Author's Notes:

This one was really fun to write about. It starts off with a bit of foreshadowing then gets to the section I've always wanted to write about and don't worry because I will put it to good use later on in the story.

The Twenty Mile March
The twenty mile march. That was what the trial to Safe Guard was called and known to any criminal or guardsman. The twenty mile march, a rigorous advancement, any prosecuted soul must undertake. Being tied to a mine cart weighted by a surplus of supplies… and you were expected to haul the entirety of it to the destination. It seems a burden but most would say it's for the best as in the cart itself contains the very things one needs to survive in such a place as SafeGuard.

A pickaxe to do your job rightly. Protective leather hide for protection against heat. Hardened leggings to protect your legs. A facial mask for blast protection. Ear mufflers for protection against the sound blast itself. A wooden slab to make a bed out of. A metal gate and three bars of Iron to keep up your tools and equipment as well as the tools and equipment themselves.

On arrival you were expected to carve out your own holding cell putting your pickaxe to work against the stone wall. The gate was your confinement and the wooden slab was your only solace. Then you were put to work putting the pick axe to stone farming rocks for construction, finding metals for production and gold for the treasury of Noriphmy. Food would then be served in a ration of hardened bread and a bowl of tasteless porridge, and then the next day you were to be at it again. Day in and day out this was the fate, day in and day out until you served your time.

This was the fate of any convict and this was the fate of Igneous, wrong as it should have been. One step after the other on the steep-ish incline on the mountainous range. Putting hoof to smoothen wooden planks with each edge facing SafeGuard having been all to smoothen down by the many who traveled the path before. On his left and on his right few followed in the same path on tracks of their own. Each, looking down to the next riggoress step he/she would take. None laid before Igneous only a few just behind. One step in front of the other, that was the cause. One step in front of the other painful as it was.

He looked ahead,He saw the distance. It wasn’t even the end, just another turn up past the ridge that would take them to yet another long straight away that, in itself, seemed twenty miles long but hardly even a mile far. The cold didn’t bite seeing as the pain and exhaustion already picked what was left to the bone.

None of them were supervised, any with magic having their catalyst bound. Igneous reflected on the stories hearing how some died on the march because another in front faltered in his step sending a whole convoy of marchers down along with, crushing those behind on the way down. Only because of this did they allow five a day although the last two were expected to die if the first mistook even a single step.
Five miles, five tracks and twenty five marchers.

The Magnolevin Estoc of Noriphmy and the Oneirocriticas of Istudious
The capital take over had been swift and, as Quariomy had asked, bloodless as possible. The citizens were urged to stay home, the royal guard was rounded up, most surrendering others holding out in buildings were too they surrendered and the castle was seized were in even the royal guards captain surrendered without a fight.

The take over was swift;no pony tried to be a hero.

Quariomy watched from where the cannons were which is to say just outside the wall were they last left off. She didn’t need to see to its take over as she had just as much faith in Horace’s ability to command as any pony would. Keeping Igneous close by with a guard of four, they were spared from the ensuing chaos from within.

It was only when during the dusk of day did Horace come again from the section of destroyed wall and said it was safe for the princess to enter.

Nodding her head she gave the her last few direct orders of the day saying, “It’s good. Nicely done Horace.”

She waved her hoof behind her in the general direction of the cannons line up and said, “See to it they’re mounted on the walls and that should be all.” Looking at Igneous, still chained looking as rundown as ever she said, “My prince should escort me through the streets of Noriphmy. I’m sure he’ll show me the nice places within,” and with a smile looking back to Horace. She said, “It’ll be lovely.”

“Yes, my Princess. I’ll see to it the cannons are mounted.”

“Also send a few celestials to notify the other garrisons of our victory and to immediately start posting warriors in various villages for their safety.”

With a nod she replied, “That will be all general.” She waved for the warriors watching Igneous to allow him forward and as she made her way northward of the wall for the main gate that now stood open, she paused and said, “Oh, Horace, one more?”

“Yes My Princess?” he said turning once again to dutifully face her.

Still facing the gate she turned her head in his general direction, “Do point the cannons outwards and that will be all.” She then continued on her way towards the gates. Her whitened fur still soaked with the blood of her own face.

Horace took a moment of thought to her order then snapping back he unsurely muttered, “Yes… my princess.”

