Darkest Before Light

I am Shade Sovereign, and I am not amused. The missive I received in response to my request was highly uncared for! Princess Crystalia, even though I feel bad for saying this, is enraptured in this frame of mind that everything can be solved with a smile and ink! She was the one who came up with the expression, “The Quill is mightier than the Sword.”

Her passive personality serves to progress the proliferation of scorn towards the Griffins via her subjects, and she’s so constricted over her teachings of love, kindness and generosity to see that her nation is falling apart at the seams!

I, for one, swore a hallowed oath to “Protect the Crystal Kingdom, no matter the cost!” Princess Crystalia was in the front row when I announced it, declaring myself as a Private among the strong-willed Crystal Sentries!

There was a time when I cared not for her virtues, but to her credit, I could honestly see why she’s so crucial to this land. Not just the Crystal Kingdom, but the nation of Equestria as a whole!

After the fall of Discord some five-hundred years ago, The Princess of Night and Day came into an accord with the Princess of Love Divine. They established a covenant with each other; a promise that they would somehow restore the nation of the ever-chaotic Pandemonium, back to the righteous and shining Equestria.

They succeeded in only three years. That, by a large extent, is the greatest achievement ever. This one thing brought me to a point of reverence most high for our sovereigns, the saviors of ponykind. Even though the Crystal Ponies refused other non-crystals, it was Filia Crystalia Armastus who escorted them from the tribalistic traditions they threw about terribly.

In the span of another three years, most of Discord’s Chaos was removed from Equis completely. The Princesses had kept what was later called the Covenant of Celestial Love intact, ushering in a new era of peace and happiness for all things.

They had set up two kingdoms; the Crystal Kingdom in the North, and the Equestrian Kingdom in the South. Trade routes were established, friendships explored amongst different tribes of pony. Equestria had finally returned after a thousand years of non-stop war against the God of Discord.

How he managed to defeat Regina Faust Genesis is still a mystery to the masses.

Regardless, I can honestly say that I’m not mad at Princess Crystalia’s decision to solve these endeavors peacefully. It shows that she believe her ideas of Love and Peace will be able to sway not just the denizens of her kingdom, but of the Griffin Lands as well!

It won’t happen. Even if I wish it to happen, I know for a fact that the Crystal Ponies and the Griffins will never see eye to eye. To believe that peace between these two factions is possible is to believe the Elements of Harmony powerless against Discord himself.

You’d obviously be wrong in that aspect.

I casted my head up to the snowing clouds, little pinpricks of tingling energy flittering across my face from all that snowflakes that touched me. Every circular dot was like the comforting hoof of one that cares about you, but it held the bitterness of a wistful dream as well. A beautiful contradiction that made me close my eyes and say a quiet prayer for the filly that was the inspiration for such a magical sensation.

It’s been three months since her passing, but I hope Snowdrop is having the time of her unlife in the hooves of the All-Mother Faust herself. May her afterlife be filled with merriment.

Amen.

~Tmp-tmp tmp- tmp.~

Hooves?

I looked down and came nearly face to face with the last pony I thought I would see today.

“Princess Luna,” I asked incredulously, bowing my head as the custom demanded. I felt a horseshoe grace my chin and slowly lift it to face her beautiful features and sky-blue hair, “I was nary expecting a visit from you, Princess! Is there something I can do for you?”

Luna released my chin as a smile grew against her face, “Nay, Shade Sovereign. We simply wished to see you before heading off to the Crystal Castle with our Sister.” She explained as I took a precautionary glance around us, noticing the shocked and puzzled faces of other Crystal Ponies.

I coughed into my hoof, knowing full well that they just saw that little display of affection Luna did to me.

“Er, I take it you have urgent business with Princess Crystalia?” I asked, trying to change the subject material. There was also that infernal heat on my cheeks that sought release. Luckily for my self-esteem, I was able to keep it at bay.

Her face grew somber, almost pained.

“I trust you know of the missive Crystalia received from Queen Valkyrie Valhalla of Griffalia,” I gave a nod to her question, “Then you should also know that she has asked us for help in this endeavor.”

I quirked my eyebrow at that.

“I’d appreciate if this conversation was struck up in more...” I threw an armored-hoof out to indicate our surroundings, “...Private environment. Talks like this will only serve to heighten civilian unrest, should the wrong ponies hear it.”

Luna nodded before walking up to me and igniting her horn. The familiar sensation of a teleportation spell overwhelmed my body, the jingle of magic alerting me to the fact that we had landed somewhere more to my liking for our conversation.

Lo and behold, we had arrived in my office.

My face immediately went red with embarrassment.

My desk and its surrounding area was barely distinguishable from the sea of different colored documents.

“Stars above, Commander Shade Sovereign,” Luna exclaimed with a mocking tone as she made a beeline for the thicket of the mess, “How dost thee find anything in here!?” She laughed as her horn glowed brightly, using her magic to literally blow my papers off the desk and onto the crystalline floor below.

“...It’s organized chaos?” I offered from behind my fronthooves as I held them up to my face in order not to look at Princess Luna.

The sounds of drawers opening and closing alerted me to her doing something.

Removing the hooves from my eyes, I beheld an astonishing sight.

