The Handmaiden

"Morning report for this day, the 27th of September, the 104th year of the 4th Era.”

Twilight fidgeted in the Empress’ throne, flinching at the velvety cushion against her backside. It was too big. Too nice. She didn’t belong in that seat, and she knew it. Rarity shouldn’t be here, reading to her the news. The Empress should be here, watching over the throne room with that special indifference that came only from absolute power and control. Twilight didn’t know how to behave as though all was beneath her, the way her mistress did so effortlessly.

“Sparkle.” Rarity’s voice jostled Twilight free from her own musings, causing her to sit up a bit straighter in the throne. “Focus. The news for today is short, and you already know what’s on it, but you should hear it nevertheless.”

“Right. Yes, yes, of course,” sighed Twilight. “Carry on, Ms. Rarity.”

“Hm. The Empress is safely asleep, and her mana is slowly returning to normal. As far as I can tell, she will be back to full health before we know it,” said Rarity, pacing before the throne with parchment in hand. “Sadly, the earliest prediction we have is a week from now. Which means the Empress will not be awake again until after the Matai leaves.”

“I knew that…” Twilight squeezed herself tightly, doing anything she could to relieve the stress. “Yet I still find myself hoping beyond reason that maybe she’ll be back in time…”

“Alas, she will not be, so we must continue on accordingly. As you know, Matai Adagio will be arriving in a matter of hours. Once her ship docks, a greeting party shall bring her to you here, and you will show her around the castle.” Rarity glanced to her charge, watching her carefully before returning to her list. “After that is tea, then supper, with the proper meeting beginning tomorrow. Do not attempt negotiations before then. In their culture, it is seen as incredibly rude to discuss important matters with a guest too soon after inviting them to your home.”

“And Sweetie?” asked Twilight. “Will she be able to make it?”

“Again, tomorrow. She’s unfortunately busy with a project for me until then. Something to ensure the Empress’ recovery is a smooth one. As I said to you before, we are on our own today." Rarity folded the news and slipped the scroll into her breast pocket, no doubt deciding that the temporary leader had enough on her plate. "Chin up, Sparkle. You have done all you could to prepare.”

“It doesn’t feel like I’ve done enough.” Twilight slumped down, nearly dropping the diadem from her head. "I'm going to give our records on the Calypso one more look until they arrive. Perhaps that will—"

The door to the throne room blew open, bringing with it a member of castle staff that Twilight did not know by name. Judging by her uniform, however, she was some manner of gardener or groundskeeper. She was out of breath, clutching her chest and leaning against the door for support. The Chancellor frowned, folding her arms behind her back as she approached the servant.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rarity demanded. "We are in the middle of a very important discussion, I'll have you know."

"A thousand apologies, Chancellor, but I had to hurry to deliver a message," panted the servant, her voice weak and trembling. Twilight peered at her, concern and confusion sinking a pit into her gut. "Matai Adagio and her party, they've arrived early! They're at the castle gates right now."

"Son of a…" Rarity tensed for a brief moment before straightening herself up again. "Sparkle, go greet them. I'll prepare the tea room, you meet me there."

"But…" Twilight swallowed her heart back down before giving a nod. She had given the Empress her word to lead as she would, and the Empress would not buckle under a force this minor. She would stand boldly in the face of change and sneer at the universe itself for daring to meddle in her affairs. "Right. For now, I bid you farewell, Ms. Rarity." Twilight turned to the servant in question. "Take me to the Matai, please."

No further words were exchanged between the pair, both rushing forward to complete their tasks. Though unready, untested, uncertain, Twilight tried with all of her might to maintain clarity. The Empress had bestowed her power. Now, all she need concern herself with is wielding it. Stand like a queen, and others shall bow. Easy enough advice in theory, now would be the first time the handmaiden had the opportunity to apply it to practice.

It was not one woman waiting for Twilight at the castle gates, but three. Each had darkly bronze skin, their flesh pierced and decorated with various tattoos and rings that, as far as Twilight could tell, held some unspoken significance to Calypso culture. In the back of the trio was a girl that appeared to be the youngest. Her hair was long and wavy, a pleasant seagreen color contrasted with darker navy highlights. She had but a single piercing, a dark black ring on her lip, and only two tattoos in the form of a black tidal wave on one arm and a band of seashells wrapping around the other. Her clothing was strange, an oddly patterned series of blue and green scarves that covered little more than her chest and a simple grass skirt around her hips. Much like her fellows, she wore no shoes, baring her toes and their seagreen paint. She carried a basket on her back, expertly woven and beautifully painted in blue, purple, and orange.

