Unintentionally Yours

Chapter 4: Mine

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“Release his throat, Nalthanida,” Lord Dadaelus seethed as he glanced toward his aged advisor. The blue dragoness glared at her husband and unlocked her jaw which had been fastened mercilessly around the young black dragon’s larynx. With a gasp, Kàndelthylt fell to the ground with his life intact, focus returning to his blue eyes. Lady Nalthanida snorted and a cloud of ashen smoke blew from her nostrils into the face of her victim. She returned to her mate’s side, her green eyes set upon Kàndelthylt. The deep punctures amid his scales would forever remind the young dragon, and others standing quietly about him, the price to be paid for insolence.

Dadaelus dismissively exchanged glances with his lady wife and returned his focus upon the aged Nestoramnen and said, “Please tell my wife what you have told me, old friend.”

Nestoramnen obliged and said, “Arrogant as he may be, Kàndelthylt is innocent of the crime of consuming the Royumborn.”

“How so?” Nalthanida broke her dangerous stare of the recovering Kàndelthylt and offered the advisor a quizzical glance.

“I smell deception in the air, Royum. Deception and an elder scent I have not perceived in nigh one thousand years: Equestrian royalty.”

“Pony royalty? The god-princesses and their foul magics?” Nalthanida bared her blood-covered fangs as she rose to full height upon her hind legs and looked in the direction of distant Canterlot. “Are you sure, Nestoramnen?” she asked quietly. “For all your wisdom, this tests you, for we dragons cannot go to war lightly.”

“Of this claim, I am certain, Royum,” the elder dragon spoke clearly, confidently.

“The–ponies–have–violated–the–agreement!” Kàndelthylt coughed and sputtered as he rose to his feet. “We must prepare for battle!” he roared triumphantly.

“Then it is settled,” Dadaelus softly spoke, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. “The ponies have reclaimed our son for their own means, the treaty now lays in tatters and we cannot return home without a bloodprice paid." He looked to his army, “I did not wish for it to come to this.” He then looked upon his trusted advisor, “Ready the legion, we attack the citadel at daybreak.” The dragons that were within earshot heard this command and gave howls of joy, for their long flight and time spent would be justly rewarded by the bounty of Canterlot’s treasury to claim as their own. As Nestoramnen proceeded to carry his orders out, Kàndelthylt could not help but bear the pain it caused him to grin, for daybreak was mere hours away.

Voices. Slowly and incoherently at first, they teased his ears. He could not discern the detail those voices carried, but he could tell that there were two of them, both carrying female inflections. Of what they spoke, he hoped, would become clear in the retreating darkness. Suddenly, Spike awoke with a start, as if from a century’s deep slumber. He no longer felt the wind against his face, nor did he feel the darkness engulf him. Instead, he was warm and what greeted his awakening eyes was a bright eminence. As his vision slid into focus, a sea of golden sunshine met his eyes upon the gently rising and falling orange frame of a familiar sight. Applejack lay next to him, gently breathing, a calm expression upon her visage. He groaned and reached out to her, longing to run his palm across her cheek. As his arm stretched out to her, his vision widened to encompass the surface upon which they both lay. A polished hard white marble reflected the light above. He knew that surface and the emerging aristocratic patterns that they formed. His vision wandered. He observed tall columns and warm colours that accompanied walls of stained glass windows.

He was in Canterlot, or the afterlife included familiar halls and Applejack, which was very, in his humble opinion, awesome.

This euphoria was slain by the increasing volume of the voices. As his senses returned to him, Spike could tell that their possessors appeared to be in argument.

“Thou wilst forgive me, Dear Sister.”

“You know that I already have, but you must consider the consequences of your actions!”

“Was I then to do nothing and watch as one of mine ponies and thine faithful student’s precious friend be devoured by feral dracos?”

“You know, Luna, that I commend your effort to save them, but to spirit them both back to the Citadel was no more than an act of war in their eyes.”

The younger voice, that of Princess Luna, became silent then. This exchange had confirmed two things for Spike: He had survived and he was, apparently, in Canterlot once more. Of the former, he was relieved. Of the latter, Princess Celestia’s truth made it difficult to consume. A groan caught not only his attention, but that of the goddesses as well.

