Blood splattered onto the stone floor, echoing throughout the room. Czar was kneeling on the floor, hunched over, a deluge of blood flowing from his mouth. The fit had arrived out of nowhere, causing Czar to go in shock. The dying king tried to stand, but the retching and pain had made him stay there. He crawled over to his desk, where his medication lay. He grabbed the edge of the desk, but didn't have enough strength pull himself up. He fell back down to the ground, still vomiting blood, pain shooting up and down his body.

Czar was going to die.

His mind flashed many memories by his eyes as he lay there, soaked in his own blood. The images stopped once they reached Celestia. Celestia's face, her beautiful horn, her magnificent wings...someone he was completely unworthy of loving. She was strong and determined, and he, feeble and defeated.

"Celestia..." He muttered, almost inaudibly, his life almost completely leaving his body.

"Broad's missing?! What happened!?" Rose's voice echoed through the halls outside of Czar's quarters. He tried to call for help, but he didn't have the strength.

Czar reached out toward an open window, the sun now setting.

"I...love you...Celestia..."

There, that night, on the cold, hard, stone floor, Czar died. Alone, heartbroken, his son a traitor to his country, his feelings for the woman he loved not even voiced.

***

The last thing you remembered before you lost consciousness was Fluttershy, leaning over you, crying and yelling something to you. The next thing you knew, you felt like you'd been sleeping for a few centuries, laying on something soft. You felt the presence of a few people around you. You cracked one eye open, then another. You looked down to see Fluttershy, Pinkie, Dash, Twilight, and Rarity at your bedside, holding on to your hands. Each wore a concerned, scared look, save for Fluttershy, who was squeezing your hand very tight, crying while Applejack had an arm around her, trying to comfort her. Fluttershy took notice to you, and gasped.

"Oh thank Celestia, you're alive!!" She cried, hugging you around your neck. You couldn't think of anything to say, your mind frozen. Fluttershy took advantage of the moment, and kissed you. You felt how damp her cheeks were as she pressed her lips against yours, applying more pressure than her normal soft kisses. She broke lip contact, and continued to hug you around the neck.

"I thought I l-l-lost you!!" She choked through her tears.

"I'm so sorry..." You whispered, feeling as though as you wanted to cry.

"C-c'mon, Fluttershy...get...get ahold of yourself..." Dash said, her voice cracking and warbling, as if she was holding back tears.

"I thought you were dead!" Pinkie cried, joining Fluttershy in hugging you, this time, she wrapped her arms around your waist.

"S-seriously, everyone, s-stop crying...if you keep crying yer g-gonna ma-make me cry, t-t-too..." Dash managed to stammer out before she, too, broke into tears, taking the other side of your waist to start crying on. The situation had a comic feel to it, but you only managed to hold everyone that was grabbing onto you, trying to hold back your own tears. After a while, Pinkie and Dash had calmed down, and were sitting in a chair, Dash blushing deeply and looking away, embarrassed. Fluttershy was the only one who was still holding you. She had stopped crying, but only held onto you in silence.

"This is just like last time isn't it? Except, you didn't all cry as soon as I woke up, but it's still got a hella lot of deja vu. I take it you fixed me up this time, too, huh, Twilight?"

She nodded. She wiped her eyes before she spoke, "I fixed your injuries, but you wouldn't wake up..." Tears continued to stream, but she never sobbed.

"Thank you." After more silence, you asked everyone something.

"What happened to Broad?" With that, everyone stayed silent.

"He, uh...got away, sugarcube. We went back to find him after we brought you back, and he was gone..."

"And the henchmen?"

"The same"

You sighed. You were just glad everyone was alive.

"Applejack, is your shoulder okay?" You asked, remembering her wound.

"Ah, yeah, it's fine now. Twilight fixed it up instantly."

"That's good..."

More silence. Fluttershy was still hugging you.

"I had Spike send a letter to Celestia about this...we need to go visit her soon..." Twilight said, breaking the silence.

"How come she can't come here like last time?" You asked, recalling the day Princess Celestia and Luna had arrived at Fluttershy's cottage.

"It's safe to visit her..." She responded.

You nodded, understanding.

***

You, Fluttershy, Twilight, and the others' footsteps echoed through the halls of Princess Celestia's palace, the white halls gleaming in the light from the sun. Eventually, you reached the throne room, the gigantic doors magically swinging open when you all had arrived.

"Well, hello again, Epee. I'm glad to see you're still fine," Celestia greeted you as you entered the room. You all had bowed, showing your respect.

"I swear, this is always so awkward..." Celestia muttered.

"Yes, quite," Luna agreed.

"Eheh, sorry," You murmured.

