The Handmaiden

"Those absolute savages!"

Twilight winced, her head thumping with pain at every loud noise and gentle contact, both of which she was being subjected to at the hands of the Royal Chancellor. Rarity had been in the library when Twilight found her, initially annoyed that her work was being disrupted until she saw the state of the handmaiden. After tossing the arcana coin into the city's well, Twilight had limped into the castle, perhaps a bit more slowly and gingerly than she really needed to, in search of aid. Seeing Twilight in her battered, beaten form, Rarity sat her down before immediately departing to inform the Empress. She returned a few minutes later, a bit shaken but no worse for wear, and quickly directed Twilight to the baths. Once there, she had Twilight stripped nude and submerged in the soothingly warm water. The bath needed to be changed early on, the formerly crystal clear water dark and cloudy from dirt and blood.

"The nerve of them, to attack you!" Rarity continued on, using a rag to wipe away the blood from Twilight's wounds. "Clearly haven't got any weapons on you, and yet… Absolutely disgusting behavior!"

"Chancellor, please…" Twilight clutched her head gingerly. Though she knew it was the only way, she wished dearly that Flash hadn't punched her quite so hard. "My head is pounding…"

"Luckily, those idiots don't know what they're doing," murmured Rarity, her voice a bit lower. "These cuts aren't very deep… still, I'll need to keep an eye on them to avoid infection. There should be some of Sweetie's balms here someplace, that'll help with your cuts and burns. That, however…" Rarity pressed her finger beneath Twilight's eye, inspecting the bruise cautiously. Even this gentle touch made Twilight grimace from the pain. "I don't think there's much to be done for that except wait."

"I'll be fine," affirmed Twilight. Rarity hummed in some sort of agreement before continuing to wash Twilight's body. It grew silent for a moment, save for the gentle sounds of scrubbing and occasional gasp of pain from Twilight. "What did the Empress say? About the attack?"

"She… Obviously, she was not happy to hear that she lost two Daybreakers to a handful of rebels with bows…" Twilight tensed slightly as Rarity turned to face her. "And you're certain you don't remember how that happened? You didn't see anyone of note? Nothing sticking out in your mind?"

"Afraid not. An arrow took out my guard, and then I was thrown off the horse," said Twilight, shaking her head. "I only saw one, when he attacked me. My magick took over and, next thing I know, they're gone, the guards were dead, and the forest was on fire."

"And I don't imagine you were keen to examine things while a fire was raging… in any case, the Empress is sending men to investigate and contain the inferno," said Rarity. "From now on, you will be by her side whenever leaving the castle. She's not about to let that traitor gain the satisfaction from killing you. Empress Celestia instructed that I care for your wounds and escort you about the castle until you've fully recovered."

"I see. Well, thank you for making sure I'm alright, but I'd hate to keep you from your work," said Twilight. "If you have more important things to do, I think I'll be okay."

"Nonsense. The Empress ordered me to stay by your side and ensure your well-being, so that is what I intend to do." Another short spell of quiet descended, which was soon broken once again. "Aside from that, you did as much for me when I was out of commission. I believe in repaying debts when owed."

"Then when can I repay you for the lightning?" To Twilight's surprise, Rarity smirked, the beginnings of a chuckle forming on her lips. "What will the Empress do about the Children of the Night?"

"It is not my place to conjecture as to what our Lady has planned, nor is it yours," said Rarity. "I have faith that the Empress has things well in hand. This is not the first band of ungrateful rats she had to squash, and she will show these miscreants the same might as she showed The Hive."

"The Hive rebelled?"

"Indeed. It was before your time. I was just a girl when it happened. The former ruler of The Hive, before Chrysalis, grew tired of living in the shadow of the Equestrian Empire, and saw fit to attack Canterlot." Rarity stood up, discarding the dirty rag and grabbing a swath of bandages from beside her. "The Empress does not often interfere directly in conflicts that are beneath her, but when one so brazenly disrespects her and her rule… It is lucky for The Hive that the so-called Queen left a competent daughter to rule in her place." Rarity scoffed, shaking her head, and gently began wrapping Twilight's wounds with the bandages. "Though I suppose calling Chrysalis a competent ruler is being generous."

