Chains and Ladders

Celestia stormed into her personal study, her fury evident on her face. With a burst of magic she slammed the doors shut and levitated a small crystal orb from a bookshelf onto the central table. Funneling magic into the orb, she was greeted by the translucent form of Melek Taus.

He stood even taller than Celestia, with all the hallmarks of the Saddle Arabian race. His mane and tail seemed to shift colors, but the main color was a rich green. His left eye was a bright blue while his right eye was crimson red. His coat was a lustrous golden color, and he boasted large, peacock like wings. Upon seeing Celestia, he grinned sadistically.

“Dearest Celestia!” he chimed “How wonderful to receive a message from you!” Celestia cut him off with a swipe of her hoof.

“No games Taus” she shook with rage “what kind of game do you think you’re playing?” The shimmering image seemed to ponder her question for several moments.

“Well I am partial to a good game of chess.” He replied, bringing his hoof up to his chin. “After all, I am the best chess player on Equus.” He continued with a smug grin.

Celestia stamped her hoof violently. “You know what I mean. Why do you want it?”

“Why do I want what?” Taus replied with a quizzical look.

“The Sultana Valide just tried to trade me her translator for a very valuable piece of jewelry.” Celestia managed to say through her clenched jaw. Taus just stared at her incoherently.

“Her translator is the runt that was named after me, right?” he eventually replied, seemingly oblivious to the most important part of her statement. “I like that youngster. Don’t buy him.” He frowned.

“So the Sultana just happens to be trying to reclaim the madstone.” Celestia favored Taus with a skeptical expression.

“Is that what she wants?” He thought about it for a moment. “I don’t recall asking anyone to get it, much less that she-devil Gulbahar.”

“She-devil?” Celestia almost chuckled.

“She has a habit of ignoring my counsel and murdering my favorites.” Taus snarled back, his body quivering with barely contained fury. “So no, I wouldn’t ask her to do anything.”

“Why not deal with her?” Celestia frowned. Taus sighed in reply.

“She has a sword hanging over my head.” he muttered. “I can’t touch her.” His hooves scratched at the ground in embarrassment.

So much for the formidable Melek Taus. Celestia could hardly believe that she would have something capable of keeping him at bay. “What is it?” she asked Taus.

“I imagine you wouldn’t understand.” Taus snorted gently. Evidently he didn’t want to talk about it.  “But if I were you, I wouldn’t give her the madstone.” Celestia’s eyebrow shot up.

“So you don’t want it back?” Celestia inquired. Taus rolled his eyes.

“Of course I want it” his tone sounded labored “but giving it to her means I’ll never get my hooves on it.”

“That sounds like an argument to give it to her.” Celestia pointed out.

“She’s more trouble than I am.” Taus countered. “At least you know me.” Taus had to admit to rather liking Celestia as an opponent. To quote an old saying, ‘the quality of a being is determined by the quality of its enemies’.

“True,” Celestia mused, agreeing that while Taus was obnoxious, at least he was a known evil “but the madstone is worthless to her. She can’t use it.” Taus had helped her deal with Discord, albeit indirectly.

“If she’s asking for it” Taus intoned darkly “then she’s found a use for it.” Celestia nodded in agreement. She couldn’t hand over the madstone, not even for Twilight.

“So, just to be clear, you aren’t her patron.” Celestia fixed a steely look at Taus. Now she wanted to see if she could catch him lying.

“I am not, nor will I ever, support her.” Taus bit his lip softly “I wish I had a puppet as clever as her, though.” Celestia didn’t sense any deceit at all, to her disappointment. The Sultana was not working for him, as far as she could tell. That meant she was either working solo… or had another, unknown patron.

“So why?” Celestia wondered aloud.

“She’s a slippery one” Taus snorted heavily “she’ll spin a net around you so transparent you won’t notice until you’ve been caught. That’s how she got the last vezir out of her way.” Taus chuckled. “I have to give her points for style though; having his own bastard son strangle him with a bowstring was an artsy touch.” Celestia almost gagged.

