Silver awoke and felt... good. The tug of the two opposing artifacts had normalized a lot of his network compared to where it had been, and many of his starved organs were being bathed more plentifully in magic, making him awaken with a wealth of minor pains banished. He hopped from the bed and stretched out with a smile.

Celestia awoke from his movement and watched him prancing about. "Feeling better?" She slipped from the bed and began preparing for the day. "Be sure to get ready quickly. The meeting's early."

Silver nodded at her. "I feel much better." He rushed to her side and nuzzled her before he got to cleaning up and dressing for the day.

Breakfast came and went without drama, and soon they had all checked one another out and disembarked towards the castle. Silver looked around as he walked. "Where's Master Stroke?"

Fiddah perked an ear. "Mister Rutherford said he had business and left last night, m'lord."

Silver nodded. "Thanks, huh. I suppose he can catch up with us whenever he wants. We can't force him."

Without their bird escort, they wove through the city. Most of the other birds simply avoided them, but stared curiously from a safe distance. One proved to be the exception. He or she approached with a wide selection of jewelry. "Sirs, sirs! Surely you want a souvenir for your time in Turkey?"

Silver perked his ears curiously, then looked to the others. "A gift, for my loyal servants. Pick something nice for yourself."

Shei advanced first and selected a bangle that hung nicely just above her hoof. Bottom looked over the selection before she selected a bright platinum bit. It took a little help to get it into her bridle properly, but she looked quite pleased with it.

Fiddah was last to approach, but she barely looked at them. She instead focused on Silver. "I would rather you chose, m'lord, that I can think of you when I wear it."

Silver smiled at the thought behind the statement. "That's very sweet, hmm." He rummaged through the jewels with careful tugs of his magic. "Here." He lifted a large pendant that showed a mother horse standing protectively over some foals. "You are the mother of my concubines, and it's full of things to love."

Fiddah flushed lightly as she accepted it. "I am not here to love, m'lord, but the thought is most kind."

The bird was pleased with being paid and took off. Its success seemed to bolster the courage of others, and they were approached by other hopeful vendors along the way. Silver ignored most of them, until a powerful tremble ran from his lungs down to his loins. Could it be that easy? He looked sharply at the selection being offered and began to root through it excitedly until he found a set of solid-looking but plain iron horse shoes. Just holding them sent trembles running up and down his body. He wanted to run. He wanted to fuck. Both were being excited by the presence of this unknown part of the set.

Celestia peered at the plain shoes being held up. "They look a little plain for a prince, Silver."

The bird looked alarmed at Celestia's words. "Yes yes! I thought I removed those. My mistake!" The bird tried to reclaim it from Silver, but Silver pulled them away. "Something about them amuses me. I'll take them, as a memento." He paid criminally little for what was assuredly an artifact, and they walked away.

When they got a few blocks away, Silver set the shoes down and started stepping into them. They attached to his hooves and wrapped up over them, becoming more like the hoof-boots rather than plain horseshoes. They were still cold iron, but they were finely crafted and held firmly to him. A powerful jolt ran through him as his network began to be pulled at anew, but he fought the urge to pass out. Soon he felt just a little closer to normal, with three pieces balancing one another almost perfectly.

Celestia peered at Silver as he put on the magic item. "And you say you're cursed, but you seem blessed enough when it matters, my stallion. The first made you a stud, the second made you want to compete with Rainbow Dash. What does this one do, perchance?"

Silver considered this. "Well, keep an eye on me, and I'll try to find out." He let his magic flow, and it felt deliciously good. For once it flowed through his body in a circle instead of rushing right to his loins. The tug of the three items counteracted one another, allowing him to build up some flow. He pushed the magic down into his hooves, and the cold iron glimmered. He felt heavy, solid... reliable. "It's... It's focusing my earth magic, I think. I bet I could work alongside Big Mac for days if I kept this up." He rapped his hoof against the cobblestone and flowers exploded around the stone, struggling up towards the light. "Oh, that felt better than it had right to. I feel... like a father, a father of the ground." He pulled the magic away and the sensation faded away, and he was able to normalize himself, and he giggled with the purest glee at feeling back in control of himself. "Celestia, I am so happy right now."

Celestia leaned in and nuzzled him gently. "Good. For now, put that away. We have royalty to meet before we officially get away with the treasures we've found. Harmony has smiled on you on this leg of the journey, and I'll hope that continues."

They continued on their way and arrived at the castle. It was a place full of birds. Though most were turkeys, not all were. It seemed that some doves and colorful parrots also graced the walls of the palace, crowing at one another in deep conversations that did not involve the ponies.

