attracting the Windigos once again. This made it even harder to believe, the fact that two ponies were killed during such a celebration, was simply unthinkable, for pony heavens, even the non-ponies kingdoms knew better.
-Do you have any clues who might have done it?- asked the princess rising from her seat behind the desk to start wandering around the room in deep meditation.
-The bodies are being examined right now,- the captain said as he watched the princess walk back and forth -By what I could see, one of the nobles was detached from his jugular, which explains the bloodstains and the lack of it in his body, in fact it is incredible that the snow managed to absorb most of the blood. The problem comes with the other victim, since his body also seemed to be in a similar situation but We could not notice a wound that could have caused the blood loss.-
-Who's taking care of the test?- asked the alicorn as she stop in front of a window to look outside.
-I asked Clover to help us to examine the corpses- the captain said.
-I understand. Zephora notified me that you and Shayla came back together, didn't you?-
-Yes you Majesty, but…-
-Find Shayla and ask her to help Clover check the bodies, she is a zebra with great knowledge in supernatural creatures, surely, she will find something that can help us- Celestia interrupt the him.
It was the first time since the beginning of the war against the crystal empire that the captain listened to that extremely serious and annoying tone coming from the Princess of the Sun.
-I'll talk to her right away, I think she's staying in one of the east wing towers- the captain said.
-Do the families know about this?- asked the princess looking Caramel in the eye.
-I was about to send someone to notify them- the stallion said.
-Send the message telling them I request their presence in the castle, this tragedy occurred under my watch, so I must take responsibility for it-
-Princess we still don't know what happened, so you shouldn't…-
-No, Caramel. Even if this would had been a complete accident, they were here to attend a party that I organized, and as such is my responsibility. Especially if this was a murder, it is to be assumed that the castle should be the safest place in Equestria. If two nobles were killed in the castle gardens, what kind of security I can offer to my subjects, knowing that I am not even safe myself in my own home-
-In any case the fault should be mine your majesty, I am the captain of the royal guard, I am the one who must take this responsibility, not you- Caramel replied.
-No Caramel-
-But, your majesty-
-This is the rule of a leader Caramel, every failure in a team, is the failure of the leader. Those families won't care who was on duty that night, all they know is that it happened under my supervision-.
-It's not enough of a reason to blame yourself-
-I'm not blaming Myself, Caramel. I'm taking responsibility for you and the rest of the royal guard activities, this happened under our noses, so it makes sense that the ruler, in this case I, is the one who should be accountable and accept the consequences that this will bring-
-I… I understand- Caramel replied, looking down.
After a moment in silence the captain spoke again.
-There is something else-
The princess looked at him with a raised eyebrow, noticing that the monarch had no plans to interrupt him, Caramel continued.
-I checked the list of attendees, several of the nobles of the periphery of the kingdom who were on the guest list did not show up last night-
-Let me see it- the princess asked, so the pegasai spread the scroll with the guest list.
After lighting her horn to bring the scroll closer and unroll it, Celestia proceeded to read the list of absent nobles. The princess could not help noticing a pattern of importance between the names of the missing nobles, all of them were noble families that used to practice some kind of illicit activity.
-Most of the nobles who did not attend the festival despite having confirmed their attendance are from the regions of Manehattan, Baltimare and Trottingham- comment the surprised monarch.
That was too much of a coincidence to be an isolated incident. While not all of these noble houses sympathized with the Princess, it was highly unlikely that they would not attend the party, especially knowing that the most renowned noble houses would be present, after all, what the nobles were looking for was generally recognition, and the best way to maintain a good relationship with other noble houses was to attend high society events. Not to attend to such event could seriously affect their social status, so it was unlikely that any of them decided to miss the party on purpose.
-Caramel, I need you to send a messenger to the noble houses of Manehattan, Baltimare and Trottingham who didn't attend last night's party. I have a bad feeling about this- said the Princess of the Sun, returning the scroll to her captain.
-Right away princess-
-And another thing. Taking advantage of you sending the messengers, can you help me by sending this letter too?- remarked the princess, extending to the stallion a scroll of parchment sealed with the royal seal.
-Of course your Majesty-
-Make sure it is sent to Emerald Gemstone-
-As you wish princess- the captain said, retreating after a slight bow.
As soon as the captain left her alone in the studio, the princess couldn't help but start worrying again.
-I need a cup of tea- she said to herself before leaving the room.
As every morning, the palace's kitchen was full of chefs and sous-chef, who got up early to start with their work at sunrise.
The laughter and murmurs of the helpers and cooks, as well as many of the comments of the maids and butlers were not something new for the princess, after all, it was quite common for the different news and rumours to be the castle's servitude bread and butter, and Celestia used it to keep up with her subjects' popular culture's news.
In a way, it helped her measure the level of satisfaction her reign gave her followers, as sometimes, it was more real than the reports she received from the mayors themselves.
The princess of the sun noticed, however, the strange glances that many of her subjects sent at her, although the vast majority were a bit discrete. It was quite obvious that many of the ponies seemed to grieve when they looked at her, especially as most looked away when they noticed that the princess was focusing her attention on one of them. Yet none of them rejected the greeting that the ruler kindly gave them.
