The Pawn Who Would Be Queen

For Princess Orzel, the days following the Chaos Wave were proving difficult, and not only because many of her advisers were still wary of rejoining her for the daily meetings. Celestia and Luna would soon return to retake their thrones, though, and all her concerns about running the country would considerably abate... The primary difficulty therefore arose from the Orzel's own conscience, and the frightful revelations she'd received from within. She'd been told her Draconic blood might amplify her emotions, but the true depths of that emotion left her ears ringing... All the negative factors of her personality now felt closer to the surface than ever before, a seal that should've remained closed, left unceremoniously smashed open.

She was accustomed to keeping those emotions in check through sheer force of will, but they'd been stirred up into a frenzy now, one which she couldn't control as she'd done before. For her sake, as much as the sake of those around her, that was simply unacceptable. So she'd resolved in her off hours to pursue a new line of research, one of introspection, a stronger means of taking charge of her emotions... Therapy alone wouldn't cover it, she needed something else, something... Abstract, much as she hated to admit it. The search for that abstract something was taking her to places in her mind she'd only started to re-explore recently, the realm of ritual, faith, and spirituality...

It was for this reason she needed complete and utter solitude, and to that end she'd had the doors of her tower replaced. The new barriers were a far heavier, sturdier, and by all accounts more durable models, of a sort similar to those used on the powder magazines of Equestria's battleships. There was no visible means of undogging the hatch from the outside. The steel was instead lined with numerous strings of runes of Orzel's own devising, each faintly glowing a mix between cerulean and a green that reminded her of oxidizing bronze. None but a select few could open the doors, nor could they be teleported through, or opened by any magical means she knew of. She'd also taken steps to ensure that, should she ever undergo another Elemental Transformation while within, they would keep her confined to the tower...

Confident that she wouldn't be disturbed, Orzel went on to surround herself with books pertaining to the more miasmic realm of deities. The shelves of the Castle library were stripped completely bare of every volume, tome, or pamphlet that might contain a reference to meditation, self control, spirituality, philosophy, the pursuit of self improvement, or even the occult. Cadence insisted she was overreacting, that one isolated incident beyond her control didn't warrant such concern, but... Cadence didn't live inside Orzel's head.

She didn't see the nightmares every night, didn't feel the staggering influences of emotion that Orzel endured, as now even trying to carry out the simplest of tasks could send her mind spinning. Cadence hadn't imagined herself willingly surrendering to instinct, nor did she know the tantalizing sense of euphoric relief that came when blinding rage commingled with an instinctual blood-lust for ultra-violence. Orzel therefore discounted statements that 'this wasn't her fault'... Even if that was true, which in part she believed to be the case, the fact remained that she was capable of terrible thoughts... Thoughts that could just as easily turn to actions, should she ever fully lose control. Orzel's self-imposed isolation was therefore just as much for her own sanity as it was for her search for spiritual fortitude.

Fortunately she hadn't lost total control, thanks in large part to her Cousin Cadence and Aunt Celestia. Her experience at the spa included a period where she was encouraged to lounge upon a large pile of polished river stones within a sauna, heated to temperatures that would've easily maimed or disfigured a typical Equestrian. The mix of glorious steam and blistering heat felt absolutely divine to her, allowing her a true respite from all tension and anxiety, and it was only the start of the treatment. Doctor Fang called the effect 'Hoard Slumber', a deeply meditative state most Drakes entered when laying beside or on top of their hoards, or any source of extreme heat.

Orzel therefore determined that meditation would be the key to better regulating her emotional turmoil, yet even this wasn't without its problems. Several religious books rekindled thoughts of her life before Equestria, harkening back to a time when once her Mother sought to teach her the meditative techniques of the Vindictan Order. The teachings hadn't been successful, but Orzel was incorporating what she remembered into her research regardless... Doctor Scratch agreed that perhaps a diversion from her typical patterns of thought might let her 'reset', and after they'd discussed her desire to find some higher power, she set to work with a will. Of all the books she'd so far read, only one actually spoke to her. 'In the Pursuit of Knowledge: The Sacred Teachings of Our Lady Lexicos', the book she was currently re-reading...

The electronic light bulbs were all shut off in Orzel's bedchamber at the top of her tower, and so the only illumination with which she could read came from dozens of flickering votive candles, each resting in dark crimson glass vessels. The room was filled with the smell of frankincense and sage, emanating from a smoldering brass smoke pot, a scent that Orzel welcomed heartily. Her phonograph sat in the corner, modified with enchantments and runes, which filled the cavernous space with droning litanies and ektanias of a Lexican monastery in the mist shrouded mountains of the Southern Dragonlands.

They reminded her of the Vindictan Monks, who every week would lead the temple congregation in chants and prayer. These monks weren't Vindictan, but they sounded... Very close. To those that couldn't understand Draconic, Orzel was now up to eight or nine words out of ten, the chants might've sounded grim, ominous, or dark. Yet they sang of contentment, discovery, and the pursuit of the truth. They were hopeful and solemnly humble, a far contrast to the litanies of the Vindictan Church, which often proclaimed a need for the swift destruction of all foes...

According to the book she was reading, Lexicos was the Draconic Goddess of knowledge. A benevolent teacher and powerful sorceress, who sought to educate the people of the world. 'Goddess' was a bit of a misnomer, as the woman apparently didn't seek deification, but rather had it thrust upon her... Those that attempted to censor, obfuscate, or lie were the only ones that genuinely earned her wrath. Truth was the ultimate guiding principle, and the followers of the faith were urged to seek out knowledge in all its forms, that they might pass it to others, who would pass it to others, with the final goal of creating a more enlightened future.

Meditation played a major role in the Lexican faith, as knowledge required wisdom to be used properly, and wisdom required patience. It helped that Lexicos hadn't abandoned her followers to face hordes of unspeakable enemies on their own, as was the case with Vindicta and Cesarski. Once more, according to the book, Lexicos stood with her ancient followers through massive battles the likes of which Modern Equestria couldn't conceive. Of course, Orzel doubted the account could be fully trusted, even if its author was being as truthful as possible, historical accounts had a tendency to be skewed by those writing them. Despite this, the girl found herself hoping the story was true.

Even after the discussion with Doctor Scratch, it was difficult for Orzel to read books about such abstract topics. Spirituality couldn't really be quantified, she couldn't examine it in a beaker or test tube... A small part of her cried out that what she felt was actually the lingering effects of guilt at abandoning her Mother's faith. Still, a larger part claimed that wasn't true, that there was room for it in her heart... She didn't know which was right, as much as she hoped it was the latter. This was Equestria, she had a right to worship whomever or whatever she wanted, and yet she still felt the need to justify herself. Why? Why was it that everything she thought about doing that might deviate from the norm, in her mind, suddenly became some... Insurmountable taboo.

The girl shook her head as she closed the book, glancing ahead through one of the arrow slits in her tower. The girl sighed deeply, rubbing at her temples and forcing her thoughts back towards order. Time and again she'd surmounted the insurmountable taboo, first with simply meeting Luna's eyes, then with admitting her... Orientation... This need to justify every thing she did was just another lingering reminder of the way things used to be. Now she needn't fear an errant phrase, or a word out of turn... There would be no visit from the MIS, no unannounced search of her chambers, no veiled threats of imprisonment or fates too unimaginable to transcribe... No matter how long she spent here, she supposed she'd never be free from the lingering fear those three letters conjured.

Recalling the infamous Agent Zhelezo, the man that'd tormented her family for as long as she could remember was... Difficult, emotionally speaking. Not just because he loved making both implicit and explicit threats, but because the latter of those threats typically involved Orzel never seeing her family again. Merely calling the man's name to mind was like opening a doorway into a darkened basement. With the mental image of the sneering MIS officer, coupled with the smell of ink and parchment... A flood of fearful memory nearly overwhelmed Orzel as she returned to a warm summer morning, perhaps less than a month before she'd come to Equestria. Agent Zhelezo came to her family's estate while Father was away at sea, his purpose being to assess whether or not Orzel was to be turned over to the state for 'parental reassignment'.

He'd written something down for her to read, and when she obviously couldn't, forcibly slammed her head into the table, then held it closer to the parchment. The smell of parchment and ink, which she'd come to enjoy in Equestria, in that moment only instilled pain. Fearing that her life depended on it, she struggled to make sense of the letters... 'I am defective, I have always been defective, I will always be defective'... Terrified, she recited these words over and over again... Zhelezo screamed at her to speak louder and louder, his nails digging into her scalp, forcing her to scream over and over how defective she was...

That was when Sokol burst into the room, leveling the family sword at Zhelezo's throat, threatening to split him from head to groin if he didn't leave. Zhelezo threatened Sokol with imprisonment, threatened to take Orzel away, until Sokol reminded him just who it was that Father would be bringing home for dinner upon his return... The Lord High Admiral wouldn't be happy to hear the MIS was threatening the family of one the Armada's most decorated Captains. That apparently wasn't enough to sway him to leave, so Mother produced a fairly sizable burlap sack from one of the kitchen cupboards. She tossed it to his feet, and Orzel recalled its contents sounding heavy and metallic.

Orzel realized now, in hindsight, that it was obviously a bribe... One that Mother paid the man whenever he visited. The blur that was Zhelezo hefted the bag, complained that it felt lighter than usual, and finally released his grip on Orzel's skull. Agent Zhelezo issued a warning of his own, that they hadn't heard the last of him, then stormed out, but not before first stopping to remind Orzel that the MIS wouldn't forget her 'non-compliance'... Somewhere in her mind, a little voice managed to remind her this was Equestria... This was her room... Agent Zhelezo wasn't here... He couldn't hurt her or her family anymore... She was safe...

For a few moments Orzel sat in stunned silence, staring blankly at the wall as the memory faded in her mind. Her hands were shaking, her ears were ringing, tears threatened to spill forth, and each breath was taken as if it might very well be her last. She'd had things like this happen before, episodes where she would be doing or thinking about something mundane, and then... She'd be pulled back into some vivid memory, reliving past events as if for the first time. Doctor Scratch called them 'involuntary recurrent memories', a fancy way of saying 'flashback', just one of the many issues they were working on...

While they didn't happen often, they almost always took her to places she didn't want to go. Prior to that last one, the previous had taken place on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala... A fact she tried to put out of her mind, so that she could focus back on her work. This particular incident allowed her to connect the dots, albeit hazily. Her family hadn't been struggling to get by because Mother and Father didn't make enough, it was because of Zhelezo... Because they were bribing him... Buying her safety, so that the state wouldn't take her away... She didn't know how to feel about that.

Her thoughts were fully restored when Midnight scampered down from Orzel's shoulder, standing silently on the open page and staring at the Princess with those glowing golden eyes. The girl didn't remember the familiar being on her shoulder to begin with, then again... It might've happened while her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't afford to let herself be sidetracked by emotional weakness again. She was strong, she was in control, she wouldn't be defeated by something as insignificant as a bad memory... Even if her still trembling hands might've suggested otherwise.

It was just passing sunset, and soon Orzel would be called from her chamber to preside over nightly court. Her earlier attempts at meditation proved somewhat helpful, and a brief session of meditation would help to ward off the stress that came with dealing with petitioners. Especially now... With that in mind she stood from her desk and approached her wardrobe, changing out of her clothes and into simple gray robes. Her headscarf, of course, remained as it always did.

Now adorned in more comfortable garments, Orzel approached a pile of books she'd amassed at her chamber's center, courtesy of her earlier visit to the Castle library and her own recently stocked bookshelves. The pile was neatly organized, and more resembled a tightly ordered bed than anything else. Orzel just couldn't bring herself to toss perfectly good books around haphazardly like that. She seated herself atop her hoard of knowledge and closed her eyes, then took a long, deep, calming breath. Though the effect was less noticeable now, she could feel the contented sensation of the Hoard Slumber fast approaching. It washed over her like warm water, slowing her breathing, focusing her thoughts on the internal...

"The light of truth burns in us all..." She chanted in Draconic, keeping time with the litany playing from her modified phonograph. "Show me the light... Show me the light..." The mantra was repeated over and over again, until Orzel's voice had merged almost entirely into the collective recording, her mind gradually becoming completely vacant of trouble or worry.

Her body was at peace, her mind soon to follow. She was in control of her thoughts, she was in control of her emotions... She was in control. Flashes of vague imagery filled her head as she felt an odd sensation, small scampering feet that clawed up her sleeve and perched on her shoulder. Midnight, her Familiar, apparently was joining her. Despite the brief interruption Orzel, continued to chant the mantra.

"The light of truth burns in us all... Show me the light... Show me the light..." Orzel repeated as lowly and slowly as the recording, peering into the blank blackness of her own consciousness. More flashes came to view, this time of her own accord, images of herself on the throne.