Twilight frowned a bit, taking note of Rarity's tone. She always sounded this way when mentioning the Mother of the Hive, a sour, bitter note at the end of her voice. Twilight hadn't given it much thought before, assuming it to just be a matter of the Chancellor's loyalty to the Empress. Yet, when speaking of the Children of the Night, Rarity did not have that same bitterness. She was upset, certainly, but not quite so venomous. Twilight didn't know yet just why, or in what way precisely, but Rarity's disdain for The Hive sounded personal.

"I'll admit, I don't know much about the Empire," admitted Twilight. "I was born in the middle of nowhere, we never got much news of the goings-on of the rest of the world. I didn't even know about The Hive until recently. What's it like?"

"There could scarcely be a more accurate name for a place as filthy and decrepit as that so-called kingdom of insects." Rarity shook her head before producing a towel for Twilight. "Enough of that. Get dressed, the Empress wants to have supper with you."

Twilight nodded and, after Rarity turned away, she rose from her bath and wrapped herself in the towel. Soon, she was dry and pulling a dress onto her body, straightening and neatening herself as best as she could with the chancellor's assistance. When she was decidedly presentable, Rarity beckoned for her to follow, and the two departed for the dining hall.

Quietly, the two traversed the twisting corridors of Castle Canterlot, the place Twilight still felt so strange to call her home. Despite her resistance, she had taken to the castle rather well, hardly ever getting lost these days. The two passed the library, Twilight's favorite place in the entire castle, along their way until, after just a short trip, they arrived before the dining hall doors. After one last check, to make sure Twilight was all put together, the chancellor opened the door and stepped aside to allow Twilight entry.

The table was already set, headed by the Empress herself. Twilight scanned the Empress' face for emotion, for some confirmation that her deceit had fooled the High Queen, and was met with nothing. Nothing more than her usual, stoic, emotionless gaze.

"Good to see you in one piece, Twilight Sparkle." The Empress gestured to the seat beside her. "Take a seat, if you would. There's much I'd like to discuss with you."

"I already brought her up to speed on your behalf, Milady," said Rarity with a bow. "We could discuss more over dinner, and devise a proper strategy to combat—"

"You will go to the barracks and meet with the guards. Ensure that a proper search is done of the Everfree, and that Golden Oak is on lock down," said the Empress, not even looking to the chancellor. "Then, prepare a new lesson plan for Twilight Sparkle. We are going to begin to teach her how to defend herself. Basic level combat sorcery, and be sure to have a few intermediate lessons on hand, just in case. Our student is quite the fast learner." The Empress waved Rarity away dismissively. "Do that at once."

"My Empress, I…" Rarity looked to the many empty seats, then quickly to Twilight. No words were exchanged for a moment, nothing more than a tiny shrug from the handmaiden, and Rarity's expression shifted. She frowned slightly before kissing the sun and bowing. "Yes, my Empress. Right away. Please, enjoy your meal."

"Mh-hm. I suspect I will." The Empress glanced aside to watch Rarity depart and, when she was completely alone with her pet, turned the attention back to Twilight. "You're not too badly hurt, then?"

"No, my Empress. Just a bit sore." Twilight, for better or worse, didn't need to lie just then. "And, as I told Chancellor Rarity, my head still hurts quite a bit from my fall."

"I can only imagine," hummed the Empress. She served a generous portion of the roasted hen and potatoes that had been prepared, placing the plate before Twilight. "Eat, lest you drop from hunger as well as excitement."

"Thank you, Empress," said Twilight quietly, helping herself to a dinner roll and taking a trepidatious bite. The pair ate in silence for a while, not a sound in the room save for the clinking of silverware against their plates. "How are you today, Empress?"

"You were just attacked by a gang of savage bandits, and yet… Here you are. Engaging in small talk," said the Empress, tilting her head curiously. "With me. That is rather peculiar, don't you agree?"

