In the Land of Shadows
Chapter 7: 7. Power of Friendship
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What happened? Spike thought as his eyes slowly parted. Groggily, he looked around the small, cramped room they were in, wondering where he was. All four walls were blank, colored a deep shade of silver, and every once in a while they were jolted by the sound of something heavy colliding with the room. This isn't a room.
Spike tried to sit up from his prone position, but realized too late that both his arms and legs were tied together. He fell back down with a sickening crunch. When he tried to move his tail, he growled when he felt that it was in a small clamp attached to the wall. Trying to breath out fire, he found that to be a fruitless endeavor, as his muzzle was clamped shut. Another object hit the floor beneath them. Pressing his ear against the floor, he shivered when he felt that it was cold, and rough like steel.
Wheels clanked about on metallic tracks, small rocks shooting up and striking the undercarriage as they progressed. This is a train. Where are they taking us? And who are they? Behind him, a door slid open with a soft whir. "Glad to see you are awake young prince, was afraid that we had drugged ya too much." Groaning was heard as another form began to stir awake beside of Spike. "Quiet, we'll be dealing with you soon enough Shadow."
"Leave 'em alone eh." Spike looked up to see two dragons standing in the entrance to the train car, one was a smaller dark forest green drake, while the other was almost a mix of ruby and lava red. "He's goin ta be fine in a few minutes. Let's just get back to settin' up. Lord Guâlhoran wants Shadow stripped of rank, pride, and honor fer his betrayal 'fore he allows him back into da kingdom."
"Fine." Snorting loudly, the forest drake followed the red as the door slid silently shut. Clamping was heard before something fell with a heavy thud behind the door.
Coughing, Shadow looked away from his amethyst friend as he spit up blood on the floor, more dripping from his nose and mouth. When he moved, he had to grit his teeth to bare the pain that assailed his cracked ribs. He shook his muzzle so as to rid himself of the device that kept him from roaring in pain, and anger. What is going to happen to us?
Rarity paced around the kitchen of the Carousel Boutique, worrying about Spike. For over three days he had tried to avoid her, he never came home, and he was never at school. Tears fell from her eyes as she thought about how angry that she must have made him if he was going through such great lengths to avoid her.
Hanging on the wall beside of the kitchen door was a lone picture. It caught Rarity's eye, and when she went to see it, she couldn't help but feel fresh tears fall. "Oh Spike, I am so sorry." She sobbed openly, not even caring when she heard the chime of bells that told her there were customers.
"Rarity! Rarity where are you!?" Almost immediately the silver-white mare recognized the voice as that of Spike's younger brother Ryder. "Rarity!"
"In here!" She managed to choke out between her sobs. "I'm in the kitchen!"
Bursting through the door, the stallion glanced at the mare with worry, "Have you seen Spike!?" She shook her head, speech unable to find her tongue. "He hasn't been back to the apartment or at school for three days. Both he and Shadow are missing!" The mare gave him a quizzical glance. "Later." Grasping her hand, he led her out and towards the bike that he normally rode with Rainbow Dash alone.
Throwing her onto the back, he said, "Let's go!" Over head there was a shadow that passed over the two before Rainbow Dash soared past them near the ground, a smile gracing her lips as the bike gave chase.
"Umph!" Another blow landed on his stomach, forcing him to bite down on the cloth in his mouth. SMACK! A piece of wood landed against the side of his muzzle, sending the cloth flying from his jaws and blood begin to coat where the wood had been. Coughing, he spit up blood toward the three dragons in front of him.
"Tssk. Tssk. Young Prince, is that any way to treat your subjects?" The tallest of the three punched him in the stomach again, making him cringe. "Now I am going to ask this one last time, nicely. What do you know about your father? Grandfather even?" Silence. "Very well then, you leave me but one choice. Boys, let's play a round of 'sparky's boy'." The three cheered at the dragon's words. Spike simply grew a worried expression.
