The Son of the Emperor:

A My Little Pony Fan-Fic

Chapter I:

The Prince Imperial

“Behind or under every great man, there is a great pony.”

-Anonymous

---

        Strong, gloved hands brush against his hair, the fingers buried in his golden locks. He opens his eyes, a happy gurgle of malformed words emanating from his mouth at the sight of his dearest father. Papa looks down at him, his normally stoic countenance eroding slightly at the sight of his boy. He extends his hand up to papa, struggling to reach him, but failing. Suddenly, papa's free hand is around his! He giggles even more now, happy beyond all reason to see his papa play with him. But his happy cries end as papa releases his little hand, grabbing his body and putting him stomach upwards on the soft couch. He tried his best to lift his small arms up to reach papa, but he is too far away. “Is it time to leave already?” Papa asks someone he can not see at all.

        “Oui mon Empereur,” a gruff voice answers.

        Papa hums softly, a tune which pleases him greatly, but it does not relieve his distress over being apart from papa. Papa gives him a forlorn look, but he doesn't know why. He doesn't care as papa lowers himself right next to him, staring at him with the most loving gaze a father could give. “Little one, I am afraid it is time for me to go now,” Papa tells him slowly, sounding as if he did not want to believe it himself.

        His tiny face scowls in bewilderment. What did papa mean? He just wants papa to be with him some more! He tries once more to reach him, nearly flipping his body upside down stretching as far as he can. Papa smiles once more, so he smiles as well. Papa is happy again, so everything was right! But the smile fades when papa stands up once more, turning away from him. He cries out again, tears filling up his eyes. Why was papa leaving? Papa looks at a man he could not see. “Tell Marie to come. I trust him more with her then anyone else right now,” papa tells the strange man.

        What? What did papa mean? He cries more and does not stop until papa scoops him up in his arms. He mutes his wailing, preferring instead to look into the blue eyes of papa. “Oh mon petit aiglon,” Papa says with a sigh. “You were supposed to be the Alexander to my Phillip. But I suppose it is too late for that now. For what it is worth son, I have always loved you. Stay strong, and make me proud. If your will is strong and your mind sharp, you will not make the mistakes I have. Who knows? When history refers to us, perhaps it will be you who it calls 'the Great'.” Papa laughs bitterly after that, an uncharacteristic action, scaring him greatly.

        His fear grows after papa’s short speech. Cries begin to well up in his throat as he is deposited from papa's warm embrace into a new one. His eyes catch the soft gaze of his mama, a beautiful woman who smiles softly at her boy despite her unease. Although he is upset away from papa he takes comfort in mama’s care. But suddenly another warmth covers him. It is Papa, hugging both him and mama. It is a short hug, but for the little boy it might as well last forever. But it is over soon, and without another word Papa leaves. As he sees papa exiting the room out of the corner of his eyes, he tries once more to reach for him, but no matter how hard he struggles, he can not. “Papa, Papa!” he yells out, but Papa is already gone.

---

-Vienna, Austria. 1820.

        “Franz, Franz, wake up!” a harsh and bitter voice shouted, breaking him out of his reverie.

        As his eyes opened, Franz acidly glared at the man who interrupted his dream, his hands tightening almost instinctively. The offender had a rather pudgy face and bulky body, and Heinz hated Franz as much as Franz hated Heinz. In the few times his grandfather had permitted him to leave his residence at Schönbrunn Palace, Franz was forced to be “accompanied” by a guardian. And this time it was his least favorite guardian, Heinz. They both knew it was to keep Franz from leaving Wien, though the prince had no clue how he could escape the city.

        The two traversed the streets of the capital in a small carriage sitting parallel to each other. The driver steered while two earth ponies guided. Franz couldn't imagine a more dull situation. He could not leave the carriage unless Heinz approved and experience had proven that would never happen. So his only option was to stare miserably outside through the open slots of the carriage, only observing the sights of the beautiful Österreich capital that he could not partake.

        He would scream at the injustice, but that would be “undignified behavior,” as his mother oh-so-kindly put it. Instead he contented himself to stewing his thoughts and appreciating the city's architecture. Heinz snorted at him. “What's the matter boy, don't appreciate all His Majesty has done for you?” his guardian taunted.

        Franz didn't respond. This proved a bad decision, and Heinz's face twisted in anger, his cheeks flaring red. He grabbed Franz's linen collar, yanking him right up to his face. “Listen here Prinz, your father is the reason my brother's dead, and if you think I'm going to take this shit from you, you've got the wrong idea. Got it!?” he screamed, spit flinging out of his mouth right onto Franz’s face, which betrayed a hint of fear, pleasing Heinz immensely. Still, Franz was as calm as a boy his age could be. “I'm not sure grandfather would approve of you manhandling me, brute. Especially if I tell him about your repeated infractions of court conduct,” he replied, staring Heinz down with all the strength his nine year old body could afford.

        Heinz balked, realizing the ramifications if Franz's grandfather found out. He pushed Franz away with careful gentleness, but stared at him hatefully. “Fine Franz. But don't you think this means you can do what you want!” Heinz shouted once more. Franz resumed gazing outside the carriage and nodded subtly. Yet Heinz noticed the prince tensed his knuckles at the name “Franz.” “Stupid brat, at this rate I should ask for a pension increase!” Heinz thought. While Heinz mulled over his undeserved paycheck, Franz concentrated on a single thought. “I've got to get out of here.”

---

        Happy. That was the only accurate description of the little purple filly that moment, as she dropped the letter she just received to the ground. She raised her forehooves and clopped them against each other briefly before standing on all four hooves once more. “Mama, mama, I'm going to Canterlot to be with the Princess!” she squealed in absolute delight, looking up to her mother with happiness sparkling in her eyes.

Mama smiled down at her with equal pride. She embraced her daughter, putting her forehooves around her neck and holding her baby tight. “Oh my Twilight, this is great! I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time at Canterlot,” Mama said.

Twilight took comfort in the hug until a new thought deflated her mood. “Mama, is daddy going to see me before I go?” she asked, desperation obvious in her voice.

Mama's hold tightened, and Twilight could hear Mama muffle a sob. “Twilight, I've told you already. Daddy's going to be gone for a while,” Mama said, pain lacing her voice.

        Twilight broke free of her mother's grasp, tears forming out of the corners of her eyes as she does not dare to look her mother in the eye. “And when is a while?” she nearly screamed. She did not need to look to see that her words stung.

With regret she turned to mama, seeing that she was crying as well. Cautiously, she crawled back up to mama and rekindled the embrace. After a few endless seconds of tearful sobs, mama finally answered her. “I don't know Twilight. I don't know.”

---

        “Get up beasts! I paid good money for you lot, and I'm not going to lose it because of some ponies are too lazy to move!” an enraged voice shouted.