As Applejack opened her eyes to the world, they caught those of Spike, now fully alert and focused entirely on her. “Spike?” she yawned, “You’re safe!” She reached out to him, sleepily just has he had done for her. She found his palm upon her cheek and she retracted her hoof to meet his hand. Spike merely nodded and grinned sheepishly. She returned the gesture and asked, “Where are we?”

“Applejack. Spike. Welcome back to Canterlot.” Celestia lowered her head so that her subjects could gaze upon her regal glow.

“Beggin’ your pardon, Princess,” began Applejack, raising her head, “but what in Equestria happened? Last I recall, I was about to become some cranky dragon’s dinner, then all I seem to remember is Spike and… darkness.” She shivered.

“You have my sister to thank for your continued existence, Applejack. Her magic is potent, though it could not fool the dragons entirely. They will track not only her, but you and their prince back here before sunrise tomorrow.”

“That big, nasty black dragon and my dad’s army are coming here?” Spike asked, suddenly on his feet, his heart dropping into unknown depths of terror.

“Tis my grievous ill to bear, Spike. We did not intend to ignite the fires of war. Ergo, we must return thee post-haste. I will answer for my actions.”

“That will not be necessary, dear sister.” Celestia quietly regarded her charge then, once a tiny reptile, so frail and alone amid the ponies surrounding him. Her violet eyes rested upon his, strong and dutiful. She knew, deep down, that Spike would gladly leave all of this behind, even a second time, if it meant the safety of others. Unlike any other dragon, he would forsake his treasures. Since the day Celestia had taken the youngling dragon under her regal wing, the Regent of the Sun remarked upon Spike’s courageous heart and kindly spirit. Her heart fractured evermore when faced with the possibility that she would never see her little dragon again. A mother’s instinct, some would rationalize. And they would be correct. Not even Twilight Sparkle, her faithful student and friend could fathom the depths of sorrow the princess felt, how it pained her to even consider the ultimatum cast by the Dragonlord and what it meant to her. She knew Twilight would not understand, given her own heart being bound to the young purple dragon and for that, Celestia found no difficulty in forgiving the Element of Magic for the resentment against her. However, above all, Celestia feared what the next moments brought to bear, what Spike’s very presence in the Citadel represented. She languished in the horror of what a thousand dragons could do to all of her ponies. Even now, none could see the panic that threatened to rise within her. Even now, Spike waited quietly, obediently, as if her opinion mattered personally to him despite the looming crisis.

She did not wish to send him away, especially since she saw his palm stroking the smiling visage of the Element of Honesty. It was then that Celestia had known truly how much her little dragon had grown. He had learned volumes of what vastness of knowledge she had to offer, he had honed his magiks and his skills.

He had fallen in love. He was grown up and she was forcing him to leave it all behind. Celestia wished she could simply shake her head; allow her guilt to drift, be carried away by the mysterious wind that ran through her billowing auroral mane. Alas, her wish would forever remain silently stored away, tempered only by time itself.

She had made her decision.

“We beg thine pardon, sister?” Luna took a cautionary step forward, her dark brows knitted together, worry painted her deep blue eyes.

“We will not return Spike to face the hardships of his kin. By right, I should not have taken him, but by right, he is my child to claim if my actions truly had spared him a miserable fate. I will face Dadaelus and I will protect my charge.”

Luna’s expression became unreadable then. That was before a smirk curled upon her dark lips. “Then We shall stand with thee, Sister.” Celestia nodded in approval.

“Wait, Princess!” Spike ran to his surrogate mother and pleaded, “I don’t want anyone to be hurt on because of me, not even the dragons, scary as they are!”

Celestia lowered her head and nuzzled her child affectionately, saying, “It is not my place to hurt others, Spike. You should know that.” She rose once again, her eyes never leaving him.

“But,” Spike protested and soon found an orange limb around his shoulders, holding him close to a warm golden-maned frame. Applejack silenced him with a nuzzling of her own.

“You, Spike, are the kindest most gentle and generous dragon Equestria has ever known,” Celestia said with a smile. “Quite the opposite of your kin’s more universal traits.” Spike cocked his head in confusion.