"I'm just a bit out of sorts. I'd rather not dwell on it, if I can avoid it." Twilight took a sip of water, avoiding the High Queen's gaze as she did so. "And, frankly, I'm afraid I may have angered you by not doing something."

"If your attackers managed to find a way to kill a Daybreaker, then electing to fight them would do little more than ensure your own demise." The Empress smirked darkly. "I assure you, I would be much more upset were you to perish."

"So… you're not angry?"

"I'm livid. My sister and her men attacked my handmaiden, and wasted two perfectly good Daybreakers." The Empress sighed, taking a delicate bite of her meal. "But you have to remember, Twilight Sparkle, that it is I with the power here. Not Luna. I will make sure that my sister suffers for her little rebellion, and for daring to cause you to come to harm."

"What do you plan to do to her?" asked Twilight, although she regretted asking almost at once. The Empress froze for just a fraction of a second, her expression shifting slightly, before bringing a goblet of wine to her lips and taking a sip.

"I do not know yet. But whatever I come up with… I'm sure it will be a fitting end for my sister," said the Empress. "Her death will be a celebrated one, that goes without saying." Another brief silence descended, save for the gentle clinking of silverware. "Why do you ask?"

"I have a brother. When I was a child, he was my best friend," said Twilight slowly, as if the words brought her physical strain. "He protected me, made sure I was fed, tended to things with my mother after my father died. I loved him. And then… he ran away. He met a woman of high esteem. A duchess or princess or some such of a far off settlement to the north. The two fell in love, and they eloped. What's worse… Their courtship, it was unlawful. She was betrothed to another man. In order to marry this woman that he loved, he made a deal with her would-be suitor. In exchange for the princess' hand, my brother would offer him mine."

"Hm… Quite the tragic tale." The Empress arched her brow, letting Twilight's story rest in the air for a bit before she continued. She wore a tiny frown, as if disappointed by some minor inconvenience. "Do go on."

"Except… that was never really his plan. My brother never really intended to give me away. I was only fifteen at the time, not fit to be a wife. When the man came to finalize their agreement and take me away… my brother killed him. Slit his throat while he slept on our floor. My brother ran, taking me and my mother with him until the guards swarmed our wagon. My brother's new wife didn't fancy the thought of her love dying in prison, so she tossed me out the back. I took the blame for the murder and was sentenced to Golden Oak."

"Though fascinating, I'm afraid I do not understand the purpose of this story."

"My brother ruined my life. He left me behind, endeavored to sell me for his own ends, and caused me to be sent to jail," explained Twilight. "A jail I quite possibly would have died in. And yet, were he here right now, I couldn't imagine causing him harm. I just don't understand… why do you hate your sister so much that you would see her killed?"

For several moments, no words were spoken. The Empress sat down her utensils, and folded her hands under her chin. She closed her eyes, as if in deep thought. When she opened them, she bore a different expression, perhaps a bit softer than Twilight had come to expect. When the Empress did speak, she did so slowly, her voice low and even.

"When we were children, years and years and years ago, when Equestria was much smaller than it is today, Luna would go hunting with our father," said the Empress. "While I stood home with my mother to study history and sorcery. Luna was a natural hunter, could put an arrow through a squirrel's eye from across the forest. The first hunt of the autumn, she claimed a flock's worth of wild game hens, and she brought them home. She was so proud of herself, she couldn't wait to show us. And so, my mother plucked and butchered them, and she cooked the most delicious stew one can imagine." The Empress chuckled, shaking her head. "I've lived a long time, forgotten a great many experiences, but that stew… I remember my first bite as if it was yesterday. I've gone to the brink of madness and back trying to replicate it. What you're eating now is as close as I managed, but it's not quite right. Do you know why?"

"No, my Empress."

"Guess." Twilight locked eyes with the Empress, her discomfort slowly mounting. The Empress' voice was shifting, a slight fire and fury creeping into her tone. It set Twilight on edge, due to her role in causing that shift in the first place.

