The Land Before Us

Chapter 17 – Matt's web of burning lies....

The elegant castle room and bed that the young Matt resides in no long is a oasis free from talking animals. His mind did not find any much needed sleep, still too haunted by his own urges and desires that drove him to what he did last night.

His mind for most of the event is blocked by Princess Platinum's residual magic...and thats what eats at him the most, from what he can remember there is nothing in his mind that denies how good he felt....and truthfully if she came on to him again he wouldn't deny it...

But at the same time once he got his clothes back on and returned to his room there was not even the slightest thought in his mind to take them off. Matt even put his heavy hot jacket on and kept it on all night; making the night a warm hellish mind conflicting nightmare.

The large covers and silk bed sheets have made his toasty body feel like he's been in an oven all night.

Matt holds his eyes to the stone ceiling as the bright day's sun comes through the window of the room.

"Sir Matt..."

His body cringes at the words as a hoof knocking to the door hits it, he knows the male sounding voice is not Platinum but just the name Sir Matt sends shivers through his spin, "Y-ya?"

"Princess Platinum requires your presence for today's meeting of the three."

Matt moves his head to the door as he calls back, "I-i'll be right out..." He pushes his thoughts back as he slowly moves his legs from the hot bed...Matt doesn't want to leave the room but he knows that his lying has gotten too deep to try and call it off now.

With a shaky sigh he walks to the door and opens it to the four ponies outside. The two guards from yesterday have the same military attitude as yesterday but the two mares now both have to very different reactions to his face.

"Hello Prince Matt." Platinum is the first to talk as she bats her eyes to him, "Are we ready to go this day?"

He nods his head silently as he closes the door behind him.

Luna's face unlike yesterday does not have the same warm happiness to it and the tone follows through her words as she talks, "I hope you had a fair sleep last night."

He again nods as he follows behind them, "um, ya."

Princess Platinum drifts back from the group as the two guard ponies start to lead the way from the castle. Her voice is in a low whisper to him as she trots beside him in a slight giggle, "I'm glad one of us did."

He cracks a fake smile to her as he looks to the hallway coming close to his side. As he passes the carved stone entrance his eyes lay on the bright purple and gold throne that he walked past last night. But as he holds his gaze to the room his eyes drift to the two doored wall that leads from the throne room back to Platinum's room.

Matt hides his body's slight stutter as he speaks up, "S-so what are we doing today huh?"
Platinum's voice picks up as she takes her green gaze from him, her voice takes her royal tone back as she straightens her head up, "Today we will see if the Pegasus are willing to follow the treaty of tolerance of the land's inhabitants..." Her voice comes back in a slight giggle as she talks, "I am sure that they will have no problem with this, otherwise they are breaking the treaty and making a threat to the land."

No pony or Matt in the group talks further as they near the end of the castle's hallway. But the lack of comments is not brought from there own minds, instead the conversation is halted by the tall white pony with flowing multicolored mane staring a little angrily to the group.

Princess Platinum is the first to speak up as she trots to the front of the group, "Celestia, how are you?"

The white pony doesn't take her eyes from Matt as her low regal voice echos into the hall, "Princess Platinum why is there talk in the land of a new Prince?"

The smaller white mare smiles a little as she dips back to the young kid, "Because there is." She stops her trot next to him as she waits for the tall mare to speak.

Celestia looks over Matt with skeptical eyes as her voice comes back to her, "And why is there talk among the land of unicorns spreading a cursed amulet as a false peace offering?"

Platinum blows at the comment as she holds her hoof out, "I have not heard of this."

The taller mare does not stop her voice as she speaks up again, "And please explain to me how introducing a new Prince to the land is supposed to solve any problems?"

Platinum's voice is quick to cut in as she talks, "Celestia, surely you see that if the pegasus do not follow our lands treaty of tolerance it is a clear sign that peace in this land can never truly be reached...-"

Celestia's royal tone comes back to her as she speaks over the mare, "Bringing in a new power does not solve any problems." Platinum's mouth quivers a little wanting to speak but Celestia is has not finished as her words direct solely to the white mare, "...Pushing somepony or some ponies to accept something just because its what you think is right is NOT the way this land of love and tolerance should be."

Matt stands silently not knowing what to say as the tall white mare's eyes drift over to him.

But his voice is not needed as Luna's chimes in, "But sister..." Celestia turns her head to her sister as her face lightens from its sternness to the dark mare's words, "But sister, I know this does not seem like it would work...but yesterday Commander Hurricane did realize that Platinum is honoring the treaty." She stiffens her posture as she talks, "...I could tell in his face that this got through to him."

Before Celestia can talk Platinum speaks up as she trots herself past the large white mare, "Trust us Celestia, we only want what is best for Equestria." She holds a wide smile as she makes a faster paced trot to the door of the castle, "Shall we not make them wait?"

Platinum and the two guard ponies exit through the castle door as Luna and Matt follow after her. Celestia holds her gaze to Matt for a moment before she follows after them.