“This,” continued Celestia, “is what I now plan to use to our advantage when the time comes.”

In the distance, a great horn blew, its heavy note reverberating from the very top of the tallest tower of the Citadel down into the tree-ringed valleys below. That horn was old and scarcely used, but every pony in the great mountain city understood its meaning. Thousands of wide eyes gazed upon the tower that housed the horn and despaired.

Celestia bowed her head as her royal guards rushed to her side. The elder of the pair was notably large, intimidating and without any readable expression. “My Princess,” stated the senior guardspony, “the Forewarning has sounded, we must get you to safety!”

“Clegmane,” the princess spoke softly and the nearest unicorn guard stiffened,

“Majesty,” Clegmane then stepped forward.

Celestia swept a hoof over Applejack, “Before you is the Element of Honesty, an avatar of Harmony.” Applejack rose to her full height and tilted her hat toward the senior guard, concern never leaving her emerald eyes.

“And this,” The Sun Regent turned to Spike and continued, gathering Celgmane’s attention once more, “is my son.” She smiled at her young dragon warmly. “You will see them both safely to our emergency chambers and see to it that the castle is safely evacuated.”

Clegmane’s eyes widened with alarm, “But, the guard must defend its Princesses, as is our sacred trust!”

“We stand by Our Sister’s order. The caverns will provide safety to all who wish for it. Even dragons cannot reach them in there.” Luna’s lips remained curled into that wry smirk and Clegmane backed down in defeat.

“Yes, my princesses. Consider the evacuation under way.” Resolve resurfacing, the large unicorn turned to face Spike and Applejack, “My lord and lady, please follow me.” All desperation was vanquished from his voice, only to be replaced by cool assertion.

Spike hesitated as Clegmane led the way. He glanced back at Celestia and Luna, asking, “What are going to do?”

Celestia’s warmth did not fade as she closed her eyes as if to visualize her plan, “I am going to give them what they truly came for.”

At that, Princess Celestia unfurled her great wings. Luna did the same and both sisters lunged skyward through the breezy open windows, toward the approaching aerodrome of dragons.

Twilight gazed out the window of her old study. From that vantage point within the tower, she could oversee the lay of the Citadel and her mighty walls. Beyond them stretched the valleys, hills and forests at the foot of the great purple mountain range. Beyond even those, she espied the tiny thatched roofs and stone chimneys of distant Ponyville. She noticed the little cotton-ball puffs of smoke that exuded from the chimneys, following no specific pattern at all. The morning had arrived and she had not returned to that little town. As she watched the royal dragons carry her little brother away, she could not bear to be next to Celestia, not out of spite, but out of the need to be alone.

She had never truly been alone before, as her scaly kindly friend had been present throughout most of her young life. Now, the void was immeasurable. She left her teacher's side and, much to her own surprise, did not follow the paths and halls that struck through the primary atria toward where her transport awaited. Rather, she had taken a detour, aimlessly wandering the familiar halls until she had found herself at the foot of the spiral stairs that lead to her old chambers.

The room had been kept proper, clean, orderly, very Twilight Sparkle. Many of the original items that once lay strewn about were no longer present, having found a comfortable new home in a hollow tree many fathoms away. The library shelves had remained untouched, their volumes having been already stocked in Ponyville. Still, as Twilight turned her gaze away from the window she levitated a humble faux leather-bound tome from its resting place and studied the cover, taking very little interest in it. 'General Gerribald’s General Instructions on Dreams' was the title. She rolled her eyes and thought nothing more of the book, setting it in its place. Dreams, she thought, why bother?

