Updated authors notes at bottom. (Edited only through chapter space and notes)

Betrayal... Anger... Sadness... Fool...Pain

All these emotions Spike was feeling right now and he didn't know why he couldn't properly express himself. The moment was only expanded upon the uneasy feeling of being in the room with the dragon whom lied to him and her father whom was watching for any sign of unintended emotional consequences.
Any normal dragon would have allowed the total use of their emotions to run amok and unleash Tartarus upon those whom have caused them ill, emotionally or physically. The truth felt like both and it was only through years of being raised by ponies whom loved him dearly with all their heart, that he wasn't on the verge of a total break down. He had already dealt with so much that he had grown mature enough to handle a few heavy blows in life.
His feelings never returned by his long lost crush on Rarity. It was her that gently eased him out of it, going on about how despite that the problem wouldn't be about their two species but mostly that his crush would fade and he would truly find someone to call his own. She loved him as a friend to the point where she would do anything for him, but be the love of his life.
He dealt with knowing that his friends often overlook that he has the intelligence of a full grown adult pony, being raised by two of the smartest ponies in all of Equestria. Yes, he was a child in their standards, but he also gained so much knowledge through his life from his adopted family.

He faced fear of total destruction and possible death from dangerous foes. Ranging from Chaos Gods and Mad Tyrants, from Powerful Entities to universal collapse of time and space. All the mean while taking it just like any other day for him and his friends. There were times that his friends and family often forget to include him in their activities or often take advantage of him and reconcile for it later.
So... what was the difference now? Here he had a friend that had told a story on how she wanted him as his consort in order to keep her rule over the dragons or she be forced into a courtship with other dragons, in which case after they are accepted, must pass the former 'Dragon Lord' and his view, all the while having to pass a set of trials set by other dragons that may establish how they will be seen as other Dragons as a Co-Ruler, an Wise Figure or just a Consort for the Dragon Lord with no meaning.

At least... that was the story that was told. He had no real way of knowing what was true and what was false yet, but he knew that when he first asked Ember if he were to be with her for a long period, that she had stated that he would return home eventually. The word was 'soon' and 'eventually' used in two very different sentences. So, 'as soon' meant that he could return home and let his family know what his future held? Or 'eventually', meaning sometime in the future, not a specific date which could be either next month or next millennium?

So now came the question the all powerful question.

"Why?" he simply asked. It was a simple word for many but it held a certain universal understanding. Direct, meaningful, and held a lot of power to it. All three dragons were affected by the word and it was that word that triggered so many questions that he wished to be informed on.
Ember wanted to speak but her voice was shaking from the fact her emotions were running in every direction. Fear, frustration, sadness, guilt and so on didn't allow her to fully create a proper response. Fortunately, Torch was less emotionally affected by this situation, though seeing his daughter struggle was too much, even for a large dragon himself.

"The lie was created for a reason Spike." He began, his voice firm but no intimidation nor any emotion carried in his words. "To bring you here and making a life for yourself and Ember's." Struggling a bit, the larger dragon brought his larger head in, forcing the two smaller dragons to move back so he could bring his forearms in and lay his large head on them. "The Bloodstone Scepter had only a limited window of time to establish its tie between the two of you. You, being the first one to grab it, had only the power of the for yourself and no one else. However, since you gave it to Ember right away, it established a bond between the two you and automatically had you two share its power. The Bloodstone itself is a powerful tool, young Spike. It not only calls upon other dragons to either obey their Dragon Lord, but it also holds grand power to many other abilities."

"Like what?" asked Spike. He was looking at Torch now, trying to focus his attention away from Ember, whom seemed more heartbroken at his avoidance.

Quickly trying to defend his daughter's earlier actions, Torch dove into the history.
"The Bloodstone holds the power to grant the Dragon Lord control over volcanoes, fire and even the ability take away a dragon's flame. It is power in which Draco himself has bestowed upon it."