-Good morning Spice Fruit- Celestia greet the chef kindly.
-Good morning Your Majesty- replied the chef, who unlike the rest of the occupants of the kitchen kept her eyes on the princess with a friendly smile on her lips -I can see that you had a great night princess, although I can notice you're somewhat stressed, I thought that after a celebration like last night's, your mood will be really improved - commented the stallion.
-Yes, well, je, je, je- laughed nervously the princess rubbing the back of her head with a hoof -Certainly last night was a night to remember, and Luna and I were able to reconnect a little and release some of the tension we had been carrying on our backs the last few years- she responded with a little blush.
-I'm glad to hear that princess. Would you like me to prepare you a special dish to regain your strength?- offered the stallion accommodating her mushroom-shaped hat.
-I would greatly appreciate that, Spice Fruit- replied the now radian princess smiling at him.
-It will be my pleasure to serve you princess- the chef added. -By the way… I must apologise for my team's attitude- said the pony, casting a hard glare at the curious cooks who quickly returned to their activities. -Sometimes they forget their education, but you must understand that some rumours and gossips can get out of hoof if not hoofled properly.
-Yes, I understand… Emmm… What you mean by… out of hoof?- said the deity of the Sun.
Noticing the princess's carefree smile, the stallion guessed that perhaps, the ruler was not yet aware of the situation.
-I see, well your majesty. I strongly recommend you to take a look at the front page this morning's newspaper, while enjoying a good cup of tea to avoid the bad taste- added the stallion with a raised eyebrow, while offering Celestia a cup of tea that seemed to have come out of nowhere.
Intrigued by the stallion's attitude, the princess accepted the cup of tea from which a sweet scent emanated and proceeded to take a seat in the dining room. As Spice Fruit suggested, Celestia caught the attention of one of the waitresses to ask for the morning's newspaper, as she chooses to read it while she waited for her breakfast as she enjoys her sweet, sweet tea.
Celestia spend some time meditating and reflecting on the things that had happened during the morning. She knew that Shayla and Clover would find the cause of the death of those ponies, and was also sure that she would have to be mentally prepare for the imminent meeting she would have with the victim's noble families.
Celestia knew perfectly well the lack of tolerance that many of the nobles showed, so the ruler knew that after a news like that, there would be no way to prevent the discussion from getting quite heat. On the other hoof, she believes in her skills to handle situations like that, so even if the nobles were upset about what happened, and surely they would be, Celestia would be able to control the situation enough to prevent the subject from ending up in a social revolt, after all, she still needed the support of the noble families to be able to lift the economy of the kingdom.
Fortunately, Blueblood's project was paying off pretty well, and provided the kingdom with great support from the heaviest noble families, including the Wine, the Pants, the Platinum and Lady Marvel's noble family, not to mention Puddin Head and Hurricane, who had so far continued to trust Celestia.
The white-pearl coated alicorn also had the Gemstone family's affair, she really expected Lady Emerald Gemstone to receive her note long before Gemstone spoke to her daughter. With a bit of luck, the amount of snow along the way would delay Chrysi's return home, long enough for the mail to be deliver before mother and daughter speak to each other, after all, Pegasus mail was the best delivery thanks to their ease of moving from one place to another, as it was well known that Pegasus were much more resistant to the inclement weather.
Celestia certainly trusted that while Luna took some time to relax in the old castle, she could convince Emerald, she had full confidence that she would accomplish something in some way.
-Here you are princess- the waitress said, offering the newspaper to the monarch. The deity noticed some hesitation in the maid's voice when she extended her hoof with the object of Celestia's interest.
-Why thank you- the princess replied, taking the newspaper with her magic.
After this, she watched the waitress retire at a slightly faster pace than usual. Something that obviously caught the attention of the princess, who deviated her gaze from the mare focusing her magenta eyes on the newspaper that was rolled up and levitated a few inches from her nose. The deity look suspiciously at the object before she start unrolling it.
Her eyes widened, her pupils contracted to the size pinheads before dilating again after reading the first line of the front-page's header.
-***A Hot's Warming Eve full of Pleasure***-
The title crossed the front page, a photo of Luna in full kiss action with Chrysi and a photo of herself with a face of extreme pleasure while enjoying the first taste of the Pudding Clover had brought to her that night to win the bet.
Celestia quickly went on to open the newspaper to read the column, with each line the princess's surprise increased exponentially, while her jaw opened more and more almost until her chin fell flat on the table.
A Hot's Warming Eve full of Pleasure
The most recent celebration of the heart's warming eve caught our attention since the official announcement of our beloved ruler, knowing that it would be an open-door party to allow us to enjoy one of our most loved celebrations, the ponies of all Equestria, includingthis writer, were joyful to know that we would be able to enjoy a great celebration to have some fun time and lift our spirits after the damage that this war has caused us.
I honestly didn't expect the night to bring us such a level of entertainment and I must add, monumental surprises.
