Under the cloudless sky of high-noon, the tundra was blinding white.

Stretching away for as far as the eye could see, rising and falling with the gentle curvature of the landscape, the snow-dunes of the Crystal Empire glittered like diamonds; a million pinpricks of winking light in a formless wasteland. From within the well-heated, comfortable, plush confines of his private train-car, looking across the empty vastness, Shining Armour took in the view with a tired mind, watching as the world slipped by in a shapeless blur of white.

He'd been on the move for three days straight, living a temporary life aboard his train-car as the locomotive up front, a fine demonstration of the latest advances of steam-based technology, had slowly hauled him across the continent towards the roof of the world. He could hardly complain: the facilities provided were of the highest standards, he'd managed to catch some fairly regular sleep in a pretty comfortable bed, and it sure as hell beat the three month trek he would've had to make if the railway system hadn't been in place.

But it all still failed to assuage Shining Armour of the tight knot somewhere in his gut.

True: he'd been a member of a diplomatic delegation before, and, true: he'd been much, much further afield than the Crystal Empire on such missions. But in every previous incident Shining had never played a more prominent role than that of the Royal Champion, sent along as a representative of the crown's honour and martial ability. Now: switching from the role of champion to fully empowered diplomat with the invested authority of the Solar Princess to make or break relations with the Crystal Empire as he saw fit? That was what niggled away within his soul.

It had been a week previously that Celestia had first charged him with the role as Equestria's official ambassador to the Crystal Empire, the heavenly sister stating in no uncertain terms what she expected of him: Shining Armour was to travel north, and do all that was possible to secure an alliance between the two nations. In times past the Empire had been a steadfast ally of the equine nation, and if one were to look back far enough within the esoteric annals of the Royal Archives, it was even hinted that it had been colonists from the fertile plains of Equestria that had been the first to settle the wastes of the arctic tundra. But in recent centuries, relations between the Empire and Equestria had begun to degenerate; official contact between the realms breaking down as the rulers of the Empire implemented progressively more and more isolationist policies that all but forbid contact with the outside world.

Now, more than four centuries since the last official delegation, Equestria once again extended the hoof of friendship towards her northern cousin.

Exact details of the situation in the Empire had always been patchy. In the four-or-so hundred years since the Empire had first placed a blockade upon its own borders, all attempts to send get any spies of agents into the realm had failed, usually followed by the grisly death of those assigned to such missions and the subsequent denial by the crown of the individuals very existence. Thanks to its isolationist policies, however, this blackout applied to more than just physical entry into the Empire, and all forms of scrying, even the mysterious, ethereal rituals used by the Celestial Sisters, had failed to penetrate whatever protective barrier hung over the provinces of the Empire.

However, in recent years, word had begun to trickle into Equestria that a new ruler had ascended to the throne of the Crystal Empire. Initial reports had all gone unverified; at the time such whispers being brought in by the likes of merchants and traders who crossed between realms, more often than not little more than exaggeration and ridiculous hyperbole. Then, like the first trickles of water from a breached dam, more and more information had begun to pour in, the accounts becoming a little more factual and a little more realistic each time. When he'd been born, Shining Armour had known little about the Empire, save as a fairytale realm of ice and snow for young foals; yet within his lifetime he'd had the privilege of watching as an entirely new realm had begun to open itself in the desolate reaches in the far north, a place with a culture and national identity radically different to his own. Now, here he was, the diplomat on the first official delegation to be sent to the Empire in four hundred years.

Faust worked in some pretty strange ways.

Yet, for all the historical and theatrical pomp that had been bestowed upon his mission, for all the long winded speeches made by drunk politicians, and for all the joyous cheers of the ponies in Canterlot's streets when he'd been escorted to the station by his diarchs; it wasn't fear of failure that gnawed at the Patriarch's soul, but what awaited him once he reached the north.