The short walk to the adjacent dome building of the castle comes to an end as the two armoured stallions open the doors to the building with their magical grasp.

Platinum turns back to Celestia in a smile as she trots herself to one side of the opening to the hall, "You should make your presents know Celestia, we have all been waiting of return."

The tall white mare nods her head as she takes her sceptical eyes off of the young kid standing next to Luna. The dark mare follows in behind her sister as Platinum holds a smile to there trot down the hall.

But her eyes shift back to Matt as she nods her head, "Shall we my Prince."

Matt swallows hard as he nods his head to the white mare, but he follows her as they enter.

Platinum's pose is straight and her head is high as they walk down the hall, but her smile shifts a little as the chatter beckoning from the center of the room starts to hit her ears.

The noise is brought down as the four take their steps into the main room and the sound of trumpets begin to ring around the dome room, "All hail Princess Platinum."

Celestia and Luna stand to one side of the room and there are two empty chairs where Platinum's spot is.

Matt stops at the doorway as the white mare trots herself into the room under the trumpets call, but she turns her gaze back to him as she flicks her head, "Come Sir Matt, take a seat."

The dark haired kid hesitates for a moment but he eventually walks beside her to the cushioned seats. He holds his eyes from the mass amount of large eyed ponies that stare down at him from the seats above the room. Instead he puts his eyes to the pegasus stallion at the other end of the table, Commander Hurricanes face holds an almost smile, but the smile is not something that screams any amount of joy.

"I see you have made it Princess Platinum." The stallion holds the now sarcastic smile as he taps his front hooves together above the table.

Platinum hoovers her crown to the table as she nods back to him in a regal and low tone, "Yes, and i'm sure you had a good flight here am I correct?"

The stallion nods his head as he looks to the the tall mare standing behind Platinum, "Yes, the sun was high in the sky by the time I set out. Welcome back Celestia." He gives a respectful nod of the head as he speaks back up again, "I am sure you had a very good reason to your absents."

"Yes." Celestia's voice has taken on a powerful but low sweet tone that even brings Matt's stage frightened head to her as she talks, "I have been looking into the earth ponies reports on this strange ailment that seems to be spreading around the land."

The earth pony in the middle of the table now stands his ears up as Celestia continues to talk, "I believe I have found a cause for these problems."

Platinum holds a slight smile almost unamused by Celestia's words as the tall white mare starts to bring herself to the middle of the table, opposite of Chancellor pudding Cup, "...I have found that this sickness seems to have a strange magic surrounding it which seems to be the cause of it."

Platinum's laid back expression shifts as the chatter around the room picks up. Her voice is quick to talk over them as she gives a slight giggle to Celestia's words, "Oh ha ha, but of course, magic is all around us in this world." Her green eyes now move to Celestia’s as she talks, "...We would not want to give any suggestive comment when we are unsure correct?"

Celestia doesn't shift her body to the white mare's words as she talks now facing the earth pony leader, "We will find what is causing this problem, because I believe that this sickness may not stay in one tribe for long."

The room again sparks up in a heightened chatter to the words as her voice ends.

Platinum moves her eyes around the room as she holds her hoof up, "Everypony, like we have said before Equestria's finest are looking into this problem."

Chancellor pudding Cup doesn't speak up as he fiddles with a few scrolls in front of his hooves.

Celestia turns her gaze back to Platinum as her voice begins to move over everypony else, "Now than if we can go to today's meetings agenda." She holds her hoof to Commander Hurricane as she talks, "Commander Hurricane do you have a response for us."

The pegasus nods to her as he talks, "I do have a response for you Platinum." He stands from the table as he clears his throat, "Emperor Gust, as following the treaty of Equestria welcomes Sir Matt to this new land."
Platinum regains her smile a little as she talks, "Oh well now this is a good..."

Her voice is cut off as the stallion's hard face stares to the young kid fiddling with his hands under the table, Matt's ability to stay unnoticed comes to an end as Commander Hurricane speaks directly to him, "Our Emperor may have said yes to this Prince...but I have acquired a new source that has swayed my opinion."

Platinum's smile grows a little more as she tries to hold a fake sense of surprise, "Oh what do you mean?"

The stallion nods his head to the pegasus guards behind him as they duck into a hallway of the room, "In order of following our way of peacekeeping in our land that we all share as one tribe...I hereby am taking Prince Matt under arrest."

Platinum's smile fades as she stands from her seat, "Excuse me?"

Matt's stage fright nervousness drastically changes as his heart skips a beat, but the young kid can't bring his voice up as Platinum calls out again, "What law has Sir Matt broken?!"

Celestia and Luna both stand speechless to the two tribe leader's voices as Commander Hurricane calls back to Platinum's, "Prince Matt is a danger to all in Equestria and we must remove him from this land, and return him to his own."

"Says who?!" Platinum holds her straighten posture as the pegasus stallion's voice drops.

