Alone in his chambers, Chancellor Vinawyll pored over a table full of splayed maps and intelligence reports. Everywhere he looked the Equestrians were advancing, driving his armies back as if they were nothing more than fawns with wooden swords. Worst of all, Quillyyn Keep had fallen. The oldest and sturdiest of Whitetail's fortifications was gone, and it had happened under his rule. History would never forgive him -- if Whitetail had any history left in it.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his muzzle with a hoof. A cold gust made him shiver in his silk and velvet robes. What he wouldn't give to be merely a senator again, when the biggest worry of day-to-day life was arguing with other politicos and trying to stay awake during the countless, utterly pointless gatherings that inevitably led to nothing more than shouting matches between the old guard of Aelindris Eternal supporters and the newer, radical Unionist advocates. Even now, in a time of war, the two sides failed to cooperate. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised; politics never changed, despite the passage of time. The only difference now was that he was in charge of it all. If only that damned Equestrian hadn't gutted Artellus! The old stag would have known what to do. He'd always had a gift for decision making.

A knock sounded from his door. Who could possibly be disturbing him during the middle of the night? "Come back in the morning, I am quite busy," he demanded. Whoever it was, they were persistent -- another knock, but louder. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear the first time. Leave."

"Is that any way to speak to an old friend?" the stranger said through the door. Vinawyll trotted over, his spirits momentarily lifted. A thin smile crossed his face as he opened the door to his quarters.

"Brother-Captain Corvalix. What brings you by at this forsaken hour?"

"Chancellor Vinawyll," Corvalix said courteously, bowing his head. "I was taking a late stroll and noticed the torch light coming from your balcony. Another sleepless night, I take it?"

"Unsurprisingly, yes. There's been quite a few of those as of late. But please, come in, come in." Corvalix stepped inside, looking around the grand chambers of marble, gold and glass-like quinndryll crystal that reflected the room's emerald torch light. It wasn't the first time he'd been in the state room of the chancellor, but it was no less impressive. "May I get you a drink? I have some fine amasec from Icebridle Falls."

"Equestrian sweet wine? By all means." Corvalix laughed. "You have an odd choice of drinks, my friend. There are those who would likely be upset to know you have it."

Vinawyll waved a dismissive hoof as he floated over a jug and two crystalline cups. "I am at war with their soldiers, Brother-Captain, not their alcohol."

"Fair enough. And it's 'Brother-General' now, by the way."

"Indeed?" Vinawyll raised his drink in celebration and chuckled at the thought. "Congratulations, my friend! When did this happen?"

"Earlier this week. Empress Elinwynn, in her infinite grace, saw fit to promote me for my hard work and dedication to the joint cause of Cervidaen and Whitetail prosperity. I could hardly refuse."

"Your sister always was a smart one. How is she these days?"

Corvalix took the cup with his own magic, swirling the amber-colored drink and sniffing approvingly at the aroma. It washed down his throat like milk and honey, burning pleasantly and warming him against the cold night. "She is well, thank you. It has been a long and tiring year for Cervidae and the entire Hegemony, but she has seen us through without fail. I harbor nothing but the deepest respect for her."

"As do I, and I am glad she fares well." Vinawyll motioned to the maps that covered a decent portion of his chambers. "I assume you've heard about Quillyyn Keep."

"I have. Unfortunate business, that." Corvalix studied the formations carefully, his trained mind working on formations and tactics even if they weren't for his own soldiers.

Vinawyll knocked back most of his cup. "You have a talent for understatement as well as commanding troops, it seems. Now the damned Equestrians have a clear run right to Evinwiir itself. To think that I could be the first chancellor to have the capitol besieged...and possibly the last chancellor of Whitetail."

"Do you not have garrisons here? What of your siege weapons? Your rations of food and medicine?"

"We have those things, yes, but the walls will not hold forever. Not if Celestia sees fit to pound them into dust."

"You sound dangerously defeatist, chancellor."