Little information pertaining to the history Crystal Empire was available in the Royal Archives, and even less still available relating to the culture and traditions of the ponies who lived there. Thus it was that the Patriarch of the Celestial Guard had literally no idea what he would find at the terminus of his four-day journey. He was aware of only the very basic tenants of Crystal Society; that they were a highly militarised nation, strictly divided along gender differences, with harsh limitations as to which avenues of employment were available to each sex. In general, stallions and colts seemed to be expected to take up military service and little else, whilst it was actually the mares and fillies of the empire that provided the logistical support necessary for the running of a nation; serving as merchants, labourers, bureaucrats, and practically every other available position.

Turning his attention from the window, Shining looked about the empty cabin with tired eyes, sighing to himself. His own military service to Equestria was tiring to say the least; in the last year alone he'd been a member of three diplomatic missions, and personally overseen the reorganisation of Equestria's armed forces; not to mention he had also been brainwashed by a changeling queen who was planning to take control of the nation, only to later be rescued from its influence by his wife. Life had been busy recently, but it wasn't the requirements of the job that caused Shining Armour to sigh thus.

To be as honest as possible, he was just lonely.

It had been some time since Shining Armour had seen his wife, and longer since he'd been able to fully his express his appreciation of her. Though Cadence was an understanding mare, who knew implicitly that the requirements of her husband's service would frequently retain him from her, Shining Armour couldn't help but feel that he was betraying his wife in some, that in keeping away from her for so long he was cruelly denying her something close to her heart. In an ideal world they would never have need to part, but unfortunately the reality was not so rosy, and thus it was that wherever he went, Shining kept Cadence close in his heart and mind.

In truth, Shining Armour was hardly a stud. Though he did his best to keep himself in peak physical condition, and had always tried hardest to be polite, kind, and respectful to those around him, he'd simply never had much of an eye for mares. Of course the same couldn't be said for the those of the opposite sex, and Shining Armour was well aware of the fact he served as a pin-up poster for experienced mares and budding young fillies across the length and breadth of Equestria. Yet regardless of the private letters that had been stuffed in his locker at the barracks, regardless of the looks he received when out on patrol, and regardless of the surprisingly tasteful collections of photographs he regularly received from one particularly enamoured fan, Shining Armour had never had eyes for another mare.

Only ever those for his beautiful, beautiful wife.

Yet as he lingered on the thought of her, something uncomfortably familiar flared at the back of his mind, something that seemed aggravated and inflamed. Groaning, Shining Armour leaned back in his chair, eyes closing as he let the head-ache run its course. They'd started about a year ago, a few months before he'd been married to Cadence, and the vehemence of them seemed to increase each time they returned. He'd been to the castle infirmary, visited several hospitals across Canterlot, and even, at the insistence of his sister, been to see some sort of tribal-mystic called Zecora in Ponyville. But regardless of which remedy was offered to him, they all still failed to have any effect on his condition: the headaches kept coming and kept getting worse.

Looking inward, Shining Armour focussed his consciousness on the sensation of the headache, attempting in his mind to trace the discomfort to its source. As he delved deeper into his own mind, blurred images began to form of scenes he was certain he'd never witnessed. One moment he saw himself stood amongst decrepit ruins, silently stalking forwards through the aged dust. The next he was sprawled across the ground, paralyse and helpless as the luminous form of a goddess stood over him; glorious, radiant, terrifying. As quickly as the vision came it went, instead replaced with a sight Shining found far too familiar; that of the Changeling Hive-Queen Chrysalis, grinning at him with emerald eyes and a lascivious smile.

Jolting upright, Shining Armour took deep breaths, slightly shaken as he pulled himself from his thoughts. As quickly as the images he'd bore witness to appeared, they submerged back into his consciousness, leaving the stallion with a blank mind and the remnants of a fierce head-ache. Shining wasn't totally sure what he'd seen, but he was certain that when he returned home the first thing he'd do was visit a physician. The image of Chrysalis had been terrifying in particular, the stallion shuddering as recollections of his time as the Queens consort came to the fore of his mind. Of all the creatures in the world, Shining most emphatically hoped to never encounter Chrysalis again.

