“Shining!”

The voice pierced through the darkness of Shining’s half-sleep, a hoof against his side shaking him awake. Desperately he clung to the scraps of sleep that remained, scrunching his eyes tighter in attempt to ignore the morning sun against his eyelids.

“Shining, get up, a pair of dragons have come out to meet us.”

“Cadence, I-” Shining’s mumbled words caught in his throat as one of Cadence’s words lit up in his head. Slowly, he uncurled and lifted his head, cracking his eyes open enough to see what was before him. “Did you say dragons?”

Mmhmm.” The blurry pink muzzle before him bobbed up and down. “They said the king sent them, that they’re going to fly us to him right now.”

Shining’s body shrunk at the mention of flight, eyes squeezing tight once more and head curling close into his chest. “Tell them we’ll be fine walking.”

“Oh come on Shining.” He felt her tug on his foreleg, pulling it out from underneath him. “It’s only a short flight.” Still he wouldn’t budge. Frowning, Cadence rolled her eyes upward, thinking. Eventually a wicked smile spread across her muzzle. “If you don’t you’ll get wet.”

Curling himself tighter, Shining flattened his ear against his head to block out the ringing of Cadence’s horn. “You wouldn’t.”

A jet of water answered him, sending a jolt through Shining’s body. “Okay I’ll get up,” He said quickly, not wanting to end up as drenched as he had a few days previous. Springing to his hooves, he wiped the wetness from his shoulder before turning to Cadence. “Can I at least have breakfast first?”

A pair of blueberry pies disappeared down Shining’s throat as Cadence dissipated their tent, Cloud and Skylight’s already packed away. The pegasi pair sat a few steps away from Shining, both eyeing the armored pair of dragons, Cloud with marvel, Skylight with suspicion.

When both pies were stuffed inside him, Shining shifted his eyes to the dragons as well. They stood on four legs as thick as his body, forelegs longer than the rear. Dull black plate trimmed with ruby red covered most of their length, spaces in the armor exposing their muzzles, necks and bellies and left room for their wings and legs to protrude.

Their necks were as broad as their legs, a line of blunt spikes trailing down them to disappear underneath their armor. Behind them stood the great obsidian wall of Rockholm, its surface reflecting the morning sun. Open-topped towers protruded from it every so often, the spiked heads of dragons visible upon their rooves.

The four ponies had camped a short distance from the walls the previous night, all agreeing it would be best to face the dragons in the light of day.

“How long have they been here?” Shining whispered as he shuffled close to the pegasi.

“Since sunrise,” Skylight answered, grinding her teeth. “The sound of their wings woke me.”

Cloud appeared to take no notice of their conversation, his eyes fixated on the pair of dragons before him, jaw slack.

Hoofsteps behind the three signaled Cadence’s approach, along with the sound of something sailing through the air.

“Ow,” Shining cried as his saddlebags hit him in the back of the head. Rubbing the sore spot, he turned and glared at Cadence. “What was that for?”

A giggle burst from Cadence’s grinning lips. “I was just making sure you’re completely awake.” The laughter on her lips faded as she looked up at the approaching dragons. “It seems like it’s time to go now.”

The draconic pair halted before the group and bowed as deeply as their armor would allow. “Princess Cadence,” One of the guards began, his voice clear and crisp, as if he had been announcing such titles all his life. His scales were a rich forest green, with a pale yellow underbelly to match. “Prince Shining, and others. We have come to accompany you to Obsidian, the reigning king of the Dragon Lands.”

Both dragons bent their legs, lowering their bodies to the stone. “If you would climb atop us, we will fly you to him immediately,” The other boomed, his scales a fiery mix of orange and red.

All four ponies sat wordless for a few moments, their minds flooded with rivers of thoughts.

Prince Shining? Both Cadence and Shining thought, their eyes meeting. Cloud’s head was filled with fantasies of the world beyond the wall, fiery pit and great troves of treasure, fearsome dragons and brave knights willing to slay them.

Skylight broke from her thoughts first, her already creased brow lowering with hostility, lips parting slightly to bare her teeth. “They’ll fly on Cloud and I, not you dragons.” She twisted her mouth a the word, as if it left a bad taste.

Hearing Skylight’s hostility snapped Cadence away from her worrying. thoughts of Shining pushed away for a moment. She stepped forward and draped a foreleg over the pegasus’s withers, smiling warmly. “Skylight, the dragons are friendly remember. They won’t hurt us.”

“I know, but I’d feel better if you flew on me.”

“Ar-”

The red dragon’s rumbling chuckle cut off Cadence’s soothing words, the deep sound akin to a distant earthquake. “Don’t worry princess, we guards have thick skin to this kind of thing. Whether it’s from ponies or other dragons.” His eyes flicked over Skylight’s slim frame, smiling at the size of her wings compared to his. “I doubt she can carry you anyway.”

Cadence rolled her eyes as she noticed Skylight’s nostrils flaring, chest inflating as she unfolded her wings. He just had to say one last thing, didn’t he.

“Being a dragon doesn’t make you any stronger or faster,” The puffed up pegasus said, wings extending completely with an audible snap.

Rolling his shoulders, the fiery red dragon slowly opened his own wings, the leathery expanses a dozen times the size of Skylight herself. “Why don’t you prove it?”

Skylight shrugged Cadence’s hoof from her shoulder, turning away from the pony trying to comfort her to point at the deep black wall. “A race to the wall and back?”

“Deal.”

The two shot off before anyone else could speak. Skylight a tiny blue dot beside the monstrous red beast.

“He always gets himself into these kind of challenges, it’s like he enjoys it or something.”

The three ponies looked around for the source of the voice for a moment before they realised it came from the dragon before them. His head shook as he watched the two colors shrink against the backdrop of black.

“That mare sure is a fast one however,” The dragon continued, eyes still set on the distant racers. “I’ve never seen anyone tail Signa that closely.”

Following the dragon’s eyes, Cloud allowed himself to smile as he spied the two fliers returning, Skylight appearing to be neck and neck with Signa. “She sure is an amazing pegasus, you’re not wrong about that, but you’re wrong about the race. Signa seems to be behind her.”

Cloud took a few steps backward, the two beside him doing the same moments before Skylight slammed into the stone where the had just stood. Her white cheeks were awash with red and spread with a grin.

Pushing back her mane, she turned and watched as Signa landed beside his partner, the impact cracking the ground beneath him.

“I’ve never met a pony who could best me, and the dragons who can are few,” He rumbled, his smile showing sharp yellow teeth. “What’s you’re name pony?”

“Nectar.”

“Nectar. I’ll remember that. It will be enjoyable to watch you race other dragons.”

“Signa, enough of this racing,” The other dragon said, his words tearing the smile from Signa’s muzzle. “We have a duty to do.” Turning to Skylight, he narrowed his eyes. “It seems you have won the opportunity to carry the princess and prince with this race.” His lips twisted at the word. “So we will simply guide you.”

Without waiting for a word from anyone else, he sprung into the air, his fiery red companion following, lips moving wordlessly. Nectar, Nectar.

“Well that was, interesting,” Cadence said slowly, confusion over recent events still filling her head. “Why did you give him a fake name Skylight?”

Eyes rising to meet the dragons that hovered above them, Skylight shook her head slightly. “He feels strange, like he’s hiding something. We should get going anyway.”

It took moments for the ponies to perform their preflight routines. The pegasi passing their bags to the ponies who would ride them before bending low to the ground. Shining took some coaxing from Cadence before he climbed atop Cloud, eyes scrunched tight.

The draconic pair set and easy pace a short distance ahead of them, allowing the burdened pegasi to keep up easily.

Cadence marvelled at the city once they reached a height to peek over the wall. Rows and rows of streets extended into the horizon, each packed with buildings hewn from all sorts of stone. The red of ruby, green of emerald, deep blue of sapphire and many other gems dotted her vision, but the majority of the city was black on grey streets.

It looks like such a sad city, She thought.

As they continued to follow the dragons, deeper and deeper into the heart of the city, Cadence noticed there were others in the air with them. Other dragons of all sizes and colors, some so small they would have stood a head shorter than Cadence herself, and one so monstrous wouldn’t fit through the great doors of Canterlot palace.