        Groggily opening her eyes, Twilight slackened in defeat. She and several other ponies with varying looks of defeat on them were imprisoned in a small wooden box that barely left room to move. Not that the tight shackles around their hooves allowed them any freedom. It had been this awful way for a long time. She didn't want to get up, but she knew from experience that the price of disobedience was severe. Moving despite a complete lack of enthusiasm, she hoisted herself off the ground. The other ponies followed suit with equal vigor. Once all were roused a hatch opened at the end of their prison. Harsh sunlight spilled in, nearly blinding the ponies; some had not seen the sun for days, some for weeks. A coal-black unicorn stepped in front of the portal, glaring at the ponies with equal parts anger and apathy. “Hurry up, I have good buyers waiting for you all! Get out!” the colt barked at them.

        At first they refused to move, stunned and aghast that another pony could further their suffering, but he shouted again. “Scheiße, Hans! Get the men! If they aren't coming out, we'll force them out.” Recognizing the implications of that threat, the ponies hastily hurried out. They marched out of their prison single file, eyes straining against the sun. A few more ponies and about a dozen or so humans dressed in rugged outfits surrounded them. The humans held strange looking weapons at their sides. From what Twilight had learned from a few scattered comments, these were called muskets. Some were fitted with a long, deadly-looking knife on the end. Twilight dared a glance at the colt out of the corner of her eye, confused as much as when she was first captured. “Why had ponies assisted these humans? It makes no sense, ponies are better then this, right?” she thought. Her assumption was proven wrong when the colt caught her stare and singled her out. “You, purple one, keep your eyes straight and keep moving!”

        Twilight fixed her eyes straight ahead, heart racing. She hated this place, this unknown land they had dragged her off to. Ever since she was captured, waking up aboard a ship larger then any other she had ever witnessed, her life had descended into hell. She was hungry, even starving. The paltry sustenance the slavers gave sporadically throughout the trip was not nearly enough to keep her healthy, and definitely not enough to fuel her magical talents. These men, “no, these monsters!” gave her no mercy. She needed to escape. To run as far as possible, all the way back to Equestria, back to her mother, no matter the cost. All Twilight needed was a chance.

---

        The rest of their little trip through Wien was thankfully quiet. Besides the occasional glare Heinz shot at him, everything was as calm as Franz wanted. He would've preferred exploring the city, but he took what peace he could get instead. In his life he relished such small blessings; considering the misfortune that had plagued his family, Franz thought it more than appropriate to enjoy such things. Unfortunately, the verbal cease fire was interrupted by the sudden stop of the carriage. The jolt nearly launched Franz and Heinz out of their seats. This did not please Heinz, and his cheeks flared red again. “Goddamn driver,” he seethed, before throwing a harsh look at Franz, “Stay here boy, I'm checking what's wrong with the driver.” With that he opened the coach door, stomping out and slamming the door shut behind him.

Franz was now alone in the carriage, and he smiled. This was perfect. Franz slowly inched his way to the door Heinz exited, peeking his eyes outside. What he saw surprised and disheartened him. A tan coated pony with a bent and misshapen hind leg writhed on the street while Heinz and the driver shouted at each other. From what Franz could hear, the pony had caught his injured leg on the carriage’s front wheel, stopping it violently. The carriage could not be fixed for a while and they would need a new pulling-pony. Franz did not want to know what they would do to the poor cripple; he had heard enough horror stories from the palace staff and could picture some..disturbing...scenarios.

        Moving to the other side of the carriage, Franz slowly opened the hatch. Poking his head out, he saw no one nearby. “Must have left when the carriage stopped,” Franz concluded. No matter the reason, no one would watch him escape. With Heinz and the driver occupied, he could be free “for who knows how long!” Franz slid out with obvious glee and a devious smirk on his face. His feet hit the cobblestone street with a soft thump, and he began to run the opposite direction. The consequences later might be severe, but for now, Wien was his to explore!

---

        “Faster, faster I say!”

        The command deafened the ponies and resounded across the grassy plain the sorry procession had entered. Hans, the leader of the humans, had led the mob of ponies for about an hour. The black colt was at his side and Hans held a leather whip. Twilight had already seen him apply it to a few ponies unlucky enough to slacken pace. Bloody stripes marred their flanks. A loud grumble erupted from her stomach. Twilight was desperate for any sort of food, and she would have even eaten the soiled grass if the slavers would have let her.

        She glanced at the human leader, careful not to appear distracted from the march. Hans and the colt were conversing inaudibly. Twilight tried to eavesdrop and tried to get close enough to decipher their words; she understood a few like “Wien,” “Royal Navy attacks,” and “last shipment,” but she had no idea what those could mean. She was lucky that these humans spoke the same language as the Knights of the Orden der Heiligen Sonne back home in Equestria. From what she could remember it was called “Deutsch,” and she had eagerly studied it back home, often looking up books in school and learning of the Knights and their holy order.

        The two stopped talking, instead keeping a watchful eye on the ponies, and Twilight averted her eyes. She wanted to scream. So far she had found no way to break the chains that bound her hooves together. She needed to think of some way to escape! Twilight glanced up at her horn briefly, but another growl from her stomach reminded her why she hadn’t dared to perform magic. She barely had the strength to move, let alone the strength to cast a spell to break her bonds.

        “Forget the consequences!” Twilight screamed in her head. “I don’t care at this point! If I don’t escape right now, who knows what could happen?” She started to formulate a plan. Twilight assessed the area around the sad group. They were moving through a large grassy field, and up ahead stood a forest which casted a huge shadow, large enough to hide a pony. “If I can use my magic to break these chains, I could hide in the forest and easily evade capture!” For the first time in a long time, the filly felt a glimmer of hope. But she knew the other ponies couldn't help; most looked worse off than her, their ribs jutting against their skin. Their dejected dead-eyed looks sent shivers up her spine. There were no pegasi either, “because capturing one is easier said than done!” In fact, now that she thought about it, she was the only unicorn here besides the slaver colt. The rest were all earth ponies. A pang of guilt struck her heart at the thought of leaving them all behind with no means to escape, but she pushed it away. No, she had to do this herself. If she got away, she could help the rest of the ponies later, but for now she needed to focus on freeing herself.

---

        Some might think a nine-year old walking alone through a crowded city might attract some attention, even concern for the child’s well-being from the local populace. Not in this case. Franz wandered through the sunny streets of Wien with ease, careful not to catch the gaze of wandering adult eyes, though that wasn't exactly a hard feat. The denizens of the city seemed apathetic if not entirely clueless to his presence, even when he wasn't purposely avoiding them. Franz noticed that they acted that way to other kids walking about as well, though those children were not nearly as well-dressed or hygienic. It confused him, but he would not look a gift pony in the mouth.

