The Handmaiden

"S-so? What's the occasion?"

A small feast laid before Twilight and her guest, a symphony of delicious smells and delectable-looking dishes. Twilight pulled Sweetie's chair out for her, and, once the potion mistress was seated, Twilight claimed a seat for herself. She gestured to the meal before them, and soon after began serving her plate.

“Who says there needs to be an occasion?” asked Twilight with a smirk. She poured wine for her and her friend, amused in no small amount by Sweetie’s curious, borderline suspicious gaze. “Perhaps I simply wanted to share a meal with my dear friend.”

“P-perhaps. Or perhaps you knew I w-would notice that look in your eye,” remarked Sweetie Belle. She sipped her wine, leaning her head against her good hand. “You seem brighter. P...p-positively radiant, in fact. So? What is it, then?”

“Nothing in particular, honest!” Twilight held her hands up in mock surrender. “Of course, there’s plenty to celebrate, generally speaking. The Empress has returned, I managed to avoid war with Calypso, you’ve finished your potion—”

“Nearly finished, actually. It still needs to age overnight before I can use it.”

“Yes, of course. Still, things have been good this past week or so. And with the Empress eager to act since her return, she’s given me more free time than usual before my lessons resume. I thought it would be nice to sit down with you, seeing as we both have a bit of free time.” Twilight nibbled at her honeyroll, freshly baked and delicious. This particular bread was her favorite thing to come out of the castle’s kitchen. It was simple, fulfilling, and oh, so delicious. Sweetie watched her friend eat her bread, brow cocked with suspicion until, finally, Twilight relented. “Although, now that you mention it…”

“And th-there it is,” snickered Sweetie.

“If there was something special that happened, I could only share it with you if you gave your word to never speak of it to another soul." Twilight could hardly contain her grin as she sipped her wine. "This isn't exactly something I can let get out to the people."

"Of course, of c-course! Now out with it, what has you s...s-so tickled?"

"Well, as it so happens, Empress Celestia was very pleased to see me again upon her awakening. Very pleased, indeed." Twilight hid her smirk behind her goblet of wine. "So pleased that she invited me to bed."

"God's above, you're k-kidding!" Despite her insistence to the contrary, Sweetie clearly loved a juicy bit of gossip. "Sly girl, how did that h-happen?"

"Well, she was asleep for weeks. When she woke up, she just couldn't help herself. When we had finished the deed for the… Well, I lost count after four, she said that she had been restraining herself," explained Twilight with a cocksure smirk. "Apparently, she wished for me to join her since she first saw me in the arena."

"S-scandalous, s...s-simply scandalous!" laughed Sweetie. "No wonder you look so p-pleased with yourself, strutting around like you're t-ten feet t...t-tall."

"When the most attractive woman in all of recorded history says they can't control themselves around you, it tends to do wonders for your confidence."

"You don't say." Sweetie grinned to her friend, letting a short silence descend into their meal before pressing on. "Y-you know, I was almost in your shoes. As a handmaiden, I mean."

"You've never told me that." Twilight's brow went up in surprise. "You were supposed to be handmaiden?"

"Well, 's-supposed to' is a bit misleading," Sweetie amended. "The Empress expressed interest in me filling the p-p-position, but things changed."

"Oh. Do you mean…?" Twilight grimaced somewhat, dancing around the point. She gestured to her face, the same side that Sweetie carried her scars on. "Sorry. I don't mean to offend."

"My skin is b-burned, but not made of paper. I'm not so easily upset, T-Twilight. And the Empress isn't so shallow." Somehow, to Twilight's continued surprise, Sweetie refused to let her deformities dictate her life. "We simply both decided I would be better s-served to the potions cellar, before my accident."

"All this time, and I'm still learning things about you."

"You should talk. I never would have th-thought that shy girl my sister brought in for a wash would turn out to be such a lady-killer."

Laughter filled the room, the two friends relishing in their growth, how far they've come both individually and together. Twilight hadn't ever had the luxury of friends before, aside from Pinkie in Golden Oak, so she always cherished the fact that she had met Sweetie. Their laughter was interrupted by the door to the dining hall swinging open, and the Chancellor stepped boldly into the room.

"Sister. Sparkle," said Rarity with a nod.

"Oh, hello, R-Rarity," said Sweetie with a half-ruined smile. "Care to join us? There's plenty of everything left."

"Can't. I'm busy." Rarity took another step into the room, wincing and clutching her midsection gently. Twilight took notice of this, but said nothing. Rarity was known for stretching herself too thin, and hurting herself was an inevitability. "Speaking of busy… You should be busy, Sparkle, and yet you seem to have time to have lunch with your mates instead of serving the Empress."

