Chapter 2 : Pearl One

Princess Twilight had arrived at the Canterlot castle. She had been requested to take care of Falcon, a sultana from a fallen sultanate, by her friend - Starlight. The sultana's warning had alarmed the forth princess to put on a heavy research about Equestrian record last night. Twilight feared the sultana's words might be more than a forecast, but an actual fact.

However, a behavior of Cutie map and the sultana had been bugging Twilight a lot. First, why did the map summon and insist Starlight to go back to where she found Falcon. Second, why did Falcon choose to come to Equestria and warn the princesses about the Calradia empress? How did she survive from such a ruthless leader accord to Falcon's claim? Twilight lost herself in her questions, but quickly shook her head and warned herself what will she do today. She checked her saddlebags, focused her mind and headed to where her guest lives. She had been looking for awhile, before she found the room. The princess cleared her throat and knocked the door. Short moment later, the door was opened by a dark skin human. It's true Twilight had seen Falcon before since Starlight had sent a photo of the sultana. She admitted she hadn't ever seen any human has an appearance like Falcon.

"Greeting, my friend." Twilight greeted. She felt a bit nervous. "My name is princess Twilight Sparkle. I guess you're Falcon, the former sultana of Sarranid, right?"

The human nodded. She tiled her head and frowned. "How did you know who am I?" Falcon said.

"Oh..." Twilight'd forgotten she's never met Falcon before. "Well, I asked a guard before I come here!" Twilight nervously laughed. "Is that alright?"

Falcon slowly nodded. "Aye then, princess Twilight. Your friend, Starlight, had told me a lot about you. Good to see you make an acquaintance." Falcon stepped away. "Please come in, your highness. I'm glad to see you today."

Twilight smiled. She walked in the bedroom. Falcon closed the door behind and prepared a cushion for the forth princess. Twilight put her saddlebags beside and sat on the cushion. The sultana brought tea and snacks and placed them on a tea table near Twilight.

"Wow, that looks really good!" Twilight complimented.

"I'm glad to hear that." Falcon said. "I made them myself."

"You made them?" Twilight said. "That's very impressive."

Falcon smiled. Twilight cast a levitation spell but quickly ceased it. Twilight smiled, hoped it can brush off her mistake.

"It's fine, my highness." Falcon said. "Please perform your witchery. I would like to know a lot about it, too."

"Oh, okay." Twilight said, uneasily laughed. She levitated an Arabic dessert and tasted it. "This' really good... I think Mr. and Mrs. Cake would like to ask you a recipe when they taste one."

Falcon chuckled. "My pleasure." She said.

"Oh, almost forgot." Twilight said. "This is 'Levitation' spell. A very simple spell every unicorns can learn. It need some practice to levitate a heavier object or perform a trick." Twilight looked at Falcon. "I heard from other pony you don't get along with magics very well. What's the matter, Ms. Falcon?"

Falcon nodded. "This may be embarrassing, but I had never seen any witchcraft with my own eyes in my entire life." Twilight nodded. Falcon continued. "It's complicated. But, my people would be scared or angry if they see you're associated with a sorcery, too. We believe witchcraft brings a sinister."

"I see." Twilight said. "Technically, there is a... not very good magic here in Equestria." Twilight noticed Falcon is a bit sweating. She quickly explained. "B-but, it rarely do harm. We know how to dispel almost of them. Canterlot library here also contains many things about dispelling magic, too." Falcon nodded. Twilight continued. "Curses are very easy to notice, too. I can cast a diagnosis spell, well, if you wish, maybe?"

"Please do." Falcon said.

Twilight felt relief. She cast a diagnosing spell on Falcon proficiently. The sultana looked at herself while the magic scanned for a curse. The diagnosis ended. Twilight smiled. She filled each tea cups with tea and offered one to Falcon.

"Okay, I found nothing. Here, we can talk and discuss." Twilight said. "I brought many interesting book from my house at Ponyville. I think you may enjoy it."

"Aye, princess." Falcon said. "Which one we should start first? A history?"

"Sure!" Twilight said. The forth princess brought a brief Equestria history to her human friend. The princess and sultana discussed about the book peacefully, similar to the Canterlot today.

Starlight had stepped out from the Manehattan a long time ago. She brought many stuffs in her saddlebags and on her back, mostly for her journey. She's a bit scare to be alone in her quest. She looked in her map, made sure she didn't lose and looked around at a snowy landscape. She tidied her scarf when it started to loose up from a long travel. The coldness wasn't a trouble, but an isolated region beyond the Yaket was.

Feared to be lost in a snowy region, Starlight looked in her map again. The map was made by herself when the Cutie Map had chose her to go at the northern unknown land. Starlight beamed when she know she wasn't too faraway now. Starlight stepped up her paces and her destination was soon revealed in front of her below. The former villain slid down a snowy ledge and galloped toward a humble fishing village.

