Several nights of quiet, tranquil travel later, the moon was back to its normal white color, and some clouds had rolled in to darken the crescent's already-diminished glow. A light rain began to fall, so the pair of adventurers traveling the road lifted up the hoods of their cloaks. They were both weighted down a fair bit with several tightly-sealed packs and bags apiece. Luna had insisted on shouldering half of Zecora's luggage herself, making her look much less dramatic than she had at the party. Her burnt hooves no longer pained her greatly, but she did resort to her magic or wings sometimes when they had to crest a particularly steep hill in this rolling green stretch of country road.

“Why didst thou bring so much?” Luna asked during one such stretch, followed by a flash in the distance, then a roll of thunder. “We can forage for what we need, dear friend.”

“Foraging will find us ample supplies,” Zecora replied, “but to leave that wild Forest without some trinkets would be most unwise. If you are carrying too much weight, that's something I could easily elate.”

“Oh please.” Luna hefted her burden up higher. “I would carry all of it if thou wouldst let me. What are these 'trinkets' thou speakest of?”

“Concoctions and alchemical ingredients. Whatever my role in a conflict requires for expedients.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” Luna ruminated. “Without magic, it is good to prepare for a variety of situations. Although – thou hast magic. Art thou willing to explain that to me now?”

Zecora halted in her path, and Luna followed suit. Zecora stared intensely for several seconds. “I will do so, if you are sure you wish to know,” she said, followed by an affirmative nod by the Princess. “Well then. I come from the great city of Timbucktu, which is the den and jewel of zebras and many other races too. I studied at the University there, and I became close with another student of whom I was not yet wise enough to beware. He studied the old spiritual myths of my kind and he believed that with new knowledge they could be usefully combined. I helped him practice binding such energy with stolen magic, not yet knowing how the results would be tragic.”

“What dost thou mean, 'stolen magic'?” asked Luna, trying to get a good look at Zecora's eyes underneath the shadow of her hood.

“He had taken the horn of a unicorn,” the zebra said dispassionately, “and told me it had been given to him, rather than torn.”

Luna cringed, and her brow furrowed into a furious scowl. “That is evil.”

“I can not deny that,” Zecora said, trying to meet her companion's intimidating gaze, “but I was young and full of the legendary curiosity of the cat... Do you want me to continue?”

“Yes,” Luna insisted, her wings twitching.

“It did not take us long to go too far down that avenue. Because no natural spirits presented themselves, we made some ourselves. With a trip to the city's prison, we were finally able to realize his vision. We bound a soul into a mask, where it would be forced to do whatever we asked. While wearing it, we acquired the prisoner's power, but some of his personality also carried over.”

“Doth this – 'friend' of thine still live?” Luna asked as more clouds gathered overhead, brought there into a swirling aerial whirlpool by her emotions.

“I do not think so,” Zecora said, glancing upwards with a little worry. “I suppose that anything is possible though. Anyway, to use this magic on a criminal was bad enough to do, but soon he began selecting victims based on whatever traits he wanted to view. Before long my friend turned his eyes toward me and decided that it was my intelligence he wanted to see. He nearly succeeded in tearing off my face, but my fight gave the spirit he wore just a moment's space. As it tried to overpower his control, I stole what masks and tools I could and fled out of that abominable hole. The last thing I heard before leaving was their two voices screaming.”

By this point, the lightning strikes had gotten much closer, close enough that the thunder could be heard almost immediately. The rain intensified, and Luna's wings suddenly burst out to half span.

“What else?” she asked as her tail flicked back and forth violently.

“I could not go back home,” Zecora said, dropping her head and closing her eyes. “What I had done condemned me to be alone. I wanted to find a way to break the curse, but since I had not taken the horn, it proved impossible to reverse. That was the original reason I came to Equestria―“

“So thou couldst steal the magic of our subjects!” Luna shouted with an accompanying crack of lightning and thunder directly over their heads, bright enough to light up her enraged face completely.

“If I had to,” said Zecora, who stood completely still before the onslaught. “And I might have, if I had not met Celestia.”

Luna's agitated wings had lifted her several inches off the ground, but she fell silent at the mention of her sister's name.

“She forgave me and offered me a place to stay,” Zecora continued. “I could not have imagined a kinder thing in all my days.”