        About ten minutes into his little expedition a loud shout rang through the air, nearly causing Franz to jump and shocking all that heard it. It sounded very familiar to Franz. Heinz must have discovered his escape. His bulky guardian was probably going to get some soldiers to try and capture the young boy. Franz's fist tightened at that thought. “The hell if I will let that happen!” He still had a city to see, and he would enjoy freedom to the fullest. Continuing his trek through the city, Franz walked as fast as possible to see as much of Wien as he could while he still had time.

---

        A pony fell. It was a brown-coated stallion, just a regular earth pony, emaciated like the rest of the captives and it collapsed just as they entered the forest. Whether it was from exhaustion, a lack of sustenance, or just not having the will to go on, Twilight did not know. Twilight tried to spot his cutie mark, but it was against the ground. The entire procession halted when he hit the ground, everyone frightened and focused on what would happen next. Hans and the black colt walked over to the fallen pony, standing right above it. “Get up,” Hans ordered.

        No response. If Twilight hadn’t seen the slight rise and fall of the ponies chest, she would've thought it dead. “Get up!” Hans ordered once more, delivering a harsh kick to the pony’s side for sadistic emphasis. The black stallion looked at Hans disapprovingly. “He's not going any farther. Just shoot him and leave,” he stated without any trace of compassion. “Fine Helmuth, I want to get out of here anyway,” Hans sighed. Hans looked toward Twilight's general direction. Her heart skipped a beat, and fear pulsed through her. “Du,” Hans pointed, “Over here.”

        A guard passed by Twilight, walking over to Hans and Helmuth. Twilight let out a sigh of relief. She realized that the guard was the only human who was near her; all the other guards were either spread out near other ponies or centered in the front and back of the group. A new plan already forming in her mind, Twilight lowered her head so her horn was touching the ground. She focused all her remaining magic, using it to apply pressure to the one of her chains. A small magical glow sparked from her horn, bright, but dim enough that it was barely noticeable. Two chains bound her, one each for her fore and hind legs. She needed to be quick. As she used her magic on the back chain, the guard found his way over to the two lead slavers. Hans extended his hand to the guard. “Your gun,” he flatly ordered.

        Wordlessly he handed Hans his musket, stepping back to form up with the rest of the spectators. Cracks began to form around the ends of Twilight’s chain as the magical pressure grew stronger. Twilight restrained a smile and caught a few glances at the scene ahead of her. Hans started to aim the musket at the pony, lining the barrel straight at its head. His finger tightened on the trigger, ready to fire, until... “You know, I don't want to waste the ammo,” he admitted sheepishly. He loosened his finger and lowered the musket. “Does anyone have a bayonet?” he asked the assembled guards. Helmuth had a look of grim annoyance on his face, his impatience obvious. “Oh I'll get it!” the pony angrily replied, and a magical glow sprouted from his horn.

        One of the soldiers stood shocked as his musket, one of the few with a bayonet attached, was wrenched up into the air with magical force. Its bayonet ripped of the end, and the gun fell back to the ground. The bayonet flew straight toward Hans at a dizzying speed until it impaled into the ground right in front of Hans' feet. “Danke Helmuth,” Hans said gleefully, reaching down to pick it up.

        Crack! Twilight winced as the end of the chain snapped loudly, but thankfully no one noticed; they were too focused on the horror playing out before them. Twilight moved her hind legs experimentally, barely suppressing a victory whinny at their free movement. The cuffs remained, but escape was in sight! Keeping a watchful eye on the two slave drivers, Twilight worked on the last chain, the magical glow spreading over it. Hans deftly affixed the bayonet to his musket. It took only a few seconds, but Helmuth was angry at the delay. “Hurry up Hans, we're taking big risks as is. We don't need you to waste anymore time with this nonsense!”

        Hans didn’t answer and instead tightened the bayonet until it at last satisfied him. “Ausgezeichnet,” Hans said with satisfaction before giving Helmuth a dirty look. “Now mein freund, you know we have to be careful here. If I shoot him while we're still too close to Wien, who knows who could hear it?” He shook his head disapprovingly. “Nein, we must be cautious.” Twilight silently thanked her luck for the argument; it gave her more time to break the chain. She saw cracks lacing through its metal links. “All I need is a little more time!” “Now!” Hans' voice rang out, “where was I?”

        Twilight tried to focus solely on the chains, on the imminent possibility of freedom. She didn't want to watch such a gruesome scene, but curiosity overwhelmed her. She stared in morbid curiosity at Hans. He leveled his musket with a grunt, gripping it tightly as he pointed the bayonet down toward the fallen pony. She hoped against hope that the man wouldn’t commit such a crime, that he would show mercy, but he dashed her hopes. Hans pulled the musket back a few inches and then stabbed it forward, lancing it downward. It was quick, too quick for Twilight to avert her eyes as the bayonet pierced flesh. She could barely focus on her magic as disgust rapidly boiled inside her.

Crack! Twilight gasped as the final chain broke under her magical assault, sliding to the ground. She wriggled her hooves around, testing their reclaimed mobility. The cuffs still circled her legs, but she decided to remove them later. “Right now, I need to get out of here, away from those murderers!” “Can we go now?” Helmuth asked apathetically.

Hans grunted a bit before wrenching the bayonet out of the carcass with a disgusting gurgle. “Ja, ja, we can leave,” Hans answered contently. He removed a cloth from his pocket and wiped the blood off of the borrowed musket.

“Gut, now organize the ponies. We need to leave so-” Helmuth paused and turned his head.

“Was?” Hans queried.

        Helmuth galloped over to a nearby patch of grass and scanned the area for a few moments before answering. “I thought I heard something for a moment, but it was no-”

Crack! The noise echoed throughout the forest, and everyone stared at its source. A purple unicorn stood frozen, her chains were gone, and and her hoof hovered over a broken branch. “Oh dear!” Twilight whispered, her heart stopped by sheer terror.

Helmuth pointed a hoof in her direction and shouted “Get her!”

        The guards ran straight for her, and Twilight fled as fast as she could through the forest. She agilely meandered through the tangled trees, running and running, the ominous rustle of footsteps right behind her. Bullets whizzed by, one whistling through her mane and shearing off a few strands of hair. “Don't shoot her you idiots, it's coming out of your pay if we lose good merchandise like that!” Hans shouted after them.

        Twilight couldn’t hear him. She could only run on, racing to find a way out. She fled for what felt like ages before she was jerked to a stop. A vine had wound around her hooves. The footsteps grew closer. Twilight writhed away from the vine and hid in a nearby bush, the spiked barbs and branches scratching her hide. She ignored the discomfort as best she could and stilled her breath, the furious beat of her heart throbbing in her ears. Through the shrub she spied a few men passing by. She hoped beyond hope that they would not discover her. “Wo ist das Einhorn?!” Helmuth's rage echoed through the wood as the guards searched nearby.