Maybe he just needed to catch more sleep; perhaps he'd been working too hard?

The sound of the door at the opposite end of the train-car opening caught his attention, the stallion leaning across in his seat to look down the aisle. Visible at the end, her head poking out from the crack in the open door, a crystal mare curtseyed politely, her glittering purple coat iridescent in the sunlight beneath her black and purple uniform. "We'll be arriving at the Empire Terminal within the hour, Patriarch," she said in a calm, dignified manner, her pastel pink mane falling across one gem-like eye. "Queen Umbra has sent ahead instructions that once we reach the Empire Terminal, she shall meet you personally at the platform and escort you to the Imperial Spire." curtseying again, the mare made a quiet retreat, leaving the Patriarch in solitude once more.

Shining Armour sighed.

Though he always fully committed himself to any task set by his diarchs, Shining Armour suspected that perhaps he was reaching the end of his tether, the batteries were finally starting to run down. Maybe when all this business was done he'd file for a brief leave of absence; take Cadence to see the Grand-Lake in the East, catch some sun, and take in the local sites. Yes, that sounded like a sound plan of action. Standing from his chair, Shining Armour made his way across the carriage to the small basin that had been provided towards the back end, inspecting his visage in the mirror.

The trip had been smooth, he was certainly no worse for wear. Perhaps a quick shave to correct the light build up of stubble on his muzzle, and maybe a quick wash to do something about the grey bags under his eyes – he certainly wasn't getting enough sleep as of late. Wetting a wash cloth, Shining Armour set to work, gently massaging his fur; thoughts of Cadence and the Grand-Lake predominant in his mind. When this was done, then he could allow himself some R-&-R, but not a moment sooner

As for now, there were matters of state to attend to.

The train pulled into the Empire Terminal in a billowing cloud of white smoke, the rhythmic pumping of the steam engine up front filling the cavernous space like the industrial beating of a mechanical heart. Stood in the entrance compartment to his carriage, Shining Armour waited patiently as the vehicle came to a gradual halt, conductors shouting up and down the length of the platform as they opened the carriage doors and hopped down and out. Waiting for his own door to be opened, Shining Armour finally stepped out onto the remarkably well-lit platform of the Empire Terminal, resplendent in his official panoply.

Clad in the golden armour of the Celestial Guard, Shining Armour practically gleamed in the bright arctic sunlight. Golden plates covered his body from neck to hoof, tightly encapsulating him within thrice-blessed cladding, yet leaving just enough room for the agile movement required by his combat style. His head was enclosed within an elegant helm, a plume of phoenix feather rising above it in a vibrant crest, the feathers still lit with warm fire. Strapped to his flank was the hereditary weapon of office for the Patriarch of the Celestial Guard; the twin-headed axe Starlight Wrath, the two blades shimmering with arcs of cyan energy. Scrawled across each plate were minute engravings of flowing, intersecting patterns, each segment representing years worth of work.

Ordinarily Shining Armour would never have worn such an opulent suit of armour. Though it represented a glorious achievement of Equestrian metallurgy, from a practical point of view the armour itself was far too heavy and cumbersome for the Patriarch, the unnecessary embellishments adding needless weight. Even when on parade, Shining much preferred the standard armour set provided to members of the Celestial Guard, the lightweight plating providing him with maximum agility. Originally he'd intended to bring such a set with him to the North, but Celestial had been certain that he instead take one of the royal sets kept in the vaults beneath Canterlot; the Solar Monarch insisting that in the militarised society of the Crystal Empire the apparel of war was considered the greatest fashion.

The Patriarch took a moment to take stock of his surroundings, taking in the details of the environment with a soldiers instincts. The Empire Terminal was grand to say the least, in a spartan sense of the word. Unlike in Canterlot, where every building, bridge and balcony was considered to be a work of art, the Empire Terminal was decidedly short of embellishments; the interior design of building possessing a decidedly blunt, plain aesthetic of grey stone. Above, light was streaming through a collection of stained-crystal skylights, sending dazzling rainbow refractions scattering across the floor. Aside from his own train, the platforms of the Empire Terminal were alive with the sounds and movements of life; the air filled with the huffing of steam-locomotives, the shouts of conductors, and the general hubbub of urban life.