"Celestia let me out from our lessons early today," said Twilight, somewhat dismissively. If Twilight paid attention to every single complaint that Rarity leveled at her, she'd have long ago gone mad. "She told me to have lunch while she went for a stroll."

"Lunch, not a bloody Solstice Feast. Had you helped yourself to a light picnic in the courtyard, the Empress would not have had to send for me to collect you." Rarity frowned, shaking her head. "She wants you to ride into town to collect something from her. A crate of jelly buns from her favorite bakery."

"I'll c-come along too," offered Sweetie. "Keep you company."

"You are needed here. I want you to experiment with some new spices we had shipped in from Calypso," continued the Chancellor. "Allegedly, they helped combat a plague in Calypso a few years ago. Turns out, Adagio was holding out on us all this time."

"I thought we decided to ease up on Calypso," said Twilight with a frown. "Matai Sonata—"

"That child is hardly a Matai. Just a little girl wearing her big sister's headdress..."

"The point is, we promised them that we wouldn't ask for any more of their medicinal herbs."

"No, Sparkle, the point is that you promised, and I do not have the time to explain to you why we, as the greatest nation in all of history, are bound to the greater good of our Empire more than we are to stick-twirling savages like the bloody Calypso!" Rarity bit her tongue, calming herself and bringing her rant to a premature end. "We may discuss this when you return. Go fetch the Empress' sweets. There are no available guards so I'm afraid you'll have to take Opal."

"Fine. I'll go." Twilight dabbed her mouth clean with her handkerchief and tossed it down before standing up and excusing herself from the table. "Apologies, Sweetie. We'll have to have lunch some other time."

"D...D-duty calls. Are the spices prepared for me?" asked Sweetie. Rarity nodded. "Then it s-seems I can get busy straight away. Goodbye, T-Twilight. Stay out of trouble."

Despite her grating against the Chancellor and having her lunch interrupted, Twilight couldn't help but smirk at that.

"Oh, Sweetie," she said. "Don't I always?"

A light misting of rain descended upon the golden city of Canterlot, dampening the stone road upon which Twilight rode on. She knew that Opalescence, the fussy steed she was, did not care much for rain, and so she made it her business to ride slowly. Even still, the mare grew restless as they approached the bakery, no matter how Twilight attempted to soothe her.

"Easy, girl, easy," cooed the handmaiden, stroking a hand through the silver steed's luscious mane. "If it starts raining harder, we may have to take shelter for a bit." The mare neighed and snorted, bringing a small smile to Twilight's lips. "Well, I can't let your beautiful mane get all messy. I don't think Rarity will mind if we seek refuge at her house, not if it's to keep you dry."

Opalescence let out a whinny, a sound Twilight perceived to be an agreement of sorts. She chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. A few years ago, she had never even been atop a horse, and now she was conversing with one. Despite the bizarre nature of it all, Twilight took some comfort from this moment with Opalescence.

It seemed Opalescense enjoyed the company just as much, for she did not rebel or otherwise disobey when Twilight dismounted and tied her reins to the post outside of the bakery. Twilight gave the mare a gentle pet along the neck before stepping into the bakery. Twilight didn't know the owner of the shop, but the owner knew her, and welcomed the handmaiden with all of the fanfare one would expect of a noblewoman. The baker offered samples of bread, and ale from their brother's meadery, all for the hope that the handmaiden would speak kindly of their shops in the future.

"The jelly buns will be just a moment, Madame Twilight," said the baker with a bow. "They just need to be decorated."

"Yes, yes, just please, hurry," said Twilight. "I'm hoping to beat the rain."

A shrill neigh came from outside, immediately stealing Twilight's attention from the baker. She had no time to concern herself with sweets just then, and she rushed out of the door and onto the main road that she arrived on. Just as soon as her feet touched the wet cobbles, a hooded, cloaked figure had clambered onto Opalescence. The cloaked figure turned to lock eyes with Twilight, a length of dark cloth obfuscating most of their face save for their bold magenta eyes, and quickly snapped at the reins.

"Thief!" The word barely left Twilight's lips before Opalescense galloped down the road. Twilight took off after her, shouting to anyone in town who might hear her call. "Stop that horse! Thief!"

The chase led Twilight further from the center of Canterlot, and closer to losing Rarity's prized steed. With each sharp turn, Twilight could feel her legs burn from the strain, and the gap between her and the horse thief grow wider. It was impossible for her to catch up, but still, she tried. Her shoes slipped across the slick, wet cobblestones, and Twilight's legs went out from beneath her. She hit the ground with a grunt, clutching her middle as she lost the wind from her lungs.

