"Alright, this will be your room while we are here." Zora says opening a door.

Twilight kept frowning as she walks in and puts her bag on the bed. "When will he call on me?"

"You will be called whenever the court is in session or if he wants to talk to you in private." Zora says before Twilight recognizes her.

"You're…you're the ice professor from Archmage Luna's school." Twilight says surprised.

"Yes, what about that?" Zora asks.

Twilight tries to understand. "But why are you here?"

"I am one of his wives and magical advisors." Zora informs.

"How did you two…?" Twilight asks.

"I was originally sent here to help continue his education in magic." Zora informs.

"And how did that go?" Twilight asks curiously.

"Well, Sky is smart, but I don't think with all his duties and plans, he won't be a master of it until he is very old or at all in his life." Zora informs.

"So…he's not that skilled?" Twilight asks a bit hopefully.

"He is skilled. I wouldn't let him on the battlefield without that." Zora informs, thinking she might be planning his assassination.

"I see. Good." Twilight says now thinking to herself.

"Just so you know, as an advisor, you will be watched very closely for your 'protection'." Zora informs.

"Uh huh." Twilight says as she waves a hoof at her dismissively.

"And if they find any signs of conspiracy or assassination we still have the death penalty." Zora warns as Twilight gets she was referring to her execution.

"Oh. Right. That's fine." Twilight says trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Yeah, so we will let you personalize your room." Zora informs.

Twilight slowly nods as she leaves and closes the door behind her, letting Twilight finally catch her breath. "This is going to be a nightmare."

"Oh, you will be expected to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Zora says popping her head back in.

Twilight groans audibly.

"Soon." Sky says thinking looking at the map.

"You have been staring at that thing for too long." Daring says putting more scrolls on the table.

"How are the ports on the western coasts of our territory?" Sky asks moving on to a new map.

"They are getting more trade, but the merchants are requesting more gold in the banks to handle the influx." Daring advises.

"Done." Sky says.

Daring sighs. "Sky?"

"The trade with them getting off the ground is too important at this stage and in the long run will return all of it and more." Sky says.

Daring nods. "I know that. But Sky…you have been worrying about this for too long."

"I need to work hard to bring stability." Sky says looking to her.

"And not really taking time off to spend with us." Daring says.

"I try, but still I have to make it where a single noble can't undermine it to make themselves rich." Sky says.

"Then try countermeasures against them." Daring suggested.

"That is what I am doing." Sky says sitting back down, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Then sleep at least. You will get ideas then." Daring says shaking her head.

"Still have much to do and it would help if we hear back from those we sent sometime this month." Sky says before feeling a hug.

"Sleep." Daring says in his ear as she wraps her hooves around his chest.

"I guess I can take a break if you are asking me to." Sky says.

Daring leads him away from the table and to the nearby relaxing couch and sits him down. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I am. There is just so much work." Sky says laying on her.

Daring pets his head softly. "Then relax for once otherwise we will lose."

"I know." Sky groans, holding her now.

"Now close your eyes." Daring whispers as she kept petting him.

Sky complied as he smiled.

Daring sighs in relief and shakes her head.

Sky yawns and opens his eyes before feeling something warm beside him and looks to beside him and sees Tear snuggling up next to him. "Tear?"

"Hey." Tear says.

"I thought you were helping to oversee the boat we were building to trade by sea." Sky says.

Tear smiles up at him. "Daring was getting worried about you. I am best at calming you down."

"You do have that gift." Sky says.

Tear giggles and kisses his cheek. "Ever since you took me in."

"How are your father and siblings?" Sky asks.

"They are fine. But…we need more trading because no one is coming to the north much." Tear requests.

"That will change if we can get Griffonstone to start trading with us." Sky says.

"Just need to get the right trading items otherwise it would be useless to us." Tear says shaking her head.

"Don't worry. When the merchants hear there is a trading harbor in the north, many will go there." Sky says.

"Let's hope so." Tear says laying her head on his chest again.

"So will you be coming south with me to Libya or will you be heading back north to oversee the shipbuilding personally?" Sky asks.

