Author's Note

Here you go. The latest chapter... so yeah. Sorry it took me so long to get this out. Work has been kinda crazy, and I had to work overtime since spring. But don't worry I've got a few chapters already hand written and ready to go. Just wanted to get this one out pre-edited. Sorry again for the lack of posts.

Chapter 4: secret revealed

I had entered Crowhaven - a ruin fortress far to the west, near the gold coast. Prior to my departure, Agronak gro-Malog, the Imperial Arena's Grand Champion, asked me to find proof of his noble birthright. The Gray Prince... he believed himself to be the son of a nobleman, the Lord Lovidicus, and even chose to call himself 'The Gray Prince' in honor of the heritage that he had been denied all his life.

Gro-Malog provided me with a key that, according to his mother, would 'unlock the truth'. Agronak's mother served as a maiden to the Lord Lovidicus, who ultimately fell for her. One night, she discovered that she was with child - his child. The Lord's mistress, Lady Lovidicus, became enraged once she found out and attempted to kill the maiden. The maiden ran away, fearing the Lady's wrath, and settled in the Imperial City where she gave birth to Agronak. His mother passed away recently, but not before giving him the key that I now hold.

Because of his training, Gro-Malog was unable to make the journey himself, and so he entrusted me with his mother's key, but even he seems unsure what it opens. I'm suppose to find some kind of proof of his birthright, but something tells me that if he were here, he would likely abandon this notion. I had just entered the fort, and already I feel unease. The fort has long since lost its noble trappings, and the presence of evil is unmistakable...

Ahead of me was a barely visible hallway, littered with rumble and debris. The old Fort may have been a site to see at one point, but no longer. Being as stealthy as I could possibly be, I cautiously traversed the halls of the ruins, feeling even more unease the further I went. Why would any nobleman wish to call this place a home?

"What was that?" Someone yelped. Seems that this old Fort has occupants; probably bandits or a coven of rogue mages. Should be easy enough to despatch of them, as long as-

"I smell fresh blood..." That voice caused my blood to chill. It sounded feral... what was in this place? I silently prayed to both Stendarr and Arkay for protection, then advanced slowly. Unfortunately, I failed to pay attention to my footing and accidentally kicked several small stone fragments.

I sweared internally - how could I be so stupid? From the end of the hallway, I heard several footsteps running towards me. "It's now or never, Ren." I whispered softly to myself. Drawing my sword, I braced myself for whatever may come. Since there were no lit torches, I was practically going into a fight blind. So I resulted in using a basic light spell.

I wish that I hadn't... merely a few feet away, I saw them. Their pale skins a dead giveaway that some sort of illness had afflicted them. But I was more transfixed on their eyes... crimson red. Feral...

"There is no escape, mortal." One of the vampires hissed at me. The light spell allowed me to see the pair of undead monsters. I panicked - I've never fought vampires before! One of them lunged after me, it's blade raised high to strike me down; relying on pure instinct, I dodged to the side, evading the crude edge by a few inches, and as I spun around, I saw a opening and knew that I had to take advantage of it, else I would be their next meal. Taking a sharp breath of air, I steeled myself. My brief time in the arena had hardened me, but nothing could ever prepare me for these creatures. But what else is one suppose to do, simply stand in place and allow them to feed on me? Or to fight back for that small chance of survival?

I attacked - thrusting my sword into the vampire's side. If I could hit a vital part of it, I could end the fight early and save my neck. The monster wailed in agony as I drove my blade further and further in, it's deafening howls echoing throughout the no longer silent halls; but while I was so focused on one vampire, the other one closed in on me. It grappled me, and as I struggled to fend it off of me, I felt a sharp pain on the nape of my neck...

Sweat drenched my clothes as I quickly sat up, screaming in horror. Yet another nightmare; this one, however, felt more like a memory. Crowhaven... the accursed ruin fortress has haunted me for a long while. Reaching my hand up to my neck, I felt around for any bite marks. Nothing... though the scars still remained, and I'm not referring to the mental scars from my nightmare...

Sighing and ignoring the naughish feeling in my stomach, I got out of bed and headed down stairs for a much needed drink. Pouring myself a glass of whiskey, I stared down at the brown liquid; normally I wouldn't drink whiskey, but over the years, I've grown accustomed to it and only drank a little bit to help relax, or to take the edge off of a stressful situation. Heh, been doing that more often, it seems. The bottle was nearly full when I bought it a couple of months ago - maybe 7/8's. But now perhaps only a quarter of it remained.