Ponies from high nobility families and many more humble classes were able to enjoy an unprecedented dinner together. Wealthy and poor as equals enjoying time together.
Certainly the banquet was the best, great dishes of unmatched delicacy covered the tables of the great hall for hours. Drinks of excellent taste for our palates were offered by the servitude of the castle with impeccable presentation.
But what can I say, that our beloved princess has not shown us, certainly the expression captured by our talented artist gave us a taste of what tonight brought to many of our hearts. EXTASIS, DESIRE and Pleasure were some of the main sensations that came to my mind when I heard our beloved princess Celestia moan loudly, and I must say that her voice has been a delight, and her expression will be printed in my mind for decades. Although I don't think I've been the only one to think this way, I'm glad been able to see our dear princess in a more common facet of her life.
Although in this reporter's opinion,I am sure that after tonight many of our most bachelors stallions and mares will be interested in having a taste of that "dessert" as much as I wanted.
But the one who surprised us the most has been the younger sister of our dear ruler. As much as it hurts me to say it, the spotlight was taken away by Princess Luna.
For years we have been completely blindfolded and covered by the ears regarding the princesses' marital likes. Being the fact that they are both single,the only proof we have that our rulers have devoted more time to our care than to their private lives, so we assumed that none of the princesses have enough time to think about falling in love.
For years we have witnessed the multiple rejections of our rulers for the multiple marriage proposals they have both received since their ascension to the throne, with tonight's rejection of been the last recorded in our book of records, which I must add was executed by Princess Celestia's younger sister, Princess Luna.
I must now admit that no one was expected that the real reason for those rejections was mainly because of the gender of the suitors. Yes you're reading it right, we certainly hoped that the rejections of those marriage proposals would be merely based on the distrust of our princesses or perhaps they just wanted to keep the attention mainly focused on taking care of the kingdom, but who would say that the reason behind those actions was something as simple as the pony's like, as the princess showed to us by falling for a mare. I certainly didn't see it coming.
Which makes us think, who is the lucky mare who has managed to conquer the heart of the ruler of the night, will she be interested only in the princess' wealthy status? That mysterious filly who gave such a spectacle on the dance floor. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed their dance.Before my eyes everything looked pretty normal, I've seen hundreds of mares dance together for years, but never a dance like that one. It never occurred to me that our princess's dance of the night went from dance to full courtship. Not only can I say that her dance was extremely pleasant to observe, but honestly that kiss at the end… Well I just wanted to say I would like to be next in line.
At least now we know that our princess of the night really has a lot more experience than we thought. After all, she has been the guardian of our dreams for the past few decades, so I'mintrigued to think she may have taken some lessons while attending certain kinds of dreams.
At least we know that tonight the cold of winter in certain rooms of Canterlot Castle will go unnoticed.
Which makes me think that maybe our favourite princess might also have a special taste hidden under that calculating look that characterizes her. Is it possible that Princess Celestia is interested in other mares just as her sister does?
In the opinion of this humble reporter, I hope that's not the case. Let's hope our princess can clear up the subject for us.
What does Princess Celestia think of her sister's pairing with last night's mysterious mare?
What will become of the offspring of our rulers now that one of them is known to be unable to give us a natural heir?
Who is the lucky mare and what does her family think of pairing their daughter with another mare?
Will this be a sincere feeling or is the princess of the night just experiencing other options?...
The deity of the Sun closed the newspaper unable to continue reading. Now she could understand why Spice Fruit had recommended that tea to her, same tea that at this point was incredibly cold.
While the reporter had not expressed any ill intent directly, it was only necessary to read between the lines to notice the writer's refusal on the whole issue.
The problem was that not everyone in Equestria was as open to certain ideas as she was. Worse of all, Celestia was sure that the Gemstone family was aware of the whole thing, at least now it made more sense that Chrysi had withdrawn from the castle so early in the morning.
The alicorn was not surprised that the unicorn was able to control an emergency call spell, it was certainly not common for such spells to be used, as they only worked if the conjurer and receiver were close enough. Since to execute it, both minds had to be able to connect to each other, so the conjurer would be able to send a letter or emergency message to the receiver's mind.
Given how much Lady Gemstone cared about her only daughter, the ruler was not surprised that Emerald had practiced enough to establish a link between her and her daughter in order to receive emergency messages.
Although such a link had been activated, it seemed rather strange that Chrysi had not been able to notify her mother of her incarceration in the Ever Free forest.
Despite how little Celestia had managed to know about what happened that night thanks to the night guards, Chrysi had spent a prolonged time under the torture of those strange creatures to which Zephora had referred to as Changelings. Until Luna had been able to locate her.
Although, perhaps Chrysi herself had managed to establish some kind of contact with Luna preferring her help than her mother's, which was also quite possible.
-I see you've already read it- say a voice approaching her.
The princess let out a long sigh to calm down a little.
-Spice... I've known you since I was young, and you've always given me good advice… I'm sure many of my subjects won't be happy with Luna's decision and I honestly don't want something like this to ruin the progress I made with her the other night… The wisest thing to do is to let her know about this and ask her to let me take care of it. I wouldn't want Luna to find out about someone else while she's doing her duties in the old castle- said the monarch.