Being amidst the capital Quariomy couldn’t help but marvel at its magnificents. The streets were empty as a cause of her high order but it still held plenty of life within it. She couldn’t help but notice its layout with its general district being centered, outgoing towards the western wall with the urban areas being steeply inclined on both the north and the south sides were as the capital sat in the easternmost part of the capital itself upon the mountain that overlooked all of its nation. Leading up to it the eastern parts of the city were always elevated more than its western part with the North and South areas being generally the same elevation.

Walking down the street with a childish smile on her face she couldn’t help but notice that every forty yards there were slits in the side of the roads that echoed with the sounds of water.

Seemingly bounding up to one she pointed to it and asked, “My Prince, what are these?”

Best he could think was, “Gutters.”

“Gutters?” she said looking to him with a look of perplexity. “They hold water?”

What did he know? “They erm, channel the water flow from the mountains into an advanced underground pipe system managed by our ponies. They enables us to use active pumps in our households as well as keep the streets clean and dry of water fall.”

“Active pumps. Hm,” she thought holding a hoof up to her chin. Looking back she asked, “There's no flooding?”

“Only if it rains hard enough,” he answered. “But very rarely.”

She looked at it once more with curiosity before moving on with Igneous to follow accompanied by the warriors watching him. The streets had no snow unless it was beaten into the cracks, but most rooftops did. The day had been warm for the weather so it made sense to the Prince Noriphmy.

Through the windows Igneous could see the shopkeepers and citizens who got caught in the streets and forced inside watch on with curiosity as warriors walked by, patrolling, along with the Princess herself who took notice and often times happily waved at them were as they awkwardly, for lack of a better word, waved back at the armored, bloodied princess.

She would ask a few more questions, each one, Igneous would do his best to answer as they slowly made their way upwards towards the castle lying far ahead.

It was only then, at the very top of the general district did she see a large structure constructed partly into the mountain below the castle in the shape of a circle did she stop and ask, “That their my Prince, What is it?”

Looking to where she was pointing he elevated his gaze and instantly knew. Looking back to her he said, “That there my Princess is the Magnolevin Estoc Arena.”

“The Magnolevin Estoc?” she tilted her head at him.

“A lot of general events take place at the Estoc Arena,” he said. “It's always open to the public.”

Looking to the arena then looking back to Igneous she asked, “Can… My Prince, can you take me there?”

Was she really asking? It felt like it came out of nowhere but glancing to his left then to his right making eye contact with both forward warriors he thought it was best to say, “Yes my Princess. Of course.”

She allowed him to take the lead with his chains dragging across the stone worked path as he took her down streets, one after the other until they came across the mane street through the central district that led directly up to the front entrance of the Estoc Arena. Passing through a myriad of clothing shops, banquets and dinners Igneous led her inside the archway opening big enough to allow crowds of ponies going both ways in and out at once.

The iron gates had been lifted by order during the take over and now remained open as well as the hard, carven, wooden doors to the arenas stadium itself. Igneous pushed it open allowing Quariomy in first. Following suit, along with the warriors, he witnessed her standing there in awe just being in the presence of the sear size of the Magnolevin Estoc.

“How big is this place?” she asked as her head slowly panned around taking in every intricate detail of the arena itself.

Now unlike most facts of his own capital he may not have known the exact measurement of the Estoc Arena floor was very well known as being, “One hundred metres in all directions my Princess.” One tenth of a kilometer is known as an Estoc measurement because of this. As for the size of the stadium and the size of which it held was not exactly known to the public as it wasn’t a perfect ‘zero,’ number as the arena floor was. However it did hold four flights of seats, each succeeding flight over lapping the former half way out while holding half the amount of seats also.

Right now they stood on the third flight over looking the rest below. The third flight itself was considered to be the, ‘ground level,’ so to say, because although the Estoc Arena my not have stood very tall, it was largely due to the fact that it was carved from the ground to begin with. As a result most of it was hidden within the earth itself.

Quariomy started making her way over to the edge of the balcony peering over at the flights of seats below. Above Igneous would often times see celestials flying around keeping watch over the streets. Still taken back by the architecture of the mostly underground structure she sat down on the nearest stone bench just behind her. “Come here, my Princess,” she said beckoning him to sit.

He agreed politely, making his way to her and sitting down chains still holding fast.

Continuing to look on as the sun slowly disappeared behind the spires of the castle she finally spoke again, “Tell me more Igneous. When was this place built? Tell me everything I want to know.”