"Draco?" Spike questioned. "Isn't he a deity of some sort that I read in your scrolls?"

Torch gave a nod, trying to make sure his story carried the truth now.
"Draco is our creator, the same way you may think that your ponies had Faust, the Dogs had Anubis, the griffins their creators and so on. Draco however, was the first dragon to step on the lands and created the Bloodstone Scepter from a drop of his blood and the first flame of the earth and molded into stone. The stone that rests on the Scepter. When he created the Scepter he then gave his power to his mate, All Mother Wistala, whom gave life to all dragons. She created our bodies from the earth, she made it so we could walk across the lands and search for homes. The All Mother then had Draco use the Scepter on her first borns to be powerful."

"When we needed heat and warmth to survive the nights, Draco and Wistala gave us fire in our blood and in our breaths to keep us alive. When we wanted to explore other lands and search for new homes, they gave us wings to fly and sore the skies. When our food became scarce, they gave us teeth that could eat through solid rocks and allowed our bodies to gain power and strength through gems.
When he saw us as feral though, they felt as though we would never survive the world in our aggressive and savage ways, so he gave us intelligence. From that intelligence, they gave the first dragon the stone to hold. The holder of the stone would gain power and strength from Draco and Wistala and thus, became Dragon Lords, rulers and advisors for All Dragons.
"However, it was not soon realized that the power of Draco was too strong for a single Dragon Lord. It was too much power and dragon whom held the Scepter would die very soon. The power of Draco was to great that it enveloped their bodies and began to kill them off. That is why that after the Dragon Lords died off, a set of dragon Elders had written and established commands or rules, that they must have a mate or a consort or whichever, to share that power. Once they have chosen their partners, the power would transfer over to them both and it would extend their life."

Spike remained silent but he was in awe at the history of dragons. He already knew a few tidbits from the scrolls he had read earlier, but hearing it and feeling that the stone carried a lot more than he realized, brought everything into perspective. He almost felt ashamed for allowing his emotions to get the best of him and targeting them at Ember. She had a reason to do so, but it was still a lie.

"So," Spike began, trying to swallow and take in the information explained to him. "The Scepter has immense power and no single dragon could hold it, in which case they need to take in a mate or consort to transfer the power so it doesn't kill them both."
The larger dragon nodded his giant head.
"Yes, but more so, the bond between the two must be strong enough that the dragons can share equally without repercussions."
"Such as?"

"They must share a bond; a bond of love and devotion to one another in order for the power to transfer properly." Spoke Ember. Her mood was somber and her eyes would try to catch Spike's. He finally met her's but they still held the look of betrayal and sadness, where as he quickly turned away with a glare, causing a blow to her heart.

His eyes did however widen as something struck him odd.
"Hey wait, if the power is to be transferred through devotion, why didn't it start when I gave the Scepter to Ember?"
"It did!" Ember nearly exclaimed, trying to bare through the struggle of her ache. "However, what I hadn't realized at the time was that because you held it first, then gave it to me, our bonds quickly merged. Yet, when you left back home, the bond started weakening."

"Which is why I told my daughter," stated Torch. "To make a lie up or find a way to bring you back here, before it was to late. I wasn't aware that you had reached the Scepter first and handed it to her. Had she held it first, she wouldn't have a need for you here."
"Well why can't Ember then let me return home?" he asked, a bit of desperation hitting his voice. "I mean, she has visited Equestria before? As a 'Dragon Lord, can't she undo this tie between us?"
"She may leave her home land without the Scepter for a certain period of time, a week and a half at most; however it cannot leave the Dragon Lands for it is where Draco had created it with the fire of the earth itself. There is a reason for dragons to live out here other than just the lava and gems. We are tied to the grounds where we were created from and so is the Bloodstone. With the Bloodstone Scepter leaving its grounds, it would cause certain destruction across the lands. Yes, for a time it can leave but it must immediately return in order for other lands not to be affected by its power."
That made sense and to a certain degree, it was more of an explanation that he had been prepared to hear. Ember's reasoning for lying, their supposed demise if left to far apart and him not leaving for a period of...
He turned his head to her, his eyes scanning her features.