As she looked away from the tall, heavily laden shelves, Twilight caught a glimpse of her old writing desk and something prompted her to pull open all of its drawers. As she checked them, she found naught but vacant space, save the deepest drawer on the left. From that she pulled out an item that she had not seen for a few months, despite the feeling of years since she had last laid eyes upon it. It was a package, neatly wrapped, or at least formerly so. The meager box had been squashed, its ribbons unkempt and its glossy paper torn asunder. The box was still partially by a matching lid, which Twilight removed. Within the damaged box was a sorry sight: a stuffed bear torn at many seams, its soft stuffing exposed. Instantly, she recognized the wounded item as Spike’s intended gift for Moondancer’s birthday before the Summer Sun Celebration. Twilight recalled how, to her assistant’s dismay, that her eagerness to solve the mystery of the Elements of Harmony had inadvertently lead to the destruction of his gift. She remembered the downtrodden look on his face when he lifted the broken bear from its case. She had been so heartless then compared to now. Regret filled her chest when she parsed further into the memory, knowing that Spike had hoped to gain Moondancer’s attention with this simple plushy offering, though she removed that chance from him in her callousness. He made no secret of his crush on Moondancer up until the moment he met Rarity.

Twilight chuckled when she thought of their first encounter with the fashionista, wondering further, how Spike’s mandible could drop so low despite the restrictions of his musculoskeletal anatomy. Twilight shook her head, lest her thoughts be distracted and then utterly derailed. She thought of Applejack and how she had so effortlessly won her little brother’s heart. Something happened between them that defied the unicorn’s understanding of logical courtship proceedings. Then again, structured theory, she admitted, rarely held water when practiced in reality–much akin to her failed attempts at explaining the nature of Pinkie Pie: it could not be empirically studied, only accepted, believed. This did little to settle Twilight’s mind on whether either the beautiful farm pony or her scaled prince knew what they were doing. Pure reaction and little forethought never sat well with the studious mare that had previously known nothing but structure.

Then, something shook her train of thought completely free of its rails. It was a blaring and deeply foreboding sound that rattled her chest and pinned her ears. The Horn of Forewarning had been sounded for the first time that Twilight could remember, perhaps the first time in the lives of any pony now living. At once, she understood what she had to do, the same that that she and every young foal in Canterlot was always taught and trained to do if ever the Foreboding Horn was sounded. Of how the call would be instantly recognizable, even if it was never heard prior to its sounding and how the Royal Guard would guide them all to the safety of the nearby mountain passes. As she sprang from her former home and dashed down the spiral stairs, Twilight saw legions of golden-armoured white pegasi and dark unicorns guiding a calmly filing population of concerned ponies into the depths of the mountain. Toward the nearest guard, she trotted. He was young, but his deep blue eyes spoke of a discipline that Twilight could not fathom, stoic in her approach of him.

“Excuse me, guard!” she called out as she neared him.

He glanced in her direction, “Miss Sparkle?” He bowed his head respectively upon seeing the her address him.

She acknowledged the greeting and offered a thankful smile. “Can you please tell me what's going on?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have that information, Miss Sparkle,” he replied regretfully. “But if you reach the palace, Captain Clegmane of the Honour Guard has been placed in charge of evacuations.”

Captain Clegmane? Twilight wondered as she tilted her head and asked, “And what of the princesses? Any word from them?”

“My apologies, Miss Sparkle,” the young guard answered. “Final orders from Clegmane stated that our rulers have taken wing to confront the issue first-hoof, which is why, I am guessing, he was placed in charge.”

“Thank you, guardstallion.” Twilight glanced in the direction of the palace before returning a soft gaze toward the helpful soldier, “May I ask for your name?”

The guard pony beamed and said, “Gen D’arme, miss.”

“Well met, Gen D’arme and good luck!” Twilight bade the helpful pony farewell before departing toward the palace.

“The same to you, Miss Sparkle!” Gen D’arme’s voice called after her but soon became lost in the din of the crowd.

Spike tried his best to keep up with the evacuees; something his bipedal nature did not provide an advantage for when compared with the efficiency of his four-legged compatriots. His complaints were short-lived, however when a quick bite to the larger of his cranial spines halted his advance entirely and a sudden powerful force swung his body free from the ground as he was tossed into the air. Disoriented, he landed upon a soft, yet firm surface that contracted and relaxed with strong muscles beneath it. He looked up and saw the hallway retreating before him and a golden-locked tail flicking carelessly in front of his eyes. He ran a claw across the surface he landed on and saw that it was orange and offered the scent of apples to tease his senses. It was then that he realized that Applejack had deftly lifted him and tossed him safely upon her back.

