The small chink of glass against wood was loud in the silent room. The candle's flame danced and bobbed, causing the illumination to warble around the room. Czar had taken his medication, calming the coughing fits and nausea his illness had in store for him. He sighed. Soon, Marvalia will be in disorder, Czar thought to himself, I'm going to fall to this illness, and a leader will not be appointed. Terra is suitable, but Epee...Epee was the perfect candidate. He had will, strength, near perfect judgment. He could read people's emotions like a book, he had motherly understanding, but was as stern as a father. He was perfect. Czar could feel the tears forming in their ducts. Forming from the loss of someone who he felt was a son. But...that shall never happen. He...let his greed get the best of him. Quarrel flourished under his rule, as he tried to get me out of the way, so he could rule. He couldn't wait for his rule. Czar walked over to the map of the surrounding kingdoms and tribes. He eyed a section of the map labeled Segavas.

This damned tribe...Czar said to himself in his mind, because of this cluster of barbaric tribes, Marvalia is tormented by blinded, enraged civilians. They attack, and even kill the traders that pass by to get to Marvalia. They stopped trading with us, and with the recent arrival of Princess Luna, Equestria has their hands full as well. We are running low on countless things this small kingdom needs. Shops and vendors are running more and more out of stock every day. It won't be soon before we crumble in on ourselves...

Czar stepped back from the map, and plopped down in a chair by his desk. He remembered his journals he wrote in years ago. Feeling the sudden urge to remanisce, he opens the last drawer from the top, and feels the cover of the leather-bound journal He grasped it, and laid it on the desk. Czar could feel the memories pulsing from the pages. He opened the journal, and read the first page.

JOURNAL ENTRY #1

Today was possibly the worst day of my life. I, the ruler of a kingdom, just found out I was sterile. I couldn't impregnate a woman. I couldn't obtain an heir. Being sterile is a nightmare for a ruler. Marvalia is doomed if I cannot think of an alternative. Now, I sit, hunched over this journal, writing these words in a mix of rage, despair, and depression. I must find a way to obtain an heir.

JOURNAL ENTRY #2

To them, it was depression, lonliness, and despair. To me, it was a second chance. In an attack from Segavas, two children lost their family. In a fire, a little girl lost her family. They were orphaned, and homeless. I took my chance, and I offered to take them in. My servants and affilates were shocked. In my heart, I'd like to believe that I'd done it out of kindness, but I know it's for my own personal gain. These three children could be Marvalia's salvation.

JOURNAL ENTRY #3

The three children arrived today. They looked confused and troubled. I showed them around, showed them their rooms, the courtyard, the tower, etc. They seemed quite interested, but still were cautious. The girl, who was called Terra, hid behind one of the boys, named Epee, the entire time. I quickly understood the relationship between the three. Epee was Terra's protecter, in a sense. If anything upset her, he was right there, comforting her, and ready to destroy the thing that caused it. I apparently frightened her once, and Epee immediately materialized beside her, whispering something in her ear to calm her down, and gave me a glare that said, "Mess with her, and you're gonna get it." I chuckled, and knew that this idea was going to work wonders.

JOURNAL ENTRY #4

Today, Epee gained his cutie mark. It is two fencing swords crossed. I had taught him to fence, and he preformed amazingly. Even though he said he's never weilded a blade before, he nearly sliced me open. Broad had already had his mark, as well as Terra. Broad is the other boy, and he is a quite rough looking youth. He's very thick for his age, and very combative. He seems to have a good sense of strategy as well. Maybe he can join our military; I believe I can train him to be an excellent general. Terra, even though she is shy and easily upset, has an immense sense of justice and has rock hard diligence. Epee on the other hand...it has only been a few weeks since I took the children in, but he has already shown his potential. He can read my emotions as if they were written on my face. Once, when he'd been handing my backside to me at chess, he could sense my embarrasment, rage, and shock, even though I was wearing an emotionless face. He also is protective and understanding towards those he loves, but is also stern. Give time, and I can almost be sure that Epee shall be the heir.

Czar came across the entry about Quarrel, and Segavas. In a small burst of rage, he tore out the pages. It'd scared him, but he quickly regained his stature, and read on.

JOURNAL ENTRY #6

I was given 5 years. 5 years until an uncurable, fatal illness would take me. Doctors can't help me. There is no cure. This puts a extremely large damper on my plans, as Epee is only 14. He is too young to rule a kingdom. He fits the criteria, but it's just...too early. I must tell them about my illness...

JOURNAL ENTRY #7

I've come to think of Broad, Terra, and Epee as my own children. I love them more than anything. Their needs come first. But...I told Epee. It's been 2 years since I've last wrote in this journal. Epee is 16, and I've told him that he shall become the new heir of Marvalia. He...took it...not well, but not bad. He asked why, and I tole him because he's shown the most potential. I've already informed him about why I took him and the others in, so he understood it somewhat. I just hope I can prepare him enough before the sickness overtakes me...

Czar sighed as the memories flowed from him. He remembered every detail clearly. He remembered the look of determination Epee had as he pressed him ever so hard on their first bout at fencing. He remembered Terra's intense shyness. He remembered the joy those three children had brought.  By now, the tears flowed freely.

