During the lunch break, I was standing on a balcony overlooking the now destroyed Everfree Forest. Ember stood next to me, the two of us taking in the frosty late autumn air. A fog lay over the now destroyed portion of the Everfree Forest, barely letting the sun through. Clouds were beginning to roll in above the fog as well, and since there were no Pegasi to stop the advance, I could only watch as the low noon sun began to be covered by the oncoming snowclouds.

I inhaled, then exhaled, hitting my head slightly against the railing. "God, that was so…stressful."

Ember nodded. "No shit."

The few hours that had been spent in the council had focused more on the opening up of new trade routes as well as the issue of what should be done to help the Fae. Since they had, until recently, been drones, they had no way of self-governance and needed the help of anyone willing to help. I was a big proponent of that, but I also pointed out that it appeared like they at one time had a culture of their own which they might want to rediscover. I wasn't opposed to them forming a new culture all their own, but I was worried they'd adapt too quickly. It had occurred to me then that Fae drones were nothing more than scavengers. I knew then that I needed to know more about their history. I gathered that they had a caste system at one point: Fae and High Fae. But I stowed these thoughts away for the time being.

I looked over at Ember, and noticed that she was shivering slightly. "You know, we could go back inside if you want."

"I needed to get out of that stuffy castle," she said quickly. "I know we're supposed to try and behave and make allies, but what's the point of constructing these new roads or trains to other foreign countries? And help the Scalechangers?!"

"Official reports from country to country can only get you so much," I explained as I took off the thick cloak I wore and draped it over Ember's back. She looked at me with a stunned expression before I continued, looking out at the foggy landscape before us. "Citizen rumors can sometimes have basis in fact. Not only that, but the races of this world have been separated from each other. I think in the long run it would be beneficial to exchange ideas and culture." Not like the Princess Twilight of the show did with her School of Friendship, I thought. The more I'd thought about it, the more ridiculous that premise was. Realistically, it would have sent the message that the Ponies were in the right and could teach the backwards races of the world how to be good. Then again, it was a children's show. I turned to face Ember once more. "As for the Fae, yes, they need the help. Are we meant to judge a race based off of the actions of one individual? They are just as much a victim too. Yes, we fought them, but I feel like they had very little choice. Now they're free to think for themselves, as much as is possible, I suppose. We don't know much about them. And I know Thorax was born differently."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" Ember snarled at me, while at the same time wrapping my cloak closer around her. "I don't have to like it, but I get it."

"I'm not asking you to like it," I said as calmly as I could. I turned away, leaning against the railing and looking out at the increasing fog, my breath clearly visible in the cold air. I exhaled slowly, watching my breath join the mists.

"…I'm sorry," Ember said after we stood for a while. She almost sounded reluctant to say it, but at the same time, it also sounded like she meant it. "I'm…just angry."

"And stressed," I added, looking back at her. "You've done a lot to help me these past few days. It's one of the many reasons why I'm considering naming you the new Dragon Lord."

Her jaw dropped at that. "What…?"

"Before you say anything, hear me out," I said, holding up my hand.

She looked like she wanted to protest, but she apparently thought better of it and focused on me entirely. "This had better be good."

I faced her as well and said, "From what I know about the Dragon culture, the Dragon Lord is a lot like a regent or steward of a kingdom or empire. You've been alive longer than most people I've met in this world. You've been around. You have experience that I need. You also know the Dragons. I didn't make this decision lightly. Yes, in the Pony show Eris talked about, you became Dragon Lord, but not in the same way. You earned it there, and you've shown that you can be a great ruler if given the opportunity. I need your help."

"That was in that hatchling entertainment!" she shouted in a mixture of anger and fear, "I'm no leader!"

"You've done more to help me with this council from the Dragon's perspective," I replied calmly. "You need to understand something here: I know less about the Dragons than I do about Ponies. You've been around them longer than I have."

"That doesn't mean I know everything!" she said.

"I know," I replied, "but you are smarter than most other Dragons. You wouldn't have survived a hundred years without being quick, clever and very smart." I put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't move away. "I need you by my side. I can't do this without help, and I know you have it within you to rule."

Her anger had vanished, replaced with shock. We stared at each other for a while, until finally, she stepped back and looked out at the landscape again. I retracted my hand, then turned back to look at the still vanishing forest. Minutes passed between us. Finally, she broke the silence and asked, "So…what are you thinking about for Chrysalis?"

