Secrets of a Lunar Princess

Chapter 10

The Colonel

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*...

The faint sound of a heart-beat monitor slowly filtered into the ears of the room's only occupant. As her senses returned to her one by one, her eyes eventually allowed vision into them... albeit blurry at first. Her eyelids blinked the deep sleep out of her eyes as her sight slowly but surely cleared, revealing what looked like a typical hospital room; no more, no less. The lack of light revealed that it was indeed sometime during the evening, though it would not matter considering her perspective of time was completely thrown out of whack.

"W... Was...?" Tara questioned groggily in her native tongue, trying to ascertain exactly where she was... and what happened.

I was... what happened that I'm here... SHOT! I was shot!

"Ich erschossen wurde..." she repeated out loud, her voice dry and strained; throat begging for any liquid to quench the parched skin. Her dark blue eyes searched the room for anything that could be of use to her. Nothing but the nightstand next to her bed which contained some notes. She would go thirsty then, so be it. At least she was alive... she thought. Just to make sure, Tara lifted her arms from under the covers and touched her skin. It definitely felt real. She ran her left hand through her shoulder-length blonde hair. Definitely felt like it normally did. Fair enough, she was alive.

The thought of her being shot once again entered her mind. Tara was able to recall that she was hit in her diaphragm area. Lifting the covers, she found bandages completely wrapped around her upper torso, starting right under her breasts and ending at her mid-abdomen. The lack of blood on the gauze lead her to believe she had been tended to fairly recently and fairly well. She sighed and laid her head back onto the pillow, resigning herself to whatever happened next. Tara did not have the energy to get up just yet, as she was too hungry and thirsty to even think properly. Nor was she in a hostile environment, so she needn't worry much about getting killed... maybe.

She did not have to wait long either. The door to her room opened calmly, revealing what looked like an average doctor. Once he saw her stirring, he immediately ducked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. A few seconds later, the door opened once more. This time, however, in walked a very notorious figure, a known enemy of the state of Greifenraum: Princess Luna of Equestria, clad in a navy-blue officer's uniform with her head adorned with a matching visor-cap. The belt tying the top to her skirt and breaches held secure against her proportioned and toned frame, as well as holding a pistol inverted on her left hip; a short-sword right against her thigh. Her teal-blue eyes stared straight into Tara's, yet they held no emotion in them... any that she could see at least. To compliment it all, Luna's ethereal hair was rendered lifeless, leaving her own locks naught but a slightly darker shade of azure resting on her shoulders.

Luna's boots hit the ground normally, but to Tara, they only got exponentially louder as she approached her vulnerable form. However, Luna stopped mid-step and suddenly turned back to the door, exiting but quickly returning with a pitcher and a box of unidentifiable substances. Luna finally reached Tara's bedside and pulled up a chair, saying nothing and performing these acts as if she had done so every day. She laid the two objects on the nightstand and got comfortable in the chair right next to her. Luna adjusted her cap, Tara watching her the entire time, before she reached for the pitcher and a cup that was on the nightstand, pouring water into it.

"Trinken Sie," Luna spoke, offering the cup of water to Tara. The latter looked at the cup for a couple of seconds before shakily taking it from the Equestrian co-ruler's gentle grasp. She brought the lip of the cup to her mouth and tilted it backwards, letting the cool liquid slide down her gullet and soothe her aching throat. Within two seconds the cup was empty and she held it out to Luna while attempting to speak:

"M-Mehr... Bitte."

Luna nodded gently and topped off the cup, to which Tara downed once more. She requested yet another refill, and Luna once again complied. Tara sighed as she removed the lip from her mouth, her thirst fairly satiated. She handed the empty cup to the Princess. The latter then set aside the liquids and picked up the box, opening it, and revealing some food. A simple meal consisting of two chicken drumsticks, mashed potatoes, and peas. She placed it on Tara's lap, along with a fork and napkins.

"Essen Sie," Luna said as she set the food down. Tara once again looked back to Luna, who nodded kindly in reassurance. That was all the permission she needed as she dug in hungrily, having not tasted decently cooked food in a good while. Luna could not help but look on as the young lady devoured her food... tens of thoughts entering her head at once. She decided to think on them later, realizing that Tara had indeed finished her meal, a satisfied look on her face. The latter handed the empty container back to the Princess.