She imagined herself facing one aggressive petitioner after another, being insulted and derided, and how she would respond to such instances. At first, as expected, Orzel imagined herself snapping back... Yelling, or ordering them thrown out, or once more undergoing the Elemental Transformation. The images abruptly turned to the first days she'd been in Equestria, when she'd contemplated destroying her first model out of grief. While it might've made her feel better in that moment, it would've done irreparable harm to the model, and she'd have regretted her actions almost as soon as she'd carried them out.

Gradually she applied that same logic to the flashes of violent outrage. There were those that would resist or detract her rule, but they were her subjects regardless, and she could not allow her emotions to dictate that she take undue action against them. She was their Sovereign, their guardian and protector... She would redirect any ill feelings she had towards her true opponents, those who would undermine the liberty and prosperity of her people.

Time gradually bled into itself, minutes might as well have lasted hours, each spent focused on the prospect of refining her emotional control, and redirecting her rampaging thoughts more productively. Every breath stretched as wide as the sky, every thought as vast as an ocean, until her consciousness became an island unto itself, from which she could look out upon the tossing tempest of emotion. There on her island she found tranquility, if only for a short while. An odd sensation quickly overtook her, the feeling that perhaps she wasn't fully alone...

Looking about the space of her mind, she caught a brief glimpse of two feminine figures, clad in robes similar to her own. The fabric appeared remarkably fine for each of them, though one was black while the other was white. With their faces shrouded by their hoods, Orzel saw only faintly glowing eyes in the shadows. The black hooded figure had eyes of brightest gold, while her counterpart's were emerald in hue. Orzel could only wonder just what they represented in this world of meditation...

Before she could get too deep into that line of thought, however, the figure in white pointed westward, out to sea. The image of the island was suddenly subsumed by blackness, replaced in an instant by images of a gigantic library... The vaulted halls and ceilings stacked with bookcases and shelves reaching dizzying heights, each brimming with neatly organized rows of tomes, scrolls, and all sorts of other written works. These in turn were overtaken by flashes of the sea, vistas of gently sloping white beaches and cyclopean cliff faces that towered above the cold crashing waves with imperious impunity. Orzel felt drawn to the visions, unable to describe the sensation they brought beyond a single word... Yearning.

Then came brief glimpses of deserts and forests, great frozen tundras and wide open steppes, towering mountain ranges and bottomless ravines. Somewhere she gazed upon another island, a beautiful tropical paradise, where the at the foot of a great mountain the shattered remnants of an ancient citadel lay hidden, concealed beneath millenia of overgrowth. It was here that she was overcome by a sudden surge of grief, for whatever reason she knew something terribly sad had transpired within the forgotten enclave. These were places Orzel never once laid eyes upon before, yet they were so vivid in detail and sensation that she couldn't help but believe she'd once traversed those strange and distant lands.

"The light of truth burns in all of us... Show me the light... Show me the light..." Orzel repeated the mantra more forcefully, calling upon all her will to try and slow the speed at which the images came, but they just came on stronger and stronger with each passing moment. "The light of truth burns in all of us... Show me the light... Show me the light..."

Gradually, after what felt like an eternity, the visions vanished into nothingness, and Orzel once more found herself staring into the unfeeling blackness. The Princess's heart rate and breathing became even slower, each inhale filling her nose with the smell of the dense aromatic fog that lingered near the floor. The recorded chants faded slowly out as that particular litany came to an end, though they were quickly replaced by one that sounded slightly more joyful than the previous, which provided the girl a new mantra. She listened for a few moments, memorizing the words as quickly as they came to her...

"Lady Lexicos... Sacred Mother of Knowledge... Your divine serenity we beg...." Orzel chorused again in Draconic, just as before, though this time with greater conviction. "By your mercy our world knows truth... By your mercy our hearts know justice..."

Once more she was inundated with visions, visions of the great marble halls of Vindicta's temple, the statues and banners. They were just as vivid, just as detailed, as the others... Though she'd never seen the the temple with the aid of her glasses. At first, Orzel fought to purge the images, not wishing to be reminded of Vindicta or her betrayal of Cesarski, but... Something fought back, and they refused to be banished.

There was a time when she'd chanted litanies alongside Sokol, kneeling before the great bronze statue of Vindicta. It was the eve of her fifteenth 'birthday', and Orzel could still recall the nervousness with which she prayed. Agent Zhelezo and his comrades had just paid them a visit... They'd turned up at the family estate and politely 'encouraged' Sokol and Orzel to leave while they conducted a search for dissidents they feared might be casing the house for robbery. Both Mother and Daughter knew that the story was false, though they didn't dare argue with Zhelezo. Sometimes the MIS just turned up to search peoples homes, purely to remind them that they could... It was on that day, faced once more with the frightful possibility of being detained for her own 'protection', that Orzel prayed to Vindicta with the most earnestness of her life.

Now she found herself chanting religious hymns once again, not out of fear, but rather out of hope... The Princess didn't know if she believed them or not, and that didn't sit well with Orzel. Then again, she wasn't sure what she believed anymore. She thought she did, or at the very least that was what she told herself. Like so many other things about herself, however, there were some things she couldn't force herself to accept as true... While she shunned the Vindictan Church, and generally found visits to the temple overly lengthy, they were nonetheless times she'd spent with her Birth Mother. Now, she had the opportunity to go of her own accord...

It was a topic she'd likely need to discuss with her Mother, or... Maybe not, on second thought. Mother would worry about her if she said she wanted to visit a Lexican Temple, even if it was only to ask a few questions or sit in for a service. Some of the books in the library had been provided by a Lexican Temple in Canterlot, situated in an enclave of Drakes and Equestrians that spent a good amount of time in the Dragonlands. Perhaps Aunt Celestia or Cousin Cadence were the better choice ask about such a visit... Like so many other things, that thought could wait for later...

The images of the temple faded gradually into a wide open meadow, of a sort that Orzel didn't think could ever really exist in reality, yet once again it felt real. On and on it stretched, into infinity, with grass that came up to her chest... The grass was an odd shade of raspberry, the ground an odd violet-blue. Towering in the distance, so tall as to disappear into the vibrant turquoise sky, she saw a great slab of stone... An insurmountable rectangular monolith of purest alabaster, radiating golden light, encompassed by spectral strands of text. Smooth, precise...

Orzel could feel something or someone there, calling out to her... Urging her to comes towards them, towards the Monolith... Then, just as Orzel was about to take the first mental step, the chanting from her phonograph came to an abrupt halt.

"Your Majesty, forgive the interruption, but you are due for Evening Court." A baritone voice crackled over the phonograph, one of the enchantments she'd bestowed upon it was an ability to serve as an intercom. "Your Majesty?" Her concentration broken, Orzel sighed deeply through her nose... Just as she thought she was making progress.

"Thank you for the reminder, Grim..." Orzel stated calmly, her eyes remaining closed as she took a few final moments to bask in the pleasant serenity of her hoard of books. "I will be down shortly." With that assurance the chanting returned, and Orzel opened her eyes to the darkened space of her bedchamber once more. At some point Midnight departed from her shoulder, though where the mouse was now remained unknown... Familiars were such... Enigmatic creatures.

Rising to her feet, Orzel moved to the phonograph and removed the needle from the spinning record, plunging the room into uncomfortable silence. The girl quickly changed out of her robes into more formal attire, a simple burgundy gown, her striped blue and white sash, headscarf, and of course her crown. With a quick incantation, she extinguished not only the candles, but the smoldering frankincense and sage as well.

Midnight sat on her desk beside one of her books, peering at its title, likely for reasons Orzel would never know... Straightening her glasses and ensuring her crown rested snugly atop her scarf, the girl whistled softly. With that signal Midnight scampered down off the desk, hopping off the chair and quickly rushing towards Orzel. The girl picked the mouse up, gently stroking its furry head before letting it perch on her shoulder as it so often liked to do.

The heavy security door leading to the base of the tower was locked tight, and while she could open it manually from this side, Orzel instead opted to speak another incantation. The magic flowed from her lips, illuminating the runes that dotted the door's surface, willing the heavy steel bolts to withdraw and allowing it to swing almost effortlessly open on its hinges. The Princess quickly made her way down through her tower, which shared its overall atmosphere with the gloom in the Princess's bedchamber.

From there it was a swift and very uncomfortable walk through the gardens, as the fall temperatures rendered the air an exceptionally brisk forty degrees Fahrenheit. She didn't know how the palace guards could stand such extreme cold without heavy wool coats... Then again, for her, anything below fifty degrees might as well have been freezing. There was of course a route she could've taken that wouldn't require her to go outside, beneath the ramparts and into the Castle proper... Orzel was rather attached to the gardens, as strolling through them always reminded her of Sokol, Luna, and her new family.

The memories could be painful, but the Princess almost always felt closer to her Mother... Both of them. The girl stopped briefly, casting a look back at her tower, her face lacking any outward expression. Inwardly she was stunned, because in the wake of her meditation thinking about Sokol didn't... Didn't hurt as much as it usually did, or, rather, it hurt differently... The memories weren't as raw, nor was the pain as visceral. For a few fleeting seconds she almost felt... Normal. Clasping her hands behind her back, the girl silently carried on into the Castle itself. Grim and Fable awaited her there, attired in their dress uniforms, quickly falling in behind her as she made her way to the throne room.

"Tonight's docket is a fairly heavy one, would you like me to contact Princess Cadence to assist you?" Grim asked curiously, the big man easily keeping up with the smaller stride of his diminutive charge. He asked that question every night without fail, ever since the first time Orzel held Nocturnal Court. As with every time he'd asked, the Princess stoically shook her head in reply.

"I do not think that is necessary." Orzel's response wasn't chiding, even if perhaps she was growing tired of the question. She suspected that Grim and Fable didn't think she was ready, that she should call upon Cadence for aid, or allow the woman to handle her duties entirely... It was their job to worry about her, so she didn't hold it against them... They just didn't understand. "Are there any petitioners in particular that you feel I should be aware of before I begin?" Grim and Fable shared a brief uncertain look, never a good sign.

"Lord Jet Set and his wife, your Majesty." Fable's voice was uncharacteristically hesitant. "They come seeking restitution for damage their residence sustained during the unrest." Orzel couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. There already existed a means for those seeking financial aid as a result of the crisis to file with the government. While they were still entitled to come before the Crown with their petition, it was wholly unnecessary. Unless...

"They are undoubtedly here to request more than what they are due yes?" Orzel concluded bluntly, turning a corner as they drew ever nearer to the throne room. "It seems that is the bulk of my petitioners as of late." She added with a tone of skepticism, as she suspected many of those she'd encountered thus far were banking on her youth and inexperience to get more than they were entitled to. "Very well... Move them to the top of the list. I wish to deal with them as quickly as possible." Grim and Fable nodded together. "You are dismissed." The two men nodded, breaking off from behind the Princess to go and carry out her orders.

This situation with Jet Set was why Cadence couldn't be involved. If he and his wife couldn't get what they wanted from Orzel, they'd turn to her cousin for aid... Cadence would likely agree with Orzel's ruling, but her mere presence would undermine Orzel's authority, and that was something the latter couldn't accept. Orzel had already asserted her dominance among her advisers, and despite the emotional unpleasantness that followed her near transformation, the Princess was quite sure none of them would withhold vital information from her in the future. Now she needed to show the nation at large that she wasn't some child to be ordered around.

She didn't take pride in the method... Having to 'flex her muscles' to secure her authority. Orzel didn't want to be the type of ruler that did so through fear or intimidation, as to inflict that same terror on others which she'd been subjected to so many times was to her an act of weakness... Unfortunately, as the teen was coming to realize more and more, there were seldom times where a Princess got what she wanted. She'd try to ease up, try to give a little slack, but wouldn't be walked all over in her own home... It was only for another night or so, then Mother would return and all would be right with the world... Or, as right as it could be. What could go wrong...? She cringed inwardly almost immediately after having that thought.

The girl turned down another hallway, this one terminating with a pair of stately ornate doors. Both sides were lined by a cadre of men and women in the dress uniforms of the Lunar Marines, all of whom abruptly snapped to attention at her arrival. Orzel had done away with the ceremonial armor, at least for those who weren't in public view... Part of her initiative to make the throne her own. It wouldn't last, as Luna was sure to return, but at least it would help set a further precedent that Orzel's Court wouldn't be the same has her Mother's. There were other facets she'd changed, primarily pertaining to protocol, though some were admittedly for her own preference. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she actually rather liked the pageantry, even if most of it was superfluous flourishes. Orzel quietly approached the doors, waiting patiently for her cue.

"Announcing the arrival of her Royal Majesty, Crown Princess Orzel, Heir to the Obsidian Throne and Acting Regent of the Night!" Grim's voice rumbled forth from beyond the oaken slabs, striking forth in that thunderous cannonade fashion of his. A moment later the doors opened to their fullest, flanked on either side by Grim and Fable, who in turn snapped to attention. The room beyond wasn't the throne room, rather the atrium before it, where the petitioners of the night waited for their audience with the Crown. This was another of the changes Orzel instituted, which she hoped would allow her subjects to see her as she was, rather than the frumpy brutish creature they might expect to see after reading the newspapers.