I sighed and looked back at her. She was looking at me closely now. Choosing my words carefully, I said, "I highly doubt that Equestria is just going to hand her over to us if they knew she was slated for execution. It's not in their nature to use capital punishment." As I said this, I thought immediately about how Celestia had lamented not being able to execute Eris, and wondered just how long my words would remain true. "And I know the Dragons wouldn't rest unless she is harshly punished."

"We might have forgotten a lot, but hatred of Scalechangers isn't something that we can easily forget. Growing up we're taught to loathe and fear them as monsters," Ember explained.

"I'd be surprised if it isn't the same for the Fae, seeing Dragons as beasts," I replied. "There are alternatives to execution, and I intend to try and find a compromise to both dilemmas. Both as the Emperor and as Equestria's knight."

"Shit, that seems like it's gonna be a fucking nightmare," a new voice said from behind us.

Ember and I turned as one. In the open doorway stood a smiling Celestia. Beside her Luna stood as well, smiling. I bowed. "Your Highnesses."

"Oh hush and let us dispense with the pleasantries," Luna said with a wave of her hoof. The two stepped forward and closed the doors behind them. Around us, the fog thickened. "Jethro, my sister and I wished to say that your behavior in the Council was very much becoming of a ruler. You kept your citizens at the forefront of your mind and made requests that would make them happy. And Princess, your fiery passion to protect your race did not go unnoticed either."

Ember frowned. "Is that a compliment?"

"Pretty sure it is," I said with a smile. "And thank you for saying so," I said to the diarchs. "I'm just glad we didn't come to an argument."

"You stated your case very well," Celestia said. "And you also made an excellent point when you pointed out that the Changelings had no experience in self-governance."

"They're drones, Celestia. What did you expect?" I asked. "Sure, my country needs assistance but I believe theirs is more in need. Even in the show, after Chrysalis was defeated by a Pony named Starlight Glimmer, they lived off the land. Hell, Thorax's throne was just fashioned out of sticks. You saw their hive. They used to have a great civilization it seems."

"As fascinating as ancient history is to us," Luna said, "My sister and I didn't just come here to talk about your actions in the Council chambers."

"We have something else to talk to you and the Princess about," Celestia added. With that, she produced a key. A key that I knew very well since I was the one who fashioned it during my reconstruction of the castle dungeons. She floated it over to me and I grasped it. "She's in cell 34. She hasn't said or done much since you had her imprisoned. There is time yet before the council reconvenes."

I looked the key over in my hand. It was made of gleaming steel which I'd cleaned of the grime and rust during my time reconstructing the castle. I slipped it into my pocket. "Why do I have the feeling you're like a thousand steps ahead of me?" I asked with a wry grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said with an innocent smile. I could almost see the halo above her head. Even her sister rolled her eyes at this.

I looked at Ember. Her expression was hard to read, but I thought I saw mistrust in her eyes. "Ember, come with me. This concerns you too."

The diarchs said nothing as they stepped aside to let us pass. Ember walked beside me as we headed down the halls towards a large set of marble stairs. The stairwell was large enough for even someone like me to fly down safely, so I did so until I came to the very bottom. The farther we flew down, the colder and darker it became. Soon we were standing in front of a heavy iron barred door guarded by two of the largest stallions, barring Big Mac, that I'd seen since coming to Equestria. They saw me and snapped to attention. "Princess Celestia informed us you'd be coming down here, Your Grace," one of them said as he lifted his horn to lift the heavy iron bar.

The second used his large wings to move the door open. It groaned as it opened into a dimly lit dungeon block, with oil lamps and torches lining the walls on either side. Despite how it looked, the stone floors were clean and there was hardly any nasty smell. The Pegasus guard said, "Be wary. She's a crafty one."

"We'll be careful," I said as I stepped in, followed closely by Ember. They closed the door, and it shut with a massive clang. I heard the metal bar being lifted up, and a large peephole with small iron bars in it opened.

"Mama, is that you, Mama?" a trembling male voice said from the cell immediately to my right. "I did everything you asked, Mama. Can I go play now? You promised I could go and play after my chores."

I turned to the dungeon door and moved to walk towards it but Ember was faster. She quickly made her way over and looked through the small window into the cell. She froze and gasped at whatever it was she saw.