        Twilight constrained a frightened gasp as Helmuth and an armed man stood right by her shrub. Helmuth had a look of incandescent fury on his face as the guard desperately tried to explain himself. “Herr Helmuth, das Einhorn has escaped. We can't find her at all!” Helmuth growled viciously as he turned away from the guard and fumed. Twilight caught a look at his cutie mark, and it was a strange one to say the least.

        “Some sort of stylized black eagle, with... a crown? Is it a coat of arms, or some other sort of symbol?” Twilight had dozens of question to ask, but she’d have to wait for the answers. She heard a furious roar from the unicorn slaver, followed by a sigh. “Fine, call off the men and return back to the caravan. If she's already reached Wien we'll never find her.” And with that they left. She stayed as still as possible for several agonizing minutes. Only small gasps of breath escaped her throat. Minutes ticked by. At last, she cautiously ventured out from the hedge and found no one around. With a huge smile on her face, Twilight stood on her hind legs and gave a delighted whinny. Victory and freedom were hers at last! Back on all fours, she looked around, seeing endless forest and no signs of civilization. Twilight raised a hoof to her muzzle in bewilderment. “Where to now?” she thought. After some deliberation she decided her best option was to go the opposite direction of the slavers. “Who knows, maybe I’ll find this place called ‘Wien?’”

---

        Franz always knew Wien was a beautiful city, but he had never experienced its beauty like this! More than an hour had passed since he had left the “company” of Heinz, and he had put the time to good use. There were so many glorious sights: The Theater am Wein, The Hofburg (he was very accustomed to it) and countless other places of learning and culture. The lively air of the city, the finely dressed people traversing the streets, and the carriages led by fine horses filled Franz with awe, and he smiled in glee. But one sight alone caught his attention above the others.

        He glimpsed it as he passed by a quaint local museum. Normally such places did not entice him; they offered little compared to Wien’s grander academies. But this place displayed an object that captivated his interest. A glimmer of bronze shone off a statue that jutted into the street in front of the museum. Looking closer, Franz was astonished by what he saw: A bronze eagle, perched proudly atop a bronze staff.

        A crowd of people clustered around the eagle, and a well-dressed gentleman in a black top hat and coat made exaggerated movements and melodramatic speeches. His audience was enthralled. Franz slid his way into the crowd, careful to keep his eyes focused on the eagle while avoiding stepping on feet. As he neared the epicenter of the tumult he could make out the words of the speaker. “Come one, come all, see a highlight of items and memorabilia from the Grande Armée, plundered directly from the fields of Leipzig, Smolensk, and more! See this Imperial Eagle from the Armée under the tyrant Kaiser himself!” the speaker shouted emphatically.

        All around Franz the people were intrigued at this collection, but Franz was so full of rage and anger he could hardly hold in shouts of frustration. These damned Austrians, they had stolen sacred relics from his country, proud monuments of Imperial glory, and paraded them about like common junk! He was glad his father was not here to see this travesty, this insult to his nation. Turning away from such offending sights, Franz forced his way out of the assembly.

        Franz didn’t want to explore any more after witnessing such disrespect. Rage boiled inside of him, a cauldron of hatred and helplessness churning in his mind. His fists tightened as he stormed further away from the sickening venue, but the sound of running footsteps broke his focus. A look behind him confirmed his worst fears: several soldiers, dressed in standard uniforms of the Kaisertum Österreich, were questioning some of the patrons gathered at the museum. Franz's heart beat wildly, and in a sudden burst of panic he set off on his original path. However at the next city block more soldiers stood on guard, and one recognized him. “Da ist Prinz Franz!” the soldier shouted frantically. “Merde!” Franz swore, glad his mother was not around to hear him.

        Dashing away from the advancing soldiers, Franz dodged through the throngs of street-goers with ease. The soldiers fell behind. Franz smirked, proud of his escape, and immediately searched for places to hide during this brief respite. He discovered a decent hiding spot soon: a small alley-way between two small brick-house buildings. Retreating there, he panted heavily, and the adrenaline boost passed. “At least there's no one else here,” Franz thought. But a shocked gasp caught him off guard.

---

        It was a lonely trot through the forest. No birds sung, the plants appeared faded to a drab green instead of the colorful hues she knew back home, and despite escaping the slavers Twilight was painfully aware that she was alone. The guilt of leaving all those other ponies with them gnawed at her young heart, but she persevered. She had to. She had come too far to give in to depression now.

        Passing by endless trees, Twilight began to lose hope. “What if I never find civilization? I can’t live out here on my own!” she thought. She had no experience in wild, untamed forests like these. But luck smiled on the young mare that day. Through the gaps between trees she saw it: a city, but unlike any cities back home. This place was huge, and even from this distance she could see humans crowded and walking on streets that looked like they were made of rock. Towering buildings rivaling Equestrian castles soared high above them.

        The metropolis was closer than she expected, and Twilight excitedly galloped toward it. She soon reached its outskirts. Humans and ponies cavorted and strutted around her, dressed in varying degrees of sophistication, some casting intrigued looks her way. As she passed block after block of wonderfully strange sights she avoided crowds, trying to evade unwanted attention. Endless questions and queries nagged her, but she was far too alone and had far too little knowledge of the city to ask them.

        She noticed soldiers soon into her impromptu tour of Wien. They sported the same type of weaponry as the slavers, but their plain gray uniforms appeared much more professional. They obviously sought someone, or worse, somepony. “Could they be working for those horrible men?” Twilight wondered with great worry. Their eyes darted back and forth across the block, questioning passerby. Before she could sneak her way out of sight again one soldier looked curiously and advanced towards her.

        Normally, Twilight might attempt to react rationally to such events, as was her nature. However all the terrible events played on her countenance: slavery, murder, pursuit, flight, magic, injury, strangers, buildings, people, crowds, disorientation... she could take no more. She galloped aimlessly toward a random direction. The guards noticed this abhorrent behavior and immediately gave chase. “Stehenbleiben!” one shouted, but Twilight had escaped the range of their calls.

        Twilight's heart pounded with the same intensity as when she escaped the slavers earlier that day. Bolting through the streets with as much care to avoid civilians as possible (though a few shouted at her), Twilight looked for cover. She skidded to a stop as she she spied more soldiers down the street. They appeared exhausted, but she had no time to guess why. Twilight decided to make do with a nearby alley between two inconspicuous brick buildings.

        For a split second Twilight felt safe and relieved. But there was a boy in the alleyway right next to her. An unrestrained gasp of pure shock and terror caught his attention.

---

        Franz wanted to scream in exasperation. Someone had found him? Already? Cursing his abysmal luck, Franz turned to get a look at his undoing. Yet he was more than surprised. Seeing nobody for a moment, a soft whimper drew his eyes downward to the most amazing sight he had ever laid eyes upon. A purple unicorn, only a filly, stared back at him with wide eyes brimming with terror. But she relaxed after getting a better look at him.