"Three hells…" Twilight slowly sat herself up, holding her chest gingerly. She looked up, beyond puzzled that the horse thief still stood just a few paces away, as if waiting for her. Or taunting her. Twilight slowly stood up, discarding her shoes, and approached the thief. Just as before, the horse thief snatched the reins to the right, galloping down a dark, forgotten alley. "Hmph. Alright, then. Let's see this through…"

Twilight broke into a jog down the alley, knowing full and well that she could very easily be running into a trap. At that moment, Twilight did not care about that. She had never been fond of thieves, and furthermore, she cared for Opalescence almost as much as Sweetie and Rarity did. So, without giving much thought to what may lay around the corner, Twilight strode boldly into this dark, secluded corner of Canterlot.

"I hope you know just who you're stealing from," said Twilight, crossing her arms as she entered the alley. She cocked a brow upon her arrival, frowning at the one, two, three hooded figures awaiting her, standing between her and Opalescence. Each held a sword in their hand, and they approached Twilight slowly. "Three of you to rob one little old handmaiden seems a bit excessive, don't you think?"

"I see what he meant." The main thief, the one who stole Opalescence, spoke callously, gruffly. A woman without much grace or decorum. She pulled down her mask and scowled at Twilight. "Obnoxious little bitch, aren't you?"

"I am going to ignore that comment and give you one chance. Return to me my horse and leave me be." Twilight had no weapons on her person, but she opposed these thieves all the same. "I will tell no one of this, and you will escape the Empress' wrath."

"And should we refuse?"

"I cannot promise the Empress' wrath, but I can ensure you will suffer mine."

"Obnoxious and arrogant," remarked another thief, a man beside the leader. "Kill her, love."

Twilight tilted her head in confusion but did not make any attempt to retreat from her assailants. She simply stood her ground, watching as the three made their way for her. The woman in charge was leading the pack, but the man who spoke with her stood close beside her. Twilight was not certain as to why this trio sought her demise, but she had no intentions of allowing them to achieve their goals.

"Ariesalta!" A wave of magick surged forward, forcefully knocking the silent third attacker to the ground. She scrambled up to rejoin her companions, only for them all to be staggered by another wave of sorcery. "Stay down. This is your final—" Quick as a flash, the lead woman snatched a dagger from her belt and threw it at Twilight's head; though surprising, it was child's play for Twilight to snatch the knife from the air with a flourish of magick. She grabbed the knife and held it tightly, holding her stolen weapon at the ready.

"You didn't tell me she was a witch, Dash." The woman, formerly silent, made her voice heard, and she spoke in the same uneducated, unrefined manner as her leader. She stood up and held her sword at the ready. "If I knew I—"

"Fulmena Minimus!"

Twilight flicked her wrist towards that woman, her fingers surging with mana. Lightning split through the air, wrapping around the woman and eliciting a screech of anguish. The woman collapsed in a smoking heap, and, with the other assailants taking pause, Twilight took the opportunity to advance a step. The leader, the one called Dash, let out a shout and rushed for Twilight, her companion not far behind. Twilight stepped aside, dancing through a flurry of steel with the aide of her sorcery, a gentle nudge of magick being more than enough to protect her flesh from the angry edge of her assailants' blades. Though she had practiced with Spearhead's dagger, Twilight was far from a swordmaster; Even still, she was a mage. A Destruction mage, no less. Two average swordsmen had no hope.

"Ariesalta!" Twilight sent forth another surge of magick into the man's chest, sending him into the grimy bricks that comprised the wall. The man grunted in pain, his grunt followed by a metallic clinking as something clattered to the floor. Twilight had no time to investigate, as she still had one last swordsman to contend with. "Ignis!"

A plume of lavender flame erupted from Twilight's palm, burning into a smoldering orange as it soared through the air. Dash held her arms up to her face in some misguided attempt to protect herself from the inferno that would surely engulf her, and yet, the flames never did. The flames danced around her, dissipating into acrid smoke before it could impact her. Twilight's eyes went wide in shock, tilting her head in utter disbelief.

"You're a mage?" Twilight asked incredulously. In response, Dash leaped forth and slashed at Twilight's chest, her blade connecting with nothing more than an arcane barrier of Twilight's creation. Twilight swiped her own blade through the air, slashing at Dash's fingers and causing her to drop her sword. "Irrigo!"

A great deluge of water surged from nowhere, surging up to Dash's waist in an attempt to push her back. The swordsman stumbled, but managed to stay upright for the most part. Even in the face of these waves, she fought forward, a swipe and slash at the handmaiden's throat very nearly connecting.