Recently, I've been having more and more nightmares, almost every other day. And nearly all of them were about Crowhaven. The nightmares haven't been that bad - not since my first night at Castle Friendship; after that one night, I didn't have anymore, but once I moved into my new home, that's when they came back. I didn't tell anyone about my nightmares, not even Starlight. No need for yet another trip to the Ponyville hospital. I doubt Nurse Redheart would be eager to see me again; besides, I've dealt with them as best as I can. My methods, however, don't seem to be working and I just end up drinking the whiskey to help forget that day...

No. No, I can't drink this... I can't go on like this. I mean, what would Starlight think if she saw me in such a state of misery? Setting the glass down, I used my magic to create several shards of ice no bigger than my fingers, and placed each of them within the drink. I would drink this another day. And as I backed away from the kitchen, I remembered that Trixie asked me to help set up her stage. She must be performing another magic show, and she even offered to pay me to help her. Perhaps I could join her again?

Climbing back up the stairs for a change of fresh clothes, my mind filled with thoughts of someone close to me... well, somepony. Starlight Glimmer, my special somepony, my marefriend. Whenever I think about her, I tend to smile a lot, because she was the first mare to have shown me what true friendship is... yet, now that she and I are... together... I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I can't help wondering if she's okay with me not being a pony, or if it bothers her that I'm human. I sat at the edge of my bed, resting my head in the palms of my hands; questions kept racing throughout my mind.

Maybe she should be with one of her own kind? Maybe I should talk with her? And what would she do once I... IF I leave this world. Maybe I can stay? But if I do, what will happen to Tamriel? We're at peace now, but who knows how long that will last? And what if I do stay? What if what we have doesn't last?

Ugh! I need a distraction, but a quick glance towards the wall mounted clock, it read 8:58 am. No time for a change of clothes. I'll just wear what I've got on for now. Slamming my fist onto the bed, I thought it best to get moving. Slowly decending the stairs for the third time this morning, I walked out the front door, and proceeded down the path towards sugsrcube corner for a bite to eat, then I would go and help Trixie. A good walk usually helped to focus my mind; yet, the further I walked, the more the thoughts of Crowhaven and Starlight seem to linger in my mind...

"No no no," Trixie said, barking orders at me. "The fireworks crate needs to be set up, after the rest of the stage is prepared." Yeah, clearly she didn't realize that I was moving it out of the way. I didn't reply, and instead got back to helping her. She has a magic show scheduled for a future date, but didn't bother to say when it would be.

As I continued to heave the crates around, I couldn't help but notice how warm it is. Summer ended about two weeks ago, and fall had just begun. But that wasn't the only thing that happened. Placing down a crate full of props, I looked overhead in time to spot a cloud that closely resembled Starlight - drifting by. This, unfortunately, causes me to think of her and of this relationship I'm in with her. Don't get me wrong, I care for her deeply, but sometimes I think her life would be better if she were with a nice stallion - or mare. Equestria didn't really seem to discriminate same sex couples. I had no reason to think this way, except for the fact that I'm not a pony. That, and one day I'll have to return to Tamriel, once I find the wizards... still, my heart does ache at the thought of leaving her behind... Perhaps it's for the best that I -

"REN!!" Trixie yelled out, breaking me out of my deep thinking.

Her yelling caused me to jump. "S-sorry Trixie, I was just... well..." I stammered a bit. The light blue unicorn didn't seem so amused.

"Whatever, pray tell, could be so important that you could ignore the Great and Powerful Trixie?" She glared daggers st me. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm helping her. Easy coin, I guess.

Shaking my head, I told her that it was nothing and proceeded to get back to work. We continued to work in silence, which is good. It's not that I don't like her, she's been nice enough, and she is my marefriend's best friend. Heh, my marefriend. Never in all my years did I ever thought that I would say that.

Sigh...

For the third time since this morning, I once again thought of that mare. What I don't understand is why she chose me, of all people, to be her lover. There's nothing really special about me, so why pick me - someone who isn't even of the same species - and not, say... any of the ponies in town? While a part of me still -

"Well," Trixie called out once more. "Something must be bothering you, for you to be daydreaming around the Great and Powerful Trixie. Perhaps she could lend you her ear?" She smirked as she offered, and even leaned towards me.