"If I were to hazard a guess…" said Twilight. "Perhaps your mother had a secret ingredient? Something she put into the stew but never told you about?"

"I thought so, too. For years and years and years, I thought my mother must have hid something from me. I tore her archives apart, read every journal and letter she had. I even dug out her grave to read the book she insisted she be buried with, and yet… nothing. Because there is no secret ingredient. My mother did nothing. The reason this hen doesn't taste the same as it did then is because Luna didn't hunt it."

Now it was Twilight's turn to be confused. The Empress didn't make a habit of discussing her family, nor her childhood. To hear her talk of her mother, her time with her sister, it was strange beyond measure. Twilight, like many of the Empress' subjects, saw the High Queen as a Goddess, a being with no beginning or end. The Empress' story served as proof that such beliefs were flawed.

"I do not hate my sister, Twilight Sparkle," said the Empress. "It is because I love her that I gave her the opportunity to rule beneath me. It's why I spared her life all those years ago. And it is why I am going to kill her with my own two hands."

"I'm afraid that I don't understand."

"Perhaps one day you will. Until then… Stay by my side. We will teach you to defend yourself, and I will protect you until Luna is dealt with." The Empress raised her wine in toast. "Your life belongs to me, Twilight Sparkle. I will not allow my sister to steal it." Twilight hesitated for a moment, scanning the Empress for some sort of understanding. Surely, the Empress couldn't have been genuine in her speech, she reasoned. This had to be some sort of fabrication, some manner of deception. Even as this thought occurred to Twilight, another crept from behind; The Empress hadn't lied to her before. Why would she start now?

Twilight raised her water to meet the Empress' wine, and the two clinked goblets in toast to Luna's downfall.

Three days came, and three days went, with little excitement in the castle. Twilight cherished those three days, when all she needed to worry about was remembering her alphabet and learning the simple defensive magicks the Chancellor and Empress taught her. Simple spells, such as the power to send foes hurtling back from an unseen force, as well as the ability to start fires from a distance. Twilight took to these spells quite easily, and Rarity explained quite simply why: the spells she learned those three days were all Destructive magick.

But those days were behind her now. Ahead of Twilight, in just a few hours, was the Empress' Arena.

"Pep up, Sparkle, we are in for quite the day!" Twilight pushed open the door of her room and stepped into the corridor, falling in line with Chancellor Rarity as she led the way along to the Empress' chambers. "With the games going on today, we have a bit more prep to do before we meet with Her Excellence. We must see that her tea cart is prepared, and that things are in order for a feast afterwards, and then—"

"Actually, Chancellor, the Empress requested me to her chambers as soon as I woke up," said Twilight. "She said she wanted me to help her get ready." Rarity froze for a moment, frowning slightly before continuing on.

"Hm. Well, if my Lady demands it, so it shall be," sighed Rarity. She straightened herself out a bit, slipping back into her groove. "Then my work is cut out for me. Let's get to it, then."

Rarity gestured forward, and the pair continued along through the hall, Twilight's dread building all the while. Though she knew she wouldn't be in the games themselves, nor would Pinkie, Twilight still felt this heavy, tangible fear at the prospect of being so close to it. So close to how this whole horrible thing started. She was not excited to witness the oncoming massacre, not one bit.

As Twilight and Rarity approached the Empress' chamber, the dread in the handmaiden's heart mounted; standing guard at the doors were a pair of Daybreakers, staring coldly ahead with their spears at the ready. The guards looked straight ahead until the handmaiden made her approach, and they slowly turned their vacant masks to Twilight. They let out a winding, rattling groan, chilling her blood in her veins.

"Oi, don't you pair start," said Rarity sternly. "Leave us be, we're meant to be here." Rarity reached for the door, and had to quickly retract her hand back to avoid being sliced by the approaching spears. "What in three hells do you think you're doing?!"

The strange guards said nothing, merely growling and groaning. The one to the right slowly raised his hand forward, its fingers creaking and popping as it curled them down, leaving just his index extended. It pointed forward, past Rarity, directly at Twilight herself.