That was when he saw her; the warrior queen of the Crystal Empire.

There were not many things that could arouse the interests of the Patriarch. Dedicated to his career, his family, and his wife, Shining Armour didn't possess the wandering eyes of other stallions; but as his gaze settled on the armoured form of the Queen barely fifteen meters away from him, he felt something surge within his heart, something too frighteningly familiar to the rush he'd felt when he'd first laid eyes up Cadence all those long years ago.

Queen Umbra was beautiful.

She was a warrior first and foremost, that was plain to see; yet, there seemed to be something behind the armoured facade. Clad in utilitarian plates of black metal, devoid of the ornamentation that adorned his own set, the Queens body was greatly emphasised by the protective armour she wore; the plates hugging tightly to each and every curve. Cold, seemingly aloof eyes held him in a level gaze, purple streams of fire seeping from their green iris', whilst a smile of piqued interest held prominence on her elegantly formed muzzle. Her mane tumbled down her neck in rippling waves of darkness, the queen idly flicking her head to send her mane flowing in the breeze of the Terminal, whilst a cape of blood-red trimmed with ermine rested across her back in sharp contrast to the mares dark aesthetic. Stood behind the mare were the heavy forms of fours stallions, all clad head to hoof in thick black plating, only the eye-slits indicating there were actually ponies inside.

Shining Armour felt himself pause for the briefest moment, a flush threatening to stain his cheeks as he took her in. He didn't know why his body suddenly seemed to react so intensely, the sight of a mare in battle-armour was a common occurrence in the armed forces of Equestria; but for some reason, as he gazed upon Queen Umbra, Shining Armour felt something... stir within the depths of his soul, brought up by his admiration for the martial apparel of the mare before him. The way the armour clung to her, the sheer aura of dignity and authority that practically radiated from her. This was a mare of valour, courage, honour.

He seized the fleeting emotion in his soul with both hooves and crushed it.

Perhaps if he were here on a social call, Shining might have been tempted to appreciate the sight of the queen for a few moments longer; might have been. But, as Shining Armour promptly chastised himself, he was not. Celestia, the Solar Monarch, had sent him North with explicit instructions to secure an alliance between Equestria and the Crystal Empire, not to dally about like some bumbling colt on vacation fawning over pretty fillies and colourful vistas. Straightening his posture to a military standard, Shining Armour approached Queen Umbra until he stood only a few feet away before bowing deeply, lowering his muzzle until it was only an inch for the gray-marble floor. Holding the position for a few seconds, Shining Armour raised himself to find Umbra regarding him with a cold, calculating eye; the way one might regard an insect.

"Queen Umbra, ruler of the Crystal Empire" Shining Armour acknowledged.

"Shining Armour, Ambassador of Princess Celestia." Umbra replied in a factual manner, raising a gauntleted hoof forwards. Taking it gently in his own, Shining Armour placed the faintest of kisses against the cold metal, aware of Umbra's eyes fixed upon him.

For a moment Shining Armour felt his internal composure slip once again; Queen Umbra was certainly not what he'd expected. True, he'd been informed enough about Crystal Society to know the Empire was highly militarised, and true, he'd been preparing himself for a leader who lacked the opulent flamboyance of the southern kingdoms; but it seemed that even with his mental preparations, Queen Umbra undercut everything he'd been expecting. The fact that she planned to personally meet the arriving diplomat at the train-station alone separated her from nearly every other ruler he'd ever encountered; even maternal Celestia didn't interact with the public and foreign officials in such a personal manner.

And yet, Shining Armour couldn't shake the sense that there was something beneath the metal armour and leather padding; something cold, patient, and viciously intelligent. It was in the way the Queen regarded him for the briefest of moments, in the same manner young Twilight would scrutinise a lab experiment or some new specimen; distant, calculating, and analytical, probing for strengths and weaknesses: what could be exploited, and what couldn't.