With his arms in chains attached to the ceiling, and his feet dangling only a foot above the ground, it was all he could do to not strangle the dragon. Cuts ran down his stomach, blood slowly oozing from them. Along his back were a few bruises where they had kicked him before tying him to the ceiling. Crimson red blood flowed from his right cheek, where the board had made its debut. A few cuts ran down his neck, but nothing that wouldn't heal within a day or two. His tail was clamped to his back, and thankfully, they had spared him that pain.
As he awaited for the dragons to return with whatever torture devices they were going to bring, he began to think about Rarity. Closing his eyes, he imagined soaring through the high top mountains around Canterlot, Rarity held firmly within his grasp. Together they were content, they were happy, they were in love, and they had each other. Thinking back to the fight they had, he realized how small a bump that was in their relationship.
A lone tear fell from his eye as he opened both to stare at the solid steel door that stood between him and freedom. Out in the hall he could hear the clank of heavy armor as various guards or soldiers passed by. Following them was the blood wrenching sound of a dragon in pain, his tail being either sliced into, or beaten. To a dragon, nothing hurt worse, not even when your mate denounced their love, it was minor compared to the pain that the tail can cause to a dragon.
Spike stretched his jaws, allowing his now free muscles a chance to relax. Sucking in a sharp breath, he roared, which echoed down the halls and was amplified due to the immense cave network that they held him in. With the volume he produced, he was sure that his mother could have been startled awake by its veracity. He challenged any to try and make him talk, to try and take his life.
For the first time in his life, Spike felt strong, he felt confident, and he felt alive. Turning to the chains that held his arms, he blew a few jets of fire onto the steel, turning it from silver to a cherry red in only a matter of seconds. With his legs free, he swung forward until he heard the chain snap and felt his body lurch forward. Managing to land on his feet, he darted over towards the door, not wanting to wait for them to come back.
Voices told him that they were headed back, and that they were bringing something heavy with them. "Nice try little dragon, but we see everything, we know everything, and we can predict everything." Smoke began to fill the room, making the amethyst dragon cough. "Ha, you think that we are dumb do ya little prince. We know more about you than even your mother does. Like your little fight with that dumb mare, what was her name, Rarity."
Though he could not breath, and was beginning to feel light headed, he managed to choke out, "If you dare touch her, I am going to..." His eyes closed as he fell to the ground.
"You are so predictable little dragon."
"So what happened to them?"
"From what I can tell, some dragons nabbed both Spike and Shadow, then took off with them in a hurry. Their tracks end at the train station." Looking over his shoulder to Rainbow Dash, he said, "Rainbow! I need you to fly to Canterlot! Tell my mother what happened!" She nodded her head, not even thinking twice before turning around to fly as fast as her wings could take her.
"Who would want to take Spike?"
"I can think of only two people. Him, and Thunderlane."
At the mention of the stallions name Rarity had to force down a shiver. "Thunderlane is in jail though."
Ryder sighed. "Yes, he is. But his friends aren't. They could have easily picked him up, but since none of them are dragons it leads me to believe that it was Him."
"Who?"
"Our grandfather."
"Ah, so the little twerp prince figures it out finally." From inside of the train station emerged a dragon cloaked in black, a hood over his face. On the roof above stood three more, all with their hands inside of their sleeves and their hoods covering their faces. To their left and right two more came on each side, dressed in the same fashion. From behind came a lone dragon, garbed in thick silver armor with a red flame design over the breast, a sword strapped to his side and his dark black scales gleaming in the setting sun.
"I should have known you would never leave us alone Gunnar. It was just too tempting wasn't it."
"Damn right it was young prince. Let's hope that you put up more of a fight than you older brother did." He laughed evilly as he stepped down the steps from the train station. "And to think that your grandfather wanted you alive instead of your brother. I'm gonna enjoy this."
With a smirk, Ryder easily slid out of his leather coat and began to walk towards the dragon. Cracking his knuckles, he said, "Just you wait Gunnar. I have been waiting since last time, and this time, I am faster, stronger, smarter."