The crowd gathered there was as sizable as she'd been warned, consisting of many men in suits and ties, though there were a few women sprinkled throughout, dressed in formal dresses or gowns. The Princess recognized a few of them from the Grand Galloping Gala, others from newspapers or magazines, but most were unknown to her. Upon seeing her, all gradually bowed their heads in respect, though a few hesitated longer than perhaps they should've. It was only then that Orzel realized she'd made an error, a fairly major one at that... She'd needed to review the list of those coming before her to have a basic idea of what to expect, but in the midst of her meditative seclusion it completely slipped her mind. Pausing briefly, she gestured for Grim to lean down. The man of course did so, allowing Orzel to whisper into his ear.

"I require your assistance." She stated simply, gesturing towards the crowd. "I did not read the list of petitioners before my arrival, may I ask that you announce their names and purpose upon entrance?" Grim nodded at the request, and with that Orzel quietly strolled through the room, her two behemoth body guards never too far behind, until she reached the doors leading into the throne room. Two guards standing there, adorned in ceremonial armor, snapped sharp salutes before opening the doors and allowing her entry... Grim and Fable, meanwhile, remained behind to address the crowd and inform them of the basic decorum expected of all of them. This was court, after all.

Orzel's journey towards the thrones was a quiet one, and she passed the statuesque palatial guards silently, taking a few brief moments to bask in the beauty of the room... The length of the throne room defied reason, except perhaps if it was intended to house a large number of people. That was generally what Orzel thought of when it came to a 'Royal Court', complete with noble lords and ladies, diplomats and jesters... The Emperor's court was rumored to number in the hundreds, by comparison. She supposed she really didn't need all those people to bother her or test her patience.

Therefore, the only purpose she could see the immensity of the throne room serving was to make those passing through it feel small in size... Orzel didn't really need help on that front, of course. As it happened, her interrupted Elemental Transformation actually cost her several precious inches in height, leaving her at a miniscule four feet ten inches... Shorter than she'd been upon her first arrival to Equestria.

After several minutes of walking she finally ascended the steps and stood before the Obsidian Throne. Specifically designed for Luna's amazonian frame, the skilfully sculpted chair loomed like the cavernous jaw of a giant beast, its intricately carved and polished black surface glinting in the lights above. The girl paused for only a moment before taking her place upon the dark leather cushions, albeit with only slight difficulty. Her feet wouldn't have even touched the ground, if not for the addition of a small wooden step. Perhaps her height wasn't so trivial after all... She looked briefly at Aunt Celestia's throne. The brilliant marble structure was even bigger, but then again, so was Aunt Celestia...

"Presenting Lord Jet Set, Renowned Merchant of Canterlot and his wife Lady Upper Crust of the Equestrian Education Association! They seek further restitution from the Crown for damages accrued during the recent crisis!" Grim's booming voice quickly drew Orzel's attention back to the throne room proper...

Meanwhile, Midnight soundlessly scampered down from Orzel's shoulder to rest in one of her palms, allowing the girl to peacefully stroke the mouse's head with her thumb. Two colorfully dressed figures were quickly approaching along the great length of the throne room, and even with the aid of her spectacles Orzel needed to squint for a few moments to see them approaching from such a distance.

Eventually Jet Set and Upper Crust stopped at the steps before the Obsidian Throne, offering only the briefest of bows. Jet Set's angular features reminded Orzel of a lobster she'd once seen in the Cesarski fish market, the beady eyes behind his spectacles especially adding to the illusion. As Orzel recalled, that particular lobster wound up giving her the worst case of food poisoning she'd ever endured... Upper Crust was hardly comparable to a crustacean, Orzel might've actually found her somewhat pretty, if she didn't know what lurked beneath the surface.

These were people that at one time called her 'frumpy' and 'brutish', a position she suspected they still maintained. At least they were dressed with an appropriate level of decorum, their hair likewise styled to near perfection. The Princess also couldn't help but note that both wore the eight-pointed sun pins of the Noble party... Then again, Orzel expected no less at this point, the party lines were already being drawn in the sand. She presented only the cold stoic mask on which she labored so intensively, this would need to be her best performance yet.

"Your Highness..." The man stopped himself, likely realizing he'd made a mistake. Where usually 'Highness' was the appropriate term, as Orzel was acting as monarch until Luna's return, Equestrian dictated a different term. "I mean... Your Majesty, what an honor it is to come before the Crown, especially in our great time of need." Jet Set brought a hand to his chest. "My wife and I are delighted that it is you that will be hearing our case, we've heard many tales of your benevolence." It was with herculean effort that Orzel kept herself from rolling her eyes...

"Our home was greatly disrupted by the recent unrest brought on by the Chaos Wave, and as a result many of our prized possessions were damaged or stolen." The man reached into his suit pocket and withdrew a folded slip of paper. "The aid offered by the Crown, while certainly helpful, hardly covers the true extent..." Once again Orzel inwardly sighed. Sometimes she hated being right. "Here is our request, may I approach, your magnificence?" The Princess offered the barest of nods, watching the man carefully as he ascended the steps before the Obsidian Throne. With her free hand Orzel took the page, as her other was still occupied by the fuzzy black mouse, which Jet Set regarded with obvious disgust.

"Leave us, Midnight..." Orzel commanded, and in a puff of black vapor the mouse vanished entirely from her palm, apparently to the surprise and evident relief of Jet Set. "You may return to your wife while We examine the damages, according your estimation..." The Princess hummed quietly, unfolding the paper and examining its contents. She spotted several instances of broken windows, a metal gate that was bent by rioters, all of which seemed to be in order... These, however, didn't make up the bulk of the claims, nor were they even the most expensive items on the assessment. "Can you describe the 'Ceramic Landscape Ornamentation' in greater detail?" Jet Set nodded with a grin that Orzel couldn't quite describe, some unnatural combination between nervousness and arrogance, if such a thing existed.

"Yes, they're ornaments for our estate's landscaping, made of ceramic. It's in the name, understandable that you wouldn't know that..." He explained simply, as if that was the end of it. It wasn't, not by a long shot. The name hardly described just what sort of ornamentation these things actually were, and it certainly didn't explain why one was listed as costing more than three-thousand Bits. Orzel merely stared at Jet Set, her silence and unwavering mask insisting that he go into further detail.

"If we cannot secure the Bits we require from the Crown, we will have no choice but to raise the rents of our tenants to cover our losses." He added with a fairly good approximation of genuine remorse. "It will have to be a hefty increase if we are to break even." Jet Set didn't care that the Princess wanted further detail, he'd gone right for the bottom line... Either the Crown paid him, or he and his wife would make life difficult for their tenants. "We would be well within our rights, of course, according to the agreements they signed... We would prefer not to do so, however, as I doubt many would be able to afford it... The Crown would therefore be doing them a service as well."

His smile became more predatory, the veiled intentions now far more clear. Orzel got the distinct impression that Jet Set wouldn't be coming to the Crown from the same angle if Luna or Celestia were presiding over that evening's court. He was trying to play on her emotions, on the fear that she'd be responsible for people losing their homes... What was more, Orzel was more than certain that if given the chance, Jet Set would make good on his threat. The girl steepled her fingers as a surge of outrage briefly manifested itself within...

In that man's beady little eyes she saw more than greed, she saw Agent Zhelezo, or at the very least the type of 'man' Zhelezo was. The sort that would show no mercy, that'd kick someone while they were down, gouge them for all that they were worth, because he felt himself above them... Yes, Mister Jet Set would've fit right in at the MIS... Orzel knew she wasn't being rational, that she was letting her earlier thoughts influence her judgment, but remaining impartial was... Difficult.

Those images still lingered at the edges of her mind, throbbing constantly like a torn open wound. The vivid memory of the wrenching hand that made her feel so helpless, that threatened and belittled her, was still freshly seared into her skull. In but a few moments outrage turned to just plain rage. She wanted to have this man thrown out, to decline him then and there and send him on his way, but that wouldn't be fair... She couldn't allow her own personal issues to guide her on issues of policy... The mounting fury was quickly restrained, forced back into its cage where it belonged, all while the Princess's stoney visage remained undisturbed.

"The Crown is more than familiar with the common structuring of your 'agreements', Mister Jet Set." Orzel stated flatly, narrowing her eyes on the grinning man. "We are also familiar with the success rate of those agreements in arbitration, or lack thereof..." Jet Set's grin faded considerably, and Orzel could see indignation burning behind his fractured mask of affability. "Let us set aside for the moment that fact. You have yet to answer Our earlier question, and describe to Us the nature of these 'Ceramic Landscape Ornaments'. What makes them so valuable?" The girl folded her hands in her lap, looking more intently at the man.

"W-What makes them valuable? Well, it's not as if you'd understand-" Jet Set stammered, but Orzel struck the man with a stoic scowl of the sort Mother would've been proud of, letting the man know that he'd reached the end of her patience. "Fine, I shall simplify it so that even you can understand..." He scowled sourly, looking over at his wife for a moment, then back at the Princess. "They're generally figurines, jovial depictions of craftsmen, laborers, and artisans... People of stature, such as yourself. Some of them are small, but others are taller than I am." Orzel nodded quietly, imagining such figurines in her mind...

It struck her as odd that such statues would be made from ceramic, rather than bronze or copper, then again she didn't know much about lawn ornamentation. She'd seen the little gnomes that occasionally found a home in the Castle gardens. They too were jolly looking figures, with adorable little pickaxes and hammers. She actually rather liked them, they were cute, especially with their little red hats and big bushy beards. There big soulful eyes reminded her of her stuffed bear Wojtek. Some even had little pipes, or easels and paint brushes...

Orzel's features would've lost all emotion in a sudden moment of realization, gradually giving way to two pursed lips and very narrow eyes. The expression itself was painful, as the fangs that lingered from her near transformation dug into her skin. Fortunately her skin was 'thicker' now, or at least far more difficult to puncture, so no blood was drawn.

"Would We be correct in assuming that these Ceramic Landscaping Ornaments you describe are, in fact, garden gnomes?" Orzel asked bluntly, leaning back in the throne and placing both arms on the armrests. Jet Set looked once more at his wife, then nodded with obvious frustration. "People of stature, such as myself..." The girl repeated with a humorless chuckle, shaking her head as she took a deep breath and called upon her earlier mantras to give her strength. "You are extorting the Crown to compensate you for broken garden gnomes?" Upper Crust raised her hand, as if attempting to clarify the situation.

"Perhaps we've come at an inopportune time." She stated, taking on a mollifying tone. "Really, forget we brought it up at all! We'll just come back in a few days when the Real Princesses have returned..." Orzel's searing gaze turned from Jet Set to Upper Crust, and once again the Princess silently repeated her mantra, ensuring the monster of wrath remained confined for the moment. "It can't be helped you don't understanding the importance of our problem, you aren't an Equestrian after all, you don't understand just how important proper lawn care is to us." This was exactly the sort of thing Orzel meditated for, and she was thankful for that fact, as otherwise she might've lost her temper. Such slights were beneath her notice... "If our plea should fail, we have our tenants to fall back upon."

The girl tapped her fingers on the armrest, recalling just what these two mentioned their plans were in the event their 'request' was denied. Personal grievances Orzel could forget, if not forgive, but the veiled threat towards her subjects was another matter entirely. The housing market in Canterlot was a dicey one, and as Orzel understood it, there were plenty of people that would not only be able to pay that new rent, but who were also eager to move into the homes of those who couldn't. Jet Set and his wife could evict half their tenants and have all the units filled in the span of a month or so... There was no guarantee that wasn't what would happen anyway, even if they convinced Luna or Celestia to pay them.

Orzel suspected this was also likely about more than garden gnomes, or even the tenants for that matter. Arrogant as it sounded, the Princess suspected this was very much about her. If she gave into their demands she'd be signaling to the Nobles and the Black Crowns that she was weak. If she waited for Luna and Celestia to return she'd come off as indecisive, and that risked jeopardizing her authority, leaving her looking like someone just there to keep the Throne warm. Technically accurate, but detrimental to her future prospects regardless. If she denied the request, Jet Set and Upper Crust would raise the rent and then blame it on her inexperience and unwillingness to compromise, which would likely accomplish the former two outcomes, albeit to a lesser extent.

Even if all the cases were brought to arbitration, it'd cost the Crown more money to pay for said arbitrators than to pay for the ludicrously expensive garden gnomes, and even if all the agreements were thrown out, by the time it was finished new tenants would already have been moved in. So... What options did that leave the young Princess...

"You said you will raise your tenants rent to extreme levels, and by extension evict said tenants if your request is not met, is that correct?" Orzel countered stoically, pointing directly at Jet Set, not once flinching. Jet Set nodded, smiling that smug smile of his, and very briefly the Princess considered denying his request then and there...

Instead she remained calm, looking about the throne room quietly. This shouldn't have been her fight... Luna and Celestia would know what to do. Even so, in a scenario where they were never coming back, Orzel would be expected to handle it on her own.