        Twilight did not know how to react, so she tried to learn what she could visually. She noticed that the boy was not much older than she. He wore a black vested shirt with gray trousers and gloves as white as snow. His curly hair was so blonde that it was practically golden, and his brown eyes carried a great intensity in them that nearly caused her to back away in awe, such was the power of his gaze.

        For many tense seconds there was a silence between them, and the strange quiet filled the lonely alley. At last, the human boy moved, but not how Twilight expected. He kneeled down onto his right leg, stooping to her eye level. He beamed the biggest smile she had ever seen on a human and extended a hand in greeting. “Bonjour! J'mappelle...” the boy hesitated, “...Franz. Et toi?”

        Twilight was speechless and her face went blank. She had no clue what he just said, but his hand was up and waiting, so she assumed he was trying to greet her. Nodding her head slowly, she put a hoof in his hand. She felt relieved when he grasped it and shook it up and down. Although the boy--who she assumed was called Franz based his introduction--seemed perturbed that she did not answer him, he was absolutely delighted by her hoofshake. Twilight rarely interacted with people and ponies, but something about this boy seemed magnetic. Besides, she did not want to offend him, so Twilight ventured a few words in Deutsch, timidly smiling. “Mein Name ist Twilight Sparkle, Franz.”

         Franz's smile slipped at hearing her speak Deutsch. It saddened him that she couldn’t speak French like the palace courtiers, but his mood quickly rebounded. “Ich Freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen, Fräulein Sparkle!” Franz released her hoof gently and cast a fascinated gaze on her mane and horn, poking the tip of the horn with his finger. “Magnifique,” he whispered, suddenly realizing his offensive faux pas. Twilight felt uneasy as the object of his scrutiny, and withdrew. Franz put up his hands in a sign of peace. “Je suis désolé,” he apologized.

        Twilight’s blank look returned, and Franz cringed, remembering that she did not speak Français. He didn't mean to forget, he just wished someone would speak with him in his own tongue. Franz knew he should apologize, as was proper. “I'm sorry, forgive me, it's just I've never seen a unicorn before,” he offered in Deutsch.

Twilight's eyes widened, and her worry quickly diminished at the sudden news. “Really? There aren't any unicorns here?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

        Franz was pleased that she asked a complete question. He had worried that she only knew a few fragments and words like most other ponies. “Nein, it's just they're very rare around here. Only the really important nobles or officers have them. Which family are you from?” Franz inquired, excited to learn more about this stunning unicorn.

        Twilight's expression scrunched in confusion. “Family...?”

“Ja, family. Unless...” Franz gasped, a beam of excitement in his eyes. “You're a free unicorn?” Twilight slowly nodded at the impromptu question.

“Um, ja?” She replied. Franz giddily interlaced his hands at the news. “Oh this is simply fascinating! A free unicorn, here in Wien. What are the odds? Now tell me fraulein Sparkle, are you from Equestria?”

        The mythical emphasis he gave the name of her homeland piqued her curiosity further, and she supposed there was little harm in telling him. Franz had seemed nice so far, and Twilight hypothesized he was also on the run if his constant glances toward the end of the alley were any indication. “Yes, I am,” she answered bashfully before a she had an epiphany. “Wait, we're not near Equestria, are we?!”

        Franz’s heart clenched at the question, and the adorable little unicorn looked up at him with big pleading eyes. The desperate hope in her voice almost made Franz lie to her, but he could torment her with false hope. “I'm sorry Twilight. But... We're an ocean and more away from Equestria,” Franz regretfully admitted. Tears leaked from Twilight's eyes at the news. “An, an ocean?” the unicorn choked out. “Well an ocean, and if you include the mer Méditerranée and where Equestria is on the Americas, you...” Franz stopped as Twilight burst into full-blown sobs.

        “There there, it's okay. I'm sure mein Opa can help you!”

“Your Opa? How can he help me?”

        “Simple, he's the-”

        “There he is!” someone interrupted. Franz cursed under his breath as he and Twilight saw several soldiers blocking the alley exit. The commanding officer, a ruddy-faced man with grizzled lines dug into his cheeks, strode forward. He cast a disapproving look towards Franz and a curious glance towards Twilight. “Prinz Franz, I am here to escort you back to Schönbrunn Palace. The Kaiser is very displeased at your behavior” the guard stated, stone-faced.

        Franz sighed in resignation. He knew he wasn't getting out of this one. He looked at Twilight briefly and noticed her cutie mark: a fine red star orbited by numerous sparkles. It seemed appropriate. Focusing again on the officer, Franz gambled an exchange. “Fine, I will go. But this unicorn will go with me,” he ordered. The officer snickered at the sight before him. “A child, not even ten, issuing commands?” he thought. “Prinz Franz, I am under orders to bring you back with all due haste, not take back some rogue family's unicorn as well,” the officer retorted.

        “That is where you are wrong, officer,” Franz countered. “This here is a unicorn with no patron, and as such I am taking personal responsibility for her and taking her before the Kaiser to plead my case.” Both the officer and Twilight's eyes widened at that. Twilight did not expect Franz would take such an interest in her so quickly. The commander was curious. “Fine, we will take her with us. You will be responsible for her behavior though,” he relented.

         “Gut, officer...?”

        “Müller, Hauptmann Müller,”

        “Ah, sehr gut. Now, shall we be going?”

        “Jawohl Prinz Franz. Follow me,” Müller answered, stepping to his right to reveal a large coach at the street. Twilight looked nervously at Franz. “Herr Franz, I'm sorry if I sound a bit ungrateful, but where are we going?” “Why, home of course,” Franz answered casually.

---

        The ride to Schönbrunn Palace bored Franz and Hauptmann Müller, but it wracked Twilight’s nerves. She had little idea where they were going and she was terrified beyond belief of what fate awaited her when she arrived. There was an oppressive silence in the carriage. Twilight laid in a space next to Franz, her small body fitting easily enough. Müller sat on the other side and kept a watchful eye on the young Prince. This also confused Twilight. “Franz is a Prince?” she wondered. “Does this world outside of Equestria have royalty too?” She yearned to have her endless questions answered, but she knew she had to wait until they met this “Kaiser.” “We're almost there,” Müller announced, rousing Twilight and Franz from their contemplation. Daring to steal a glance of where they headed, Twilight leaned outside the open window-slot and gasped in awe.

The building, clearly this Schönbrunn Palace that Franz mentioned, was unlike anything in Canterlot. It was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. The palace was so large that it dominated the area with its sheer presence. The light blue sky contrasted perfectly with its white exterior, shining in the sun, and all the surrounding buildings seemed only to heighten its glory. Throngs of people and ponies walked around it to admire its beauty.