Sighing in defeat, I turned to face her. "Fine. But remember, it was you that brought it out of me. And if we're gonna do this, it'll be over tea." She rolled her eyes, but nodded shortly after.

"Mind I join in?" Came the sound of a rather regal voice that sounded very familiar. Looking up towards the sky, I saw her - Princess Celestia, descending from the skies, like an angel coming down from the heavens above. Majestic... and a bit melodramatic, if you ask me.

I saluted her, bringing a fist to my chest, above my heart. "Princess Celestia! It is good to see you again." I smiled at her. I try to be on my best behavior whenever she or any of the other princesses arrive. Thank Akatosh that they hardly ever do; they're all too busy with their royal duties. Especially Twilight... I grow tired of her experiments.

"There's no need for formal introductions, Ren, but it is good to see you again, as well."

"Your highness," Trixie addressed her. "What brings you out here? Have you come to view the Great and Powerful Trixie's magic show?" She grinned. As if on instinct, I rolled my eyes at her boastfulness. Celestia, on the other hand, opt for being more polite than what I would have.

"No, not today. I merely wanted to see how our friend was doing." Then she turned to look at me. "May I join you for tea?"

"Oh, uh. Sure, it's fine by me."

"This is excellent tea, Ren." Celestia praised me. "Is this green tea with honey?"

"Close," I declared, taking a sip. "It's mint green tea with honey. I always start making some in large quantities around fall and throughout winter. The cold doesn't do me any favors." I finished with and heartfelt smile; probably the first in a while.

"Well it is delicious." Celestia levitated her up to her muzzle with her golden aura. We've been having our tea on my porch for a while now, simply enjoying each other's company; occasionally, we engaged in small dialogue, but most of the time we just sat in silence, allowing the tea's warmth to envelope us. All in all, it was a very calming way to spend the afternoon. The sound of Trixie clearing her throat ended the moment, however.

"So, Ren. What was it that you were about to say to Trixie?" Seriously, is there any reason why she has to address herself in third person? I've heard plenty of Argonians and Khajiit - and even a few Orcs - speak in such a way. It was kind of weird at first, but then it got annoying. Still, I have to maintain the civility. And who knows? It might be good to talk about how I'm feeling about my relationship with Starlight.

"Oh, that." Taking a quick sip, I gently put the cup down and took a deep breath, as I stood up, pacing back and forth on my porch. "It's about Starlight."

"Oh?" Trixie spoke with curiosity. "Did something happen between you two?"

"Well, no. But..." I started to choke on my own words. Perhaps I shouldn't mention it anymore, but something tells me that neither of them will let it go. "I've been thinking a lot lately - ever since we started 'dating'."

"Are you having second thoughts about being with her?" Asked Celestia. I thought about her question; my head is spinning with emotions and my heart is heavy with guilt. Guilt from the doubt that I am unsure if this is what I want. I thought I knew what I wanted, but with the constant nightmares, and my mission here - not to mention my obligation to the Empire... I'm not so sure anymore.

"No... yes? I don't know." I sat back down and chugged more of my tea, wishing it was the whiskey at this point. "I just want to know why she chose me. What made her choose me? I mean, I don't have any problems with cross-species relationships, it happens all the time in Tamriel."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that from you, Ren. It shows how mature you are. But," the alabaster white alicorn glanced off to the side, like she was expecting company. "If you wish to understand your marefriend's choice, I believe it is best to ask her yourself. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Wait, what?" I asked shockingly. Listening closely, I picked up the audible sound of multiple hoovesteps. Okay, so more than one pony. But if one of them is Starlight, then who's the other? I turned around only to see Starlight, being accompanied by Rarity. Even though I still do not entirely understand why she chose me, I cannot deny her beauty. Any stallion or mare would be lucky to have her... and yet, she chose me. Why?

Both mares were carrying something within their auras; Starlight was carrying a bottle of, I'm guessing, champagne, while Rarity was holding a picnic basket. Starlight was the first to wave at me. I waved back.

"Star," I said. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, like I need a reason to come and see my very special somep - someone." She corrected herself and giggled. She trotted up to me, and stood up on her hind legs to give me a hug. One that I returned, fearing that it could be my last time. I took in her scent as we held each other; her perfume, vanillia sugar... my favorite. Once we broke our embrace, she handed me the bottle, and I realize now that it's not champagne, but something else entirely.