Vinawyll shrugged. "Do you really blame me? Whitetail's armies, the pride of the five forests and harbingers of peace from the seas to the mountains, have been defeated at every turn. And here we thought the Equestrians weak, a nation of lovers and poets." He refilled his cup and finished it in a single gulp. "Damned fools in the senate. Ancestors damn them for their presumptuous, arrogant dismissals! Even as Whitetail burns around them they only seek to further their own ambitions." He pointed to the maps, his anger growing. "The people of Whitetail, the nation of Whitetail, are one and the same! They deserve better!" Vinawyll sat on his haunches and scoffed at the thought of the senate accomplishing anything. "And yet here I sit, unable to do anything about it. I never wanted to be Chancellor. It is only through family history and connections that I call these chambers my own."

Corvalix approached the balcony that overlooked the nearby river, leaving Vinawyll's words hanging in the air. "Why don't you pass your charge to someone else, then? One of the others?"

"Pass on my duties? I may as well put a blade to my own belly and draw it to my throat. Between the Eternals and the Unionists there would be a civil war inside our walls and an Equestrian war outside them. What else can I do besides hang on and hope for the best?"

"There is another way, Chancellor."

Vinawyll stared at the Cervidaen general. "We've already discussed this, Corvalix. Imagine the outrage if I agreed to it!"

"Imagine the outrage when your children are slaughtered in the streets and your does are raped and murdered by Equestrians blinded by battle-lust."

"Do not think to frighten me, for I am not so easily persuaded." Vinawyll placed his forelegs on the map table, darting from unit marker to unit marker for some sort of solution. "We could implement a general draft, call all citizens of fighting age to the war. Perhaps the Saddle Arabians could be convinced..."

Corvalix stepped over and shoved a cloven hoof against Vinawyll's chest. "Is that your solution, then? Have civilians fight against veteran soldiers? Rip fawns from their mothers' embrace and replace them with quinn-blades?"

"Don't you dare--"

"The Saddle Arabians? They would no more fight for you than Cervidae would fight for Equestria! Listen to yourself, Vinawyll!"

The chancellor pushed Corvalix away. "I know!" he shouted. "I know, alright? Just, please, give me a moment..." A few deep breaths allowed him to speak rationally again. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to lose my temper. It's just...I don't know what to do anymore. Perhaps we should surrender. We may shorten our borders but I do not believe Celestia will see Whitetail banished from the texts and razed to the ground if we gave in."

"Is that what you truly want?"

"Of course not, but what is the alternative? Prolonging a losing war? Enough fawns are without their fathers as is."

"You know the alternative." With the chancellor calmed down Corvalix felt confident in approaching him again. He lowered his voice to a measured, practiced tone. "Please, Vinawyll, let us help you. Redtail, Whitetail...we are not so different. Our people weep at the loss of your fathers, mourn the loss of your sons in battle. Whitetail is family to us. Elinwynn is different from her elders; she longs for the old days, before the time of her great-grandmother and her grandmother before her. Neither she nor I wish to see Whitetail lost to the sands of time."

Vinawyll was silent for some time, clicking his hoof against the floor. "You know the ramifications of this, do you not? There will be anarchy in the senate, perhaps in the streets themselves. This is not a decision I can back away from once I have made it."

"I know, my friend. It is a lot to think about. Perhaps I should take my leave for now?"

"I think that would be best," Vinawyll nodded. "Will you be in Whitetail for the time being?"

"I'm afraid I must return to Cervidae for a short time, but I will return within a fortnight. You will let me know then?"

"Of course. Send a runner once you have arrived, then we may discuss things in detail."

"As you wish." Corvalix bowed his head in reverence. "Until then, Chancellor Vinawyll. May the ancestors find you in good health."

"And you as well, Brother-General. Do give your sister my warmest regards."

Vinawyll opened the door and showed Corvalix out, waiting until the redtail general was down the hall before closing it again. There was so much to consider. The survival of Whitetail, the legacy of his entire family, rested on a dagger-point. Exhausted, he extinguished the magical fires dotting his chambers and crawled into bed. It would be a long day tomorrow.