The pony quietly giggled as Spike ran his claw across her back, for they tickled something awful. She turned her head to see him and winked, “Hang on, there, loverboy!” At that, the farm pony galloped on to meet the next checkpoint as her rider spun himself around to face the proper direction. As he straddled the mare, Spike could not help but realize a pair of undeniable concepts: one, he was on Applejack’s back and enjoying himself almost too much, despite the chaos that threatened to consume them. Two, he did not feel right about simply leaving the princesses to deal with his kin. They were his family, after all and he needed to confront them as he was. Unfortunately, he simply did not know how to go about doing so.

Then something up ahead caught his attention. “Applejack, woah!” the young dragon bellowed.

Applejack did, in fact, halt, but turned her head to eye him with irritation. “I resent that remark,” she deadpanned.

Spike blushed in embarrassment, chuckling as he said, “Sorry about that, AJ.” The farm pony relaxed and nuzzled him, but before she could ask him what was on his mind, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She turned to face whoever it was and saw that it was a tall grey unicorn stallion, the very one who was assigned by Clegmane to escort them toward the safety of the mountain pass in order to join the greater herd of evacuees.

“My apologies, Miss Applejack, Master Spike, but we must keep moving.”

Spike protested, shaking his head, “I’m afraid we can’t, Mister Logos. We need to go back and fix this mess once and for all.”

Lieutenant Logos would not budge, “And I am afraid that I cannot allow that–strict orders from the captain.”

“Please,” Spike clasped his claws together, “I just need to speak with them, give them something to bargain over, even if it’s me.”

Logos was about to dismiss the plea when Applejack brought her strong hoof down and stomped the brickwork pathway. Firmly, she eyed the Lieutenant and evenly said, “I’m the Element of Honesty and I can speak no lies when I say that I believe in my dragon here. He has a plan and I’m fully invested into seein’ it through, orders or not.”

Logos seemed genuinely flustered and replied, saying, “My orders are—”

“To safeguard the lives of the Princesses and their subjects. We know, Logos.” Applejack smiled gently. “But my friends and I have a similar role to play in dire times as these. Just as you have a job to do, so do we.” Logos had no reply and Applejack turned around, walking away. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I weren’t plum sure about trustin’ those closest to me.” She turned her smile to the dragon and his face flushed in response.

The lieutenant did not say anything then. He simply nodded and motioned for them to go. Applejack nodded her head and turned to go back the way they came. As she did so, Spike called back, saying, “Thank you, Logos! I won’t forget this!”

Logos sighed, waving in response to the dragon’s compliment. Neither will Clegmane. Princesses forgive me. He then returned his attention to the fleeing population of ponies, guiding them into the mountains.

“So, what’s the plan, hon?” Applejack asked as she galloped at a swift pace through the deserted halls.

“I’m not so sure, actually,” shrugged Spike. He pictured the regal pony sisters, dwarfed in size by his parents and the span of their great leathery wings.

Wings. Spike looked around to his own bareback and huffed, “I wish I had wings.”

Applejack frowned, searching for something to respond with until morning light caught her eye directly ahead of them. From the open expanse of the large balcony, she recognized the familiar golden sight of the large royal chariot being hauled indoors by a pair of pristine-coated pegasi guards. That’s it! Applejack reared in triumph, nearly throwing her dragon free from her back.

As he scrambled to regain his seat, Spike peeked over his mare’s Stetson to see what she perceived. The same grin she bore infectiously found its way onto his face, “I love the way you think, AJ!” He gently kissed behind her ear, causing it to wildly flicker against his nose. She flushed beneath him and he chuckled at the response he had elicited. Something told him to remember that. As if spurred, Applejack shot forward like a discharged projectile. This time, her charge remembered to hold on tight.

“Are you sure you know how to fly this thing, Pinkie?” Rarity shuffled her hooves nervously as the enormous air balloon began to inflate with heated air. Before long, the chamber was fully engorged and the passenger basket lifted from the ground, tethered only by a thick twine rope that was staked to the ground.

“Technically,” replied the pink party pony, “no.” She smiled. “But that’s part of the fun!”