Twilight became grim as she noticed who was pulling the carriage: two earth ponies, both with dull brown manes and even duller coats. She couldn't see their cutie marks from her angle, but that seemed irrelevant. What mattered were their vacant looks, as if they were drones mindlessly pulling for the coach driver. Twilight supposed it was just one more thing about this outside world that would need explanation, so she ducked her head back into the car. “It's beautiful, isn't it?” Franz's voice interrupted her brooding. There was a hazy tone in his voice, as if the young boy thought something entirely different, but Twilight couldn't tell what. “It is.” she tersely replied.

        They stayed quiet after that. Neither made a peep, and only the low rumbling of the carriage rocking through the street broke the silence. The carriage headed ever closer to the palace. When they finally arrived, Müller reached out and opened a door, revealing twin rows of armed soldiers that flanked both sides of the way up to the palace. “We have arrived, Prinz Franz. If you would be so kind, you and the young fraulein unicorn here may proceed,” Müller informed the young Prince.

        Franz stepped down and out of the carriage, followed by Twilight, who glanced nervously at the lines of stoic soldiers. The Prince was oblivious to her apprehension as he strutted up to the palace with practiced ease. Unsure what else she could do, Twilight followed close behind to his left. They soon approached a large wooden gate flanked by two more soldiers. Instinctively they opened the door for the boy, and he walked in without so much as a glance at them. Twilight slowed down to get a close look at the palace wall, but a dirty look from one of the guards hurried her inside. What she found was even more extravagant then the outside.

        Resplendent art and other treasures adorned the gigantic chamber. Paintings depicted titanic battles, their images sketched seamlessly into their canvases. Pillars and steps carved from the finest of marble defined every wall. To Twilight, this place was beauty given architectural form. She had heard stories of the beauty of Canterlot’s palaces, but those were just stories. This was real and beyond comparison to anything she had ever seen. While Twilight was enraptured and absorbed by the sublime beauty of the hall Franz paid it no mind, instead continuing his walk. He looked back and saw Twilight’s amazement. He flashed an amused grin. “You might want to hurry up, the Kaiser will not be pleased if we delay our audience to stare at pretty pictures!” he gently chided the young unicorn.

        Twilight snapped out of her daze, blushing in embarrassment. Nodding at Franz, she trotted forward until they walked side by side. After only a few minutes and beyond several elaborate doors, they reached their destination. They paused outside this final entryway. These doors had sculpted golden handles, and a large stylized eagle banner hung above. Twilight's eyes widened at the sight, but she did not let it break her focus. Another pair of soldiers stood outside it, and each opened a door as the two walked in. They were prepared to at last meet Franz’s Opa.

        The Kaiser’s throne room was even more opulent than the rest of the palace. Finely decorated banners of beautiful eagles decked the walls, and an ornate throne stood in the center of the very far side of the room. Next to the throne stood a brown-haired man wearing a grey waistcoat with a furred trim, looking as though he was struggling not to sweat. But the man on the throne was the obvious central focus. Dressed in a white cape and undershirt with a red and gold colored cloak, he would have given off every appearance of nobility even if a positively gigantic red and gold crown did not sit atop his head.

        Twilight needed no introduction to know that this was the Kaiser. Age had etched his face with lines and wrinkles, his hair grew a deathly shade of gray, and he cast a hawkish gaze upon her as she and Franz arrived before his throne. But his eyes softened once they settled on Franz. The other man, who Twilight assumed was a court aide, began speaking. “Seine Hoheit, Durchlaucht Franz, Duke of the Reichstadt, has arrived.”

The Kaiser nodded sagely. “Excellent. You may leave. I wish to speak with him and his... companion... alone,” he croaked out in definitive French. The aide acquiesced and left, leaving the three alone. After few seconds of awkward silence Franz broke out into a huge grin. “Hallo Opa!” he cheered in Deutsch with more enthusiasm then Twilight thought possible from a young boy.

        While Twilight's face underwent a series of spasms at the revelation that this imposing monarch was Franz’s grandfather. The Kaiser smiled at his beloved grandson’s greeting, spreading his arms wide as Franz rushed up to hug him. It was such a bizarre yet heartwarming sight to see the stoic prince hug the equally stoic looking Kaiser that Twilight was at a loss for words. The two royals separated and Franz returned to Twilight’s side. Pleasantries concluded, the Kaiser’s smile wilted into a narrow crease, and his friendly demeanor evaporated. “Prinz Franz, you have ran away from your guardian and caused a great many troubles throughout Wien. What’s more, you’ve abducted a family’s stray unicorn right off the street! I hope you have an explanation for this, young man.” He chided the young prince in Deutsch so Twilight could understand.

        Franz at least had the decency to look guilty and gulped before speaking. “Mein Opa, as you know, living in the palace all the time is... grating.” He selected the word carefully.

The Kaiser appeared sullen at that, but he stood firm. “Nevertheless, there is no excuse for your actions. You have endangered both yourself and this fine unicorn right here with your recklessness.”

“I will admit I acted with some degree of haste,” Franz conceded, “but you must understand mein Kaiser, Heinz has acted with a severe degree of harshness. He is rude and has threatened me already, so I left in fear for my safety.” That’s somewhat true, he thought.

The Kaiser's eyebrows rose in disbelief, and a nasty look cast over his gaze. “Is that so...?” he croaked out slowly.

        Franz almost pitied Heinz. Threatening a royal family member anywhere in Europe was strictly verboten, but Kaiser Francis II was notoriously protective of his family. Twilight was as befuddled as ever and shrank behind Franz while she tried to decipher the foreign terms the royals spoke. “If you would allow me to speak mein Kaiser, I would vouch for the boy,” a new voice offered.

        A man with waxed, gray hair entered from the far corner of the chamber. He wore a finely-cut black shirt with a high collar attached to it, and long grey trousers that contrasted nicely with his graying hair. He appeared as royal and elegant as the two other humans in the room, if not more so. Franz's eyes narrowed at his presence. Twilight eyed him curiosity, wondering who the young stranger could be. The Kaiser greeted him with a dispassionately stern look. “Prinz und Kanzler von Metternich,” he stated, “you may speak.”

        Von Metternich coughed into his right hand and began. “As you know sire, the palace funds have been depleted as of late. Someone has been skimming off the top of our treasury, and I believe Heinz is responsible. My sources are very reliable. If he is to blame, it would not be so hard to believe Heinz would grow bold enough to threaten the young Duke of the Reichstadt.”

The Kaiser harrumphed haughtily. “Be sure to inform the Gendarmerie about Heinz's infractions. Be sure to punish him... justly,” the Kaiser commanded with the fury of an irked Emperor and a loving grandfather.

“As you wish, mein Kaiser” von Metternich triumphantly said.