Luna forced herself back onto the ground, then placed one of her hooves under her friend's chin and gently lifted her head up. Zecora's eyes were blinking back tears while the Princess' flashed with the reflections of distant lightning. “I am not as kind as my sister,” she said. “I would not have forgiven thee so easily. But I suspect I am not alone in that. Thou hast not forgiven thyself either, even after all this time.” She stepped closer, folding her wings back up and twining her neck with Zecora's. “I am sorry I became so wroth with thee. I do not know what came over me.”

“I think I know,” said the zebra, rubbing her neck against Luna's. “It is because my past also brings up your own woe. You would not have gotten so angry if you did not care, my dear mare.”

Luna changed the subject back after a brief pause. “What happened after thou sawest Celestia?”

“I left for the Everfree Forest and took up residence inside, and for many years I tried. But over time I grew distracted by innocent wanderers who would die unless I acted. It was compassion that moved me to don one of those masks again, and I believe that is what saved me from my teacher's terrible sin. The spirits inside did not resist much, and they came to accept me like an old friend's touch. I still want them to be free, but... it has been twenty years. I feel as if my life has a different purpose now, and I'm beginning to see exactly how.”

“Wilt thou ever go back home?” Luna inquired as the storm grew in intensity above them.

“Is it truly my home? I miss my parents and the many wonders in that city of gold, but to go back alone? I'm not sure I can be that bold.”

“Thou art brave enough to live alone surrounded by monsters, not to mention brave enough to leave that behind and travel with me. Thou dost undervalue thy virtue. But besides, why must thou go alone?”

Zecora drew back from their hug and was surprised to see Luna's mouth curved into a slight smile. “We have more important things to do, don't we?” she said. “At least, as far as I can see.”

“If the one who taught thou this black art still lives, finding him would be very important. Thou art correct that there are things I must tend to in Equestria first, but with thy leave, I would like to make thy city a destination.”

“A destination?” Zecora asked. “You have not even told me our adventure's first location.”

“Ah yes,” Luna said and began to travel along the road again, her hooves slushing in the puddles of mud and water that now filled it at regular intervals. “I must go see a very old dragon.”

“Oh.”

The thunderstorm was continuing at full strength when they came upon a river, the banks of which were nearly flooded. There was a bridge across it however, which still stood high enough above the rising water to be crossed. As they were about to step onto it, a female voice called out from a bush on the opposite bank.

“Hey there! You got your toll ready?”

“Toll?” Luna halted in her tracks and peered at the bush. She could make out three pony-like shapes hiding inside it. “There are no toll taxes in Equestria.”

Some voices whispered for a moment, before the previous one spoke again. “There are in this part! New law, passed by – uh – the Prince!”

“You waste our time.” Luna began crossing the bridge while, unseen behind her, Zecora undid some of the straps on her pouches and pulled a few small items out. “Go home.”

Three ponies jumped out from behind the plant, two of them brandishing blowguns in their teeth. Three more came out from a cleverly-disguised rock behind Luna and Zecora similarly armed. All six were earth ponies in leather armor.

“I should also mention,” the evident leader said, “that there is a temporary 'Inclement Weather' increase on the tax. Obstructing its collection is also worth a penalty. Please miss, don't make this difficult.”

“Banditry?” Luna said as a cold white glow began to pulse inside her hood. “In Equestria? By ponies? What cruel jest is this?!”

Darts shot out from five of the guns, and the leader quickly moved to pick up hers.

With two powerful flaps of her wings, Luna sent all but one flying back. The last stuck in her neck, where she could feel its numbing poison start to spread. It wasn't strong enough to seriously hinder her, but it was annoying nonetheless. She grunted and quickly glanced back to make sure Zecora was okay. For a moment all she saw was her luggage, then she made out the zebra herself crouching in the grass to the side of the road, wrapping something around her hooves.

To help ensure Zecora would not be targeted, Luna released a bit of her magic into her cape, magnifying its thread's prismatic nature enough that it cast rays of rainbow light into the sky. She then took to the air and began flying straight toward their leader. She called down a blast of lightning directly in front of her, which sent the group sprawling for cover and set their hiding place on fire.

“I thought you said that one had wings!” one of them shouted. “She's using magic!”

“Where is the other one!?” one from the other group yelled at the same time, before he let out a yelp and collapsed on the ground. Looking down, he saw that a pair of bolas had wrapped around all four of his legs, knocking him off balance and ensnaring him.