I walked up beside her and she stepped away, shaking her head in disgust. Looking through, I saw a very familiar male Dragon sitting in the corner of his cell, arms wrapped around his knees and looking up at the ceiling. "Mama? Is that you? Where are you, Mama?" The dark green scaled Dragon had an empty look in his eyes as he looked around for someone who wasn't there. He even looked in my direction, but didn't seem to see me at all. He was dirty despite the cell around him being clean.

I was about to say something, when I heard the sound of chains rattling and a familiar female voice from the opposite end of the hall call out, "Don't bother. His mind's long gone."

Ember and I looked at each other for a few seconds, then as one we turned to the end of the hallway. We both walked slowly towards the source of the hallway towards a large door with the numbers 34 carved into the thick iron. I slowly approached; Ember close beside me as I did so. I opened the small latch on the door that kept the small barred window shut. I opened it and peered inside. There, chains on her wrists and the magic dampening ring on her head, Chrysalis sat on her prison bed, her green eyes looking up at me. Her eyes went to the crown on my head and I saw them imperceptibly widen in surprise. "So…Celestia wasn't lying. You really did become Dragon Emperor."

I produced the key, stuck it in the lock, and after removing the bar and setting it aside, I pulled the door open. The cell had a window which faced outward onto the eastern part of the land. I could hear the sound of the roaring river below, distantly running its course. Each cell I'd made identical, with a single bed big enough for even the largest Pony. Bedding had been added, with thin and thick blankets laying on said bed. There was a small table and a chair sitting in front of the barred window with a platter and some untouched food sitting on it as well as a mug of water. In a corner, there was a small wooden hatchway which would open to a large pit where prisoners could relieve themselves without living with the smell. The floor itself was made of smooth stone as was the rest of the cell.

I stepped inside, looking down at Chrysalis with a stony expression. Beside me, Ember simply glared at her with bitter hatred. I closed the door behind me. Chrysalis looked at the two of us, and we looked back at her. After a while, I broke the silence and said, "Yes. Yes I am the Dragon Emperor."

She frowned at me, then looked away towards the window. Unlike how I'd seen her last time, Chrysalis looked thinner than before, her cheekbones slightly sunken and her eyes bloodshot as if she hadn't gotten much sleep. I frowned at this new change and wondered if she'd been fed any kind of love since being imprisoned. I also wondered just where the other Fae drones were staying, since the other cells sounded empty. "If you're here to kill me, just do it already," Chrysalis said bitterly. "Then your revenge will be complete, right?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You think I'm here to kill you?"

"Isn't that what your Dragon subjects want?!" she turned to me and screamed angrily. "They're nothing but monsters who destroyed our original homeland and forced us to flee! They wiped us out!"

"You attacked us first!" Ember said in anger. "Old Aelyssia fell because of you insects!"

"Old Aelyssia attacked us first!" Chrysalis replied in rage, quickly standing and rushing Ember, but she was quickly stopped by the chains on her wrists. Nevertheless, her eyes burned with utter hatred. "I'm glad your father's dead! He deserved it!"

Ember roared in rage and took a step towards her, but I stepped between the two. "Enough! Both of you! It's obvious that the real history has been lost to time, so until we know more, there will be no killing or maiming!" I turned to Chrysalis. "At least, not for that. But you still have a lot to answer for due to your more recent actions."

"And who am I speaking to now?" Chrysalis snarled, "The knight or the emperor?"

My vision went green for a split second as a bout of anger washed over me, then it went back to normal. "I can't ignore your attempt to sabotage relations between the Aelyssian Empire and the Kingdom of Equestria, but you're also in Equestrian custody. You tried to start a war, and as a war criminal, in the Empire's eyes you should be sentenced to death. But Equestria wouldn't hand you over to my Empire just to kill you."

"Sounds like quite a predicament, but why should I care?" Chrysalis asked.

"Why? WHY!? You were once a queen!" I growled at her, looming over her angrily. "Your first duty is to your subjects! Drones or not, they were under your rule and protection, but you threw them into a war for your own selfish and personal reasons! You're currently a terrible ruler!"

"You call my actions selfish!?" Chrysalis snapped, coming closer to me and glaring into my eyes. "How would you feel if the enemy of my kind roams free in a land of plenty while my kind can barely subsist on the little love we can gather! They robbed us of our original homeland! They killed my wet nurse! MY PARENTS!" She grabbed my collar and slammed me against the wall before I could think. "IS IT SO WRONG TO WANT VENGEANCE!?"