Tear smiles. "Oh, I will be joining you. Those guys can take care of themselves now."

"Alright." Sky says petting her.

Tear purred under his petting. "So…want to stay in for a bit with me?"

"I have rest and now it is time to head out now." Sky informs.

Tear nods. "Then we better get going."

"Ok." Sky says getting up and smacks her flank once before she got up.

Tear smirks as she wiggles her flank at him. "Tease."

"I know you are." Sky says smirking.

Tear giggles as she gets off the bed and follows him.

"It has been four months. I wonder how much it has improved?" Sky asks.

"Today is the day we set off to the north to take back the lands from the northern barbarians!" A noble calls, standing above the rest on a small hill.

All the soldiers made of different armor cheer and hold up their weapons.

"To the north!" One calls riding on a wildebeest.

They all cry out again as they march out towards the north as a few towns watch them march out and shake their heads.

"I must apologize Overlord. You see, the eastern half is being prioritized as the bordering fiefs there are short on troops." An officer says as Sky sees a half finished fortress in Apulia.

"I see then. It is good you started with the outermost defenses." Sky says watching as a garrison was already on the walls.

"Thank you, sir." The officer says bowing.

"Something you want to say, Spitfire?" Sky asks looking to her.

Spitfire groans. "We are consolidating forces still."

Sky stares at her for a few moments before motioning for them to go on. Spitfire follows him and Celebrimbor on her wildebeest.

"And they are being placed along the borders. It should hold out for a while." Spitfire says shaking her head.

"Yes and right now they can blunt any attacks right now in time for us to rally and repulse them." Sky says.

"And what are your orders to us now?" Spitfire asks frowning a bit.

"First for my wife to cheer up." Sky says as they approach his five thousand personal Salamander riders.

"Overlord." Spitfire growls.

"What my wife?" Sky asks.

"What are your orders for the army?" Spitfire asks frowning.

"For now, dig in and hold the line." Sky instructs.

Spitfire nods and leads her wildebeest away. "Yes, sir."

"Spitfire, stay." Sky calls.

Spitfire stops the wildebeest and turns to him. "Yes?"

"Stay with me. You are my wife." Sky instructs.

Spitfire huffs. "Great."

"Come on, who is my fiery wife?" Sky asks using one of his nicknames for her.

"Shut up." Spitfire hisses as some of the surrounding soldiers snicker quietly at the nickname.

"Only if you stop acting like this." Sky says smirking.

Spitfire grumbles to herself and huffs.

"Ok fiery wife." Sky says.

Spitfire just crosses her forelegs and looks away.

Sky smirks as he is about to call her it again before Spitfire caves.

"Fine." Spitfire groans frowning.

Sky smirked as he signaled for them to continue on west along the border.

A few week had passed and seven more inspections of unfinished fort occurred before it happened.

Sky was looking over the ninth unfinished fort before a rider came up, the wildebeest showing obvious signs of fatigue. "Overlord, terrible news, an army from the south is coming."

"Who's banner do they fly?" Sky immediately asks as the nearby riders and soldiers started to get on guard.

"They are flying well…Lady Spitfire's flag." The rider says meekly.

"What?!" Spitfire yells.

"It can only be one pony who would have the audacity to do that." Sky says as Spitfire's rage was peaking.

"That bastard!" Spitfire yells growling.

"I need volunteers immediately!" Sky declares.

"Sir." They all yell as some of them step forward.

"Ride out immediately and inform everypony you can, let the word spread quickly and get everyone on alert and tell them to change their flag to the Overlord flags so they can't try and sneak attack our soldiers with that." Sky immediately instructs.

"Yes, sir." They all say before riding out as Spitfire pounds her hoof on the saddle.

"This time, no banishment, right?" Sky asks.

"Yes." Spitfire says gripping her sword.

"I agree, but my wife, what about your citizens? The defenses are not completed and your territory is the least fortified." Sky says alarming her.

Spitfire stops and grips her blade harder. "Damn."