"Your requested sum is non-negotiable?" The Princess confirmed, once again Jet Set nodded, so the girl lowered her arm back to the armrest, taking on the implacable aspect of Obsidian itself. "Would you come before Princess Celestia or Luna with such a demand... Or is it because I am not a 'real' Princess that you thought you could pull off this obvious attempt at extortion? Was it arrogance or foolishness..." Both Upper Crust and Jet Set lost any semblance of decorum, as Orzel expected.

"It's your word against ours, you little brat." Upper Crust snapped, pointing a trembling finger at Orzel. "There's no one here that can back you up. None of your guards are close enough to have heard anything we said." The Princess briefly considered that point, or rather lack thereof... One of the effects of having such a large and open stone space, a benefit in this respect, was that sound tended to travel... In all likelihood, even Grim was listening in at the other end of the room. "The Princesses won't be back for a day or so, plenty of time for us to ruin you in the press, especially with the talk we've heard of the animal you really are... So I suggest you do as your betters tell you and sign the damn paper."

Orzel couldn't describe her exact feelings in that moment... Outrage, fear, trepidation, anxiety, anger... The cauldron of emotional magma was stirring to life, and the Princess wasn't sure if her meager experience in meditation would be able to avert the imminent violent eruption. In a manner of speaking, she was managing well enough, because from an outward glance it was impossible to visualize the fury fighting to break loose from its cage. The girl took a deep breath through her nose and closed her eyes, ignoring her two hostile petitioners for a moment. She was in control, and wouldn't give the two troglodytes before her the satisfaction of witnessing the inferno they'd wrought.

"Do you share the feelings of your spouse, Mister Jet Set?" Orzel returned her gaze back to the man, though both 'Nobles' seemed utterly gobsmacked that they hadn't gotten a reaction out of her. They were about to, just not the one they'd been hoping for. Jet Set nodded firmly, puffing out his chest in what he likely assumed to be his moment of triumph. "Good, We would hate to break up a couple." The two of them looked at one another in obvious confusion, then back at Orzel with increasing hostility.

"The Crown has shown great leniency towards similar behavior in the past, and so We are unsurprised you believe that it must endure such impudence. You will find that is not true of my court..." Orzel shook her head, then snapped her fingers. "The Crown finds both Lord Jet Set and Lady Upper Crust to be in contempt of court. They will be detained for a period of no less than seven days at the Canterlot County Jail, in addition, each shall be fined in the amount of five-thousand Bits." The words were calm, but boomed from her diminutive frame to reach the ears of every person in the cavernous hall. "Take them away."

In a matter of moments two Lunar Marines stepped forth from their posts, quickly closing on Jet Set and Upper Crust, both of whom seemed so utterly stunned at the Princess's pronouncement that they didn't think to start resisting until they'd already been handcuffed. Orzel watched with a mixture of satisfaction and concern... It was certainly gratifying to see two of her detractors removed on account of their behavior, and after having read so many novels, the idea of actually saying 'Take them away' in reality was likewise enjoyable...

What she'd done, however, once again felt... Disquietingly authoritarian. She supposed that was the nature of monarchies, and to some degree she accepted that, but... Then again, it wasn't as if she'd arrested an average citizen for saying something that she didn't agree with. Two petitioners came into Canterlot Castle, her court, her home, threatening, insulting, and demanding money from her... Over garden gnomes, of all things. It sounded like the sort of thing a raving lunatic might do, not two 'upstanding' members of Canterlot's upper society.

"We will have a twenty minute recess." Orzel called to Grim from the throne as she leaned back in her seat, ruminating on just what to do next. She needed a moment... "Please see to it that those next in line are informed." She added thoughtfully, and even at this distance she knew the looming figure at the edge of the throne room would heed her orders.

The girl closed her eyes and took another deep breath, quietly mumbling one of the Lexican ektanias... A brief session of meditation seemed appropriate after such an extreme start to her night. Orzel took solace in the statistical improbability that such an uncouth pair of petitioners would once again come before her, at least she'd gotten them out of the way early. Her breath and pulse slowed after several minutes, and with that came order. Through order she gained control, and from control came serenity... The chaotic emotions and memories, so fervently whipped into a frenzy, were brought gently to rest.

Typically reining in her feelings was a physically taxing and mentally violent affair, but... Not this time. Without the aid of the Hoard Slumber, Orzel was struggling to enter a deeper state of mind... Visions from her mind's eye appeared with far less frequency than before, flashing too briefly for her to get barely a glance. The oceans, the fields... The Monolith. She couldn't stop seeing it, and it instilled in her a sort of longing to discover just what it was, even if it proved to be little more than a manifestation of her imagination. Before she could approach it, however, she was drawn back to the waking world by the announced arrival of her next petitioner. How quickly twenty minutes came and went... It was time to get back to business.

Luna and Celestia sat within the train's dining car, joined by the newly revived Observos the Watchful. It wasn't the first time they'd met like this, but where those previous meetings were aimed at getting Observos up to speed on the new reality he faced, this meeting had a far more specific reason behind it. It was already decided that for him to reintegrate into society, he couldn't come back as 'Observos the Watchful'. It'd raise far too many questions that Equestria wasn't ready for, and conflict with the cover story already circulating through the press. So from the first meeting onwards, Observos the Watchful became known as Piercing Gaze... A talented practitioner of the Arcane Arts, aspiring author, with a degree in Pre and Early Equestrian history, as well as all the other details necessary to fabricate his new identity.

As for Piercing himself, the news still seemed so fantastical as to defy reality... Yet that reality was assured with every bellowing whistle of Luna's 'locomotive'. Aeroplanes, airships, steam engines, radios, moving pictures and most important of all, mass printing presses... Every innovation, every new piece of technology, filled his heart with a thrill beyond compare. As a man of science and scholarly pursuits, it'd been Piercing's fondest patriotic hope to create a nation where such miracles of magic and technology could flourish, a beacon of harmony and freedom, and flourish those ideals did...

There were many little things he didn't fully grasp as of yet, and a great many problems he'd faced in his day and age still apparently plagued Modern Equestria. No matter how many things changed, politics remained politics, and even if the particulars were different it all boiled down to three simple words... Us versus Them. Piercing supposed the finer details would all make sense once he had time to immerse himself in the nearest library, where he'd be able to read to his heart's content all the great discoveries of the past thousand years. Before he could ponder what that might entail, however, there was the matter of the ongoing meeting, a meeting he'd unfortunately ceased paying attention to.

"Piercing." Luna's abrupt urging of his new name took a moment to register, but he eventually shook himself out of his reverie and looked at her, eyebrow raised. "Please, you must pay attention. What I am about to tell you is exceptionally important." Piercing looked about the rest of the room, noting that Celestia displayed a similar look of intensity... That was another new change. Celestia was once as carefree as they came, and while she was still far less uptight than her sister, there was no denying a certain indescribable... Force. "The Crown is no longer confined to Celestia and myself. There is a Prince and two other Princesses that you will meet shortly after our return."

The man nodded simply at that, though he didn't see what all the fuss was about. It was only natural that others might be brought into the fold, he was honestly surprised the Crown wasn't considerably larger than it already was. Then again, to become a member of the Crown was an exceptionally difficult thing to pull off successfully if one wasn't an existing family member... He needed only to look at his own recent incarceration for evidence of that.

"Prince Blueblood's our distant cousin." Celestia explained further, leaning back in her cushy chair. "While typically that wouldn't alone qualify him for ascension, it did give me the excuse to do so... At the time, prospective heirs were minimal, and I feared a power vacuum should Nightmare Moon succeed in her return." She looked at Luna, who sheepishly glanced at the floor at the mention of Nightmare Moon, then back at Piercing. "You likely won't interact much with him at first... In essence, he serves as the Castle's Chief of Staff, so he's rather busy handling the duties of running the Castle itself, or otherwise dealing with the day to day complaints of the nobility."

"Next is Princess Cadence, an alicorn, my adopted niece." Celestia continued, and Piercing noted a distinct fondness that entered Celestia's entire being at that. Granted, the Celestia he knew tended to view everyone through the lens of a caring guardian, but given her new more reserved nature...? He couldn't say for certain as to why she was so fond of Cadence. "She's recently returned from Las Pegasus, and the extent of her authority is... Complicated." Piercing raised an eyebrow at that, but Celestia didn't seem inclined to go into further detail on that front. Fair enough, he'd just ask Luna later. "Cadence is mostly busy handling policy on a provincial level, especially now that we're moving towards a more simplified, less centralized model of governance. Think of her as a sort of... Prime Minister or Chancellor."

So far the Prince and Princess seemed fairly straightforward to Piercing, but when the two sisters looked at one another again, it became obvious that they were uncertain as to who should describe the last Princess... That in and of itself wouldn't have been so out of place, but add to that the slight fidgeting of Luna and the evidently insistent glance on the part of Celestia, and he got the distinct sense that the last Princess's primer would be... Complicated.

"That leaves Crown Princess Orzel..." Luna finally broke the silence, pursing her lips in obvious discomfort at the scenario. Hearing the name, Piercing gained a slightly better idea as to why.

Draconic Studies was one of his favored topics, and he'd delighted in tutoring Luna on the subject. 'Orzel' was a very un-Equestrian name... It originated from an ancient dialect of Draconic, Kwarczkie, at least if his memory served. Theirs was such a fascinating culture, he couldn't wait to see what scholars discovered about them in his absence. Regardless of the name's origin, he could only speculate as to why an Equestrian Princess would hold a Draconic name. Could it have been there was a war he hadn't heard about, and Equestria was forced to accept a Drake into the Crown as part of the peace treaty...? That seemed like the kind of compromise Celestia would be willing to make.

"She is the heir to the Obsidian Throne... My daughter." Piercing's thoughts of treaties and compromise came shrieking to a shuddering halt, his jaw slackening just a tad as Luna's admission sapped him of movement. So that was it, not the result of some treaty, unless this 'Orzel' was the result of a political marriage? No... Luna would never accept such an arrangement, which likely meant Luna had married a Drake... Not that there was anything wrong with that, but the longevity of Drakes likely precluded the chances of him and Luna being truly 'together' ever again, even if said Drake was now out of the picture.

"Daughter...? I... I see..." Orzel stammered almost uncontrollably, looking at the floor with his hands laced together. The thought of Luna having a child was striking on many levels... Why hadn't Luna mentioned her daughter or spouse sooner, unless she was trying to spare his feelings? She didn't need to do that, he thought she knew him well enough to realize as much, no matter how much the news stung at his weary heart. "I wouldn't have expected you to remain alone, after all, it's been a thousand years..." He trailed off. "You look great! I can't even tell you had a kid!" He shouldn't have said that, he knew as much, but his nerves were getting the better of him. Luna's face suddenly flushed with embarrassment and she quickly shook her head.

"No! No no no! Orzel is my adopted daughter!" The woman proclaimed steadfastly, putting a hand on Piercing's shoulder. The ache in his heart quickly evaporated into elation, so there was still a place for him at her side after all... Of course there was, she'd said as much when he first woke up! "She only came into my life rather recently, actually... I am just accustomed to the idea of not specifying that she is adopted." Piercing nodded quietly, drumming his fingers on the table, gradually unpacking the revelations.

Luna never seemed like the 'adoption' type, after all. They'd discussed her desire to have children many times, a desire that Piercing didn't necessarily share... It'd been one of the few sticking points of their relationship, and as such the subject of adoption never came up as a possibility. It wasn't that he didn't like children, they were fine... In theory. At least the older ones were. The idea of little versions of himself running around his laboratory or library, making a mess of things and generally putting themselves at risk, didn't fill him with confidence.

"Her story is an odd one... She is an adolescent Drake, specifically of a people known to us as the Kwarczkie, though if you must do so, she prefers to be referred to by the term 'Szafirian'." Luna continued, Piercing nodded again, pleased to at least hear his hunch about the name was correct. That she'd also specified that Orzel was an adolescent likewise assuaged his fears of having to deal with a screaming infant or rambunctious toddler, teenagers he could at least deal with... Well, yes, but actually no... Teenagers were an entirely different breed. Technically speaking he was still in his mid-thirties, thousand-year imprisonment not withstanding, so he knew fairly well what they could be like.

That wasn't nearly as important, however, as the revelation that this 'Princess Orzel' was supposedly a bonafide Kwarczkie. He'd encountered several descendants of their kind in his studies on the origins of Enchanting, though they were more evolutionary offshoots than actual Kwarczkie, well... Not really 'offshoots'. As with so many things with regards to Draconic history, it was... Well... Complicated. Gods, he hated that word. Even so, the prospect of meeting an actual living specimen opened so many possible paths for research into their remarkable past. He suspected many of the discoveries he'd make would be well known knowledge among Draconic Academia by now.