In the front of the party was a much larger woman, easily two heads taller than Twilight herself. Her limbs were tightly coiled bundles of power, straining the image of her tattoos, the images of spears and sharks stretching up her left arm. Even more ink covered her chest, though Twilight couldn’t work out quite what the art depicted. All she saw were fins and sharp angles, sprawling across her chest and wrapping down the side of her scarred, battle-worn torso. Her hair was longer than the woman in the back, a deep, royal purple, twisted into twin braids, with ties on the end of each to contain them. She had more piercings than the first woman; two studs in her lip, one in her brow, and a ring in her nose. More intimidating than her piercings was her scowl, her fury and disgust causing the smattering of scars that decorated her face to crinkle across her features.

Lastly, the shortest of the trio, could only be the Matai herself. Twilight had no evidence to support that short of the woman’s energy, her presence and mannerisms. Diminutive in height, she lacked the physical power of her companion, though she made up for it with the intensity in her gaze. A bit stout, without being fat, both of her arms, her chest, her torso, and her neck were all tattooed. Scenes of sharks and krakens destroying ships, of spears and hooks, fish and hawks, as well as symbols, swirls, and patterns that meant little to Twilight. In addition to her tattoos were piercings, also more numerous than the other two. A half-dozen studs spread across both brows, four rings in the lobe of her ear, with two connected to the rings in her nose by a chain of golden beads. Perhaps most striking about the Matai’s appearance was her hair; Almost as long as the woman was tall, it was wild, untamed, like that of a ferocious beast. The locks were a deep orange, like the setting sun, and it suited her crown of feathers and shells quite well.

“Matai Adagio, greetings!” Twilight’s breath caught as she remembered the proper greeting; She widened her stance and clenched her fists, bringing one wrist against the other in a swift strike. She thought she had done adequately, but the scowl from the large woman made her doubt herself. “T-talofa. I’ve not done it wrong, have I?”

“That word is normally used for family,” said the woman in the back, the youngest and the only one offering a smile of any sort to Twilight. “But we admire your attempt.”

“A failed attempt means nothing,” snorted the large woman. She leered down at Twilight, her scowl never once leaving her face. “What are you?”

“I am Twilight Sparkle, the Royal Handmaiden to the Empress of Equestria.” Twilight tried a smile, which did not appear to be well-received by the large Calypso. “I was under the impression that I would only be meeting with the Matai.”

“And I was under the impression that your ‘Empress’ owed Calypso more respect.” The large woman took a step forward, bringing Twilight a half-step back. “She ignores us, sends us threats when she fails to quell a rebellion on her own soil, demands us here to discuss some ‘treaty‘ where she will continue to step over my people, and she’s too spineless to do it herself? She sends her slave?”

“I… Respectfully, I think you may be confused on a few matters,” said Twilight, frowning slightly at the use of the word “slave”. She had been a slave before, and it was a much different experience than being given the Crown of Equestria. “Mayhaps it would be best for us to start over. I am Twilight Sparkle, the Royal Handmaiden to Her Highness, Empress Celestia. May I have your names?”

“Hm. Matai Dazzle Adagio.” The stout woman spoke finally, bringing her hand to her chest. She then gestured to each of her companions, first the large woman, then the youngest of the three. “This is Mako, Blaze Aria. The Uso, Dusk Sonata. My sisters, I do not journey without them. The Mako is the greatest warrior in all of Calypso.”

“Four-hundred battles,” snarled Aria. “Never has my back touched sand.”

“No one likes a show-off, Ari,” said Sonata with a small giggle. Aria turned to her sister and ended her mirth with a single leer. Sonata straightened herself a bit, giving a nod before continuing. “I am Uso, or Sister. It means I am next to be Matai, once my elder sister steps down or I defeat her in combat.” Sonata’s eyes went wide as she realized what she said, almost as if she could feel the Matai’s scowl. “Not that I would consider attempting to battle for Matai.”

“Where is Celestia?” asked the Matai. “And why has she seen fit to disrespect my people by sending me to do business with a servant.”

“It is no disrespect, Matai Adagio. The Empress wanted to be here to meet you herself, but something very important has come up,” explained Twilight. “It was unavoidable, and so she entrusted the meeting to me.”

“A slave,” remarked Aria.