Shining became implicitly aware he would have to remain on the very tips of his hooves.

"I trust your journey was satisfactory?" Umbra asked, her voice cold; the slightly distasteful edge in her tone implying that this was a mare above those around her both socially and intellectually.

"Your staff were most accommodating, and the ride exceptionally smooth. It would seem the artisans of the Crystal Empire have a higher affinity for such mechanical matters as trains than the ponies of my own country." Shining Armour turned give the locomotive another piece look, the colt in him awed by the sheer size of the steel leviathan. "A brilliant specimen of steam-powered technology."

"Indeed. We developed them for war." Umbra allowed a predatory smile to suddenly flash across her muzzle, which, in lieu of her distant, calculating behaviour thus far, caused a sense of disquieting in Shinings soul. Turning away, her black mane tumbling like liquid ink, Umbra beckoned for Shining Armour to follow, the mare proceeding forward without checking to see if the colt followed. "Come, Patriarch. Time is short and I have other matters to attend to. I have a carriage waiting to take you to the Royal Spire. Once there I shall give you several hours to unpack your belongings, then we shall meet in the armoury to begin negotiations."

"The Armoury, your highness?" Shining Armour asked, frowning slightly as he kept pace with the armoured mare. "Pardon me, but surely there are better places to discuss matters of the state?"

Umbra smiled at the stallion before allowing herself to giggle, the noise oddly feminine when coming from such a martial mare. "Ha! Perhaps in your southern lands, Patriarch, with all their civility and culture" Umbra practically spat the words out. "But here in the north you will find there is no room for such concepts as informed debate and reasoned discourse, Patriarch. Out here life is too harsh for such wastes of time."

"Again, begging your pardon, your highness." Shining Armour responded. "But if there is to be no debate or discourse, how are our nations to negotiate an alliance?"

Umbra paused, weighing Shining Armour with a critical eye before formulating her response. "You come from southern lands, Patriarch, from a world of plenty and ease. Long summers and short winters have made your realms soft and indulgent, unable to understand or bear the thought of actually toiling for your living. Out here on the Tundra you will find no place for your civility or culture, Patriarch; here the Waste's have no love for politics. This is a harsh realm, and I rule only because I have proven I have the strength to do so. Perhaps in your realm royalty is simply a hereditary title to be given without being earned, but in my country, only those who have set an example may wear such a mantle. Thus, if Equestria wishes to secure an alliance with the Crystal Empire, she shall have to learn that there is no speech grand enough to sway the hearts of the Crystal Ponies."

"And what is suffice, your highness?"

"A pact of blood, Patriarch." Umbra stated, her voice as hard as iron. "If Equestria truly desires an alliance with her northern cousin, than she must prove her strength in a trial of combat."

"You wish for a battle between our two realms?"

"No, Patriarch, not a battle between our realms. Such matters have been part of the Empire's culture for centuries; we have traditions that address such matters. The rules are clear: a representative of each nation shall meet in combat, and to the victor goes the spoils."

"You wish me to prove the strength of my nation by defeating your champion in combat, your highness?"

Umbra giggled once more, the sound causing something within Shining Armours soul to sigh in content, for some odd reason. The Queen looked to the Patriarch with genuine mirth upon her features, a surprisingly light-hearted glimmer in her eye. "Oh, Patriarch; you and your southern ways!" A few more seconds of giggling followed before Umbra calmed enough to continue. "I understand that in your southern realms your rulers aren't expected to actually prove themselves as creatures of capability, but as I've said; in the Crystal Empire, one may only lead by example. It's not a champion you shall have to fight, Patriarch, it is I."

Shining Armour continued on for a few moments longer before the implication of the mares words truly hit him, turning to face the mare in disbelief to only find that Umbra had him fixed in a piercing gaze, her scarlet eyes swimming with thoughts and emotions, yet all but unreadable even to him.