“Fun!” Rarity spat, “Pinkie, we are trying to save Applejack and Spiky-Wikey, not joyride in the skies!” A spectral blur of rainbow and sky materialized beside the fashionista.

Rainbow Dash could not contain herself and said, “Well, if you were in such a hurry, you could have inflated this thing a lot faster. Just had to look up and keep talking.”

Rarity frowned and said nothing, refusing to stoop down to her pegasus friend’s level. It was simply unladylike. Still, Dash’s cacophony of laughter served only to grate on her patience. Even when Pinkie Pie inevitably joined the laughter, Rarity’s composure held steadfast. It was only when Fluttershy — timid, sweet, dear Fluttershy — began to curl her lips from behind her veil of pink mane that the alabaster white pony’s resolve faltered. With steam shooting from her pinned ears, Rarity levitated two nearby lengths of rope. And with expert speed and precision, she fastened the giggling pair of pegasi to the rim of the basket.

With a huff, she said, “In that case, since you are so ingenious, Rainbow Dash, perhaps you and Flutter-wry over there can serve as our propulsion while Pinkie and I formulate a plan to rescue our friends!”

With a little giggle, Pinkie Pie said, “Spiky-Wikey,” clearly amused that she was not the only pony to refer to the charming young dragon like that.

Rarity’s cheeks would have betrayed her feelings, had she not been pre-occupied with fastening the final knots. With a snort, the rainbow tomboy took the lead next to her silent cream-coloured friend, their wings flared and ready for lift off. Satisfied, Rarity gingerly plucked the peg from its place, effectively freeing the balloon. Powered by the pegasi, the adorable mode of transport rose above the treeline, above the clouds and towards the Citadel.

Rarity could not help but squeeze her eyes shut at the passing winds that stung her eyes and, more importantly, tousled her coiffure. She shook her head and ran over whatever plans she could assemble into what she hoped could be a rescue. The most she could come up with was her intended result: having all of her friends together, safe and happy.

We’re coming for you, Twilight, Applejack… and Spiky-Wikey. Applejack and Spike. The quickly shifting atmospheric pressure began to squeeze tears free. Yes, that was it: atmospheric pressure.

Twilight Sparkle had little trouble entering the palace and even less trouble finding the throne room. Where her difficulties began was what awaited her there within. The Princesses were nowhere to be seen. The Twin Thrones sat idly beside one another, empty. Instead, at the room's epicenter fluttered a small group of brightly armoured pegasi, just above their darkly armoured unicorn counterparts. Their rapt attention was centered on one rather large and seasoned unicorn that Twilight instantly recognized.

She remembered Clegmane from when she was a filly. He had been a handsome recruit, freshly pressed into the Unicorn detachment of the Royal Honour Guard. The stallion was a decade her senior, but she still remembered how he became the fixation of a small, insignificant fillyhood crush. Celestia may have noticed this, since Clegmane had always been among the prestigious few selected for the personal escort platoon that constantly flanked the Princess. In other words, Twilight got to see him all the time, which meant that she could plague him with endless questions about routine, scheduling, training, magic, useful spells he had employed; common spells, recreational spells, armour maintenance, bravery, et cetera. She recalled how quickly she had learned not to bother him when in the public eye, but by the time the sun had set and the royal court was adjourned, Clegmane was relatively free for questioning. Nearly all the questions she posed, he answered as best he could, curt and to the point. He was a pragmatic, but superbly intelligent stallion, which was among the many reasons she nearly subtly pursued him as she grew and matured. However, her love for studies far outweighed her irrational feelings for the decorated guardspony.

The year that Spike was formally given to her, when she was capable of handling the charge, was the year that Clegmane had risen to the position of Captain. Suddenly, he ceased being a public commonality, instead directing the guard ponies from behind closed doors. Twilight only ever saw him when she emerged from her newly acquired study or when he emerged from his newly acquired office. His visible age and service had begun to take their toll on the stallion whenever she saw him; dashes of salty grey interrupted his dark mane. His amber eyes sat warily upon darkened lids. Still, his striking features only appeared to sharpen, causing a slight unconscious flutter whenever he crossed her path.

