Discord

Oh Canterlot.

The creature named Discord sat upon the Iron Throne of Canterlot.

The Throne was a thing of hideousness, black and cold, yet its craftsmanship was a thing of beauty. From its back sprang countless blades, each chipped and bent from a history of battle. The original crimson cushion upon which the monarch would rest was now stained brown, as was the miniature waterfall that flowed a level below.

Discord tapped his goat hoof against the floor.

*Clack… Clack… Clack…*

Each knock came a few seconds after the last, and steadily the echoes lingered longer and longer, filling the dark hall with a chilling sound. So much dust had gathered on the banners hung high either side of the Throne that even those slight vibrations from Discord's echoing caused specks to rain down, gently, and tickle Discord's nose.

"Achoo!" He roared, with so much force he bounced up off his seat. "Oh drat these good for nothing banners," he growled in distress, eyeing the banners with red eyes. With a click of his eagle claw the dust vanished from the two drapes and suddenly reappeared in an even pile along each side of the walkway, which ran down the middle of the Throne Room. He followed the crumpled, dank carpet, inspecting the entirety of the room as he walked.

Ponies often described the hall as 'faded', he knew, while others had rather used the word 'shrouded', 'dead' even. He thought all three words fit well. Discord knew that he would be one of the few to step foot inside it that day, or more likely that week. Months had passed since it had served its purpose, and years even since anyone had taken good care of it.

Filled with ash were the brazens that lined each side of the hall, with the only light Discord felt against his brown fur peering through the cracks in the boarded up windows. Long had the tales told by the tall stained glass artwork been covered. Those stories could only be known now as myths and legends for the poor to tell as they fought to keep warm.

Discord finally reached the main doors. They were huge and arched, hulking and burdensome, preventing even a splinter of light to enter the hall, and any darkness from leaving. Branches of iron were melded into the dark, polished wood, as cold as ice. Discord turned around to view the Throne, now so distant. However his ear perked. He could hear, barely through the thick, reinforced doors, hoofsteps faintly nearing.

The doors slid open with a cumbersome creak. Princess Celestia walked into the hall, immediately illuminating it with her radiance. She focused on the Iron Throne, which looks like but a chair so far away. Yet, she spotted a figure upon it. A figure whose leg lowered to the floor and, once again, knocked against it.

*Clack… Clack… Clack…*

Celestia hastily marched down towards Discord. She wore a dress coloured blood red and fiery orange, and cared not that it dragged along the murky floor. Her steps filled the room with a graceful rhythm, though halted once she was halfway across the room.

"Discord," she spoke, softly, her eyes fixed on the Draconequus. He ceased knocking his foot against the floor, though remained slouched upon the Throne. A grin cracked above his silver goatee.

"Celestia," he greeted back, speaking her name slowly. The Princess did not open her mouth again until she had climbed the ascending levels upon which the Throne sat.

"Please," she said with a tired sigh, "remove yourself from the Throne. If you were anypony else you would already be in chains, travelling to the Wall."

Discord's claw tapped the arms of the Throne, his smile never leaving his face. "The years have made you crueller, Celly," he said. "Back when I knew you, the threat of such a punishment would never have left your mouth. The Wall was always more of Luna's provocative, wouldn't you agree?"

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "And by 'years' you mean the thousand years which have passed?" She took a few steps backwards as Discord gradually pushed himself up off the Throne.

"Something like that," he said as he stood up. "Regardless, I wasn't about to sit on the floor, was I?" Discord stepped to the other side of the Throne, which now stood between them. Celestia's eyes didn't leave his once.

"Perhaps not, but my sympathy for you cannot have me overlook crimes." She sighed once again, visibly fatigued. "I will not say anything, though. This time."

Her last words caused Discord to chuckle. "How lucky that I'm at the mercy of the great and powerful Celestia," he joked, "albeit that nowadays the power of magic isn't what it used to be."

"Do you insult me after I forgive your crime?" She said with a stomp of her hoof.

Discord swiftly placed his lion paw under her chin. "Forgive me", he said, "I meant nothing by it. After all, I too suffer the loss of many abilities." He felt her chin press down.

"Really?" She asked, "Equestria's division has affected you also?"

"Yes," he said. He removed his paw from her chin and descended down from the Throne. "Who would have thought? A creature, born of chaos, requiring harmony so that he may fully function."

"A thousand years ago you would have thrived if the land was as broken as it is now."

