Defiance

Sharp Horn chose to bathe in the third bathtub in his house. His horn glowed gently as he pulled a tub of bathing salts and unicorn 'enhancement' solutions towards his eager snout. With a motion, he shifted a hoof and pushed a Zecora herbal potion into the water as his wife entered the room.

"Business, I can see, was entirely successful." Her hooves gently pressed into the waters, then she gently trotted over to him and pressed her limbs to his chest. "So what of the F&F?"

"Gone. But the strange thing was Flim was already missing and Flam disappeared soon after. I'd say it was strange but they were never really reliable." Her snout tickled his mane as he added more potion to the bath. "The F&F is ours now, my lovely starflower."

With a smile he pressed his eager lips to hers and she replied in kind. The dance of love began as their tongues met and caressed one another. Then, to Sharp's surprise, his bride pulled away from their embrace and looked at him with cold eyes. A cold feeling of dread passed through him as she took a bottle of 'Iron Will's stamina enhancement from the cup. The feeling passed as she poured alittle on her hooves and gently started to massage his head with a loving touch.

"And what of Nolan?" She whispered as he was enjoying the contact.

"He lives and no one but us and the Celestial guard know anything about the Kazari." Rubbing his ears made him practically purr. "I have heard rumors though."

Almost immediately she recoiled, leaving Sharp in a trance before he came to his senses. Slowly, he resumed control of his faculties and looked at her. Her snout was fixed in an expression of horror and concern. Lifting his hoof caused her horn to glow and the bottle of stamina enhancement shattered against the wall as it was flung from its resting place.

"Rumors?" She whispered.

"Of a creature from the rifts, something like but not like Nolan, she went to Vémundr's place." When she looked away he back-hoofed her out of the bath. "Silly mare, I'm not some weak stallion. Now tell me what you've heard, my starflower, or I'll use that broken bottle and tear our your neck."

"Irisa has returned!" she spluttered.

"So both of the keys are in place, now all it will take is one brave stallion to open the door and unleash the power in the mines. Even the Princess' won't be able to stop me when I finally claim my right as the first male alicorn and king." His mare looked at him. "And his beautiful queen: Starkiller." She smirked as she returned to the bathtub. "You think I'll forgive you holding back that information from me?" Her hoof descended below the bathwater.

"I think I can find a way." She said as she nuzzled him deeply.

"Ah, I married well." He muttered.

"You flatter a poor mare." She smiled like a viper. "Lets just be us tonight, King Sharp Horn, and let everything happen as you will."

"Yes," he said, deeply enjoying the ministrations of his wife, "the plan is coming together. Yes, everything is just as I..."

As Sharp Hoof failed to complete his sentence, a lone stallion who was doing his best to remain hidden behind the frosted glass of SH's house lept into the night before taking wing. Leathery wings flapped in the night air as his limbs grew colder in the dark night air. After several hours he could barely beat them before smashing down into the balcony he needed. A moment later, a dark form appeared from the room within and peered at him.

"My Lady," He coughed, "They found the second key."

"And you're the only one who knows this?"

"My Lady, I would only report to you." He said earnestly.

Her horn glowed, then her spell took hold of the batpony before he burst into magical flame. His screamed were muted by her magic as she dragged him inside and ditched the remaining, now scream-less, pieces into her fireplace. That done, she took to her writing table and wrote a short letter describing how 'Nightshade' had fallen bravely in a fight with some diamond dogs. Then her horn glowed again and, gently, gestured to the mural on her wall. As the picture faded, she looked at the stolen images of the pictogram that the little foal had provided her and spoke to the now empty room.

"Two keys. Two locks. If my sister thinks that Sharp Horn and that town are worth investing an entire battalion of guards to, whatever remains inside that locked box must be extremely important." Making the mural fade back to normal, she slammed the door with her hoof and made the two guards jump in surprise. "Hark at ye, guardsman." She disdained the voice, but it was needed. "Prepare the Royal Chariot! We are making a visit to Defiance when my sister raises the sun!" Shutting the door much more quietly she whispered.

"And then we'll find out why she's never told us about it."