"Was the part of you liking me a lie too?" he asked suddenly.
The question caught her off guard but she immediately shook her head. "No!" she almost screamed at him. "I really lov... I really care for you Spike, I truly do but I wasn't sure if you would ever return it once you found out the truth." Her voice carried desperation, a certain need for him to forgive her actions. "I meant everything I had ever told you and I wished that their would have been another way for this to happen."
He didnt reply and his silence made the guilt that much more painful. He sighed and shook his head.
"What about the trials? Are those real?"
This time Torch responded.
"The trials are very much true, however it wasn't something that needed to be done to any other dragon. However, both you and my daughter are young and have not reached a proper age of maturity to fully be in charge of being Dragon Lord. A few simple commands here and there are just simple control functions of the Scepter, but to hold and command the dragons of the world, must be dealt with delicate care."
"But if we were to young why allow..." began Spike

"The rules state that 'Any dragon' can join the Gauntlet of Fire," he interrupted. "But the previous Dragon Lord must help any young dragon that wins the challenge to properly established their role as Dragon Lord. In which case, I would have to instruct any dragon to properly rule."
"And did that mean keeping peace between nations?" Spike asked.

The larger dragon tried his best to cock his giant head but only managed a simple turn before giving a simple raised eyebrow.
"What makes you ask that? As a Dragon Lord, we must maintain peace between nations and make sure that we do not cause disorder in other lands. It is one of the rules that the Elders and the First Dragon Lords established."
Spike snorted. "Had Garble won, he would have charged a brigade of dragons to go and burn Equestria down. Would he be able to do that?"
Torch growled at that and more or less wished he wasn't dealing with these two to go deal with him.
"By Draco himself, if he had won, I would not hold restraint to make sure that he would deal with my wrath had he done anything reckless as that." He grunted, shifting his form once more before raising his head. "For now, I must go and relax for my head is getting cramped in here. I hope young Spike, that you may forgive my daughter's actions and lies. She was merely trying to save you and herself from a horrible fate."

He turned to Ember, giving a small smile back at her before sighing and nodding. "Yes, I can." Ember released a silent sigh of relieve. "Though if you hadn't told Ember what it meant to be a Dragon Lord and I held the Scepter first, would I have died early too?"
Torch seemed to think on it, trying to figure it out. He seemed almost lost on the question as well before responding.
"Never has a dragon willingly give the Bloodstone Scepter after acquiring it. For you to do it almost right away to Ember, it almost sealed the two of you together. However, whether the power would have remained and killed you off, well the chances would have been lower. However, because you held it within a certain amount of time and had not returned to Ember in time to establish a bond, it may have manifested in different ways."
"Manifested?" Spike asked, a small twinge of fear creeping in.

"Mhmm... your greed could have taken over and make you jump to a rapid growth. Or you could have gone mad with the power in you, what little was left, and that could have left a less... desirable outcome for your friends and family."Â

Spike felt a chill go up his spine at that. If he hadn't come back... what true fear and pain would have that brought to him? The unknown knowledge and surge of greed that could put his friends and family in danger? More then the first time? It was worse to think about it, even more heart wrenching knowing that Ember took the off chance that he might hate her in the end, but would have saved him from a future worse than he could imagine.

He finally gave a look of acceptance and understanding towards Torch before turning to Ember whom was patiently waiting his. The whole time she had tried to remain to herself, almost silently begging for Draco, The All Mother and her own mother to let Spike see her reasoning for the lie. She was to herself the whole time, her heart on the verge of total collapse had Spike not forgiven her or worse he would have left, dooming them both.