"When it threatens your very species, YES!" I shouted, grabbing her arms, tearing them off of my collar and pushing her back onto her bed. She ended up lying flat on her back, glaring up at me with me pinning her down, right on top of her. "Did it ever once occur to you to ASK for help!? From anyone!? It didn't even have to be Equestria! YOU COULD HAVE EVEN ASKED THE FUCKING DEERFOLK!"

She struggled against me, but without her magic or her destroyed Demons Run sword, I was stronger than her. "You know nothing, EMPEROR!" she screeched. "You think they would have listened to us!? WE'VE BEEN ABANDONED BY THE WORLD!" She suddenly stopped struggling, and looked away from me, going limp. "If you want me dead, then just kill me now. The High Fae are gone…might as well end with me…"

I grabbed her chin and forced her to face me. Her chitin was cold and hard, but a part of it that was in my hand felt brittle and I saw a crack form where my hand clenched around it. I eased up, but not by much as I said, "You think I want to kill you? You honestly think I relish the thought of ending another life? I already took one life already, and I don't like the idea of killing again, even if it is you! Now get this straight: I DON'T WANT TO KILL YOU! But I'm the Emperor of the Dragons, and I know most of them would love to see your head on a spike for all to see! But I personally don't want to!"

I finally got off of her, letting her go and standing over her as she lay on her bed. I took some time to calm myself before saying in a softer voice, "A part of me empathizes with you, believe it or not. You were nothing more than a child when you became queen, a job thrust upon you. You and I are alike in that we're also the only one of our kind in this world. You're the last, and I'm the first, but we're still alone in a world of many other races. I'm sorry the High Fae are gone, but you've given them more of a bad name by your actions."

She watched me in stunned silence for a bit. Even Ember was shocked into muteness as the three of us stood there. Finally, Chrysalis turned away, wrapping her arms around her and facing the wall. Out of the silence, I heard a sniff. "Don't…don't act like you know me, human…" she said shakily. "You and I are nothing alike…" She turned around, and I was completely stunned to see a single tear falling down her cheek as she stood up, anger on her face as she pointed at me with a shaky finger. "I don't need your fucking pity! Just kill me!"

Ember glared at her. "You…you deserve it," she snarled as she approached, claws outstretched. She was only a few steps away, when she suddenly stopped. She clenched her claws into fists, trembling in pure fury. She raised a fist to strike, but paused, holding it there for what felt like an eternity. However, to my surprise, she lowered her fist. "But…death is too good of a punishment for you…" She turned away from the stunned Chrysalis and turned to me. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but…she shouldn't die. Not for anything she's done. It would just be a release for her."

I nodded, impressed. As the Emperor, I knew I had to demand some justice for Chrysalis' part in the war, but as myself, I hated the thought of having to kill anyone, especially since if I would ever have to pass that kind of judgement, I would take the responsibility on myself to execute the punishment. "I agree, and I've been thinking about what alternatives we can come up with," I replied, putting a hand on Ember's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. "I have a few ideas, but you and I need to discuss them at length. But first…" and here I turned to Chrysalis, "You look fucking terrible. Haven't you been getting fed love or anything?"

She scoffed. "I wouldn't accept love given out of pity," she said as she lay on her back, looking up at the stone ceiling.

"So you're trying to kill yourself," I said as I strode over to her quickly and put my hand around her horn. "Sorry, but I'm not about to let that happen."

She winced as I held her horn. "Get the fuck off of me," she snapped, but it sounded more subdued than before.

"Coward," I said.

She flinched. "What…?"

"You're trying to run away from what you've done," I said. "That makes you craven. Do you think anyone would allow that!?"

"My kind are already dead!" she snapped at me, growing angrier as she grabbed my wrist and tried to remove my hand from her horn. "Besides, you're right! I failed the Fae! But they're just drones! They're…they're dead already…" She lifted her fist and hit the bed in complete frustration. "I know I was foolish! I do! But what else could I do?! My mother was just a servant of the High Fae Royal Court! My father was a soldier! Why do you think I bit you?! To convert you into another High Fae like me!"

I stepped away from her in shock. I had wondered about her reason for that, but I hadn't even considered that I might have been injected with something that might change my species altogether. I put my hand on the spot where she'd bitten me. It had healed when I was reborn, but there was a small scar where she'd bitten me. Hardly noticeable, but it was there.