"Glacian!" shouted Twilight, snapping her fingers. A breeze blew through the alley, and the water pooling around Dash quickly froze solid. She screamed in pain, the sudden cold burning at her flesh, and swiped her hand down toward the ice encasing her lower body. Twilight intervened, meeting Dash's hand with her own. "Imperia Tranquillus!"

The sorcery was meant to dispel any magick it came in contact with, and it was a sorcery that Twilight had learned very early on in her studies. Whatever magick that Dash sought to cast should have simply dissipated into nothingness, much like Twilight's flames did. Instead, Dash wailed in pain, and her finger bent backward at an awkward angle. A glittering ring fired from her finger, clinking off of the slippery wet cobblestones, launched from Dash's hand with such force that it broke her finger.

“Fucking cunt!” Dash gripped her hand in anguish, her finger absolutely mangled. Judging by the way it dangled and bent, Twilight guessed it had broken in at least two different locations. “You’ll die for that!”

“That was not my doing. What did you do?” She stooped down and grabbed the ring from the floor, discovering it to be made of platinum, and that the inside of the band was inscribed with tiny arcane symbols. “You’re no mage, but you’re mates with one. Where did you get this?”

“It was a gift,” said Dash through gritted teeth. “Your mum gave it to me when I was finished ploughing her.”

“My mother is likely dead by now,” droned Twilight.

“Aww, what a shame. Her little whore heart must have given out from the strain of it all.”

“I am going to ask you one time and one time only. If you answer me properly, I promise that you will live. Another comment like that, and your fate will be out of my hands.” Twilight held the arcana ring up, waving it beneath Dash’s nose. “Where in three hells did you get this?”

“Fine… Come closer, I’ll tell you,” relented Dash. Twilight leaned in, and Dash responded by spitting directly into the handmaiden’s eyes. “I nicked it off of your dead mum, you stuck up cunt.”

“Dolo—” Twilight stopped herself before she could finish her incantation, letting her sorcery fade. That was no way for a handmaiden to behave, even if disrespected by a lowlife such as Dash. Instead of unleashing her fury onto Dash, Twilight simply produced a handkerchief with her magick and used it to wipe her face clean. “Do you know who I am? Do you know that you’re attacking—”

“Empress Cunt’s favorite scum suckling bitch, yeah. I know a lapdog when I see one.” Dash spat again, though Twilight managed to step aside in time. “If you’re gonna kill me, then get on with it. Unless you need your Master’s permission. I’m surprised you were even out here alone, without her here to walk you.”

“In the name of Empress Celestia, the High Queen of all of Equestria, you and your companions are under arrest. You will be imprisoned until your trial, at which point you will face justice at the hand of the Divine Ruler of the Land, Empress Celestia.”

Twilight pocketed the ring, then inspected the other two fallen bodies while Dash continued to spew profanities. The woman she had shot with lightning was alive, if barely, and she quickly bound her wrists with some rope she had kept in Opalescense’s saddlebag. Next, she bound the wrists of the man she had knocked out against the wall, finally able to investigate that clinking sound. Coins, golden coins littering the floor. Easily hundreds of bits, spilling from a burlap sack that lay on the ground. A frown made its way to Twilight’s features when she saw the bag, and the Royal Insignia that was branded into it.

“I suppose I ought to find a guard to take you in, before you get frostbite,” said Twilight. She grabbed up the bag, spilling the coins onto the floor and tucking the sack itself into Opalesence’s saddlebag. She climbed atop the horse and gently led her down the alley, pausing when she saw Dash’s gaze; The swordsman kept glancing to the unconscious man, wearing an expression that could only be described as concerned. “Hm. Perhaps I should take your friend with me, so you don’t do anything foolish. Well, more foolish than spitting in the face of the Empress’ handmaiden.”

“You keep your hands off him or I’ll leave you deader than your whore mother!” spat Dash. Twilight snorted, and snapped her fingers; the unconscious man floated up and was gently lowered across Opalesence’s back. “I mean it, dog! You hear me? I’ll fucking end you!”

“If you somehow manage to escape, your friend will be publicly executed tomorrow morning. The Empress loves a good show, and take it from me. She can be very creative in her wickedness.” Twilight did not expect to need to go through with this threat, but she made certain to be as convincing as possible. Dash opened her mouth to retort, but Twilight cut her off. “Make another sound and I will make it happen right now. The Empress may be creative, but I am her favorite student for a reason.”

Dash looked as though she had more to say, but she closed her mouth nevertheless, responding to Twilight with only a venomous gaze. Finally, Twilight had managed to shut her up. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head before snapping the reins and setting off to the center of town, in search of a guard’s wagon, and a messenger. She would be late delivering those jelly buns, and the Empress would surely want to see the three men who dared attacked her handmaiden with her own two eyes.