"Ha, ha, ha. I know you are, but is she?" Almost as if on cue, the other four dragons converged on the mare, dragging her away towards the interior of the station. As they dragged her, it was only Ryder who became aware of the feral snarl that was being emitted from Rarity's throat as she bared her fanged teeth, a gleam of red beginning to enter her irises.
Instead of racing to her rescue, he waited until the doors to the station shut before turning around to look at the silver armor clad dragon. "Think ya made a mistake there Gunnar. Shouldn't have done that." His smirk never faltered as he turned back to look at the cloaked dragon. "You are aware of what she has done right? Smell the air."
Gunnar said nothing as he lifted his head slightly, taking a good whiff of the air. Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock. "I smell your brother, but how?" When Ryder motioned towards Rarity, his eyes widened further if it was at all possible. "No. They can't have."
"They did. The worst part, we have no idea what it is going to do to her. You see, her love for him is stronger than my mother's was for my father." The faint scent of fresh blood began to drift towards them from the doors. If one was to watch closely, they would see the blood beginning to ooze from beneath the gap in the door. One by one, the steps became coated in a thick amount of blood as it pooled on each one until it spilled over to the next. The cobblestones at the bottom were lined with it, seeping between the cracks almost like a filling for them.
Both doors to the station burst open as a dragon came rushing out. Before he could get too far a tail wrapped around his throat, dragging him back into the darkness. He dug his claws into the concrete, hoping by some miracle that it would be strong enough to save him. Instead, his talons were ripped out as the tail gave a forceful tug. "No! Please no! I was just following orders! Nooo!" His voice was cut off by a gurgling sound almost as soon as he was past the threshold of the door. Shortly after, his body was thrown back out, the flicker of life gone from his eyes. Blood poured out from his jaw, as well as the gaping wound on his neck, and the numerous cuts on his chest and stomach, where his ribs could clearly be seen, his organs dripping out onto the cobblestone ground.
Rarity emerged from the darkness of the train station. When both Ryder and Gunnar happened to chance upon her form, neither one could help but feel a tint of fear, Gunnar more so than Ryder. Blood was dripping from her snarling teeth, some of it soaked into her fur. It ran down the front of her shirt and clung to her hands. Hanging from the bottom of her jaw was a piece of scaled flesh, with blood still dripping from it. There was a certain red tint in her eyes as she glared at Gunnar, but the second that one of the dragons one the rooftop breathed in a sharp breath, her gaze immediately shot upwards.
With a fierce growl akin to that of a female dragon taking on a hoard of dragoness trying to claim her male, she leapt into the air, landing on the roof. Screams were heard as she slit the throat of the first dragon, not even bothering with him as she turned to the next, grasping his throat. With one swift tug, she managed to pull his spine out of his back, none of the flesh retaining as he fell lifelessly to the roof tiles.
Turning to glare with hatred at the last drake, she pounced. All he could do before she made contact, was pray to any gods that would listen to make his death swift and painless. He knew there was no escape, but that did not stop him from trying. The mare sunk her fangs into his neck, cutting off his scream before it even started. Silence ensued as she drank his blood till the flames of light flickered out. With all three dragons dead, the mare took a perch upon the edge of the roof, where she squatted like an eagle as she glared at Gunnar with a slightly cocked head.
In a deep, threatening voice, she asked, "Where is my little Spikey-Wikey?" It seemed innocent to Ryder, but to Gunnar, all he could do was gulp. If he lied, he would be slowly and painfully pulled apart until he gave up the dragon's location, if he talked, he was going to be killed when and if he returned to the dragon kingdom. Either way, he knew that he had not only failed, but he had brought death upon himself.
"I can't." He grit his teeth as he said those words, wishing that he could take them back and still his tongue instead.
"I got him Rarity." Rarity stayed in her perch, eying the drake with a burning desire for blood until she found her mate. "Just watch from there alright?" Rarity said nothing, just cocked her head to the other side and continued to eye Gunnar. "So Gunnar, why not make this less painful than it has to be?" The stallion kicked at the drake's knee. Behind him he could hear the clank of the armored stallion begin to move closer, but stopped when Rarity turned her gaze to him. On his knees, the dragon looked up towards the stallion, already knowing that his life was forfeit. "Tell me, where my brother is!" Rarity bellowed out into the night like that of a full grown dragoness.
