“You... you're the one my spell brought,” muttered Chrysalis, despite regaining consciousness, she only had enough strength to flick an ear. “I can smell my magic on you.”

“Not the most pleasant way of getting someone's attention. What were you even doing out there?” asked Bardac, looking down at Chrysalis. “You were about an hour from freezing to death.”

“Should have left her out there,” muttered one of the guards walking nearby, eyeing the changeling queen with disdain. What Chrysalis had done in Canterlot was no secret among the Empire. “She deserved it.”

“Silence worm!” hissed Chrysalis, twisting her head in the direction of the guard. Her eyes still closed. “I will take great joy in draining every last drop from you!”

Cadence glanced at her husband, then to Bardac who seemed to be remaining calm under the circumstances. Letting out a low sigh, she finally addressed the guard, “Please don't provoke the prisoner.”

“Not to doubt him,” whispered Shining Armor to Cadence, “But I'm starting to feel like this was a bad idea. The closer we get to the Castle, the more restless the guards are getting.”

“Then we place an unreasonable amount of trust in him and hope he can keep things under control,” replied Cadence quietly. “Personally I think they're more wary of Bardac, than of Chrysalis.”

Ignoring the chatter going on around him, Bardac gave Chrysalis a light shake with his shoulder, “If you will not tell me that, would you at least tell me what your kind eats? Besides the love essence of others,” he asked. “You may be a prisoner but I will not let you starve.”

Chrysalis didn't answer straight away, her ears flicking back and forth in thought. “Fungus,” she finally said. “Fish and insects. Nothing sweet.”

Aela frowned and glared at Chrysalis. “Hang on,” she said, “If you can eat normal foods, why in Equestria do you need to kidnap and eat the love of ponies?”

“Food only sustains us, you stupid filly,” hissed Chrysalis. “We need love. Pony love, to grow.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Spike. “You're like dragons. We can eat pretty much anything, but we need gems and meat to make us grow properly.”

“Makes sense,” said Bardac, picking up his pace just a little. While he was sure no one heard it, he felt Chrysalis's stomach growl against his shoulder. “Aela, could you fly ahead and alert the castle's kitchen that I will be along soon to cook.”

Aela gave a nod and took off towards the kitchen, sparing only the briefest of glances back at the Nord.

“You?” questioned Cadence. “All due respect Bardac, our chefs are some of the finest in Equestria.”

Bardac just smiled and said, “I meant no disrespect Cadence. When Chrysalis mentioned fungus, my mind filled with the smell of my grandmother's fresh mushroom soup. She used to feed it to me when I felt unwell.”

This time, Chrysalis's stomach growled so loud it caused almost all around to stare at her. Chrysalis hissed at her own weakness. “I have a question of my own,” Chrysalis said, lifting her head just enough to stare at Bardac through closed eyes. “What are you. You are no minotaur. You smell different.”

“Oh? How can you be so sure? You have not even opened your eyes,” replied Bardac, raising an eyebrow.

“I may not be a- I may not have opened my eyes yet,” said Chrysalis, “But there are other ways I can see.”

“I have a few spells like that, useful are they not?” said Bardac, “You are correct. I am no minotaur. As for what I am, we shall save that for another time.” He glanced at the young dragon still perched on his shoulder. “How about you Spike, hungry?”

“Always!” replied Spike, licking his lips. “Mushroom soup sounds amazing right about now.”

“Then it is settled,” Bardac said, “We will get to the castle and have something to eat. I used too much magic getting here.”

Shining Armor exhaled deeply, “Bardac, how can you be so calm? You have one of the worst criminals in Equus over your shoulder, yet you're treating her like a filly!”

“Shiny,” sighed Cadence, looking sadly at her husband. “Please...”

The guards surrounding them held their breath, all eyes on Bardac who'd stopped.

“I suppose I am,” Bardac replied, glancing over at Shining Armor. “In her weakened state, the only thing she is a risk to is herself. True she is a criminal, but Celestia wants her alive. If Chrysalis gets too stressed right now, the ice cold blood currently pooling in her legs will shoot to her heart. No more changeling.”

“You don't know her like we do,” said Shining Armor, glaring up at the Nord. “You don't know what she can do. How can you be so calm about that?”