Unlike the bright coats the four ponies possessed, the scales of every dragon were dull. Oranges, greens, reds and even one pink, but all were tinted with black.

Every so often they passed tall towers that soared high above all else, some so tall Cadence could almost feel her hooves brushing against their roofs when they passed overhead. The walls of each one were solid black, so smooth they appeared to be hewn from one stone. A different color fringed each tower, the same dull colors the dragons wore.

Do I know this place? Cadence thought after some time, her eyes managing to pick out streets that seemed familiar, buildings she swore she had seen before. It’s like I’ve been here before, but when? Her mind swam as they continued to fly, frustration tainting her thoughts as she struggled to grasp memories just beyond her reach.

Eventually she shook her head, dismissing the notion. It must just be my imagination. The buildings below were spacing out, streets widening and lightening from the dull grey to a sandy yellow.

The feeling of familiarity grew as well, a nagging feeling in the back of Cadence’s mind, something she couldn’t ignore. Maybe it just looks a lot like Canterlot, She thought, before realising how wrong she was comparing the pearly whiteness of her home city to the dullness of Rockholm.

“We’re landing,” Skylight grunted, breaking Cadence out of her thoughts before they tilted downward, the ground coming up to meet them.

When the strain on her stomach had settled, Cadence opened the eyelids she couldn’t recall closing. “You didn’t have to land so quickly,” She whispered in Skylight’s air. The pegasus underneath her shook gently as Cadence heard her chuckle.

“That landing is the least of our worries.”

Looking up, Cadence realised what Skylight meant. They stood in the centre of a long sandstone path, dragons lining either side of it. Most of them she assumed to be guards, fitted with armor similar to that their escorts had worn, but between the gaps in their ranks she spied the faces of other dragons.

“What is this?” She asked breathily as she climbed from Skylight’s back, stretching her already numbing legs.

Skylight chuckled, looking up and down the lines of dragons. “It’s a royal greeting, you should be honoured.” The smirk on her muzzle showed how she truly felt.

Gazing around, Cadence stood in awe of the amount of dragons that had came out to greet her, many more still descending from the sky, like a hailstorm of all different colors.

“Out of my way.” The voice caught her attention, raised above the soft murmur that ran through the crowd around her. “Part before your prince.” The voice called again, followed by a yelp.

Trying to find the voice with her eyes, Cadence noticed the dragons to one side of her looking backward, their voices quieting as they parted. She noticed a long red neck in the distance, the head it carried bearing a scowl as its eyes flicked from side to side, lips sometimes flaring to show the long yellow spikes hidden behind.

The crowd before her parted to reveal the body it was attached to. Slender legs held it up, the muscle beneath the ruby red scales rippling with each step. Bright yellow coated his underbelly, from underneath his chin to the tip of his tail. His scales are so bright, Cadence thought, forced to squint at the sunlight reflecting from the polished surface.

A wall of spikes ran along his back and tail, their color identical to his belly, each point joined with a leathery webbing. A grin lit up his muzzle when he spied Cadence, a long tongue running along his lips.

“Princess,” He called when he realised she was staring back. His snout brushed against the sandstone path as he mocked a bow. Greedy eyes held Cadence, climbing over her shoulders and along her back, eyeing her rump before returning to her face.

Taking a step backward, Cadence swung her gaze around her before meeting the dragon’s eyes once more. The guards appeared to have stepped back as well, their claws now resting on the grass of the garden that surrounded them. “Are you the king’s son?”

The dragon’s jaw dropped, eye opening wide with faux shock. “Does she not know?” He questioned as he looked at the dragons that stood a safe distance behind them before turning back to Cadence. “How could this princess not know the true ruler of this land.”

Snapping his mouth closed, he curled his lips open so only his teeth were showing, a patch of dull yellow on against his bright red scales. His eyes as well, Cadence noticed. They’re just as dull as his teeth, just as sad as this city.

She watched him lower his head until his muzzle almost rested upon the stone beneath, lips splitting as he grinned. The emotion wasn’t reflected in his faded gold eyes however, They’re like the eyes of a terrified foal whose lost his mother.

“I’ve been waiting for you some time princess.” He stalked around her as he spoke, like a lion his forelegs were bent, tail raised, as if he were going to pounce. “Nothing fun happens around here, but I heard you were coming and I didn’t want you to have a boring time. So I thought I’d plan some excitement.”

His circle around her complete, he brought his muzzle up close to hers, one of his claws against her cheek. “Too bad you won’t be here to watch it.”

Before Cadence’s eyes his lips parted, the warmth and rank stench of his breath filling her nostrils. He’s going to eat me, She realised, but when she tried to move her legs, summon her magic, nothing happened. Move Cadence!

The deep red of his throat opened up before her, the points of his teeth touching against her neck, pricking at her skin. She felt teeth brush over her ears and sink into her mane as well, their ends touching her skin before stopping. It’s over, I didn’t even get to kiss Shining goodbye.

Eyes still staring at the wet flesh before her, Cadence waited for the teeth to puncture her coat and tear through her neck, but the final bite never came. Perking her ears up, she realised she could no longer hear the distant beating of wings in the background, nor feel the breath of the dragon before her.

Maybe this is death, She thought. Maybe you’re frozen in your last moments forever? She felt a warmth in her chest, a pressure building like a ball. Or maybe this is death, you fade away from the inside out. The feeling grew hotter, until it felt as if her belly were full of fire, a blazing ball of light, wanting to burst out.

Light, it caught the corner of her eye, seeming to come from all around her but nowhere at the same time. The heat followed, burning the back of her eye, clouding her vision with brilliant gold until she could see no longer. She heard a familiar giggle ringing in her ears and the taste of cake on her tongue. Is it over?

And then she took a breath.

The heat burst forth from her with crackle, her whole body feeling on fire for a moment before she was cool once more. Blinking rapidly, Cadence slowly regained her vision, the crowd of dragons still gathered around her, their eyes pinned to the floor.

Following them, she found a belly of yellow facing toward the sky, a ruby red dragon splayed out underneath it. His eyes flickered open, body twisting as he found his claws. Looking to Cadence, his eyes widened, the fear that lay there more obvious than ever, “How?”

Realising he was surrounded, he quickly covered the terror on his features with anger, casting back the dragons who surrounded him with a roar. “You should’ve just let me eat you.” He sprung into the air, ruby wings taking hold of the wind and pulling him higher.

Up and away he flew, every eye following him until he was but a blur amidst the sea of fliers.

Looking back downward, Cadence realised most of the dragons were staring at her, more with every second that passed. “The princess!” A cheer went up from somewhere in the crowd, another voice echoing it.

“The princess,” A hatchling who stood at the front of the crowd yelled, his tiny grey wings flaring up and brushing against the legs of those behind him. The cheer ran back and forth through the dull rainbow of dragons until it was a mix of whistling, shouting and clapping, Cadence magically blocking her ears to not be deafened by the din.

She felt a touch against her shoulder and turned into a hug from Shining. “What happened Cadence?” He asked as he buried his muzzle into her mane. “A massive crowd gathered around you and I couldn’t push through. Skylight and Cloud flew up to get a better view and then there was a flash. What happened to you?”

Cadence glanced at the throng of dragons around her and then up into the sea of colors the prince had disappeared into. Her lips trembled as she tried to speak, her mind a muddle of emotion, but for one thought that stuck out. I almost died.

The corners of her eyes grew wet, her throat tightening as she choked back a sob. Cuddling her head close into Shining, she allowed the tears to flow, her forelegs shaking, his wrapping around her, holding her upright.

Noticing Cadence’s state, Shining felt a pang of confusion as he eyed the cheering dragons around them. “What happened?” He asked again.

Strangling the want to curl up in his grasp and have him cradle her like a foal, Cadence breathed deeply, and brought her lips to Shining’s ear. “Inside, I’ll tell you inside.”

Shining nodded, propping her up against him before turning and heading back up the sandstone pathway. The sea of dragons parted before them, every eyes on the pink princess and her prince.

“I apologize deeply for my son’s behaviour.”

They stood in the throne room, hooves resting upon a strip on creamy marble that formed a pathway through the ocean of obsidian that was most of the palace’s floors. The king sat slumped upon one of the two thrones that lay at the far end of the room, the golden structure large enough for the group of ponies to set their tents up on and more. His scales were true to his name, black as a moonless night with an ash grey underbelly to match.