"Besser?" Luna asked if that helped.

"Ja, danke sehr..." Tara replied somewhat uneasily, her voice returning to her after her throat was hydrated and her stomach filled. Luna crossed her right leg over her left as she leaned forward, placing her hands together. She then initiated a long conversation in Tara's own language:

"As I'm sure you're aware of right now, you were severely wounded during your raid on Ponyville, treated on site, and airlifted to Canterlot where you currently are. You were the only survivor out of the hundreds that were sent," Luna began. She then pulled some notes from the nightstand, letting her eyes trail on the words. "You were shot a couple hundred yards from the residence of the Element of Magic, which was your particular target. But what your commander, whoever the bright soul may be, was unaware that I had them evacuated to Canterlot as soon as your invasions started. You've been slipping in and out of consciousness for almost a week."

Tara's eyes widened a bit at the revelation. That would mean that she herself was a prisoner of war, and that she almost died for nothing... literally. Luna could practically read into her thoughts just by the look on her face. She placed the papers back on the stand.

"Protocol dictates all enemy combatants captured are to be held in a military-designated prison. But ultimately what happens to you is my sole discretion..." Luna noted, looking back down at the wounded Greifen soldier.

"D-Do you plan to kill me?" Tara instinctually asked. Greifenraum was not the most forgiving with certain prisoners of war or enemies of the state. Luna only chortled lightly, uncrossing and recrossing her legs to shift her weight to the other side.

"The killing of wounded combatants who surrender or who are captured is forbidden under Equestrian Law. I do not tolerate those who would violate it. As well, I would not go through all the trouble of seeing you recover in one of Canterlot's finest military hospitals only to kill you," Luna reasoned. It made sense, however blunt the Princess was with her words. Tara, in that case, let out a gentle sigh she did not know she was holding. She then turned her gaze back to the beautiful Princess of the Night. So far, she was nothing like her leaders pictured her.

"Then what could you possibly gain from keeping me alive?"

"Aside from it being the right thing to do, I'm sure we both know the answer to that," Luna responded softly, never once raising her voice beyond a soft octave. She pushed a lock of her hair out of her face and behind her ear as she leaned forward.

"Talking to you on such amicable terms is already grounds for me being executed under Greifen Military Law... even so, as a mere Private, I don't know what I could even offer one such as yourself," Tara reasoned.

"Answers. Simple ones at that. Things simply are not adding up on my end. Three nations with decent relations with Equestria stage a lightning-war invasion, massacre my brave soldiers, and continue to make moves that I would not even anticipate in my wildest dreams. And now, I had to personally help fend off an attack on Ponyville, a place that holds much sentimental value to me," Luna explained. While the raid was Tara's mission, she could not help but feel some form of remorse after looking at the Princess's facial expression... she was not sure why that was. "So, an easy question I would start off with is your commanding officer. Who ordered you to Ponyville?"

Tara stared back into Princess Luna's face and only sighed dejectedly.

"I can't, Princess."

"Private Bodenhausen, surely you understand that..."

"No, you misunderstand. I can't tell you not because of any retribution or fear of... I'll most likely be killed if I am released back to Greifenraum any time soon. I can't tell you because actually can't tell you. I don't know who my ordering, superior officer is, not my commanding squad leader, who is obviously dead," Tara interrupted. Luna looked at her questioningly but motioned to her.

"Go on..."

"We receive our orders from High Command, but our actual commanding officer, no one with the rank under Captain knows who he is... and even that is questionable. The only thing we know is that he is known as 'The Colonel.'"

Luna took those words to thought and engraved them on her mind.

"The Colonel... can you tell me anything else?" Luna asked. "Will you tell me anything else?" she then clarified.

"He has had a major hand in the Equestrian field of operations. There was a rumor circulating that he had been in detailed talks with the Empire of Dracon and the Crystallians. Whether that was any influence in current events remains to be seen. That's all the information I have for you," Tara explained. Luna nodded and decided not to press her luck further. She now had something to go on.

The Colonel...

