“That accursed mare!” The sound of something shattering against the wall echoed out from the Empress’s bedchamber and through the castle walls. Upon returning from her failed venture into the Everfree Forest to retrieve an artefact said to allow one to travel through time itself, everpony had been cautious to give the Empress a wide berth as she’d trotted off to her room, her rage having reached a point to become almost palpable. Judging from the enraged outbursts from the last hour, it had been a wise decision.
Standing outside her mistress’s room, Rarity winced as she heard the telltale sounds of another priceless artefact hurled against the wall. Oh, I hope that wasn’t the pre-era griffon vase this time… As the head maid of her Royal Highness, it would no doubt fall to Rarity to return Nightmare Moon’s room back to its previous immaculate state.
SMASH!
Minus a few fragile arrangements, that is.
Despite it all, it wasn’t the thought of facing the Empress’s fury that was currently tying Rarity’s stomach up in knots, nor was the idea of having to repair her room after her temper had finally run its course making her feel like she was burning alive underneath her uniform. I can’t believe I’m doing this… I must be crazy.
Glancing behind her, she yet again took stock of the serving cart behind her, knowing that the Empress would want her midnight tea after her outburst. Accompanying a kettle of freshly brewed jasmine tea was a plate of sugar cookies and blueberry glazed moon pies, Nightmare Moon’s favourite. Having worked at the castle for the better part of the last three years, Rarity had taken to memorizing her mistress’s wants and needs, an ability that had earned her the respect enough to be promoted to head maid in less than a year.
Oh, how unbelievably smug she had been when the maids who had previously mocked her and passed all their undesirable tasks onto her were placed under her command, especially among the group she had indefinitely reassigned to the task of cleaning out the castle bathrooms. And yet, the memory of that day did nothing to improve Rarity’s mood as she fiddled with her collar.
Peering down the hall to make sure she wasn’t being watched, the guards off dealing with another crisis, she pulled open the collar of her uniform and withdrew a small brown packet from within. Despite being barely the size of her hoof, the very sight of it filled her with dread at the circumstances that had put it in her possession…
***
“Sweetie Belle? Sweetie Belle, are you awake?”
Stepping through the front door of her home, Rarity called out to her sister as she yanked the elastic band holding her mane in a bun free, her hair falling loose against her withers as she shut the door behind her. “It’s almost morning, have you had dinner yet?”
In the very beginning of Nightmare Moon’s rule, her first decree had been to enact a state of perpetual night, but that had only led to one problem arising after another. After only a short three weeks, and with the temperature dropping to below freezing in the middle of July, Nightmare Moon had opted for the next best thing: switching the night and day cycles around.
Going from a diurnal society to a nocturnal one had made for a rough transition, but Rarity had persevered. Given that it had helped in securing her current position, a few sleepless days had been worth it, especially for Sweetie Belle’s sake.
As Rarity climbed the steps towards Sweetie Belle’s room, she felt herself break a little at the memory of that day. Sweetie Belle had been but a filly, barely old enough to walk, let alone care for herself when their parents had vanished without a trace. Since then, Rarity had strived to take care of her sister like she was her own daughter, more than a few nights having gone hungry so her dear little sister didn’t have to.
Like the rest of Equestria, Rarity had been terrified when Nightmare Moon had returned and overthrown Princess Celestia in a single night, fearful of how they would be able to survive under the rule of a mare once used to scare misbehaving colts and fillies into obeying their mothers.
And yet, life for the orphaned sisters had been nothing but prosperous ever since Nightmare Moon, now bearing the title of Empress, had taken the throne. In less than a year, Rarity had gone from a poor mare begging for scraps on the streets of Canterlot to one employed by the Empress herself
Truly, Rarity held nothing but respect for Nightmare Moon, who, despite her intimidating presence, had turned out to be far less the tyrant than the old legends had foretold her to be. While she had no patience for those looking to betray her, she made sure her subjects were well cared for and treated those under her employ with respect and dignity. It was how Rarity had been able to afford a house for the two of them, send Sweetie Belle to a respectable school and ensure they never went hungry again.