For years, Twilight ignored that fluttering, resolving that he never noticed, let alone cared for her attention.

Even now, as Canterlot rested on the knife's edge, she ignored the fluttering and approached Clegmane's council. Her desire for answers once again overthrew that lingering, irrational wish to have him look upon her, just once, with softened eyes. None of that mattered anymore.

Clegmane's attention shifted from his lieutenants toward Twilight who was quickly approaching him. At once, he swept a glance across his command staff and said, "You know what to do, gentlecolts. To your duties." The entourage came to attention and saluted their officer. "Dismissed," Clegmane declared as he returned the gesture.

As the guards departed the throne room, the Captain turned his focus wholly on the Princess's protégé.

"Twilight Sparkle, how very nice to see you once more."

"Likewise, Captain," was Twilight's reply.

"I assume you are seeking council with our Princesses?"

"Yes," she answered, "may I ask where they are?"

Clegmane turned to the stained glass window that concealed the view of the Northern Mountains. With a flicker of magic from his horn, the old Captain cast a spell that seemed to gently lift the colours free from the window, allowing a clear view of the dragon horde taken wing. Clegmane needed to say no more. He gestured toward them and Twilight shrank before the imposing sight, her eyes widening at the hundreds of distant masses. Each distant silhouette represented a beast that towered over them all.

"Why are they there? I thought we brokered a truce?"

"The dragon appear to have reason to think that we violated that agreement." Clegmane stood next to Twilight.

"That means that they aim to burn Canterlot, prompting the Princesses to meet them. I have to do something!" Twilight shouted. Then, she felt the cold, yet reassuring iron-shod hoof of the armoured Captain rest upon her shoulder in a rare show of compassion. Her panic instantly subsided.

They shared a moment of silence, alone and undisturbed within the cavernous throne room, watching the dragon-flecked horizon. Suddenly, Clegmane asked, "For as long as I've known you, Miss Sparkle, you've been asking me questions that most fillies would not think of asking a guardspony such as myself."

Unsure, Twilight looked over at the Captain. His hoof lifted from her shoulder, his gaze transfixed upon the wilds beneath the rising sun. He continued, "For nearly as long, I have been in the service of Princess Celestia and, as of late, her sister.

"Yet, for all your questions and all the time I have spent with the Princesses, I have never questioned anything myself." Twilight opened her mouth to ask Clegmane where he was going with his sudden monologue, but he answered for her in kind. "Now, I feel that I must finally ask you a question, should you agree to hear it."

"Of course, Clegmane, ask me whatever you wish." Twilight did not lift her gaze off the elder pony.

He asked, "Do you think our Princesses have what it takes to stop this impending disaster?" The mare froze at the Captain's genuine query. Normally, her unwavering faith in Celestia would have prompted response in favour of the Princess’s diplomacy. Ever since yesterday morning, however, she no longer knew for sure.

"Yes, Clegmane, despite the dire circumstances, I do have faith."

He sighed, apparently relieved.

"I also have faith that Luna will play her vital role effectively, that the good nature of ponies and dragons can be reached, especially now. My faith cannot be squarely placed on Celestia alone, but in everyone, pony or otherwise."

For the first time in her young life and secret pursuits, Twilight actually witnessed a smile infiltrate the grizzled pony captain's visage, if only on a subtle level that the mare's years of observation alone provided insight. Clegmane smiled and it was because of her.

"You know something, Miss Sparkle?" Clegmane kept his amber eyes upon the window. They seemed to glisten in the dawn light and that captivated Twilight just as effectively as it had done years before.

"Yes?" Was her reply.

"In a way, you remind me of my wife, bless her soul." Clegmane lowered his head slightly, breaking his concentration on the black-spotted horizon. Twilight felt her heart clench at the mention of the Captain's beloved, a fact she willfully ignored before.

"Her birthday was three weeks ago, yet she had just barely seen your current age when the Summerlands called to her."

"I'm sorry, Clegmane… you must have loved her dearly, and I feel awful that my presence brings you such pain." She sadly lowered her head and turned to leave.

"There is nothing to forgive, Twilight." He had never used her name with such an informal tone before. It caused her to stop mid-step and turn to him.