-You two have been very close to each other. I'm sure Princess Luna will understand if you explain it to her. She already knows you care about her well-being and I honestly believe that if she knows can count on you to support her decision, especially with this, it won't be a problem- the chef replied.
The princess sighed again regaining her spirits immediately afterwards.
-I will convene a conference to explain my full approval regarding Luna's decision. Although I'm sure Chrysi's mother won't agree, the truth is, I'd rather see Luna happy with the pony she chose, than sad without her at her side- the princess said.
-I'm glad to hear it princess… Here you have- said the chef placing a dish in front of the princess.
The small pancake tower was beautifully adorned with banana's slices and whipped cream, with which it had formed a sweet smiley face on top of the pancake tower.
-I love it- she replied.
-Do you like me to warm your tea?- added the stallion.
-Of course, thank you Spice- the princess replied with a friendly smile.
-It's my pleasure to serve you princess- the chef replied taking the princess' teacup.
The whispers and murmurs of the ponies had never bothered her since she left the hive. In every direction she looked, the ponies pointed at her or whisper to each other while looking at her every time they saw her passing through.
It wasn't until she approached a couple of ponies that had been following her as they murmured among themselves about something that involved her. It was not as if the ponies were precisely discreet, after all several times they had pointed it out at her with their hooves. However, when she turned to face both ponies, they quickly set out to flee at full gallop.
-What the heck?- said the dark fur colour unicorn in absolute uncertainty.
-I see you've made a big impression, missy- said a thin pony, who wore a pair of oversized glasses watching her while supporting his forehooves on the other side of a Newspaper stand which was made mostly of wood.
Chrysalis approached the stand observing the pony before deflecting her gaze to the multiple specimens that were exposed to full view. The photo of her kiss with Luna practically waving at her. The disguised changeling princess took one of the newspapers, that picture caused her chest to contract and some odd sensation like a sting in her new heart.
Chrysalis looked at the photo for a few moments ignoring the stupid Headline that had been put on the front page.
She passed her hoof over the paper's surface as if trying to feel the fur of the indigo alicorn that appeared in the picture.
Does it bother her? being honest yes… Yes it bothers her, but not because those ponies used her relationship with the princess as a kind of poor quality publicity, what bothered her was noticing how happy the two of them looked in that image. It bothered her that it reminded her how much she loved the princess of the night and how much that same love hurt her.
She forced herself to close her eyes and set aside the newspaper while using all her willpower to avoid galloping back to the castle to embrace her beloved Luna.
-It is you… Isn't it?- asked the stallion across the counter.
-No, she just looks like me- the changeling princess replied, returning the newspaper to its place.
-It's interesting that you deny it while wearing something like that around your neck- the stallion expressed, pointing out the scarf that Chrysalis had taken from the princess of the night's wardrobe.
Chrysalis looked at the scarf for a moment, not understanding the pony's commentary, then noticed that the scarf was adorned by Luna's cutie mark in both ends.
-I… this is just… I'm just a princess' fan, nothing more- replied the unicorn hesitantly.
-Yes, of course- commented the stallion, raising another newspaper to continue his reading.
The unicorn turned around to continue its path.
-You know… perhaps the queen can help you princess- said the pony calmly. The unicorn stopped its advance suddenly, slowly turning to look at the stallion once more.
-What did you say?-
-Come on, princess, you didn't expect us to leave you here all by yourself, did you? Specially after everything that's happened, right?- added the pony without removing his gaze from his reading.
-Moth?- said the princess approaching to the seller with extreme caution.
-I certainly hoped you would have recognized me much earlier princess, but well I guess that's something that only the queens of the hive can do, I guess-.
-Mother sent you to keep an eye on me, right?-
-I was actually the one who asked her to let me stay close. I knew you'd soon leave the castle, especially after this- remarked the sentinel with an emphasis on the last sentence as he pointed to the image on the newspaper's front page.
-Why?- asked the princess without knowing what else to say.
-Because I don't want to see you die- the other changeling replied.
Noticing the strange look sent to him by his princess, the sentinel added.
-I suppose you have developed a heart by now, or am I wrong?- the princess unconsciously place a hoof on her chest, confirming the soldier's suspicious -You may not have noticed it yet, but since you developed that heart your body became totally dependent on the pony from whom you received it-
-Who gave you such information?- remarked the princess looking at the disguised soldier with some mistrust.
-The queen- replied the sentinel bluntly as he flips the page.
-Bah! I have no good reason to believe any word that came out from my mother's mouth- the princess buffooned before turning around.
-I can understand your annoyance, believe me princess, but I'm pretty sure the queen wasn't lying-.
-What makes you think that?-
-You have already shown me proof of this- the soldier replied -I must tell you, it's pretty impressive, I didn't expect you to fall in love with the ruler of this land-.
-What evidence do you have that all my mother said to you is true, Moth?- chrysalis interrupted him.
The soldier sighed as he lowered the newspaper to look the princess eye to eye.