“Everypony run!” the leader commanded before taking a desperate shot of distraction at Luna. It worked, because the telekinetic aura Luna had wrapped around the body of one of the bandits disappeared as the dart stuck into her chest. With the thunder overhead rumbling along with her frustrated and pained growl, Luna barreled down at her attacker.

“I can't!” the one with the bolas around his legs responded.

“Neither can I!” said another, who had gaped with horror as thick tree roots burst out of a cloth bag that had landed at his feet and began tangling themselves around his hooves.

The three remaining ponies scattered, dropping their weapons in their haste to get away. One of them narrowly avoided being captured by a second pair of bolas, but one of the balls clipped a hoof. His frantic run became a frantic hobble. When they heard his cry for help, his two companions turned back to assist him. Before they could grab hold of him however, a small silver tube landed in the middle of the trio. After a second of stunned silence, thick black smoke started to pour out of it. They tried to get away and coughed fiercely, but the gas had already invaded their lungs and consciousness was slipping away rapidly.

Simultaneously, Luna knocked the bandit leader's blowgun away with one fore-hoof, then slammed the other across her face. By the time the gun landed on the ground, she was already knocked out, and her limp body flopped down next to it.

“Halt!” Luna roared at the last two ponies trying to flee. Just in case the Canterlot Voice were not enough, she stomped her front hooves into the ground, and two lightning bolts quickly followed suit directly in the bandits' paths. They screamed and tried to hide in the grass. “We can see you. Come back here at once!”

The two of them shared a wide-eyed look, gulped, and then walked back. They threw themselves on their knees in front of Luna before she even drew her hood back to reveal her ebony crown. They glanced up at it and started shaking.

“M-mercy, please,” stammered one. “We d-didn't know―”

“Explain this madness,” Luna demanded as Zecora appeared behind her, dragging the group she had captured by a thick hemp rope. “And we may be lenient. Why were you doing this?”

“We were banished from our homes,” she said as her partner remained silent. “We needed to eat but nopony would hire us, so Quicktail over there―”she gestured at the bandit leader sprawled on the ground―”suggested that we had to take money.”

“Do not blame another for your crimes,” Luna retorted. “How could you possibly be banished? That is the harshest sentence in this land. What did you do?

“Nothing!” the other pony shouted suddenly. “They said we were changelings!”

“That is absurd,” said the Princess, turning her eyes toward him. “Dost thou expect us to believe that?”

“It's true! The Prince himself pronounced the sentence.”

“What Prince? Who is the lord of this land?”

“Blueblood the Elder, Your Highness,” the first pony spoke with a resigned sigh. “He lives in a castle a few hours' journey to the north.”

“We shall take you there, where we shall discover your true crimes, and where you will be made to answer for them.”

Luna and Zecora engineered a quick rope system that would allow them both to carry all the unconscious ponies without dragging them along the ground. Luna had to hoist some of their packs in a telekinetic bubble as a result, but she did not want her wayward subjects in any worse condition. She stomped off toward the northern path, stumbling a few times as her body struggled to combat the numbness the poison was spreading. As Zecora followed, with the two bandits that remained awake walking in front of her and behind Luna, she gave them a cryptic smile. They took particular notice of the saturation of their coats then, and shivered.

The castle looked lonely. Unlike most in Equestria, no village had sprung up around it. There were towns scattered along the roads leading there, but the fortress itself stood alone atop a hill, proudly surveying the plains for many miles. It was rough-hewn and small, and could not have housed more than a hundred soldiers and their support staff at full garrison. A single sentry patrolled all four sides of the wall that night. He was on the opposite side when Luna and her party came within sight, so she shouted to him.

“Sentry,” she said, her voice clear and loud even over the din of the storm, “Lower the drawbridge and announce the arrival of Princess Luna.”

He grabbed his spear and hastened over to the other side. “W-Who goes there!?”

“We have already said!” She flew up, getting close and high enough that he could see her horn and her crown. “Go!”

The guard fumbled for a trumpet and blew three quick blasts on it. Candles were lit, and some angry grumbles were heard from the direction of the barracks. They were quickly silenced when he formally announced who had arrived. There was a click, and the drawbridge began to lower. When the portcullis was raised, Luna, Zecora, and the prisoners entered Castle Blueblood.