"A thousand years ago my kind were neither slaughter nor forgotten," he replied, in a rather calm manner, to Celestia's surprise. "But I have learned to live alone, with not a single familiar face, and try to forgive both Dragonkind and Ponykind for their destruction." Celestia tried to interrupt, however Discord waved his claw. "I know you had nothing to do with it Celestia, and that Dragons have been wiped out for twenty years now, and even that those ponies who gave the orders are nothing but dust in the soil. I have spent a thousand years locked away in my castle until I was thought dead, sunk into memory. But now I must face those who remember me, and try to repair the damage done by a millennium of conflict. Celestia, I wish to help you in uniting the Seven Kingdoms."

Celestia did not register at first what Discord had offered. She knew he was a powerful ally, one of the most intelligent beings in the land. The White Princess soon bore a great smile, however, almost jumping to Discord's side.

"This is beyond wonderful, Discord!" She exclaimed with glee. Discord only smiled back. "Now, with the marriage of Shining Armour, of House Light…"

Discord hurried her. "Yes, yes I know all of the family trees."

"Apologies," she said with a light blush. "But yes, with a marriage between Shining Armour and Cadence, the Mainland and the Crystal Lands will be united…"

"And with Canterlot in the centre, the middle of Equestria would be too," finished Discord, all too aware of this plan.

"Exactly! And should Twilight and…" She stopped, her eyes flickering with thought. Discord raised an eyebrow, however.

"Go on, Celly," he said with a stroke of his goatee.

She turned to face him again. "It's not certain yet," she said, "but if it all goes as planned the North with join the Mainland through marriage, and from there every House will have to join the newly United Equestria."

He picks at his sharp lion claws. "Sounds like a good amount of force will be needed."

"No!" She said adamantly. "The ponies of Equestria will know to stand together." Discord smirked at her hope, to which she shot him a frown.

"Yes, I'm sure," he said with sarcasm, as was his nature. "That's why there are Seven Kingdoms, instead of the 'original' Three."

Celestia's gaze moved to where the stainglass once glistened in the window closest to the Throne. She remembered the tales of battle the artwork shared. "You were there, Discord." Her eyes continued to stare at the cobweb-ridden boarded windows. "You saw the peace in which we lived."

"Yes, yes," he said, sounding uninterested. "The North, The Queensland, and The South, such simpler times, a thousand years ago." She could sense the doubt within him.

"Precisely!" She said with excitement, turning to face Discord. "It has been done before, has it not? Why can't we do it again?"

"Believe me, Celestia, there is nothing more in life I want than for us to live together in… harmony." He growled his last world, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "All I'm saying is it will be difficult."

"Thank you, Discord, with your help we stand more of a chance than ever."

"Of course, Celly."

Discord expects Celestia to leave, however she instead remains in deep thought.

"Something else on your mind?" He asked earnestly enough, though inside he wished Celestia would leave him to his own devices.

"I was hoping to hold a tournament, here in Canterlot," she said. "And I want to name you the Steward of Coin, Master of Coin, and to aid in organising the event."

"Oh? Well, I…" He was stuck for words, but an ecstatic smile crossed his face.

"It would bring ponies from all the Ten Kingdoms together," she said like an excited child, "and we could help them see eye to eye, beginning our task to repair the Kingdoms."

"Well, all ponies but those from the Southern Kingdom," he said, acting as if Celestia did not know this. "those in Sandhorn rarely leave their land."

"I am aware, however all the others shall come. The King commands it."

"Ah," he said, finally coming to a realisation, "I knew you weren't a pony to hold such affairs."

"Yes. King Dusk hopes that the tournament will deter attention away from talk of his illness."

"That's right!" A sickly voice bellowed.

Both parties immediately looked to see King Dusk stumbling out of a small door to the left of the Throne, a detail Discord had missed.

"My King," Celestia said in a panic, "you should not be out of bed. How did you get through that door? It's been locked for almost a year!"

"Questions, orders, questions, ordered, that's all life is for a King. Especially one like me, a dying King."

"King Dusk you are not dying!" Celestia said, her face flushed with frustration. "In fact if nothing befalls you in the coming weeks, which it will not, you will be as fit as a foal.

"Highly unlikely, a fool maybe," he said with a chuckle of disbelief disbselief. "Listen here my dear, for I have put some thought into it. My intended successor, Blueblood, should receive recieve a direct blessing from you before I perish, to cement his place as my heir."

Celestia paused, her expression filled with uncertainty. "My, blessing? Are you certain that you want Blueblood as your successor? He is-"

"- My son." King Dusk stared hard at Celestia. "Gods know why, but you gave up the throne quite some time ago; you do recall how a monarchy works?"