"Never." Spike managed out between gritted teeth. "You will never lay a finger on her!" Growling with both anger and worry, he never even flinched when another punch was thrown into his stomach. "Never!" Again he roared, but was quickly silenced when he was punched in the open maw.
"I'm getting tired of this." After the dragons had knocked him out, they strung him back up. When he awoke, he found that they had attached a pair of spark plugs to his tail and his throat, where a collar was. They were fed into a tiny machine that was placed by the door. The lead dragon flicked his finger, making a dragon beside of the machine flip the switch. Spike groaned as sparks of electricity coursed through his body. "Tell us what you know about your father!" Spike remained silent as the surge of electricity began to grow unbearable. Still, he held strong.
"B-B-Buck y-y-y-you!" He shouted as the pain began to subside, his body betraying him. His eyes grew heavy, his heart beat slowing, and his head began to fall forward. Just before he could slip away the current was turned off. Breathing slowly, hardly able to keep his breath, he began to cough violently. In the end, he began to spit up blood from another punch thrown into his stomach.
"Tell us what you know!"
"Nothing, that is all I know!" His anger never left him as he began to slip away again. Tired as he was, he still had some fight left in him. "Le's go fur anoter wound. Is dis da best ya got?" His slurred speech just further enraged the leader.
"That's it! Bring her to me!"
"Uh sir."
"What!?"
"The team's not back yet." The dragon who spoke hid behind a bigger drake as the leader marched over.
"What!?"
Another drake, the red one from earlier, rushed into the room, sweating profusely. "Sir, the scouts just came back. Gunnar is missing as well as Steel. The rest are dead, slain by a dragoness."
"Oh no." Spike's eyes were wide with fear. Something that the leader picked up on.
"Did anyone see this dragoness?"
"No sir, but a scout who was watching said that it wasn't a dragoness."
"What!?" Both Spike and the leader asked at the same time.
"Our scout said that it was a mare who did it. A unicorn with silver-white fur. She tore through the dragons like they were nothing, bit into ones neck and tore open four more. There was hardly anything left of them."
The leader turned to look at Spike before he began to laugh. "A mare couldn't have possibly done all that. What kind of fool do you take me for?"
Spike sighed as he looked down towards the floor. "She could." He muttered under his breath.
"Who could?"
Spike's lips parted in an eerie smirk as he looked up towards the dragons. "A mate deprived of her male could do that." The leader's laughter was cut short as he looked back towards the red dragon. "You of all dragons knows that there is no telling what a female mare could do when mated to a dragon. My mother is a testament to that."
"Don't remind me."
"Just imagine what a mare more in love than she could do." The dragons all gulped, knowing that there was no way to know what the mare would do to them. For all they knew, it could be far worse than a dragoness would do. Already they could tell some of what she was capable of.
"Sir, let's leave it to the king to sort this out."
"Aye. Let's do that." The four dragons departed the room, leaving Spike all alone.
Silence settled in the room, broken every now and again by the hum of energy that was coursing through the machine he was attached to. His alone time was broken by the heavy footsteps that made the ground shake. Dust fell from the ceiling while small chunks of rocks made a beeline for the ground. The drake's eyes were glued to the door as it steadily creaked back open.
In stepped a dragon who looked to be in his later years. He was tall, taller than any dragon that he had ever seen, and could barely fit through the doorway due to his girth. On top of his head was a golden crown, which had the jewels missing. Adorning his fingers were various golden rings, with each of the gems missing. Probably already eaten. A golden staff was in his left hand, a golden necklace hung off his breast. He was garbed in a flowing red robe with gold trimming, white fur around the collar. He had golden yellow scales, with golden yellow eyes that stared deep into the younger amethyst drake. It was as if he could see straight through the amethyst drake's very soul.