An honor guard quickly ushered them into the inner keep, where they would be out of the rain. They gave each other concerned looks and whispers about who the ones traveling with her were, but they decided it was best not to challenge the Princess. Luna caught a snippet of “but what if she's a changeling too” and shot a glare at the offending pony. He and all those near him said nothing more as she stepped onto the thick blue carpet of the audience chamber.

She and Zecora set down the bound, soggy, groaning, half-conscious ponies they had been carrying, then put down their packs. She told the two completely-aware bandits to kneel and be silent unless spoken to. Some servants tried to take their luggage, but she waved them off. Some candles in the hall had been hastily lit, but most of the illumination came from the stars in Luna's mane, drawing more than a few gasps from the audience. Luna breathed a grateful sigh that they were too entranced by the sight to notice that she was still wobbling and stumbling a little from the darts she had been struck with.

Hastening out of a hallway on the opposite side of the room was an older, well-groomed unicorn stallion with chestnut hair and a deep black mane. He wore a blue crystal amulet, inside of which was a single frozen drop of blood. The same imagery was part of the hair of his flank as well. He paid his obeisance to Luna, exchanged a polite but standoffish introduction with Zecora, then took a long, hard look at the outlaw ponies they had brought with them.

“What game is this?” Luna asked. “Thou art the Prince? Where are thy wings?”

“Hmm?” Blueblood raised an eyebrow. “I do not have any.”

Zecora gently nudged the pony named Quicktail fully awake, but held a hoof up to her mouth to gesture for her to be silent, for now. They both watched on, the prisoner with fear and anger, and Zecora with a simple, curious, peaceful expression.

“Then thou art laying false claim to the title of Prince?” Luna's voice bit into the air between them.

“Certainly not, Your Highness! I have paid for the title. I have the documents with my seneschal, should you like to peruse them.”

“What!” Luna's outburst caught everypony in the room by surprise. Some jumped, others reeled back, and others struggled to maintain their composure. “Royalty can not be bought and sold like some commodity! The sacred blood of kings flows within us, and to falsify one's lineage in such a manner is sacrilege!”

“I do not understand,” the 'Prince' said, shuffling his hooves. “I paid the fee directly to Celestia herself. Did she not tell you?”

“We shall take this matter up with her directly then,” said Luna, her blood pumping fast as she struggled to keep her body under control.

“If it please Your Highness, call me a Duke,” Blueblood said, bowing to the ground again. “That is what I was before.”

“So be it.” Luna turned to Quicktail and motioned for her to step forward. “Duke Blueblood, this mare and her companions were illegally operating a toll across a bridge in thy lands. We have apprehended them and brought them here for further justice, since clearly banishment is not enforceable here.”

“I remember you,” the Duke said. “You were accused of the crimes of treason and espionage for collusion with the Changeling Kingdom. I told you to leave my borders.”

“So they are changelings then?” Luna pressed.

“There is of course no way to be sure,” Blueblood the Elder said with a sigh, “but all the evidence pointed toward yes. But even if they were not, what was I to do? Send them back to live amongst their accusers?”

“Jail them!” Luna suggested. “Send them to Canterlot to be sure! Use thy wisdom! Thou canst not just banish thy subjects under suspicion of crime.”

“Your Highness,” he said, looking around at the many ponies in the hall. “Might I request a more private audience?”

“We shall oblige,” she said, “on one condition. This zebra, madam Zecora, stays with me.”

He gave the smiling, exotic foreigner a strange look, and she responded with one of her own. “I accept your condition. Guards, remove these ruffians to the cells, then everypony quit this chamber.”

As she was removed, Quicktail spat on the luxurious carpet. Soon the room stood empty, save for Blueblood, Luna, Zecora, and their supplies.

“Princess,” he said, “may I speak freely?”

“Of course.” Luna bent her head down briefly. “We are offended by thy presumption of royalty, but thou art still high nobility, and thus due all the considerations a sovereign must give.”

“I do not have enough ponies-at-arms,” the Duke said, his shoulders hunching forward wearily. “And the royal guard is stretched too thin to patrol the frontier regularly. We have been facing a steady rise in crime, in attacks by creatures from beyond the border, and in a host of tensions among the surrounding communities as a result. And...” He stopped, closing his eyes tightly.

“What is it?” she demanded.

“It is a personal matter,” he responded, shaking his head slowly. “Nevermind, Princess Luna.”