"Szafirian... Interesting." The man mumbled simply, rubbing at his chin. "My memory of them is fairly intact, I'll just need to consult my notes on the subject of their history. I have so many questions! Of course, I won't ask them unless you permit it, she's your daughter, after all..." Piercing noted that both sisters' demeanor became befuddled, which befuddled him in turn. "What?" The sisters looked at one another, communicating in that silent manner that he'd realized most siblings were capable of, before turning their attention back to him.

"The Kwarczkie are one of the most obscure and least understood Draconic Civilizations in history. I didn't even think books about them existed in Early Equestria, let alone that you would have notes on them." Celestia explained, and Piercing nearly laughed at the absurdity of that statement. She could be such a joker! Granted, the Kwarczkie weren't known by mainstream scholars, but almost entirely unknown? Hardly! "The earliest account we have on record is from approximately two hundred years ago."

Piercing rubbed at the bridge of his nose, shaking his head in utter disappointment. She wasn't joking... Dear Gods she wasn't joking! She was serious! The Kwarczkie were primarily studied by enchanters and alchemists, surely there had to be some new discovery made by the practitioners of those well respected fields in his absence. In a world with aeroplanes and radios, the study and understanding of the civilization that likely pioneered ancient enchanting as he and his colleagues knew it couldn't have actually gone backwards in understanding, could it?

"That can't be right, I spent the better part of a decade and a half curating artifacts, documents, and accounts of their written and oral history! I put it with all my files in my office in the library!" Piercing declared frustratedly, but the sisters looked at him with confusion. "Don't tell me you just... Abandoned the entire library in the Castle of the Two Sisters!" A bolt of further anger rushed through him as he received an apologetic nod from Celestia. Quickly he pulled himself together, now was no time to go losing his temper. "Assuming they weren't outright destroyed in your final battle, they should still be right where I left them... I had the foresight to ward them against aging, ironically for the benefit of scholars in the future." The man looked at Luna, his features softening. "Forgive me... I didn't mean to make this about my work. You have a daughter, a daughter you obviously love very much. I am just... Still processing that fact. Please, tell me more about her..."

Luna smiled sadly, and so she recounted the tale of her daughter's arrival to Equus... Both Princesses likewise explained to him the situation in the Szafirian Empire, before and up to the 'Fall of Cesarski'. What they described didn't seem to fit with the Kwarczkie of old, and as his memory of their culture gradually came to the forefront, it became evident to him that something must've gone terribly wrong after the Kwarczkie vanished from Equus to colonize their New World.

What was even more evident, however, was Luna's unmistakable love for her child. The way her eyes lit up when she'd describe how much progress Orzel was making in the field of enchanting was proof enough of the depth of her pride, yet Luna went beyond even that. It unfortunately also became apparent that what the Equestrian's knew of the ancient civilization was indeed but a fraction of the collected history Piercing and his fellows had uncovered through their studies prior his transformation.

He didn't interrupt the story except to ask the occasional question or for clarification, and after an hour or so, they'd caught him up on the basics of all the young Princess had endured. So it was that Piercing offered to shed further light on the subject of the Kwarczkie, for a myriad of reasons, including a few possible health concerns that Luna likely wasn't even aware of.

"The Kwarczkie were more than a civilization of warriors, though you know that already..." Piercing explained quietly, folding his hands into his lap. "All Drakes have evolved a hierarchy based on martial strength, but the Kwarczkie went beyond this. Where most of their contemporaries saw war as sort of 'force of nature', the Kwarczkie pursued war with an absolutely scientific discipline..." He looked at Luna, unable to conceal his own happiness to be speaking on a topic he seldom got to share with anyone but his now long dead colleagues. It was, after all, a rather esoteric field of study. "There's a very specific reason for there martial prowess, one that you should be made aware of." The woman raised an eyebrow, and Piercing knew he had the woman's full attention as she leaned closer.

"Tens of thousands of years ago, there was an ancient civilization of advanced magic users, named the Ahlikorinians. For brevity, I'll just call them the Ancient Ones." Piercing explained, looking at Luna and Celestia, searching for a sign of recognition in their eyes. The Ahlikorinians were often described as beings with three souls... Add to this the filter of phonetic syncope and it didn't take an expert linguist to realize the name was an archaic predecessor to the modern word 'Alicorn'. This realization thankfully seemed to click, as both sisters took on a brief look of astonishment. "Some time before the first century, they opened a portal to another realm in an effort to study it... What they found was a realm of utter blackness, filled with creatures of the vilest sort. In our time this realm was known as the semi-fictional 'Abyss'."

"Hordes of monstrous creatures spilled out of the Abyss, waging war against the Ancient Ones and threatening the world at large." Piercing continued, though he could see Luna wanted to know just what this had to do with her daughter, he was getting to it. "The Ancient Ones couldn't fight them on their own, as they were too few in numbers, so they sent emissaries to the other peoples of the world. Only one group agreed to join them, an at the time new but sizable clan of Drakes calling themselves Kwarczkie." Piercing stood from his seat and began pacing the floor, wishing desperately he had a chalkboard at the moment, if only to better lay out his thoughts. "Their size arose from their early development of disciplined tactics and strategy, making it easier for them to not only conquer territory, but to hold it... That they typically favored islands and coastal regions also aided in that respect, as once they were dug in it became virtually impossible to drive them out."

"In exchange for their military might, the Ancient Ones used a mixture of magic and advanced technology to accelerate aspects of the Kwarczkie physiology better suited to their 'Science of War' mentality." Piercing could see the gears starting to turn in Luna's head. While many aspects of Kwarczkie physiology were similar to their traditional Drake counterparts, there were several key differences that could prove problematic for those not properly informed, hence the prelude. "They were given superior intellect, strength, agility, and arcane power to rival that of the Ancient Ones. They were also innately gifted in the creation of enchantments and other contrivances, especially if such contrivances were intended for use as tools of war. Once again, for brevity's sake, I'll leave out some other enhanced traits that are of lesser importance." Piercing stopped beside a window, looking out at the darkness beyond, he could tell he had the sisters' full attention.

"As with all things, these traits came at a cost. Firstly, the Kwarczkie became hyper emotional and developed extreme protective instincts, even more so than typical Drakes. As a primarily island and coastal people, and lacking an 'inner flame', it became difficult for them to survive in even moderately cold inland regions. For some reason cold islands and coastal areas didn't share the same effect, we had a few theories but nothing solid as to why that was the case..." Piercing added with a slightly distant tone, returning to the table and taking a seat, trying once more to get comfortable as he launched ever onwards. "Anyway, their primary weakness, however, was spells intended to totally neutralize or suppress magic regeneration. While they'd be a nuisance to typical spell-casters such as you or I, they could temporarily cripple a Kwarczkie's ability to function, as their life force is intertwined with their magic... A strong enough suppression spell could even prove fatal."

The Princesses listened intently as Piercing continued to recount the story of the Kwarczkie, as he remembered it at least. Gradually through conquest and other means their numbers grew, and with their vastly expanded intellect they constructed great weapons of war, which they turned against the forces of the Abyss. The forces of the Abyss in turn sought to copy the methods of the Ancient Ones, and so they began enhancing the abilities of an enclave of insect-like humanoids, the Shen'ga'leen... Proto-Changelings. That they fed on emotions, something the Kwarczkie had in great abundance, further endeared the Shen'ga'leen to the Abyss... At least until it became evident that the extreme anger and hostility often felt by the Kwarczkie was ultimately toxic to their early test subjects.

There was a lot of work that needed to be done if the Abyss was ever to match the Ancient Ones in the martial prowess of its uplifted armies, but Shen'ga'leen were easier to control, and so the race was on for the Ancient Ones to defeat the Abyss before work on the first true Changeling Hive could be completed. They failed to meet that goal, but only slightly, and eventually the Ancient Ones prevailed, sealing the portal to the Abyss once and for all. That of course didn't prevent cults and other shadowy organizations from attempting to reopen that portal, or to bring beings of the Abyss into the world, but the bulk of the fighting was over. This marked the beginning of what most societies called 'The Great Awakening', when the war weary world sought to set aside the tribulations of the past and looked towards the future.

With their population vastly depleted by the war, the Ancient Ones sought to pass their legacy and knowledge to their faithful allies, the Kwarczkie, which many considered their children. Neither would ever get that chance. Not long after the end of the war, for reasons still unknown, the Ancient Ones came under attack from various clans of Drakes. Speculation suggested it was out of jealousy, or a search for enhancements like those granted to the Kwarczkie. This marked the end of the Ancient Ones as a civilization, with many using their magic to flee to parts unknown. A handful, however, opted to stand beside the Kwarczkie, who now stood alone against the other dragon clans...

"With their forces already depleted after centuries of warfare with the Abyss, and casualties climbing into the millions, the Kwarczkie could only fight a bitter war of defense, until they were finally forced back to their last island holding." Piercing stated darkly, even with the clatter of the wheels he could've sworn he heard a pin drop. "At the climax of the final battle, their remaining army and the two Ancient Ones leading it, Legate Vindas and Legate Sekari, vanished in a flash of light."

"They also took with them a sizable chunk of Clan Red-Flame's forces, specifically their most veteran soldiers. Lord Pyrite the Liar was fearful that the Kwarczkie might one day return, so he ordered all traces of their existence destroyed to deny them any 'Ancestral Rights' they might've retained for certain territories, this included the wholesale slaughter of POWs and refugees." Celestia raised an eyebrow at that, she likely wasn't familiar with the most fundamental code of ethics by which Dragon Society functioned on. "For a myriad of reasons, Clan Red-Flame was subsequently invaded by its former allies, specifically after it was discovered that Lord Pyrite willfully violated the 'Kodeks Zavoyevaniya'... Translated it means the 'Code of Conquest', a list of rules to be followed in times of war and the subsequent occupation of conquered peoples. With its veteran core depleted, Red-Flame only managed to prevail, ironically, by adopting tactics similar to those used by the Kwarczkie."

Piercing looked once more at Luna, who was watching him with rapt fascination. He'd missed that look. He was honestly fascinated by the story himself, especially now with the benefit of knowing what happened to that final legion of warriors. Recounting the tale got him thinking about what he'd learned of the 'Szafirian Empire'... Hundreds of years of constantly waging a war that was impossible to win likely left quite an impression on those who survived.

Such a traumatic experience had to have some formative effect on any culture that sprang from it, and so the Szafirians had become so utterly autocratic and militaristic as to make their Kwarczkie ancestors almost look like anarchists by comparison. All in an effort to ensure that nothing would ever again menace their survival. The loss of Cesarski at the hands of what appeared to be their world's version of the Shen'ga'leen had to be the cruelest form of irony...

"That wasn't the end of their story, however. According to several ancient religious texts, an enclave of Kwarczkie departed for the Western Unknown under the leadership of Lexicos, the Ancient One responsible for the spells that enhanced the Kwarczkie. She's since become the Goddess of Knowledge in the Draconic pantheon." As with the 'Code of Conquest', Piercing could've gone on for hours about the Lexican Orthodoxy as well, as he found many of their core beliefs to be remarkably ahead of their time, further evidence that perhaps the Kwarczkie had something to do with its founding. Celestia raised a hand, and on professorial instinct Piercing nodded towards her.

"If all records were ordered destroyed, and we know that those orders were almost entirely successful, how did you figure all this out?" She asked with genuine curiosity, and this was where Piercing found himself unsure of how to respond. He could come out and say that he'd gotten these accounts from first hand witnesses, Ancient Ones who witnessed with their own eyes the valiant armies of the Kwarczkie marching headlong into the ceaseless meat grinder, eventually to be slaughtered in honorable defeat, but... Those Ancient Ones likely didn't want their involvement disclosed to anyone, especially Luna and Celestia.

Even so, his sources had been gone for over a thousand years... That said, he'd already given the two of them a lot to take in, best to save that tidbit for later. Even with those accounts, the truth would likely never be fully known, especially given the nature of Celestia's question. It'd been a turbulent time in the world's history, and Piercing wondered if maybe, that was the true reason the leaders of Red-Flame goaded the other Clans into turning on the Kwarczkie and the Ancient Ones as they did... To erase any trace of those darkest of days and begin the world anew, free of the lingering wounds left by the war with the Abyss. That, unfortunately, wasn't the answer to Celestia's question however...

"I interviewed several Ancient Ones, some of the last to leave the Kwarczkie." Piercing explained simply, looking once more at the window as he noted that the train was ascending a gradually steepening grade. That was to be expected, as they were beginning the final climb of the Canterhorn itself, and would soon make their stop in Canterlot. "How I know doesn't really matter. What matters is that a Kwarczkie in Equestria might find life difficult for a myriad of reasons, especially on an inland mountain when winter comes." Luna nodded reluctantly, looking at the table with a considerable amount of uncertainty in her eyes.