"This is mine bleedin' grandson?" His voice, though booming, carried a thick older accent from the dragon homeland and was made to sound torturous to any below him. "What does thoust offer thy brothers youngling? Speak quickly ya bleedin' rat."
"Buck you Koren." Gathering up what spit he could, the amethyst drake spit on his grandfather's robe. "That's what I have to offer Koren!"
"Your father said much the same after the ponies took him away from me, after they brainwashed him into thinking that dragons were all evil, all bad." Sighing, Koren paced before his much younger grandson. Adopting a more modern accent, he continued, "Your father would never tell you this himself, but when he was first sent to negotiate with the princess, he was actually sent to kill her."
"That's a lie."
"So your father would say. He would never admit to you that he was actually looking forward to killing the pony princess. Both of them at that, oh it was to be glorious. Didn't you ever wonder how they first met, how they first came to be? For weeks your father and I planned her assassination and her sister's, all the way down to the very second that he took both of their wretched lives. But something changed inside of him that day, something sinister, something evil."
Spike was silent as his grandfather kept talking, but he knew it was all lies, wasn't it? "What was it?"
"Freedom." Spike's head jerked back sharply, forgetting that he was chained, his head smacked into the wall. "Freedom is a purpose of evil, it gives those lower free will, it makes them think that we are all equal. If this was true, then there would never be any need for a king or queen, no rules would be in place, no order to speak of. Lives would be lost. Order is what the people need, it's what they look for, what they crave for."
"No, freedom is rife."
"Freedom is a fool's idea. You mother speaks of freedom, yet she places herself on top."
"My mother think of her people, for her people, yours as well. It was she who allowed dragons in, it was she who chose to see that not all dragons are evil. It is she that keeps the peace, that rules with mercy, with love, with care."
"Ha, those are all what make her weak. If she was a true ruler, she wouldn't let so many things be done. Ponies being able to do what they want, when they want, what a novel idea. Why not just give them the throne while your at it?"
"What my mother stands for, what she does for her people, makes her stronger than you will ever be, Koren."
"Nay, she will fall, just as your father did, just as you will. Your little mate is of no concern to me. She is just an irritating thorn that I can deal with, you however, you need to be pulled. You have already caused me too much pain and grief as it stands."
Spike growled, "You won't dare lift a finger against my mother, or my mate. You may be my grandfather Koren, but killing you would be a blessing. It would finally free all of Equestria."
"What freedom? The freedom to kill, to get away with robbery, to steal what rightfully belongs to another. If that's what you call freedom, then what I said before stands true, it is a fool's dream."
"Freedom means liberty, it means justice, and it means the ability to chose your life. You shape your own destiny, not even you can stop that."
"Your wrong Spike. I can, and I have. Your so called destiny is what gives dragons hope, its what makes them think that freedom is worth taking. Through my rule, through my order, there is no crime, every dragon benefits, and they remain loyal to me."
"They remain loyal to you because they are afraid to take a stand."
"I know they fear me, that's why I know that they are loyal." He laughed, his gut bouncing with the volume of his laughter.
"A true leader loves his subjects, just as they love him. They follow him because he thinks of them, and not himself. Your empire will crumble Koren, and when it does, I am going to be there to show you what it means to be a true leader. I am going to take your place, and I am going to unite the dragons with the ponies."
"No Spike, that day will only be true in your mind. After today, there won't be a destiny for you to chase anymore."
"We'll see about that, Koren."
The older drake said nothing as he turned to look out the door. "Bring him." The four from before gathered him up in their arms, detaching him from the machine as they followed their lord out of the cell and to what ever torture chamber that was next.
A pregnant silence seemed to have encompassed the room. Drifting in from outside was the soft clank of muffled armor as dragon soldiers scurried past to their rallying points. Already Shadow could feel the weight of his mistakes being lifted off of his shoulders. The burdens that followed him were no longer felt, and his mind was void of any evil thoughts. For the first time in his life, the dragon felt at peace, like there was nothing that could harm him. Fate however, had a funny way of saying otherwise.