“Sweetie Belle?” Rarity called out again as she walked down the hall, still getting no response. “Are you up here?” Coming up on Sweetie Belle’s room, she noticed the door was already open a crack, nudging it open as she peered inside. Despite the moonlight streaming through the window, the room was still bathed in darkness that made it impossible to see more than a hoof step inside.
A chill ran down Rarity’s spine as she felt a feeling of wrongness overtake her. “S-Sweetie Belle! If this is your attempt at playing hide and seek, I do not find it amusing! Come out already so—”
“Hello, Rarity.”
Gasping, Rarity spun in the direction of the phantom voice, magic flowing into her horn as she tried to shed some light on the darkened room. Her ears twitched at the click of a lamp turning on, a ball of light filling the room.
As Rarity’s eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, she became aware of the other figure standing across from her: a Pegasus stallion, judging by the outline of feathers at his side and the shape of his muzzle. It was still too dark to make out the color of his fur or mane, but the way he grinned at her like they were old friends stood out as clear as day, making her skin crawl.
Rarity had never seen him before in her life.
“Who are you?” She demanded, frantically glancing around the room for head or hair of her sister. “What have you done with my sister!?”
The arrogant smile on the stallion’s muzzle didn’t so much as falter. “Oh, who I am isn’t important. As for your sister… suffice to say she’s taking a little… trip.”
Growling, Rarity’s horn erupted in a blaze of magic. “If you’ve hurt even one hair on—”
“Oh, your sister’s safe for the moment. Whether she remains that way is entirely up to you.” The thinly veiled threat in his tone sent ice shooting through Rarity’s veins. Without taking her eyes off him, she dimmed her magic until it was barely bright enough to act as a light, which made his sickening smile only widen. “There now, that’s better. Now that that’s out of the way, we can get down to business.”
“What do you want?” Rarity replied, her teeth grinding together as she resisted the urge to blast the pegasus through the wall. “If it’s money, just name your price and—”
“Oh, I don’t care about your money,” he said with a wave of his hoof, eyeing her from the darkness like a predator eying its cornered prey, “I’m interested in something much more important: the return of our rightful ruler to her throne.”
Rarity sucked in a breath as her eyes widened in understanding. He’s a part of the resistance! Since the night Celestia had been banished to the moon, fringe groups had risen up one after another in her name to try and overthrown Nightmare Moon. While most of them had been viciously weeded out, some of the more “extreme” groups still persisted, like a hydra regrowing two more heads after one was cut off.
“You’re insane,” she hissed through clenched teeth, scornfully glowering at him. “You kidnap my sister and you think what you’re doing is just?!”
The stallion merely scoffed, seemingly unfazed. “In times of turmoil, sometimes less than respectable actions must be taken for the greater good. History, however, will remember us as heroes, the ones who removed a monster from power and I am offering you the chance to walk alongside us in the annals of history.”
“I’ll never join you!” She spat back, slamming her hoof against the floor with enough force to make the flooring shake.
“Oh, I never expected you to. However, you can still be useful to us, miss Rarity. After all, you are the Nightmare’s head maid and possibly her most trusted confidant, are you not? No one would ever suspect you of committing anything… unsavoury.”
Rarity swore her heart skipped a beat as the true meaning of his words slammed into her like a rampaging buffalo. “You… you want me to assassinate the Empress…”
“Clever girl.” Sauntering up to her, he unfolded his wing and withdrew something from between his feathers, holding up the tiny packet for Rarity to see. “Inside here is pure powdered Belladonna Nightshade, one of the most poisonous plants in the world. All you have to do is mix it in with her tea. After that...” His grin shifted from smug to downright malicious, “Even an alicorn will be dead in minutes.”
“And… and if I refuse?”