“Simple choice,” Bardac answered, looking at Chrysalis who was being quiet for now. “So far she is being rather well behaved. A little snappy, but I can understand that. As long as Chrysalis continues to be good, I see no reason to treat her any differently than how I treat you.”

Shoving her wing in front of Shining Armor's mouth, Cadence replied, “I'm sure you know what you're doing. You've not been given the rank of General for nothing.”

Bardac simply shrugged in response, readjusted his grip on Chrysalis and continued towards the castle. The walk passed in silence, until Bardac passed the large statue of Spike close to the castle. Looking up at the dragon, the Nord gave him a sly grin.

“It's... a long story,” Spike said sheepishly while scratching the back of his head, his cheeks a faint red. “I'll tell you later.”

“Can we get a move on?” groaned Chrysalis. “What ever you're carrying me over is digging into my chitin.”

“Just a moment. There is something I want to do before we head in,” replied Bardac, gently lifting Chrysalis off his shoulder and onto the stone beside him. Despite her best efforts, her legs still couldn't support her. The Nord knelt down by her side. “Open your eyes.”

“What're you doing?” asked Cadence, peering around Bardac's side. “Is something wrong with her eyes?”

Chrysalis kept her eyes defiantly closed for about a second, before letting out a small sigh and slowly opening them. Those once deep green eyes were now a dull, stormy grey, staring unfocused at the Nord. “Satisfied?” she whispered. “Guess my slip of the tongue didn't go unnoticed. So now what? Going to take pity on the poor, blind changeling?”

“Isn't a changeling supposed to have green eyes?” asked Spike, peering around from behind Bardac's leg.

“She did when I first found her,” said Bardac. “How much can you see?”

Chrysalis let out a short hiss, running her tongue across her lips. “Outlines and shapes,” she finally said. “Everything else is a blur. I still have to rely on my other way.”

Bardac stared into her eyes, then froze, his eyes glazed over. A bare whisper escaped his lips, but one word could be made out. “Moths...” Placing his hand on Chrysalis's side, an intense orange glow erupted from between his fingers, lighting up Chrysalis's entire body. As quickly as the light appeared, it faded.

Chrysalis felt an intense heat radiate through her body from the point of contact. It made her shudder from horn to tail. The moment the light faded, she could feel the effect instantly, within mere seconds she pushed herself to her hooves, though still a little unsteady. “You... gave me energy?” she asked, unsure of what just happened.

“Restoration magic, just enough to get you onto your hooves,” replied Bardac, getting to his feet. He wasn't too surprised to find that Chrysalis stood even taller than Celestia, if only by a few inches. “Try to walk around a little, the muscles in your legs will be stiff.”

Chrysalis did just that, slowly walking back and forth, stretching each leg in turn while ignoring the harsh glares from the guards around them. Her ears flicked and her head turned towards the castle. “The thestral is returning,” she stated.

“You know what she is?” asked Bardac, following her gaze up towards the castle. Indeed Aela was returning, at speed. “May wish to step back.”

Aela landed several feet away and skidded to a halt right where Bardac would have been standing. A large, bloody scratch across the bridge of her nose. “We have a problem in the kitchen. Follow me,” she said before taking off back towards the castle on hoof.

“One thing after another,” muttered Bardac, picking up Chrysalis once more, much to her protest.

“I can walk myself!” Chrysalis exclaimed as she bounced on Bardac's shoulder. She had to admit she was surprised how quickly he could move while carrying her.

“Just be good sack and be quiet until we reach the kitchen,” said Bardac, following Aela closely with Spike, Cadence and Shining Armor struggling to keep up behind them.

With Aela leading, it didn't take long for the group to navigate their way to the castle and through it's winding halls into the kitchen. Bursting through the door into a vast, gleaming kitchen, Bardac and Aela skidded to a halt. “We managed to lock it in the cupboard,” explained Aela, pointing to a closet door in the corner that was rattling violently, but showing no signs of budging thanks to the pile of flour sacks wedged in front of it.

“I am guessing what ever is bashing on the door, caught you on the snout too?” asked Bardac, looking down at the thestral as he let Chrysalis off his shoulder. The scratch looked much like cat claws, but larger and deeper.