Tercio sighed as yet another procession of ponies from around Equestria entered the Great Hall. Hours had gone by already, and countless hundreds of citizens had come by to cast their name in the drawing to be one of the dozen Hearth's Warming organizers. They were more-or-less organized into eight lines that each led to a table overseen by a court-appointed representative, though the inevitable confusion from such a situation was more than evident.

So many visitors meant that he and many others were stuck with "door duty"; keeping curious foals and prying adults from important areas of the palace, and potentially fighting off anyone violent or stupid enough to think of attacking Equestria's seat of power. For all intents and purposes he was a statue, an ornamental centerpiece for visitors to gawk at and gossip about, his armor polished to a near mirror shine and his spear held firmly against his side with an Equestrian banner flying from the tip. He'd stood in the same place, unmoving, for so long that even his aching legs had stopped bothering to protest.

Ever the life of excitement, he thought bemusedly. At least no one had tried to push past him into the hall way leading to throne room -- not that it would have mattered anyway, since the large doors were barred for the time being.

Still, it beat freezing his ass off half way up some gods-forsaken mountain again. Four days in the snow was more than enough for one life time, as far as he was concerned. For all of the monotony, the Great Hall at least looked a little more festive than it had the last time he'd seen it; streamers of red, gold, green and white ribbon hung from the balconies, and laurels of evergreen and holly decorated the walls and gave a pleasant, comforting scent to what was otherwise a barely-contained rabble.

In the center of the room a large fountain depicting King Argo Navis and Queen Aurora stood watch, surrounded by thirty-three candles that bobbed gently in the air, held aloft by simple magic, each candle representing a century they had spent together. Offerings of coins and trinkets lay at the base of the fountain, left by fillies and colts as part of the holiday tradition.

Someone in steel-and-gold Praetorian armor politely pushed his way through the crowd, waving to Tercio as he approached. The purple cloak draped across his back had been newly decorated with crossed swords in golden thread, a gift for his devotion and patience in training the Princess in the fine art of self-defense.

"Polaris," Tercio nodded. The scarred unicorn looked around at the throng of ponies, having to nearly shout to be heard even when standing next to his comrade.

"Enjoying your time back in Canterlot, I see."

"Oh yes, guarding a door is as riveting as ever. Any more excitement and I'm likely to fall asleep with my eyes open."

"You're in luck, then! I'm your relief, at least for the time being. The Princess has called on you for something or other. She didn't specify what."

Tercio's mood instantly improved. It had been nearly a week since he'd last seen her.

"Did she say where I should meet her?"

"She'll be in the garden. Probably best not to keep her waiting."

"As you say." Tercio snapped off a crisp salute -- more for the sake of impressing the crowd than anything -- and passed his spear to Polaris, who saluted in return and took Tercio's place. Finally free of his post, Tercio stepped past two pegasus Praetorians armed with menacing wing-blades and made the short trek to the main entryway, then down to the royal garden. Two more ponies stopped him for verification, a pair of Royal Guards this time, and once they were satisfied he was free to take his first breath of fresh air in many hours. The silence was nearly overwhelming, with only a light, cold breeze rustling the branches of evergreen trees and diamond-leafed bushes.

Celestia was nowhere to be found, but he soon heard a pleasant humming somewhere near by. He followed it past a hedgerow and into a small collection of pine trees, and he smiled as he laid eyes on his Princess. She had chosen a simple, white and gold toga that hung off her left shoulder, and a laurel of golden leaves was tucked into her mane where her crown usually sat.

"You called for me, Princess?" he asked formally, just in case anyone was listening. She seemed to have not noticed his presence until he spoke, and her eyes lit up to match her smile as she saw him.

"That I did, Centurion Tercio." She eagerly embraced him, and Tercio relaxed and returned her affection. They shared a loving kiss, the first in what felt like far too long. "It's okay, it's just us out here. No need for formality."

"In that case, I've missed you terribly, Celestia." Tercio placed a hand on her neck and pulled her in to him, slipping his fingers under the loop of her toga sleeve and gently tugging at it. Celestia giggled in delight.

"Undressing the Princess in public is frowned upon by royal edict, you know."

"I'm willing to take the punishment for it."

"Oh, I'm sure you are," she teased. "How have you been, my love?"