"Does this surprise you, Patriarch?"

"I... Well..." Shining paused for a moment, trying to summon the right words to his mind. "To be honest, your highness? Yes."

Umbra chuckled.

"Southerners; you always get yourselves so worked up about propriety and ceremony and civilisation. I am no Southern Rose, Patriarch; if you pick me I shall not wilt and die. Perhaps the mares of your land do not take up the sword, but in the Empire the martial traditions of my ponies have been passed on for generations; father to son, mother to daughter. As my Grandmother bore the blade so did my mother, and as my mother did so do I." They had finally reached the great doors to the Empire Terminal, Queen Umbra pushing them open with a single pulse of scarlet magic. Stepping out onto the elevated steps outside the building, Shining Armour took in his first true view of the Crystal Empire.

Everything, from the buildings to the ponies going about their daily lives, seemed to radiate an aura of martial strength. Trotting along on their various chores and duties, the citizens of the Empire were silent and respectful, the street they emerged on surprisingly quiet. Though polite conversation could be heard all about, the noise never rose above a subtle background drone. Here and there, threading their way through the crowd, multiple individuals in military uniform patrolled the streets, the citizens nodding respectfully as they passed, eyes open for sign of disturbance of dissidence. Even the clothes they wore were restrictive and militarised, the predominant colour being black, with stallions being marked out by scarlet highlights, and mares with purple highlights; certainly more akin to a uniform than anything else.

Descending the stairs, Umbra led Shining Armour down to street level, where a carriage drawn by another four soldiers in black armour stood waiting. As the descended, Shining Armour noted with interest that, unlike in Equestria, where any public outing of the Diarchs would have been cause for celebration; here Umbra simply moved with the crowd, simply another pony amongst the masses. Though the citizens nodded respectfully as she passed by, the stallions bowing slightly whilst the mares curtseyed, there was none of the reverence Equestrians held for their princesses. Here it was clear to see that Queen Umbra ruled through the respect and consent of those she led, not simply because she had inherited such a title.

The soldier within him admired her for that.

A stallion of experience, Shining Armour was no novice when it came to matters of war. He more than anyone, perhaps save Celestia, understood the necessity of strong leadership, of being led by a someone who you would willingly follow. As his own drill-sergeant had informed him, all those years ago when he'd first joined the Celestial Guard, a ponies courage and valour were only a strong as the charisma of the one who led him. What must have transpired for Queen Umbra to gain the consent of an entire empire, Shining Armour wondered, what trial could the mare have passed that denoted her as being fit to bear such a responsibility?

Umbra looked to him, violet fire streaming from her blood red eyes, the green tint of her iris' impossibly intense in the arctic sunlight.

"Unfortunately, I have business across the Capital that I must attend to. This carriage shall take you to the royal spire; my servants shall see to you once you arrive. Food and refreshments will be waiting, and should you require anything you need only say the word. I ask only that you treat the citizens of my realm with respect"

"Of course, your highness." Shining Armour replied, nodding his head in thanks. "And when shall we meet to begin... negotiations?"

"Midnight. I'm afraid the traditions of the Empire require I perform an inspection of the city daily." Saving the Patriarch one last glance, Umbra nodded her goodbyes before turning away. "Your baggage is already being seen to, you shall find it in your apartments upon your arrival."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Shining Armour moved to enter the plush interior of the carriage, but not before the voice of Umbra caught him once more. "Oh, and Patriarch?"

"Yes, your highness?" He replied.

"Sharpen your blade," The mare stated in a strange voice, her tone at once mocking, distant and... lascivious? "Tonight, you shall see how a true mare of the Crystal Empire takes her steel."

Author's Notes:

Well, here it is, the third installment of:

shining Armour and just about everypony he could possibly be shipped with!

Hope you all enjoyed it, though of course we're not quite finished yet. As ever, feel free to leave me a comment if there's anything you want to ask, point out the story, or stroke my ego.

Thanks.

Erol.