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TD the Alicorn Princess

by BronyWriter

Chapter 34: Surrounded by Rats

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Aepnet meeting the minotaurs.

The minotaurs clearly warmongering.

Las Pegasus arms dealers getting too bold.

Me and my adopted nation stuck right in the middle of it, which just might be the whole point now that I think about it.

I picked the best time to ascend, didn't I? Of course, half of this is because I ascended, so I guess there was no perfect time to ascend. Well, maybe when Kathyrine was on the throne.

Hmm, would it be wrong of me to assassinate Purgle and Aepnet? Would that solve everything? I don't know. I never know about any of this nonsense. Coming up on two and a half years into my reign, and... gosh, I just don't have all of this figured out yet.

Although, if Celestia was to be believed, I likely never truly would.

It had been a week since the meeting with Purgle, and I had to admit that none of us were optimistic about our chances with avoiding some sort of conflict, particularly if Aepnet threw his hat into the ring. Princess Cadance's Blade Wings worked around the clock to figure out just what in the bloody blue Tartarus Aepnet and Purgle were up to, but were met with limited success. We had nothing solid to go on, which is the opposite of what we needed.

Meanwhile I began wondering if I shouldn't actually gather together a few scientists and engineers to create some human weaponry. If push came to shove came to war, I wanted to be on the side that won quickly, and if that meant human weaponry...

I'd think about that later. But later might become soon if things got worse with the minotaurs.

Oy. Alicorns don't really get headaches, but if we did, I'm sure I'd have a really nice one right now.

The week after the meeting with Purgle found me sitting in one of my private studies, reading over some Blade Wing reports about minotaur movements. We wanted to know what the heck Purgle was up to. I sighed, regretting that I didn't see anything too useful, and pushed the documents aside. Maybe Celestia or Luna would have better luck with them.

I took a sip from the water goblet that I had beside me, and noticed for the first time that my stomach was growling and likely had been for some time, given how long I had been in here. I clicked my tongue and looked down at it. "Yeah, let's go get some food." I stood up and began walking towards the kitchens. "What sounds good today? A five course meal, or grilled cheese and tomato soup?"

Just as I reached the end of the room, my horn firing up to twist the doorknob of the door that would have led me in the general direction of the kitchens, I heard a trio of loud, sharp knocks. I grimaced and sighed, but, considering the political climate, I figured it might be important. My stomach would have to wait, it seemed. I trotted over to the other door and opened it a crack, peering down at what turned out to be Tulip, who bowed when she saw me open the door.

"Yes, Ms. Tulip?"

"Princess Antares, you have a visitor here to see you. It's the Las Pegasus delegate again. She wishes for a follow-up to your last meeting. I put her in one of the conference rooms, but should I tell her you're busy?"

I quietly groaned and rubbed one of my temples, but shook my head. "No, I was just about to have some lunch, though. If at all possible, can you tell Chef Fillet to make me two, no, three grilled cheese sandwiches and some of his finest tomato soup?"

Tulip bowed low again, and I fully opened the door to follow her to the conference room. "Of course, Princess Antares. Also, there is one more matter that I feel must be brought to your attention."

"Yes?"

"That griffin warlord, Sinosis was his name, right? Well, there was a breakout in the griffin jail where he was incarcerated, and..." Tulip flattened her ears when she saw a glare cross my face directed at nothing in particular. "Well... they can't find him. He escaped."

"Of course he did." I scoffed and shook my head. "Of course he did. Because why not? Why not give me that to deal with on top of everything else?" I sighed. "Have Princess Celestia and Princess Luna been made aware of this?"

Tulip nodded. "Yes, the message I received was from Princess Celestia. She's been in contact with Emperor Aepnet about it, but he refuses to say too much, saying that it's a griffin matter. He did say that they know he's still in Griffonia, though."

"I'll hope for it, but take it with a grain of salt." I clicked my tongue as we reached the conference room. "Just what I needed."

"If it helps, I'll tell Chef Fillet to make the soup and sandwiches extra good today."

I smirked and gave a single chuckle with a trace of humor. "Be sure to. I don't see this meeting going amazingly well either."

Tulip bowed to me again and trotted off in the direction of the kitchens, leaving me to stew over the fact that nothing had gone right since I saw this stupid delegate last. Purgle and Aepnet nudging Equestria towards war, and now Sinosis is out and about to wreak havoc? Well, I guess he can do whatever he wants, just as long as he stays far away from Equestria, which my gut tells me he just won't do. I'm going to have to see what troops I can spare to patrol the forest where he stationed himself last time, but I already know that I won't be able to spare too many. Maybe I can talk to Celestia and Luna about it, or something.

With nothing else for it, I open the door to the conference room and see Soaring Skies, my absolute favorite Las Pegasus delegate, sitting on one of the chairs at the table. She quickly slides off of the chair and sinks into a bow when she sees that I'm the one who's come in. I let her continue bowing until I've sat down.

"Ms. Skies, it's nice to see you again." Sometimes being a princess means lying.