The guards that stood in front on either side of the gate's walls looked down at the approaching ponies. "You're expected," said one.

"Two minutes from now," said the other.

They were let through, despite their earliness. As they navigated the plush hallways and curiously-placed perching rods, a plainly-colored turkey came up to them and bowed. "Good day. I am here to service the stud."

Silver colored rapidly. "Um, no, thank you. I, er, had plenty, just last night."

The turkey tilted her head. "Oh, alright. If you need any, just call for me." She walked right along past as if she had offered nothing more intimate than a bagel.

Celestia snorted softly. "If it makes you feel better, I've had that treatment before. Some kingdoms think it's polite to send a stud to me while I visit."

Silver glanced away and back at Celestia. "Do you... accept them?"

Celestia smiled. "If I'm in the mood, and not in season. It would be quite the fiasco to hurt one of their studs."

Bottom glanced at Celestia curiously before she leaned towards Silver. "You aren't dangerous to be around sometimes, are you?"

Silver chuckled as they walked. "No, generally not, at least not that way. Even when I give it my all, it just ends up with a more heavy mare, not a hurt one."

They arrived just before the throne room and were asked to wait the two minutes they were early by before being allowed inside. There were two birds perched at the far end. One was plainer in feathers than the other, and Silver assumed that was the queen. The other, on the other hoof, looked... familiar.

"It is good to see you again," called out Rutherford. King Rutherford. "Please, come closer."

Silver and the others closed the distance, though there wasn't a pony that wasn't surprised. Silver voiced this shock. "You're the king?"

Rutherford, AKA Master Stroke, bowed his head lightly. "That I am! Did you not think it was suspicious how easily she gave in to your offer?" His eyes drifted downwards to Silver's hooves. "And I see you found them too."

Silver realized the trap he had stepped into. "What... were you hoping in return?"

Rutherford waved a wing. "Don't sound so alarmed. We are friends! Yes. It's been far too long for Turkey and Equestria to formally meet and become allies. For the trinkets, a favor. I will think of something later. If you do not like that, you can return them."

Silver could not remove them, and he was fairly sure Rutherford knew that. The crazy bird had fooled him entirely. Silver found himself smiling despite that. "You are one clever bird."

Rutherford smiled. "I am insane! I told you this, but it is a good insanity, is it not? My people trust me to use it for their benefit, and here we are. Meet my lovely wife." He gestured back to the other bird. "Samantha, approach."

Samantha bowed with wings wide before stepping up closer. "Good day, envoys of Equestria."

Celestia dipped her head in return. "A pleasure to meet you, Samantha." She turned her gaze on Rutherford. "You've played your cards well, King. I accept. A favor will be returned for the one you've given us."

Rutherford looked quite triumphant. "I gather you are pleased with your gifts, young prince?"

Silver lifted his hooves and looked at the weave of iron around them. "I... really am. You helped me out a lot, thank you. Even if there was some politics involved, thank you."

Rutherford extended a wing before bowing formally. "My pleasure. You've all been quite amusing to get to know. I've learned a lot about ponies and horse anatomy, things I imagine I did not need to know, but will go well in my books." He turned to Celestia. "I would like to arrange a formal day of trade. Mmm, the twelfth of March, every year. Ships from Turkey will arrive in Equestria on that day, to sell, to buy? We will both get what we want. Birds are very clever at making some things, you'll see. Your people will see, and rejoice."

Celestia's expression brightened. "That sounds like a lovely proposition. I will send word to the dock managers to be ready to give a warm welcome and ready traders. You'll be given plenty of Equestrian merchandise to choose from."

"Yes, yes," agreed Samantha. "Trading is good, on the trading day. The twelfth of March will be a fine day indeed." She tilted her head a little, peering at Celestia. "You talk a lot for a queen."

Celestia extended a wing, covering Silver from view partially. "I was princess for long with no prince at all. It is still my kingdom in large part. Silver is young and in my care."

Silver leaned in and nipped into the soft feathers of Celestia's wings and began grooming her, much to her discreet blushing, but she held the wing there, so he continued preening carefully at her, and there he remained as she spoke business with both of the royalty. The relations between the nation of Turkey and Equestria became warmer that day, and their trip was full of bounty in the end, even if a favor was owed to the mad king Rutherford of the turkeys.

Author's Notes:

Oh man, what's up with this? Two chapters in a row with mostly good news? It has to be a typo in the script I never wrote.