"That is more than I expected to get out of a soldier of Greifenraum to be honest. Since you have been cooperative with me and consequently, Equestria, I have some things for you," Luna spoke again, arching her back in a stretch and then returning to her personable leaning position. "From what you told me, I won't have you repatriated to Greifenraum... at least not yet. You will be held in a secured facility where other captured soldiers who have been helpful will be held, so you'll be with some of your own kin. Your uniform, helmet, and rifle are here by the way," Luna said, getting up from her chair and moving to the corner of the room behind Tara's field of vision. She heard some rustling of clothing, to which a small folded pile was dropped on her lap.

"It's been washed and polished. Paratrooper camouflage... most impressive for one your age." Tara moved her like-new helmet aside and picked up her uniform top, finding no wrinkles and, like Luna said, perfectly clean. She looked up to the spectating, uniformed Princess with a soft grin of deep appreciation and gratitude. Even for what little information she gave, which was really common knowledge among the troops, Luna had little need to be so kind to her. Maybe the propaganda was wrong... just maybe.

"Thank you."

"Of course. Now, do you feel well enough to travel?" Luna asked. That was a good question... considering Tara did not try to maneuver much since she ate and drank. Deciding to test herself, she found more than enough energy to move every part of her body. She then swung her legs over the side of the hospital bed and touched her bare feet to the ice cold ground, making her jump slightly at the cold touch. Slowly but surely, she lifted herself off the bed and placed more weight on her feet. With enough effort, she was easily able to stand up. Before she could even move, she spied the IV drip still attached to her inner arm.

"Oh... allow me," Luna offered, coming to her side and holding her arm gently in her leather gloved-grasp. With extreme precision and care, she removed the needle from Tara's arm and turned off the machine dispensing the nutrients. Free from her constraints, Tara took a walk around the room. Despite some initial light-headedness and a bit of residual weakness, she felt fairly decent. At least she could walk with little, if any trouble.

"Yeah... I think I can travel."

"Then get dressed. I'll have you moved to a less confined facility immediately," Luna replied as she gestured to Tara's uniform. The latter got the message and Luna turned around to allow her to get dressed. After a couple of minutes, Tara found herself in the comfortably clean uniform that she arrived in. Even the hole on its diaphragm area was sewed up! She slipped into her boots and tied them up and for finishing touches, she put her helmet on. Tara took a deep breath, expanding her chest out, and then sighed loudly. Luna turned around and found the 'enemy' combatant in uniform. She then nodded with a small grin of her own.

"Very well, then."

Luna then knocked on the inside of the door, leading out. Immediately after, three Equestrian troops, clad in an Equestrian rendition of woodland camouflage, entered and saluted to their leader. Luna returned the gesture and lifted her left arm outward, encasing it in her magical aura and lifting something up out of Tara's field of vision. She turned around and found her rifle floating toward the Princess, who caught it in her grasp.

"Her rifle," Luna spoke normally to her troops, pulling the bolt back just in case before handing it to the leading soldier. "She is to be taken to Installation 91. She has provided information in which I deem helpful. As such, she is to be treated very amiably. If I get wind that you or any other soldier so much as breathed or looked at her wrong I'll ensure the penalty will be very severe indeed."

"Yes ma'am!" They responded in unison.

"Very good," Luna nodded in return and turned to Tara. "Your escort out of here."

Tara stood there hesitantly but soon found the courage to walk towards the soldiers, possibly some she could have fought over in Ponyville, though that was slim possibility. Tara turned to Princess Luna and attempted to say something... anything... but no words came out of her mouth. Luna chuckled a bit and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, speaking volumes with merely her gaze. Tara understood completely and Luna released her shoulder. The former took one last look back at the 'enemy of the state' that treated her so well before she disappeared from sight, feeling an odd sense of safety from her Equestrian escort.

*Location: Southern Mountain Range of Northern Occupied Equestria/Crystal Empire border.*

*Time: 09:21, 3.5 weeks into the war.*

The cold was blistering, and the wind only made it worse, bringing in bountiful amounts of snow which would impede any progression of a battle group. Of course, that would be a battle group. In the case of the two soldiers scaling up the last smaller hill/mountain of the range between Equestria and the Crystal Empire, all it did was really add some more... excitement.

