The Kindred Palace, in contrast with the sleek modern skyscrapers that loomed over it, was actually a very traditional design hewn from white stone. A wide staircase stretched up the centre to pillars on either side of an entrance, while the building stretched out in two main wings on each side, forming a shallow double V, with a closed-off outdoor garden on either side. In addition, small tubular protrusions jutted upwards from the tips of each wing, extending as far as the eye could see and presumably to the very top of the cavern. Although the buildings around the palace dwarfed it in size, the stone behemoth still carried an air of sophistication, a sense that something was different about it. And of course there was something different about it; it was the Kindred Palace!

Off to the left side, coming off the front wing, there lay a balcony overlooking the stony entrance to the palace. On this balcony stood a lone stallion, the copper-coated alicorn who resided within. He looked downward at the stairs, expression wrought with concern. What he gazed at was the small procession trotting slowly up the stairs, hugging the right side as they went along so as to not disrupt the many ponies trotting to and from the palace entrance. Presumably, the stallion wondered something about why they hadn't taken a back entrance, or why they were doing this in broad daylight, where everypony could see and ask questions. But perhaps it was for the best; there had been little good news to report about the Rebels as of late, and this would surely boost morale.

Once Prince Aeneus saw the group had reached the open stone area at the top of the stairs, he gave a small nod, to nopony in particular. With a final glance to make sure nopony else was watching, he closed his eyes and his horn lit up with a glimmery bronze colour. Within a moment, he had transformed into a fuzzy brown squirrel, complete with a bronze-coloured metallic star on its forehead. With just a twitch of its nose, the squirrel skittered right off the balcony, past the railing, and along the side of the building, towards where the group stood.