“You won’t,” He coldly replied, shoving the packet of powder against her chest as he looked into her eyes. “Not if you want to see your sister again. But, sure, go right ahead! The resistance is always looking to recruit new members.”
Gulping, Rarity reluctantly accepted the packet, staring at it like it was some venomous creature. “A-and then what?”
“After Nightmare Moon’s been dealt with, there’s just one more thing for you to do.” Leaning forward, he whispered something into her ear before pulling away, reaching up and patting her on the shoulder. “Do that, and we’ll return your sister to you, you have my word.
I’ll show you where you can shove your “word”! For her sister’s sake, however, Rarity kept her mouth shut, watching as the stallion gave her one final parting smile before leaping out the window and disappearing into the night.
***
Just thinking back to the night before made her want to run off and find something to throw up into. Nightmare Moon had taken her in, given her everything Sweetie Belle and her could have ever wanted, and now here she was about to end the life of the mare that had so provided for her! She should have spat in the stallion’s face and thrown away the packet the first chance she got!
But… but she couldn’t, not while they were holding Sweetie Belle hostage. She was hard-pressed to decide which made her sicker to her stomach: poisoning Empress Nightmare Moon or leaving Sweetie Belle to grow up into another crazy resistance member.
“RARITY!”
Rarity leapt up in fright from the sound of Nightmare Moon’s booming voice, her legs shaking in terror as every bit of common sense she had screamed at her to hide under the serving cart. “Y-yes, Empress?” she squeaked, trying frantically to rein in her fear.
“Bring me my tea! Now!”
“R-right away, Empress!” Scrambling over to the cart, she froze as her eyes fell on the kettle in the centre, before glancing down at the packet of poison still clutched in her hoof.
… I’m sorry, Empress. With a sigh, she lifted the top of the kettle and set it aside before taking the packet in her magic and carefully ripping it open, quickly dumping the contents into the kettle. Peering inside, the tea took on a purple-ish hue for a moment before reverting back to its regular coloration. Popping the top back on, she hung her head in shame as she wheeled the cart over and knocked against the double doors. “Your tea, Empress.”
Indigo colored magic covered the doors before they swung open, granting Rarity entry. As she wheeled the cart inside, she took stock of the room. As she had feared, the place looked like a disaster. Everything that wasn’t nailed down ranging from paintings, to pottery, to the pillows from Nightmare Moon’s bed had been hurled across the room and the fine curtains that shimmered as if woven from the night itself now hung in tatters, shreds of fabric littering the floor like confetti after a party.
Flinching as the doors slammed shut behind her, Rarity nearly toppled over as the cart was magically yanked from her grasp and pulled towards the noticeably still enraged Nightmare Moon, who wasted no time in grabbing one of the moon pies and stuffing it in her mouth.
As Rarity regained her balance, she spared a glance at the Empress, idly noticing that she was without her regalia, likely due to having thrown it across the room like everything else. Turning away, Rarity made to leave, unwilling to stay and watch the consequences of her decision.
“What did you think of her?”
Rarity froze, taking a moment to register the sudden question. Her legs shook as common sense scream for her to run from the room and never look back. Yet, when Nightmare Moon asked you a question, you answered. “I… I… don’t… think of who?”
“That mare, the one calling herself Twilight Sparkle.” Growling at the very mention of her name, Rarity could make out the sounds of her digging into another moon pie. “That runt pretending to be an alicorn.”
“I… I’m not sure, your Highness. I saw so little of her and her dragon whelp before you escorted them from the castle. She certainly has none of your grace and power, that’s for cer—“
“Face me when you speak, head maid,” Nightmare Moon commanded, growling irritably. “You will show me respect when in my presence, especially while in my bedchambers.”
Gulping, Rarity reluctantly turned to face her. She felt herself blush at the sight of the Empress without her armor, leaving her face completely exposed and letting her nebulous mane flow behind her unhindered. Seeing the Empress like this felt almost scandalous in a way, like she was unworthy to look at her unarmored form.