He wasn’t exactly educated on every precise detail but the Magnolevin Estoc held its own peace of significant history which largely paved the ground for Noriphmie's customs.

“This structure,” he cautiously began, thinking of the best way to word his explanation. “Actually began construction during the first few years of Carridian Verex’es reign long after the rule of Kordan Verex and the first war of the valley of Carridian.”

She nodded saying, “Oh yes.” Her words came off a bit passive aggressive. She continued saying, “Yes I’m very well acquainted with the history of my ancestors and the stories of Kordan.” She then dramatically threw her hooves saying, “The infamous first invader, conqueror and king of the great valley now known as Carridian.”

Igneous allowed himself to fall silent for a moment as she continued. “Most feel his attack on the mining village was justified as he was only doing his part to insure his village's well being. But you see my Prince when he started expanding his little collection of only two villages it was because none of the others, farming or logging, would do trade. So he needed them under his control but what happened soon after, as you know, spiraled into the first war of Carridian with Kordan and his army of ponies wielding fixed weaponry. Only many years later after he destroy all triple alliances forming one great nation of the valley did ponies start to see the glimmer of good in all the bloodshed.

“Though his successor, Carridian Verex didn’t hold this ideal.” Igneous continued to look on insisting he not set her too far off. “You see because he split his one great nation into three only then did great conflict erupt.” She held up a hoof, “First he was young and naive. He haddn’t thought to appoint and official ruler over the two other nations as a result wars within both nations erupted between houses left and right.

“The house of Grelick was very substantial, raising armies fighting against the house of Cretical who also took to arms, in an effort to claim the throne of the now accused third nation. Manny innocent ponies died in that bloody conflict for power. All while Carridian was praised for his act of, ‘mercy,’ and, ‘generosity,’ most say. However two whole nations didn’t have to fall to civil war, in fact there shouldn’t have been another nation to speak of my Prince. Everything should have been at peace.”

The moment fell silence after she finished her historical rant, but it wasn’t long before she turned to Igneous and asked, “What houses raged war on Noriphmy, my Prince?”

Something he also knew. “The house of Lissium and the house of Estoc,” he stated.

“Oh?” she said turning to him at the mention of the name. “Surely there is a reason why the Estoc arena is named as such then.” He nodded. “Do go on my Prince. Explain to me please.”

“Right,” he said as he cleared his throat. “Like you said, yes old Noriphmy was plunged into immediate war for the throne of the kingdom itself. Many houses rose up but the two main competitors were the house of Lissium and the house of Estoc. To spare you the smaller details Estoc ultimately won banishing every pony apart of the house of Lissium to the mountains. As a long term result they became our nation's bandits along with the other lost houses as well.”

“How do you deal with them my Prince?” she asked lowering her head to his.

“Often times with falconers like myself... We kill them.”

He looked over to her and watched Quariomy in thought before she said, “Seems fitting but perhaps not so. Anyways,” she said waving a hoof. “Please continue.”

“Now when the throne was officially claimed, order fell over Noriphmy in kind. This marked the first kingsmanship of old Noriphmy and it was led by Vrem Estoc. His rule was kind enough trade was fine and the nations were at peace. However he had a brother, Magnolevin. They got along well but seeing as Vrem had a son and his health was becoming increasingly poor he knew his brother would have to take the throne as his son was just a colt.

“So not wanting the blood of his younger brother to take the nation from his short rule he had him imprisoned and sentenced to fight in the arena. Now during this time the arena was a prisoners only salvation. Seeing as so most would prefer to stay sanctioned at safe guard rather than risk brutal mutilation as entertainment for the masses. However Magnolevin didn’t fear as so accepted the trial of the arena.

“Yes, he slayed ponies, yes some gruesomely but only as an act to survive. It was only when he came out victorious at the end of the season did Vrem finally take notice. Instead of giving him his due he put him through even more challenges slaying not just ponies but wolves bears and beasts of nature alike. For years he did this gathering wounds, spilling the blood of his own but again he never fell to the blade or teeth of a predator and instead continued to succeed the challenges.

