"Child of the North" or The Princess' Knight
The Crystal Palace gleamed in the first rays of the rising sun, and on any other day Post Haste might have stopped to admire it. Briefly, of course. There was always a schedule to keep, even if she made it up in her head as she went along. This wasn't the time for sightseeing, though. She had been given a very important message for a very important pony; the Crystal Princess herself.
Some of the other crystal ponies were starting to leave their homes, making their commutes to work or school. There still wasn't enough of a crowd to slow Post Haste, however. Not when she had her mind set on her task. She quickly darted between and around the flow of glinting manes, nearly a blur of sapphire with a messenger saddlebag strung around its neck.
Finally, Post came clear of the early morning bustle, and her galloping hooves crossed into the central plaza. The huge gem staircase leading to the service entrance might have proven a mighty obstacle to other young messengers, but Post had practiced scrabbling up the finely sculpted stairs until it was almost as fast as when she galloped down an open street. At the top, she took a moment to breathe before presenting the little gold badge set into her uniform to the guards.
To their credit, the long lines of guards on either side of the great hall didn't react to the sight of a disheveled mare in a Royal Messenger's uniform as she appeared from one of the staff entrances. Only when Post reached one of the huge quartz doors along the walls did any move, and these were two especially large unicorn guards who checked her badge again.
"Go right ahead," one of them said as the other nodded, and together they used their magic to open the huge quartz door. It slid seamlessly into the smooth sides of the Palace, and Post jumped through and set off down the lavender tapestry bedecked corridor beyond. A hidden passage behind this tapestry, a secret turn beyond a trick wall, and she found herself inside the throne room.
To her surprise, it wasn't the princess at the head of the hall when Post reached it. The stallion waiting patiently for her was clad in thick plate armor on his legs and over his chest, and a red cape was draped over his back and flanks. His coat was light gray, and his curly navy blue mane was cropped close to his head.
"Sir Sombra," Haste greeted, sweeping her head low in a bow. As she rose, she pulled a parcel from her saddlebag. "I've got a package for Princess Chroma."
"A package," Sombra said slowly, as if considering the word. He took a moment to size up the small sapphire mare and the parcel in her hoof carefully.
Post was dressed in the proper uniform for a royal messenger, and the badge pinned to her chest only verified that. The parcel itself was wrapped in brown paper and tied with white string. He discreetly casted a spell to check the contents, but nothing inside reacted to his gentle magical prodding. He was sure there was no way anything magical could have escaped his perception; he was always too good to miss something. Still, Sombra let the moment stretch just a little longer.
"Alright, I'll take it." Sombra sighed as if accepting the parcel was tantamount to surrendering, and he pulled it from Haste's hooves with the faint blue glow of his telekinesis. "I'll make sure the Princess gets this as soon as possible."
Haste snapped to attention and nodded smartly. Sombra returned the formality, and the messenger scrambled back the way she had come in. While Sombra was certain his magic was strong enough to hold the parcel aloft for centuries if need be, he still tucked it under one leg for safe keeping. It was heavier than he expected, and the paper was rougher than he had thought. Still, it was easy enough to carry as he set off in search of the princess.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When Sombra found Princess Chroma, she was in one of her personal chambers, lounging on a plush couch surrounded by bookcases and desks. Sombra opened the door carefully so as not to disturb her, and Chroma didn't look up as he carefully slipped in. She was studying a few pages of notes on the table in front of her, humming softly to herself. Even with her humming under her breath, Sombra still took a moment to enjoy the sound. Her voice was warm and gentle, the singing of somepony used to caring for others.
"It's beautiful," Sombra said gently. Chroma looked up, startled, but calmed when she saw it was him. Sombra levitated the parcel to the table and set it down gently beside the papers.
"It's just a song I've been working on for a very important somepony." Chroma smiled fetchingly, the slightest hint of blush glowing through her shiny tulip fur. "I'm glad you like it. What's this?" Chroma turned her attention to the parcel.
"A messenger delivered that for you. I've checked it, and it isn't anything magical." Sombra nudged the parcel across the smooth wooden surface of the table.
"Did the messenger say who it was from?" Chroma pulled the parcel up beside her on the couch, checking it for a return address. Sombra shook his head, and nothing stood out on the outside of the packaging, so Chroma began to untie the string with her hooves and teeth. Sombra cleared his throat, and she looked up at him.
"I can get that for you." His horn lit up for a moment, as if reminding the Princess of its presence. Sombra chuckled as she grinned sheepishly, a few strands of her purple mane falling across her eyes. The strands gleamed in the light, and Chroma pushed them back up behind her thin silver tiara before nodding toward the parcel.