"I think he wants just me?" said Twilight. Slowly, she reached for the door, and was met with no resistance. Just blank, soulless, vacant stares from whatever being stood behind the bronze masque. Twilight gripped the doorhandle and slowly pulled the door open. "I guess… I'll see you soon?"

"Hmph. Yes, yes, soon," murmured Rarity. "Go. Our Empress shan't be kept waiting."

Twilight nodded, and, with the empty gazes of the Daybreakers locked onto her, she pulled the door open and stepped inside the Empress' bedchamber. She prepared to bow and offer her leash, stopping when she noticed that her Empress was not in bed. Curiously, Twilight strode forward, pivoting her head in search of her mistress.

"In the baths, Twilight Sparkle." The Empress' voice floated from the right, through a door Twilight hadn't recalled seeing before. "Come along, now. I'm nearly finished."

"Yes, my Empress." Twilight followed the voice through the door, stepping into a separate chamber. There was a single chair, beside which was a wooden partition to afford the Empress privacy, and a small armoire. In the middle of the room was a wooden bathtub, just large enough for most of the Empress' body, leaving her feet sticking out past the container. The Empress sat, mostly submerged in the foamy water, her head thrown back in relaxation and her hair wet, no doubt from previously diving beneath the water's surface.

"Good morning, Twilight Sparkle," said the Empress.

"Good morning to you, as well." Though the Empress had her eyes closed, Twilight made sure to kiss the sun regardless. "Shall I prepare your wardrobe?"

"There is a basket on the other side of the partition." Without opening her eyes, Empress Celestia pointed to the partition in question. "Fetch it for me."

"Right away, Empress." Twilight did as she was instructed, grabbing the wicker basket from behind the partition. The basket held a number of materials, including a brush, a simple swath of cloth, and a pair of tiny glass bottles, one containing a pink liquid and the other containing blue. "What shall I do with it?"

"Wet the cloth in the bath, then pour a dollop of the blue bottle onto it," instructed the Empress. Again, Twilight did as she was told, and she barely had to wait a second for further instruction. "My feet. Clean them."

Twilight faltered for a moment, but didn't dream of disobeying. She approached her Empress' feet and, with careful, shaky hands, took them into her hands. The Empress' skin was soft, smooth, like silk, and Twilight recoiled a bit as she touched her, as if her very touch could somehow harm or offend the Empress. Twilight carefully scrubbed the Empress' feet, the strange soap she was using filling the room with a pleasant, floral aroma, like honeysuckle.

"A bit higher, Twilight Sparkle. My legs require attention as well." As the Empress spoke, Twilight froze, uncertain of what exactly to do. She had never been so close to the Empress before, never touched her so intimately. She had little choice but to do as she was told, so Twilight slid her hand up the smooth curve of the Empress' calf, all the way up to her thigh submerged beneath the water's surface. "Mmm… a hot bath is always so relaxing before a performance like in the arena. So soothing, even moreso when I have a soft set of hands to do the work."

"I'm happy to be of service, my Empress," said Twilight, her ears burning with embarrassment as her hand brushed the Empress' hip.

"You could have served me more, had you been here a bit sooner," said the Empress, a light chuckle in her voice. "I had to draw the bath myself."

"My apologies, Empress. Please, forgive me."

"You can make up for it, now." The Empress shifted her body, sitting more upright in the tub. Now her breasts, which were formerly hidden by the water, rose above the surface. "Be gentle now, Twilight Sparkle. I am quite resilient in most ways but I admit… Even I am not without my sensitivities."

Twilight hesitated for just a short moment before nodding, reaching up to wash the Empress' breasts. A tingle ran down Twilight's spine as she made contact with the Empress' skin, like lightning coursing through her veins. It was always a strange sensation to touch the Empress, and the scenario was made all the more peculiar by the intimate nature of the encounter. The Empress is a goddess, a divine being of incredible power, and yet here Twilight was, hands on the High Queen's breasts. Her fingers brushing against the Empress' soft pink nipples as she washed her supple bust, her gentle movements rewarded with a contented sigh from the High Queen. Bordering on a moan.

