The doors closed behind her and I felt my wings droop slightly as I relaxed slightly, my ears going to the side..

I should not have said that. Any of that.

“...I’m sorry,” I said as I returned onto the dais of the thrones, “...I should not have done that.”

Celestia shook her head with a frown, “No, you shouldn’t. It’s not...,” she started before she sighed and her ears drooped slightly and she shifted her wings, “But I do think might have needed to be said.”

She didn’t know what I told her with the whisper..

“We have done worse in the past,” Luna agreed and moved off her throne to join me. She moved up next to me and put her wing gently across my back, “That was one of the reasons we both wanted you here for this.”

“Takes a monkey to know a monkey?” I asked, one eyebrow raised.

Luna smiled briefly and gave me a quick nuzzle, “Not quite, but close.”

“Exactly that,” Celestia agreed and then sighed, “Do you really think it’ll work?”

“...I bloody hope so,” I sighed and sat down, leaning against Luna softly, my head just about reaching her neck, “Because a lot of that was a bluff.”

Luna blinked down at me, “Truly?”

“...Well, not the part about you guys,” I admitted, “I’m fairly sure you two and the Sparkles can kick some serious tail when you don’t need to worry about ponies being in the way. Cadance is a lot less direct, but potentially a lot more scary. I’m not any better. Sure, one on one I might be okay, but I’m not going to be much use in an actual battle.”

Celestia shifted her wings and moved off her throne to join us, “I seem to remember differently in the assault on Canterlot.”

“That was Luna,” I said, “I may have cast the spell, but the power behind it belonged to My Sky. I could maybe have put ten of them to sleep without her.”

Luna gave my ear a nuzzle, “Don’t sell yourself short, My Page,” she said softly, “You still cast the spell and there is a lot in a war that don’t involve strength,” before she raised her head and looked to Celestia, “Do you believe it will work?”

“I don’t know,” Celestia admitted and sat down, looking towards the closest glass window of Twilight and the other elements, “It depends on the Storm King, if he takes our warning to heart or not.”

“Should we go to his dreams again?” I asked, looking up at Luna.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before she looked down at me, “Do you think it would help?”

“I don’t know.”

Celestia shook her head, “Leave him. Let him think about things.”

I nodded and leaned against Luna. It was one thing for somebody like that to send you soilders to die for your cause, another when it was your own tail on the line.

“I don’t know about you,” Celestia then added with a small smile, “But I need a drink. Would you two like to join me, sister?”

Luna nodded, “Yes please. Page?”

I hesitated, “...I’d love to get drunk with a pair of beautiful girls, but I think I should check on my guard,” I said and reluctantly pulled back from Lunas warmth, “If there is a risk that we’re at war in a week, then I want them to be as ready as they can possibly be.”

Luna gave me a nuzzle at the ear, “You’re a good colt.”

“Yeah, if I didn’t just draw Equestria into open warfare…” I sighed and leaned into it for a second before I headed towards the side door. It didn’t take long until I left the cool interior of the castle. The sky outside was a clear blue, the sun burning high above.

I glanced up towards it for a second, suddenly feeling somepony moving next to me before I saw them.

“How did it go, sir?” Skitter asked as she joined in next to me.

“You already know how it went,” I said and stretched my rings for a second, “What do you think about this entire thing?”

“The Swarm stand with Equestria, sir,” she said, “I have discussed the matter with Mother.”

“She think Equestria is going to win then?” I asked, looking to her for the first time. Skitter nodded,

“There is no real question about that,” she admitted, “but it will look for for the changelings if we were seen supporting Equestrian troops in a conflict.”

“You may lose changelings.”

Skitter sighed and her wings buzzed for a second, “More than in the long term if we did nothing?”

I shook my head with a frown, “I don’t think you guys are best for a battle anyway,” I admitted, “not unless it’s in a jungle or something. You do what you do best, infiltrate and spy. How long would it take for you to infiltrate the Storm Kings court?”

Skitter just smiled at me a bit, managing to look slightly smug about it.

I looked at her for a long second, “...You already did, didn’t you?”

“With the return of his ambassador, he is going to get some extra guests.”

I slowly nodded and shifted my wings with a small sigh, “Just don’t get caught. That could cause even larger problems.”

She just gave me a look. If she had eyebrows, one of them would have been raised.

“...Yeah, fair enough,” I chuckled and then shook my head, “I’m about to inspect my guard. Would you like to join me, your highness?”

“Of course, sir.”