Straightly, the village was heavily lacked of maintenance. There was snowy shady six cottages, one was in a badly shape, and a makeshift harbor. Every humans here worn a very thick clothes and robe. They were very eerie with hiding face. Starlight had a somewhat ill memory with this place, but the duty called her to endure it. Some human looked at Starlight and greeted her. Starlight nodded and smiled back.

Starlight galloped to a cottage near the harbor. She knocked the door. It was opened by a shady old male human inside the cottage. He had looked around confusedly before the old man looked down and found the pony.

"Starlight!" the old male human greeted. Starlight remembered him as an elder of this humble community. His voice strongly reminded Starlight a master fisherpony.

"Hi, Mr. Beini." Starlight greeted. "I'm sorry I have to bother you again, but, the map has called me here again. Can I stay here for one or two night while I'm looking for my quest?"

"No need fer' apology, my child! You're always welcome here!" Beini said. "I know yer' might came here again. Make yer'self at home, young one. My wife would be happy to see yer' again."

The male human made way for the former villain. He said. "Oh, dear. yer' walked for miles to this cursed land. You don't need to force yer'self yer' might catch cold. Freezing air o' northern sea isn't a joke to anyone." The old male human chuckled.

Starlight smiled awkwardly. Every humans here was friendly, despite for a shady appearance. The former villain walked in the cottage. Beini's wife prepared a cushion and meal for her. The old couple smiled warmly to Starlight, through their old age and harsh environment made their smile a bit crooked. Starlight sat on a cushion near a fireplace and put her belongings beside her. The cushion was ragged and uncomfortable, but it's the only fluffy thing in the cottage and it might be rude if she refuses the old couple's hospitality.

"Hello, Starlight." The old human granny greeted.

"Hi, Ms. Emma." Starlight said.

"Oh dear, you look tired. I should went out my cottage to take you from there." granny Emma said and offered Starlight a bowl of soup. "Here, I'd made an algae soup since morning. Don't worry, it's edible for you."

Starlight took the bowl of soup, smiled to the granny. She looked at the soup and amazed how the granny can make a wonderful soup in such an inhabitable place. Even Yaks wouldn't dare to set their hooves here. Starlight ate the soup and felt a coldness on her coat is evaporated away.

"Emma's soup surely always does trick, right?." the old human grandpa said. "I have to take some if I'm out fer a big haul. I can last long in a cursing sea fer day with her soup!"

Emma chuckled and said. "That's too exaggerated, Beini."

Beini laughed an said. "Anyway, my dear. What's brin' yer' here today?"

Starlight gasped. She nearly forgot about her quest. "Oh, right." Starlight said. "I've found out my friend, Falcon, isn't the main reason the Cutie Map called me here. I've returned to find out what's happen or hidden in this community."

Beini nodded. He said. "Oh... I'm not sure what' 'bout 'Cutie Map', but yer' have yer' job to do here, right?"

"Of course," Starlight said. "So, did you see or find anything suspicious here, Mr. Beini? Like, an evil army, an invasion, a vile empress?"

Beini laughed. "That's nonsense, my child. No sane liege would send their man through the Golden Rift. But, what's the 'evil army' yer' want to know about, dear? I maybe old, but I can remember anythin' I'd heard very well."

Starlight tiled her head, frowned. She said. "Well, anything recently should do, sir."

Beini chuckled. "If yer' said so." He said. "Well, as you said 'a vile empress', I believe there is only one I've heard about."

"You know her!?" Starlight said. The pony stood up by excitement.

"Aye, I know." Beini said. "She is the solely queen of all Calradian."

'Solely queen of Calradian? that probably is!' Starlight thought. "Please tell me more."

"Calradia empress" Beini said. He frowned. "She's... no good."

"No good?" Starlight repeated.

"Aye, I mean, she's no bad either." Beini said. "It's depend on yer' perspective. Calradia empress is the first lady who has become an empress by her own, at least that's what what I have heard." Starlight nodded. Beini continued. "However, despite of many people aware of the Calradia empress, but not many people know exactly what's her name or what's she look like."

"But, you know, right?" Starlight said.

Beini was thinking. "Well, people didn't tell the empress' appearance the same..." Beini said. "Mostly agree she is some sort of a monster or an inhuman being. Calradia is known to be wild and ruthless. It was shattered into six kingdoms wish nothing more than a destruction o' each other. Calradia had slowly turned into a hell on earth as the war continued."

Beini coughed. Starlight took a cup of warm water from granny Emma and took a sip. The former villain realized she had to take note about Beini's statement. She put the cup down, levitated paper and quill out from her saddlebags and noted everything she had heard.

"With such violent and cruel land, how did the empress ascend to her power?" Starlight said.