“What would she do with it?” Celestia asked Taus.

“I didn’t make the Panoptes Madstone” Taus reminded her “I only inherited it. Even I don’t know exactly how it works.”

“And the creator’s long gone.” Celestia stated sourly. The Panoptes Madstone was said to have a thousand uses, but so far the world had only seen a few. Before Taus, it had been held by...

“Exactly.” Taus agreed, breaking Celestia’s train of thought. “I used it to figure out my enemies weaknesses, just like you used it against Discord, but I could also get it to show me glimpses of the future.” Taus looked at her with his mismatched eyes.

“I’ve never been able to get it to do that.” Celestia sighed. Taus shrugged.

“It reacts differently to each owner” The image of Taus started to pace back and forth “it must have done something else for you.” No matter how hard he’d tried, Taus couldn’t get it to do anything other than those two functions. The previous owner could make it scry anywhere in the world, while the creator could do a thousand small things.

“It would create a small rainbow in the throne room whenever I said the word.” Celestia grumbled. Taus stopped pacing and chuckled. The madstone made rainbows?

“Intriguing.” Taus looked at something outside Celestia’s view. “But Gulbahar’s not like us. It shouldn’t react to her.” According to the previous owner, only a high level entity such as himself, or the Sisters, ought to be able to make it do anything. For Gulbahar, it wouldn’t be anything but a pretty colored paperweight.

“So, again, why would she want it?” Celestia closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. At least Taus was trying to stay balanced today; some days he wouldn’t even try to avoid mood swings.

“Because its colorful?” Taus suggested. Celestia glared at him. “I don’t know.” Taus shrugged. “Let me know if you find anything out, and tell little Mel I said hello.” With that, the image vanished and the orb stopped glowing.

Celestia opened her eyes and groaned in frustration. Her conversation hadn’t really uncovered anything new, but at least Taus didn’t seem to be behind it. Unless he was lying, but he seemed awful genuine today. It almost made Celestia more suspicious of him than usual, but she couldn’t do much about it now.

“Please mistress, no!” Melek cried as he kneeled before Gulbahar. She was seated on a small throne in the Arabian embassy, attended by her gelding servants.

“Are you defying me?” She raised one eyebrow. Melek shook nervously.

“Of-of course not, your Highness.” Melek stammered “I just, I’m nervous, is all.”

“My poor little Melek” the Sultana favored him with a mocking frown “is freedom not what you want?”

“I live to serve.” Melek returned cautiously. The Sultana sighed.

“And serve you shall” her voice gained an imperious edge “though I may be gone, and you freed, you are still mine.”

“Yes mistress!” Melek stifled the urge to beg. This hadn’t been part of the plan, but the Sultana was notorious for not informing others about the full extent of her plans. Still, being sold for a rock necklace was rather humiliating for him.

Gulbahar yawned slightly. The plan was going rather smoothly. Soon she’d have the madstone, and an agent practically in Celestia’s household. She hadn’t been sure that Melek would succeed in befriending the little princess, but her partner had been right. She also wasn’t sure why he was so certain she would hand over the madstone, or why he even wanted it. Without a demigod to power it, the rock was useless.

She had to trust him though. She was committed now.

The next morning, Celestia greeted the Sultana in the gardens, at the same table they had occupied earlier. The Sultana, as usual, had brought Melek along while Celestia was accompanied by Twilight. The four loitered for several minutes, with the Princesses and Sultana sipping tea as Melek watched cautiously. Eventually, the Sultana broke the silence.

“So, have you considered my offer?” she gave Celestia a mocking smile. Celestia’s own expression remained neutral.

“I have considered it, and I must reject it.” the Solar diarch replied flatly. The Sultana’s grin vanished, but she showed no further signs of disappointment.