“A handmaiden. I’m closer to an apprentice than a slave. The Empress has not sent me because she thinks you unworthy of her attention." Twilight stilled herself, maintaining control against the Matai's resistance. "Perhaps we should discuss that tomorrow? For now, I would like to invite you to the parlor to join me for tea."

"Hm. Very well, handmaiden," said Matai Adagio. She said something to each of her sisters, a clicking, harmonious tongue that Twilight could not understand, and her sisters nodded their agreement. "Let us go."

Twilight nodded, quickly turning away and leading the foreigners deeper into the castle. They passed many members of castle staff on their way, cleaners and other servants, and they all had their eyes on Twilight. She did her best to ignore the stares, and focus on her task, but the uncomfortable silence the Matai left her in had thoroughly shaken what little confidence remained.

"That looks heavy, that basket," noted Twilight, doing all she could to fill the air. "If you like, I can have someone bring it to your chambers, and—"

"The basket stays with us," said Matai Adagio, swiftly and without wavering. "It contains many sacred items, and it shall not be touched by an outsider."

"Oh. Yes, apologies. I only meant…" Twilight could think of nothing more to say, nothing to make her feel any more in control. Luckily, she needn't worry about that, for they arrived at their destination. "Right through here, Matai."

Twilight silently thanked the Gods above as she entered the tea parlor, beyond relieved to see the Chancellor waiting for her. There was a small table set before a window, a table set with tea for five. Beside the table was the tea cart, ladened with cakes and tarts, the platter of which Rarity placed in the middle of the table.

"Rarity, meet Matai Adagio and her sisters," said Twilight. She tried to balance her expression between a facade of confidence and a plea for help; luckily, Rarity was a fairly insightful woman, and saw the young handmaiden's desperation fairly easily. "And Matai, this is Chancellor Rarity. She's the Empress' most trusted assistant."

"It is truly an honour to meet you, Matai," said Rarity. She gestured to the table, and turned back to begin pouring tea. "If you would have a seat, tea will be ready shortly."

"So now we do business with two servants," scoffed Aria.

"No business today, I'm afraid. Just a chance to meet and get to know one another," said Twilight. She took a seat at the table and, after watching her for a moment, the foreigners did the same. "I would like to learn more about your people, if I may ask."

"You are free to ask what you will," said the Matai. "But understand this. We will not part with our people's secrets easily. I decide what questions are answered."

"That sounds very reasonable. My first question regards… I believe your title is Mako?" Twilight watched as Aria gave the tiniest of nods. "And you spoke of battles? Four-hundred, I believe? Who is it that you're fighting with?"

"Hmph. The Isle of Calypso is made of six islands. Each with their own chief to watch over the island," said the Matai. "Above all chiefs, there is the Matai, who watches over all of the islands of Calypso. The title of Matai is passed down by bloodline, unless it is taken by force. The chief of another island may choose to challenge my rule, and there will be a skirmish until one side submits."

"Fascinating. So you fight each other?" Twilight accepted the tea that Rarity gave her, uttering a quiet thanks as the Chancellor served the rest of the table. "How do the islands coexist if you're always battling for supremacy?"

"Supremacy… You show both your arrogance and your ignorance," growled Aria. "It is not a battle for supremacy. It is a battle for honor."

"From the age when our people are first able to walk, they are given a spear and taught to hunt, and fight. It is our way, and it is in our blood," explained the Matai. "We do not fight one another for spite or hate. We fight, because it is what we do. Just as our ancestors before us, and their ancestors before them. We fight and are made strong from it. It is a matter of honor to shed blood against your own people."

"Outsiders are another story." Aria smoldered with intensity, ignoring her tea altogether. Her eyes never strayed from Twilight, the threatening tone in her voice chilling the handmaiden slightly.

"I think I understand," said Twilight with a nod. "Another thing I wish to understand… Sonata is to be the next Matai, and yet, she is the youngest of you, no? Would the title not go to the Mako instead?"

"The title of Matai is not only determined by lineage or combat." To Twilight's surprise, it was Sonata herself who spoke up. "Ordinarily, yes, it would be Ari to be Matai after Adagio. But the Spirits have decided otherwise. They have chosen me to be Uso, or… Well. I do not think you have a word for what I am." She looked to her eldest sister. "How best to explain?"

"Sonata has been burdened with the sacred honor of communing with the ancestors," said Matai Adagio. "She can hear their whispers, and they guide us through her. They warn us of unseen dangers and advise us on how to best uphold our ways."