-She provided me with quite specific signs of what you would be feeling and doing, for example, the queen specified that your body would begin to feed on the pony that gave you the heart even without you doing it directly. And taking into account your gaze when looking at this picture, along with the fact that you had denied your relationship with the princess… Emmm… Luna- added the stallion after reading the name in the paper -Not to mention the fact that you did not seem to have realized that you were wearing such an obvious scarf and the fact that you are leaving the capital with you tail between your legs-.
-Enough!, What's the point with all of this? Speak up, that's an order-
-You are trying to escape from princess… Emmm… Luna- said again recalling the name after reading it in the paper -So you must have realized that staying by her side will eventually kill the pony you fell in love with, which will inevitably also end up killing you too, cause right now you are unable to feed on another creature-
-Well I guess that won't matter then, whether I stay by her side or not. Seems that I'll end up dead anyway, but at least this way Luna won't die because of me- the princess replied.
-What if I told you there's still a way to save yourself princess?- said the stallion resting his chin on his own hooves, as he looked at her with a sly smile.
-I would say that… I will not accept your help, I will do anything to keep Luna safe from my mother-
-I wouldn't be so sure about that your majesty… you may want to hear what the queen told me, before taken a decision, after all, the queen cares about you princess- replied the stallion by crossing his hindlegs over the counter while lying completely on his seat before placing his forelegs on the back of his head.
-What's the method?- asked the princess a bit curious, after all Moth was a loyal servant and a friend to her.
-Oh that, well it's a complicated method I cannot help you to do that kind of ritual, but I'm sure the queen can, after all she's done it before, apparently in herself-
At the note of the sentinel, the changeling princess was quite surprised.
-But I guess that talk is better to have with the queen- added the stallion standing on his four hooves as he left the newspaper stand, starting to advance down the snow-covered street.
-Wait Moth!- the princess called at him.
-Careful princess, you shouldn't shout our real names so loud- the stallion mentioned, looking at the umbrous-fur unicorn.
-Yes, I know. It's just that…-
-Come on princess! I am sure that you are not happy with the queen's methods, but surely she does not do so for no reason either, besides I can sense that your inner energy is quite powerful, if the queen tried to attack you again, I assure you that this time you will be able to counterattack her-
-It will certainly be of great help to me if you take me to her- the princess said.
-There you go, it wasn't that hard, was it? it just takes a little diplomacy, I'm sure even the queen understands the importance of something like that-.
-I absolutely doubt it- the princess said. -But it's worth listening to. If I can find a way to stay by Luna's side once again.
"And if mother becomes unreasonable, at least I'll be ready to take her down with a surprise attack. This time I will have no reason to hold back" the princess thought as she followed the naive soldier.
The laboratory was located in one of the castle towers, inside where hundreds of devices manufactured by herself, as well as several science books perfectly organized on the shelves located at the laboratory's back wall. On one of the steel tables placed in the room's centre was laying Melondrop's body.
The mare was currently examining the marks on the noble's neck, on the sorcerer's face was placed a device that seemed to function as an optical macroscope, a thing she use to examine even the smallest details more sharply.
-Mmmm… interesting- said the sand-colored unicorn, lighting her horn to take some notes using a quill and a bottle of ink.
-What could be interesting about a case like this?- asked Caramel entering the lab.
-Precisely Caramel, this whole thing is interesting- said the mare without looking at the newcomer. -It is quite intriguing too captain- continued as she examined the body with extreme care.
-could you tell us, what have you found?- said the captain, who was followed by a second hooded figure, who closes the doors behind her.
-Where to begin with- exclaimed the sorcerer -The creature that attacked them possesses a surprising force and is armed with a jaw very similar to a pony's snout, with the exception of a pair of long canines. It seems to possess canines like a predator, but these are extremely long- commented the mare as she turned the corpse's neck to examine the other end of the bite -The shape of the denture indicates that the tusks are slightly curved and stand out from the rest of the dentures, enough to reach the main artery in an adult pony's neck, however, I haven't seen fangs like that in another predator.
-I see- the captain said, placing himself on the side of the mare, taking care not to get in the way of her work.
-Are they similar to the fruit vampire bats?- said a third voice.
-Exactly, yes… in fact that is a very clever comparison, their shapes are very similar…- the mare suddenly draws her attention from the death body to the owner of that voice. Then she freezes completely after noticing the brown hood of the creature that was examining the body of the second victim. Those hooves adorned with colourful arcane were unmistakable.
-Oh… I'm sorry for my rudeness… Clover, this is Shayla, Princess Celestia thought she might help you in the investigation, she seems to have great knowledge regarding rare creatures- said the captain presenting the zebra that was currently looking at the corpse of the second pony with interest.
-Shayla happy to see you again, yes, yes, yes- replied the zebra by taking off her hood to expose a huge smile from side to side along with her colourful mane.
Clover could not help but feel her face turned red in the presence of the zebra.
-S-Shayla, I-I didn't know- she said. -I had no idea you were around- she finished nervously.
-Oh don't worry, Shayla not angry with horned pony, Shayla know how busy your being- said the zebra approaching the unicorn whose cheeks had an extremely notorious red blush.