Seeing his eyes, she saw that he finally understood the meaning of it all. He turned to her and finally gave in.
"Ember, I'm sorry that I... uhmph!" she had immediately grabbed him and pulled him in for a hug. Soft whimpers could be heard from her trying to hold back any sobbing as she begged for his forgiveness. Spike wanted to reassure her but he didn't want to ruin this for her, so he hugged her back.
Torch felt at the display. 'Ah young love', much to his pleasure that Ember had found someone not only within her area of age, but found one of pure heart and more. His intelligence, his charisma, his heart; all of it because he was raised by the ponies. Ponies he had so many times often undermined them and yet, here was proof that they had created something truly magical.
Yes, he felt that the notion of the Magic of Friendship was something to laugh at, but he found that without it, his daughter might have perished in the Gauntlet, Garble would have won and he might have had to deal with two devastating actions in his lifetime. Draco and Wistala forgive him, his mate as well. Speaking of...
"I must leave now," he said, causing both to break their hug and turn to him. "The evening approaches and I can assure you both that tomorrow, we will be setting you up for the trials. For now, rest and reconcile with one another, learn to regain your loyalty and banish any harsh feelings. I know you two only see each other's as friends or consorts but for the sake of your hearts, try to see further than that."
With that, his giant head shook in and out of the cave before disappearing, leaving the two by themselves. Once he was completely out, Spike let out a small sigh of relief and Ember fell to her hunches, the emotional playback affecting her mentally and physically. Her eyes where red and still staining with tears but a smile had formed on her mouth. Spike gave her an apologetic look.

"Ember, look I'm sorry I lashed out at you."
"Don't be," she assured him, pulling him to her, he stayed up right while she laid her head on his, brushing it against his chest. "I should be begging you for forgiveness, especially that I lied not only to you but your family as well. I can only imagine that if they are to learn the truth, that they would hate me for it."
Spike brushed his claws over her head, trying to ease her worry.
"I think they would be angry but once they find out why, they will forgive you, especially when they know that it could have ended badly me." He looked down as she held her head tightly to his chest, occasionally brushing it. It was odd knowing he was at this end, him being always the one brushing his head against the chest of his friends, Twilight, his mother and Ember. Now, the one he cares for is trying to doing to him because she was seeking comfort and acceptance back into his heart. He often wondered, if he were to ever grow huge and tall, if the girls would do that to him? If one day he would surpass his own mother, would she do it to him?

It was an odd thought but something he could see himself doing. Not to mention that if he and Ember should ever have kids and... Wait what? Where did that thought come from?
Ember must have felt his distress as she pulled away.
"Something wrong?" she asked.

He shook his head, trying clear his thoughts before responding.
"Just had an odd thought came to mind."

She cocked her head.
"Something odd? Was it a bad one?"
He thought again on it and for some reason, this time, it felt pleasant and he pushed back any fear that one day, he and Ember maybe something more. With this thing going between them right now, it was hard to say, but he knew that he was to be with her in some way or some form. He cared for her and her him, which begged the question, would they truly be happy together forever?
"I think I can safely say that it was good one. One that maybe I can... we can enjoy in the future."

Author's Notes:

SO if you are reseeding this, its because I pulled it off so I could put up the chapter meant to be in this ones place. If you read the note or have not in "Betrayal of the Consort", I will properly explained it here.
I had gotten into a car wreck a week before Christmas and I had all but had a memory lost on the previous chapter dubbed 'Betrayal of the Consort'. However, when I regained proper function again, I began working on this chapter thinking I had already done the previous chapter. When I kept getting messages and comments on the time jumps, I had only realized that I had forgotten that the Pain of the Consort was a missing chapter. I had to literally go through my archives and try and find it. When I did, everything in Fear of the Consort make sense to me but not to everyone else. The time jumps in this one, the chapter prior to Betrayel and after Fear of the Consort are only by hours.
I apologize for any confusion, the crash damaged me for more than I thought and I felt ashamed when this chapter kinda fell through with open questions. I hope this and Betrayel makes up for it and I will try to have the next chapter up this week.
Thank you.