Sitting in a still darkness his eyes were accustomed to, he was not at all surprised when he heard the jingle of keys. The lock to the cell door clicked open, swinging inward to allow some light into the room, sadly never reaching him. In strode the last dragon that he had ever hoped to see, Lord Koren Guâlhoran. "Ah, there is my favorite assassin." There was a sadistic smile upon his lips, as if already the gears of hatred, suffering, pain were surfacing in his mind's vast ocean of evil. "I have one last task for you to complete, think of it as a way to redeem yourself."
"Your words sink no meaning Koren. Your mind does not seek to prevent war, but to prevent peace." Shadow scooted closer towards the rocks, hoping somehow that they would protect him.
"Shadow. Your lord seeks an audience."
The navy drake rose to his feed, his mind going blank as he began to step forward to the king. When he was close enough, he bowed, "I am honored to accept. What is thy bidding, my master?"
Koren laughed evilly before he turned around, "Follow me Shadow. Your mission will become clear soon enough."
Spike groaned as he rolled over in the dirt. Light from above shone brightly into his closed lids, making it hard to remain asleep. Dust blew into his nose, making it hard for him to breath. Opening his eyes, he was surprised to see that above him was the morning sky. Around it was a rock formation that looked almost like a bowl. "Where am I?" His voice was raspy, probably due to the dust.
As he rose to his feet, the sounds of cheering soon began to ring in his ears. Looking around, he found that he was inside of an arena. Thick ten foot walls rose in almost like a bowl shape to stop him from climbing, each one as smooth as a river stone. Atop were stands were various colored dragons were shouting, cheering as they watched the dragon. His eyes finally fell to the twenty foot wall, where he could see his grandfather, grandmother, and the leader from before watching him from the comfort of their seats. Beside of them stood a cloaked dragon.
"Dragons and dragonesses, I hereby announce the coming of a new age. With the death of the only heir to the pony throne, there will be nopony left to take over when Celestia passes. Witness now as Spike, son of Nuyendár, will fight to the death with the banished loyal assassin, Shadow Snowhowl!" Spike's eyes widened at the mention of his new friend's name. "Let the fight, begin!"
The crowd roared with their cheers as Spike glanced around, looking for his new friend. Where are you Shadow? This isn't funny. Spike was barely able to stand, and although he knew how to fight, he could not. Not against his newest friend, not against someone who swore an oath, a blood oath, to never again return to evil. I won't fight you Shadow.
"Shadow!" Even though it hurt to do so, Spike knew that he had to talk to Shadow. "Shadow! I won't fight you! You hear me, I won't fight you!" The crowd began to boo at Spike's words, but he didn't care. All that he wanted to do was to go home, to see his mate Rarity again, to be with the one that he loved, but he knew that it was just a fallacy.
Shadow watched from afar. His trained eyes watched his target with interest. In the back of his mind however, he could feel his own will starting to creep stealthily in. What are you doing Shadow? You swore an oath the day after you revealed yourself. This isn't you.
My king demands that I slay this pathetic little dragon.
Your friend.
My enemy. Shadow's mind tore at itself as he steadily circled the amethyst drake. He knew that there was something off about the way that the king said that he would allow him to redeem himself. Lord Guâlhoran never allowed any dragon any second chance. Though it was true, he was still unable to fully control his actions, as if his body and mostly his mind, had a will of their own.
Spike whipped around in time to see Shadow leap towards him. Sidestepping, he watched as the navy drake slid in the dirt, pillars of dust billowing out. "I won't fight you Shadow. You are my friend! You swore an oath!"
Again Shadow launched himself at Spike, this time the amethyst drake catching the dragon and swirling around, tossing him aside. Shadow was once more spitting dust out of his muzzle as he glared with hatred up at the young dragon prince. "It is no use thy grandson. Shadow belongs to us, always has, always will."