***

Terra had never seen a riot before. Until today. Quarrel had started a scuffle with a royal guard, and soon, a riot erupted. She sprinted out of the castle gates to see mayhem. Angry citizens, toting clubs, daggers, and swords stormed throughout the streets taking down any authourity that passed. She sprinted into the middle, desparate to find Broad. She ducked, bobbed, weaved, and hopped around the rebels, dodging there attacks. She used her magic from time to time to block an attack, or blast an enemy back. She sprinted through streets, blasting by rioters, until the crowd thinned out. Terra had escaped the thicket of the riot.

"H-Help...me..." a voice croaked out. Terra snapped her head in the direction of the voice. A man, beaten and bruised, leaned on the side of a building. She rushed to help him, taking his arm, put in around her shoulder, and let him use her as support.

"The rebels..." the beaten man explained, "they came through here, and I tried to persuade them to stop, and..." He didn't need to say the rest.

"It's ok, I'll handle this, you just stay here, and I'll get help, okay?" She said in a soothing manner.

He nodded, and sat down, leaning his back on the side of the building. Terra  began to run ahead, but a mass of muscle stopped her. She ran into him, and fell to the ground. She looked up to see who she'd run into, and wished she never did. A burly, hulking rebel stared down at her, sledgehammer brandished. He lifted the weapon, and Terra dashed away. She knew that if she left, the rebel would probably attack the injured man, so she decided her course of action.

Fight him.

He charged forward, and Terra sidestepped, dodging the attack. She didn't have her bow, so she only used her magic as defense. He turned, and held his hammer up. Terra, horn glowing, magicked up a wall of aura as a sheild, and the hammer struck it. The aura sheild cracked slightly, but it held. Terra surged the sheild foward, charging into the assailant. He rose to his feet, and swung the hammer. Terra ducked, feeling the wind of the hammer pass by centimeters above her head. She focused on the earth below her, and her horn shined. Terra felt the ground below her, and willed it to rise. A portion of the ground below her rose in a thick cube, and blasted forward. The earthy cube pounded the man's chest, forcing him the ground, unconcious. As she turned to sprint in the set course, her mind thought of her cutie mark, a patch of land, grass, earth.

"Dammit, Broad, where are you?"

***

"Only 6 and you got your cutie mark...amazing!"

"Yeah, we're really proud of you, Terra!"

The little girl giggled and beamed with pride. She'd obtained her cutie mark not an hour ago. Her family's faces shone on with happiness.

"That's pretty cool, Terra. Controlling and feeling the earth's aura...you'd be amazing at gardening!" Her mother exclaimed.

"How'd you get it?" Her father asked.

She let out a long explanation of how she gained her cutie mark. When exaggerations were cleared, it became known that she simply felt something. "Like, I could tell what was in the ground, like bugs or tree roots, and I could tell if you could put plants in it or not!" She exclaimed in her monolouge-lengthed explanation.

"You're amazing, Terra. The best lil' sis ever!" Her brother bragged, giving her a small hug, plus a friendly noogie. Terra smiled, happy to have such a loving family.

***

Fluttershy watched Epee as he slept. She knew that something like that was considered creepy, but she thought Epee's face looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He had spent all night amusing Pinkie, for she didn't leave until late in the night. Afterwards, he tackled the bed, exausted. Fluttershy moved the covers over him, and left for bed. Now, it was noon, and she was back, staring at Epee. She didn't want to wake him, but she knew it'd be best. Luckily, Epee awoke, ending Fluttershy's internal struggle. Unluckily, he saw Fluttershy staring at him. She blushed, squeaked, and left the room in a hurry, leaving Epee confused and sleepy.

Fluttershy cooked breakfast while Epee had fed the animals. He toted the bag of feed around the cottage, pouring it into the copious bowls. After he was done, he plopped down in a chair at the table, and laid his head down. She giggled, and sat down a plate of eggs, which Epee devoured quickly.

Why do I feel like this? I barely know him, but...Fluttershy thought to herself. I want to say that I...I l-love him but...Oh Celestia, why me? She sat on the couch next to Epee, who was dead silent. Fluttershy wished she could end the awkward silence, but she didn't have the willpower to speak.

***

Fluttershy entered the bathroom, about to take a shower, and she saw the shampoo bottle. It was nearly empty. Same with the body lotion. It was probably good for one last use.

"Oof, I see you're running low on your 'essentials,'" Epee noticed, appearing next to Fluttershy.

"Eep!" Fluttershy squeaked, startled by Epee's sudden appearance.

"Oops, sorry," he apoligized, blushing.

"U-um, how 'bout I run out and restock? Is that ok?" Epee volunteered.

"Oh, um, y-you don't have to, it's fine..." As she spoke, her voice gradually got quieter.

"No, it's fine, I'd be glad to help."

After Epee finally convinced Fluttershy to let him be of use, she handed him the necessary bits for the products, and he set off. Fluttershy sighed in relief; she could finally breath for a second. As she took her shower, her mind began to wander. She daydreamed about being with Epee, holding his hand as they walked through the streets of Ponyville. She giggled at the thought, the fantasy being so cheesy and foalish was comical to her. Continuing to bathe and daydream, her mind wondered toward more 'active' fantasies. Fluttershy felt her wings extend, and she tried to get her mind away from it, but she couldn't. She tried to scold herself, but was too caught up in the sensation.

She hoped this newfound lust wouldn't last too long...