Storm Chasing

I woke up in a vast jungle. No idea how I got there, no idea where I was going. All I knew was, it wasn't there. I got up and started walking, an endless sea of trees fading in out of the mists as I walked forward. On one of them, I spied an old friend... acquaintance? Enemy? It was familiar in any case, a large white cat with a purple bow. She purred at me as I approached.

"Ah, at last the Innocent Princess awakes."
I was confused for a second, until I realize she was talking about me. My gown was tattered from the long trip, but I was the Innocent Princess alright "Yes, I'm awake... but I'm afraid I don't know how I got here."
"That's just as well. You don't belong here. You seek the Storm right?" For a cat, her diction was impeccable. I could tell the S was capitalized. "Head to the castle of the Red-maned King. You will find answers there."

With that, the cat hopped down from the branch and disappeared into the ground. I scraped a hoof against where she vanished, but didn't manage to find anything. I had my one lead to go on... why did that seem so familiar? The path was peaceful and calm, and it was with a little disappointment that I saw the stones of the castle rise out of the mist. I turned to look behind me, but the path had become overgrown with thick briars. My path chosen for me, I pushed open the massive doors and stepped inside.

The entry hall of the castle was deathly quiet, and an unshakeable chill hung in the air. Massive statues of ponies lined the hall, and as I got close to one I could see that each had a sarcophagus sitting beneath. It seemed each statue was of the person buried there. One sarcophagus was lying open, and I looked up at the statue over it. It was a mare, her mane as wild as the Storm, a pair of powerful wings on her back, and bubbles for her cutie mark. As I stared up at her mismatched eyes, something about her seemed familiar. I decided to take a look inside the sarcophagus, and found that it was luxuriously padded, warm and inviting. Even though I'd just gotten up, it seemed like it'd be a waste not to crawl inside for a nice long nap. I began to push the lid open further, when I caught something in the left periphery of my vision. It was a servant of the castle, a brown earth pony stallion with a scroll for a cutie mark. He shook his head slowly. "Not yet," he said "Not until you've met the king."

"Who are you?" I asked.
"I am but a Herald of the Red-maned King. My job is to deliver messages." he reached into his saddlebag and pulled out an envelope. "This message is for you."

I accepted the envelope and tore it open. Inside was a tiny figurine made of boxwood. It had a wide circular base with green felt on the underside. The figurine's body tapered sharply up to form a narrow "neck", on top of which rested a simple ball. There was no letter or other explanation to the figurine. I looked up to Herald and asked "Do you have any idea what this means?"
He shook his head "I'm sorry. I only deliver the messages, I cannot interpret them. All I can say is it came from the Red-maned King. I honestly wish I could be of more help. If you need anything at all, feel free to let me know."
"I will," I replied, before taking my leave.

The black and white checkered tiles passed by underneath my hooves as I galloped down the halls. I regretted not pausing to take the Herald up on his offer of help, and ask for a guide. There was something else too, a feeling of familiarity. Turning down the Herald's help had seemed somehow familiar. It was too late now, however. I was well and truly lost within the depths of the labyrinthine hallways. I rested against the side of a statue shaped like a miniature tower, one of many such statues I'd seen throughout the castle. A flash of purple in the left periphery of my vision. Was there someone else wandering these halls? No, not wandering. The door to my left was a library, and inside a unicorn was busy moving books from shelf to shelf. The Librarian, that's who she had to be.

"Excuse me, miss?" I said.
She stopped her work, finally taking notice of me. A giant grin split her face "My, if it isn't the Innocent Princess! Come, sit, you must be weary from your journey for the Storm."
"...How do you know who I am? And why I am here?" I asked, stunned.
"My title is the Librarian of the castle. Just as your title is the Innocent Princess," she explained "However, Librarian is not who I am, just as Innocent Princess is not who you are. They are merely roles we are given. Outside of my role, I study the prophecies. I knew of Nightmare Moon. I studied Discord. And I've heard of your quest. That an Innocent Princess should come here, it could mean only one thing. After all, there is no other reason to come here. The Red-maned King is not a benevolent ruler."
"Speaking of which..." I said, reaching into my saddlebag "He sent me a message. Inside was this figurine. Do you know what it means?"
The unicorn levitated it up, turned it this way and that, and studied it. "It is a piece for a game. One I am quite fond of. It would seem he is saying you are a pawn."
I was surprised I hadn't recognized it earlier. "I've heard the term. He wishes to say I am doing someone else's work for them?"
The unicorn shook her head "Perhaps. But there are other connotations for a pawn as well. Tell me, are you familiar with the rules to Chess?"
I nodded "Yes. A pawn may only move forward, and capture diagonally. It is the most restricted piece in the game, moving only one square at a time except for its first move, and easily blocked by another piece sitting in front of it. Despite this, a pawn's ability to be promoted to any piece, commonly a queen or a knight, makes pawns a vital part of chess endgame."
The unicorn nodded "Indeed. He sees you as weak, as something easily destroyed. At the same time, however, you are his biggest threat. However... try to remember one thing. The Innocent Princess is only your role. It is not who you are. Remember this, or you will be destroyed."
I nodded "One last thing... I'm a little lost, can you help me reach the king?"
The unicorn smiled "You'd be surprised how often librarians help princesses find their way. Come, I have a map over on this shelf..."

I never would have found my way to the King's throne room without the Librarian's help. I swear the map and the castle changed position seven times as I traversed the halls, but I finally made it. The throne room of the Red-maned King was the second largest room in the castle, with only the mausoleum at the entrance being larger. Massive pillars in the shape of ponies held up the roof, and a pair of stone ponies held up the throne upon which the King sat.

The King himself was monstrous in appearance. His brown pelt barely concealed the powerful muscles lying beneath, and his namesake mane framed a muzzle filled with sharp teeth. A pair of leathery bat-like wings complemented his demonic appearance, and a single glance at his chitinous tail made my entire body ache in remembrance. Remembrance of what? Had I fought him before?

"So, you've finally arrived," said the King. Every word was a deep rumble, more like a frightening earthquake than a soothing roll of thunder.
"I have come seeking the Storm. I was told I would find answers here," I replied.
The Red-maned King laughed "The Storm is not here. Nor do I know where it has gone. Because I like to play with my food before I kill it, you and I are going to play a game. You may try to flee, and I will kill you as you run. Or you may play, and win or lose I will kill you when we are done. Either way, your quest ends here."

The Red-maned King reached behind his throne and pulled out a wooden board covered in white and black squares. 31 pieces in boxwood and ebony were set up on either side. There was one empty spot, in front of white's queen's rook. I pulled the pawn out of my saddlebags, and placed it down in the empty spot. The game had begun.