“While Vrem grew increasingly i'll and hateful towards his younger brother, the warriors of the time did take to his attitude. In fact, they actually kept in Magnoliven’s company whenever they had the chance. He would always talk, teach and tell them things. He would tell them stories of adventurers and of lands beyond the mountains. He would speak in metaphors using words like ash, fire and embers.” Quariomy then turned her head towards Igneous were as he didn’t notice and instead continued to explain. “Ash as destruction, Fire as a symbol of our nation and embers; a force held within the bodies of every pony.”

“Day after day he would kill the packs of captured wolves. The mother and father bears taken from the forest and criminals drunken with the promises of riches and wealth as a reward for the head of this legend. He soon grew tired of it all and becoming the warriors over to his cell late one night he whispered into their ears saying how he desired a challenge, something more… formidable.

“And so the hunt began every warrior looking for a challenger to test the fixed weaponry of Magnoliven Estoc but wherever they looked and how far they traveled no one could find such an opponent; all having heard of this legend and the skill in which he fought. So having had the warriors band together they enlisted the newly formed Falconering groups to, not hunt and kill a monster, but instead to capture one all together.

“When news of this was made known to Vrem, his sickness now having bedridden him, he said Magnolevin could fight this beast in the arena on only one condition. That was he could fight only in the darkness of night, no moon, dull stars. The warriors at this point dutifully agreed along with Magnolevin himself.

“And that night, taking to the themes Magnolevin had always taught by, they filled the entirety of the arena with wooden logs, planks, roofing and anything flammable and set it alight in the dusk of day, and by the end of it all hours after the burning the ground lay their littered with bright glowing embers and ash, illuminating the arena altogether.

“Stepping through the gates, armor equipped, fixed blade on his right, and the newly developed earthenering equipment on his left he faced the beast as it crawled out on all fours. Its eyes darting wildly left and right, forked tongue flicking all about and clawed hands of a greater beast scratching at the ashen covered grounds in the illumination of the embers.”

“When the fight begun all that could be said was it was spectacular. Ash and embers flying left and right. Magnolevin battling this greater beast cutting, charging, shooting, ramming. He did it all while the embers glew bright and the roaring stadium cheered him on, and by the end of it all he stood tall untouched, armor unscratched as the beast fell to its knees and later to its death in defeat as it laid amongst the glowing embers of Magnolevin.”

“Vrem died that night. Some say as the beast fell dead too, but his last act of life was the approving nod and acceptance that Magnolevin Estoc would be the one to lead Noriphmy. And so it was and Magnolevin Estoc’s rule was kind.”

Finishing his story he took a deep breath. He then looked to Quariomy who seemed to ponder over the story he just told as she stared into the arena. Looking back he found the guards still sitting, two looking skywards the other two whispering amongst themselves.

With the moment having gone quiet he spoke up again, “And so in the theme of Magnolevin we hold each year one final trial, burning the wood covering the ground in embers, setting the champion loose on a beast annually caught for the occasion. Only one Falconering group forgoes the term monster hunter and instead briefly adopts the term monster catcher for such an occasion.”

Quariomy still looked on deep in thought leaving Igneous to sit by, unallowed to move under the watchful eyes of the warriors.

It was only when one of the warriors behind quietly laughed a another one’s remark did she come back down, looking to Igneous, saying, “Oh yes My Prince. It's a very great tale. It seems there's something to be admired about this Magnolevin Estoc character, but that will be all.”

By now the sun had gone away leaving the stars to slowly start to break through the dark canvas of the night sky and as it did Quariomy waved a hoof to her warriors and said, “Do escort him to the royal prison cells and I’ll find my way to the castle under the eyes of the celestials.”

They answered the all too familiar jingle Igneous was becoming tired of. Walking up to Igneous one of them said, “Come on, Prince. Do follow.” This was accompanied by the tap of the broadside of a longsword as he slowly stood up.

They led him away back out the door they had came and back into the streets leaving Quariomy to herself in the Magnolevin Estoc. She thought over his words and the story. She drew a parallel of how Istudians would revel in the blood of pony. Speaking of the heart as the Nation itself like the fire was to Noriphmyians. How the blood was the spirit of the citizen like the ember was to them. However unlike ash that withheld the meaning of destruction the bone withheld the meaning of strength and power of mortals.

But something even more prominent than these similes begged for her attention above all else. Her mind fell back many, many, many months ago to the day she sat on her throne within the castle of Istudious. Made of rock and withholding the same architecture with spires and all she sat in the great hall with warriors posted along the whole of the corridor. She was being red off reports and she listened earnestly and with real intent but it only when another warrior came in did her attention draw away from the first.