"She is… An oracle?" Twilight's eyes went wide, not daring to believe. Divination was a murky subject, not considered true sorcery, yet still undeniably arcane in nature. "Incredible! Could you demonstrate?"

"My sister's burden is not for your amusement!" shouted Aria. She clenched her fists, the veins in her hand bulging as she eyed down both Twilight and Rarity, the latter of which did not seem intimidated. "It is not a spectacle for you outsiders to gawk at. It is a sacred ritual that is not to be taken lightly."

"Aria, please, calm down. She only wants to learn of our ways." Sonata frowned at her sister before turning to her basket and removing the lid. "Just once, it would not be so bad to share with an outsider, especially one that is meant to be our ally. There is no harm to be done."

"Your naivety stands as a monument to your youth. Things are very rarely that simple," sighed the Matai. "But you are Uso, and of age. I cannot stop you, only urge you proceed with caution."

"I will, Dagi. I won't use much." Sonata returned from her basket with a small rectangular box, lovingly crafted of wood and bronze. She placed the box on the table and flipped it open, withdrawing a long, elegant pipe, intricately carved and decorated with bits of lapis lazuli. She retrieved a bundle of dried herbs and leaves from the box, plucking a handful and tamping it down into the pipe with the help of a small shell that was beside the pipe. "I need a sparking stone. Do you have one?" Sonata looked to Twilight, matching her look of confusion. "A sparking… Stone? Do you not know of this? Surely you must, or how else would you have fire?"

"Oh, I see! It's like flint! If it's merely fire you are after, then I can be of assistance," said Twilight. She held up a single finger and snapped with her other hand. "Ignis Minora."

The visiting sisters nearly fell out of their seats, with the Matai and the Mako shouting in their native tongues. Twilight simply froze, unsure of how to react. She looked to Rarity for guidance, who seemed more focused on Aria than anything. In fact, the Chancellor didn't seem to take her eyes off of Aria once since seating her for tea.

"Do not dare light that pipe with your witchcraft!" snapped Aria. "Your profaned flame… it dishonors the Spirits! You cannot. I will not allow it."

"Your Empress fears us for our 'occult ceremonies', yet here she is with a witch under her nose." The Matai glared at Twilight, as if to leap on her for daring to disrespect her yet again. "Your witchcraft will not desecrate my ancestors."

"It would really be best if you had a more natural way of creating fire," said Sonata, calmly moderating between her sisters. With a practiced motion, Chancellor Rarity reached into her breast pocket and withdrew a match, which she quickly struck and handed to Sonata once lit. "Thank you. This should do well."

"I did not mean to offend," said Twilight, waving away her fire and feeling the pit in her belly grow wider and deeper with each gaff and slip. "If I have not offended you too much… Please, continue."

Sonata nodded, then lit her pipe with the match until the herbs were thoroughly burning. Extinguishing the match, Sonata put the pipe in her mouth and inhaled, puffing a stream of dark grey smoke from her nostrils. The smoke smelled deeply earthy, like mud and vegetation, and even just breathing in a bit from across the table made Twilight's head go fuzzy. She couldn't imagine what actually smoking those herbs would be like.

"I will not be myself once I begin communion with the ancestors," explained Sonata. She coughed a bit on the smoke, but kept puffing on the pipe nevertheless. "I will not be able to hear you or respond to you. It may be frightening to see at first, but I assure you, it is safe. My sister will interpret for you."

Sonata set down the pipe and, without a single word, let her head drop to the table. Twilight jumped in surprise, fearing the worst, until slowly, Sonata raised her head. Her eyes had gone glassy, her pupils swirling with this otherworldly blue fog. Her mouth hung open, and sound scrambled from her throat, but it would be wrong to say she spoke. More so, she played host for the slithering, musical syllables of the Calypso's native tongue.

"Pig," said Adagio, listening closely to the words that were slithering out of Sonata's mouth. "Pig with dried blood. Shackles. Escaped, yet prisoner still. Snake." Matai Adagio leaned in, grabbing hold of her sister's words. "Love. Love and heartbreak, twice over. Envy and desire. Illness." She stiffened slightly at the next words, peering at Twilight. "Betrayal. Desertion. False queen, shattered crown. Love again. Trust. Failure. And…"

"Bloodshed." It was Aria who supplied that last word. "Pain and bloodshed."