"So, what do you intend to do with them?"

Twilight paused, her pacing coming to a stop before the Empress. She was a bit surprised to hear the Empress ask such a question, considering her tendency to think and act quickly. As she considered things, however, it made sense for Celestia to ask such a thing. Always curious to see what Twilight would do in difficult situations. Twilight felt a sort of quiet resolve, endeavoring not to disappoint Celestia with her actions.

"I'd like to ask them a few questions first," said Twilight carefully. Twilight knew she had to be exceedingly cautious moving forward, for there was no telling who was responsible for her attack. So cautious, was she, that she hadn’t even told the entire story to the Empress. As far as Celestia was made aware, Twilight found the coins in an unmarked parcel; If the person who wanted her dead was castle staff, as Twilight began to suspect, the fewer who knew, the better. "From what I can tell, they were paid to attack me. I would like to know why."

"Smart. Not as fun as just killing them, though I applaud your restraint," remarked the Empress.

"Hm. Where's Ms. Rarity?"

"She wanted to interrogate the men who stole her horse. She should be here with the culprits in a moment." The Empress pulled Twilight by her leash, gently guiding the handmaiden over to her throne. "How are you feeling?"

"Peeved, for one. That Dash woman was quite rude," pouted Twilight. "Beyond that… I don't understand why this would happen. I've never done anyone wrong, not that I can recall. Why would someone want to kill me?"

"Because they hate you, my dear."

"Celestia!"

"It is true. Consider your position, Twilight Sparkle." Empress Celestia tugged on Twilight's leash, gently bringing the handmaiden into her lap. "You are a beautiful, powerful woman with abilities the average man could only dream of possessing. With the snap of your fingers, you have access to enough gold to feed a peasant's family for years and years. Your every meal is a feast the likes of which the dirty unwashed masses could hardly imagine." The Empress laughed and gently tapped Twilight on the nose. "They hate you for the same reasons that they hate me."

"If your aim is to make me feel better, may I suggest a different approach?"

"They hate you because you are like me. And that means you are stronger than them, stronger than their hate. It is one of the reasons I am so glad to have found you." Celestia stroked her fingers through her pet's hair, just her presence alone being enough to soothe Twilight. "After so long of being alone, it's nice to have someone who understands what it's like to be above it all. And I hope that you understand that we are here together."

"I suppose it is nice, in a way," admitted Twilight. "If I am to be hated for reaching my potential, then at least I have good company.”

“Remember what I told you. We are special, because we can do things others cannot. Some people cannot accept that,” explained the Empress. “With our power, we have the responsibility, the duty, to shape the world into what we desire of it, regardless of what those closed-minded cretins choose to accept. I trust you to wield such power with—"

Twilight darted in close and, quick as a flash, pecked the Empress on the cheek. The sudden kiss clearly caught Celestia by surprise, so much so that her cheeks tinged a rosy red. Twilight smiled, a bit smug and satisfied that she had successfully gotten one over on the High Queen.

"Thank you, Celestia. You speaking to me this way means a lot to me," said Twilight. "Makes me feel a bit better about nearly being assassinated."

"Oh, Twilight, my dear," laughed the Empress. "Those three dalcops only wish that they ‘nearly’ got you. From what I can tell, you did quite a number on them."

"I did only what I needed to. I only wanted to defend myself.” Twilight let out a sigh, burying her face in her palms. “I very nearly lost my temper, and cast that curse you use occasionally. Doloria. Dash angered me so, and I considered making her pay for it.” So close was she to the Empress that Twilight could sense the shift in Celestia’s being, the way her heart skipped a beat, and it filled the handmaiden with a dark amusement when she realized what had happened. “Does it excite you to know that I hurt someone?”

“Perhaps. While I make no attempt to hide my… Shall we say, sadistic tendencies... That does not mean I wear them with pride. If it brings you discomfort to know that I enjoy hearing that, I will not burden you with such knowledge in the future.”

“Dash screamed. When I broke her finger, I mean. I can still hear her scream, ringing in my head. And yet… Still audible, despite her scream, was the snap of bone. Like an old log being split in twain.” Twilight didn’t look back at the Empress, but she felt that same twisted, perverted exhilaration radiate from Celestia with each word. “Her finger dangled from her hand, and had I been in the mood to do so, I’m certain I could have pulled it clean off with just my hands.”

“Careful, Twilight Sparkle.” The Empress breathed out the words in a low, raspy whisper. “If you keep on like that, I may not be able to restrain myself. My only hope is that you do not judge me too harshly.”