-You… you mean it? after I left without telling you anything, even after what happened that night? aren't you even a little upset with me?- asked the sorceress. The zebra simply shook her head.
-So, you already knew each other Eh- Caramel expressed, noticing the peculiar interaction between the two females.
-Y-yes, you could say that- replied the sorceress, deflecting her gaze from the zebra's.
-Shayla meets horned pony during the Autumn's Fire Dance Celebration, yes, yes, yes- said the zebra joyfully -Horned Pony be very kind to Shayla, that night be Shayla's first night as an adult yes, yes, yes- the sorceress quickly covered the zebra's lips with her forehoof laughing nervously.
-Don't listen to her Caramel… Wait, did you say that was your first night as an adult?- responded a very shocked sand-colored unicorn.
-MMufff, Muuff- replied the zebra, the sound of her words was almost completely blocked by the mare's hoof.
-Wait… You mean… did you just come to age?- the sorceress felt the drops of sweat go through her face.
-Mhmm- replied the zebra nodding.
-Oh my Celestia! I just raped a young zebra- murmured the mare.
"Well, in theory she was already legal that night… Wait… wasn't she the one who took advantage of me, how can she prove such dexterity using her hoovesif it was her first time…? Oh! pony's heaven! what the hell do zebras learn in their childhood?" thought the mare face hoofing herself.
-It is not as if I have not enjoyed it, that said… It was my first time just like her, but she knew very well what to do and how to guide me- the hooves on her face made it really difficult to understand what the pony was muttering. -I'm doomed- she said finally giving up.
-Frankly, I'm not interested in what happened between you two Clover, those are personal problems that you have to solve on your own. All I'm interested in, is in you telling me what happened to those two nobles and how the hell did they end up in the garden?-
-Yes, Captain. Will be working on it- replied the mare, pulling her face out of her own hooves.
-Thanks Clover, I'll be back later to hear your findings-
-Of course! Captain- the sorceress said.
-Shayla will help horned pony in any way she can- said the zebra, positioning herself at Clover's right.
Without saying any more, the captain walked out the door, leaving the two experts to take care of that matter. After ordering two other guards not to lend any pony else to enter the room, the stallion took ff.
-Captain!- the voice of a soldier caught his attention.
-What is it cadet?- responded the captain.
-News of the messenger who was sent to the city limits of Manehattan-
Noticing the soldier's tone, he knew those were not good news either.
-What happened?-
-Well they're all…-
-Cadet, I don't have time, I need to know what happened- the captain pressed the subject.
-It's a massacre captain, Hurricane's troops are already beginning to place perimeters around the manors, but at least 20 noble families have been assassinated.
-What?! -The captain's cry of surprise did not go unnoticed.
Without waiting for a response from the cadet, the captain set out flying at full speed to return to the inside of the castle. He had to speak urgently with princess Celestia.
-Had you contacted with Hurricane?- asked the princess as she quickly advanced through the corridors of the castle followed by the captain of the royal guard.
-Yes, your Majesty. The commander is already on her way to the place of the events-
From one moment to the next their concerns had escalated considerably, not only two nobles had died inside Canterlot Castle, but almost two dozen clans had been destroyed in the same night.
-Do you have the names of the affected families?-
-They'll provide you with the list as soon as we're there- Caramel replied.
-What does this mean, I don't understand, the Heart's Warming Eve is a sacred celebration, everyone knows it. Even the other kingdoms keep out conflicts in order to avoid the Windigos' return- the princess pointed out as she went out of the castle's main entrance and climbed into her carriage, which was pulled by two white Pegasus wearing gold armours.
-What's going on is certainly traying to destabilize harmony- the captain said.
The princess did not comment on it, but she agreed with Caramel's way of thinking, those events were not common.
The journey to Manehattan was long and silent, more than Caramel was used to every time he was with the princess of the Sun. On the other hoof, he understood the concern of the ruler. Whatever was causing those incidents would end up breaking the balance sooner or later and Equestria was not ready to face another large-scale conflict.
It took them a couple of hours to reach the metropolis city, the vast majority of the buildings were under construction, structures built with stone and metal stood all over the city, clearly being part of an ambitious urban development project.
They flew over the buildings, right to the docks, where one of the largest properties belonged to the FreshFish family, the deity of the Sun remembered having had several discussions with the lord of that noble house, especially because of the slave trade activities that took place on the docks.
Fortunately, the FreshFish family mansion was in a place away from other ponies' curious glances, which would certainly would have come close after noticing the presence of the kingdom's ruler.
The carriage landed inside the gardens where several armed Pegasus awaited them in their gold and silver armours.
-Princess Celestia I'm glad you could come-
-I'm glad to see you too Commander Hurricane. Although it is a pity that our meeting is not exactly in better condition- she added.
-Yes, I agree. It is a pity that after last night's celebration, we had to deal with something like this-
-What have you found out?- asked the monarch.