"We should have them start moving to the fortified cities and hunker down." Sky says.

Spitfire slowly nods. "Let's do it."

"Alright, you ten ride after those who just left and inform them of this." Sky instructs before riding to where the hawks were kept.

Vinyl hums to herself as she listens to the music being played in one of her castles on the Albrayon mountain range.

"Good?" Octavia asks as she kept playing with her ensemble.

"Yes, keep playing Octy." Vinyl instructs, relaxing.

"Yes, ma'am." Octavia says as she kept playing.

"Now how are my attendants doing?" Vinyl asks smirking.

"We are fine mistress." One of them says as they stayed bowing at her while they were all wearing fluffy princess looking maid outfits that almost covered their legs and neck.

"Good. No…" Vinyl was caught off guard when a hawk flew in and lands on Octavia.

"What is…oh. A letter." Octavia says taking it off the leg and gives it to Vinyl.

"What no…oh. It is from the overlord." Vinyl says, a smirk crossing her lips now.

"What does it say, mistress?" Octavia asks.

"Seems some fools are trying to invade without my permission." Vinyl says, her smile fading.

"To war mistress?" Octavia asks worriedly.

"Yes. Send word to our knights. Some will be accompanying vampires to go and hunt those who separate from the invading army. The others will head to the fortified cities to reinforce them." Vinyl says getting up.

"Yes, ma'am." They all say bowing as Vinyl walks past them.

"Also, we are heading for the castle of Lark." Vinyl looking to the ensemble.

"Yes, mistress." They say grinning a bit.

Sky looks over the convoy of peasants transporting all their worldly possessions and all the harvest they can find to the city coming into view.

"What citizens go through to keep their private possessions." Claw says walking up to him.

"It is also a part of my plan." Sky informs.

"Sir?" Claw asks looking to him.

"I want the enemy to get as little as they can. I want to stretch their supply lines and force them to rely on that. So they can't just pillage to feed themselves." Sky informs.

Claw slowly nods. "I see sir."

"And that is the main way that those arrogant fools are thinking they will do. Yes. I know who exactly is invading and that helps us." Sky informs.

"You do? All this time?" Claw asks surprised.

"Yes. I have known about these fools for years and never thought they would manage anything like this." Sky informs.

"What did you think they might have been doing?" Claw asks curiously.

"Trying to raise this army and spreading propaganda. I will be showing what they have been saying about us to the entire city when we arrive." Sky informs.

Claw nods. "Yes, sir." He says looking to his troops.

"How are the citizens, my wife?" Sky asks looking to Spitfire.

"They are calm, but the ones nearby are getting worried." Spitfire says shaking her head.

"Once we get to the city, we will be in a better position." Sky reassures.

Spitfire sighs. "I hope you are right."

"From here we will continue north. They hate the two of us the most so they will give chase further into our lands. They will think that they now own them, but they will be wrong." Sky says.

Spitfire smiles a bit. "Nice."

"Let their ego and arrogance seal their fates." Sky says smirking under his helmet.

"I have a feeling you have traps for them behind us." Spitfire says smiling.

"I have made arrangements." Sky says.

"Now I respect you more." Spitfire says chuckling.

"I thought you respected me after I conquered Gual?" Sky asks.

"You were just jerks." Spitfire says sticking her tongue out at him.

'So not letting you be on top next time for that.' Sky thinks.

Spitfire sighs. "We better make it look good."

"We can talk about that when we are alone." Sky says.

Spitfire hums. "For now?"

"Oh, somepony is warmed up to me." Sky points out.

"Only because you have traps for the idiots." Spitfire adds.

"I'm not stupid. You should know that. A stupid pony couldn't get this far." Sky says.

"Unless it is by dumb luck." Spitfire says shrugging.

"You love cutting down your husband, don't you?" Sky asks.

"Because you are a horny stallion still. You still stare at my flank." Spitfire says raising an eyebrow at him.

"Why do I need to stare? I claimed it as mine." Sky whispers into her ear.

Spitfire flicks her ear at him. "Don't remind me."