"Mmm… Very good, Twilight Sparkle. I think that will do for now." The Empress stood up in the tub, squeezing the water out of her hair. "There is a towel behind the partition. Then my gown and jewelry are in the armoire."

Again, Twilight found the things that the Empress described and brought them before her. She draped the towel and dress over her arm and gently grasped the Empress' hand, helping her out of the tub before drying her and tossing the towel aside. The Empress turned and raised her arms, allowing Twilight to pull the golden silk gown onto her body. From there, the Empress sat in her chair, while Twilight gently brushed and straightened her hair. She produced the Empress' jewelry box and dressed her in that same set of six; her two pendants, then her rings, and finally her anklets.

"Are you ready to go, Twilight Sparkle?" asked the Empress, raising her foot so Twilight may slide her shoes on. "I admit myself excited for the day's show."

The true, honest answer was yes. Twilight was ready. Ready to go, ready for Luna's plan, ready to put this whole thing behind her. The sooner this was over, the sooner she could wash her hands of things. Twilight just kept her thoughts devoted to Pinkie, doing her best to hold on and keep her head above water.

"Yes, my Empress."

Twilight watched the Empress stand before offering her leash, her gut instinct telling her that this water was on its way to becoming a tsunami.

"Ladies and gentlemen!"

The Empress clutched Twilight's leash, gripping the leather tightly as Rarity announced her arrival to the arena. She didn't look at her handmaiden, her focus elsewhere for the time being. The air was different back there, in the entryway to the arena. Twilight sensed a different energy than she did elsewhere, different even than when she was last there. Twilight felt it, and she was certain the Empress did as well. It felt as if a storm was coming.

"Her Majesty, Empress Celestia!"

"Let's go, Twilight Sparkle," said the Empress, pulling her handmaiden along. The two walked forward, passing by the trio of Daybreakers on patrol on their way to the Empress' spot beside Rarity, looking down on the arena. Hundreds of spectators, perhaps thousands, were gathered to watch the onslaught. At the bottom, in the arena itself, were a fresh batch of fifteen gladiators. Twilight didn't recognize any of them, so she reasoned they must have been from a lower level of Golden Oak, if not freshly plucked from the streets the night prior.

"So many eyes…" murmured Twilight. The Empress gave a gentle chuckle, gesturing to her subjects.

"If you think that is spectacular…" The Empress brought her fingers to her lips and kissed the sun. In unison, every solitary soul in the stands did the same, bowing to their glorious leader. "It can be quite intoxicating. Chancellor, our seats."

"Yes, Empress," said Rarity with a bow. "Right away!" Rarity led the pair to the Empress' private seating, far from the bleachers of the commoner below, and gestured to the throne. The Empress sat and, after a nod of encouragement, Twilight claimed the seat beside her. "Shall I begin the bout?"

"You shall," nodded the Empress. Rarity saluted once more, murmuring her incantation under her breath. When next she spoke, it was with enough force and volume that it could be heard by all in attendance.

"May you battle with distinction, and bring glory to our Empress' name!" declared the chancellor. "Release the pack!"

"So, Ms. Rarity, who do you have in this bout?" asked the Empress. The gates to the bestiary slowly rose, bringing with them four large manticores. Twilight felt a chill down her spine as the great beasts stalked onto the sand, slowly approaching the gladiators. "Were you a gambling woman, where would your coin lay?"

"I believe that it will once again be a clean sweep for the manticores," reported Rarity. "Just like last time."

"It wasn't a clean sweep last time," noted Twilight. The Empress tilted her head, turning away from the spectacle below to admire her handmaiden. "Pinkie and I survived. In fact, I even wounded one of them. Accidentally, of course."

"The girl has a point, Rarity. Not quite a clean sweep." The Empress smirked at the way the chancellor frowned, giving Twilight a wink. "Alright then, Twilight Sparkle. Who would you bet on, were you to have the coin to throw around?"