"Cold, tired, exhausted; you know, the usual. Stonewall seems intent on coming up with new and creative ways to cause pain."

"You poor thing, up there alone with the mean old Imperator. And how are you now?"

"Better, now that you're here."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say."

She kissed him once more, a quick peck on the cheek, and turned to the pine trees before her. "What do you think of the decorations this year? Silverlane worked on them tirelessly for three days."

"They're very nice. The visitors certainly seem to think so. At least, I think that's what they were saying. I've heard combat rings quieter than the Great Hall."

Celestia laughed quietly, pulling small branches from the trees with her magic and forming them into rough half-moon shapes as they floated in front of her. A trio of pine cones went in the center of each one, and she set them down in a pile off to the side.

"This time of year is always incredibly busy. Last year we had over a thousand ponies cast their lot to be one of the organizers. It's a very sought-after title, as you can tell. With the holiday only a week away it's becoming somewhat frantic around here. There's the play to see to, decorations to be set up throughout town, gifts to be presented...it's long since become something more than I can handle myself."

"So it seems. This time last year I was still in the Royal Guard; I never got to see just how massive the crowds of hopefuls were. Do they get paid for it, or something similar?"

"They do get a small sum of coin, yes, but most of them simply want to have the honor of helping their fellow Equestrians enjoy the time of year. They also get to have a private dinner with myself on Hearth's Warming Eve, though if we have any repeat attendees they'll be disappointed to find that Luna won't be joining us, I'm afraid." Celestia frowned briefly as she worked, not bothering to hide it. "But yes, I think this year's events will be quite something. We have always prided our nation on being devoted to friends and family, and it's always good to see everyone brought closer together by a little holiday spirit, wouldn't you agree?"

"That I would. There is nothing more important." Tercio hesitated before bringing up the topic that had been on his mind ever since that cold, first day up on the mountain. "Actually, Celestia, there is something related to that I wanted to discuss with you."

"Yes?" she asked, still working intently on her decorations.

"I am not sure how to adequately describe this situation, but...I have apparently been granted leave through the kindness of someone rather unexpected. Note that I use 'kindness' very loosely here."

Celestia looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"When we were on the mountain, Imperator Stonewall informed me that he had received a scroll before we left. It was a writ of leave, sent to him by General Marblestone in Marestopholous, and it said that I was to begin between a week and twelve days home, effective a week after receiving it."

"That would make it three days from now."

"Yes."

"Strange. I assumed the Praetorian Guard was near the bottom of the list for holiday leave. It's always been that way. Why would Marblestone ask that you, personally, have leave at a certain time?"

Tercio cleared his throat and made himself look her in the eyes. "Because Sapphire Quill is apparently very well connected."

Celestia cocked her head. "Sapphire? What does she have to do with this? If there's something you need to tell me..."

Tercio could sense where the implication was heading, and he put a stop to it as quickly as he could. "Let me assure you it's nothing like what it sounds."

The Princess went back to her work; Tercio thought it obvious she was making herself busy. "Very well then, consider me curious. Explain."

Where would he start? "A short while ago, myself and some of the others went out for some drinks in Canterlot. We had a good time and enjoyed ourselves, but on the way back to the palace I was confronted by Sapphire, who had apparently been following me since I'd arrived at the caupona."

"I see we can add 'stalking' to the list of offenses, then," Celestia said without a hint of humor. She was not the biggest fan of the aggressive playwright these days.

"Yes...I was surprised, to say the least. I wanted to tell her where she could shove her own horn and be done with it, but she pleaded that I give her a moment. When I agreed, she told me that she had come to the realization that what she'd done was very wrong, and she wanted to make it up to me in some small way by using her long list of connections to secure some time home near the holidays for me." He corrected himself; best to clarify with this sort of thing. "Actually, no, she didn't say specifically what would happen. She only mentioned that she remembered me talking about how long it had been since I'd seen my family, and said I would get a surprise from Stonewall soon after."

Celestia set down her latest half-moon decoration and sighed. "It would appear she was good on her word, then."

"For perhaps the first time, yes."