Trying her best not to meet her eye, Rarity struggled for something to say. “Should… should I inform the guards to be on the look out for her, this Twilight Sparkle?”
“And what good will that do, pray tell?” Nightmare Moon replied with disdain at the very idea. “The magic I sensed from her was not of this world, meaning searching for her would likely only end up wasting my time. Even if I were to locate a ‘Twilight Sparkle’ in this world, I highly doubt she would be able to tell me anything.”
“Oh… of course. Forgive me.” Giggling sheepishly, Rarity kept stealing glances back towards the door, trying to come up with a plausible reason to leave. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, your Highness, I’ll leave you to enjoy your tea while I return to my duties.”
“Hold it.”
Rarity tensed up, her hoof frozen mid-step. “Y-yes, Empress?”
Lifting the steaming teapot in her magic, Nightmare Moon poured a cup of tea for herself, not once taking her eyes off Rarity, the mesmerizing glow of her deep blue eyes seemingly rooting the unicorn in place. “I will only allow you to return to your duties after I’ve tasted the tea you’ve made. Have to make sure it’s done right.”
Sweat dripped down Rarity’s neck and she had to tense to keep her ears from drooping from fear. “Th-that won’t be necessary! I wouldn’t bring it to you unless I knew it was perfect!”
“Be that as it may,” Nightmare Moon idly replied as she dropped a cube of sugar into her cup, stirring it in, “It never hurts to check. Can’t be too careful these days.” Satisfied that the sugar had properly dissolved, she brought it to her lips and took a long drink.
The following seconds felt like an eternity to Rarity as she watched Nightmare Moon drink her tea, knowing that with every drop the Empress was stepping closer and closer to an inevitable death.
Finally, Nightmare Moon drained the cup and set it back down on its saucer. Licking her lips, she hummed in thought for a moment before looking down at Rarity, a grin slowly spreading across her lips. “This tea tastes different today. Did you add anything special today, Rarity?”
“N-no, I made it the same as I always do.” Rarity replied, putting on her best smile to try and buy time for the poison to kick in. Any minute now…
“Are you sure? Because I could swear I taste just a hint of Belladonna.” Any trace of a smile disappeared off Nightmare Moon’s face, replaced instead by a fierce scowl that exposed her fangs. “Now, you wouldn’t be trying to poison me, would you, Rarity?”
Unable to escape Nightmare Moon’s gaze, Rarity could do nothing but stand there as her mouth flopped open and closed like a fish on land, desperately trying to think of something to say.
“Shame too… seeing as alicorns like myself are immune to such poisons.”
Faster than Rarity could even blink, a tendril of Nightmare Moon’s mane shot out like a snake and wrapped around her right leg, yanking her off her feet before slamming her against the ground. Before she could even groan in pain, she was tossed yet again like a limp rag doll, before another tendril wrapped around her barrel and slammed her back against the wall, knocking the wind from her lungs as Nightmare Moon walked up to her, glowering at her with pure hatred in her eyes.
“Why?” Nightmare Moon snarled, baring her fangs as her grip around Rarity tightened even further, making the poor mare struggle to even draw breath. “For three years you’ve done nothing but serve me loyally, so why now? Was all this just a game to you, just an act to get close enough to ultimately stab me in the back?”
Gasping for breath, all Rarity could do was mutter, “N-no!”
“Then why!?” Nightmare Moon yelled, her voice making the room shake through the sheer volume alone. “Tell me why!”
“Swee—Sweetie Belle!” Rarity finally managed to cry out the moment she could breathe again. “They took Sweetie Belle!”
“Who are they?” Nightmare Moon demanded, loosening her grip just enough to let Rarity speak.