Then I remembered what the Tree of Harmony had said to me before my rebirth.

"It is as I feared. You have been exposed to dangerous magic, magic that will work on slowly corrupting you."

As I recalled that, another memory came to my mind: the first emergence of my darkness, Legion. "That circle of green flame I made…that was your doing?!"

Chrysalis turned to me slowly, and the look on her face was all the confirmation I needed. There was no triumphant look in those eyes, only a grim look as she slowly nodded. "So…even death didn't cleanse you of that. And you've already used it once."

To say I was stunned would be a vast understatement. I was horrified beyond belief. Terrified. And enraged. I stormed back over to her and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up. "What did you do to me?!" I snarled.

"Didn't you hear me?" she replied, gasping for breath, "You have the abilities of a High Fae now!"

"What's going to happen to him?!" Ember snarled.

"If…nothing happened by now…nothing else will!" Chrysalis said breathlessly. Turning to me, she added, "I needed…a mate…and you…fit!"

Suddenly realizing just what I was doing, I released her and she fell back onto the bed, coughing and gasping for air. Good rulers never lost their cool like that. I took a deep breath and exhaled, forcing myself to calm down. "Alright…well, it's too late to do anything about it now," I said bitterly. "No matter what you did, in that moment you assaulted a Knight of Equestria. As I still hold that title, I need to report this to the princesses. I've been compromised."

"No…you haven't," Chrysalis said as she slowly sat up and looked at me. "You should have morphed into a High Fae by now…" She pointed to her horn. "With this magic dampening ring on me, I can't tell what happened."

"You expect me to remove your horn so you can teleport out of here?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't have the strength to do anything like that," she said, "and besides, Changelings can't teleport. That's a Pony only thing."

I frowned at her. "Why should I believe you?" I asked. "Why should I believe that you tried to change me into one of you?"

"The Equestrians have me in their custody," she said, "and I can't use my magic. What purpose do I have for lying to you?"

"To sow discord among us," Ember pointed out.

Chrysalis sighed. "Okay, fine. Don't believe me. Just let me die in peace then."

Just then an idea came to mind. An idea that worried me, but one that might very well be the perfect compromise between death and simple imprisonment. She might have deserved the latter, but there was no way the former could be attempted. I straightened, then said, "No. You're not dying today." And I quickly removed the ring around her horn before Ember could protest. At the same time, I brought forth the vast amount of love and compassion I felt for my marefriend and all of my friends, focusing them towards her. "Eat up, damn it!"

I held her in a telekinetic grip so she couldn't try and escape. She resisted at first, but I saw the ever-growing desire to feed. The hunger in her eyes. She growled. "Fuck you." And then she opened her mouth. I felt something begin to drain out of me, and I saw a deep rosy red mist of energy flowing out of my chest. Her tongue began to glow as the mist touched it. The moment it did, her form began to shift and morph. She began to slowly grow larger. Her hair began to become fuller, her limbs began looking healthier and the pockmarks in her body began filling in. She'd barely been draining me for ten seconds when she stopped, closing her eyes as if in pain. "What…what is happening to me?!" she asked, sounding genuinely afraid as she began to lift off of the ground, glowing in a bright blue glow.

I let her go and watched with Ember as the air around her began to swirl. The chains attached to her wrists shattered, her wings spread, and something began streaming out of her mouth, surrounding her in a shimmering star-studded cocoon, or in her case, an actual insectoid chrysalis. This one was virtually identical to the ones I'd seen a week ago, at least in terms of shape. Hers was twice as large, and I could see the shape of her body casting a shadow on the chrysalis walls.

Then came the bright light.

Ember turned away, covering her eyes, but I didn't seem to be affected, much as I hadn't been before. The shadow of her body against the chrysalis vanished, but I heard strange, almost musical tones coming from within. If I had to describe them, they sounded like chimes. Slowly, I approached the chrysalis and touched it, putting my entire hand on its surface. A wave of light went out from where I touched it, enveloping the entire shell. I felt a small jolt like electricity on my hand and I pulled back in surprise. Cracks began to form around the spot where I had touched it. I retreated, the cracks letting out light twice as bright as what the shell was letting through. The chime sound only increased as the cracks spread. Finally, they began falling away, the shell fragments shattering into silvery white sparks the moment they hit the ground. Despite my vision not being impaired by the light, I could barely see a form from within, curled up into a ball. I gently used my magic to push Chrysalis over to the bed just in time to see her fall out of it, her body glowing a bright starlight blue glow.