"Equestria has plenty of coastal and island territories." Celestia assured her sister, which earned a small smile of relief from the younger Princess. "We can start having preparations made immediately." It was Piercing's turn to raise an eyebrow. So long as the Castle was heated, which seemed the likely outcome, there wasn't anything for Princess Orzel to fear... She just couldn't go for any long walks outside without proper clothing. Then again, Luna naturally worried about everything, and her daughter's health had to be at the top of that list... Keeping a Drake cooped up in a confined space for an extended period of time was also a recipe for disaster, especially given the historically volatile temperaments of the Kwarczkie... Or 'Szafirian', as the girl preferred.

It was at this time that the locomotive emitted a long drawn out bellow from its whistle, and the gradually steepening grade returned to level. Piercing cast a look out the window, they were passing through the outer limits of Canterlot... Gone was the blackness of wilderness, replaced by dimly lit houses and streets, not all that different from his own time period at a glance. The difference was that it was electricity illuminating these houses and streets, which had strange boxy machines that scooted about the cobblestones with headlights and taillight aglow. The train tracks were likewise illuminated, revealing that the train was passing through some massive cluster steel rails and wooden ties... Many trains sat idle on their sidings, others plodded along like disparate beasts of burden, their chuffing pistons and headlights adding to the overall eeriness of the utilitarian rail yard...

Eventually the train came to a creep, bell ringing and whistle blaring, leaving its meandering brethren well in its wake. By now Piercing could feel every echoing rumble of the locomotive's mighty heart in his own chest. A tremendous blast erupted from the whistle one final time, accompanying the train's final screeching halt. The bell continued ringing forth the trains arrival, clanging away for a good ten or twenty seconds before it too fell silent. That left only the hiss of steam, which billowed and plumed beyond the windows, obscuring any view of what might lay outside. The man looked back at the two Princesses, both of whom were scooting out their chairs and stretching. Despite the seriousness of their earlier conversation, it seemed the two looked to be in remarkably high spirits.

"I appreciate what you have told us, Piercing..." Luna stated, offering her hand and helping the man to stand. She looked him over appraisingly, then adjusted the lapels of his black suit, then the tie, which seemed a bit tight if Piercing was being honest. The outfit looked absolutely ridiculous, and didn't fit all that well, primarily because it'd been supplied by Director Orcus. "We are going to need to get you to a tailor once we have found you some suits you like... I think pinstripes might look rather good on you." Piercing raised an eyebrow, he didn't really know what that meant, and this earned a slight chuckle from Celestia.

"He looks fine for now." Celestia admonished, walking to a section of hooks mounted to the wall near one of the car's doors. There she grabbed a white woolen overcoat, which sat beside one of similar make, albeit in navy blue. The door abruptly opened, allowing a man dressed in a far better looking suit than Piercing's to enter. He said not a word, simply handing a folded piece of paper to Celestia and apparently waiting for her response. Curiously the Princess opened the note, her eyes darting over the page. "Luna...?" Luna quickly joined her sister, leaving Piercing's lapels as they were. She too read the note, and unlike Celestia, the woman's eyes narrowed. Vigorously she bit down on her lower lip... Piercing had seen that look once or twice before, typically before Luna lost her temper...

"An animal...?" Luna stated aloud, her grip tightening on the paper to such an extent that it seemed close to being torn in half. "They called my daughter an animal!" Piercing was honestly taken aback by that declaration, as he couldn't imagine who might've done such a thing.

"As far as Orzel is concerned, from what I am reading here, she was well within her rights to do what she did." Celestia seemed remarkably unsurprised by the note, and while on the surface she was far less angry, there was a definite bite in her tone. "The Nobles were going to push back against her, we knew that before we left. A play like this was bound to happen eventually, let's not get bent out of shape here." Once again her words were calm, and thankfully they seemed to have the intended effect of reducing Luna's rolling boil to a seething simmer.

"I do not know what to say anymore, Sister... I am... Beyond words." Luna mumbled tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I am certain the press will have a field day with this, regardless of whether she was within her rights or not." She put her hands on her hips, looking at the messenger and nodding to him. "You are dismissed." The man nodded and quickly left the car. "I have to wonder what goes through their heads..." Luna crumpled up the note and tossed it in a wastepaper basket, then grabbed her coat. "Forget it... I just need to get home and see her." She looked at Piercing. "Come along. I am sorry to say we have little time for sight seeing."

"Of course..." Piercing nodded amicably, approaching the door and grabbing his own ill sized overcoat from the hook. Together the trio stepped out of the train, onto a great platform of concrete. Towering pillars of matte painted metal jutted up several stories, joining rafters and open skylights, through which the smoke of the locomotive was being vented. Then there was the locomotive itself, the greatest monument to all of Equestria's achievements Piercing had seen so far. Steam gushed and inky black smog vented skywards, truly there was no better comparison to the iron polypheme than that of a dragon in mechanical form.

Several men in what he now knew were Lunar Marine fatigues were examining the locomotive, illuminating gloomy sections of it with their electronic torches, while a man in a black suit and tie quietly approached. The pale skin and dark spectacles revealed him quickly to be Director Orcus, the man whom had loaned Piercing one of his suits, though he himself dressed in another identical suit and tie. The man was far smaller than Piercing recalled, and barely resembled his old friend in appearance. In his day Legate Orcus was a Giant, a type of Thestral rather rare to Equestria, so to see him even at an average height was unnerving. There was probably some elaborate reason for it, but Piercing wasn't about to ask.

"Welcome..." Orcus began before adding a slight dramatic flourish. "To the future!" Piercing couldn't help a small smile at that, especially coming from a man with such an intensely dour posture about him. It wasn't the first time they'd seen each other since Piercing's return, but they'd not had a moment to really talk... It was looking like this wasn't one of those times either, as Luna and Celestia were quickly moving towards what appeared to be an exit, discussing whatever it was that Orzel was 'in her rights' to do. Both men quickly moved to keep up with the Princesses, falling in beside one another... Something they'd not done in quite a long time, and yet to Piercing the last time they'd spoken didn't feel all that long ago. He supposed he'd just have to get used to that sensation.

"It's really something to behold..." Orcus declared as the two of them stepped through the door, out onto a large sloping plaza staircase that stretched down to the sidewalk of a cobblestone street. The city that lay before him was perhaps the greatest shock he'd ever endured in his entire life, and rapidly replaced the impressive might of the locomotive as Equestria's greatest monument.

Cyclopean structures of glittering glass and steel towered to graze the very fabric of the heavens themselves, their surfaces dotted with hundreds of yellow glowing windows. Dull pulsing red lights marked their apex against the starry night sky, far higher than Piercing would've imagined possible. There were smaller buildings of course, and it seemed there were several of the titanic sky scrapers still under construction nearby. They all had the most peculiar sort of aesthetic to them, some reminiscent of the architecture popular during his day, while others leaned more towards the artistic and decorative. The automobiles were just as sleek as the people that drove them, puttering along even despite the late hour. Many were painted in ostentatious yellow with an odd checker-board pattern as livery.

A quartet of black four door automobiles were parked at the base of the steps, and Piercing noted that they seemed to hug a little closer to the ground than other similar models. A pair of miniature Equestrian flags were mounted at the front, as well as an odd statuette of a structure that looked vaguely like a small castle tower. They weren't alone, half a dozen vehicles of far sturdier build also accompanied them, as well as a cadre of smaller two wheeled contraptions. These vehicles were painted rather similarly to the color of an olive, each boasting bright blue strobing electronic lights. Luna and Celestia seemed set on the first of the black automobiles, and Orcus seemed intent on going there as well, so Piercing readily followed.

"So... Is this all for me?" Piercing asked, tucking his hands into his pockets as he examined the vehicle up close. The doors seemed inordinately thicker than they should've been, the windows as well, especially compared to some of their checkered counterparts that scooted past, all of which were giving the whole convoy a wide berth.

"Sort of..." Orcus admitted, taking an odd paper packet from his coat and withdrawing one of the strange paper tubes recalled from his first moments back. Tucking the tube into his mouth, Orcus withdrew an equally odd rectangle of metal, half as big as a playing card. It evidently opened on a hinge, and when Orcus flicked a small metal wheel Piercing was amazed to see a miniature flame appear from a small shower of sparks... Even fire-starters had come so far...

"Chaos Wave still has folks in Canterlot on edge, so we decided forgo the traditional horse-carriage." Touching the flame to the end of the paper tube, Orcus took a slow steady inhale and flicked the fire-starter shut... Wisps of gray smoke quickly assailed Piercing's nose, a smell he was already slightly familiar with, revealing the tube to be some sort of tobacco product. Piercing started towards the automobile, where a man in a suit stood holding the rear door open, but Orcus abruptly stepped in front of him. "Hold on a second... I'll send him right in." Piercing put his hands on his hips, shaking his head as Orcus offered him one of the smoking tubes.

"You need to remember that folks aren't ready for a man out of time quite yet." Orcus stated bluntly, putting a hand on Piercing's shoulder and taking him off to the side for a moment. "It's a lot of glitz and glamor, but you scratch the surface and some of these people are just like they were back in the day. If you're different, even a little bit, they'll sniff you out just like that." The Director snapped his fingers, taking a long puff on the tube. "Then they'll come after you like wild dogs... Don't believe me? Just ask Luna, or her daughter." Piercing scowled, glancing over at the car, then back to Orcus, whose expression remained stoic. "That's not to say they're all bad, but the folks in this city...?" The man shook his head again.

"Now, I don't want to argue about what happened back then, Piercing. What's done is done. What matters is you're here now, and Equestria still needs you." The Director added, sighing as the two stopped a few feet from the automobile. "Look, I'll brief you in a week or so, after you've had time to get your bearings. Try to get into character, make the name 'Piercing Gaze' your own! If that doesn't work, we can always fake your death and start again." With that half-joking suggestion, he patted Piercing on the back and gestured to the open car. "Now, go on and spend some time with your Princess. There's not enough room for both of us anyway." Piercing looked over at the car, sure that there was still plenty of room for Orcus as well, only to be faced with nothing but empty air and dissipating smoke when he turned his head...

"I hate it when he does that..." Piercing muttered while he awkwardly climbed into the backseat of the automobile, finding himself forced to sit between both Luna and Celestia. It wasn't an altogether unpleasant arrangement, the cabin was indeed quite spacious, but he couldn't help feeling a tad... Out of place. Both Princesses, being alicorns, were significantly larger in almost all respects. Matters weren't helped when Luna put her arm around him, pulling him up against her side, holding him with a surprisingly strong grip. "Uh... Lu?" He asked, glancing up at the Princess. "I'm a tad snug." He was suddenly jolted by the automobile abruptly lurching forward, the driver taking it out into the street behind the flashing lights of the vehicle ahead.

"Sorry, dear..." Luna offered absentmindedly, loosening her grasp but not relinquishing it completely. The scenery of the city was far more interesting than that of the train. Every shop, every lit up theater and 'billboard', was a feast for his eyes.

At least, it would've been, if not for the fact that over the course of just a few minutes Luna was once more holding Piercing with now trembling arms. The man bit his lip when he spotted tears streaking down her cheeks, despite her silence and otherwise calm demeanor. He was struck dumb... He'd only seen her cry twice. Firstly upon the anniversary of her Parents' deaths, and then in the wake of the news that the Tribal Council ruled against their relationship. The woman suddenly hugged him fully, pulling him against her chest and leaning her head against his.

"It is just... I never thought you would get to see what we built, and now here you are... Alive." She whispered with a voice like shattering glass. Enveloped in the starry strands of her ethereal hair, Piercing could hear the nigh indomitable Princess Luna begin to openly sob. "Promise me you will never do something so foolish again! Promise me you will not leave me to go on alone..." With those words any fog of confusion evaporated, and Piercing was man enough to admit hearing the pleading in her voice broke him on some level.

"Never again, I swear..." Piercing promised while doing the only thing he felt he could, wrapping his own arms around the woman and holding her as tightly as his atrophied muscles could bear. No matter what happened, no matter what changes might've taken place, she'd remained his Princess for more than a thousand years... Gods willing, she'd remain his for a thousand more.

Luna and Piercing found themselves standing in front of the recently installed blast door to Orzel's tower, and the Princess had to admit she was impressed at the girl's apparent resourcefulness in procuring it. Given the revelations recently provided by Piercing, Luna wouldn't have been surprised to learn the girl did the majority of the enchanting work herself. The level of protection afforded by the door, coupled with the protective runes lining its face, made clear that Orzel was not keen on unexpected visitors. Regardless of the late hour, whether the teen wanted to be left alone or not, Luna was intent on seeing her, if only to just poke her head in and ensure the girl was sleeping soundly.

The look on Piercing's face told her, however, that breaching the new defenses might be easier said than done. He was far better versed in the field of enchanting than even Luna, having studied under Starswirl the Bearded, so she trusted his judgment in that respect. The man was quietly examining one of the strings of runes, written in an odd form of script that Luna recognized as a derivative of Szafirian, the same derivative that accompanied many of the enchantments on Orzel's family sword. Silent as he might of been, Luna could see Piercing was giddy with fascination.