        Franz hoped this would be the end of inquiry, but alas, it was for naught. The Kaiser turned his eye to him once more. “Now Franz, you shall not be punished for this, but I warn you not to try a stunt like this again. I understand being confined to the palace is tedious, and as such I would be glad to give you more concessions to explore in repayment for Heinz's inappropriate behavior.” Franz relaxed, but the Kaiser continued his spiel. “However, there is still the manner of the young unicorn in your company.”

        Twilight nearly squeaked from her nervousness as she felt three sets of eyes lay on her. Franz turned toward her; there was nowhere to hide. Franz sighed lowly, giving his grandfather a conciliatory look. “Mein Kaiser, nein, mein Opa, this is Fräulein Twilight Sparkle. She is a unicorn... from Equestria” he added, knowing he would hook both their attentions.

Both his Opa and von Metternich's eyes widened at the news. “Equestria?” the Kaiser asked in excited disbelief.

“Ja, ask her yourself” Franz said.

        Twilight flinched under the Kaiser’s unrelenting hawkish gaze. A few moments passed as she shyly hung her head until the Kaiser spoke once more. “Speak little one, or do you not know Deutsch?”

Swayed by his gentle inquiry, Twilight looked up at the Emperor timidly. “Ja Herr Kaiser” she shakily answered.

Both the Kaiser and von Metternich smiled at her apparent intelligence, though the Kaiser was a bit peeved at her informal greeting. He would let it slide for now though. “Ausgezeichnet,” the Kaiser grandiosely exclaimed, “now, would you mind a few questions little one?” Twilight shook her head slowly. The Kaiser smiled once more. “Gut. So, my little pony, if you are from Equestria, how do you understand Deutsch?” he asked politely.

        The simple question assuaged more of Twilight's worry; the Kaiser seemed to seek only simple knowledge. And Twilight relished knowledge, whether through learning or teaching it. “Oh, that's simple. In Equestria the Knights teach most ponies Deutsch,” Twilight answered with more confidence. Her words echoed through the room while everyone else tried to decipher their meaning.

Von Metternich asked the question on all of their minds. “The Knights?”

        Twilight nodded happily, glad to explain. “Ja, the Knights of the Orden der Heiligen Sonne. They serve the Princess by guarding the borders and helping teach ponies. They have amazing armor, and are super smart and...” Twilight gushed for a few more seconds.

“I am afraid that is enough, Twilight” the Kaiser cut her off. A deep red blush spread across Twilight's face, and she mumbled an apology. “While I have a suitable explanation for that now, I'm afraid that leaves one unanswered concern: how did you enter our land?”

        Twilight's head lowered as she remembered the awful events of the past few weeks. The assault of the caravan to Canterlot, awakening to find herself aboard a ship greater than any of her books described, and finally arriving at this strange new land. “I... I was captured, Kaiser. By awful people, people that wanted to sell me and other ponies into service, and, and, ponies and humans were both doing it and I was so terrified but I managed to escape and my mom's probably scared to death about where I am and-”

        “That is enough, Fräulein Sparkle,” Metternich interrupted. The purple unicorn shed several tears onto the cold floor.

The Kaiser sympathized with her plight, and closed his eyes for a few moments in contemplation before laying them on her once more. “Fraulein Sparkle, I apologize profusely for the behavior of these despicable men. I will ensure they will meet all due justice. Tell me, you escaped from them outside the gates of Wien itself, correct?” At her muffled “yes” he continued, “Gut. I will order several squads of men sent out immediately. Until then, I should ask you and my grandson to leave the room for a few moments while I and Klemens discuss these maters.”

        Twilight did not answer, the sadness and terror of the day finally overwhelming her. More tears flowed, and Franz stood awkwardly beside her, unsure how to soothe the sobbing unicorn. “Franz, if you would” the Kaiser told the young prince, pointing towards the door.

Franz obeyed, if only to aid Twilight. He patted her mane in a comforting gesture. Her sniffles subsided slightly, and she looked up to him. Franz frowned as her absolutely devastated face bored into his heart, filling him with a surge of guilt. “Twilight, can you come with me?” he asked, motioning towards the door.

        Sobbing less, Twilight gasped out a pathetic ‘yes” that saddened the young prince further. Franz walked towards the door, and she sullenly followed. After they left the room, they stood outside the door, miserable and silent. Twilight's cried freely while the young prince waited awkwardly for his grandfather to beckon them back in. Franz tried to think of something to say to comfort Twilight, but only abrupt and personal comments came to mind. He had just met the unicorn, yet she had been entwined in his 'home' if it can be called that! Franz judged that she must have come from fine stock and station. She seemed quite learned as well, and he wondered to what extent. But here she was a foreigner, and she barely knew how the outside world functioned. He mused about what his grandfather was going to do with her. Hopefully nothing drastic... he thought. She intrigued him.

        Her sobs continued. Franz began to grow annoyed, but he calmed himself, knowing that it paid well to be patient in such situations. He had a thought; lowering himself down to Twilight's eye level once more, he raised her head to meet his eyes with his hand. “Hey Twilight, I have an idea. Do you want to know what's going on in there?” he asked.

Twilight's quieted as the offer wormed its way into her head. “What, but how?” she asked, curiosity replacing sadness. Franz noticed her slight streaks of both pink and a darker shade of purple in her mane. “Fascinating.” He continued. “Here, just put your ear against the door, like this.”

        Twilight mimicked him. She could hear muffled speech, only a few clear words escaping the room. “Teutons...Royal Navy...still on Helena...” Twilight had no clue who was speaking or what context the words had. Her questions redoubled, but this served as a fine distraction from her woes. She looked at the marble floor quizzically. “What are they talking about? What do they mean by Teutons and Navies and Helena?” she whispered to Franz.

        Franz removed his ear from the door, offering just a shrug in response. Twilight noticed that Franz's twitched at the word “Helena.” She wondered why it affected him so negatively, but she decided not to press the young prince.

        “Franz, Twilight, you two may enter,” the voice of the Kaiser rang out.

        Straightening up, all prim and proper, Franz entered again, followed shortly by Twilight. Metternich stood on the Kaiser's right side, and both wore stern expressions. The two youths paused in front of the adults, and looked up expectantly. The Kaiser spoke. “Twilight Sparkle, we know you are from Equestria, yet we are unable to return you to your home. Thus, we have come up with a solution.”

        I’m not going home. Twilight wanted to spiral down in her sorrow, but she managed to keep composure.

The Kaiser continued. “For now and for the immediate future, you shall be a resident of the palace at my own patronage. You will be given lodgings, food, and whatever else you desire within reason at my own expense as payment for the wrongs done to you. Is this acceptable?”