“Is that so?” The Sultana’s tone was courteous, but inside she was fuming. Her partner had assured her that Celestia would agree; now what was the Sultana to do? She could already hear the answer in her head, in her partner’s soft voice: “Get it done.” Truth be told, the Sultana never really understood how one slave would be equal to the madstone.

With a sigh, the Sultana conceded a minor defeat. Her mind raced through the possibilities. What could she offer Celestia?

“I spoke with Melek Taus, by the way” Celestia interrupted her reverie “and he said he didn’t send you to collect the madstone.”

“Did I ever say he did?” Gulbahar shot back.

“No, but it does leave me wondering why you would want the Panoptes madstone.” Celestia replied evenly. “Would you care to illuminate me?”

“I thought it rather pretty. Does that satisfy you?” the Sultana snapped back in rapid fire Arabic. Twilight and Melek watched the conflict from the relative safety of the sidelines.

“A pretty paperweight?” Celestia mocked the Sultana, whose muzzle turned bright red. “Taus also told me you had something on him. I’m interested in how you managed it.” Celestia continued.

Sensing an opportunity, the Sultana pounced like a cat. “So I have something you want, and you have something I want.” she grinned slyly.

“His weakness isn’t worth the madstone.” Celestia snorted.

“But that is but one part of the deal” Gulbahar scrambled “along with Melek.”

“Still not going to give you the artifact.” Celestia fixed her glare on the Sultana.

“Then what else do you want!” the Sultana’s ire boiled over. When she saw her partner again, she was going to break his useless fangs. So far, he had only been right half the time. So much for his assurances.

“You misunderstand” Celestia yawned mightily “there is nothing you can offer me sufficient to gain the madstone.” She looked at the sun, as if gauging the time.

Before she could stop herself, the Sultana began speaking. “And all of them, free. All the slaves!” she blurted out. Realizing what she had said, she began stamping her hooves in agitation. What had she done?

Celestia now faced a moral dilemma. The madstone couldn’t be allowed to fall into her hooves, but the freedom of thousands from the yoke of slavery was a huge opportunity. Melek would be free. She’d get the secret to dominating Taus, which assured that the emancipation would proceed unhindered. The Sultana had been empowered to negotiate as if she was the Sultan, so if she signed a deal right now, it would be binding. Failure to comply would bring more than just Equestria against them; they’d be assaulted by the armies of almost all the nations on Equus. Hatred of slavery ran deep in many lands. Indeed, Taus and the Janissaries were the only reason Saddle Arabia hadn’t been conquered, despite the best efforts of the Griffons and Minotaurs. With Taus gone, and the slave soldiers potentially shaken by the promise of freedom (though Celestia doubted they would rebel after the training they went through) Saddle Arabia would be crushed should they renege on the deal.

On the other hoof, Melek Taus could be lying. There might not really be any secret weakness after all. He’d get his madstone back, without having to steal it, and could ignore the deal with relative impunity. The Griffons might still join Celestia, bringing their own demigod, but the Minotaurs would not stand against Taus after witnessing him level their ancient capital and drag it underground. They currently lacked a demigod of the same caliber as Taus or Celestia.

As Celestia pondered her options, Twilight watched with great anxiety. Her feelings were conflicted. As much as she hated slavery, giving a godly artifact to a scheming mare was utterly insane. She shouldn’t be able to use it, but that was no guarantee. She did want Melek to be free, but she had only just met him. She wasn’t going to risk Equestria over him.

Melek, meanwhile, was only present physically. He had zoned out several minutes ago, caught up in thoughts of what he could do with freedom. He’d still help the Sultana, of course, but maybe he could go explore a bit. His mind was full of idealized images of what life would be like, so he didn’t even notice the haggling going on a few feet away. He did take several glances at Twilight, who was busy watching the “diplomacy” and noted that she looked very nice today. She had borrowed his books, and promised to return them soon. He hoped she did, because he would be upset if she didn’t. Those books were the only thing he had ever been allowed to have, even if he didn’t technically own them (they belonged to the Sultana).