Small crusts beneath Cadence’s eyes showed where her tears had fallen. “It is not your fault,” She said, trying to meet the king’s gaze but failing. Instead she stared at the floor, I think I now know why Skylight’s wary of dragons. “I’m just glad to still be alive, thanks to Celestia.”

The dragon king shook his head, confusion obvious in the lines that creased his face. “I still do not understand how you claim your princess saved you from the other side of Equestria. Surely the magic must have been of your doing.”

Biting her lip, Cadence examined the speckles that dotted the stone beneath her. I still don’t know how she does it, She thought. How can she possibly know I’m in danger, and if she does know, why does she leave it until it’s almost too late?

Instead of voicing her doubts she lifted her eyes slightly, the dragon king’s claws holding her focus, and lit her horn. “Well, as you can see my magic is blue, and everyone claims the blast was golden, even if I couldn’t see it too well myself. Celestia is the only pony I know who has that color of magical aura.”

“I see,” The dragon king said, nodding, even though his eyes still held doubt. “But it does not matter how, what matters is that you are safe.” He lifted his eyes, looking over them at the distant wall, as if he were trying to recall something forgotten. “Ah yes,” He exclaimed eventually. “Introductions have slipped my mind.”

Bowing his head deeply, he pointed a claw to his chest. “I am Obsidian, King of the Dragon Lands.” He rested his eyes on Cadence. “You must be the princess,” Glancing at the other three, he frowned before pointing to Skylight. “Are you the prince?”

Red exploded across Skylight’s face, “I’m a mare,” She said, stroking her short mane with a hoof.

“Oh,” A smile cracked across Obsidian’s lips. “I do apologize. I merely assumed the princess’s strongest companion would be her prince.” He turned to Cloud. “It must be you then.”

Cadence sighed deeply before wrapping a foreleg over Shining’s withers, “Well actually this one’s my prince.” She pressed her lips into his cheek, the feeling of him beside her giving Cadence the courage to meet Obsidian's eyes with a smile. “His name is Shining Armor.”

“Ah yes,” Obsidian clasped his claws together. “And the names of your friends?”

“Cloud and Skylight,” Shining answered, pointing out each pony with his hoof. “But enough introductions. I was wondering who told you I’m a prince? I didn’t even know myself?”

“Really?” Question replaced the lines of laughter around Obsidian’s eyes. Signalling with a claw, he called over another dragon, his scales a sandy yellow with a white underbelly to match, who held a parchment in his wing. “It is written here that you two are betrothed,” The king said as he unrolled the paper before his eyes. “Is this incorrect?”

Cadence met Shining’s eyes, the small smile on his lips comforting her. “No it’s right. We just didn’t expect Celestia to be telling everyone so soon. Our marriage is still years away.”

“Ah.” The king handed the parchment back to his assistant before turning to the four before him once more. “And may I ask you one thing before I show you to your rooms? When did the arrangements change? I thought the prince and princess were travelling alone.”

Everyone looked to Cadence for an answer. “We were” She said quickly. “But along the way we met them, and they wanted to leave where they were living and move to somewhere else.” Maybe here? She thought but kept the words to herself, wanting to leave that question to the two pegasi.

“Mmm, a change of scenery is something I desire as well.” Looking off into the distance, Obsidian sighed. “the pressure of kingship is a heavy burden more often than not, sometimes I wish I could abandon it and be free once more, but enough with me. I will show you to your rooms.”

Without another word, Obsidian rose and flicked a claw at the sandy colored dragon again. With a nod the servant stepped toward the nearest wall and pushed his claw into the obsidian.

“Amazing isn’t it?” The dragon king commented as the wall behind the pair of thrones slid sideways, not even a whisper signalling its movement.

Following Obsidian, Cloud examined the track the door slid along as he stepped through it, confusion creasing his brow when he found nothing but shadow. “How does it work?”

“The stone floats on a small pool of molten rock, allowing for soundless movement. The doors are a recent addition to the castle, much better than the scraping I had to bare before.”

The long hallway behind the throne room was lit with a line of soft flames on either side. Its roof rose high enough to accompany Obsidian’s height with ease, the four ponies merely tiny dots in the vast expanse of the room.

A stairway rose at the end of the hallway, polished back stairs split into several sizes. One half of the stairway was formed from stairs taller than the ponies themselves, each set of stair progressively shrinking as they moved across.

The ponies climbed one end of the stairway while the dragon king climbed the other. “These are the royal apartments,” He announced as they met again the the top. “The rooms are spacious even for one as large as I, so I presume they will one large enough for the four of you.”

There were two doors in the long stretch of hall before them before their vision disappeared up another set of stairs. They walked in silence down the hallway before stopping at one of the doors. “If you desire anything simply ask, I will be down in my throne room for the remainder of the day.”

Obsidian half turned away before recollection struck his features, “I almost forgot. There is a festival tomorrow to celebrate the first day of the month. If you are feeling well enough I hope to see you there.” He dipped his head slightly before turning and striding back down the hall, disappearing into the stairway.

Alone at last, the four ponies shared silent glances, no one knowing quite what to say.

Eventually Cadence spoke up, “Well, we may as well unpack, maybe we can take a walk around the town before night falls?”

“What happened?”

“So what happened back there?”

Both Skylight and Shining spoke at once, Cloud’s features holding the same question.

The feeling of teeth against her neck flashed through Cadence’s mind, her breathing heavy as she looked from Shining to Skylight before resting her eyes on the floor. “I told you, I had an, an interesting meeting with the prince that didn’t end well.”

“Yes but what exactly?” Skylight demanded. “All I saw was a flash of light and that dragon fly away.”

Shining nodded, his voice quieting as he realised the effect the topic was having on Cadence. “I’d like to know as well, it seems like this has really shaken you up.”

One of Cadence’s legs shook, almost buckling before it locked back into place. “Can we head inside first, I’d rather tell you about this sitting down.”

At her word Shining pressed his hoof into the door beside them, the gigantic marble slab swinging backward with ease. “Wow, these doors really are amazing.”

Inside they found the far wall was made completely of a hazy glass, blurring their view of the outside but still allowing sunlight into the room. The room was completely empty, only a stream of lava hidden beneath a strip of glass breaking from the smooth back stone that made up the floor.

“I guess they knew we had tents,” Shining joked, his words getting no response but an eye roll from Cadence.

“I’m sure it’ll be like that building we stayed at in the lava lake,” Cadence said, stepping toward one of the walls. Lighting her horn, she moved across the smooth surface with her magic until she felt a crack. Now how did he open it?

After a few moments she recalled Ignius pressing his claw against the door. Repeating the memory Cadence found the door opened on its own, revealing a wall of cushions behind. “See, there’s cupboards hidden in all the walls.”

Without responding, Shining stepped beside up beside her and magically took a pillow from the cupboard. “There sure are a lot of pillows in there.” Placing the pillow he currently held behind him, he grasped another, and another. Soon there was a pile of the colorful cushions behind him, the cupboard still showing no signs of emptying.

“Shining, this isn’t the time,” Skylight said, the mountain of pillows between her and him dampening her voice. “Cadence still hasn’t told her story.”

“Well,” A smile pulled at the corners of Cadence’s lips, playfulness lighting her eyes as she reached for a pillow with her blue glow. “I’d rather not think about that right now, maybe a little fun can clear my mind.” She kicked backward gently, knocking over the pile of cushions.

Glancing backward, Shining grinned when he saw the two pegasi up to the neck in pillows, as if they were drowning in a sea of color. One swipe of Skylight’s wing and the smile was traded from his lips to hers.

“Hey,” Shining yelped, rubbing at his snout with a hoof. “I wasn’t the one who kicked the pillows.”

“I just wanted to wipe the smile off your face.” Skylight’s wing flicked another pillow, this one freezing in a blue aura before it made contact with Shining’s muzzle. “That’s cheating.”

Lowering the pillow to the ground, Shining bared one side of his body, magically lifting his saddlebags to show the plain coat underneath. “I don’t have wings, how else do you expect me to throw them, with my teeth?”

Skylight nodded, grabbing one of the pillows before her with her mouth. “That’s fair,” She mumbled before flicking it at Shining’s face, and hitting Cadence instead.