        Twilight was astonished by his generous offer. Just a few weeks ago she headed toward a palace in Canterlot, but now she was offered a chance to stay at another in Wien. She desperately wanted to go back home, but how? Contemplating for a few moments, Twilight finally answered. “I... I would be immensely grateful, Herr Kaiser.”

“Gut!” the Kaiser replied. Metternich appeared apathetic to the whole situation, but Franz was pleased that the little filly would be staying. He hoped it would liven up the place, though he wasn't sure if she understood all the consequences of accepting. “Franz,” the Kaiser called out. Franz stood proud as he and his grandfather shared a look. “Seeing as we have no available stables for Fräulein Sparkle at the moment, would you care to house her for a select amount of time?”

He couldn't finish before Franz answered with a joyous “Gerne!”

The Kaiser smiled. “Excellent. Now, you may leave and show her to your room. Food will be brought to you both shortly. Until then, I suggest you study, young prinz,” he advised. Franz nodded in delight and spoke to Twilight. “Come on, I'll show you my room!”

“Um, alright?” Twilight answered uneasily.

        They immediately left, recklessly dashing into the palatial halls. Franz led Twilight through a series of fanciful corridors, each garnished with opulent décor. She wondered why they didn't find anyone else in the hallways. “Surely there are other people who live here?” she asked. “They're out at the moment,” Franz answered cryptically. Franz's door blended in among the countless others in the palace. It was only distinguished by its darker brown tone.

        Entering his room, Twilight loosed a squee at what she found. “Books!” she exclaimed. There were shelves full of them all around the room, and many of the numerous tomes looked ancient. However the vast space was otherwise sparse, save for a few paintings. She thought that this room alone could encompass half her house back in Equestria. It was fit for a royal; the bed was finely embellished with lush pillows, and velvet curtains hung across a sole window. “You like it?” Franz asked cautiously.

“It's amazing! The fact that you have a library in your room is just, well, awesome!” Twilight gushed in awe. Franz raised an eyebrow at her. Realization dawned, and he laughed. “Oh, this isn't a library! These are just the books that my family lent me or I acquired,” he explained. “The library is on the other side of the palace. I can show you tomorrow if you want.”

        Twilight bounced in pure excitement, shocking Franz with her new-found joy. He considered how the unicorn dripped with depression just a few minutes earlier. Twilight pressed farther on into the room, inspecting everything with a sharp and mindful gaze. A few books titles interested her above the others. Franz noticed, and hummed in appreciation. “A fan of Voltaire?” he asked.

Twilight shook her head. “No, I've never heard of these authors back home. There are no books like these, and they all look amazing!”

“Well you'll certainly have something to spend your time, won’t you?” Franz joked.

        Twilight chuckled. It wasn't exactly a funny joke, but Franz was obviously trying to make her feel better about this situation, and she appreciated it. Twilight was struck by a beautifully detailed painting hanging above his bed. The other paintings before looked nice, but the artist clearly gave this canvas special attention. But what really captured her attention was the man in the focus of the painting. Although it was just a portrait, shivers danced down her spine at the look of the man. His exuding power and wisdom took her off guard. While she studied the painting, Franz wanted to sate some of his rampant curiosity about what Twilight had said earlier, and he proceeded to browse through his selection of books. He hummed quietly and picked out a “random” volume, flipping through the pages until he found out the desired passage.

“A certain splinter group of the Knights Teuton were rumored to have embarked on a mad journey across the Atlantic at the behest of the new Hochmeister at the time, who spoke of a dream in which the Sun itself asked him to. A group of about 200 Knights and an unknown number of other persons boarded a large fleet of transports, who left for the Atlantic, and were never heard from again” he read, whispering the words to himself.

Franz fell deep into thought at that news. Could these be the Knights Twilight described? “It would certainly explain her excellent knowledge of Deutsch,” but it seemed too far-fetched, more like the Iliad than serious historical truth. He wanted to ask Twilight more, but a pressing query from the unicorn derailed the thought. “Who... who is that?” she asked, still staring at the portrait.

        Franz stood next to her and smiled haughty. “That, fraulein Sparkle, is my father.”

“Ooh,” Twilight mouthed out, “That's your dad? Where is he now?”

Franz's hands clenched into fists, and he hung his head. “Gone.”

Twilight didn't need to hear more. “I'm sorry Franz,” she whispered. She hugged his leg. Franz was a bit startled by the sudden contact, but accepted it tacitly. The warmth and contact of another living being was something he lacked on most days, and he appreciated her gesture. “Twilight, I'd like you to know something,” he spoke out suddenly.

“What Franz?”

        “My name...it is not Franz.”

        “It's... It's not? Then why does everyone call you Franz?”

        “Because of my father,” he spat out in anger. “They feared him. They drove him out of his position, took him from me, and placed me in this palace.” He looked at her with eyes filled with a flame of passion Twilight knew a boy of his youth ought not have. “Understand me now Twilight, this palace may be my home, and a beautiful one at that, but it is a gilded cage. A place designed to hold me in, and keep me in this country ‘til the day I die. I may be young, but I know this much.”

        Every word Franz spoke was enunciated by ever-growing aimless rage. Twilight feared what Franz might do next, but he calmed. “They call me Franz, but that is only to hide my true name, to hide the legacy of my father. The name 'Franz' is not my own, only a replacement until the day I can reclaim what is mine.” Twilight interjected, steering the conversation into safer waters. “But, what is your real name then?”

        Franz's mouth twitched in anticipation, eager to speak the name which his father had bequeathed him. “My name is Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte.” He paused for a moment, relishing in its sound, and continued. “But you may call me Charles in private. Franz must still be used in public. As of now I do not have the right or honor to use the first part of my name.”

Twilight was not sure what to say, so she decided something to be positive and genuine. “It's a very nice name.”

Charles eyed her weirdly before bursting out into a loud guffaw. “Oh ma petite pouliche, I believe this is going to be the start of a very beautiful friendship.”

---

A/N-Wow, I finally got this done! Big thanks to Gerazzi/virulentRant, the EqD pre-readers, and Cesco for helping me edit this, they’ve all been a big help.

Onto the big question, why the heck did I write this? Well lately I’ve grown dual interests in both the new My Little Pony cartoon, and the Napoleonic Wars. Thus, the only feasible thing for me to do was to combine the two through fan-fiction! (Hey, it makes more sense then most fics at least :P) The main inspiration for this though came from TeckoR of the Paradox Interactive Forums, for his excellent Victoria 2 AAR ‘The Son of the Emperor’. I’m real original you see. But he gave me a lot of sources on the Napoleonic Wars, and Napoleon II (The co-protagonist of this fic) in general, so he’s been a big help, and I thank him immensely for this.

Thanks for reading though, and be sure to comment about what you liked or not. In case it wasn’t obvious by the big ‘Chapter 1' at the beginning, there will be more chapters. Till next time, ciao!