"Griffonstone rum?!"

"Yeah," Starlight said sheepishly. "Applejack said that it's your favorite." The instant she mentioned the farm pony's name, I was reminded of what took place last month, and a chill ran down my spine. Even I'll admit that I wasn't sure why I agreed to go through with it, but it did help me to unwind a bit without resulting to drinking more whiskey. Still... I haven't really seen Applejack, Rainbow Dash or Daring Do in a while. The former being busy with her family's barn, the middle being away with the wonderbolts - either on tour or training, I'm not sure which it was. And finally the latter just hasn't shown her face. In fact, the last time I saw her was the day before Starlight invited me for Rarity's get together. I do miss her company; I wonder what happened to her?

Clearing my head of the thoughts, I thanked Starlight for the gift, then asked Rarity why she brought a picnic basket.

"Well, Starlight and I thought about having a lovely picnic with some of our friends. And she thought that you would love to join us."

"I would," I began to say. "But I'm currently entertaining two other guests at the moment." Not to mention trying to tell them what's been plaguing my mind without a certain somepony being here. I've no doubt that either Rarity or Star would ask if they could join us, but the Princess already beat them to it. They agreed. And so I was forced to retrieve two more chairs and cups of tea.

Upon my return, I was thankful that the conversation didn't start up... perhaps things can go quietly, and Starlight doesn't have to know of my lingering doubts. We simply enjoyed our tea and that was it... that is until...

"So," said Trixie. Oh no; why does Trixie have to be such a bitch? Why now? "What was it that you were going to say about Starlight, who is Trixie's best friend?" I find her wolfish grin unsettling. It's like she's trying to provoke me, or something.

"You were talking about me, Ren?" Starlight questioned me. I've been put on the spot; but perhaps I could avoid this topic altogether? Worth a -

"Yes," Trixie declared. "He has been having so-" I placed my hand over her muzzle, and stopped her obnoxious voice. The instant that this is over, I'm going to strangle her with her cape. I let the gaze I gave her speak for itself, and watched her smirk in amusement.

"Ren," I heard Starlight call out to me. "Is something wrong?" She sounded worried. Well, this isn't what I had in mind. I pinched the spot between my eyes, and gazed at her. All eyes were on me.

"Could we discuss this in privacy?" I pleaded with her.

"No," She replied. Beads of sweat accumulated on my head. "I want to hear what it is you have to say. Perhaps our friends could offer advice, if there's a problem?" The others nodded in unison. Starlight really wasn't giving me much of a choice here. Sighing in defeat, I took a deep breath of air, and looked into her persian blue orbs.

"Starlight," I began, guilt and doubt weighing heavily in my heart. "Why did you choose me?"

"What do you mean?" Her expression went from joyful, to confusion mixed with dread. And it showed in her voice that she knew something heavy was on my mind.

"Well, like I told Princess Celestia and Trixie, I've got no problems with cross-species relationships. But that's not what's been troubling me, Star. Sooner or later, I'll have to return to Tamriel, once my mission here is done." I studied her face for a bit; it was unchanging, so I resumed. "And what's really troubling me is what I am... I'm not a stallion, not even a pony in general. And the things that I had to do to survive - things that I don't think that I can tell you. Doesn't it bother you that I'm human? Are we crazy for even considering... I-I'm not..." I struggled to find the right words to use. And to make matters even worse, I was certain that I saw tears building up in her eyes.

"What are you saying, Ren?" She sounded as if she could cry at any moment. "D-do you no longer want to be with me?" Her eyes... those persian blue orbs suddenly became watery with her tears.

"What I'm trying to say is... look, Star, I'm a Legionnaire, first and foremost. My duties are to the Empire. I may be forced to choose to save the lives of the many, or to save the one I love. If I choose the latter, there will be many people who wouldn't be as happy." As I continued to speak, I struggled fighting back my own tears. And the heavier my heart felt. I'm surprised that it hasn't shattered yet.

"So," Rarity spoke. "You're leaving her because of your concerns of not being a pony? Is that it?!" She was basically shouting at this point.

"What I believe he is truly concerned with," Celestia voiced her opinion. "Is that he is afraid of losing a loved one. That once he leaves, he might never see her again. Is this correct, Ren?" As I continued to watch my marefriend struggle with her tears, Trixie pulled her in for a hug, to offer her comfort. Something that I'm suppose to do.