Back at the meeting table, Celestia and the Sultana were engaged in what appeared to be a staring contest. Twilight watched nervously as Celestia closed her eyes and massaged her temples with her hooves.

“I can’t give you the madstone.” Celestia eventually replied. The Sultana’s expression didn’t change.

"You have the chance to end slavery.” the Sultana reminded her opposite.

“I know that.” Celestia snarled back, surprising Twilight with the venom in her voice. “Why should you even care?”

“I was a slave once.” Gulbahar admitted “Do you think I wanted to live in a harem? To be dragged along like a prize?” The Sultana spat. “I admit that I enjoy my servants, but I’ve only supported the institution to get to where I am. But even now I don’t have the power to end it.” the Sultana finished with a tear falling from her eyes. She was an excellent actor, but she didn’t have to act now. She had been tossed around the court by her former masters, before becoming the Sultan’s property. She had been abused by the supposed abolitionist, losing her daughter to his violent rampage. When she had finally been given a son, he was taken from her and raised to be a drunken mess like his father.

The Sultana considered herself many things, but evil was certainly not one of them. The world had wronged her, but she would make it pay. Justice. When her partner finally got that thing working, she’d do more than Taus had ever done. She’d bury everyone from Canterlot to the unexplored lands. Then she’d build it back up to worship her.

She would be a goddess.

Celestia took several moments to compose herself before replying. "You think the madstone is equal to emancipation?" She queried.

The Sultana snorted in agitation. "Taus once wielded it. It is well respected." Gulbahar sensed that Celestia was wavering. "Slavery will be forgotten if I bring it back." The Sultana promised. She actually knew that would never happen, not even for something like the madstone, but the Saddle Arabians would never hear about it. And Celestia would be long gone by the time she realized what she had done. Gulbahar couldn’t help but smile internally.

"So immediate emancipation for all slaves, including the soldiers and Melek, plus the weakness, for the madstone."  Celestia bit her lip nervously. She knew this wasn't a good idea, so why couldn't she stop? Something kept pushing her forward. She supposed the fact that she could liberate thousands made her more amenable. "And Equestrian observers will ensure that slavery does not return in any form." She added on to the end. Celestia began to feel lightheaded, as if she’d just stood up too quickly.

Gulbahar looked as if she'd been smacked by a manticore.  The terms were horrible for her, but the madstone was the key. The other items could be replaced. Swallowing her pride, Gulbahar nodded assent.

“The paperwork will be dealt with by the Civil Service.” Celestia rose with a pained expression. “Once finalized, the exchange will take place tomorrow.” Celestia stumbled slightly as she made for the door. Twilight followed behind, concerned for her mentor. She couldn’t understand why Celestia was nearly falling over.

“As a token of cooperation, I release Melek Kul into your custody.” Gulbahar gave Melek a strange look. The former Janissary had proven his worth back home, even if he was socially awkward, and though she was loath to admit it, she would miss him. She still remembered the day she bought his contract. He had been so young to be named a chorbaji, the leader of an entire orta. His men had stomped their hooves in approval as she presented him with his medal. She almost felt guilty when she removed him from the corps later that day, essentially denying him a prosperous military career or a glorious martyr’s death. Instead she’d used his natural ability to read others, and his magic, to destroy her political opposition one by one. She thought it rather strange that he was so good at reading others, but so bad at interacting with them.

Now he was in enemy territory. He would use the little magic he had been taught (magic tutors were extremely rare in Arabia, and quite expensive, so he had been mostly self-taught) to keep her informed of any unforeseen actions. She held back her tears as he made his way over to the door. Every time she had whipped him, she had always felt so bad afterwards. Taus had once told her, when she was still very young, that her vices were wrath and pride. She had ignored his advice, but looking back now she understood.