"And she did so as a form of apology, you said? What was your response?"

"I...I forgave her."

Celestia lifted a foreleg in surprise. "You forgave her?"

"I did. As I told her: spending time near you -- I did not specify to what extent, of course -- has taught me a few things about tolerance and forgiveness. I see you exercise that knowledge frequently, and I thought I might--"

"She drugged and raped you, Tercio," Celestia interrupted in apparent disbelief. "Her crime was heinous and self-serving, and it is because of that crime that she is no longer allowed near this palace. She is no longer allowed near you. You showed her mercy when you asked that she not be exiled for her actions." She shook her head, and Tercio suddenly felt very small. "I am glad you've taken it upon yourself to use my actions as Princess as inspiration, as a means to better yourself; that is very admirable. But there is a time and a place for allowing the one who wronged you to essentially be washed of all guilt. I know Sapphire, and she may very well think that she's basically gotten away with what she did."

"I cannot claim to know what she truly feels, but she sounded genuine at the time." He did his best to sound apologetic. "Still, perhaps I was naive. I'm sure the alcohol did its part to cloud my decision making."

Celestia placed a hoof on his shoulder and met his gaze. "I love you, Tercio. I knew from the moment we first met, before the attack, that you were someone with a good heart. But I have been alive long enough to know that Sapphire's type will always look for a new means of controlling someone. It's who she is. When she spent time with myself and the others I tried my best to break her of that habit, but apparently I have failed. I firmly believe in love, and tolerance, and forgiveness, and all the things that make Equestria what it is, but some things can never truly be forgiven. Even by myself."

Tercio had not expected to hear such a thing from her; after all, she was Princess Celestia, the living demigod whose knowledge and power at times seemed to be boundless. In a strange sort of way, hearing her express disdain made her more relatable. It did not make him feel any better about his decision.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. "I only wanted to be rid of her once and for all. I thought that if I forgave her she would leave us be, and we wouldn't have to worry about her again."

"I do hope you're right about such things. I suppose only time will tell." Celestia lifted his chin and gave the first hint of a smile he'd seen since they'd begun the discussion. "Let's not fret about it anymore, okay? She may have received an apology but she still has to live with what she's done. We'll put her behind us and move on, just as we should."

"Alright," Tercio answered, still unsure of himself.

"Good. Now...about this writ of leave. If it came down from General Marblestone I am hesitant to denounce it, though I suppose I could if you wish me to."

"That's actually what I wanted to speak with you about in the first place. I am eager to return home, yes, and I do miss my parents and brother, but...I don't know, I feel I would be acting selfishly if I were to do so before any of my battle-brothers. They have families of their own, after all."

Celestia gathered the pile of decorations and bundled them together with lengths of twine, then placed one securely on her back. "That's understandable, especially given the circumstances behind it. Do you want me to cancel your early leave?"

"Actually...I was hoping you could extend the same courtesy to the others, at least in my barracks. That way we could visit for the holiday and still be back in time to provide security for Hearth's Warming Eve. It wouldn't greatly impact our strength here at the palace, either." Celestia chewed her lip in thought, and Tercio hoped he had not overstepped his bounds. "I know this is a lot to ask, but I realize now that being sent home before everyone else would only give further reason for some of them to look down upon me. That is not how I want to be seen by anyone."

"I will have to discuss this idea with Stonewall, but provided he agrees...I see no reason why we can't dismiss a small portion of our Praetorian ranks for a week."

"Truly?" he asked in disbelief. "That is more of a relief than I can put into words. Thank you, Princess"

Celestia laughed at his still-formal nature, easing the lingering tension of Sapphire's refusal to leave things be. "Again, you don't have to call me that anymore, Tercio."

"I don't have to call Stonewall 'sir', either, but old habits are hard to break."

"We'll work on it. For now, I could use your assistance with these decorations. Care to join me?"

Tercio picked up the bundle at her side and hefted it over his shoulder. "If it means spending more time with you, you needn't ask twice."