“Maybe we should stop this,” Cloud suggested as he saw the three ponies around him picking up pillows in their jaws. “After all the stress of today wouldn’t you rather do something else Cadence? Some relaxing and-”

His rambling was stopped by a pillow to the muzzle. When the red cushion fell Cloud discovered that it was Cadence’s mouth that was empty. “Why did you throw it at me?”

The smile on her muzzle widened as she gripped another pillow between her teeth. “You need to loosen up a little Cloud. A pillow fight is exactly what I need.” She flicked her neck and a purple projectile flew over Cloud’s head, landing on the obsidian floor behind him and sliding some distance.

Glancing out at the hard floor where her throw had landed, Cadence twisted her muzzle. “There’s just one thing I need to do before we start.” Lighting her horn, she mentally recited a spell now familiar to her, forming an ethereal mattress beneath their hooves before pulling and stretching it until it covered the entire expanse of black below them. “There, now it won’t hurt if we fall.”

No sooner than Cadence finished talking a pillow filled her still open mouth, the grinning Skylight the one with her muzzle empty this time.

Another pillow flew between the four, this one brushing Skylight’s bent foreleg. “Any teams?” She questioned, glancing back as the pillow sunk under the glowing mattress.

“I think you know the answer to that,” Cadence replied with a muffled voice before her and Shining tossed a pair of emerald green pillows at the other two.

Both hit the pegasi dead in the chest, stunning them briefly as prince and princess dashed away, a pile of pillows magically trailing behind each one.

“Do you have any strategies?” Skylight questioned as she piled pillows onto her back with one wing, the other forming half a bowl to cradle the load. “Or are we going by instinct?”

Cloud glanced looked timidly between her and the two ponies at the far end of the room. “I don’t even know if I want to do this. It feels wrong fighting your friends.”

“Then pretend they’re not.” The stack on her back threatening to topple, Skylight cupped her other wing around the cushions. “Pretend it’s that card game. We’re the dragons and they’re the changelings.”

“But, I don’t know if I can.”

Shaking her head, Skylight’s chest shook with a chuckle. “You said you always dreamed of being a brave knight slaying dragons when you were a foal. Dream now, expect instead of a sword you have a pillow.” Picking up a grey one with her teeth, she tossed it gently at him.

And Cloud caught it. He swung it back and forth through the air with his neck, testing the weight, before smiling as best he could at Skylight. “It feels a little different to a sword, but it’ll do.”

The pair stared down the long room to find the other couple were nowhere to be seen, a tower of pillows in their place instead. Shining’s head peeked over the top, a grin on his lips and pillow between them, before he quickly ducked back down.

“Ready?” Skylight asked, her words muffled by a pillow.

Cloud nodded, the cushion in his mouth bouncing up and down with his head.

“Charge!”

The almost indiscernible word rung through the room, coaxing both Shining and Cadence to pop their heads out from their keep. Two pillows, one pink, the other yellow, bounced off of the wall beside their heads, causing them to dive back into hiding.

“Okay,” Skylight grunted, as she tossed another pillow to Cloud. “I want you to charge into the side of their fort and knock it over, then when they’re unprotected I’ll throw everything at them.”

Catching the pillow between his teeth, Cloud glanced at the pile atop Skylight’s back, supported with her wings. “Won’t you have to use your wings to throw all those pillows at once? That’s cheating.”

The grin on Skylight’s lips stretched a hoof wider. “This is a battle, win at all costs.”

They were nearing the curved wall of cushions now, Cadence and Shining nowhere in sight.

“Be careful when we get close,” Skylight warned. “I’m sure they have something hidden behind that fort.”

Nodding, Cloud swung out to the side, aiming his shoulder to just brush against the soft wall, as not to collide with its inhabitants. The moment the side of his body struck orange fabric, he felt a tingling. This isn’t just pillows.

Glancing back at Skylight, he saw her standing still, each of her wings sticking straight out at her sides, loaded with pillows. He felt his shoulder pushing deeper into the pillows before it stopped, The pillows are pushing back.

Cloud curled his wings round his body defensively as he was launched from the fort like a cannonball, a blast of blue energy following him. Below him Skylight followed through with her plan, flinging a dozen pillows from each wings toward the now exposed Shining and Cadence.

Explosion hit explosion with multi-colored marshmallows colliding in midair. A few managed to make it through and bounce harmlessly off the floor beside their marks, but most impacted with each other and fell straight to the floor.

Cloud bounced across the ethereal mattress himself, thankful for Cadence’s forward thinking as he skidded to a halt, pillows still raining down from above. Laughter filled his ears as he rose, the harmonious giggles of Shining and Cadence and the reserved chuckling of Skylight.

“I thought we said no magic princess?” Skylight said, a smile still on her lips.

“We only cheated because we knew you would,” Cadence responded, Shining agreeing with a nod. “But who cares, that was fun. Just what I needed to relieve some stress.” Sighing, she sunk to the ground, eyes meeting Shining’s.

Noticing the smile on Cadence’s face shrink, Shining draped his foreleg over her withers and squeezed. “Are you ready to tell us what happened?”

Cadence nodded. “But before I say anything,” Turning, she met Skylight’s gaze. “Don’t take this as a reason to hold anything against dragons, this is just one dragon.” She felt Shining’s grip tighten around her as the two pegasi stepped forward and sat.

Where do I start, She thought, stepping backward through the shock of Celestia’s magic, the bone numbing terror of the prince’s teeth against her neck, the voice through the crowd that had started it all.

And relived the experience, explaining each part as best as she could remember, silencing Skylight and Shining with a hoof whenever she saw their lips opening to speak.

“And then I felt you behind me, Shining,” Cadence said after what seemed like an eternity, the sound of the crowd’s chant playing over and over in her head.

Skylight’s features were a twist of anger, her wings half-open, ready to spring into action. “You almost died, why didn’t you tell us before?” Hatred bit into her words, each one speaking of her rekindled hate for dragons.

“Well, because I knew you’d get like this,” Cadence said softly, resisting the urge to reach out and stroke the pegasus’s cheek, calm her as she would’ve calmed Twilight. “I didn’t want any of you causing a scene before the crowd or the king, he already knows how his son is.

A mixture of anger and worry painted Shining’s face, his foreleg that had been holding Cadence had been joined by the other, the pair guarding his princess. “We can’t just pretend it didn’t happen.” A choke ceased his speech, teeth clamping over his lips to hold back the tears he felt like crying.

“I know.” Feeling the tension in Shining’s body, Cadence pressed her muzzle into his neck, relaxing him with a stroke of her snout. “But I don’t want to punish him for it. He seemed confused, I could see it in his eyes. Something happened to make him this way.”

Cloud nodded, his eyes unfocused but filled with thought. “We should ask the king about it tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll be able to tell us what happened.” Fixating his eyes on Cadence, a smile spread across his lips. “And once you know the problem, you can help him, just like you helped me.”

“Help him?” Both Shining and Skylight exclaimed, as if the prospect was impossible.

“Well what else do you propose we do, kill him?” Cadence flicked her eyes between the unicorn and pegasus, watching Shining’s head fall and rage flare in Skylight’s eyes.

“He’s beyond helping,” Skylight said, both wings extending to their fullest.

Looking to his side, Cloud touched his hoof gently against the base of one of Skylight’s wings. Slow and circular rubs helped ease it closed as he spoke, “No one’s beyond helping Skylight. I used to faint at the sight of you remember? I thought I could never get rid of that terrible thing, but Cadence and Shining didn’t give up. Even a killer can be changed.”

“But that was different,” Skylight protested, her voice degrees calmer than it had been previously, eyelids relaxing as she allowed Cloud to fold her wings away. “You did that for love, why would this dragon change?”

“I don’t know.” Cloud’s eyes fell slightly, his massaging slowing. “But no one’s evil without a reason. Tomorrow we can ask the king about it.”

Silence fell over the four, the couples cuddling close to each other, muttering incomprehensible words to one another. After some time Shining spoke up, “So, what are we doing for the rest of the day?”

Cadence looked up, her eyes surprised to find sunlight still filtering in through the windows at one end of the room. “It’s still day?” A heavy breath passed between her lips. followed by a chuckle. “So much has happened today it feels like it should be night time already.” Still staring at the glass, she heard her belly growl.