"The characters have a few stylistic alterations, but it seems that typical linguistic syncope has been limited..." Piercing mumbled aloud, idly reaching to his waist... Typically, at least a thousand years ago, that was where he'd be wearing a belt with a small array of various pouches. In this case Luna realized he was reaching to the point where he tended to keep a notebook. "Strictly regimented, controlled, but... I see more general draconic influences as well."

"As I said, accounts of the Final Battle indicate that a lot of Lord Pyrite's veteran troops were unintentionally whisked away, so that isn't unexpected..." Piercing placed his hand on the painted metal surface. "They would've been leaderless, I've no doubt the Kwarczkie could defeat them in that state, but... I should think Legate Vindas would spare them. They were enemies, but on another planet I've no doubt any able bodies would prove useful." He paused for a moment, looking over his shoulder at Luna. "What was it you called those 'enforcer' types? The Missies?" He patted at his waist again, at least until it must've dawned on him that he was without a writing implement.

"The MIS... Ministry of Internal Security." Luna corrected, unable to keep from spitting the name, as it left a bad taste in her mouth. Piercing nodded quietly, pursing his lips. "The way Orzel describes them, they were all of the Noble Caste. Widely responsible for maintaining the status quo, by any means necessary... And I do mean any means." The scholar put his hands on his hips, looking at the floor and exhaling a deep sigh.

"They would be suited for such a task..." He concluded darkly, gesturing to another string of runes. "The blending of the languages and the repressive nature of the Imperial regime leads me to suspect that somehow the balance of power between Kwarczkie and the remnants of Clan Red-Flame's enclave was twisted somehow. Their world lacked magic, without sufficient magic the Kwarczkie would be far weaker than here... It could explain the development of their Caste System to begin with." Piercing's disappointment and frustration was evident in his voice. "It wouldn't surprise me if the Szafirian Emperor wasn't Kwarczkie at all." With that he stepped back from the door, examining it more at a distance.

"An interesting theory, but I fail to see how it pertains to us opening the door." Luna added skeptically, Piercing turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "That is why we came here, remember?" He stared at her blankly, forcing Luna to sigh through her nose... Of course he'd get so caught up in his own fascination that he'd forget what he was supposed to be doing... In truth, it actually gave her hope, as it was a trait that she knew Orzel shared as well.

"Right, yes... Of course!" Piercing's cheeks flushed as he clapped his hands together, then brought one to his chin. "It appears that people she designates may use their arcane signature to open the door, all others must speak a pass phrase." He explained, stepping back from the door and crossing his arms. "I wouldn't recommend trying to teleport through... I don't think they would seriously injure you, but the wards look strong enough to give you a nasty headache. Try just... Giving it a burst of magic." Luna nodded reluctantly, then extended her hand and placed it upon the cold steel surface. Her magic flowed from her palm, illuminating the runes and prompting a muffled 'thunk-thud' from within as the locking bolts retracted inwards. "Remarkable..." Mumbled piercing. With equally remarkable ease, the blast door swung open, revealing the darkened tower base beyond.

What looked to be a half assembled toy soldier lay atop Orzel's portable enchanting tablet, though closer inspection revealed its arm was modified to sport an enchanting stylus... In fact, most of the other toy soldiers were likewise adjusted. It certainly explained how her daughter could complete so many runes in such a short amount of time, she had help... Proud as that might've made the Princess, the fact that the toy soldier now sat half finished was evidence enough for Luna to suspect something was wrong...

She knew Orzel wouldn't leave a project out in such a disassembled state, or rather, the girl would instead organize the pieces and neatly put away her tools for later. In this case they were strewn about the workbench in that bizarre 'orderly chaos' fashion Orzel tended to leave things in as she worked. More over, Luna had always suspected that despite her daughter's age, for whatever reason, playthings in general held a special place in Orzel's heart. The way she took care to arrange her stuffed animals, or how she went out of her way to ensure every model she made was as close to perfect as possible. The discordant state of the toy soldier wasn't the only thing that drew Luna's attention, nor was it the primary reason she grew concerned.

Every conceivable flat surface at the base of the tower was adorned with numerous votive candles, flickering faintly in the darkness, confined to red decorative glass containers. A faint lingering smell of frankincense and sage wafted through the open doorway to greet Luna and Piercing. A look of recognition filled the man's eyes, though what it pertained to, the man didn't say.

Luna suspected that the mage was pondering something, something she trusted he'd share with her if he felt it pertinent. Just to see that look in his eyes again, to hear his meandering tangents and theorizing, filled her with indescribable joy... With only a slight pause, the two stepped into the darkened cavernous tower. Abruptly, the door closed of its own volition behind them, latching into place with a dull thud and the mechanical clatter of locking bolts. Piercing turned around, taking just a few moments to examine the hatch itself, before tucking his hands into his pockets.

Only light from Luna's ethereal mane and the candles remained to permeate the gloom, the latter of which were not only confined to the furniture, but also occasionally placed upon the steps leading up to Orzel's bedchamber. A quick examination of one of the glass containers revealed they too were enchanted, thankfully in a script that Luna understood this time. They'd keep the candles burning for an extended period, and, most importantly, prevent them from causing a fire. It came as a relief to Luna, given the sheer amount of books Luna saw at the base of the tower. If they'd caught fire, it was likely the entire stone structure would function as a gigantic furnace. As she'd expected, the vast majority of those tomes pertained in one way or another to meditation or other such means of achieving 'enlightenment'...

"Please, do try to be careful..." Luna warned Piercing as he examined a notebook beside the unfinished puppet. Luna quickly joined him, taking a closer look at the workbench. The man nodded absently, picking up the book and flipping through the pages, which once again seemed to have his utter fascination.

Luna examined the writing for herself, an act that resulted in a mixture of curiosity and disappointment. Her daughter made a habit of writing her notes in Szafirian, and while Luna could speak the language fluently, reading it was a different matter altogether. Piercing, however, seemed perfectly capable. Thankfully, her daughter included numerous diagrams and schematics, which allowed Luna deduce that most of these were conceptual designs.

They appeared innocent enough, at least at first... For example there were obvious calculations about how to create full sized versions of her toy soldiers. What kid wouldn't want their own personal automaton? Still, Luna also saw the potential harm such devices might create... Sure, an automaton could be used to help carry books, but it could just as easily be re-purposed to carry a rifle, or perform for other less innocent tasks... Orzel's modification of the toy soldiers already proved as much.

For a few brief moments, Luna envisioned an army numbering in the thousands, glittering soldiers of steel marching endlessly from smoke churning factories. In reality, the Princess knew that such a thing could never happen. Orzel's calculations concluded as much. The machines would require an immense amount of power, more power than any conceivable Arcane battery could supply. Add to that the mathematical and engineering difficulties of Square-Cube Law, and there was no real way Orzel's design could be 'scaled up' without the automaton collapsing under its own weight... Then again, Luna knew that magic was about making the impossible possible...

"Do you think she is capable of actually making any of these?" This was the question that burned brightest in Luna's mind. Piercing merely shrugged, thumbing through the pages with an appraising eye. "I need to know..."

Both Celestia and Luna knew that recently Orzel showed virtually no emotion at all, as if the teen was one of the automatons straight out of one of her science fiction stories. What Piercing told her earlier of the girl's physiology, however, made it unlikely that Orzel wasn't nearly as calm as she appeared. Luna had to wonder if the concepts she saw depicted in the notebook, innocent as they might seem on the surface, weren't in actuality meant as a subconscious cry for help...

Admittedly it wasn't just Orzel's mental health the woman was worried about, it was her daughter's public image. Given what she'd been told by the guards in the throne room, Orzel was well within her rights to place Jet Set and Upper Crust under arrest as she did. Moreover, their veiled threats and demands were enough to warrant an official investigation into Jet Set Industries as a whole. The Nobles, of course, would bill it as a misuse of power or a fishing expedition.

Orzel's interest in enchanting was tolerated for now, but if she began looking to turn her research towards a military end... Well, it wouldn't do her any favors in Canterlot. Using enchantments on weapons, or creating enchanted items as weapons themselves, was a major taboo in Canterlot's magic community. Magic was considered to be an 'art form', something that came from the heart. Using magic to enhance weapons would therefore send the message that Orzel's heart was artistically inclined towards war...

"Is she capable...? Certainly." Piercing began. "Will she actually make anything in this book...?" The man shrugged, turning and setting the notebook back on the workbench. "I don't know. My guess is that all this..." The man gestured about the darkened room at the candles, books, and various gizmos Luna knew to be of her daughter's creation. "Is her way of seeking answers for something she's ill equipped to understand on her own. The realization that she's built differently from her peers."

Luna nodded quietly, squeezing Piercing's hand as she examined a few of the other devices for herself. Their purposes seemed to serve simply as examples of different engineering mechanisms, including a few rather crude looking 'engines' cobbled together from old coffee tins, coat hangars, and rubber gloves. She also spotted a toaster which Orzel likely 'borrowed' from the Castle's kitchen, and the woman could only guess what sort of experiments or tinkering Orzel had in store for the poor defenseless appliance. Toasters were a particular favorite of Orzel's when it came to acquiring the parts she needed. They had 'good springs', as her daughter explained.

"It could also be something entirely different." Piercing added with a somewhat hopeful tone, quietly following Luna as the pair now abandoned the workbench to start up the tower steps. "As you know, she is Kwarczkie..." Piercing stopped to correct himself. "Szafirian... We know so little about their actual physiology, the progression of their life cycle. It could be that this is the start of a natural phase, a maturation towards a more widely expanded intellect. She might just be... Well... Growing up."

Luna hadn't considered that possibility, and likely wouldn't have... She didn't really know how that made her feel either. She knew intellectually that in just a few short years Orzel would be an adult, and she was alright with that, in theory... In practice, well... Whether Piercing was right was yet to be determined, and while Luna hoped that this particular phase would pass quickly, a part of her just wished Orzel would stop growing... Just for a little bit.

Her daughter was exceptionally bright, especially for someone her age. Even in spite of the limitations of the Imperial education system, her voracious appetite for knowledge meant she would soon outpace her peers... Most parents would be ecstatic, and Luna was, but... Not as much as she thought she should've been. Orzel could consume all the knowledge of the Royal Library, reach a point where she could feasibly debate masters of their fields, and that was great... Again, in theory.

The cost was that if something didn't change soon, Orzel seemed set on a course of becoming more and more of a recluse. The tower she inhabited was separated from the main body of the tower, secluded and far away... It'd just had heavy blast doors installed, doors that couldn't be opened without a high security criteria. How much longer until Orzel started refusing to leave for family meals, or started sleeping with her Mother's sword under her pillow. The last thing Luna wanted for her child was to live perpetually in a bunker, to develop a mindset where the outside world was poison, something to be feared and guarded against with lethal force... All that valuable knowledge, and the beautiful mind that accompanied it, would be sealed off forever.

With that cheerful thought, Luna and Piercing ascended the tower steps, though at a considerably slower pace than the former would've liked. Typically she just used her wings or magic to bypass the stairs altogether, but even walking on her own she could cover the distance much quicker. Piercing's muscles were still suffering from atrophy, and so the two of them were forced to stop half way up the steps, allowing him to take a seat and catch his breath. Seeing Piercing in such a weakened state was disheartening, he'd seemed fully recovered before... At least he was on the mend, faring far better now than he'd been just a few days ago.

For Luna, every step he took was another victory... While she'd managed to compose herself since departing the train station, her emotions were still running quite high. Here she was, with him, going to look in on her child... She had to stop herself thinking about how things might've been different a thousand years ago, otherwise she'd lose her composure, and that'd make the continuing journey upwards that much more difficult.

Sitting beside Piercing, the woman extended a wing and wrapped it around his shoulders, holding him close against her as she'd done in the car. The warmth of his skin against hers, the feeling of him breathing beneath her wings, even the faint hint of cigarette smoke she detected radiating from his clothes, all were further monuments... Piercing... Observos... He was alive! He was alive and sitting beside her! All those years she'd grieved, all the years she'd remained alone, knowing there would be no one that could ever replace her beloved mage... She hadn't waited for nothing. There was still so much to worry over, so many things to concern and torment her, but finally... Finally, a piece she'd been missing for so long was restored to its rightful place... Now she could worry about something else.

"I am worried about her..." Luna stated bluntly whilst turning her eyes upward, holding Piercing's hand and leaning against him. "I know, I always worry, but..." The woman shook her head. "This is different... Something I have spoken of with Celestia."

She didn't expect Piercing to offer any advice, not at present at any rate. He'd always been the sort to listen to everything, to get all the facts, before speaking, if he spoke at all. Sometimes all Luna needed to do was talk, to get it all out in the open... Just knowing that someone was listening helped wonders.