“Didn't have a choice, it burst from a barrel and started attacking the cooks. I bucked it into the closet, but not before it caught me,” grumbled Aela, rubbing her snout a little. While not life threatening by any means, it still stung.

Nearly pushing her way passed Chrysalis, Cadence started to tend to the two cooks that had remained, they were clearly in shock but showed no signs of injury. “Do we know where the barrel came from?” Cadence asked, glancing towards the shattered barrel in question.

Chrysalis wasn't sure what to do with herself, despite this she found herself approaching the busted barrel to give the wood a faint sniff. The pungent scent from within made her stagger backwards. “What on Equus were you storing in here?” she asked, holding her snout.

“Probably something fermented, or a strong whiskey,” said Bardac. He could smell it from where he stood, “Only things I know to be stored in an oak barrel like that.” Approaching the door, Bardac called upon his power, “Laas.” The moment the words left his lips, a soft pulse of blood red light radiated around the room.

Cadence felt the pulse wash over her body, but nothing else came from it. “This must be the unique magic he can use Twilight told us about,” she said, looking over to Shining Armor.

Through the door, Bardac could finally see what was beating on the door. From the outline, he could determine that it was small, slightly shorter than the ponies around him. It had legs like a rodent, but the upper half appeared almost humanoid. It was quick, he could barely make out each strike against the door. “Only way to know for sure what this is, is to let it out and capture it,” Bardac said, stepping back from the door. “Everyone out. Aela, with me. Chrysalis, stay behind the door.”

The cooks didn't need to be told twice, leaving in a scurry of hooves. Cadence and Shining Armor were next to leave, shortly followed by Spike and Chrysalis. The door to the kitchen was shut. “Ready when you are, General,” Aela said, flaring her wings and dropping her stance.

Bardac's hand burst into a bright orange glow as he cleared the flour bags with one swipe. The door burst open and the strange creature within lunged forward. “Quick!” exclaimed Bardac as it scurried between his legs like a rabid skeever.

The next five minutes could only be described as pure chaos. The tiny creature was quick, much quicker than either of them had expected. It jumped off tables, climbed up shelves and threw everything from pots and pans to knives and chopping boards at the pair. “You just had to let it out!” growled Aela, lunging at the creature as it scurried passed, cracking her on the head with a soup spoon as it went.

“Iiz!” barked Bardac as the creature jumped from one table to the next. A blast of frigid air struck the creature mid-jump, freezing it solid before it crashed into the ground. “Should have done that from the start.”

“Is it dead?” asked Aela, rubbing a growing lump on her forehead.

“No, just chilling, good work Aela,” replied Bardac, earning a glare from the thestral. A smirk crossed his lips, that never grew old, at least to him. Picking the strange creature up around the neck, Bardac held it up in front of him. “Spike? Could you come in here.”

The door creaked open and four heads peered inside. “You caught it?” asked Spike, “What is that thing?” The young dragon approached cautiously, even giving the strange thing a prod with his claw.

“Not a clue,” said Bardac honestly. “I need you to sketch it and send it to Celestia. Ask her to pass it to Twilight... or better yet Fluttershy. She would be able to tell me whether this thing is native to Equus.”

Spike flew into a salute and rushed out of the kitchen to track down a quill, some ink and a parchment. It didn't take him long to find it and soon he returned and started to sketch the creature. Just as Spike scribbled down the last note, the creature thawed and started to thrash violently, if in vein against Bardac's grip.

Cadence pulled Spike and the letter back with a quick yank of magic as she entered the room with Shining Armor. “It's certainly... aggressive,” she commented, “What're we going to do with it? We can't keep it in the castle.”

“That depends how quickly we get a reply from Fluttershy,” said Bardac, eyeing the creature. Physically, it wasn't all that strong, but those sharp claws and fangs could cause a nasty injury on exposed flesh.

The strange creature went still, then without warning, rose its arms to the sky and uttered an ear-piercing screech. A bright glow radiated from the ceiling before a hailstorm of fireballs the size of apples rained from the sky, striking everything around.