The other three’s eyes fell on her, each one smirking or chuckling.

“I think it’s time to find something to eat,” Shining said, a smile still on his lips. “The king did say if we wanted anything just ask.”

After many questions and turning down plate after plate of meat, the four finally found themselves back in their room, a pair of pie dishes set out before them.

Blueberries stained the muzzles of Skylight and Shining, while Cloud’s was dyed red with the juices of raspberry. Cadence had managed to keep her lips clean from any fruit, her small bites still leaving her with a quarter of a pie where the others had finished theirs.

Resting on his side, Shining eyed the remainder of Cadence’s pie as she nibbled at it, wishing it were his mouth the sweet pastry was kissing instead of hers.

Wiping her muzzle with a hoof, Skylight stretched her wings for the half-hundredth time, boredom in her eyes. “We’ve eaten, what now?”

Mouth frozen in midair, Cadence lowered her pie. “Well the king said there’s a festival tomorrow, but today? I think he just expects us to stay in our room.” Her lips returned to the pie, content with her answer.

Skylight rolled onto her back, legs held upward, moving idly. “But sitting in this room is boring. Can’t we go out?”

Looking at the window beside them, Cadence shrugged. “You can always go out and fly if you want.”

Taking one look at the murky light the window let in, Skylight shivered. “Not when the sky’s full of dragons. Not after what happened today.”

Cadence opened her mouth, another lecture on how all dragons weren’t the same on her lips, but the ghostly feeling of the prince’s teeth against her neck stopped her. I don’t know if I’ll ever look at a dragon the same after that. Instead she nodded, “Maybe after I’ve finished eating we can take a walk around the castle?”

Flipping back onto her stomach, Skylight nodded. “Anything other than sitting here.”

Abandoning her dainty bites, Cadence smeared her muzzle with red as she wolfed down the final piece of raspberry pie. “Well, is everyone ready to go?”

Skylight and Cloud sprung to their hooves, eager to burn the excess energy that filled their wings. Shining moved at a slower pace, sleepy eyelids threatening to fall closed as Cadence help him up.

Leaving their bags behind, the four stepped from their room and down the hall, descended the black staircase until they found themselves facing the door to the throne room. The door opened soundlessly when Cadence magically flicked the switch beside it.

The king had been finishing his court session when they had asked for food earlier, now he was standing at the ornate stone table beside his throne, discussing something with the sandy-yellow dragon beside him.

“I hope we’re not interrupting anything,” Cadence said as she stepped up behind Obsidian, his eyes intent on the mess of words scattered across pages before him.

A smile lit his face as Obsidian turned, brow rising with surprise. “Princess, I did not expect to see you so soon. Were the pies not enough?”

Cadence shook her head, looking back at the three behind her, the king’s eyes following. “It’s not that. Some of us are getting a little restless sitting in our room, we were wondering if we could take a walk around the castle.”

“Of course, you do not even need to ask for my permission on such a matter.” His smile shrunk a little, eyes falling. “I am surprised you have recovered from your, incident, so soon. Most would be cowering for weeks after such an ordeal. I wish you a pleasant walk.” Obsidian made to turn back to his papers, but Cadence’s voice stopped him.

“Well about that,” Twisting her head backward, she met Cloud’s eyes, taking a deep breath before turning back to the king. “I don’t want to hold any grudges against your son, in fact, I’d like to talk with him, and you, about it.” She heard a pair of gasps behind her and saw shock rise across Obsidian’s features once more.

Silence filled his throat for a moment, his breath ceasing as he stared at Cadence. “Princess,” He said eventually. “I can not believe you would be so forgiving of such a dire act.” He glanced back to the desk before him, impatience obvious on the sandy dragon’s face. “But I should return to my duties, we will discuss this matter another time. A pleasant walk I wish you once more.”

Cadence felt her heart thumping in her chest as the dragon king turned away, its beats so strong she thought it might burst. Did I really just say that? Shining’s hoof pulled her away from the table and the four set off down the throne room.

“Did you just say what I think you said?” Shining whispered once he judged they were out of earshot. “You don’t hold anything against a dragon who wanted to kill you?”

“Well,” Cadence glanced from side to side, the shock on Shining’s features and the disgust on Skylight’s surrounding her. “I really do want to forgive him, but,” She bit her lip and found Cloud’s eyes, full of encouragement. “I don’t know how long it’ll be before I’m able to say that truthfully.”

The questions in the Skylight and Shining’s mouth were silenced by Cadence’s words, their tongues still as the group stepped toward the throne room entrance. Past the grey crystal doors a great hall opened up before them, orange, red and yellow carpeted a path across the floor, like great flames licking at their hooves.

I know this place, Cadence thought as she gazed at the ceiling that towered above. She had felt the same feeling as she walked through the hall after her fright, but it had been muddied by her emotions. It was the same sensation she felt in the back of her mind when they had flown over the city. But how? I’ve never been here before.

Ignoring the nagging feeling, she led the others out of the great doors that made up the palace’s entrance, their crystal the same grey of the throne room doors. With the room behind her, the feeling faded, her attention instead taken with the garden before her.

“I guess they don’t have gardeners,” Shining observed after a glance over the dull green expanse in front of him, voicing Cadence’s feelings of the place exactly.

Skylight shook her head, testing her wings on the cooling afternoon air, “Looks don’t matter, it’s a whole lot of free air.” Leaping toward the sky, she circled low above the group, taking care not to enter the never ending stream of dragons passing high overhead.

Without speaking Cloud followed her, a grin wide on his lips as he beat the monstrous wings at his sides.

“Well, at least they’re happy,” Cadence commented as she followed the pair with her eyes.

Noticing the taint of gloom in her words, Shining stepped closer, stroking her mane with a hoof. “What’s wrong Cadence? You’re safe with me, no dragon will hurt you.”

Cadence forced a smile to her lips as she ignored the reminder of the prince’s teeth against her neck, his claw pressed into her cheek. “No, it’s not that. Well not just that.” Sighing, she swept her eyes over the wilted flowers before her, their stems strangled with thorns. “This garden, it’s depressing.”

“Mmmhmm,” Shining murmured, keeping close to her as they stepped along the sandstone path. “It seems so dead, like no one takes care of it.” Every step through the garden contradicted Shining’s words, gardeners swarming over the place like bees in a hive, watering and trimming each flower, they even caught some whispering to their floral friends.

Most saw the pony couple and scampered away, as if they were a pair with the plague. “Why are they so scared of us?” Shining questioned after the dozenth time it happened.

Following the most recent gardener with her eyes, Cadence shook her head, “I don’t know, maybe they’re avoiding us because of what happened today? The blast that Celestia let off was a powerful thing.”

As they continued through the garden, Cadence heard the sound of steps on grass behind her, Is someone following us? She thought as she glanced backward, only to find nothing. Yet the sound still filled her ears as they walked.

Eventually she stopped and swung her whole body round, hoping to catch sight of their invisible follower, but once again her eyes caught nothing.

“What’s wrong Cadence?” Shining asked, turning round as well.

Flicking her eyes over the rows of wilted white lilies that surrounded them, Cadence shook her head. “I’m sure I can hear someone walking behind us.” Raising her voice, she called, “Is there anyone there?”

A rustle sounded from a nearby bush, followed by the tip of a sapphire blue snout peeking out of it. “Woah!” The snout toppled forward at the cry, a similarly colored dragon following it. Quickly it rolled onto its hind legs, a wide grin showing bright white teeth as it stared at them.

Cadence took a step toward the stranger, “Hello little one,” She said softly, even though the dragon stood eye to eye with her. “Are you the dragon who’s been following us?”

The dragon’s snout bobbed up and down, eyes running over Cadence’s body in a frantic fashion. “Are you the princess?” She questioned after a moment, the words carried by a voice that reminded Cadence of her first encounter with Twilight, soft and shy.

“Well yes, if it’s a pony princess you’re looking for. Who are you?”

Joy exploded from the dragon as she stood before prancing around Cadence, grin growing even wider and wings splaying out at her sides. “Oh yes, I knew it was you. That way you fought off Ember today was amazing. You let him think he was bout to win and then boom, he goes flying.” Stopping before Cadence, she stared at her like a puppy waiting for a treat. “Can you teach me how to do that?”