"I can't say, my Empress. Your… pets… they're quite formidable, to say the least. Then again, there are more gladiators here than when I was a competitor." Twilight let out a sigh, a bit disturbed that she even had to participate in this wagering of human lives. "I think the manticores will ultimately emerge victorious, but, if the gladiators were to work together, they may be able to incapacitate or even slay a manticore."

"Interesting guess, Twilight Sparkle," hummed the Empress. "I suppose only time will—"

A roar of excitement echoed throughout the crowd, signalling the first casualty of the match. The Empress laughed, standing up and facing the arena below to get a better look. Twilight did the opposite, turning her head away from the carnage until she heard Rarity's gasp. Now, with curiosity outweighing her squeamish nature, Twilight couldn't help herself from looking down, letting out a surprised gasp of her own.

One manticore lay before the others, dead. Three arrows stuck from its body, one in the eye and two impaling it through the gullet. Three perfect shots. Twilight scanned the gladiators to see who had slain the beast, but she determined that not one of them carried with them a bow. Before she could formulate a question, another arrow flew through the air, piercing the neck of yet another manticore. Twilight felt her mouth gape as it occurred to her that the arrow hadn't come from the arena, rather, the stands.

"Shite," muttered Empress Celestia. "Rarity, have the guards lock down the arena, no one leaves."

"M'lady, what is happening?" asked Rarity, concern in her tone above all else. "I don't—"

"We're being attacked, you dalcop, now do as you're told!"

"Empress, look!" Twilight pointed down to the arena below, drawing all attention to the spectacle unfolding. Men were leaping from their seats in the stands and sliding down the walls with the aid of ropes. A pair of men landed directly upon a manticore's back, drawing daggers and knives to stab at the beasts. The gladiators were backing away, understandably afraid for their lives, and, in the space before them, the air began to shimmer and shake. A shape took form, the shape of a woman with a large midnight cloak and an ebony bow slung over her shoulder. Though Twilight could just barely make out her face, she could tell even from where she sat that Luna was smiling.

"She has made a grave mistake coming here," hissed the Empress. She raised her hand up, charging her unrivaled magick in her palm. Twilight watched, unable to interfere or even move at all as the Empress prepared to wipe Luna's revolution from existence with a mere wave of the hand. The High Queen was just a second from casting her sorcery, when it happened.

It was so quick, Twilight barely had a chance to process it. Just a flash and a blur, followed by a hiss of pain and a faint thunk. Twilight turned to meet her Empress' eye, and what she saw was beyond words. A lateral wound graced the Empress' face, her skin split from an arrow fired with the most lethal precision. A bit further was her right ear, also sliced by the arrow, almost split in two. The Empress brought her hand to her face, wiping the blood with two fingers and staring at it strangely. As if she did not know what it was, as if she hadn't ever seen it before. Her own blood.

A hush fell over the entire arena, silent save for the growling of the manticores and the grunts of the Children of the Night who were slaying them. All eyes were on one woman, the woman who had dared fired a shot at the Empress. The woman who attacked the Sun Goddess. The woman who did the unthinkable.

"Canterlot!" roared Luna, her voice amplified by a similar sorcery to that which Rarity had used. "Is this your Queen? She who sits high above, watching men, women, even children battle beasts to the death, and for what? Her own amusement? It is sickening! This is not the behavior of a Queen! This is a brute! A butcher! A savage, sadistic animal, no better than these manticores!"

"Empress, the guards!" Rarity had run out at some point, and returned in a huff. "The guards at the ground, they're all dead! Even the Daybreakers!"

"That…" The Empress blinked, as if still in a daze. "That hurt…"

"I have shown you another way! Your so-called Goddess… I have shown that she can bleed! And if she can bleed, she can be killed! I will save Equestria from Celestia even if I must burn Canterlot to cinders to get to her!"

A thunderous boom shook the foundations of the arena, of the city itself, the sound nearly scaring Twilight to death. Another explosion soon followed, then another, and another, until there were five great blasts in total. This was not what was supposed to happen. These explosions, bringing with them great plumes of acrid black smoke and vapors of foul smelling air from the city proper, this was not in the plan. Twilight couldn't exactly see from where she was, but she could smell the smoke from fires in the city, could sense the destruction not too far away. This was wrong.

