Seeing no real reason to deny him, nor really wanting to find out any consequences, Rainbow began to follow the guard. He led her down several hallways similar to the one she had been led down to the pool thing. Similar decorations lined the walls, and every now and then they passed other people. Mostly servants that got out of the way of the two of them and other guards, who gave her escort a strange salute; slamming their paws to their shoulders and letting out a curt "Ave!". However, she didn't know what it meant.

She used this time to look down at her new legs. They were well made, with the joints in both the hand and the elbow joints moving like they were real. The polished, highly engraved surface gave away this fact, yet they could be mistaken for real if they were covered up or something. She wanted to lift one up, yet stumbled after a second of it not helping to balance her. She stopped trying, and just looked at the floor, aches still permeating from some parts of her body keeping her out of the proper state of mind.

She was so distracted that she failed to stop in time to avoid bumping into the guard. He let out a grunt of annoyance, yet looked back ahead of him. He then pushed the door in and stepped to the side of it, slamming his paw in the odd salute as he declared, "Ave, Caesar!"

Rainbow entered in after him and looked around the room in wonder. The room was easily the size of the Ponyville Town Hall, with most of that space being taken up by a massive, long table. Smooth wooden chairs lined it, with candle lain chandeliers cast dancing shadows across the room. At one end of the table sat a young Demigryph, no older than about twenty to twenty-five she guessed. She wore a dress of a deep, regal purple with golden thread trim and splashes of dark red, a crown of what looked like golden feathers gleaming in her feathers. She sat with an air of subdued superiority, not amiable yet not smug.

However, what drew Rainbow's attention was the items that lined the tables. Food, and lots of it. Bowls of fruit, baskets of freshly baked, still steaming bread, and platters of cheese were intermixed with pots full of soup and dishes of salad. Fish, bird, eggs, meat, all of which made her mouth ooze saliva like a waterfall. In addition, small clay pitchers sat on the table as well, and the sweet, earthy aroma of wine leaked out from them.

"Tibi Gratias ago tibi, Desius. Et missa est", she said in a similar accent to everyone else around here, yet even more pronounced. The guard, Desius, gave another shoulder salute and left, shutting the door behind him, leaving the two of them alone. After a few seconds of tense silence, the Demigyph said, "Well, I believe introductions are in order."

Before she could finish, Rainbow answered in a scratchy voice, "You, *cough, cough, cough*, Speak... Equish?" Her throat was dry and talking made it feel like sandpaper was grinding down her neck.

The Demigryph just smiled. "Yes, I do. Now, as for those introductions. I am Caesar Drusilla, of the Pryhan Empire. And, If I recall correctly, you are called Rainbow Dash, yes?"

"How... Do yo-*cough*, you know... my name?", Rainbow croaked out.

"Let's just say I've done my research into the matter," she said. "And the more I have, the more I'm interested in your abilities. I have a proposition for you."

"What?"

"A job. As things stand currently, you're out of work, I believe. So, I want to help you. In fact, I already have." Upon seeing the still somewhat delirious face of Rainbow, she said, "The bed. The legs, the eye. The time in the bath and the oil massage. If not for one of my men finding you during an excursion onto the continent to attack a group of raiders that had been causing us trouble, you likely would've died in that place. So, you owe me."

"Skip... to the *cough*, point."

"Hmmm, very well. My rule has not been the most stable. Rebellions, and now a war with the Zebrican Confederacy. I need someone I can count on to get things done. And, you seem like the perfect person for the job. You will be my weapon. My will. And you will help me achieve order."

Rainbow began to think it over, as much as the food arrayed before her made her mind go blank with hunger. Her proposal, and what had happened to her and could happen to her.

Drusilla wanted to help her. She already had; she had pulled her out of the Brigand camp. Had given her the new legs. I had helped her in more ways than one. She had saved her. Rainbow, at the end of the day, owed her.

But, she was under contract with the Express. That gave Rainbow pause. Even if she couldn't get her stuff back, she was still a known associate and employee of the Demos Express. She couldn't just abandon her job. Apparently, Drusilla noticed her conflicted nature, as she let out a light cough to draw the battered Pegasus' attention.

"Perhaps I should make the decision easier on you," she said. She then reached behind her, and pulled out a small wooden box. Rainbow recognized it immediately, even from a distance; a box of Crackers. "These are illegal in the Empire. And the mainland is too far away for you to fly to on your own. I can get you plenty of these, but only if you agree to serve me."

Rainbow went back into thought. Now that those were on the table, it made her want to work for her more. Plus, if what she said was true, she couldn't just fly back to the mainland to get more. And, again, she had saved her and given her all of the nice things. Perhaps she deserved her loyalty. Her addled head creaked along, eventually coming to that conclusion. She owed the Caesar her life. She had saved her from those madpeople. She didn't have to, but she did; she was merciful. She had helped her and now expected Rainbow to help her. It only seemed fair; something that the world hadn't been to her for too long now. Fair was good; nothing was fair, but this was. Despite a part of her mind's continued protest, the rest of it begged her to say yes. And so, she did.

"I-I accept. Y-your *cough*, Majesty."

Next Chapter: 35~Exams Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 8 Minutes