Commander Hurricane turns his body away from the hall as he points to the two guard ponies bringing in a tall man, "Says the Human who is trying to bring Matt to justice for crimes the Prince has committed in his own land."

Platinum is struck speechless as she looks over the tall dark haired man. But Matt now stands from his chair as his eyes land to his brother, "D-Damien?!"

Damien's eyes flicker a light unnoticeable orange as he points his hand to Matt, his deep voice is unrecognizable to Matt as he talks, "Prince Matt you can no longer hide in this land, you will pay for the crimes you have committed."

"What are you talking about! It's me Matt !?!" Matt's words stammer from his mouth as he pleads to his unfazed brother.

Damien nods to Commander Hurricane as he ignores his brother's call, "Thank you for bringing me to Prince Matt you will all..."

Matt's voice calls back in a voice cracking plea as he talks, "Damien you know i'm not no Prince! What's gotten into you?!"

Platinum turns her head to the panting kid as her eyes widen to his words. Luna follows the white mare's motion but she doesn't have the same purely fixated stare.

Celestia hasn't moved her eyes from Damien as the man turns back in a sly smile, Damien's voice almost echos from his body without moving his lips as he talks, "I know human..."

The voice difference goes unnoticed to the still stammering and hot faced Matt as Damien's hands spike up in a green glow.

The tall man's motions are quick as he sends the two guard ponies flying through the air in green-orange shock waves of screaming magic.

The ponies above the room scream and bring themselves to an absent minded full gallop as they chaotically try to push each other out of the way desperately trying to run from the room.

Commander Hurricane voice is sharp but his eyes are fearful as Damien turns his orange shining eyes to the pony, "W-what is th...AH!" The stallion is sent to the wall slamming his back and wings hard with a thud.

Matt's eyes follow his brother's movements but he can't bring himself to move.

Platinum has galloped herself to the back of the room with the guard ponies and Chancellor pudding Cup. But unlike the earth pony leader she stops at the door as she shouts to Celestia and Luna, "DO SOMETHING!"

Damien smiles as he nods, "Yes, do something." He claps his hands together as a loud screaming bolt of jagged orange-green magic is sent towards the motionless dark haired kid. But the bolt is blocked as Luna's horn sparks up in a shield like form in front of Matt.

The magic is absorbed as the young kid is now pushed aside by the dark mare.

Damien lets out a Discord laugh as Celestia lowers her horn to the man, "Discord."

The man stops his laugh as he cocks his head in a devilish smile, "Aww, you picked up on it hm?" He losses his smile as he cocks his hands back, "Think faster Celestia..." His hands glow a bright green as the man's eyes start to shed some of the orange glow.

Celestia's horn sparks to a blinding gold glow as she squints her eyes to his smile.

But Damien's smile is lost and his eyes turn a bright life filled blue again as his hands come back into a clap in front of him.

The bolt of green magic is blocked by Luna as Celestia's horn fires back in cracking bolt. The magic strikes against the man and his body becomes engulfed in it. He falls to his knees yelling in a pain as he clenches one eye shut.

But as he looks around the unfamiliar room with his open eye he stops to the young kid standing in the back of the room with tear filled and confused eyes, "M-Matt...-"

Damien's normal sounding voice is cut off as his figure is engulfed in a room blinding gold chiming magic.

Matt holds his eyes to where his brother no longer kneels as he turns his crying eyes to Celestia, "What did you do! WHAT!" His hand's glow a bright green as he continues to repeat the shout.

Celestia turns her soft pink eyes to him as she looks over the distressed young kid. But her words never get to reach him as Matt falls to the ground hit by Platinum's pink magic.

"Princess Platinum?!" Luna turns to the smaller white mare she catches Matt's fainted body.

The white mare tilts her horn up as she holds a hoof out, "We can't have him doing what his brother did can we?"

Celestia squints to the comment a little angry but her voice is again cut off as Commander Hurricane echos from the other side of the room, "Magic?! Magic?!" He is brought to his hooves as a group of pegasus guards come over to him, his voice is pained but carries his anger well as he talks, "This means war!"

Platinum's mane is ruffled from her gallop but her voice carries her regal tone as she scoffs back to him, "Humans are not unicorns, surely you do not blame us!"

The stallion trots towards the hall but stops as he turns back with his wings fully out, "The way I see it Unicorns can not be trusted with any decision they make! This is a clear sign of it! War is what you have brought! WAR!" He trots out of the main room with his guards closing in tight behind him.

Celestia and Luna hold a deeply concerned and angry look to him and Platinum as Celestia's powerful voice talks up in a low tone, "Luna take Matt to the castle to rest off the spell..." The dark mare nods her head as her and the young kid still being held by her wing is teleported away.

Celestia now turns her eyes to Platinum as she talks, "You will not leave this castle until we have talked with the earth pony leadership." Celestia's horn glows a bright gold as she and Platinum are teleported from the abandoned and magic scorched room.

End of chapter 16