Soaring Skies stood up, and gave me a small smile. "Thank you, Princess Antares. I find it lovely to be in your presence again as well." I saw her gaze flicker over to her chair, and I motioned to it. She nodded in thanks and took her seat once more. "I hope that you are well."

"As well as I can be, I suppose."

"Indeed, what with the minotaurs and the griffins doing what they're doing, I imagine that you are under much strain."

I raised an eyebrow and crossed my forelegs. "And what exactly would you know about the minotaurs and griffins, Ms. Skies?"

"You know that ponies in my line of work have to keep their eyes and ears open, Princess Antares. With the minotaurs and griffins both trying to get whatever weapons of ours that they can, it behooves us to keep a close eye on them."

So the minotaurs and griffins were arming. I didn't really like that piece of news, but I couldn't deny its importance.

"Your spy network rivals that of the Blade Wings, Ms. Skies. Any other important information that you'd like to share? Keep in mind that we are talking about national security here."

"Well..." Soaring Skies hesitated for a moment. "I think that the minotaurs want war no matter what. Any victories that Purgle achieves over a pony force will increase his claim to a minotaur throne, and the griffins seem to be backing him up. Our informants estimate that, if everything stays peaceful and on its current path, the minotaurs will be united into a full kingdom within two years." Soaring Skies reached a hoof out to me. "Princess Antares, you know what we need to do with our military before the minotaurs become one nation. If we begin as soon as possible, I think that we can have our forces ready by the time the minotaur clans unite."

"I think you are only considering one side of this, Ms. Skies. The nobility's squabbling over having the military, an organization that they've controlled for centuries. If removed from their control, it would mean re-organizing that would take far longer than the two years you think it would."

"Not if we act quickly and effectively, with you princesses behind the effort!" Soaring Skies crossed her own forelegs. "They wouldn't dare openly challenge you, would they?"

I shook my head. "No, they wouldn't. They'd find far more subtle, damaging ways to challenge us, and we can't be trying to control the nobility and re-organize the military all while trying to avoid a costly war. Maybe in peacetime this plan of yours would be more feasible, but for now, it's just too much."

"But Princess Antares, if our military is weak when the war begins, then we will be at a disadvantage! The minotaurs and griffins will not be so weak, I assure you."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Oh yeah, because the nobility baloney that's a problem with our military is in no way prevalent in the griffin military, and the fact that only two years prior, the minotaur army was made up of separate clans won't be an issue whatsoever."

That got her quiet. Soaring Skies could only look down at the ground while I stared at her, a slight glare on my face that she actually had the gall to come back and once again demand control of the Equestrian army.

"Look, I appreciate your concern, I suppose, but I find it highly unwarranted. Yes, the political climate is a bit... unstable, but if you think for a moment that Princess Celestia, Princess Luna and I are not going to do everything that we can to keep Equestria safe, you are sorely mistaken."

"I do, Princess Antares, I truly do," Soaring Skies muttered. "It's just that me and my compatriots in my field worry about everything, that's all."

"You needn't, you really do not need to." I stood up, and Soaring Skies was quick to copy my move. "Now, I have other things to attend to, so I'm afraid I must end this meeting. I'm afraid that I cannot accept your request to begin removing the military from the hooves of the nobility. I'm sorry, but, while I would like to, it's not the right climate for it."

"I suppose I understand, Princess Antares," Soaring Skies muttered.

"Also, I spoke last time with you about it giving the crown a copy of all of the results of your investigations of the weapons deals. I have come to the conclusion that I would like you to do that." Sparing Skies noticeably flinched, but I ignored it. "I know you might not be completely fond of the idea, but it is truly a matter of national security at this point. You have demonstrated several times that you find out important things quickly, and we need that as much as we can."

"So that's a direct order, is it, Princess Antares?" Soaring Skies muttered.

I nodded. "Yes, yes it is. I expect copies of all of your findings from the past two months to be sent to me or the throne in Canterlot within a week."

Soaring Skies didn't respond for a few moments. She just stared at the ground as if I had told her that she needed to chop off her wings and wrap them in a box for me. I understood that I was playing with fire, interfering with Las Pegasus like this, but I'd rather play with fire here than let other, bigger fires spread.

Finally, Soaring Skies slowly nodded and managed to look up at me. "Y-yes, Princess Antares. I will, of course, give you the documents you desire. I will let my colleagues know of your order."

"Please do." I walked over to the door and opened it with my magic. "Now, I must get to my other duties, so I will speak with you later, Ms. Skies."

"Indeed you will, Princess Antares." Soaring Skies bowed to me again. "I wish you the best."

"And I to you."

With that, I exited the room, leaving Soaring Skies to stew with her thoughts. I have to say that the meeting went as well as I could have hoped for; which is to say, not very well at all, really, but it didn't dissolve into a declaration of open rebellion. I could only hope that Las Pegasus would be obedient to my order and that their reports would give us some critical piece of information that could help us in our time of political strife.

Because when have I ever been that lucky? But a guy can dream, right?

Next Chapter: The Assassination of TD the Alicorn Princess Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 44 Minutes
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