Cadence held out a hoof to stop the young dragon as she made to circle round her once more. A soft chuckle rumbled along Cadence’s neck, “Well as much as I’d like to teach you that, you’re a dragon, you need magic to make an explosion like that, and even if you had a magical spark.” Cadence lowered her eyes slightly. “I wasn’t the one who made that explosion.”

Deep blue eyes held Cadence’s pink pair as the dragon judged her, a claw stroking over the blue scales of her muzzle. “Hmmm, I guess you’re telling the truth, but then who did it?” Leaning around Cadence she spied Shining. “Was it him? I didn’t see him though, maybe he’s some mystery pony who doesn’t want his great powers revealed?”

A pink hoof against blue lips silenced the dragon, Cadence smiling as she shook her head. “No, he’s not the one who did it either.” She felt the dragon pull away, and heard her inhale deeply. “No more guesses.”

A frown crossed the dragon’s features, “But I want to know who made that magical explosion.”

“Why don’t you tell us why everyone else is avoiding us, then I’ll tell you who made the, explosion.” Cadence sensed Shining moving beside her, ears perked up, ready to listen.

After glancing between the two ponies for some time, the dragon finally groaned, rolling her eyes. “Fine, but you promise you’ll tell me?” She held out a claw, smallest talon extended.

Tentatively, Cadence touched her hoof against blue scales, a snigger sounding from the dragon as she did so.

“I forgot, you ponies don’t have claws.” Looking upward, the dragon tapped a claw against the side of her head. “Now let’s see, what was the question again?”

“Why are all the other dragons avoiding us?” Cadence answered.

“Ah, that’s easy. They see that you’re Ember’s target. So if he sees them talking to you they think they he’ll think that they’re against him. Get it?” The dragon stared at Cadence, head tilted slightly sideways, blue eyes bugged out.

Cadence stared back for a moment, mentally putting together the dragon’s rapid speech, “I think so. Then why are you talking with us?”

“I’ve seen the crazy magic you can pull off, I don’t fear Ember.” Even so, the dragon glanced up as the sky, realising those above may have heard. “You’ll protect me right?”

Meeting Shining’s eye, Cadence sucked a breath between her gritted teeth, “Well, I don’t know if I can actually, I barely escaped with my life last time I met, Ember,” The prince’s name felt strange on her tongue, like talking with a swollen tongue. “I can’t say for sure you’ll be safe.”

The dragon looked around, before turning away from the pony pair, “I better get going then,” She called back over her shoulder. “Find some place to hide.”

“Wait,” Cadence held a hoof up after the dragon, expecting her to turn back. When she kept scampering away Cadence lit her horn, surrounding the dragon in blue and pulling her back toward them. “I still want to ask you a few questions.”

Flailing her limbs, the dragon swum in mid-air, the fear on her face replaced with a smile, “See you can do that magic thing after all.”

“Yes, a little,” Cadence scrunched up her face, and lowered the dragon to the faded grass below. “But don’t worry about that right now. Can you just answer a few more questions for me?”

“Only if you answer mine first. If it wasn’t you, who did that crazy magic before?”

And I thought foal-sitting was hard, Cadence thought as she sighed. “That was another princess, Celestia.”

Swinging her head from side to side, the dragon spun around, chasing her tail as she examined the garden around them. “Where is she then? I want to meet her, then she can teach me how to beat Ember.”

The sound of wings came from above, drawing the three’s attention to the sky as Cloud and Skylight descended.

Landing beside Cadence, Skylight leant her muzzle toward a pink ear, “Who’s-” Was all she could manage before the a blue bundle of scale collided with her, knocking her onto the ground and wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Are you the other princess? Celestia? Will you teach me how to do that crazy magic. Please?”

Pinned to the ground by a dragon, Skylight instinctively pressed hard against the ground with her wings sending the dragon flying backward. “What was that for?” The words came out as a roar, irritation flooding into Skylight’s features.

Alarmed by the sound, the dragon shrunk down to four legs, curling away from Skylight. “I didn’t mean to hurt you princess. I, I.” Springing up onto two legs, she dashed away, into the garden, echos of sobbing chasing her.

“Oh Skylight, you’re so cruel sometimes,” Cadence said before bounding into the garden after the tearful dragon, leaving the others wordless, still as statues.

Skylight moved first, lowering her head and releasing a heavy breath from her lungs. “I am aren’t I?”

Moving alongside her, Cloud said nothing but draped one of his wings over her back. His jaw moved but nothing came out, mind torn between telling her the truth and comforting her.

“All I can say is that wasn’t called for,” Shining said eventually, breaking the tense silence between the pegasus pair and lifting their eyes toward him. “I know you dislike dragons, but you can’t just yell at them like that, especially if they’re that young.”

He noticed Skylight inhale, her mouth open to defend herself.

“I know, I know,” Shining said before she could utter a word. “She shouldn’t have knocked you over like that, but she’s only a foal, and they get over excited easily. You have to let them know they were wrong gently instead of responding with aggression.”

After a moment of silence, Skylight lowered her eyes to Shining’s hooves. “You’re right, I wasn’t thinking, and that’s how I react when I’m confused or scared, with anger.” A smile broke through her somber expression, a chuckle following it. “When did you get so good at talking out problems anyway?”

The smile on Skylight’s lips spread to Shining’s as memories of Cadence’s insecurities over the recent years filled his mind. “Let’s just say I had a lot of practice.” His eyes snapped open as he recalled where he had seen her last. “Can we talk about this later? We still don’t know where Cadence and that dragon ran off to.”

Cloud quickly stepped away from Skylight, lowering his body to the ground and gesturing with his head, “Get on, it’ll be easier if we fly.”

They found the two nestled up against each other in the far corner of the garden, so intent on the conversation with each other they didn’t look up till Skylight touched a hoof against the dragon’s shoulder.

“I’m, I’m, sorry,” Skylight managed to say as the dragon shrunk away from her, into Cadence’s open forelegs. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you before, or thrown you to the ground.”

Looking to Cadence for assurance, the dragon found a nod. Tentatively she rose, eyeing Skylight for a moment before a wide grin spread across her muzzle. “Will you teach me magic then?” She cried as she dashed for Skylight, forelegs extended to grasp the pegasus.

Ready this time, Skylight dodged sideways, allowing the dragon to collide with the thorns behind her. Wincing, she stepped toward the bundle of blue scales, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you again.”

The dragon rolled out of the bush grinning, forelegs extended once more, “Don’t worry princess, thorns don’t hurt. Can you teach me magic now?”

“Flo, I already told you she isn’t a princess,” Cadence voice cut across the small space, pulling the dragon’s attention toward her.

“But,” Flo glanced between the two mare’s. “You two look pretty much the same, how can she not be a princess if you are?”

Skylight gazed at Cadence, confusion lining her brow, “Flo?”

Upon hearing her name, Flo spun back to face Skylight, the grin on her muzzle somehow wider. “That’s my name. It’s the best name ever don’t you think?”

A sigh burst from Cadence’s lips, “Now that Skylight’s apologized to you, can you please answer my questions Flo?”

Turning back to Cadence, Flo frowned, “But you still haven’t shown me where this other princess is. Where are you hiding her?”

Cadence rolled her eyes, “I told you, Celestia is a long way away from here, we’re not hiding her from you.”

“You’re lying. If she’s so far away how can she-”

A clamp of blue magic closed over Flo’s muzzle, silencing her. “Will you please just answer one question Flo?”

After struggling at Cadence’s magic with her claws for a few moments, Flo gave up and nodded. Once Cadence had release her she spoke, rubbing at her snout with a hoof. “But you better tell me where the princess is afterward.”

Resisting the urge to sigh again, Cadence rolled her eyes up into her head, thinking back to what she had meant to ask the young dragon. “Oh, that’s right. Why are all the dragons scared of Ember?”

“That’s easy. He’s the meanest dragon in the city.”

“Yes, but why is he the meanest dragon in the city? Does he kill other dragons?”

“Not usually, only if you make him really angry. He just forces everyone to give him gems every now and then. If you don’t he’ll melt down your house, or beat you up real bad.”

“And the king just allows this to happen?”