Melek followed after the departing Princesses, looking back at Gulbahar as she closed her eyes. The Sultana rose and departed, her gelding guards following her as she headed right for the embassy.

Later that day, as the sun passed over the horizon to usher in night, Gulbahar found herself sitting on her bed awaiting a visitor. With a sudden swirl of air, she turned to see that her partner had entered the room without her guards noticing.

He stuck to the shadows of the dimly lit room, with only his golden eyes and white fangs to betray his presence. The Sultana mustered what dignity she could and stood to face the shadowy figure.

“You were wrong!” Gulbahar hissed. The shadow looked mildly amused as he looked at her.

“How so?” the shadow replied in smooth Arabic. His voice was slightly raspy, as if he hadn’t had anything to drink in a while.

“She refused the deal!” Gulbahar continued to hiss quietly. The guards should know better than to enter without permission or eavesdrop, but there was no sense in risking it.

“She did exactly as I expected.” the shadow replied, his voice betraying slight irritation.

“You knew?” the Sultana bared her teeth at him involuntarily. The shadow almost burst out laughing; her pitiful teeth were nothing compared to him.

“I expected her to resist my influence, and she did” the shadow narrowed his eyes “but I was eventually able to convince her to accept without revealing myself.”

“Is that why she was staggering afterward?” Gulbahar took a step back as the shadow licked his lips.

“Indeed,” the shadow replied “I was playing a little game with our demigoddess. She seemed to realize that something was wrong, but she just decided it was fatigue.”

“So what now?” the Sultana paced back and forth in front of her bemused visitor.

“You finish the deal, and get me that necklace and the little rock it holds.” the shadow rolled his eyes. “Remember that the terms don’t matter. You won’t have to answer to politics ever again once you become a goddess.” the shadow finished with a slight chuckle.

“And the other pieces?” Gulbahar asked.

“I am working on it.” the shadow replied smoothly.

“You’ve been working on that machine for nearly a millennia.” Gulbahar grumbled. The shadow’s long ears picked up her soft statement.

“I am not the one who made it, nor do I claim to have the expertise of the creator” the shadow responded with a note of scorn “so I need time to bring it to life.” “That being said,” the shadow continued “Once I acquire the madstone…”

“Once we acquire the madstone.” the Sultana interrupted. The shadow snorted.

“Once we have it, I’ll only need one more piece to bring it together. I’ve already got Baphomet’s horns.” the shadow smiled wickedly. Stealing those had proven difficult, even for him. They had been well guarded by the elite Janissaries of his personal guard. Melek Taus didn’t give up his brother’s remains easily.

It made the shadow wonder how much Taus knew, or suspected. The horns had disappeared, and now the Sultana was making a play for the madstone. Did he link those events together? The shadow supposed it didn’t matter, since there was no way Taus would suspect what he was using those items for. They had no connection other than that Taus had held both at some point, and that wasn’t the reason the shadow wanted them. They had just been convenient.

“So what is the third artifact we need?” Gulbahar eyed the shadow suspiciously. The shadow closed his eyes for several seconds as if in deep thought, then opened them to glare at her. Those eyes of his unnerved Gulbahar. She may not worship Taus like the idiots of her country, but some of the old stories were still worth remembering. The stranger, though male, reminded her of the bloodthirsty djinn she had been so scared of growing up.

“I will deal with that.” the shadow dismissed her question.

“So why not tell me?” Gulbahar insisted. The golden eyes flashed in irritation.

“You focus on the madstone” the raspy voice replied “and let me get the less important piece.”

“Fine.” the Sultana’s resolve crumbled under his gaze. The pony in front of her smiled with those fangs of his, then vanished in a flash of light that Gulbahar had to shield her eyes from. As she returned to her bed, Gulbahar was plagued by nightmares for several hours before finally giving up.

She stayed up by reading the Hadith Bayad Wa Riyad for the first time