"When first she arrived, Celestia suggested we ask the Dean at the Mages' College to take her in." Luna continued solemnly, recalling her earlier thoughts about her daughter, how proud she was... How happy she was, versus how happy she felt she should've been... "It was my decision to immediately adopt Orzel... Mine. It was Celestia and I that decided she would become a Princess... Ours, not hers... And she... She did not question it, she just..." The woman's voice cracked briefly, her nostrils flaring as she let out a tremendously guilty sigh. "She started studying... Every thing I tutored her on, every subject, every lesson, she threw herself into it with hardly any hesitation. She's gotten so smart, I wonder if she is not just playing along for my benefit!" Luna couldn't help but speak with a growing tone of pride, but quickly that pride turned to remorse.

"Now I find myself wondering if perhaps she might not have been better off with Dean Velvet." The Princess admitted, and once again it took all her strength to keep the emotions from overwhelming her. "There would be far less scrutiny upon her, far less stress... She would not fear the outside world as she does, she would have a life outside these walls..." Luna put her head in her hands, clenching her eyes tightly. "You saw her notebook for yourself... She could have the intellect to become one of the greatest minds of this generation, she certainly has the drive..." The Princess sighed heavily. "Except no one will ever care about that. They will not care what good she might bring, because all they will ever see, all they will ever care about, is her crown and her status as my daughter." Piercing lifted her head out of her hands, offering a soft smile of encouragement.

"Maybe you're right, maybe that would've been the better choice, in hindsight..." Piercing began, squeezing Luna's hand firmly. "It's easy to predict the future when the future is history, but with the exception perhaps of Director Orcus, there's no one I know that's mastered the field of Divination magic." He explained. "You. Cannot. Read. The future, Luna." The man declared bluntly, slowly, as Luna allowed the man to hug her tightly, her wing holding him closer. "You made the decision to take her in yourself because you felt it best for her, right?" Luna nodded. "She's better off now than she was when she got here? She's well fed and clothed? Getting the care she needs?" Luna nodded again. "Do you love her?"

"She is my child..." Luna declared fiercely, earning a wide grin from Piercing.

"So why worry about what's been done?" Piercing asked simply, sighing contentedly through his nose. "She calls you Mother, and from what I've read in her notebook, she studies so hard because she wants to follow the example you've set..." The man rolled his shoulders, then gently removed Luna's wing from his shoulder so that he could tentatively stand up. "You're family because of that snap decision you made, and if you asked her whether she thought you made the right choice, I guarantee you she'd say you did." Luna stood up beside the man, looking at him with glistening eyes as she allowed his words to sink in. "She chose to call you Mother. You earned that title." She couldn't fight the tears anymore, and in one great flourish of motion she once again embraced the man.

"Thank you, Piercing..." Luna accepted brittly, squeezing him tighter and tighter against her chest. Sometimes she got so caught up in worrying about her daughter that she forgot just how and why those those feelings ran so deep. It took her a few moments to compose herself again, and through it all Piercing was right there, comforting her as he'd done a hundred times before in those long ago days of their youth.

Together the two of them continued up the steps, taking them closer still to the solitary bedchamber. The pair stopped before the second heavy steel blast door, which displayed more of the spiraling runes, glowing in that pulsating mixture of cerulean and oxidized bronze. With moderate hesitation, Luna placed her hand on the door and sent forth her magic, further illuminating the runes on its metallic surface. Just as before, the door unlocked itself and swung open, and for a few moments the Princess feared she'd awaken her daughter with the noise. Then, without warning, Luna and Piercing were suddenly awash in wave of haze smelling intensely of frankincense and sage.

A cloud of whitish fog clung close to the floor of Orzel's bedchamber, apparently originating from a small brass smoke pot. Despite the volume of smoke, it was evident that the smoke pot was likewise enchanted for safety purposes, so it posed little risk. The noise of the door was apparently muffled by music, playing from a modified enchanted phonograph, which was playing a recording of some obviously religious draconic chant. Between that, the candles, and the smoke pot, the overall atmosphere within the room more resembled an abbey or convent than a bedchamber.

Luna and Piercing took care to be as quiet as possible, wincing at the sound of the door automatically closing and latching itself shut, just as its partner on the ground floor did earlier. Every step they took disturbed the low hanging fog, sending little ripples through the otherwise calm sea of swirling aromatic vapor. At the center of the room Luna saw a pile of books, or as close to a pile as Orzel likely allowed herself to create. It was thereupon that she saw the diminutive form of her daughter, dressed in simple robes, curled up and fast asleep.

The atmosphere and the ongoing litany revealed to Luna just how much her daughter was likely shaken by her near transformation, even if the girl refused to admit as much. Admittedly, Luna knew little about the Draconic Pantheon, but she did know Orzel's faith in a higher power was considerably strained... She reasoned, therefore, that her daughter wouldn't be seeking religion unless she felt her emotions felt truly beyond her own control. At least the chant's lyrics conveyed a positive message, the words speaking of peace and serenity.

Luna wordlessly approached the girl's bed while Piercing moved to the book cluttered desk, likely out of a desire to avoid being seen in the event Orzel awoke abruptly. Drawing down the covers, and fluffing her daughter's pillow, Luna took a brief moment to pick up a rather rough looking stuffed bear. She didn't know where it'd come from, only that it was evidently her daughter's favorite... Luna didn't really understand why, between its mismatched button eyes and slightly matted fur, it was hardly the picture of order and control Luna assumed her daughter would prefer in a plaything. It even smelled vaguely of charcoal, of all things.

Setting the bear down beside the pillow, Luna moved to the pile of books and looked down on Orzel, contemplating just how best to move her. A pile of books was no place for a Princess to sleep, after all. While awake Orzel could disguise or conceal her feelings, but in the unconscious state of sleep, Luna saw a great deal of fear etched into the sleeping visage of her daughter. The last thing she wanted to do was wake her, so as carefully as she could Luna gently scooped her daughter into her arms. The girl was actually quite heavy, despite being so small in stature. That was natural for a Drake, as more developed muscles, denser bones, and overall sturdiness tended to add quite a bit of weight.

Still, with the aid of her Alicorn strength, Luna managed to carry her daughter towards the girl's bed. Laying the still slumbering teen on the bed, Luna carefully removed the girl's glasses and headscarf, folding both neatly and setting them on the bedside table. Only then did she pull the covers up, though not before placing the odd little bear in Orzel's arms. The teen's face briefly displayed a look of abject fear at being touched, but this subsided as the girl snuggled the stuffed animal close to her. Luna woman brushed a few stray strands of hair at out the girl's face, then lovingly tucked her in.

Orzel whimpered quietly in her sleep, the look of anxiety once more crossing her features. After a few moments she began to fidget beneath the covers, whimpering and yelping all the while. Without hesitation, Luna placed a hand on the girl's forehead... This granted her a brief glimpse into her daughter's dreams. She saw flashes of a man of average height, adorned in a uniform of some kind, obviously Imperial... Its closeness to that of a typical Draconic or even a Griffon uniform couldn't be ignored, consisting of a dull green fabric and a short peaked cap, which was navy blue in color.

Distorted through the lens of sleep, this man cruelly displayed a wicked ear-to-ear smile, with eyes blazing like two miniature suns. Towering in stature, Orzel pictured him leering down at her, laughing maniacally as he reached out to get her. Luna's nostrils were briefly assaulted by the phantom smell of ink and parchment, and in her fleeting snapshot of the nightmare she could hear her daughter's frightened screams. The man wasn't alone either, joined by dozens of other faceless figures in those same uniforms, all with arms outstretched. Whomever this figure was to Orzel, Luna knew that he was a source of great fear, self-loathing, and shame... Perhaps this was her father?

"Realm of dreams, send instead onto me that which troubles my darling child." Luna stated solemnly, using her magic to force the nightmares to subside, taking all the horror into her own mind... Luna was used to dealing with the nightmares of Equestria and the world at large, but in those instances she was a professional, an outsider. She could compartmentalize her feelings, help the person work through their issues from a position of rational outside observation. That was impossible in Orzel's case... Luna couldn't be objective, and that made it difficult for her to help Orzel work through the dreams, so that left only one option. To take those nightmares onto herself was a small price to pay, even if it only staved the monstrous visions off for a single night. A price that Luna would readily pay again.

The woman gained more insight into who the uniformed man was to her daughter from her brief glimpse into Orzel's dream. He wasn't her Father, thankfully... His name was Agent Zhelezo, and to Orzel he was the MIS agent epitomized all that was to be feared of a tyrannical state... The other faceless horrors were his minions... Luna got the impression that time and again, this Agent Zhelezo served as the source of a great many fearful and shameful moments. Fragmented details emerged, figments of memories not her own, flickering through Luna's mind in fits of stunning clarity, all of the colors so vivid, so... Real.

The emotions those images conjured vastly surpassed what Luna expected, and it was all the woman could do to keep from crying out, as if she herself was living through those nightmares. Though the images were difficult to piece together, and even harder to watch, Luna wasn't surprised. Autocratic regimes weren't confined to the Other World, after all... The visions were obviously more than enough to leave yet another series of grizzly scars on Orzel's back. Invisible to the eye, but just as deep, cruel, and gruesome as the most brutal of floggings... Each insisting that she was worthless, that she was disposable, just like every other subject of the Empire... That such a mental scar was inflicted on a child was an abomination, and that it was Luna's child... Unforgivable.

Gradually the images faded from the woman's thoughts, but the pain they conjured still lingered... Knowing that her daughter was in such pain, an emotional pain for which there was no physical balm, proved just as difficult to weather as the nightmares themselves. 'Agent Zhelezo' was fortunate to be separated from Luna by the vast void of time and space, else she very well might've hunted him down and rent him limb from limb...

"I am sorry I did not return sooner..." Luna's voice was quiet, soft, soothing... "I love you... So very very much..." She added before planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead, then standing to her full height. Orzel didn't respond verbally, instead nestling more deeply beneath the blanket, clutching the stuffed bear tightly to her chest. Her face was now a picture of calm serenity, the girl's frightened whimpering thankfully ceased.

With her daughter in bed where she belonged, Luna joined Piercing at Orzel's desk. The man was curiously examining a closed book, its cover well appointed with distinctly draconic motifs. The title, printed upon the leather in gold, revealed it to be the religious book of the Lexicans. She'd only ever heard of Lexicos because of Piercing, and the man seemed just as intrigued as she was disquieted. While slightly curious to see what it might contain, she was also exceptionally tired. With her magic she stopped the phonograph, then extinguished the smoke pot and candles, leaving the tower's arrow slits as the only sources of pale moonlight... That and, once again, her glowing hair. Taking Piercing's hand in her own, the Princess opened the great blast door and exited as quietly as possible.

"Your thoughts on the book...?" Luna asked softly, only after the door was closed behind them. "Do you think I should be concerned?" The descent was far easier than the trip up, and Luna was pleased to see she wouldn't need to stop for Piercing to rest. Luna's magic hadn't been confined to the bedchamber, and so the rest of the tower was also plunged into near total darkness.

"I don't know your daughter like you do, I can't really say. On top of that, I'm not really the 'parent' type..." Piercing responded evenly, clasping his hands behind his back as they continued down the spiraling steps, each footfall echoing through the cavernous blackness. "That said...? Considering the Gods that make up the draconic pantheon, there are far worse deities Orzel could take an interest in than Lexicos. Paslen is the next best... Her followers are very somber people, very humble... A tad macabre, but you tend to get that sort of mentality worshiping the Goddess of Death."

"I'd only be worried if she was following Roshami. Draconic God of War, legendarily fiery temper..." Piercing continued absentmindedly, a thoughtful glaze gradually overtaking his eyes. "Also the God of Love and Family, which should give some insight into the typical Draconic view of courtship and social interaction in general. I find you can learn a lot about a culture by their war and love deities, you know?" The man trailed off. "I digress... Suffice to say, I'm not concerned."

Luna cast a glance upwards, then sighed, sometimes if felt like she just couldn't catch a break. While Piercing admitted he wasn't concerned, Luna couldn't help worrying... She wasn't against the notion of Orzel one day returning to some sort of faith, she just... Wanted it to be for the right reasons. Not out of fear or outward pressure... The odds were that things wouldn't go anywhere, that Orzel's agnostic side would win out... Then again, the fact that the teen was taking an interest in a Goddess who supposedly played an integral role in the history of her ancestors was also worrisome. Luna counted it a happy coincidence that Piercing's return occurred around the same time, at least now she had someone she could ask for clarification, even if most of his knowledge came from memory alone, and was typically accompanied by a tangent or two.

Piercing's return also presented a difficult scenario, one that'd need to be addressed sooner rather than later. That being how she'd introduce him to Orzel... It would be a sudden shock, Luna knew that, but concealing her relationship from her daughter would probably be the worse option. Orzel would detect some sort of clue, ferret out some detail or nugget of information. Without the complete picture, the girl's mind would run wild with paranoia and anxiety, until finally she reached the conclusion that Piercing was some sort of spy or manipulator... Gaining Orzel's trust after the 'Paranoia Train' left the station would prove as difficult as pulling teeth. Tomorrow, Luna concluded... She'd tell Orzel about it tomorrow at dinner...