-It is a complete disaster and yet the attack was perpetrated with extreme precision and skill, whoever did this, is very well trained, knows assassin's techniques, but above all is expert in the art of murder-
-Can I see?-
-Of course! Your Majesty, although, I warn you that it is not exactly a pleasant scene inside-
From the outside the mansion looked quite normal, but once the princess and captain entered the building guided by Hurricane, they immediately noticed as if the air of the atmosphere had become notoriously heavier. Walls, floors, portraits, furniture and curtains were stained with blood.
-There's a lot of blood inhere- the captain said, making a mental note, noticing that it was a completely different Modus Operandi from the killer who attacked the nobles at the palace.
-is not a surprise, most of the victims received a deep cut in their throats or hearts, very few of them had battle wounds or marks, so we can assure that most of the victims were caught and killed by surprise with only one hit-
-If there was no real combat, why there are so many stained walls?- commented the captain observing one of the walls that was dotted, covering the ornaments and portraits with the red liquid.
-Due to the cutting angle, the victim of this corridor received a cut in her neck, which opened her throat and arteries, the pulse of the heart simply caused the blood to come out as if it were a source of pressure water-
-Do we have any witnesses?- asked the princess, looking at the stairs facing the top floor.
-No, but whoever did this was clever as they took down those who were already asleep before proceeding with the servitude- the commander said, guiding the princess to the top floor.
The princess opened one of the doors, being horrified by what she saw inside.
-No- the captain said breathlessly as he entered the room behind the princess.
The room was adorned with toys, stuffed animals and a couple of small beds, there were two vanities facing each other in opposite positions of the room and a cloakroom, all seemed intact except for the little beds as their sheets were completely stained with blood.
-How many years?- asked the princess gritting her teeth as she took one of the stuffed animals and squeezed it against her chest.
-Two, maybe three-
-How many of them?- asked the princess her tone dragged the fury out of her heart with every word.
-We don't have the exact number yet, but we estimate that they were at least 40-
-No survivors?- asked the captain, taking one of the toys.
The commander shook her head.
-Why killing the little ones, although the elders were not guilt-free, what could anyone get by killing the children? At that age, they have not developed awareness of their actions or the environment around them- the ruler questioned. Both soldiers remained silent. After a moment Caramel took the word again.
-So, were all the mansions attacked the same night?-
-No captain, although the attacks were synchronized, it does not appear to be the work of a group. Forensics have identified that some of the bodies already had several days in a state of decomposition.
-They sent a professional killer to take them down, maybe a small group, I guess some business didn't go as expected-
-I want a full investigation- the tune in the princess's voice surprised both ponies. -I want to know who did this, Why they had done it, and where they are now- the princess said without turning to see them.
-It will be difficult to track them down, it is a professional's job, whoever had done it, didn't leave traces that we can follow- Hurricane said.
-You still don't get it, do you?- said the princess in a tone that frost Hurricane's blood like no other creature had done it before -Whoever did this, is out there right now. This was not a random attack, the list of families that were attacked coincides with families engaged in illegal activities, especially the sale of slaves or families who practiced pony hunting- the princess turned to look at her two soldiers, both looked at her fearful, Celestia's look was full of rage and fury, it was a glance they had never seen before in the usually quiet monarch.
-As you wish, your Majesty- the commander replied before leaving the room.
-Do you think this may have been the work of someone inside the army, your highness?- asked Caramel.
-The method of the attack Hurricane mentioned is a technique used in the army, Luna and I showed it to soldiers so that they had a better chance of surviving during the war against the crystal empire by attacking the vital points of a pony at the first opportunity-
-You should be aware that these were techniques taught by Flash Magnus, but these methods are also used by Zephora's tribe, so it is no surprise that other combat groups or associations also know them-
-The order of the list of families hurricane gave me is grouped by region, isn't it Caramel? the blood of the victims in this mansion is almost fresh, it is no more than two days old. But Hurricane confirmed that forensics claim that some of the bodies had several days, this indicates that this manor was one of the last to be attacked-.
The captain understood what the princess meant by that. If that manor was one of the last to have been attacked, it meant that the affected mansions closest to the capital had been the first ones, so the killer had departed from the capital.
-Princess…-
-I don't want to draw conclusions. First, I need evidence Caramel, if any pony has decided to do justice on his own hoof, we must stop him as soon as possible and that pony will have to face justice. Even if his intentions were to help, that's not the right way. If we start ignoring the laws, we can never achieve peace. I'll go back to Canterlot, I want to make sure Luna gets to the old castle safe and sound. In addition, I need to talk to my sister about the rumours that have broken out after last night's celebration-.
-I understand princess, I will catch up with you as soon as I can-
-Thank you Caramel, I know I can always count on you- the princess said, surprising the stallion as she leaned over to nuzzle his cheek.
-I-I only do my work princess- he replied with a slight blush on his cheeks.
-Still, thank you- the princess added before leaving the room.
As soon as the princess returned to the castle, her Sun was about to hide completely as the Moon began to rise across the horizon, knowing perfectly well that Luna was already awake, she assumed that it would be best to address her as soon as possible.