"Are you sure?" she asked, once again uncertain.

He did not answer her, but instead said, "She was an earth pony. Her name was Vidalia and she loved growing onions." He smiled at the memory, which caused Twilight to smile in return. She admitted that she was enjoying this unexpected side of Clegmane.

The young unicorn listened as he spoke on, "Was never a fan of onions myself, but she changed that with her Fancy Onion soup. Been eating them religiously ever since." They shared a light chuckle. "She was smart, though," Clegmane quickly added, "sharp as a tack, but compassionate and wanting to believe in the best for all things. This is what I feel that she gave to her work: belief in the capacity for good. Combine that with an earth pony's uncanny ability to grow, well, anything, and you have some really good onions that even a sourpuss like me will enjoy."

Clegmane and Twilight shared another good laugh before they settled into comfortable silence once again. He then spoke once more, "I've always been respectful to Earth ponies because of Vidalia." Twilight nodded absently as he continued, "There is strength and magic with them that cannot be comprehended." Twilight agreed wholeheartedly, thinking of her friends back in Ponyville, waiting anxiously on her return.

"I especially felt it when your fellow Element showed up in the arms of your former assistant, Spike. All thanks to Princess Luna's efforts, mind you."

It took a moment for Twilight to catch on to what the Captain had just told her: Earth pony, fellow Element of Harmony, in the arms of Spike. She spastically shook her head, her mane becoming disheveled, her eyes widening.

"What!" was all she could muster. Clegmane raised a brow.

"You didn't know? Surely the Princess would have informed her prized –"

"Spike is back? With Applejack? How?"

Clegmane took a cautionary step back and answered evenly, "Princess Luna appeared with them. It appears they had nearly escaped some trauma because Luna said she had barely enough time to intervene."

Twilight could not understand. Spike's presence here could only explain why the dragons were here, why the Forewarning was sounded, why the city was being evacuated, why both Princesses took wing against the oncoming horde of angry dragons.

"Where are they now?"

Clegmane pointed to the main hallway, "I was ordered to keep them safe while I also being given command of the evacuation. I sent them with one of my best officers, Lieutenant Logos, down the main hall toward the Princesses' emergency chambers."

Before Twilight could take off in the direction of those chambers, Clegmane called to her, "Wait, Twilight, look out there!"

Then she saw it: the royal chariot, pulled by a pair of armoured pegasi and ridden by ponies obscured by the chariot's height as it raced toward the smoky horizon. Twilight ushered a magnification spell that enhanced her vision to see the mysterious riders. She saw a familiar Stetson poking out from in front of the high-backed seat, all the while blonde tail locks, barely contained by a red bow at the tail's tip fluttered in the passing breeze.

"I didn't authorize any take-offs…" Clegmane was back in his position as Captain and was about to call for a messenger when Twilight gasped, "Applejack's on the chariot!"

Though she could not see him, she knew Spike would not allow himself to be separated from her. She knew her dragon, her little brother and oldest friend and she knew what his aim was. She also knew that Applejack would not leave his side, even through dragonfire. No pegasus could hope to catch up to them and the one who could was many leagues away in Ponyville. No amount of magic that Twilight possessed could hope to be effective at such a great range. All, save one.

It was risky, but she took a cautionary step back and focused on the ever-shrinking speck that was the royal chariot.

"Stand back and cover your eyes, Clegmane. This could get a little bright." The unicorn stallion could not respond, for the unicorn had disappeared in a brilliant flash.

Teleportation. Hm. Clegmane stared bemusedly at the space where Twilight Sparkle had once stood. He looked over toward where he thought the chariot to be, but its distance was too great to perceive with any success. Among the many trying things on his mind, the Captain sighed and seriously reconsidered his position on Lieutenant Logos, considering that both of his charges were now doing the direct opposite of what the Lieutenant was ordered to see them do. Alas, that judgment would have to wait, seeing as there was a city to evacuate.

As he turned to leave, Clegmane glanced over his broad shoulder and spoke softly, "Good luck, young ones. I believe in you and your Elements. Farewell, Miss Sparkle."