“I could never. I know that there is more than just this side of you. There is kindness in you, when you can be arsed to show it.” Twilight chuckled to herself, climbing out of the Empress’ lap. The prisoners would surely be here soon, and it would not be appropriate to pass judgment on criminals in such a position. “Besides… I understand why you like it. I don’t quite find the same enthusiasm that you do, but there’s something exciting about being in power.”

“You know, the longer I keep you by my side, the more I find myself thinking the same thought.”

“And what thought is that, my Queen?”

“That you would make for a quite good Queen, yourself.” The Empress leaned to the side, straining her ears with her eyes trained on the throne room doors. “Rarity is coming with the prisoners. If you would prefer not to be here, I can handle it from here.”

“Do you trust me, Celestia?” asked Twilight. Without a second of hesitation, the Empress nodded, and Twilight responded with a kiss on the cheek. “Then allow me to judge them. Perhaps I can learn from them. Discover who’s after me, so I may stop them.”

“You have my support, Twilight Sparkle,” said the Empress. There was a solid, booming knock on the door, marking the end of the Empress’ time alone with her handmaiden. “Go on. The Court is yours today.”

“Thank you, Celestia. I won’t forget this.” Twilight cleared her throat and stood up a bit straighter, staring forward at the door with a renewed conviction. “You may enter!”

The doors blew open, and first stepped the Chancellor. Rarity moved a bit slower than she might have otherwise, apparently still nursing her midsection from before. Behind her was a squadron of guards lugging their prisoners. All of them were bound with their hands behind their backs, but there were slight differences in their escorts; The male assailant and the female that Twilight struck with lightning were both being led by a single guard each, whereas the loud, brash, and rude leader was being held, thrashing in place, by two powerful Daybreakers. They had been stripped of their cloaks and given simple tunics to wear, allowing Twilight to see them a bit better. The woman who had been struck by lightning had boldly piercing eyes of gold, and a short head of untidy, stark white hair. The man, by comparison, had longer, even more untamed hair of blonde. Finally was Dash, who had the shortest hair of the bunch, her multicolored locks greasy and matted with dirt.

The guards stopped a few feet before Twilight, dropping their prisoners at the handmaiden’s feet before bowing and retreating. At Twilight’s instruction, they filed out of the room, all but the Daybreakers who stood behind Dash without moving.

“And keep your stinking mitts off me, or else you’ll have three hells to pay!” snapped Dash. Twilight raised a brow, uncertain if it was courage or ignorance that allowed Dash to shout at a Daybreaker, or if there was a difference at all. “Oh, lucky me, it’s the snobby cunt herself…”

“How’s your finger?” asked Twilight dryly. Dash snarled, but said nothing more just then. “Though you stand in the Empress’ Court, today, it is I who decides your fate. So, the lot of you, state your names. Answer my questions and I will consider showing leniency in your sentencing.”

“Gylda Griffin,” grunted the woman who had been struck with lightning. She showed signs of mild burns on her flesh, but otherwise seemed no worse for wear. “My father was an archer for your guard, slated to become captain. He died during The Hive’s siege of Canterlot.”

“Zephyr Breeze,” said the man. Twilight pouted at that name, somehow finding it to be familiar. “Simple son of a hunter.”

“And the name’s Rainbow fucking Dash!” shouted Dash, rising to her feet. Immediately, a Daybreaker let out a rattling groan and put a boot to the back of her leg, sending her back to her knees. “Should be easy to remember, just imagine your mum moaning it all—”

“If you mention my mother again, I will have you hanged in town square within the hour,” said Twilight flatly. Dash just chuckled to herself, falling back to finally allow Twilight to speak. “My question is simple. Who paid you to attack me?”

“As if we’d ever tell you! You’re nothing but a—” Dash’s rant petered off into a slurry of unintelligible mumbles. Twilight held her hand up, using her sorcery to keep Dash’s tongue in place.

“I have hold of your tongue now. If you are not cautious, I will be compelled to give a little yank.” To emphasize her point, Twilight jerked her hand ever so slightly; Just that motion was enough to magickally pull Dash forward by the tongue, causing her to fall onto her face. The would-be assassin smoldered as she pulled herself upright. “I want to hear from Zephyr Breeze now. Why do you follow someone like her?”

“She’s my better half,” remarked Zephyr. “Look, we’re just a small band of sellswords. Not enough honest work in this city, so we made our own work.”

“Did your wife tell you who you were attacking?”

“Not until we were already paid. We were given a thousand bits now, with another two-thousand promised upon delivery of your head. Accepting money like that is a contract that we couldn’t back out from.” Zephyr Breeze let out a tired, frustrated sigh. “What’s more, my lovely wife already spent much of it. At that point, it was either your head or ours.”

“Who paid you?” asked Twilight.