Raising a hoof the first fell silent and looking to the second she nodded for him to speak. “My Princess,” he began confident and in good health. “The Oneirocriticas, they’ve arrived.”

“Have they?” she said. Motioning with her head she said, “Well, let them in so that I may speak with them.”

He nodded saying, “Yes my Princess,” He turned away and exited but soon entered in again holding the door for three different ponies. Two were stallions. One a mare. Each were dressed differently. Each wore different coloured garbs that hung just above the ground each bearing a striking pattern of their own.

One’s stallions face was painted partially black while from the mare’s mane hung an assortment of different trinkets and oddities as well as some valuable looking jewelry which every single one of them flaunted.

Leaning over the arm of the throne Morallis whispered through the side of his mouth, “Are these really the one’s you sent for?”

Whispering back she said, “if they say they are Oneirocriticas then they may be able to help.”

“They look of Guewls,” he he muttered.

Quariomy couldn’t help but agree as she stifled a laugh as she shooed the head of Morallis away. Turning her full attention to the three she formally greeted them, “Welcome good ponies. As you may have heard I have been in recent search of Oneirocriticas.” Looking them each in the eyes she said, “you each vouch that you are?”

They each nodded and the rightmost stallion said, “Yes my princess. Any dream needing interpretation I’ll see it done quickly.”

“Also, Princess,” said the leftmost stallion. “I too will see it done quickly.”

“As will I,” said the mare. This pony, being a celestial.

It was clear to Quariomy that these ponies were at competition with one another. No doubt over the reward promised with the satisfaction of their services. It was fine as it wasn’t a crime so long as they delivered with their promises. She smiled and nodded saying, “That's good... That's very good of you. I have faith in you all.” They all smiled back dressed in their attire, Quariomy being fully armored and weaponized with both her longswords laying against the arm of the throne under the watch of Morallis himself. Leaning back in the softness of her throne she said sat there and waited.

The Oneirocriticas stood there also not taking to long before they started to look unsurely on at the princess expecting a command of some kind.

“Well?” she said. “Go on. Interpret the dream will you.” They all exchanged glances with one another, each unsure as to her command. Looking earnestly on Quariomy asked, “Well what is it?”

After a moment more did the mare come forward and say, “My princess.”

“Yes?”

“The dream..” she said. “You must’ve forgotten but we can't interpret such a thing that hasn’t first been mentioned.”

She lowered her gaze as she looked to the stallions that stood aside her. “Can’t interpret such a thing that hasn’t been mentioned,” she repeated slowly. “Does this wisdom hold true to you as well?” she asked the stallions.

They both slowly nodded and as they did Morallis's gaze slowly shifted to Quariomy and her stature. “Hasn’t been mentioned,” she said again. “Well certainly you mistaken as it has infact been mentioned.” Opening a hoof up to her friend that stood just next to her she said, “Morallis knows of this dream as I have said it, so seeing as it has been mentioned logically you should be able to interpret it.”

“But my Princess,” came the leftmost stallion. “How must we know if you haven’t told us.”

“Yes,” agreed the rightmost. “Tell us the dream and only then can we tell you its meaning.”

“Tell you the dream,” she again repeated. “Tell you the dream. Tell, you. The dream.” Celestials mounted on buttresses within the hall began to avert their gaze from the open sky and downwards towards the tension flooding in from below. Looking to the three once more she said, “You think me a raeray?”

“Princess?” nervously went the mare. “Do you think me a fool too? That I’m a young naive little nyth of a princess?”

Ears flicked and bodies tensed as the guards attention drew to the princess and the self proclaimed Oneirocriticas that now stood nervously in her presence, their attention drawn in by her swear.

“Do you?” she flatly asked.

They shook their head one saying, “No, never. Princess,” though it was something the all would have said.

“Tell you the dream,” she once again repeated. “Tell you the dream? No, tell me the dream,” she said her voice becoming tense. “Tell me what I saw and tell me what it means. As princess of Istudious, I command you.”

“But princess,” came the leftmost. “We can’t tell you the dream.”

Looking to him he became petrified as she responded, “Why?”

This time the mare came saying, “Princess were merely ponies we can’t know what won't be made known. We can only read what's been written and such is the dream,” she said stepping forward only to quickly retreat once Quariomy looked a her. “Only a god, could,” she nervously whimpered.