With sadness and guilt as my constant compainions, I turned to look at Celestia, and nodded. "Starlight deserves to be happy with... somepony else. I'm not sure if I can do that for her. No matter how much I... I could fall in battle - I run the risk of it every day. Besides, I know that she can find something a little closer to home." I expected to hear the weeping of a certain unicorn; but that sound never reached my ears. I couldn't bring myself to turn around. Despair overwhelmed me...

Suddenly, I heard the familiar chime of a unicorn's horn charging with magic, and I could feel a tingle etch across my body. Someone - somepony - must have bypassed my spell absorption, and poured enough magic to affect me so. Rarity and Trixie, while capable with their magics, didn't have the energy to affect me, due to my magical resistance. Princess Celestia could possibly bypass my resistance and absorption, though that has yet to be tested. So that leaves only one other pony...

Being forced to turn around by her amplified magic, I beheld Starlight in her state of grief and misery; her eyes were filled with rage. I've never seen her like this before... yet I can still see the tears within her eyes.

"Ren," Starlight got closer and closer to my face. "Don't. You. Dare. Give. Up." Those five words carried a great deal of meaning. I've heard others tell me those exact words many times throughout my lif;, but, somehow with Starlight, they seem to have a more powerful meaning. "Do you hear me? I won't let you give up on what we have."

Letting out yet another heavy sigh, I attempted to speak, before she pressed her hoof against my lips. Then her eyes turned from rage filled sorrow, to pleading.

"Ren, please. You say that I deserve to be happy, but you didn't say anything about you and what you deserve. You've told me all about your struggles during your soldier campaign, and how you ended up doing things that you regretted later. I've seen you struggle with your stress, your emotions... but most of all, I've see you struggle with your health, and with being happy. You deserve to be happy like everypony else."

I fell silent for a while, taking to heart the meaning of her words. Has she really seen me struggle so much? "Do you really mean that?" I asked. Stupid question to ask, I know, but I felt like it needed to be asked.

"Of course. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because I'm not a stallion - or a pony. I'm not exactly perfect for you..." I said, no longer make eye contact with her. At this point, she released me from her magic. She then got out of her chair, and trotted over to stand in front of me. Lifting my chin with her gentle hoof, I could see her tears have finally fallen, and she began to sob.

"Ren, I don't care about perfection - I never did. Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections. I don't care that you're not a stallion, I don't care that you're different. Ren, it doesn't matter to me if you're rich or poor, or if you're good looking or not." Standing on her hind legs, she leaned in closer to me, and placed a hoof over my heart.

"I didn't choose you for any of those traits. I chose you because of your heart." She started to caress my chest through the fabric of my shirt, until I placed a hand over her hoof, and held it still.

"But what about my obligations?" I asked her. "And there will be those who will find it strange that you chose an alien, rather than your own kind. And what of my past deeds? You would be willing to face a future with me?"

With a simple nod, she expressed herself once more. "You can still carry on with your obligations to the Empire, I know how important it means to serve your country. And I'll support you in any way I can, because that's what love means. To share each other's burdens. And I don't care what others will think, because they don't know you the way I do. And it doesn't matter what you did in the past. What matters is that you learn from your mistakes."

I contemplated on her words for a time, but only briefly. "You're right... about everything. And I allowed my self-doubt get the best of me. This... this is what really matters. Damn what others think of us." I pulled her closer to me and embraced her tightly, allowing my own tears to fall. The fur around her shoulder became matted, as did my shirt. We held each other for an extended length of time, neither of us wanting to let go.

"I feel so stupid for ever having these doubts about myself and for ever bringing it up. Can you ever forgive me?" I pleaded through my sobbing.

"Of course I will." She said cheerfully. "But that doesn't mean that you're off the hook. There will be a punishment for you later." There was something devious about the way she said 'punishment', like she had something fun in mind for a later date.

"Ooh, that sounded saucy. I guess we can discuss my punishment later then." We hugged one more time. I have found love in this strange land that they call Equestria. I have found my happiness. "Thank you, Star. Thank you for making me the happiest man alive." We leaned in for a passionate kiss. The others began to clap their hooves together.

Starlight and I pulled anyway from the kiss, leaving a trail of saliva. "And thank you for accepting me and for taking that chance with me." She leaned in for yet another kiss, but I had to stop her. And as I looked deep into my lover's eyes, I knew that I had to tell her something... about what I am.