"You are wrong! He is a dragon, he has his own free will! As do all dragons who follow a tyrant such as you Koren!" Koren just laughed at his grandson's futile attempt at wordplay against his own kind. "Shadow! You have got to snap out of it!" Spike was caught off-guard as the navy drake once more pounced, this time sending the amethyst drake to the ground. They began to roll around in a cloud of dust, hidden from view from the rest of the crowd, much to their dismay.
Spike managed to fit his feet on the navy drake's stomach before kicking out, sending the drake flying out of the dust cloud and colliding with one of the ten foot walls. This did nothing to phase the navy drake, as he simply stood up and came charging back at Spike. His gaze was fierce, his stance poise, and his muscles tense. With a battle roar, Spike awaited for the navy drake to strike.
Rarity stared at her reflection in the mirror of Ryder's apartment. The blood from earlier was gone, but her eyes still retained their red tint. She sighed as she took the glass of water beside her and downed it. When she looked up again, she could see Ryder looking at her with a mixture of worry and horror. "What's it like, being a mated pair?"
"It's only been four days, during each one I have missed him. It feels like my heart is tearing apart each second I am away from him, but deep in my heart I know that when we get back together, everything will be alright. Sometimes I wish that I had of thought through my actions after the trial, sometimes I wish that I don't love Spike as much as I do, but then I remember all of the good times we had, why I fell in love with him. It hurts physically to be away from him." Her eyes fell down to her stomach. "Sometimes, like now, when I think about him, all I want to do is to cradle him in my arms, to tell him how much I love him."
"What's it like, the actual thing I mean?"
"It's amazing. To know that you are giving yourself truly to the one you love. I wouldn't take it back for anything, not even if it would save my life or his. What we did makes us stronger, it makes us more in tune with each other, it let's us know each other better. When I am near him, I swear that I can her his thoughts, just as he can hear mine."
"Spike always told me that he loved you so much that it made his heart ache to be with other ponies, sometimes watching you be with another stallion broke him. He was always waiting for you Rarity."
"Which I am thankful for."
"He always said that he was afraid to mate with you though. He was afraid that you would hate him afterwords. He was afraid of what would happen to you, giving the circumstances of our mother and father. Not even dad knew what was going to happen to you when Spike went through with being mated to you. Your love seems to be stronger than most, and dad fears that. He fears that somehow to save Spike, you would do anything, even if it meant slaughtering everything in your path. I know that fear now."
She laughed. "Your concern is understandable darling. You don't have to worry, I have had my fill of blood for the evening. My fill of my mate is yet to be sated however." She giggled as the red tint was whisked away, only to be replaced by an emerald colored tint. "Seems I am truly in love." Ryder lowered his defenses a little as he watched Rarity in the mirror. Something about her seemed different, it seemed off. When he glanced at her neck, he realized why. It made him smack his forehead as he thought about all that she had done tonight. It was only because those dragons knew something about her mate, and had tried to harm him. She was acting just like any dragoness without her mate would.
Chuckling, he returned to the bed, where he awaited the arrival of his mother and fiancé. As he stared at the ceiling, he could not help but think about Rainbow Dash, about how much he loved her, and how much it paled in comparison to what Spike and Rarity shared. Sighing, he turned to stare at the door, wishing that he could hold Rainbow Dash in his arms. I love you Rainbow Dash.
Spike rolled out of the way as Shadow tried to pounce on him again. Dirt clung to his scaled back as he got back to his feet, barely able to stand due to the loss of blood from his countless torture sessions. He spit out a glob of blood towards the other drake. "We can do this all day Shadow! I am not going to fight you!"
Not once during the whole sparring circle did Shadow even dare utter a word. Thus it came as a surprise when he said, "Time grows weary for us both young one." Spike coked his head to the side slightly, unaware as to what the navy drake was planning in his mind.
You can do this. Just give Spike a sign that you are in control. Just one sign.
No, you are not in control. I am, I always have been. When you speak, it is you, but no more. After you kill my grandson, I will assume full control over you.
No! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! Shadow fell to his knees as his hands grasped at his head. In a stern, and loud voice, he roared out, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" With a deafening roar that would make even the most vile and sinister mind shrivel up in fear, Shadow fell to the dirt with a soft crunch from the rocks beneath him. Eyes closed, but still breathing. Softly, he whispered, " A friends loyalty means more than a kings."
Spike shook Shadow, scared when the navy drake did not react. Steadily, so as not to startle the drake, he pressed his fingers against the nape of his neck, feeling the pulse still going strong. He sighed with relief. His faint smile switched to a fierce snarl when he turned to look at his grandfather, who was clutching his head tightly. "KOREN!" Anger was evident in his voice, but so was a sense of victory, "You have lost Shadow, just as you have lost your son!" A few tears came to Spike's eyes as he spoke about his father. "My father, heir to the throne, slain by a worthless, greedy king like you! All he ever tried to do was help you, but you sought nothing but your own self destruction!"
"Still thy tongue youngling!" Koren tried to bellow out, but had to stop and grasp his head as he stood. "You speak out of place. Mine son passed away when the ponies took him from me."
"No, you lost him when you pushed him away!" Spike let lose another roar, this one filled with sorrow. So much pain done to him in his life, done to his friends, done to his heart. Hearing his roar made most of the other dragons start to grow a tear or two, some only growing hatred for their king. "My father wanted you in his life, but because of who he chose to love you pushed him away." Taking a deep breath, Spike yelled out, "Here I am Koren! Prince Spike Guâlhoran, son of Prince Nuyendár Guâlhoran, heir to the throne of the dragon kingdom, and Princess Celestia Guâlhoran, heir to the throne of Canterlot! I am also Spike Guâlhoran, loving boyfriend and mate to Rarity Azure!"
It was as if silence had been stalking the room and was waiting to pounce. All at once the cheering, the shouting, the hostility, came to a frozen standstill. Spike looked around in awe, some of the female dragons looking defeated, while most of the males cowered slightly in terror, even the strongest among them looked like he was about to wet his pants and run in fear. "Guards! Seize them! Seize them now!"
"Princess Celestia, how are you this evening?" Rarity bowed to the princess in the most noble and regal way that she could muster. Though she had always been told that it was unnecessary, she still felt it proper, especially when she was invited to Canterlot Castle. Twelve golden armor clad guards stood on either side of the hallway, their hands on their swords, their chins raised up, and their eyes straight forward.
"Rarity, my daughter. I am fine this evening." Rarity blushed when Shining Armor looked at her as though he was seeing a hydra instead of the silver-white mare that he grew up with. "We have much to discuss about these past four days, and little time to do it in I am afraid." Celestia took the lead as they made their way down the hall, Shining Armor walking beside her with Rarity on the other side.
"Princess Celestia.."
"Please. Call me Celestia, or mom. You are part of our family now."
"Celestia, Spike is missing." Celestia never faltered in her stride, simply nodding her head. "As Ryder may have told you, it was a dragon by the name of Gunnar."
"Yes, I know him very well. He tried before to take Ryder, but was beaten back by Shining Armor." Beside of her said stallion smirked as he cracked his knuckles. "Ryder told me that you two were assaulted at the train station, that there was a scuffle, but I don't see a bruise on you." Rarity looked away for worry that Celestia might be mad with her.
"Well Celestia, the thing is, I sort of, ate, and killed them." This made both Celestia and Shining Armor stop in their tracks, eyes going wide as they both looked at her with bewildered expressions. "Kind of have some explaining to do don't I?" Neither of the two moved, both staring at the mare as though she was Discord. Rarity just held her head low, unable to meet the gaze of either one.
"Um..."
"Well, the thing is, I sort of... With Spike... We sort of..."
It was not long before Celestia grew a faint smile of understanding. "You are now a true member of the family."
"Yes."
"Does my daughter bare then?"
Rarity was taken back at how forward Celestia was, but given that it concerned her son, who was now her life mate, she was a bit understanding. "I really don't know yet Celestia. Too early to tell."
Resuming her pace, leaving Shining Armor behind, she asked, "So what exactly happened at the train station..."