“It is obviously relevant, or thou wouldst not have thought of it. We would have thee tell us if so.”

Blueblood stared hard at the floor. “Your Highness, I was going to keep silent about this, but your prying into my personal life is the final straw. Your conduct here has been most unbecoming of royalty. Your rudeness and arrogance both to me and to my subjects, not to mention bringing foreigners and possible infiltrators into my hall, does your august nature very little credit.”

Luna's mouth gaped open for several seconds. Just as she was about to use it to unleash a torrent of abuse, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She turned and stared back into Zecora's eyes. Luna's reflection there said almost as much as the tender look her companion was giving her.

“I..” she said, her eyes turning away to survey the ceiling.

“You remind me of my son,” the Duke said.

Luna stayed quiet, her eyes shifting along with her thoughts, trying to find anything to say that wasn't wrong in some way. Part of her said that he was right, but that she had to correct his breach of protocol somehow. Another part said she should let it go. A very loud part suggested that she should give up and simply lay verbal waste to the usurper.

“I was worse, father,” interrupted a white unicorn colt who entered the room from one of the inner doorways. He was very finely groomed and handsome, even in spite of the disfiguring scar that split his face in half. His cutie mark appeared to be an eight-pointed compass rose. He bowed to the Princess and continued. “Forgive me for intruding, Princess, but I hoped I could help explain our situation. I am Prince Blueblood the Younger.”

“Son,” said the Elder, putting his hoof on his forehead, “I asked for a private audience...”

“But I was there,” the son implored. “I know better than anypony what to expect.”

“Let the Princess decide.” He grunted.

“We...” Luna shook herself out of her reverie, having paid little attention to the exchange. “We would hear what thy son hath to say...”

With a smug smile cast at his glaring father, Blueblood the Younger cleared his throat and began to speak. “Last year I decided to take a commission as an officer in the Equestrian army. I cut a particularly dashing figure in the uniform, and things got even better when I and the ponies under my command were transferred to Canterlot. Of course, then the changelings came. A member of my unit was one of them, and he led half of my soldiers to their deaths in an ambush. We escaped, thanks to yours truly, but I will never forget that betrayal. Equestria is at constant risk of even more incidents like that, yet neither my father nor the kingdom can seem to spare enough ponypower to deal with it.”

“The changelings are no longer a threat,” Luna said, while the Duke looked ready to strike his son. “Most of them have been killed and their queen's power hath been broken. If there are any left in Equestria, they will be smart enough to continue to hide themselves and do no harm.”

“No harm?” Prince Blueblood said. “Look at what happened to my beautiful face! They will scar our land in the same way!”

“They were among us long before the invasion,” explained Luna. “They caused no such scarring then. We shall take all due diligence in rooting them out, but things will be much as they were before. Better, since no new ones will arrive for many years.”

“Better, except for the fact that we are too weak even to defend our own borders!”

“Enough!” the Duke shouted. “We are –“

“Nay.” Princess Luna cut them both off with a wave of her hoof. “He is correct in that regard. That is one reason that we are here. We are hoping to inspire more ponies to take up arms in their own defense, and if possible to find those rare few who are willing and able to devote their lives to the calling.”

“I heard of that,” the younger Blueblood said. “You gave a speech to that effect after saving Starfield from an earthquake.”

“Word of that has spread here already?” Luna grinned. “Superb.”

“If I may interrupt,” Zecora suddenly spoke, just before either of their two hosts could resume their argument, “this probably all seems somewhat abrupt. Why do we not retire and do this next morning, when you can have a bit more warning?”

The Bluebloods seemed momentarily surprised to see her there, despite the fact that she had been standing in plain view the whole time. Both of their upper lips curled up slightly, but the Duke replied respectfully. “Thank you for your concern. It is very late, but we will stay up all night if that is what the Princess wishes.”

“We desire for you to rest,” Luna said, mentally smacking herself for not keeping track of how late it was. “Come morning, we shall discuss the fate of the bandit ponies we captured. Please prepare a chamber for our companion. We shall not be sleeping ourselves, so do not concern yourselves with our accommodations.”

The nobleponies bowed to her. “We shall do as you ask,” said the Elder. “Madam, if you will follow me...”

Zecora, completely unfazed by the distrustful facial expressions they had given her, shared a smile with Luna and then trotted off to bed. Some of the castle's servants came by to ask if she would like the traveling packs carried now, and this time she told them to carry the items to Zecora's room.