Celestia shook her head. "Of course, but Blueblood is, is-"

"Is what?"

After a moment's hesitation, Celestia's face slightly brightened. "He is not yet ready-"

"You can teach him, guide him, as you have taught and guided me through the years."

Celestia's ears swivelled backwards and she brought her wings tightly to her body. Dusk had been very different as a young stallion, much more agreeable. "Blueblood would learn nothing from me, much less see any blessing as an honor beyond his worth."

"Nonsense, Blueblood has always been an avid listener."

"If for no other reason than to plot the downfall of others."

"Cunning is a good trait to have."

Before this discussion could go any further, Discord flitted over and placed himself between the two, gently pushing the two further away from each other. "I have heard much of this stallion. He is morally skewed, but somewhat honourable. A survivalist set of traits for a king in a kingdom like this."

Discord cast a glance towards Celestia. "Might I suggest a bride? After all, choosing your successor is entirely within your right as monarch, something that Celestia surrendered a long time ago."

Dusk's expression softened. "I"m listening."

Celestia untensed her body and averted her gaze. Discord took this as a sign of acceptance, or at least submission to the choice of heir.

"House Richerly has a filly named Diamond Tiara unwed; in a couple of years she will be old enough to marry."

"Pah!" Dusk Shine's objection could not have been more clear had he shouted the word to the heavens. "The Richerly Family care about wealth more than they do politics, much less the task of keeping the kingdoms together."

"The crown needs wealth," Discord said bluntly. "And regardless of that, family is what the Richerlys care about above even wealth. If Diamond Tiara is promised to Blueblood, you will have all of House Richerly's gold mines in your pocket, as well as The Pass. You will be able to control who travels North, and who passes to the South; it is a chokepoint! Your grandfoal would inherit all of it, and be in position to choose between buying and using military force to exert royal influence. Would that not help unite the Seven Kingdoms?"

The King thought it over for a moment. After some thought he looked past Discord towards Celestia.. "Where did you find this counsel?" Discord frowned, thinking he was being insulted. "So far he has spoken more sense than all of my advisers in years."

Celestia gave a long, weary sigh. "My king, you haven't called for their advice in years."

Discord smiled, and would have been the first to laugh at Celestia's reply had King Dusk not beaten him to it.

"Ha! You may be right," he replied. He pushed himself off of the door and stood up as straight as he could manage to face Discord. "And what is your name, you unusual beast?"

"Discord, my king," he answered with a deep bow.

"Well, with as much sense as you speak, I simply cannot admit Blueblood to marry Diamond Tiara. Together they would cause nothing but chaos."

Discord's ears deflated at this news, having thought that his idea had won the hour. But Celestia seemed to crack a small smile, as if she had picked up on a slight confession regarding Blueblood's integrity issue.

Discord remained hopeful. "Maybe you can sleep on it."

"Perhaps." Dusk looked towards Celestia with a crooked, mischievous smile. "I could kill two griffons with a single arrow if you, my dear, were available. Would save you having to give him a blessing and solve the issue of ."

"Now that would be a blessing of divine sort," Discord chimed.

Celestia did not smile, nor did she seem particularly taken with the joke. "I would rather give him my blessing and try to guide him as an advisor than wife-"

"Great-" Dusk stopped as he entered a brief coughing fit. He turned around to head back out through the door he had come through.

Celestia walked to the door in worry, holding great concern for the ill King.

"If you wish to go after him, do so Celestia," Discord said warmly, "I'll begin preparations for the tournament."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, before racing off after the King, using her magic to close the door behind her. Discord imagined that was about the extent her magic could handle, given Equestria's situation.

Once again all was silent. Discord returned to the centre of the room. He studied the Throne.

"You did look good sat on it," a voice commented from the shadows. A pony the colour of sand revealed himself, wearing a purple road that engulfed every inch of him, bar his face.

"You're bald," said Discord, bluntly. "An odd sight indeed."

"Trust me, the loss of my mane is the least of my worries. You are far higher on that list." The bald pony's voice was soft, calm and reassuring. Discord hated it.

"I'm at the top of someone's list? I'm flattered."

"Oh, you're not at the top. Not yet anyway, after all you've only just arrived."

"Make sure to tell me when I am. It gives me more comfort knowing who might stick a dagger in my back."

"Not at all my style. I'm more a player of chess, then a shadowy assassin. We must have a game some day, if you're up for it."

"Sounds delightful. I'll bring the cucumber sandwiches."

"I look forward to it, my new friend. Until next time."