"Ah, pay no heed. Anywho, I believe we all know why you all are here..." She said sadly.

You all nodded. "Broad..." Dash said with a sigh.

"Yes, I have...bad news..." Celestia spoke in an ominous tone. "King Czar, the ruler of Marvalia, a country separated from Equestria by Everfree Forest, was found...dead, just before sunset

"W-What!?" You shouted without thinking. "He's...d-dead?" You asked, choking back tears.

Celestia looked down her eyes filled with pain and sorrow. "Yes..." She answered softly.

You fell to your knees. Your father, the man who took you in after you lost your parents, was dead. You began to cry. Tears flowed from their ducts, running down your cheeks and dripping onto the floor. Fluttershy and Dash kneeled down beside you, trying to comfort. You hung your head. Anger, depression and shame flowed from within you.

"Th-that bastard Broad," You said, your voice trembling with anger.

"No, Broad hadn't killed Czar, Epee," Celestia explained. "His sickness had won...he died from his terminal illness..."

You looked up with haste. "How did they find him?" You asked.

"I'll let you talk to the person who found him..." Celestia waved her hand, as if beckoning someone out of your view into the room. From behind a door to the left, a small man walked into the room. He had short, scruffy brown hair, and was very thin, as if he had an extremely high metabolism.

"Montesquieu?" You asked as you stood up. You wiped away your tears.

"Yes, hello, Epee. It's been awhile." He said in a high voice. Montesquieu was Czar's adviser, and best friend. "I regret to say that I found Czar dead in his quarters around midnight...He's being buried later today." He said, his voice sinking. Finding your best friend dead wasn't one of the most cheerful events. His distress was understandable.

"He...I found him collapsed on the floor, lying in a puddle of his own b-blood..." Montesquieu stopped, as if the image appeared in his head. He took a deep breath, readying himself to continue. "His illness attacked his lungs and bones...making his body frail and weak. He had a strong will, but his body was feeble. He would have horrible coughing fits, and he would vomit blood...I can only imagine the pain...." Montesquieu shuddered. "I'm sorry, I can't continue."

"I-It's fine..." You replied in a dead tone. Czar had died a painful, lonely death while that treacherous bastard Broad was still alive. You had hoped he had died of blood loss, or had been eaten by a manticore somewhere in the forest.

"Celestia," A deep, gruff voice spoke up. Tactic rushed into the throne room, holding up a paper that looked like a letter.

"You've received a letter."

"Thank you, Tactic," Celestia said as she levitated the letter and brought it to her. She looked at the face of the envelope, and gasped.

"It's from Czar..." She said. "He must've said it before he..." She stopped as she opened.

"Celestia, may I read it?" You ask, walking over to her.

"Of course," She opened the letter, and you both read it in silence.

A few seconds into the letter, you noticed what it was. Czar had confessed love for Celestia. You held back tears as you stopped reading. He had died without ever being able to hear Celestia's response. You stopped reading it, giving Celestia her privacy.

She must've read the letter multiple times, because it'd been about 10 minutes since she began reading. You looked at Celestia's face. She had tears flowing down her cheeks, her fists were clenched.

"I'm sorry Princess, but, I have to ask you something." Tactic asked. Celestia's face was obstructed by the letter to everyone but you; only you could see her tears. She wiped away her tears, and lowered the letter.

"Yes?"

"You had known King Czar for about 30 years, correct."

"How did you find out?" Celestia asked, surprised.

"In your personal archives, I found five letters from him to you. I and Epee have read them." He said. He looked like he expected the worst reaction.

"I'm glad you found them...I had lost track of them years ago."

Tactic handed a piece of paper to Celestia.

"I copied the letters onto this for my reference. I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

"It's quite fine..." She said before she read.

After she was finished, she looked down. Celestia looked like she was quite miffed.

"Please leave everyone. I have a few words that need to be spoken with Epee. With no question, all left the room, even Luna.

"I'm so sorry, Epee..." She spoke.

"...You had heard of me, yet you forgot eventually..." You sighed.

"Please forgive me, if only I had a better memory, I-I," Celestia began to stammer apologetically.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. It's alright, I understand, you already had so much on your hands, it slipped your mind. It's fine. And it's awkward to see royalty become so apologetic...it's kind of creepy." You told her.

Celestia said nothing, just stayed silent.

"Do you know my and Czar's history?" She asked.

"...Other than he came to Equestria for a while, no.

"Czar and I...were...well...we had...feelings. After about a year or so of him staying here, we began to become attached to each other. Soon, we had found that we had developed feelings for each other."

"You fell in love with each other didn't you?" You sigh.

"Yes..." Celestia looked as if she was holding back tears. "I did love him...but..."

"But what?"