The arena wasn't what it used to be. Back in the days of her mother and grandmother, the displays of combat prowess frequently resulted in death for one or more of the performers, a fact that Empress Elinwynn had always found odd; why spend good coin training someone, only to have them lose their head the next week? Upon her rise to power, a change in the arena's inner workings was among the first things she'd seen to.

These days, the battles were grander in scale, sometimes with a hundred combatants per side, and it was rare for a death to occur. It did not make the fights any less exciting, and indeed, the small chance of seeing someone die drew larger crowds than ever. A bloody death was a rarity, a sweet that could be dangled before the masses. Would it happen this time? Who could say? Best to buy a seat and find out...

"Blessed Empress, Brother-General Corvalix has arrived. Shall I send him up for you?"

A doe servant, wearing the simple wraps of the lower class, bowed deeply in respect, averting her eyes from Elinwynn and her gold-and-emerald gown.

"Has he, now? Excellent, I was wondering when he would return." Elinwynn pulled a silver coin from a bag at her side, floating it to her servant in a cloud of crackling magic. "You may send him to me. Do buy yourself something to eat, won't you?"

The young doe smiled at the gift -- a whole silver! -- and bowed once again. "Of course, Empress. Thank you, you are too kind. I do so hope you enjoy the spectacle on display."

"Think nothing of it, my dear. And I will, I'm sure."

Truth be told, Empress Elinwynn had not paid much attention to the warring combatants who clashed with each other on the grasses of the arena far below her covered viewing platform. Enjoyable though the sight of toned, well-built bucks sweating in the midst of simulated warfare may have been, there were far more pressing matters these days -- Whitetail chief among them. She hoped Corvalix had good news.

"Hello again, dear sister," the Brother-General said as he joined her, dipping to his knees in admiration. He wore the glassy, green armor of the Whitetail armies, inscribed with deertongue prayers of protection and inlaid with vines of gold.

"Corvalix, what a pleasant surprise. Please, rise. I trust I find you in good health?" she asked as she stood from her small mound of cushions and embraced him.

"As well as can be expected when one deals with the incompetence of the whitetail all day," Corvalix answered with a laugh.

"I can imagine. Come, join me." Elinwynn allowed her brother to be seated first, then levitated two small pitchers from a table. "You must be quite thirsty from the trip. Will water from the peaks of the Stoneridges suffice?"

"Only the finest for the Empress of Cervidae, hmm? I think that will do nicely." He eagerly gulped down a good amount and exhaled in relief. "How anyone can go back to drinking regular stream water after such a delight is beyond me."

"Fortunate, then, that you know the right deer, hmm? What news do you bring from Whitetail? Are they still flailing about while the Equestrians pound at their door?"

"At this point, flailing would be an improvement," he deadpanned. "Callous and selfish though the good Brother-General Felnaris may have been -- and murderous, we mustn't forget that -- he at least knew the basics of leading an armed force. Had he defeated the Equestrians at the edge of the forest I may have even allowed him to live for another few days. Without a coherent strategy or experienced generals the whitetail can do no more than offer token pockets of resistance. Even their greatest keep has now fallen, leaving a clear path for Celestia's trained dogs to lay siege to the capitol itself."

"Mmm, a shame," Elinwynn said. She held no love for her whitetail cousins; traitors and thieves to the last, as far as she was concerned. Had it not been for their kind, Cervidae would be a third again as large as it was. The thought of so many years of tribal in-fighting, the countless civil wars, made her stomach turn. If only her ancestors had had the insight to keep the whitetail in line. "Will they be able to hold back the Equestrians?"

"Not alone, no. Their numbers suffer from combat losses, desertion, and low morale. Try though the pompous politicos might, they cannot keep such defeats a secret forever. There is an air of discontent in Whitetail, if one knows how to find it. Celestia must be very pleased with her precious generals." He paused when he caught Elinwynn smiling to herself. "I am almost afraid to ask, my dear sister, but I feel I must: what amuses you so?"

