Slowly, the ancient doors of the Moon Palace creaked open, as they always did. Out of pure instinct the members of the Night Guard stood at attention all along the hallways within, giving a simultaneous salute. Queen Moon walked within her home, her steps slow, yet graceful. Nopony looked at her, instead stoically remaining where they were until she'd passed them. Silence was the order of the day through this entire ordeal, with the exception of the echoes caused by the Queen's every step. Eventually, and after several minutes of walking down the entrance hall, the Queen entered her throne room, and here, she stopped, looking over her shoulder to the one who followed; Aurora. The latter continued to appear professional, standing tall and ready to receive whatever was said to her, but it was not the Queen who spoke first.

"Did you have a pleasant evening, my Lady?"

Turning, both mares looked upon Rarity, who emerged from one side of the throne room, giving a sweeping bow to her monarch. As for the Queen, she gave a brief smile to her aide.

"Indeed. It is always nice to get out of the castle every once in a while."

With that, the dark alicorn began to head off towards her throne, leaving the other two mares behind. And speaking of whom, Rarity now regarded Aurora with some measure of disdain.

"I trust your little adventure did not end too terribly, Captain?"

The cyan pegasus frowned to this.

"At least I did something useful today!"

Rarity frowned right back, but was kept from saying anything when her leader decided to speak up yet again.

"The Captain may have erred...but things nevertheless ended rather well."

Aurora took on a look of smugness, much to Rarity's chagrin, but neither said anything as the nearby alicorn continued.

"Things ended...very well, as it turns out."

Both Rarity and Aurora looked to her with curiosity, but instead of being able to ask anything further, they watched as their leader looked over her shoulder, staring at both of them.

"I would have a moment alone."

Immediately, the two gave another bow, before moving off together, heading straight for the doors leading out of the throne room. It was not long before said door closed with yet another loud creaking noise. Now, the Queen was alone, and so she elected to walk over to her throne. Once within it, she let out a sigh, and her horn began to glow, carefully lifting her azure helmet from off her head. She levitated it to one side, resting it upon a nearby pillow that had been sitting beside her throne. Shaking her head slightly, she began to run a single hoof through her mane, letting out a contented sigh as she did so.

"Rough night?"

The arrival of this new voice was, it had to be said, unexpected, but that sense of surprise was short-lived for the Queen, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"It is nothing I have not had to face before."

The alicorn glanced out of the corner of her eye, seeing the figure standing in the shadows beside her throne. The voice, that of a mare, called out yet again soon afterwards.

"I hear you had an interesting meeting?"

A small smile crept onto the Queen's lips.

"Indeed I did. A rather...intriguing individual."

The figure in the shadows moved slightly, before promptly speaking up again.

"Do you think...she could be...it?"

Slowly, the Queen raised a hoof to her chin, thinking on those words for some time, before then giving a short nod.

"She may be. But it is still too early to tell for certain."

A silence fell for a time, but when it ended, the second voice made itself known, speaking with a tint of curiosity.

"So then...what happens now?"

Briefly, the Queen let out a chuckle, before finally turning her head fully to the figure in the shadows.

"Now, my apprentice...I believe it is time for our kingdom's thousand-year isolation...to end."