"I'm sorry, Star, but I haven't been entirely honest with you. And while I'm not ready to tell you everything just yet, I can at least tell you one thing. Or, rather, show you." I could see the confusion within her eyes, as she tired to decipher my meaning. Turning to face the others, I noticed that they all had the same uncertain expressions as well.

Stepping off of my porch, I stood facing the path that lead towards the Ponyville park, and thought of something. I haven't used this power for quite some time, because I had no need of its usage. Not since the Legion - with the full force of the Empire - defeated the Aldmeri Dominion, and restored the Empire to it's former glory. I concentrated on my unused power, thinking of one thing: the coldness of Skyrim. Taking a breath of air, I filled my lungs to the brim, and uttered three words...

"FO KRAH DIIN!" The instant that the last word left my voice, the air I exhaled became frigid with a bitter cold. My voice - enhanced by the power of the Thu'um - echoed across the forest, with a deafening sound that could rival thunder. This was dragons breath - frost breath! The warmth of the tea left my body as the biting cold of my Thu'um turned the natural path into what it will undoubtedly resemble during winter's frosty blizzard. The shout lasted for a few seconds, but the adrenaline that surged through me would last a while longer. I could feel the intoxicating grip overwhelm me, just as I did when I first discovered my new found ability.

"What was that?!" Starlight shouted. I turned back, only to find shocked expressions upon all of my guests. Taking back my seat, I grinned as I bellowed the answer.

"That, my dear Starlight, was the Thu'um." I felt like I could just leave the rest up for her to figure out. It shouldn't take her-

"THE THU'UM!?" She yelled excitedly. Told you. "But... that means..." She took one more second to think to herself, then glanced at me, with her enchanting wide eyes. "You said that there was only one - that he was the last one. So..." the revelation must have been too much for her. I simply sat in my chair, with my hands resting behind my head.

"The 'last one' what, darling? What are you talking about?" Rarity asked.

"The dragonborn." Starlight paused for dramatic effects, before adding, "Ren said that the dragonborn is someone who is born with the blood and soul of a dragon, but with the body of a mortal." In unison, the four mares turned to look at me, with my devilish smile. Their eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"So," Trixie muttered to herself, then she spoke more loudly. "That means that Ren..."

"Is this fabled dragonborn." Princess Celestia finished Trixie's sentence. I nodded, then popped the cork of the rum and took a swig. Can't get enough of this stuff. After the revelation, Starlight started reminding me of the cutie mark crusaders, asking me question after question. Practically reminded me of my first time in the hospital. Holding her mouth closed, I announced that I would tell her everything that she wanted to know, as long as we had time to talk and sort things out between us.

"Okay. But maybe you should let Twilight know, too?" She suggested. I really didn't want to talk with Twilight; the last few months of being in her castle still lingered within my mind. But I knew that with at least three mares that regularly interacted with the young Princess, she would eventually find out. Hell, the echo of my shout would likely reach her ears.

Sighing in defeat, I stated, "Fine."

"Now then, you said that you wanted to clear things up?" I nodded. "Alright, then." She sat in silence. So I now have her full undivided attention. Good.

"First off, I'm sorry for having these doubtful thoughts. I should have been honest with you about how I felt from the start." I paused for a moment, to see if Starlight was listening or if she wish to voice her opinions on the matter. She was still silent, so I resumed. "Second, I'm sorry for-"

"Ren!" She interrupted me. "You don't have to apologize about that. I understand - you weren't ready to reveal something this big." She smiled at me and placed a hoof over my hand. "You don't have to worry about that. If you ever want to talk about your other secrets, just let me know, okay?"

"Thank you, Star." I smiled back about her. "So, I'm going to see Twilight, tell her what I am, and ask her if it's possible to open up about the portal between our worlds."

"I could assist you in that regard, as well." Celestia offered. I accepted. "It should not take long, and once I find something of relevant, I shall inform you."

"Thank you, Princess." I said. She levitated her tea cup to her muzzle. As I went to raise the bottle of rum for yet another swig, I felt a nudge against my hand, and found that Starlight was staring at me. I smiled at her, and lifted her up onto my lap. She leaned in ever so closer to me; I knew what she wanted. I leaned in to her and pressed my lips against hers, kissing her passionately, once again. And for the first time since my arrival, I felt truly at peace with the world.