"Celestia," she answered plainly. Down in the arena, two dozen bucks, half in gold armor and half in emerald glass, clashed against each other with vicious flurries of attacks from their armor-mounted blades and long, powerful swipes of crystalline swords. Three of the fighters fell to the ground, clutching wounds, and were dragged back behind the lines by the others on their sides. The crowd of thousands cheered. "She truly personifies the ideals that Equestria so loves, even to a fault. Her armies have pushed back the whitetail all the way to their homes, and yet she is hesitant to put an end to our...relatives...across the border. She refuses to besiege Evinwiir."

Corvalix smirked at the thought. "Meanwhile, Chancellor Vinawyll considers surrender more and more every day. The only thing stopping him is the senate. He fears, perhaps rightfully, that they would gore him for such an action." A buck with a large sword bounded over a fallen combatant and swung it with a flash of magic from his antlers, and blood spurted from the severed stump of a screaming enemy's leg. He could survive it, if treated immediately. "That one, down there, with the broad sword -- he is quite the fighter. Whitetail could use some more like him."

"Condemned prisoners and shamed warriors are too good for Whitetail, if you ask me," Elinwynn countered.

"You will get no argument here, sister." A servant boy, not yet a buck, approached and brought two new pitchers of water, setting them down on a tray with a deep bow before wordlessly stepping away again. "When you spoke of Princess Celestia you sounded quite certain of yourself. Is there something I should know?"

"I have my reasons," Elinwynn said with a wry smile.

"You mean you have your sources."

"Come now, brother, a proper doe never divulges her secrets."

Corvalix had always been annoyed by Elinwynn's vague answers, the way she always seemed to know so much yet showed so little. He also knew better than to question her, lest he find himself falling out of her favor -- and those not in the Empress' favor did not typically live long. Family was not an exception, as their dear old uncle Daedalyyn had discovered several years ago. At least he had proven useful in feeding the crows at the end of his days.

"What I can tell you," she continued, "is that our beloved pony princess does not have the stomach for a proper end to the war she tried so hard to avoid. I believe she'll hold out as long as she can in the hopes of speaking with Chancellor Vinawyll."

"And you're sure of this?"

"Oh yes, without a doubt. Trust your dear sister, won't you?" Below her, the crowd was erupting into chants and shouts of encouragement for the last four fighters remaining. On the left, a zebra and his redtail comrade. On the right, two redtail of smaller stature, but covered in thick armor. The zebra moved first, striking low with an exotic, curved blade that caught in a gap between his opponent's shoulder pauldrons and neck guard. Pulling with all of his might, the zebra brought the redtail down hard, then delivered a crushing buck that caved in the side of the redtail's helm. If that wasn't a kill, Elinwynn thought, then the ancestors had likely made him immortal. The zebra's victim twitched on his side and was finally still, blood seeping down his armor. "Do you want to know something far more amusing than any arena fight, Corvalix?"

"By all means."

"I was considering keeping this knowledge to myself, but it is simply too entertaining to not share."

"And that is...?"

"Celestia is in love. With Tercio."

Corvalix gave her a disbelieving look. "The human? Come now, I was expecting something more plausible than that. What's the truth?"

"That is the truth. He has come quite a long way from serving as fodder in the lower ranks. One imagines his skill has grown along with his inevitable ego. A human, of all things, bedding an alicorn demigoddess? I would think highly of myself in his position, too."

"Taking an interest in what happens between Celestia's sheets, are you? You learn the strangest things, though I do admit to being quite amused by such a thought."

"That is part of my calling as Empress, after all. Princess Celestia, nigh-eternal ruler of the Equestrian diarchy -- well, monarchy, now -- has fallen head over hooves for the tall, strange-looking creature who so valiantly defends her. A story of star-crossed lovers if I've ever heard one!" she laughed.

"Truly? After great-grandmother's reign I would not have thought Celestia would have even considered such a thing."

"Nor would have I. Fortunate for the human, then, that Luna is no longer around to talk sense into her sister, hmm? And, perhaps, quite fortunate for us as well."

Corvalix saw the glint in Elinwynn's eye, the familiar grin that pulled at the edge of her mouth; it was a look of planning, of outmaneuvering, that he'd seen so many times before. He was at once terrified and excited to know what his sister was concocting in that trickster mind of hers. Soon, he knew, he would find out. Until then, he could only wait and wonder.