As the chimes began to slowly fade away and the light dimmed, Ember finally looked out. "What…the fuck just happened?"

"She transformed," I said as I approached cautiously.

As I did so, there was a loud knock at the door. "Your Grace! What happened? Are you alright in there?" The door was opened quickly, and the two guards rushed in.

"I'm fine," I said, "but see to Princess Ember for a bit."

The guards approached her, but she gave them each a solid glare. "I'm fine," she snarled, then rejoined me, standing by my side as the light emanating from Chrysalis finally vanished.

"Be careful, Your Grace," one of the guards said as I slowly approached the still curled up new form of the former Fae queen. "She's crafty."

"I also think she's unconscious," I said as I finally reached her bed. "But stay on guard just in case." I leaned down and slowly grasped her shoulder.

And felt myself touching skin. Warm, hairless skin.

Slowly, I began to pull her apart until she was lying on her back, then took stock of the changes I saw in her. She was still a High Fae, there was no doubt, but she now had a remarkably humanoid appearance. Not as much as a full on Anthro form, but it was incredibly close.

Starting from her head, which now had a somewhat lighter bluish green wavy hair, which, along with a tail of the same color, now also seemed to flow in an ethereal wind. She had a single, solitary curved horn sticking out of her head. On the side of her head, she had elongated pointed ears which reminded me quite a lot of longer versions of Elf ears. However, as I looked, these ears swiveled slightly. When I opened her eyes, they no longer were the sickly green color they had once been, but instead were a deep emerald hue. She still had a similarly shaped face, but it looked a lot healthier than it had before.

As I looked down her body, I noted that her skin/chitin color was a lighter shade of gray, save for a patch of aquamarine skin around her chest. Where I saw a remarkably familiar pair of lumps with two smaller ones at the tips. How the fuck did Chrysalis get actual BREASTS?! I thought in complete and utter confusion as I moved my eyes down, still getting in as much details as I could before I covered her up.

Her former claws were now replaced with five more slender digits on each arm. They had the appearance of hands, but they still had sharp razor claws instead of nails. When I examined her new fingers, I even saw a very unusual shaped fingerprint pattern on each of them. Her hips weren't too wide, but the more animalistic part of me still found them extremely attractive. Her hooves were replaced with clawed and webbed human-like feet.

I was so engrossed in the completely unexpected changes in her, that I didn't initially notice the goosebumps forming on her skin. When I saw a shiver, I grabbed the thick comforter and put it over her. Her brow was furled, but the moment the blanket covered her, I saw the unconscious High Fae relax slightly. After slipping the magic dampening ring around her horn, I turned to the equally stunned guards and Ember. "I need the Princesses to see this right away. Can one of you call them down here for me?"

The Unicorn guard nodded, and vanished in a flash of teleportation. When he was gone, Ember slowly approached Chrysalis. "What in the hells happened to her? Why does she look so strange?"

I shook my head. "I honestly don't know," I replied. "But let's go outside. She apparently needs her sleep."

Ember, myself, and the remaining Pegasus guard walked out, and I pulled out my key, shutting and locking the door behind me. I took a seat on one of the benches nearest her cell and leaned back, closing my eyes and thinking hard about what the fuck had just happened. I felt Ember sit beside me and heard her sigh. I wasn't sure what to say. It all happened so fast.

A few minutes passed, and then I heard the telltale sound of magical teleportation. Three distinct sounds. I opened my eyes to see a serious looking Celestia and Luna standing there, the Unicorn guard behind the two. "What happened, Jethro?" Celestia said without preamble.

I held out the key. "Take a look for yourself."

Luna quickly took the key in her magic, unlocked the cell, and the two Princesses quickly entered, followed close behind by the two guards. As they did that, I looked down at Ember. She had her own eyes closed, looking particularly exhausted as she leaned her head back against the wall. So vulnerable. Even if she was more than three times my age, she still had a lot of stress in her brows. I leaned back once more, looking up at the ceiling.

About a minute later, a stunned pair of Princesses slowly walked out of the cell, the guards close behind. The Unicorn closed and locked the door behind them. As the two Princesses came over to me, I gently nudged Ember, who sat up, opened her eyes and looked around. The two princesses exchanged glances with me and Ember.

We just sat there, not saying anything for a while until finally broke the silence. "So…what the fuck do we do now?"