The firestorm lasted mere seconds as a sickening crack echoed through the kitchen. The creature went limp and the torrent of fireballs ceased, but the damage was done. Fires crackled on the countertops, Chrysalis had caught several fireballs along her spine and despite Shining Armor's reactions with his shield spell, both he and Cadence were struck repeatedly.

Spike, Aela and Bardac managed to get away without a scratch. Dropping the corpse of the creature, Bardac started to put out the fires with an icy blast from his right hand while simultaneously bathing those injured in a bright, orange glow with his other hand. “Change of plan. Spike, make as many copies of that sketch as you can. Shining Armor, alert the guards. Double check any shipment to and from the castle.”

“Tartarus be damned that stings!” hissed Chrysalis, stretching out her back as Bardac's magic radiated across her body. She could feel her burns sealing, her flesh mending, her chitin repairing, but the pain was still coursing through her nerves.

Shining Armor was busy looking over his wife for injuries. The burns were healing slowly thanks to Bardac's magic. “That damned thing made it rain fireballs from the ceiling. No normal creature could have done that,” he said, rolling his shoulders a little from where his own burns were healing. “That's some healing spell...”

“That snap I heard,” said Cadence, glancing down at the creature laying limp on the kitchen tiles. Its neck bent at an unnatural angle. “Thought so...” Her horn glowing a soft blue. The broken pieces of the oak barrel slowly started to morph into a crate around the creature, sealing it from view. “I'll have it disposed of.”

Exhaling loudly, Bardac rubbed the back of his head once the fires had been put out. His healing spell still active though. “Spike, I think we shall leave this part out when Twilight asks what we got up to here,” he said, glancing down at the young dragon who nodded sharply in agreement. “Talos help me...”

“We let our guard down,” stated Aela, giving the box containing the dead creature a well deserved kick. “I've never known a creature that small able to use magic like that. That could have been... disastrous.”

“It could have, but it didn't,” reassured Cadence. “Don't be so hard on yourself Aela, none of us could have predicted the creature being able to use magic.”

“I'll go take care of this,” said Shining Armor, his magic glowing light purple as it surrounded the box.

“Take it outside and burn it to ash,” said Bardac. “I have had experience in things not being as dead as I first thought.”

“Good idea. I'll be back soon,” agreed Shining Armor, carrying the box out of the kitchen, wondering where the best place was to burn it.

Spike scratched his head. “How'd that thing even get into the castle anyway? It couldn't have come inside the barrel, right?” he asked.

“I doubt it,” said Cadence, examining what remained of the barrel closely. “We ship these barrels back to the brewery every few weeks. Chances are it was just hiding in this one.”

“Either way, it is dead now,” said Bardac, giving them all a quick once over to make sure he hadn't missed any burns. “Good work on getting the sketch done Spike.”

Chrysalis's stomach growled loud, echoing through the kitchen. “Soup sounds good about now,” she said quietly.

“Indeed it does,” said Bardac, already raiding various cupboard and larders for mushrooms that he recognised by sight and smell. Soon he'd gathered a collection of hearty vegetables and mushrooms. “Now, where are the pots.”

Two hours later and Bardac was relaxing in the dining hall in front of a large, open fireplace in a soft, plush armchair. Several empty bowls of thick, rich mushroom soup lay around him, though only one was his. Nearby, Chrysalis was helping herself to her ninth bowl and showed no sign of slowing down. On top of the fire was a large cauldron, bubbling merrily away with the thick soup with large chunks of bread toasting nearby. Spike was sat at the base of Bardac's chair, happily mixing different gems into his share.

On the table spanning the room, Aela, Cadence and Shining Armor were discussing what to do with the days to come. One subject kept cropping up, enough for Cadence to sigh loudly and call out, “Bardac. Aela has informed us that you plan to scout around Mount Everhoof. What do you plan to do with Chrysalis when you go?”

“Do not worry,” replied Bardac, raising his arm above the neck of the chair to show he was listening. “I plan to take her with Aela and myself.”

Chrysalis nearly choked on her soup, chunks of bread and mushroom splattering down her chest. “Ex-cuse me?” she coughed, pounding her chest with her hoof. “Even changelings know that mountain's killed everypony who's ever tried to scale it, and you want to take me with you?”