"Oh." Twilight had no other response, nothing to combat that growing, sinking feeling. "Thank you. I believe that is enough."

"Once started, the communion cannot be stopped," said Matai Adagio. "We must simply wait for the ancestors to return Sonata to us."

Sonata rose to her feet, still muttering in her native language. As Twilight strained her ears, it became clear that Sonata was saying the same two or three words, over and over. Slowly, her hand raised, shaking and twitching, jerking suddenly to point at Twilight.

"Failure. Regret. And… oti." For the first time, Matai Adagio was given pause by what she heard. She shared a look with Aria, who seemed similarly concerned. "Oti…"

"You seem… Concerned?" asked Twilight. Her guests said nothing, considering what they had heard carefully. "That word. What does that mean?"

"Your word for it is death, but that is not exactly what it means. In our tongue, it is not death, it is the end," said Adagio.

"But is death not the end?"

"Death is a new beginning for my people. A chance to do better for themselves and honor the ancestors." The Matai retreated back in her seat, watching her sister slowly fall back into her chair. "Oti is the final end. The silence that comes when all else has passed. And the ancestors see that in your future."

"Ugh…." Sonata clutched her head, blinking away the daze in her eyes. She looked to Twilight, then her elder sister, concerned and confused in equal measure. "Is everything okay? What did I say?"

"It is unimportant. Aria, collect our things." The Matai stood up, folding her arms across her chest. "My sister requires rest after communion with the ancestors."

"If you would follow me, I will deliver you to your chambers," said the Chancellor. She stood up and gestured to the door. "This way."

"Yes… I think I do need to rest…" said Sonata weakly. Aria gathered up Sonata's pipe and slung the basket over her shoulder before helping the youngest sister to her feet. "I am grateful to have been able to share my people's ways with you, Twilight."

"And I am grateful to have been able to learn." Though her words were sincere, Twilight found her focus elsewhere. "I hope that you are feeling well by dinner. It would be my honor to dine with you."

Chancellor Rarity departed, taking with her the Calypsos and leaving Twilight alone with her thoughts. She could not have possibly imagined this first meeting going any worse. Twilight hadn't expected the Matai to like her, but this level of disdain was unexpected. There was no other way to put it; this was a disaster, and that all came before Sonata's proclamation.

Twilight laid her head in her folded arms against the table, thinking over what Sonata had said. Every single word had been chilling, none more than that very last one. The final end. Everything else appeared to be open to interpretation, but that seemed fairly concrete. And, unlike the other whispers, Sonata had made it clear that it applied to Twilight specifically.

"Don't tell me you actually bought into that nonsense." Twilight looked up from her arms, her gaze falling on the chancellor, standing in the doorway. She had her arms crossed as she leaned in the doorframe, her face curled in her usual disdainful frown. "Raise your head, lest you let the Empress' crown slip."

"You don't believe her?" asked Twilight. Rarity scoffed, rolling her eyes as she strolled further into the room to go about collecting the remnants of their tea time.

"The Calypso are spear-brandishing savages who believe that crabs are somehow sacred because they can live in the sea without needing to swim," snorted Rarity. "Of course I don't believe it. An oracle… If that girl can predict the future, my sister's a horse."

"I'm not so sure. She said pig," said Twilight. "And my father raised pigs. Then shackles, and escaped but still a prisoner… Does that not sound like me?"

"Congratulations. The girl can predict the past. Trust me, Sparkle, it's all a bunch of hogwash. Nonspecific ramblings just precise enough to appear concrete, and yet vague enough to be open to whatever interpretation you fancy. If there’s anything impressive about it, it’s the dedication to the deceit that they all have."

"Still. When there's a possibility of something as serious as what she said, the final end…" Twilight sighed, pulling her hair from her eyes. "Should we not take it under consideration?"

"You mistake consideration with panic. Until such time as all of being decides ends, I will proceed under the assumption that it intends to continue on. I urge you do the same." Rarity let out a thoughtful hum. "You're worried about the wrong sister. It's the brutish one we need to concern ourselves with."

"You mean Aria? She did not seem fond of me."

"She does not seem fond of anything. Any attempts to sway the Matai will no doubt be derailed by the big meathead shouting about tradition and the ancestors." It was unclear if Rarity was unable to, or simply chose not to, restrain her sneering disdain for the Calypso people. "She needs to be handled."

"Hm… I need to earn her respect. I'm not sure how, though," mused Twilight. "She didn't seem to appreciate my attempts at experiencing and understanding her culture. I suppose because I am an outsider?"