"Oh don't be like that. Else Snow will think you are pregnant and you know how she gets when she thinks that." Sky reminds through the whisper.

Spitfire rolls her eyes and looks back to the rocky valley. "What are the plans for now?"

"We are going to let them come to us after going through what I arranged." Sky informs.

"And what is the first part?" Spitfire asks looking behind them.

"Not something you will find. Now come on." Sky says spurring Celebrimbor on.

Spitfire sighs and leads her wildebeest to follow. "What do you need?"

Sky soon distributed all the propaganda from the south, demonizing all to the north of Libya, and successfully whipping up the commoners before departing with his wife and his five thousand royal salamander guards.

"I still think you should have left me to deal with my troops." Spitfire says riding beside him.

"No. We are the bait for the trap." Sky informs.

"Please tell me you are joking." Spitfire hopes.

"Nope. Once they find it difficult to take a city they will start chasing us." Sky informs.

Spitfire sighs. "Of course."

"Remember, let their ego and arrogance destroy them." Sky says.

Spitfire slowly nods as she looks ahead of them.

"We are heading for the highest repair priority of Libya, the castle of Lark." Sky informs.

"Lark." Spitfire slowly says before looking to him. "The knights."

"That is right. It is where all the knight orders are to gather and coordinate with each order is required to send members to garrison it to." Sky informs.

"I'm assuming you have plans for them." Spitfire says still looking ahead.

"We will lead them to be encircled by our forces. I doubt they can take a city without crippling the army they brought together from the propaganda and other less virtuous means." Sky informs.

"What propaganda did they make about you?" Spitfire asks curiously.

"I'm a demon out of Tartarus come to destroy the world." Sky informs.

"Anything else? Considering that you kinda are to some." Spitfire points out.

"I said they are stupid and quite frankly not too creative." Sky informs reminding her of how her cousin was.

"Yeah…that griffon is still doing okay." Spitfire says.

"I know. Now everyone, double time! We have to make it to the castle of Lark soon!" Sky calls as he spurs Celebrimbor on to run faster.

"Yes, sir!" They all yell and picked up speed after them.

"I can't believe they didn't even try and stop us at the unfinished fort." A soldier says as they walk through the woods at night.

"I can't believe we haven't seen any of them yet." Another says.

"I was expecting to be killing barbarians for fun by now." The soldier says bitterly as a gentle breeze sways the trees and a wolf's howl is heard.

"What was that?" One from the south asks looking around.

"It's just a dumb animal." One says dismissively.

"What kind?" He asks getting worried.

"It's a… " The voice suddenly goes silent.

"What?" The one asks looking over and sees the pony not there.

"Um…where did he go, to take a leak?" One asks.

"I think so." Another says looking around.

"Shouldn't we all be together by the way? I mean, I understand those on wildebeest run ahead to look, but where are the others?" Another asks.

They all look around and notices that a lot of the soldiers are gone. "What's going on?" One voices for all.

"Don't tell me those idiots got lost." One says.

"Or maybe they left without us." Another says getting up.

"What the heck?" One suddenly asks when something drips onto his head. He reaches up slowly and places his hoof on his head and brings his hoof done after feeling something wet and sees it was dark red. They all watch as he turns his hoof to the campfire and they realize what it is. "Blood." He says before slowly looking up and they all recoil at the sight as more blood drips onto them. The limbs and torsos hanged on the branches and some trunks as they held a mangled look about them, showing many claw marks and flesh and muscle tore off, torso held only by the intensities themselves and even hanged by some as they all follow the biggest amount and sees the many heads of their former comrades, all eyes open and mouths gaped hanging in a net of leaves and vines.

"Fuck this! I'm out!" One says quickly running off

"My lord? Is it alright to let them go?" A dark moon knight asks as his captain cleans himself.

"Yes. They will sow more fear alive than dead." The captain says wiping the blood from his muzzle.

"Yes my lord." The knight says bowing.

"Now come. We are done for the night. Let them stew and have a sleepless night." The captain says starting to walk away.

"Yes, sir." He says following with two other knights.