“I do not plan to scale it,” said Bardac, leaning forward in his chair to stare into the fire. “That creature that was spotted near the base of the mountain. I plan to circle the base, find it, interrogate it, then kill it.”

“What's so important about that thing anyway?” asked Shining Armor, refilling his bowl with a magic grasped ladle.

“As I explained to Celestia. Dremora can only enter other worlds if someone summons them. That magic is only know by Daedric princes and those either brave or foolish enough to learn it in my world,” explained Bardac, tearing himself a chunk of bread. “It does not take a genius to understand what that means.”

Cadence thought for a moment, dipping a small piece of bread into her soup. “You plan to track the creature down to find out who, or what summoned it?” she asked, though a thought dawned on her. “Perhaps... that thing we saw in the kitchen was another kind?”

“It... could be possible,” muttered Bardac, scratching at his beard. “It would not be the first to appear in Equestria and yet, I fear it will not be the last. It might also hold the key to how I am to return home.”

“Tiredness muddles thoughts,” said Aela, wiping a drop of soup from her muzzle, three bowls surrounding the thestral. “I know you want to get this done as soon as possible Bardac, but perhaps we could spend tomorrow making a plan and gathering supplies?”

“I suppose I could do with some more frost resistance potions now there will be three of us,” Bardac replied, tapping his armoured boot. “We could pick up something warm for Chrysalis to wear as well, unless she wants to shape-shift into something with a little more fur.”

“Wouldn't waste your bits on that thing,” spat a nearby guard, he'd been patrolling in and out of the dining hall for some time now. “Only good changeling's a de—”

A thunderous crack of lightning burst from Bardac's hand, missing the guard's head by mere centimetres and striking a flowerpot on a stand behind him. The pot exploded on contact, showering the room in soil and fragments. “Next one will not miss,” said Bardac, slowly getting to his feet. His voice as ice cold as the stare in his eyes when he looked around the room, he didn't notice Spike running for cover. “I would expect that behaviour from bandits. Not royal guards.”

Cadence stared at Bardac, she was about to chew him out, severely, for nearly frying one of her guards, but the look she caught him give Chrysalis made her pause and think. Her thoughts went back to the moment he checked her eyes, something changed there. “Bardac, is there anything you want to tell us?” she eventually asked.

Bardac's shoulders slumped, the icy stare in his gaze turned to one of exhaustion. Dragging his boots over to the nearest liquor cabinet, he took hold of the door and ripped it off the hinges, grabbing a bottle of the strongest looking booze inside it. “Dexion Evicus,” he muttered, taking a colossal swig of the bottle, he wasn't really paying attention to what he was drinking.

“Please be careful!” gasped Cadence, holding out her hoof in alarm. “That's Crystal Cane Rum! You'll get seriously ill drinking it like that!”

Bardac ignored her, taking another large chug. “He knew the risks. Yet, went blind because of it,” he spat, walking back over to the fire to stare at the burning logs. “I hoped never to see what I saw in his eyes again. Yet, here we are. Another world, another time... people are still getting hurt because of me.”

“But... this is the first time you've met Chrysalis,” Aela pointed out, her eyebrow raised. “How can you be responsible for her loss of sight?”

“It does not make much difference if this is my first time meeting her,” sighed Bardac, looking over at the changeling. “The injuries to her eyes are a result of something from my world. Something that should never have been here in the first place.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Shining Armor, looking between Bardac and Chrysalis with increasing concern. “Spit it out already.”

The bottle of Crystal Cane Rum imploded in Bardac's hand, his fist clenched to the sound of crunching glass. “There is an Elder Scroll on Equus,” growled Bardac, “An object of immense magical power... I only thought they existed on Nirn... Without aid, they cannot be read without extreme side-effects. Blindness and insanity among many.”

“But how did it get here? It wasn't with you when you first appeared,” queried Aela, “I was among the guards sent to search the deeper parts of the castle.”

“I do not know,” replied Bardac, shaking the glass out of the leather palm of his gauntlet. “What I do know is that Chrysalis is not stupid enough to blind herself out of ignorance. So, I can only conclude that she was forced to... either through intimidation or blackmail.”