“Yeah. Some dragons say he’s scared of Ember, but one of the innkeepers said that’s not right. He said the king gets half of the gems. And the other day I heard some crazy dragon yelling something about the king not being the king but his oldest son replaced him.” Flo shrugged. “But I think they’re all crazy.”

I need to ask Obsidian about some of these later, Cadence thought, storing the interesting theories in her mind. “”Well, thank you for that Flo. Maybe we’ll see you some other time.”

As Cadence signalled to the others with the flick of a hoof, Flo dashed up to her and grasped the raised limb tightly. “You can’t go. I need you to protect me from Ember. Without your magic I’ll be next on his list.”

Cadence looked to Shining for an answer but only got a shrug, the pegasi pair responding to her pleading stare with the same gesture. Eventually she turned back to Flo, “I don’t know. Wouldn’t your parents wonder where you are, and I don’t think we’re allowed to have any guests.”

“Just one night? Please? My parents won’t care they’re, working,” The corner of Flo’s eye twitched. “Always working.”

Feeling a pang of sympathy for her, Cadence nodded. “Alright, but only one night okay?”

Slipping Flo past the king was easier than Cadence had imagined. Obsidian and the sandy-colored dragon were still hunched over the table when they entered, neither even bothering to look up when Cadence greeted them.

Flo’s jaw dropped when Cadence pressed her hoof into the back wall of the room, revealing the hallway behind.

“Wow, I ne-” Was all she managed before Cadence’s foreleg closed over her lips.

“Shhh, you’re not supposed to be here remember?” Cadence whispered, glancing back at the dragon king, thankful his eyes were still pinned to the paper before him. Only once the door behind them had slid shut did she remove her leg and receive an excited grin from Flo.

“I can’t believe I’m sneaking into the castle. Ember will never find me in here.”

“Doesn’t Ember live here?” Shining questioned as the five ascended the stairs. “He is a prince after all.”

“No.” Flo shook her head, the joy on her face replaced with a pout. “The king and him don’t like each other very much. So Ember lives somewhere far away. Some people say in a volcano, but that’s silly. There aren’t any volcanoes round here.”

Cadence chuckled at Flo’s expression as she opened the door to their room, pillows still spilled across the polished stone floor at one end.

Bursting past Cadence, Flo bounded into the room eyes flicking round as she examined every inch of it before turning back to the ponies. “This is so empty. What do you even do all day?”

“Well, we only got here this morning,” Cadence responded. “And I don’t plan on spending much time in this room, I’d rather be out exploring the city.”

“You’re in luck then. I know every inch of this city as well as my tail.” Curling the sapphire blue length around into her claws, Flo clutched it tightly. “And I know my tail pretty well.”

“Does that mean you’ll show us around the city?”

“Hmm,” Flo stroked her muzzle with a claw, eyes unfocused as if she were in deep thought. “Only if you promise to protect me from Ember.” Once again she held out her foreleg, smallest claw extended the others curled tight.

Cadence grasped at it with magic and shook softly. “I’ll try as best I can, but I don’t know if I have the power to fight him off without Celestia’s help again.”

“I believe in you princess.”

Warmth blossomed throughout Cadence’s chest, her pink cheeks lighting with a touch of red. Looking away from Flo, she spied the wooden box Cloud kept his cards inside. “Why don’t we play a game of cards?”

Flo’s head darted back and forth as each pair made rapid plays, the draconic army of Shining in a heated battle with Skylight’s Everfree creatures while Cadence and Cloud could do little more than watch.

The young dragon spoke for the creatures as they struck one another, roaring for the dragons and grunting for each of Skylight’s vine creatures. Closing her eyes Cadence allowed the foalish reproductions fill her ears, trying to imagine the battle as Shining struck through Skylight’s defences, his winged beasts out matching her land bound ones.

Instead she found her troubles leaking in, Ember’s teeth around her neck, Flo’s ramblings when she asked her about dragon’s fear for her. What did Flo mean when she said some dragons think the king isn’t really the king? Does Obsidian have another son?

“Cadence?” Shining’s voice bought her back to the present. “It’s your turn.”

Opening her eyes, Cadence gazed over the game, a board she had barely changed over the last half-dozen turns. Shining’s Young Dragon had grown a few more stages from the greed he had fed it, Skylight’s Vine Beast had seen similar growth, the scattering of creatures around each colossal beast almost meaningless.

Pulling a card from the top of the pile, Cadence found herself staring at an unfamiliar image. Raging Sandstorm, she mouthed silently as Flo sidled up against her, trying to peek at the card.

“Boring,” The young dragon commented, dissatisfied with the desert depicted on the card, a wall of sand rolling across it.

Looking further down, Cadence read the text that accompanied it. Summon a sandstorm till your next turn. Creatures without flying can't attack or defend during this duration, nor can they be the target of any spells. A smile slowly crept across her lips as she read and reread it, eyes flicking up to the cards that occupied the table every so often.

“Cadence, have you finished your turn?” Skylight questioned, expecting the alicorn to nod after so many turns of playing little or nothing.

“No.” Counting up the elements she had from her quest, Cadence felt a strange warmth filling her chest, unlike the heat of a blush. I think we’re going to win. Tentatively she placed the card on the polished stone before her and spun it round so the others could view it.

A smile grew over Cloud’s face while Shining took a moment longer to come to the same conclusion.

“I think we win,” Shining announced, Cloud nodding in agreement.

“How?” Pulling her eyes away from her own hand, Skylight examined the card for the first time before frowning. “Shining gets a free turn to attack with that doesn’t he?” Huffing, she allowed the cards she held to fall. “You win then.”

“Another game?” Shining said, eager to carry the previous game’s momentum forward.

Glancing outside, Cloud shook his head at darkness beyond the murky glass. “I think five is enough for one night. Why don’t we get ready for bed?”

Skylight nodded as a yawn broke her lips, “I need sleep.” Slowly she rose and moved toward her pack before unrolling the tent within.

“That reminds me,” Cadence thought aloud. “I still haven’t figured out where you’re going to sleep Flo.” Hearing no response, she glanced around and found no sign of the dragon. “Where is she?”

“Outside,” Cloud looked up from packing away the cards for a moment to point to where a gap had opened into the wall of windows, leading out onto a balcony.

Looking for Shining. Cadence found him aiding Cloud in sorting the cards. There’s no need to bother him with this, She thought, stepping toward the open door.

The night air met her with a pinch as she moved outside. The sky, usually filled to the brim with dragons, was much more at peace, only the hint of color here and there. The balcony was made of a grey granite, a nice break from the oppressing black that made up most of the palace.

Flo turned when she heard Cadence’s hoofsteps behind her, a grin on her muzzle. “Princess! Did you come out here to protect me?”

A chuckle rumbled from Cadence as she sat beside the dragon, “No, I actually was thinking about where you’re going to sleep tonight. Do you want me to set you up a bed inside?”

A quick shake of the head answered Cadence, Flo turning to gaze up at the stars as she did so. “I wanna sleep outside. I haven’t slept indoors since…” Her eyes lowered, smile shrinking.

Draping a foreleg over Flo, Cadence cuddled up close to her. “You don’t have to tell me why if you don’t want to.”

The corners of Flo’s lips lifted a little, her eyes meeting Cadence’s. “Thanks. I just feel safer with the moon and stars above me.”

“Do you want me to bring some pillows out then?”

“No.” Flo gently pulled away from Cadence’s hug, stretching her body out on the balcony. “This stone feels nice.” A yawn pushed its way between her lips, eyelids lowering against her will. “I’ll sleep here.”

Smiling, Cadence watched as sapphires fell across Flo’s eyes, neck and tail curling into her chest until she formed at full circle. “Good night Flo.” She stroked the dragon’s neck softly before rising, meaning to head back inside.

The murmur of wings coming from above stopped her however, drawing her eyes to the sky where she found a great black shape descending. “Obsidian?” She called as he landed between her and the door, the expansive balcony allowing for plenty of room.

“It is I princess.” Folding his wings shut, he stepped toward her, eyes focused on the bundle of blue behind her. “I see you have a stowaway.”

Feeling warmth brush against her cheeks, Cadence glance backward, her teeth gritted. “Well, she just happened across us. She’s scared of Ember and thought I would protect her, I couldn’t refuse.”