The string was easy enough to untie, but the brown paper slipped out of Sombra's magical grip every time he tried to manipulate it. Chroma watched him for a few moments, trying to cover her spreading smile with a hoof. Sombra screwed his face up, planted his hooves, and pushed as much energy into the spell as he could... only for it to fizzle dully against the side of the loose paper.
"Um," Chroma interjected between giggles, "I can get that for you." She lifted her hooves, as if reminding her knight of their presence. Sombra felt his own face grow hot, and he silently kicked himself for neglecting the basics when he was younger.
"The paper might be enchanted to reject any spells casted on it," He explained, trying to save face as the Princess easily pulled open the packaging. "That would explain why I couldn't get a good grip on it."
"Whatever you say, Somba." Chroma glanced up at him playfully, using his nickname from when they had been foals. She always called him that when he did something silly, like when he had first come to the Empire and he couldn't pronounce his own name correctly. Instead of trying to further explain himself, Sombra crossed around the table and sat beside the Princess, watching as the paper finally came free.
A finely crafted wooden box, the sides painted a rich emerald green, came free from its dull wrappings. Chroma sat it on the table, beaming like a filly on Hearth's Warming. She looked up at Sombra, and he felt the corners of his mouth turning up, too. Finally, she placed a hoof on the lid and slowly began to pull the box open. The inside of the box was a series of gears and cogs, all wrapped around a small crank.
"A music box?" Sombra tilted an eyebrow, trying to conceal the hint of recognition that played across his face. He glanced from Chroma to the box and back again. Chroma had been leaning forward as she opened the box, and Sombra pushed himself forward, too. He rested a hoof on her shoulder, looking down at the complex metal pieces of the box.
"Only one way to find out." Chroma's tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated. Careful not to damage anything, she began to turn the crank. A few notes rang from below the gears, and Sombra's smile grew a little as Chroma's eyes widened. She looked back up to him, and he chuckled knowingly.
"The craftspony said you would love it." Sombra scooted closer, his hoof moving to Chroma's far shoulder. She looked up at him, her eyes growing wider. "Just not when it would arrive."
"Thank you!" Chroma practically shouted, wrapping her hooves around Sombra's broader shoulders. They embraced, and Chroma whispered into Sombra's ear, "My hero."
"What would a hero be without his princess?" Sombra murmured back. They parted, and Chroma went back to tinkering with her new music box. Sombra sighed contentedly, listening to the soft tinkling song that floated around the crystal study.
"Sir Sombra!" Sombra snapped up from the couch, surprised at the sharp call from the door. The Princess stopped winding the music box, and the last tune drifted away. The messenger was back and at the door. At the sight of the Princess, Post Haste blanched.
"Your Highness, forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt." The words tumbled out of Post as she bowed quickly. "I have an urgent message for Sir Sombra."
"I don't mind, Ms. Haste. Go right ahead," Chroma said carefully, trying to comfort the embarrassed messenger.
"Thank you, your Highness." Post bowed again. She cleared her throat, and then turned to Sombra with renewed vigor in her voice. "Sir Sombra, village scouts have reported that griffons have been spotted skulking around the forest near Silversteed."
"Right," Sombra mumbled, taking a moment to think. "I'll head there right away. Can you get word to Sir Ruby and Lady Glimmer? I want them to meet me there." Silversteed was one of the further outlying townships under the Empire's jurisdiction, but the flow of silver from its mines was more than valuable enough to defend it. Post perked up at the opportunity to rush off with another message.
"Right away, Sir! I'll have them after you in no time at all!" With that, Post threw a quick salute and charged off through the Palace halls in search of the other two knights.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sombra was almost halfway to Silversteed when Ruby Rush caught up with him. The other knight's forehead shone with the sweat matting down his bright red mane, but he still galloped as fast as he could until he was several lengths ahead of his superior. Glimmer was waiting for them when they reached the town's outskirts, already chatting with one of the scouts, her sparkling silver wings still ruffled from the flight over.
“Where are the griffons?” Ruby called as they approached the low houses made of rough lumber on the outskirts of the quiet mining village. The familiar sapphire mare in a scout’s uniform looked up from the map she had splayed over a rock, and Glimmer turned to watch her comrades arrive.
“Ms. Haste was just telling me that the griffons were spotted to the northeast, in the foothills beyond the woods.” Glimmer was matter-of-fact as always, her eyes closed and voice even as if she were reciting a memorized fact to a teacher.
“Ms. Haste!?” Ruby seemed offended. “How did you get here before me?”