Chrysalis meanwhile seemed to be focusing a little too intensely at the piece of bread between her hooves. Her horn lit once, twice... then finally remained aglow in soft green light. Slowly, the piece of bread rose to her lips where she took a bite. “You're a dangerously snoopy individual,” she finally said, slowly looking up at Bardac. “So... you know about that thing. Do you know if my sight ever return?”

“I cannot give you an honest answer. I do not know how many scrolls Dexion read before he finally succumbed to his blindness,” replied Bardac quietly before looking over to Cadence and Shining Armor. “You two know more about Equus magic than I, what say you? Does a healing spell exist that could cure something like this?”

Cadence bit her lip and glanced at her husband. “Well...” she muttered, tilting her head to one side, then the other. “There... are one or two long term treatments to treat things like severe magical injuries and magical burns. But, if this Elder Scroll is as powerful as you say, then I don't think we have doctors with magic strong enough. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would probably be the only two powerful enough to perform it.”

In the blink of an eye, Aela launched herself across the table, across the room and latched all four limbs around Bardac's right arm. “No, no and no. Bad idea, bad Bardac.” said Aela, punctuating each no with a firm tap to the gold band on his wrist.

“...Spoil sport,” muttered Bardac, peeling the thestral off his arm before dropping her down by the fire.

“Ask them personally when you return,” Aela said, flexing her wings, “You know who else listens in.”

Bardac growled quietly, “Yes... I suppose you are right. Light Flight would burst a blood vessel if I asked Celestia and Luna to heal Chrysalis.”

It was Shining Armor's turn to choke on his bread and soup. Pounding his chest, he looked up with bloodshot eyes. “I think that bottle of rum's gone straight to your head! What makes you think Princess Celestia or Princess Luna would even agree to it?”

Shrugging just a little, Bardac flicked his wrist, a shimmering aetherial blade burst into life. “Celestia and Luna have forgiven me for my own misdeeds. After all, I do not know if Twilight told you, but my arrival into Canterlot almost cost Celestia her life,” he said, admiring the ghostly blade. “The chase through the castle... fighting them both on a balcony... blowing up the dungeon before jumping to my eventual freedom some thousand feet below.” With a flick of his wrist once more, the blade disappeared.

“She... must have left that part out,” replied Shining Armor, scooting himself just a little closer to Cadence. “But you didn't kidnap anypony and put guards in the hospital!”

Bardac slowly looked at Aela and cleared his throat, loudly, “Aela, please take note that the next time I appear in a strange world... do not act like a super villain.”

“I'll glue it to your forehead,” replied Aela, shaking her head slowly.

Chrysalis wasn't sure she could believe her ears. “If I hadn't witnessed your oddities already, I would have called you a liar,” she said, getting to her hooves. “But you seem just odd enough to have done what you say...”

“You have no idea,” said Bardac before giving a harsh, bark like laugh. “Now, if we are all finished eating. I need to bathe you.”

The room went silent. Chrysalis stared at Bardac as though he'd grown a second head, as did every other pony in the room. “...Excuse me?” she asked, wiggling a hoof against her ear. “Bathe... me?”

“Naturally, I need to bathe too and you are not to leave my side. You are still detained,” said Bardac. “I would prefer that you are well rested for tomorrow.”

Cadence frowned in thought before asking, “I can... somewhat understand keeping Chrysalis by your side to keep an eye on her, due to her abilities... but isn't taking a bath with her a little too...” She couldn't find the words.

“Locking Chrysalis inside a dungeon will be easier on her and harder on everyone else, regardless of what needs to be done,” said Bardac, his lips splitting into an unsettling smile. “We would not want that now, would we?” Without another word, he cupped the back of Chrysalis's neck and lead her out of the room, guided by a guard and with the changeling looking significantly more worried than she had been mere seconds ago.

Cadence watched them leave, her ears flicking back and forth as thoughts ran through her mind, each more strange and outlandish than the last. “His... methods both terrify me and intrigue me,” she said, glancing at Shining Armor and Aela.

“I don't like this,” muttered Shining Armor, “This whole thing stinks something awful. I'd feel so much better if she was at least restrained in some way. It creeps me out how... well behaved she's being around him.”