“A resistance group,” Rarity said between desperate gasps for air. “They kidnapped Sweetie Belle and told me I’d never see her again unless—”
“Unless you agreed to poison me.” Scoffing, Nightmare Moon glanced away for a moment, her scowl only deepening. “And they call me a monster. I’ll deal with them soon enough, but first…”
Trailing her eyes on Rarity once more, she squeezed the tendrils of her mane tighter around the helpless unicorn, making her cry out in pain. “There is still the matter of dealing with your betrayal. Regardless of the circumstances, you should know I do not tolerate those who betray me.”
Rarity gasped as she was squeezed like a tube of toothpaste, her vision fuzzing at the edges as she slipped onto the edge of consciousness. Just before oblivion could claim her though, she felt Nightmare Moon’s grip loosen once more, allowing her to heave for air before her head was tilted up to meet the Empress’s gaze, her slitted pupils meeting Rarity’s own.
“Any final words?”
So, this is it. This is how I die. Rarity had never considered what her final moments would be like, but she could have never imagined she would meet her end at the hooves of an immortal goddess, or that she would feel so… sad. Scared, certainly, but not because she was staring death in the face, but because all she could think about was what would then become of Sweetie Belle.
If I’m going to die here, then I might as well go out with dignity.
“Do with me what you will,” Rarity said, her voice eerily calm and collected despite her situation, “but I have one final request.”
For a split second, the mask of anger slipped from Nightmare Moon’s face, the smallest twitch of an eyebrow revealing her brief confusion before her mask shifted back into place. ”A request? And what might that be?”
With iron resolve, she met Nightmare Moon’s glare with her own. “Save Sweetie Belle, that’s all I ask. As long as she’s safe, then I don’t care what happens to me.”
“Really?” Nightmare Moon remarked, sceptic of such brave words. “You would sacrifice your own life for hers?”
Rarity didn’t even hesitate. “Always.”
Silence reigned as Nightmare Moon’s eyes gazed into Rarity’s own, radiating such intensity that it felt like she was gazing into the very depths of her soul. Yet Rarity refused to look away, her love for her sister refusing to buckle under even the Empress’s might.
Just as the silence threatened to become suffocating, Nightmare Moon gave a flick of her mane and harshly tossed Rarity down onto the carpeted floor. Without even giving the mare a passing glance, she trotted over to the doors of her room and threw them open. “Moondancer, to me at once!” She hollered, her voice echoing down the halls.
Moments later, a cream coated unicorn mare came scurrying around the corner, her red and purple mane done up into a bun similar to Rarity’s. Seated atop her muzzle was a pair of thick glasses that threatened to slip from her face as she slid to a stop before the Empress. “You… you called, your Highness?” Moondancer said between panting breaths.
Rarity paid little attention to their conversation as she lay on her side on the floor, wondering what would become of her now. Has she decided that I would be better off spending the rest of my life in the castle dungeons? Or does she have a more public execution in mind?
“Right away, your Highness!” Moondancer exclaimed, bowing to the Empress before running off to carry out her orders.
Nightmare Moon watched the frightened unicorn disappear back down the hall before she stepped back into her room, not even bothering to turn her head as she asked, “What did they want?”
Realizing she was being addressed, Rarity craned her neck to look up at the Empress. “Wha—what? I don’t—”
“For proof,” She clarified, again not turning to face the prone mare. “To prove that you had done as you were told. They must have wanted something.”
There was a reluctant pause before Rarity finally spoke. “Celestia’s crown.”
Had Rarity been able to see Nightmare Moon’s face, she would have bore witness to the sight of the alicorn rolling her eyes with a sigh. “But of course…” Dragging her hooves across the room, Nightmare Moon withdrew a key from the very depths of her mane, stopping to stare at a seemingly random patch of wall.
With a glow of her horn, an intricate mapwork of runes and sigils sprang into being across the wall’s surface, radiating with the indigo glow of Nightmare Moon’s magic. With but a thought, the spell matrix shifted and turned like gears in a clock, causing a panel of wall to vanish completely in a quick flash of magic. Hidden behind was a small metal box tucked into an alcove carved into the wall, a single lock sealing the box shut.