“We don’t know,” swore Zephyr Breeze. “He didn’t speak much, mostly just handed us notes, which he burned after we read.”

“Surely there’s something you can recall?”

“Goddess above, this is infuriating!” Rarity broke her silence, shaking her head at the nonsensical display. “Empress, if I may be so bold to say, this is a waste of the Court’s time. I already interrogated them and, completely unsurprisingly, none of them know anything.”

“Hey, hang on a minute!” Dash’s tongue obeyed her command once more, with Twilight’s attention straying from her sorcery. “Completely unsurprisingly? What’s that supposed to mean, eh?”

“It means you’re as dull as a mule and twice as ugly.” Rarity gestured with a hand, sending a wave of magick at Dash and knocking her over once again. “As I was saying, Empress, these three don’t know anything. I say we just kill them and be on with it.”

“You are appealing to the wrong member of the court,” said the Empress dryly. “This is Twilight Sparkle’s decision.”

“Sparkle. You don’t seriously think there’s anything worth gleaning from this collection of dimwits?”

“We can’t just kill them, there’s still something we can learn,” said Twilight. She thought on things for a moment, going through all the possibilities in her mind. “Alright, were there any other targets?”

“We were only paid for the handmaiden,” swore Zephyr. “No sod would be daft enough to pay us to kill the Empress, if that’s your concern.”

“Yet I’m looking at a sod who would be daft enough to accept the job.” Twilight never strayed her eyes from Dash as she spoke. “Zephyr Breeze. Your name is familiar, and I do not know why. Do you have any explanation?"

"I—"

"His sister is a cellar maid of ours," said Rarity, growing more impatient with each passing second. "Flutter something or other."

"Fluttershy?" Immediately, Twilight felt her stomach clench. "Is that so?"

"My sister had nothing to do with this. I swear it." A notable panic crawled into Zephyr's voice, new desperation that he didn't have before. "We haven't spoken in years. She didn't agree with my decision to become a mercenary. She—"

"If your sister is innocent, then she has nothing to fear." Twilight tapped her foot, deep in thought. What to do, she hadn't the faintest idea. "Where did you meet with your boss?"

"Just outside of the city. A little forest by the east wall," said Zephyr. "We didn't see where he rode in from, because he was waiting for us there."

"Hm… is there anything else? Something you're forgetting or—"

"Sparkle, we'll be here all day, going at this pace," groaned Rarity. She crossed the room, standing just in front of Twilight, and dropped her voice to a whisper. "Listen to me. The only possibilities are that they're lying about what they know or they're just that damn stupid. If they're lying, that's one more crime to their names and we kill them. If they're stupid, then they offer us nothing, and we kill them. It is truly that simple."

"Just killing them won't solve anything. Whoever paid to have me killed is still out there, Rarity," said Twilight with a frown. "I need to know that they won't hire someone else to finish the job."

"They won't, not if we make an example of these three. Besides, he was meant to pay three-thousand bits to these three. Once we show the people what happens to those who dare threaten the Empress' property, he won't be able to afford another set of mercenaries." Rarity looked past Twilight, her eyes landing on the High Queen. "You agree, do you not? You would just have them executed, yes?"

"The Chancellor does have a point," admitted Celestia, a bit begrudgingly. "Whoever this man is, it was a miracle he could afford even one, but two sets of mercenaries? And after the first set was handily defeated by the target herself? I worry if even I would be able to afford to pay such a bounty. What's more, Golden Oak is running out of cells. Currently, there's only enough space for one additional prisoner. We have no choice but to execute them."

"Celestia, you said you trusted me," said Twilight.

"I did. And I do."

"I have an idea. Do I have your blessing?"

“Twilight Sparkle…” The Empress pursed her lips, but raised her hands in defeat. “I’ve done well to trust your judgment so far. I see no reason why you would lead me astray now. You have my blessing to do as you wish.”

“Thank you. I think this will make you proud.” Twilight winked to the Empress before turning back to her prisoners, her expression suddenly as serious as the plague. She stepped forward, folding her hands behind her back as she approached. “Zephyr Breeze. Gylda Griffin. Rainbow Dash. The court finds you guilty of your crimes. Your sentence would normally be death by hanging, but I have decided something more appropriate for the likes of you. I am going to give you one last chance to scrape your memory together. You will spend the night in Canterlot Dungeon, and tomorrow, you will face judgment… in the Empress’ Arena.”

“Ha! You’re going to make us fight your men for our freedom?” laughed Dash. “We welcome it! Send as many of your cowardly men as you like, we’ll cut them down all the same!”

“Make sure you maintain that enthusiasm, Ms. Dash, because your opponent won’t be the average gladiator.” Twilight leaned forward, cracking a devious smile. “Your opponent will be me.”