"This is the time, Equestria! The time for change, the time for revolution, the time to make a stand, the time to pick a side!" Luna raised her hands to the crowd, beckoning for them to join her. "If you choose to stand by this tyrant, then you shall fall alongside her! But, if there is any man among you with the heart, the soul, the force of will to stand against my wicked sister, then you stand here!"

The crowd erupted in hysterics, murmurs, shouts, jeers. And yet, after a few moments, one man in the crowd stood up, and then another, and another. A half-dozen men, and three women, they scrambled to the edge of the stands, hopping over the wall and scaling down with the Children's ropes. They joined Luna, as did the gladiators and the Children who climbed off of the manticores. Luna grinned and, with a smug wink to the Empress, she kissed the sun and bowed.

"My Children!" bellowed Luna, as if battling back a fit of laughter. "We vanish into the shadows!"

There was a loud, cracking sound, like a thousand dishes being dashed against stones, and a flare of blue light as bright as the sun. When the sound and light had faded, Luna, the gladiators, all of the traitors, they were gone. Twilight stared at the Empress, a true chill running through her body. The Empress had stood staring at her own blood, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her eyes were almost alight with fury, her breathing growing heavier under the weight of her rage.

"Send the Daybreakers into the stands. They will kill anyone who tries to leave," snarled the Empress. "I will personally interrogate every person in this arena until I am satisfied."

"Yes, Empress, right away," said Rarity. "I—"

"Then, Rarity, you will ride into town, you will go to your home, and you will bring me your sister."

"My… my sister?" Rarity paled significantly, her already fair complexion fading into an almost sickly grey. Rarity took a shaky step towards the Empress. "My Empress, I don't understand. What need have you of Sweetie Belle, she's just—Ack!"

In a flash, the Empress turned and grabbed Rarity around the throat with just one hand. With impossible strength, she hoisted Rarity up, bringing her to eye level so that the chancellor could properly absorb the displeasure of her Empress. Rarity kicked her legs and flailed to escape, fear clearly coursing through her body, while Twilight could do little more than watch on in horror.

"Question me again and you will be tried for treason. I will end your worthless life myself!" barked the Empress. "Luna made a direct attack against me, made me out to be a fool in front of my subjects! I am going to find her, and for that I need my Alchemist. Bring. Me. Your. Sister!"

"Right away, your Majesty," said Twilight, rushing forward to aid the chancellor. She grabbed at Rarity's wrist, hoping beyond reason that she could somehow tug her free. Luckily, the Empress dropped the chancellor to the ground, letting Twilight help her to her feet as she choked down air. "I will assist her, and help Sweetie Belle in whatever she needs to aid the fight against Luna."

"Go. I will not be held responsible for what I will do if the chancellor defies me again."

"Come on, chancellor." Twilight pulled Rarity along, all but dragging the chancellor who just clutched her throat, her eyes wide with an intense, almost tangible, fear. "We have to go, now."

"Y-yes," murmured Rarity, hand still clutching her throat. She moved alongside Twilight, almost too shocked for words. "Opal is just outside, but we'll need to borrow another horse so all three of us can get to the castle. With all of these guards dead…"

"There's bound to be one we can take. Hurry, we have to move."

Twilight spared the Empress one last glance from the doorway. The High Queen hadn't moved since she dropped Rarity, just staring down at the crowd below, and at the blood she had wiped from her face. This was not what Twilight had expected from Luna's invasion. Her speech, her attack directly on the Empress, her threat to raze Canterlot to the ground if it stood in between her and her revenge. Twilight couldn't decide how much Luna meant that threat, and how much was just an attempt to debase and discredit the Empress' grip of her kingdom. Nor was it clear to her which possibility was preferred.

Still a bit shaken by the invasion, and how her part in it could very well get her killed were she to be found out, Twilight departed into the burning city to find an end to the revolution she helped start.