Celestia crossed the long corridors quickly, but without galloping in order to avoid any possible accident. It was not until she reached the corridor behind the throne room which leads directly to her bedroom that she noticed the young mare waiting for her at the entrance, her fur had traces of snow and her hooves were full of dirt, the strangest thing was that the female was slightly agitated.
-Epsilon, it's good to see you again, do you know if Luna has already left her room?-
-No, the princess is still inside, Merak said she was getting ready to go-.
-I'm glad I wanted to talk to her before she left, it's about her relationship with Chrysi, it's possible that last night's events will cause her some trouble- said the princess.
-It's funny that you mentioned it, I also need to talk to you about that mare- noticing the despot tone that the mare rarely used in the presence of any of the royal sisters, the monarch of the day assumed that this was also a subject she would not like to hear.
Certainly, all day she had received bad news each one worse than the last, so if this followed the same pattern Celestia was sure she would need something stronger than a tea this time.
-Let's talk about it in my studio- remarked the princess.
-I figured you'd want it, so I'd take the liberty of quoting the rest of the guard there, with the exception of Merak, who's on his personal duty guarding Luna-
Understanding that this was a delicate subject the princess made a move with the hoof to instruct the mare to follow her.
As Epsilon had mentioned, when they arrived at the door of Celestia's studio, Alcor and Siegfried were already waiting for them. After a brief greeting, the four entered the room closing the door behind them.
Celestia took a seat on the other side of her desk waiting for the night guard's Captain to begin her explanation.
Epsilon looked at her companions and then the princess before taking a breath and then she starts.
-I have found the creature of the prophecy to which Zephora referred to, the one who, according to such prophecy, puts Princess Luna at risk.
-Are you serious?- said Siegfried and Alcor in unison, the deity of the Sun on her part remained silent in waiting for more detail.
-Chrysi, if that is her real name, is not what it seems to be. She is a creature that can change its physical appearance and size, taking the form of another pony-
-What do you mean by that?-
-Precisely as it sounds, the unicorn we rescued from that hive, was not the real Chrysi, but a creature similar to those insectoids that we found, but its figure is much more elongated, has a long twisted horn and a pair of transparent wings-
-It's a similar description to the creature we saw leading that swarm- said Siegfried.
-Are you sure about this Epsilon? forgive me for asking you this, but it is important that we make sure, we are talking about Luna's special somepony-
-I saw it with my own eyes, the moment she transformed shortly after leaving Princess Luna's room this morning- the mare said for sure.
The princess took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. At least now she understood Epsilon's behaviour that morning.
"At least now the name Zephora gave them makes sense" the princess thought to herself.
-I see two scenarios with this- the princess said, catching the attention of the night guards. -The first is that Chrysi never existed, and that this creature has been cheating on us all from the beginning. The second assumes that the real Chrysi has recently been exchanged by the impostor- commented the deity. -The problem is that either scenario will lead to an unpromising result- The three guards looked at the princess awaiting her orders.
-Siegfried, go back to the hive we found in the forest, look for a trail that will help us identify if the real Chrysi was there. If it is an impostor, we may be able to find the real one if we manage to get a clue of where she could be now.
-Alcor, you will go with Siegfried, it would be dangerous for just one of you to be alone in that place, we don't know if those things are still there- both nodded.
-Epsilon, do you think you can track down the Chrysi who left the castle and follow it?-
-Of course! your Majesty, leave it to me-
-Good… but listen to me carefully, no matter what, just keep an eye on the situation… don't attack on your own, unless absolutely necessary- said the princess, knowing how impulsive the mare could be in certain situations. -Was I clear?-
-Of course! your Majesty-
-As soon as you have its location, contact me directly, same for you two- Celestia added, addressing Siegfried and Alcor. -As soon as any of you finds out something, get in touch and make sure not to fight against any of them- the two stallions nodded. -Excellent you are dismissed- the princess said, putting herself on her four hooves.
-Princess?-the mare's question caught the attention of her brothers in the same way -If I had to fight her… do I have permission to end her life?-
-Only as a last resort epsilon- the princess remarked, narrowing her gaze.
-I understand, I just wanted to be sure to cover all possible situations- said the mare leaving the room, under her lock of hair, her white eye was starting to shine. -That's right… all the options- she murmured, hardening her gaze.
Author's Note:
A huge apology for the really long delay, I got some problems with my word, that delays my other releases as well, but I'm back.
I didn't find the official name of the hats the chefs wear, so I used the popular name, "Mushroom Hat".
This chapter was escalating as I wrote it, but it's been fun to put these sections into a single chapter, by the way, this arc will be mostly darker and I'll try to explore some things too.
I hope you have had a great time reading this chapter.
By the way, many, may of you may not like this and I'm aware that it may be accepted the fact that the night guard's captain offed the adult ponies of the noble clans, after all, that is something that has been seen before, but surely there will be mixed opinions regarding why our night warrior chose to end the lives of the children.
Until next time... ALLONS-Y
In memory of Victor Fidel Beloved grandfather and mentor.
March/1938 - October/2018
In memory of Carolina López Beloved aunt and life's example.
May/1947 - February/2020