"Never once has he said to me, 'Celestia, I love you.' Seeing that letter, finally being told by him that he loved me..."

"I understand..." You wish you could find some way to comfort her, but no support came to mind. Nothing to make her feel better.

You felt something touch your arm. You looked down see a hand. Celestia's hand.

"You are the closest thing to Czar I know. For my sake, please take care of yourself. Where ever fate takes you, just please, keep yourself safe.

"I...I will..." You try your best to keep your composure. Fresh memories of Czar, the closest thing to a father he could ever have, were still fresh in your mind.

"Can you bring everyone back in here? We need to get a move on with this." Celestia sighed. You say nothing, only nod.

"Let's get to why we're here," She said, looking over the faces of Fluttershy, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and all the others standing. "Epee, Montesquieu came to give you a choice."

"That choice being," He picked up from where Celestia stopped, "whether stay here and live in Equestria or go back to Marvalia, tell Terra about your innocence, and stay there."

"Wait, Terra!?" You shouted.

Montesquieu sighed. "Yes...Terra is now queen of Marvalia."

Those words shocked you with a great force. You felt sorry for her, having the job of ruler thrust upon her shoulders so suddenly.

"I...can go back?" You asked. Montesquieu just nodded. Fluttershy gasped in shock.

You sat down and thought. You thought for what seemed like hours, brooding over the choices. You can stay in Equestria, and Terra will always think of you as a traitor. Or, you can go and prove your innocence, and live there with her. Both choices seemed promising. You wanted to prove your innocence, and be on good terms with Terra, but...you wanted to live in Equestria with Fluttershy, the one you loved, and with your friends, the friends who risked their lives to help you last night. Also, if she found out about your innocence, she might lose concentration on Quarrel, and they would end up being rid of her. Even though Broad was no longer leader of Quarrel, there was most likely a backup leader in case of emergency. If you let her believe you were a traitor, then she would focus on crushing Quarrel. You sighed, your decision chosen.

"Montesquieu," You said, standing up.

"Yes?"

"...I want to stay here. Please don't tell Terra about any of this."

The whole gang squealed and tackled you, a group hug formulating.

"Uh, was it that surprising?" You asked as all the girls, save for Applejack who just sat back and chuckled, squeezed you.

"No, but it was still scary!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Eheh..." You chuckled nervously. Celestia, Luna, Montesquieu, and Tactic laughed at the scene.

"Well, I guess it's decided," Montesquieu chuckled.

"Yeah," You said. "Take good care of her. She was my best friend." Montesquieu nodded.

"Well, I must go back. Terra will wonder why I've been gone so long. Good luck Epee, hope your love life goes well," he winked.

"Oh, quiet you," you chuckled. With that, he left the throne room, into the hallways of Canterlot Castle.

"Don't you think you should be getting back as well?" Luna said, gaining your attention.

"Agreed." You stated. "I hope to see you again, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia." You all waved and left the throne room, into the hall.

"I need to ask Celestia something. I'll be right back," You said before walking back into the throne room.

"Forget something, Epee?" Luna asked.

"Err, no, not quite." You looked to Celestia. "I need to ask you something."

"Alright then. What is it?"

"Czar loved you. He had ever since he first met you. How do you feel about that?"

Celestia sighed. "Czar...was an amazing person. I honestly wished we could be more than friends. If you're asking me why I didn't request him to stay...I don't really know. This is not something I ask myself often. But, Czar was one of the few people who talked to me earnestly. He looked past the fact I ruled a large kingdom, or that I'm an alicorn. He treated me as an equal, nothing higher or less. Much like you, Epee. I can see why Fluttershy and the others have feelings for you. You...are a unique person. Be proud of that."

"Oh, uh, thanks," You meekly replied, hoping that she didn't mean what you think she meant when she said that you treated her like Czar, who she had feelings for.

"But...when he told me he was going to die...that's when I began to question my emotions. I am upset that I couldn't ask him...to stay.

"Well, don't beat yourself up about it. Czar wouldn't want you to dwell on it."

Celestia smiled. "Thank you, Epee. Now go, your friends are waiting."

"I know. Goodbye," You said as you walked out of the throne room. You heard one last exchange of words before the doors closed.

"Please don't tell me you're beginning to fancy him, Tia."

"Are you making me go on a guilt trip, Luna? Is it not uncommon for one to have feelings for more than one person?"

"Just because he reminds you of Czar doesn't mean you should go getting the hots for him." Luna sighed.

"You're just jealous because you have a little crush on him too, aren't you, little sister?" Celestia teased.

"You know me so well, Tia," Luna groaned.

You face-palmed. You now had the royal sisters enamored with you. You must have the worst of luck.