Aela hopped up onto the chair Bardac was previously occupying, enjoying the warmth of the fire for just a little while longer. “Perhaps it's something to do with him saving her life,” she said, shifting her wings into a more comfortable position.

“That... could be a valid point,” pondered Cadence. “We know next to nothing about changeling behaviour. After all nopony's ever been friends with a changeling, at least knowingly.”

“I still don't like it,” Shining Armor said firmly. “I'd feel a lot better if I could send one of our own guards to keep an eye on things too.”

Aela shrugged lightly, “If you want to Captain,” she said, “Pick wisely.”

“Captain Rampage,” replied Shining Armor after a moment's thought. “He'll do nicely.”

“Isn't that Stampede's brother?” asked Aela, peering over the arm of the chair. “I've heard of him.”

Cadence didn't seem convinced. “Are you sure?” she asked, “Rampage can be a little... unpredictable.”

“He's always saying how bored he is patrolling the Empire. This'll be his chance to do something different,” said Shining Armor, giving Cadence a loving kiss.

Cadence returned the kiss sweetly, though it did little to quell the nervous wriggle in her stomach. “Let's just make it through the night without anymore incidences. Today's been a day for many firsts. It's not a theme I'd like tomorrow to follow too,” she said.

“Anypony else think Bardac needs to see a quack?” asked Spike, finally reappearing from underneath the table.

Three hooves rose silently into the air.

Elsewhere in the castle, Chrysalis was letting Bardac wash behind her ears, in fact she hadn't let him stop for the last ten minutes. Her eyes were closed, her breathing slow, yet her hooves kneaded the tiled floor like a cat against their bed. The two guards overseeing the bath, both mares, looked envious.

“You seem to be recovering quickly,” Bardac remarked, shifting around in the waist deep water. “I wonder if you even needed healing.”

“We changelings are survivors,” murmured Chrysalis, still in half a trance from the ear rubs. “We adapt, we survive.”

“Is it just ponies you can transform into?” asked Bardac, moving over to lean against the edge of the bath. Thick cotton shorts clinging to his legs.

Slowly opening her eyes, Chrysalis glanced over her shoulder to look at the rough, blurry outline of Bardac. The heat of the water saturating her muscles had caused the changeling to relax enough that she'd released the magic assisting her sight. “Anything we've seen, we can change into,” she replied. “... I never did thank you, did I.”

“For what?” Bardac asked, splashing some of the warm water across his arms, washing away the day's dirt and oil. “The soup? Think nothing of it, personally I think I did my grandmother proud.”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Not the soup,” she said, “My spell brought you to me, but you did not have to bring me with you.”

“True, I could have left you to freeze to death, considering you are wanted in both Canterlot and here,” said Bardac, scratching at his beard. “Celestia wanted me to do what ever I could to keep you alive. Speaking of which.” He rose his wrist to his lips, speaking into the golden band surrounding it. “Celestia, Luna. Either of you two awake?”

Chrysalis swallowed, hard. “What are you doing?!” she hissed.

“Relax,” said Bardac calmly. “I promised to check in with them when I got to the Empire. They cannot hear you.”

The band vibrated lightly as a voice only Bardac could hear spoke out. “Oh thank goodness,” sighed the voice of Luna, she sounded exhausted. “It's good to hear from you Bardac. I trust you got to the Empire safely?”

“Safe and without injury for the most part, Luna,” replied Bardac, giving Chrysalis a slight nod. “Chrysalis is still unconscious, so no change there yet.”

Chrysalis raised her eyebrow slowly, her wings rustling quietly. She hadn't expected Bardac to lie to one of the Princesses on her behalf.

“She still hasn't woken up?” asked Luna, the sound of something tapping echoed through the bracelet. “She must not have stabilised from the cold. Keep a close eye on her Bardac. I shall be in contact soon.”

The bracelet went silent, leaving Bardac to relax back into the water, until he realised Chrysalis was staring directly at him. “What?” he muttered.

“You are a difficult creature to read...” Chrysalis said slowly, picking her words carefully. “You're clearly allied with the ponies. Yet...”