“And what god do you speak of?” she asked. “Aminus? The Hexers perhaps or maybe some dreamt up deity who resides in a book perhaps, no?”

None of them answered. With great disappointment she slowly rose from her throne, Morallis pretending to look else were as well as the celestials and warriors below. Standing atop the flight of stairs leading up to her, fifteen in total, she said, “You rely on the power of gods do you not? Aminus a great being who trusted this nation into destruction. Would you put your faith in him?”

“Never,” could have been said by any one of them.

“Then you would put your faith in me, a partaker in the first covenant?” They nodded. “Then when I say interpret the dream then you should lack not the power to do so, yes?”

They didn’t project any obvious answer.

She began to unlace her armor and she said, “I sought out your profession and ability you see. I offer you riches yet in the presence of me You Can’t Perform Your Famed Act!”

She yelled as she threw her leggings at the three of them while also unlocking more of her armor. “I Led This Nation With You In It! I Asked Little Of You! All Of You, And Now When I Ask Of Your Services Once You Refuse To Deliver!”

At this point as she descended the steps she pelted the Oneirocriticas with her that she continued to strip from her body. Leggings, plates, mail she threw it all most of which hit a target.

“Have My Armor, Have My Possessions,” She shouted. “Interpret the Dream!”

“We Can't!” she cried, though again, it could have been said by any one of them.

Throwing the last piece of her armor she stood there breathing heavily unarmed unprotected. Looking to her left at the base of the steps was the chest. The reward that was to be given to the ones who could interpret the dream. Marching over to it she opened it up even as the three picked themselves up from the abuse. Grabbing a golden goblet they couldn’t help but admire its purity and beauty as it glimmered in the sunlight from above.

Quariomy then turned and threw this too hitting the mare in the head causing her to cry out in pain. She picked up another golden object and threw this too picking up another in her magical grip and throwing it too as she said, “your liars you hear! I promised you gold, and spat in my face!” Gold coins flew hitting the floor. Golden rocks were hurled, most hitting their marks and when she was finally done the three of them laid there amongst a pile of all kinds of golden objects, some of which covered in crimson red blood. Walking her way over to them she kicked aside the coins and trinkets of gold and said, “Yewls. Stand. As princess I command you yewls to stand and look me in the eyes one at a time.”

Slowly each and every one of the three picked themselves up standing even as they all bled. Starting with the leftmost pony she took him by the snout with her magical grip angling his face downward allowing her to see clearly into his eyes. When she did he felt that everything about him was immediately made known. He felt exposed and naked even as he was fully clothed and when she was done he could hardly stand. It was something in her eyes, something deep within.

She did this with the mare and the rightmost stallion and when she was done she turned away from them all ascending the fifteen steps and taking her seat with Morallis standing by. Looking to them all they stood their as if they no longer wanted to be in their own skin and instead, forge a new identity with a new life and new feelings.

“I'm disappointed in you, all of you,” she said resuming her previous tone. “Liars by profession. Thieves in actual practice.” She allowed a moment of silence as they stood amongst the gold and warriors around. “Greshic Rissis,” she said looking to the rightmost stallion whose ears immediately flicked up at the mention of his very name. “Thieving from an ill gotten elder. Lying to let another die and extorting others and their well being.”

He fell grim and it was written on his face as his head lowered to the ground in utter sorrow.

Quariomy then said, “Look up, Greshic.” He did and meeting her gaze she said, “You're sentenced to death.”
“Rellithal Rickly,” she said now setting her eyes on the mare who already began to back down. “A thief, an arsonist, an extorter and a murderer.” She fell to the floor crying with her forehead pressed against the floor and Quariomy said, “Your sentence, Rellithal, is also death.”
All she could do was cry along with Greshic. Quariomy then raised a hoof and said, “Take them away. Your sentence will be carried out tomorrow, the both of you.” They didn’t argue nor resist as the warriors placed restricted chains around their hooves front to back and escort them away softly kicking aside gold that littered the ground.

As the doors to the hall shut with their leave Morallis leaned over once again and said, “Quariomy. Have you forgotten about the third?”

“No,” she said. “I will deal with him personally.”

“Your scabbards then,” he said lifting her swords in his magical grip transferring it over to Quariomy’s as she stared down the third who stood their refusing to look anywhere but down, no doubt fearing for his life.