The prison cells were in a very similar, ill-maintained state to the rest of the castle, and their residents looked about as comfortable as the soldiers in the adjoining barracks did, which was not very much. The bars were thick but rusty, the mattresses were big but full of holes, and the water was clean but unreliable. The prisoners became even less comfortable when the Princess of the Night herself showed up to speak with them, sweeping majestically into the room and replacing its dismal light with her own scintillating white and blue aura.

“Why did you bring us back here?” Quicktail demanded after being dazzled by it for a couple moments. The red hair of her mane and coat was soaked and matted, and she occasionally shivered and chattered her teeth along with her companions. She also winced as the huge bruise on the side of her face began to swell. Despite all that, she stood up to face Luna head-on.

Luna took a quick look to make sure any nearby guards were asleep or distracted. “Because we know you are not changelings. Now we must discern why you were believed to be such.”

“Because it's a witch hunt in this place,” she said, snarling. “If you're from out of town, or you don't have anypony to vouch for you, or even if you're just kind of a loner, half the ponies out here are willing to blame you for anything bad that happens these days.”

“And which of those wert thou, Quicktail?” asked Luna, pointing a hoof steadily at her.

“Actually,” the bandit replied, pacing around the perimeter of her cell, “since this doesn't really matter anymore, I was always kind of a bully. I guess I just made a few too many enemies. That and “I was at home” isn't a very good alibi, whether it's true or not.”

“So that is why thou convinced these others to join thee in robbing ponies that had nothing to do with the matter?”

“We never hurt anypony!” she blurted out.

“From what we can tell,” Luna said with a cocked eyebrow, “you never helped anypony either.”

“We helped each other!” Quicktail retorted. “That's what it's all about, right? Friendship and harmony?”

“The philosophy extends a bit farther than one's immediate band of outlaws.” Luna chuckled and stepped right up to the bars. The prisoner stopped pacing and joined the two or three other bandits who were awake in staring at her. From this vantage point, Luna could see her cutie mark clearly: a red ring of fire. “Tell us – where didst thou learn to use blowguns so effectively? Whence comes thy knowledge of ambushes? Where didst thou acquire paralytic poison? If we were not so accustomed to toxins, we would be unconscious several times over by now.”

“I had a brother in the military.” She shrugged. “Taught me a lot before he went off to die.”

“Evidently he did not teach thee enough,” Luna said, drawing an angry snort. “We do not say that merely because we were able to best thee, but also because thy talents and energies have been turned toward an ill purpose. In any case, we are going to vouch for the identity of thee and thy companions. What thou dost afterward is up to thee, but we would advise a careful examination of the consequences of thy actions. Also, consider what alternatives might open up with a voucher from Princess Luna. Once thy commuted sentence is served, of course.”

“Ha!” Quicktail turned her head up and laughed. “What's to stop me from just going right back to what I was doing?”

“Nothing save the bruise on thy cheek, and the expectation of more in the future. Risk it at thy own peril. If thy own health does not concern thee, then imagine the same happening to thy friends. Good evening.” She stepped back to nod at the entire group, then exited the room, casting it back into the dim yellow candlelight instead of a glorious array of magical starlight.

The bandit leader was the only pony in the building who dared to laugh when she saw the Princess lose her balance and slam into a table, breaking all the glasses on it and splintering the wood. She regained control of her poisoned body, apologized to a few startled bystanders, then resumed her walk at a slower, more dignified pace. Quicktail chuckled to herself a few more times before crawling into her cot to try to get a couple hours of sleep.

“We can not just let them go, Your Highness!” Duke Blueblood protested.

“We are not suggesting any such thing,” Luna countered. “Their sentence should be commuted to a lesser one than banishment. Our spell has ascertained that they are not changelings, and so they are still thy subjects, criminal or no. Simply confiscate their weapons and armor, let them serve as laborers until they can pay back what they stole, then keep them under a close watch. Perhaps even here in thy castle.”

The lesser ruler scoffed. “You say 'simply,' but there would be nothing simple about any of that!”

“Must we make it a command?” Luna said in a monotone.

“This is a gross abuse of my feudal rights, Your Highness,” he said coldly. “But no, you do not need to do so. The Bluebloods are and always will be loyal and honorable.”