“Sparkle!” Rarity took a step forward, beyond shocked by what she heard. Even the Empress shifted, once again surprised by her handmaiden’s actions. “This is absurd!”

“Someone paid for my head. I am going to show them why they should be more careful with their money,” declared Twilight. “You will battle me until one of us falls, and I will show your employer, whoever he may be, that I am not so fragile.”

“You cannot do that. It’s… It’s ridiculous, you can’t—”

“It is not your place to decide what my handmaiden can and cannot do,” said the Empress, folding her hands in front of her face. “That said… I must ask if you're certain about this, Twilight Sparkle. This is a dangerous game you play.”

“I am as certain of this as I am about anything, m’lady.” Twilight bowed, dropping her smirk and returning to the Empress pure intensity. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Very well, then. Ms. Rarity, if you would, please escort these three to Canterlot Dungeon until tomorrow,” ordered Celestia. “And then get the word out. Tomorrow’s game will surely be one of a kind, and it deserves an audience of similar magnitude.”

“Right away, Empress.” Rarity bowed to the High Queen before turning to the three criminals before her. She gestured to the Daybreakers, who grabbed Dash by the arms and yanked her up to her feet. “This way, come along. We’ve not got all day. “

With little argument from the trio of sellswords, Rarity led the path out of the throne room. Silence reigned for several moments, until the doors closed behind the Daybreakers and Twilight was left alone with her mistress. She glanced at Celestia, who didn’t meet her gaze at that time. The Empress was very clearly sidetracked, her expression almost vacant until, all of a sudden, she shook herself free. She turned to Twilight and frowned.

“You are trying to impress me,” said the Empress finally. Twilight offered no response, which simply confirmed Celestia’s suspicions. “You know, you do not need to do that.”

“You should talk. But you underestimate me, Empress,” said Twilight. “My goal isn’t just to impress you. I have more practical aspirations, as well.”

“Such as?”

“They’re lying. Someone knows more than they’re letting on. But they’re not going to bother spilling their secrets if they know that they’re going to die anyway. If I give them a chance, however slight… They may reveal more.”

“Why not offer them such an ultimatum here?”

“No offense, Empress, but you can be a bit… Intimidating,” said Twilight. “Your presence, and Rarity carrying on about having them killed, all it did was make them hold onto their information tighter. But if I remove you from the equation, and put them into the game… If they win, they can live.”

“Them winning against you is precisely what I am afraid of,” countered Celestia.

“They can’t win, and it does not matter if they can. Only that they think they can. I assure you, this strategy will work. It's a bit risky, but I'll get nowhere if I play too defensively."

A hand gripped Twilight by her leash and, with incredible strength, pulled her over to the throne. The Empress held onto the leather tightly, and she dragged Twilight closer and closer until the handmaiden was nearly in her lap again. But her expression had shifted greatly since earlier. The uninitiated might call it fury, but Twilight knew better. She knew that this was not rage, but an intense passion.

"Life is not a game of Siege, Twilight," said the Empress. "You cannot be reckless."

"I acknowledge that I am taking a risk, but it is a calculated one," promised Twilight, flashing a cheeky little smirk. "You always praised me for my arithmetic." The Empress' frown didn't budge, and Twilight quickly amended herself. "I give you my word, Empress, that I will leave that arena in one piece, and with more information on my attacker."

"I do not want to see them harm a single hair on your head, Twilight Sparkle."

"I give you my word, they shall not." Twilight bowed her head solemnly, but never once did her confidence waver. She did not simply believe what she said, but she knew it to be true as certainly as she knew the sun to be bright. “You’ve taught me well, and I will not forget your lessons.”

“Oh, Twilight Sparkle… If you die out there, I will be so incredibly cross with you." The Empress tugged on the leash, bringing Twilight in even closer, and pressed her lips to the handmaiden's forehead. "But when have you ever sought to do any less than please me?"

"Never. And I have no intention of beginning now," said Twilight boldly. She stood up and stepped away from the Empress, taking her leather leash into her own hands. "If you'd permit me, I would like to go and prepare myself for battle. Just because I plan on winning doesn't mean they plan on making it easy for me."

The Empress clasped Twilight’s hand in her own, holding her tightly for a moment while she inspected her handmaiden. Twilight matched her gaze, peering into Celestia’s cold, calculating eyes without a glint of fear or doubt. No, Twilight Sparkle felt only confidence, power, and determination. Finally, after a spell of silence, Celestia brought her mouth to Twilight’s hand, pressing her soft, full lips to the handmaiden’s fingers.

“Go on, Twilight Sparkle,” said the Empress. “Go on and give them hell.”