“Warriors and celestials leave this place; I want to speak to him alone.” The warriors nodded marching out doors and passageways in unison as the celestials all took off into the sky. In a quieter voice she said, “And you as well, Morallis.”

“As you wish, Quariomy,” he said with a giddy grin skipping down the stairs and kicking the gold in the thirds general direction as he left with a misleading smile making him all the more nervous and scared.

When the final doors had closed, five in all two on each side and one at the very end, she looked to the third and said, “And so all that remains is you.”

“Princess,” he weakly said trembling on his hooves.

“No,” she said as she stood up once again and began strapping the scabbard of her longsword to her bear whitened fur. “Don’t speak. Not unless I say.”

He swallowed and nodded as she slowly made her way down the fifteen steps to him.

“Now tell me,” she began. “Are you an Oneirocritica?” He shook his head not having specifically been told to speak. “Then what are you? Speak.”

Something told him that Quariomy already knew so there was no sense in lying. “A farmer,” he said with a trembling voice as he nervously eyed the hilts of her long swords that hung on each side as she began circling him, shifting gold with every step.

“So you know then?” she said. “The famine of our nation and the hardships thereof?” He nodded. “I also see that there is a dearly beloved.” His ears flicked upwards. “Tell me her name.”

“Anri,” he answered.

“Tell me about the farm.”

“It’s a poor place,” he began. “Hundreds of acres yet little food grows. Only a few workers to move the ground and yet those that do work steal and thieve from me and my work. Yet still they expect a ransom for their lackluster duties.” He continued as Quariomy came about, “The yielding pay is also poor. I raise my sword often fighting bandits and killers. My living space is withered and run down yet even still, through all my hardships and downfalls, Anri has stayed by me despite thieves, despite hunger and despite my poor household.”

She nodded, “And like a heartfelt lover you wanted to provide, give more than asked?”

He nodded.

“You refuse to arrest the thieves knowing that they are only doing it to save their own family and household.”

His eyes were beginning to tear as he nodded again.

“And you devised a clever plan to act as a Oneirocritica, dawning the similar attire of which and hopefully acquiring the soon after a contrived explanation.”

“Yes,” he whimpered with tears beginning to fall.

She stopped just in front of him as he averted his gaze elsewhere to avoid looking her in the eyes.

“Look down,” she said. He did looking to all the golden coins and trinkets that lay on the ground amongst the pieces of her own armor. “Do you see this?” she said gesturing with her hoof.

He nodded once again. “This is a third of the treasury of Istudious. Do you agree with me that it's poor?” Again he nodded.

“Horace,” she said causing his ears to flick up. Picking up the goblet with her magical grip she pressed it against his chest and said, “Take this. Give it to Anri and provide what you so willingly wanted to.”

“Princess?”

Picking up a collection of gold coins she placed them within the goblet itself and said, “Take these and give it to the workers who you provided for with free food so that they will also live with life well assured.”

She turned and began to make her way back to her throne leaving the goblet of coins in his possession but Horace felt like he didn’t deserve so he said,

“My Princess, No!” She stopped. “I should be imprisoned and executed like the others. I lied to you, I was dishonest my Princess.”

“Yes,” she said. “A simple liar. Not an extorter, arsonist nor thief.” Turning to him she continued, “You’re an honest pony Horace. Honest ponies tell lies but only the lies that protect others. You, Horace were looking out after Anri, your dearly beloved. You also took into consideration your workers who tend the farm. You would have shared this reward but only at the mercy of a lie.”

He was lost for word and as Quariomy sat back down letting loose with a white signal that flew through the skyline of the roof and outside Horace said, “Princess how do you know all this about me and about them?”

As doors opened with warriors reentered and celestials returning to their mounts she pointed to an eye with her hoof and said, “The covenant of insight, Horace.” And with a generous smile as Morallis took his place by her side once again she said, “Come again with your sword, I have great plans for you.”

Quariomy then shook her head and her mind left this memory and came back down to the Estoc Arena where she still sat three flights of seats up. The sun had completely left yet her celestials still remained on those buttresses high above keeping watch with sharpened clawed gauntlets. “Ash, Fire and Embers,” she muttered to herself. “My prince it seems you’ve interpreted my dream.”

And with that she led herself out of the Estoc Arena having her warrior's guide her way up to the castle.