The two ponies were alone once again in the audience hall, this time with the rays of the sun spilling through the windows and drying up the remnants of the night's storm. Luna had taken the time to bathe and brush her coat and mane, which, while not as relaxing at a castle as it was at a spa, still helped to rejuvenate her and clear her mind. She had also polished her collar and shoes to a mirror shine, but even seeing their twinkling had not completely restored her confidence. The 'Prince' had donned an imperious purple robe and a laurel wreath on his crest to indicate his lord-hood. I wish Zecora were here, Luna said to herself as she recalled Blueblood's words about her arrogance and rudeness. It is good that she is acclimating to my sleep schedule though.

“We meant no slight against thy family,” Luna said diplomatically. “And – we apologize for – giving the impression of incivility last night. Thou shalt be treated with all the respect thou art due in the future.”

“Think nothing of it, Princess,” he said. “I merely spoke emotionally and out of turn. It will not happen again.”

“Listen,” said Princess Luna. “We wish to explain the reasoning behind our decision. We have seen this effect in the past. During difficult times, some ponies are pushed to the edges of society. They are not evil, but they see no alternative but to turn on that society. If we show them a new niche to fill, they may fill it. All it requires is giving them an honest opportunity to turn their talents toward something positive and productive.

“These ponies we brought with us are not evil. When we fought them, they did not intend to kill. When the tide turned against them, their leader ordered them to flee and then tried to hold me off so they could do so. When some could not escape, they stopped to help each other. If they can apply that spirit to the world outside of each other, they could play a useful role, mayhap as hunters, soldiers, guides, or scouts.

“Of course, we can not guarantee any reform. Should they do more harm, inform us, and we promise to take full responsibility. Wilt thou give this plan a chance?”

“Yes,” he said slowly. “Your promise of taking the responsibility has convinced me. I will see what I can do.”

“We thank thee, Duke Blueblood,” Luna said, smiling very slightly.

Their business concluded, the two of them retired to the dining hall, where a simple but filling lunch had been prepared. Luna mostly kept to herself, partaking of little more than the rules of hospitality dictated, and conversing politely only when spoken to. She spent the lunch and the next couple hours simply observing. The servants gossiped about her as soon as they thought they could not be heard, speaking as often about her business here as about the nature of her relationship with Zecora. The various courtiers did the same, though they were bold enough to try to subtly worm what they wanted to know out of her. The young Prince Blueblood was scarce, but she caught him staring at her on several occasions, and staring at himself on several more. The lord of the castle and its lands grew more and more disheveled as the day wore on due to the steady stream of ministers and petitioners who came on urgent business. And the business did indeed seem urgent, as he was obliged to send out a flurry of letters throughout the day. What a miserable state of affairs in this province, Luna thought more than once.

Eventually, she excused herself and said she would go sleep for a few hours in the field. Despite the shock and protests, she insisted that she would not be comfortable anywhere else. She commanded them to tell Zecora to prepare their supplies for departure when she woke up, and then flapped up to one of the castle's windows.

"One more thing—“ she called back to Blueblood the Elder. “Thy son is also a Prince? How doth that work? Did he also pay for the title?”

“Yes,” he responded with a groan. “Against my commands he saved up his money to get it for himself, knowing full well that I would pass mine on to him. His self-absorption would not allow him to wait.”

“Tell him this then. If he truly wishes to help this realm and himself, he will follow our example and take to the road. Should he prove himself, it could be that one day we shall make his name “Sir Blueblood,” a title that will do him and thy family far greater honor than any that can be bought.

“We shall be back tonight to collect madam Zecora and our traveling packs, and then we shall take the road southeast. For now, we hope thou dost continue to rule with wisdom and courage. Farewell.”

With that, she leaped out of the window. After a few minutes of lazily circling in the warm afternoon air, she spied an appetizing batch of grass, then came to rest on it, where she grazed idly during a session of deep thought and brooding that prevented her from sleeping.

“Come on, Luna,” she pep-talked herself. “What doth the opinion of one little lordling matter? What would he know about the way royalty should behave anyway?”

Like Celestia, said a small part of herself.

Luna growled violently and wrapped her hooves around her ears as if to block out that voice. She was grateful that the sheer exertion of forcing her thoughts away from that path caused her to slide into a deep slumber.

Too deep though, as she awoke several hours past what should have been moonrise, and only then because of the sounds of distant shouting coming from inside the castle.