Everything was...put away? That would’ve taken me all day! How in the h-

“And now it’s just ‘organized’, right?” Luna asked rhetorically as I stared on with a slack-jawed appearance. I guess my face was some sort of comedic relief for her, seeing as how she promptly raised a hoof to stifle a chuckle or two.

“Ha ha,” I stated bemusedly as I walked over to my chair. Sitting down roughly once reaching it, Luna decided that laying down on top of my desk was the best idea in the world. It’s a good thing she organized everything into my drawers, otherwise I would’ve been steamed.

“And now it’s time for that chat, right?” I asked for confirmation. Luna’s face contorted into an unamused frown as she rolled her eyes, rolling off the desk before opting to sit on the opposite side of my position.

She magicked a pillow out of nowhere, lifting her rump in order to scoot it underneath before sitting back down and looking at me.

“You’re quite the buzz kill when you’re serious, Commander Shade,” Luna growled rather cutely. She’s like a filly who was denied a lollipop, “But I guess it’s for the best, considering the crisis the Crystal Kingdom is facing.”

“So I’m told.” I added smugly, watching her eyes narrow at me as I smiled just as smugly as I said my words.

“You’re good, I’ll give you that. Nevertheless, I’m afraid to inform you that war will be inevitable between the Griffins and the Crystal Kingdom.” Luna hung her head, as if she was thinking of something.

“That’s not really a surprise, Princess. I mean, it’s not like the Crystal Ponies have ever forgotten what happened two months ago at our borders with Griffalia. The murder of Gracious Geode at the claws of the escaped griffin convict, Razorwing, was the talk of the Crystal Empire for a whole month and a half. They demanded that the griffin be given the death sentence for not only trespassing without a reason onto our soil, but for the murder of Captain Quartz’s wife.”

Luna’s eyes widened, “Mrs. Geode was betrothed to the Captain of the Crystal Sentries!? Oh constellations most holy!” She exclaimed, making me chuckle a little bit. I don’t know why I found her face to be humorous at a time like this, but normally she’s giving me this face.

“High-Queen Valkyrie deemed the convict guilty of his previous crimes, but had stated in Razorwing’s trial that the murder of “that pony” will not add to his sentence or earn him the public execution most of the Crystal Kingdom cried out for. She should’ve phrased “that pony” better, because the issue easily became one of racial inequality.”

I sat back in my chair and sighed deeply, “Didn’t take long for slander and rumors to spread amongst the populace. The first ever riot, nicknamed the Wail of the Crystals, was held on-”

“December 18th, 962 A.D.” Luna interrupted, making me nod as I leaned forward and placed my head on my hooves.

“Ever since then, the tension in the Crystal Kingdom only rose. It also didn’t take very long for this slander to reach Griffalia, and by extension, the High-Queen.Which brings us to my next point,” I scooted my chair back with my green aura, lifting myself from it and began pacing in front of Luna, “I believe that Princess Crystalia’s ideals are doing more harm than good. Am I right in assuming that my Princess has sent you and Princess Celestia a copy of her missive?” I asked while momentarily stopping my route.

Luna nodded.

“Then you are also aware that her words seemed a little...forced, shall I say?” I proceeded further, watching with interest as Luna’s eyebrow quirked up.

“How do you know?”

“She’s obviously an older griffin, seeing as how she’s been friends with all three of the Princesses for one-hundred plus years. I think the griffins do a battle to the death in order to seize the throne.” I stated with finality, watching as Luna’s face contorted into one of horror.

“You believe the High-Queen is being used; and that her life is the bargaining chip in order to hold her true!?” Luna’s voice became a little loud, so I indicated for her to tone it down a little bit. She complied, even though I could see the beginnings of perspiration on her brow.

I had come up with this theory a long time ago, but my duty as a soldier prevented me from speaking freely to Princess Crystalia.

“I hope you know that this changes everything, Commander! If this theory of yours holds true, then it is possible for us, as in Celestia and I, to personally visit Griffalia. Now that this information has been shared with me, I must go an-” She was getting up! Ah, ponyfeathers!

I grabbed her tail with my magic just as she turned around, earning myself a surprised yelp before a displeased frown.

“Is there a reason why you have our tail in your magic, Commander?”

“Er...Yeah! You see, that’s just a theory and not a case of fact. I’m willing to bet that’s the case, but I’ve yet to acquire proof on it,” I explained as Luna calmed herself, sitting back down on her cushion, “Besides, I hardly think that matters now. I believe that-”

The sudden appearance of a scroll made me stop talking. I took it and sprayed it out on my desk, reading the message quietly.

“If it’s not too much trouble to ask, who’s it from?” Luna asked with curiosity abounding.

I ran. Never had a I ran so hard in my life.

I practically shattered the massive crystal doors in my way with a ray of magic, barreling down the hallway to the sound of falling debris and Luna calling out my name. I tuned her out, however, and kept up my frantic pace.

It took no more than two minutes to escape the confines of Crystal Castle, allowing me a clear shot through the Crystal Centre to the train station. Turning left at the station, I came face to face with a large mass of Crystal Ponies and Sentries.

I nearly lost it then and there.

Barreling through the assembled masses with a shield around my body, I could finally see what all the drama was about.

That’s....That’s Captain Sharp Quartz...

With a document that looks like a treaty....coming out of his back...