"Respect… Those savages only respect the biggest spear. I say you should get between them. Make it clear that this is a meeting between Equestria and the Matai, not the Matai's whole family."

“I fail to see how that would be the way to befriend the Matai.”

“Don’t be childish. This is not about befriending anyone, it’s ensuring that Calypso stays beneath Equestria’s boot, where it belongs,” said Rarity. “Do you think the Empress cares if her underlings like her?”

“The Empress cares if I like her, which proves she's not as cold as you seem to believe," countered Twilight. "If the Empress wanted hostility with Calypso, she would sail there and take pleasure in killing them all herself. She entrusted me with ensuring peace between our lands, and the only time the Empress decides that she cannot kill someone is if that person is more useful or interesting to her alive than dead."

"I have dutifully served the Empress since I was a child. I know her better than any other person alive." Rarity's voice hung low to the ground with a bitter sort of resentment. "I need not a lecture on how my lady thinks. Were she here now, she would say that she would show Calypso her might, and make it be known that we can crush them if we so desire."

"If you believe the Empress to be so short-sighted, then perhaps you do not understand her as well as you think."

"What purpose did it serve for you to ask for my counsel if you were just going to ignore my advice regardless?" snapped the Chancellor, slamming her hands down onto the tea cart. She went quiet for a moment before taking in a breath, and proceeding with a bit more restraint. "I understand that you are the Empress' favorite. I've come to terms with that, I think. But do not delude yourself for even one moment into thinking that her preference is a substitute for my wisdom and experience."

"I… I did not mean any disrespect, Ms. Rarity, nor do I think myself to be anyone's favorite. And I do value your advice. Truly." Twilight spoke carefully, treading around the Chancellor's frustration like a sleeping bear. "But the Empress chose me to act the way I think she would. Whether or not it is actually how she would behave is beside the point. She wants to see the results of my… naivete, I suppose. The Empress wants it my way. So yes, I do ask for your advice, but sometimes I must walk my own path, do you not agree?"

"Hmph. And what if your path leads you directly into fire?"

There it was. The solution to her problems. A way to earn the Matai's respect, to convince her that their countries were better off as allies than adversaries. Fire. It all made sense. But that would have to wait until tomorrow.

"Then I shall burn," said Twilight, keeping her thoughts to herself. "And I will have no one to blame but myself. You can look down on me for my ignorance and ineptitude if you so choose, but I ask that you respect my decision to accept those consequences myself." Twilight sighed as she stood up to meet her advisor, her mentor, and, if she was very lucky, her friend. "I should go. There's much to do before supper. Will you be joining us?"

Rarity didn't respond, nor did she turn to face Twilight, for a long spell. Twilight could almost hear the gears turning in the chancellor's head. The Chancellor hung her head, once again displaying to Twilight that doubt and uncertainty. The confidence she had managed to scrounge together for the handmaiden had thoroughly dissipated by then, and Twilight could tell as much. Not for the first time, she would need to prove herself.

"I imagine I will be. Go on, Sparkle. Walk your path," said Rarity finally. "I wish you luck in that regard."

With a quiet wave, Rarity departed, once again leaving Twilight alone. The handmaiden sighed, feeling her head droop down to rest against the table again, but she jerked upright at the thought. The Chancellor had a point; With the Empress’ crown upon her head, Twilight should not let it drop. She needed to stand tall, above it all, just like Celestia would.

“Madame Twilight?” A servant entered the parlor, the very same one who had alerted Twilight of the Calypso’s arrival earlier in the day. “Chancellor Rarity sent me to collect the tea cart. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“What’s your name, dear?” asked Twilight. The servant paled slightly, hesitating for a moment before responding.

“F-Fluttershy, ma’am.”

“Yes, I remember you now. You work in the cellars.”

“Yes, Madame Twilight.”

“Which means you know where to find the Empress’ special stores of wine?” asked Twilight. Slowly, uneasily, Fluttershy nodded. “Good. I want you to collect a bottle of the Empress’ favorite wine and two goblets, and deliver them outside of the Empress’ chambers. Tell no-one what you are doing or where you are going, not even Rarity.”

“As you wish, Madame Twilight.” The servant took a step for the door, which swung shut with a gentle wave of Twilight’s magick. “M-Ma’am?”

“Make that two bottles, except bring the second to my chambers. And I don't suspect I'll need any cups for that one...”