"With more violence, my dear." Beini said. "The divided Calradia could be bad..." Beini took a sip from a cup of warm water from Emma. He continued. "But, the new united Calradia is known to be the worst. So, everyone know the Calradia empress as "the empress o' evil" and start to spread rumors about her origin..."

Starlight sweated. Beini chuckled and said. "Among the rumors, I believe the empress is a head o' Centaur army."

"Centaur!?" Starlight said. Twilight had told her about one in Tartarus. The centaur had broken out from the prison once and nearly destroyed Equestria. Starlight couldn't imagine what is going to happen when an army of centaurs are shown up in Equestria. She made a mental note to warn princesses.

"So, the shattered Calradia was united by an army of centaur?" Starlight asked.

"I'm afraid so." Beini said. "Centaurs are known to be fierce and barbaric. An army o' them sound like a myth, but conquered six powerful factions in Calradia within a year is utterly impossible for a mere mortal. So, a centaur conquest do make more sense."

Starlight nodded. 'The rumor might hold a grain of truth. What what Falcon did warn us could be deadlier than I'd expected. I need to tell Twilight about this.' She thought. "Did you know anything more?" Starlight asked.

Beini smiled. "I'm afraid that's all o' it." Beini said. Starlight flatted her ears, felt a bit down. "But don't worry, dear. Even they're Centaur, they have to go through us first. As long as I'm still breathing, they will not step on a soil of this land." Beini laughed. He pet on Starlight's head. "Beside, Centaur are not magical. They're just a bunch of brute and not very smart. They probably got the best of Calradians by luck. But yer'all know how to use spell. You have an advantage over them."

'What? Centaur can't use magic?' Starlight thought. She made a mental note about it.

"Well, I have to go now, dear." Beini said. "Make yer'self at home, my child... Emma, take care of our child well when I'm goin' to find somethin' in the curse sea."

"Aye." Emma replied.

The grandpa stood up. He took his fishing equipment and left the cottage. Starlight dug in her thought, tried to figure out what what the Cutie map want her to do. After a dozen of time, she gave up. Starlight took and put her notes in her saddlebags, decided to do something else more than thinking then she looked at Emma, who was cleaning a kitchen.

The fleet and caravan had set off from Sargoth. The colonists had at least five hundred people in total. They were excited about a journey to a new land at the north unknown land. Bunduk and Firentis leaded the the colonists, provided them protection with an experienced Khergit Lancers. Marnid and Artimenner guided the fleet of Nordic longships at a coastal line. The colonists and fleet communicated with torches and flags. The signals were designed by Marnid and Artimenner themselves to assist the exploration campaign. The colonists' first challenge was they had to wait at Ruvar village while the fleet was going around Wercheg. They had to work synchronously, or the caravan and the fleet will lose each other. Their first solution was they will send Khergit scouts accompanies with the fleet, in case the longships found a problem along the way.

Ariel was riding her armored horse. She worn her signature armor. The empress was satisfied in her fleet and caravan. She had a command over Swadian knights at the center of colonists. She expected to face a harsh environment of the northern sea, so she told colonists and her knights to bring warm clothes. Ariel had three thick clothes, in case of emergency. She had five horses to pull wagons. They were filled with high ladies' belongings. Beside complaining, She expected an expensive upkeep in this exploration. Ariel had lied her men that her chests are contained with her clothes and few personal belongings, but in fact, her personal belongings are nothing more than a mountain of denars and golds. Even the treasures meant nearly nothing to Ariel it wasn't possible for her treasures to be stolen, but everything is possible for the empress and she was aware her denars can hire her men's loyalty. One of the reason Ariel loved the campaign is she has found a way to spend her overflowing treasures wisely. Through, she had spent her treasure in developing Calradia, but found it completely unsatisfied.

While the empress looked around, enjoyed the campaign. Ymira rode a hose beside her. The assistant put her helmet up and said. "The fleet has arrived, ma'am. We can move out now."

"Good." Ariel said, turned to a knight beside her. "Spread words in the colonists and cavalries we will move out soon."

"Aye, my lady!" The knight replied and complied the empress command. Ariel's banners and flags in her cavalcade swayed along a coastal breeze. The cavalry contained sixty loyal Swadian knights, provided their mistress a protection and acted as her messengers. The knights were all selected by Ariel herself to assist her field campaign. They had been trained hardly by Ariel's companions, who also are a drill instructor.

"Will Calradia be under control without you, ma'am?" Ymira asked.

"Certainly." Ariel said. "I have appointed a minister in charge of administrator during my exploration. All my vassals are satisfied with their fiefs and won't be insane enough to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs through rebellion. Even they dare." the empress chuckled. "I will retake what's mine within a month."

Ymira nodded. "So, ma,am." Yrima said. "Will this' going to be a fruitful colonizing?"

Ariel looked at her colonists. They were heading toward the northern land. "Only heaven know, Ymira." Ariel said. "May heaven grant us success!"