“I’m always on time, Sir Ruby.” Post seemed almost flattered by Ruby’s outburst. “And Lady Glimmer is correct. The griffons were spotted to the north-north-east of the village, on the hills beyond the pines on the other side of town.” She tapped a hoof on the map, indicating a series of foothills leading to one of the northern mountain ranges.
“‘Always on time,’ my two left hooves. You had somepony teleport you, didn’t you?” Ruby glowered at the messenger as she simply shrugged at his accusation.
“What else can you tell us about the griffons?” Sombra interjected. Ruby sighed and slinked back behind the older knight. He would have to interrogate the messenger later.
“They were dressed in what looked like old ceremonial robes from the far north. The village scouts informed me that they seemed to be waiting for something, facing toward the village on one of the taller hills.” Post paused for a moment, thinking about something.
“This sounds more like a job for the local militia. Why have we been called on?” Sombra was less perturbed at being on the scene himself, and more that he had been called away from the Princess.
“Well... they asked for you, sir.” Post produced a scroll from her uniform’s saddlebags. “We found this at the center of town, nailed to the Quick Silver Inn. It’s mostly meaningless symbols and things like that, but from what we were able to make of it, it seems they were just requesting to meet with you.” Sombra took the scroll with his magic and unfurled it. The pictograms scrolled across it meant nothing to him, but Post seemed confident about what she said.
"Hmm," Sombra murmured, pretending to continue examining the scroll. "They want me to go up into the foothills to meet with them?"
"It seems so, sir." Post rolled up the map and tucked it away. She considered sitting down on the rock the map had been sprawled over, but figured it would just be a waste of time. Teleportation always made her nauseatingly dizzy, but that was no excuse to not be punctual.
"Sir, this sounds like a trap," Glimmer advised. Her pristinely polished armor plates glared in the light of the afternoon sun, nearly blinding Sombra.
"And you don't think I can handle it?" Sombra asked rhetorically, turning until both of his subordinates were in view. "I want you two to search the village. Make sure everything and everypony is alright, and then see about meeting with me in the foothills." Despite her trepidation, Glimmer still snapped a quick salute before taking off. Ruby simply nodded, glancing ruefully at Post before galloping into the village proper. Sombra turned to the messenger, catching just the hints of a smirk before she concealed it again.
"Ms. Haste, I want you to rouse the local militia. If and when this turns out to be a trap, I want them ready to defend the village." Sombra trotted away, not waiting for a response. If the griffons were planning something, it would be best to start things before it became dark.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sure enough, Sombra found the griffons where the scouts had reported they would be; watching the village from one of the taller hills. They didn't look up as he approached, keeping the dusty looking lavender hoods of their robes over their faces. Only their blood red beaks presented themselves from the shadows obscuring their features, and they breathed together, a single dull, raspy breath.
"Hail, Lord Sombra approaches." One of the griffons slowly turned, her voice a harsh crackle. The sun was slowly slinking toward the horizon, its glow glinting faintly from somewhere beyond the hooked beak.
"No, I am no lord," Sombra gently rebuked the griffon crone. At his voice, a gnarled white talon darted out from the folds of the robe, palm out to bid his silence.
"Nay, not Lord Sombra," one of the others snarled. "King Sombra." Sombra sputtered on his breath at the title, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"I am no king, half-breed." He tried to contain the sudden burst of anger. These griffon hags could know nothing of Chroma, of course not. The last griffon bobbed her head up sharply, making a clicking with her tongue.
"Nay, not King Sombra." She sounded more driven than her companions had. She unfurled one of her own talons, and gestured grandly as she addressed the beleaguered unicorn knight, "Emperor Sombra."
"I'm nothing but a servant to the crown," Sombra insisted, his jaw set so hard his teeth ached.
"Hush, child of the north," the first crone admonished. "And listen to your song."
"The crystal crown shall falter,As death comes from the altar,A noble knight turned dreadful Lord,Is what your Fate has insured."
Sombra’s blood ran cold, and the crones began to circle around him. The second crone cackled darkly at the first's raspy singing, before joining in the song.
"A whisper of eternal life,Calls to him to twist the knife,And calls to us and makes us sing,This dreadful song to the new king!"
The third griffon bobbed her head and made a horrid gurgling, which Sombra took for another foul chuckle. She raised her head and joined the others.
"With skulking shadows all around,And screaming voices drowned,He shall strike out at the Heart,And it shall all fall apart!"
The griffons howled and shook with their horrendous laughter as the song came to a crescendo. Sombra struck at the nearest blindly as they danced around him, but his hoof caught only air. In a great flutter of lavender, the griffon crones were up, high into the sky, and away, fleeing back to the north.