“Yet why am I treating you as I treat the ponies,” replied Bardac, gesturing to the two guards nearby. “You are a criminal, there is no denying that. Should I treat you like one? Probably.”

“Then why not?” asked Chrysalis, “Because of my eyes?”

“One of the reasons,” said Bardac, idly rolling a ball of fire around the palm of his hand.

“What are the other reasons?” Chrysalis questioned, moving just a little closer to Bardac, ears perked forward.

“I know what it is like to almost freeze to death, your body covered in so much snow... to be so cold that all you want is to close your eyes and never wake up,” said Bardac softly. “I was... sixteen, coming on seventeen. I got lost travelling to Dawnstar in the north of Skyrim. Blizzard set in, could not see my hand in front of my face. I ended up stranded in the mountains east of the village for two weeks. No food, no shelter. I had to dig myself a hole in the snow to shelter from the wind. All I could do was wait, wait and wonder if they would ever find me.”

“That'd be traumatic for anypony...” said one of the guards sympathetically, a bright orange pegasus mare with a charcoal black mane and tail, her wings shivering at the thought of such coldness as she turned to the guard next to her. “Blast Burn got caught in an avalanche once.”

“Yup,” said Blast Burn. She was a small, fire red unicorn with streaks of yellow and orange running through her mane and tail. “Had snow in places I didn't even know ya could have snow.”

Chrysalis found her lips moving before she could stop herself. “How did you escape?” she asked, ears flicking towards Blast Burn.

“Clue's in the name,” said Blast Burn, nodding just a little. “Been learnin' nothin' but heat spells since I were a little filly. Melted my way outta there. Still nasty as heck, lost my brother to a similar avalanche few years ago. Course weren't the snow that killed him but the damned rock he got pulped under. Sun Spot here was part of the search and rescue team that went out for his patrol. Lost three fine stallions that day.”

Sun Spot cast her eyes down at Chrysalis, “You know, when I heard the General was bringing you to the Empire, I was half expecting you to cause more trouble than you are,” she pondered, tapping her wing against her chin. “C'mon, spill the beans. Why are you being so good? Got the hots for the General?”

Chrysalis just stared, hard, in Sun Spot's direction. “I certainly do not have the hots for this... creature!” she spat, though utterly refused to even move her head. She could feel Bardac's smirk. “Changelings are not without honour, though I doubt you ponies believe that for even a second.” Her hoof shot up, pointing at Bardac. “He sav—”

“Changeling life debts, should've known,” interrupted Blast Burn, “I saved one of yer drones durin' your invasion, damn thing got his head caught under a burnin' beam. Busted my leg not long after I got him out. I was found by him a few minutes later, but instead of takin' me to the others. He dragged me somewhere safe, made sure I was found by my squad.”

“You never told me that,” gasped Sun Spot, staring at the unicorn.

Blast Burn shrugged. “Didn't think much about it at the time,” she muttered. “Course, what he did makes sense now. Far as I know Changelings ain't the only species that have life debts. Dragons have them too, if I remember.”

“A life for a life, this is my debt to be repaid,” Chrysalis hissed quietly.

“Hear that General?” chuckled Blast Burn. “Looks like you got a changeling to look after until she saves your flank.”

“A life debt?” pondered Bardac. “Interesting... Very well, until we return to Canterlot, Chrysalis will undertake duty as my housecarl.”

“A what now?” asked Chrysalis, her eyebrow raising high enough to risk disappearing into her mane.

“Those given the title of housecarl are to act as bodyguard and servant to the one commanding them,” explained Bardac. “They usually serve those who have the title of Thane, one who has proven themselves a worthy ally to the Holds on Skyrim where I come from.”

Chrysalis snorted indignantly, “You expect me to cook and clean for you? Polish your armour?”

“I am quite capable of doing that for myself, though come to think of it changeling cooking would be interesting to experience,” said Bardac, getting out of the bath before grabbing a nearby towel hanging off a hook in the wall. “Just do what I say, when I say and perhaps we will come back from the mountain alive. Come now, you have soaked long enough. Time to get some sleep.”

Chrysalis exhaled deeply and begrudgingly stepped out of the bath. Shaking herself dry, she followed Bardac out, muttering, “Honour be damned I will smother you in your sleep...”