Sliding the key into the lock, Nightmare Moon slowly opened it before withdrawing the item hidden within. Turning back around, she levitated it up so Rarity could see.
Held aloft in Nightmare Moon’s magic were the remains of what had once been the former Princess’s crown. Though Rarity knew it had been gorgeous at one time, now it looked like it might crumble at any moment. The once finely crafted amethyst in the centre had been cracked straight down the middle and the right arm of the crown had been snapped off completely, to say nothing of the ashen burns tarnishing the once shining metal.
“Listen well,” Nightmare Moon commanded, her face unreadable as she peered down at Rarity, “For I still have a purpose for you to fulfil.”
Rarity said nothing, barely able to even utter a squeak as the crown was floated down into her hooves. She gazed down at the crown, captivated with the knowledge that a goddess who had once held both the sun and moon under her dominion for over a millennia had worn it.
“You will take this to the rebels…” Nightmare Moon continued without waiting for a response. “… As proof that I have been properly ‘dealt with’. If they require further convincing…” Unfurling her wing, she craned her neck and bit down on the tip of one of her feathers, plucking it free with a jerk of her head. “This should suffice.”
Rarity’s throat was like sandpaper as she stared up at the jet-black feather, barely registering as it too was placed in her hooves. Taking a deep breath, she was finally able to ask, “And then what?”
“Then you will demand they take you to where they’re holding your sister, thus leading me straight to them. You will not be alone in this venture, for I intend for a squadron of guards to accompany you out of sight.” Her glare intensified as she bore her fangs down at her. “Consider them my insurance that you don’t cross me again.”
Rarity gulped, the Empress’s words conjuring up the image in her mind of a blade pressed firmly against the unicorn’s neck.
Three sharp knocks against the door granted Rarity a short reprieve, as Nightmare Moon shifted her gaze towards the door. “Enter.”
A pegasus mare in full guard armor stepped into the room, her bat wings glistening in the moonlight. Hardened rose-coloured eyes peered out through her helm as she shut the door behind her. “Commander Dash, reporting for duty, Empress,” She announced, saluting Nightmare Moon.
“I trust you have been briefed on the mission, Commander?” Nightmare Moon asked, her eyes still focused on Rarity’s trembling form.
“Yes, your Highness. My squad are ready to deploy on your command.”
“Good. Return to the barracks and set out on the hour. Ensure you do not fail me again,” Nightmare Moon warned, shifting her still smoldering anger onto the guard pony. “I will not take kindly to any more failures this night.”
“As you command, Empress.” Bowing, Dash departed from Nightmare Moon’s chambers, leaving her and Rarity alone once more.
“Get moving,” Nightmare Moon commanded, scowling as Rarity leapt to her hooves with the feather and crown cradled in her grip. “Do not tempt to try my patience any further.”
“Y-yes, Empress!” Rarity turned to head for the door, when a tendril of Nightmare Moon’s mane suddenly snaked over her shoulder and pressed itself against her neck.
“Do not believe that you have escaped my wrath just yet,” Nightmare Moon said, silently walking over and dipping her head to whisper into Rarity’s ear. “You still draw breath only as long as you remain useful to me, nothing more. This is but a stay of execution, remember that.”
Even as the tendril was removed from her throat, Rarity remained rooted in place. “And what of Sweetie Belle?
“What of her?”
“After all is said and done, will she share in my crimes?”
“You expect me to punish a filly for a crime she holds no part in?” Nightmare Moon scoffed at the very notion. “Do you believe me then to be the monster these rebels paint me to be?”
Despite her situation, a smile slowly spread across Rarity’s lips. “Then I have no regrets. No matter what becomes of me, I will rest easy knowing Sweetie Belle won’t suffer for my mistakes.” With those parting words, Rarity exited the room, leaving Nightmare Moon alone in the ruins of her bedchambers once more.