The top of this hill-mountain would be the last one overlooking the capitol of the Crystal Empire: Crystal City, and home to the rulers Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle's brother. Nevertheless, Crystallian forces did not overlook it. The early morning rotation of two Alp Soldiers stood behind their trenchline overlooking the City, their own rendition of Winter Camouflage obscuring their position completely save the skin around their eyes. Their patrol was cut short when the blade of a sword pierced right through the neck of the right-most soldier, resulting in an agonizing-sounding gag as he fell to the floor. The other turned around instantly and was met with an Equestrian Winter-camoflaged figure with a short sword. The latter gracefully twirled the weapon and slashed the former twice across his torso before he could even lift his weapon. The figure then spun on their heel and side-kicked the dying soldier off the top of the hill before he could fall.

The figure brought a hand up to their face and pulled the scarf and blue-hued goggles off, revealing the feminine features of Princess Luna. She wiped her sword off and sheathed it before turning around and stooping down, offering a hand to Phaze who was finishing climbing.

"Too slow..." Luna spoke as she grunted from lifting her partner-in-crime up. "I hath dispatched two Crystallian soldiers. They were overlooking the City."

"Save me some next time," Phaze commented, taking his place right next to her. The two decided to make use of the small trench that was dug. They were met with the gorgeous sight of the Crystal City... albeit besieged by Crystallian forces from almost every angle. Luna fished out her binoculars, and Phaze did the same, in order to get a better look.

"Hmmm... the city looks like its resisting for now. There's a small shield in place, undoubtedly Shining Armor's and Cadence's doing," Luna commented, zooming in on the enemy forces.

"Indeed... but for how long?" Phaze replied equally as concerned, zooming in on the city itself.

"Wait..." Luna said as she saw something... interesting. "Look at the fourth armor formation from the north."

"What about it?" Phaze asked, shifting his attention.

"Let us play a game from primary school: Find something that does not belong with the rest," Luna commented, licking her lips randomly to get snow off of them. Phaze said nothing as he continued to look. Several seconds later he blinked several times in surprise.

"Are those a few Greifen troops in the back?"

"Quite. They appear to be of only trooper variety but... wait a minute..." Luna stopped herself and zoomed in as best as she could without sacrificing clarity. "We have an officer on the ground."

Phaze synchronized his view with Luna's and indeed found a Greifen officer. Black coat, skirt, and breeches with silver tassels indeed created the look of an important officer in the Greifen military. He was talking with a high officer of the Crystallian forces.

"That is indeed an officer. A handsome devil too if I may be so bold..." Phaze commented.

"Always knew you didst have affection for men in uniform, Phaze," Luna quipped in return. Phaze chuckled.

"He had me at that sexy visor-cap. That's my fetish." Luna could not help but giggle audibly at that, continuing to observe this enemy officer. Her giggling stopped abruptly when said officer turned his gaze directly towards her, revealing the toned and tanned features of his strong, commanding face. Those blood-red eyes staring straight into her soul from miles and miles away. Luna's eyes widened in true fear for the first time in a long, long time. The officer made no indication that he had spotted them, but that was not what she was concerned with.

"Luna... are you alright?" Phaze asked, now a bit worried at her sudden change in demeanor.

"W-What rank is this officer?"

"Ummm... looks like he's Oberst. Colonel." Luna let out an involuntary gasp of realization.

The Colonel...

She continued to stare blankly at the Greifen officer that she clearly recognized. He turned his gaze once again back to the mountain, straight into Luna's hidden binoculars... and he grinned.

No... it cannot be. Impossible!

He then boarded the armored vehicle he came in and left the Crystallian forces to their devices, disappearing through the other mountain ranges. Several seconds later, the first contact forces of the Crystallians began to close in on the city.

"Luna...? Talk to me..." Phaze instructed.

"Nothing, I am well. We need to ensure Cadence and Shining Armor are safe!" Luna deflected his concern for another time. He decided not to push it once he saw enemy infantry moving in.

"Alright, on your mark!" Phaze said, equipping his assault rifle. Luna did the same and pulled the charging handle.

"Over the top!" She ordered and they both bounded over the trench-head, traversing the hill/mountain-side as fast but carefully as they could. However, Luna only had one thing on her mind as she expertly maneuvered down:

That is impossible, Luna... it cannot be 'him.' It simply cannot...