“I see you have a heart for the little ones, unlike my son, Ember.” Pain creased Obsidian’s face as the name left his lips, a heavy burden hidden behind his eyes. “But that is my problem. You said you wanted to speak of some matters?”

“Well, I actually wanted to talk about your son. The small amount Flo here has told me is interesting, and confusing.”

“Ah.” Obsidian swallowed hard. “That is a, difficult subject, but I will answer as best I can. What is it you wish to know?”

Where do I start, Cadence thought, her mind swimming with a dozen different questions. Eventually she decided on one. “What happened to your wife?”

Obsidian’s lips parted as if to answer the question, before he realised what she had asked. “I thought you wanted to know about my son?”

Realising the sensitivity of the matter, Cadence bit at her lip, holding back her stream of thoughts. I need to take this slowly. Breathing deeply, she allowed herself to speak. “Well, yes, but somehow I feel like your wife is somehow related to his, problem. Where is she? I never-” Biting at her lips again, Cadence stopped herself, realising she was piling on questions. “Sorry, I just really want to know.”

A heavy breath left Obsidian’s lips, his head sinking. “I understand your curiosity about these things, I’m sure many of my subjects hold the same questions.” Lifting his eyes, he gazed out at the starlit sky. “I think I will tell you the whole tale, it will help you see why my son is in such a state, and why it is my fault.”

Sitting, Cadence stared up at the great dragon, watching the emotions that filled his eyes flit around, grief, disappointment, a touch of anger.

“It all started with my first son, Ash. He was born many years before Ember to some common dragon I thought I loved. Everything about his life was a nightmare, from his birth, where he killed his mother, to his death, in which he killed Ember’s mother.”

Images of ghosts long past away flashed through Obsidian’s eyes as he sat, the weight of the story too much for him to bear standing. “I could see Ash was a monster when he was still a hatchling. He bit and blew smoke at the nurses who cared for him. He was just like any young dragon, I told myself, he will grow out of it, but in my denial I knew the truth. I was a fool to let him live as long as he did.”

“But no one’s truly a monster,” Cadence cut in, hoping to brighten up Obsidian’s grim story. “He must have had some good in him, right?”

The dragon king tore his eyes away from the stars and looked down at her, a sad smile on his lips. “Maybe there was, but I never saw it, nor could any of his nurses coax it out of him. Before he was even a decade old he had killed one of them, tore out the old dragoness’s throat and would have done more if the guards had not have stopped him. That was when I was forced to lock him away.”

“For a decade I locked him away in the palace’s dungeons, visiting him when I could during the first year, and it seemed like his anger was lessening. During the first visits he would spit and rage at me, calling me every terrible name you can imagine, and I just sat and listened. Slowly, with each visit he seemed to grow calmer however, and by the end of that year I would hold him as he cried, apologizing for everything he had done, but-”

“Wait!” Cadence exclaimed, cutting Obsidian off again. “That right there, you said he apologized, and he was no longer angry. Isn’t that the good you were looking for in him?”

Sighing, he shook his head. “If only it were, but you did not let me finish. As I said before, he apologized, but it was all a facade, a trick so he could gain my trust and be free. Early into the second year of his confinement I was contemplating releasing him, but my advisor warned me to wait a while longer. A marriage had been arranged between the princess of Ember and I, an act that would make me king.”

Noticing the confusion on Cadence’s features , Obsidian nodded. “That is right, I have not always been king, and I do not know how much longer my reign will last with my son terrorizing my citizens, but that discussion is for another time.” Pausing for a moment, he stared out into the night sky as he recollected his tale.

“As I was saying, the dragon kingdom was divided after the war with your princess, Ember and Rockholm the two cities that led either side of the conflict. They wished to continue the fight, while I had already made peace. The only ways to solve the problem seemed to be marriage or war. I chose the former. A many years into our marriage she bore a son, and we named him Ember, to celebrate the alliance of our cities.”

Cadence tilted her head to the side, “What was Ash doing during this?” Please don’t tell me you left him all alone.

“My time was constrained during this process, so I did not see Ash till three months after the marriage. He had given up on deceiving me with tears by then and was filling his cell with flames, so I left him down there. Eight years passed and the only times I saw him was on his birthday, though to say I conversed with him on those days would be a lie. I always sat and stared at the fountain of rage contained in that room, trying to convince myself he was not of my flesh.”

Gritting her teeth tightly, Cadence resisted the urge to explode at Obsidian. He just wanted your attention, She screamed in her head. How could you not see that? Instead of voicing her opinion she sat at nodded along as the dragon king continued his story.

“On the tenth year of his imprisonment, I had prepared a present for Ash. A heavy gold bracer embedded with rubies, something I thought would bring cheer to his dull imprisonment. My wife noticing this, questioned of it. The terrible liar I am I admitted that my first son, the myth that had grown throughout my kingdom during his imprisonment, was a reality. When she asked to see him I tried to refuse, but she insisted. It was a foolish decision I knew, but I still had no idea what would happen.”

“I journeyed to the depths of the palace like I always did on that day, this time with my wife and Ember trailing. Ember was still a hatchling, barely able to fly, yet I do not believe he will ever forget what occurred. The two guards who were usually stationed at the bottom of the steps were missing, something I should have been alarmed at but other worries occupied my minds instead.”

“He killed her didn’t he?” Cadence said, not wanting to hear every gruesome detail.

Obsidian nodded, “Fortunately I was able to save one son by slaying the other, or perhaps that was misfortune, I do not know.”

Hanging her head, Cadence bit back her instinct to cry. How could such a horrible thing happen? All he needed was to show a little love, spend some time with his son, and he’s so blind he’s about to let it happen again. Pushing her want to just curl up in Shining’s grasp and allow her tears to flow, Cadence lifted her eyes to meet the king’s. “I want to meet Ember again, there are some things I need to ask. Could you tell me where he is?”

Horror struck Obsidian’s features, “Are you mad? He tried to kill you and you wish to talk with him? I don’t think-”

“I know you think I won’t be safe, but if Celestia protected me once, I’m sure she will again.”

Obsidian’s lips flailed, wordless, unable to comprehend the apparent stupidity of the pony sitting beside him. Eventually he sighed. “I do not approve of this, nor can I aid in your search for my son. I have no clue as to where he resides, but there are tales, whisperings throughout the city. You may find you answer there.”

Standing, he shifted his wings before extending them completely. “I do not know if this talk was of much use, it seems to have sparked ideas in your head no sane one would dream of.” With that said he leapt into the air and caught the wind with his wings, black scales melting away into the night sky.

Flo’s voice came from beside her, “He didn’t sound very nice.”

Looking to her side, Cadence noticed the dragon had sat up, eyes opening and watching the sky. “Mmhmm,” She nodded. “After to listening to how he treated his son before Ember, it’s no wonder Ember had gone mad. The worst thing is, he doesn’t see what’s wrong, even though it’s so obvious.”

“What are you going to do to Ember tomorrow?” Flo looked up to Cadence with wide eyes. “Are you going to beat him up real bad?”

“No, not that, never that. I want to give him something he’s been deprived of since his mother died, the thing that Ash wanted from his father so dearly and almost got. Love.”

Flo made a face, “Ew. You’re going to kiss him and everything. That’s so gross.”

A chuckle shook Cadence, bringing light to her somber mood. “Not that kind of love. I mean just showing him that someone cares for him, that someone wants to spend time with him.”

“So if you do nice things for him, he’ll stop being so mean?”

“Yes,” A yawn broke Cadence’s lips. “Now why don’t you fall asleep properly this time, it’s getting late.” She ran her hoof down Flo’s neck one last time before standing and stepping toward the door.

Shining waited for her just inside, looking just like she had felt a few moments earlier. “Did your conversation with the king not go too well?”

“Well, no,” Cadence felt annoyance flaring up in her once again. “He’s just so-” Biting her lip, she stopped herself, allowing her frustration out as a breath. “Don’t worry about it for now, everything will be much easier to explain after a good night’s sleep.”

Their ethereal tent was set up in the centre of the room, Cloud and Skylight’s makeshift double pushed up against one wall. The weight of the day overcame Cadence as she sunk into the soft magic, her only want that of sleep.

She felt Shining cuddle up behind her, his lips touching against her ear. “I love you Cadence.”

“Love you too Shining,” She managed to mumble before the world around her cut to black.