The Pawn Who Would Be Queen

The mixing scent of aging leather and dusty paper was one Orzel could never seem to get enough of, and there were few places better to experience its intoxicating aroma than Canterlot Castle's Private Library. Stocked on all sides with ancient bookshelves, each housing stories of old, both real and fictitious. The early morning sun gushed in by way of the rooms impressive skylight, casting brilliant rays of gold through the dusty air. Various wooden tables were kept immaculate of clutter, save one that bore the sizable stack of books Orzel already scoured from cover to cover in search of new knowledge. Embraced by the leather arm chair at the library's center, dressed comfortably in a navy blue button down tunic and trousers, Princess Orzel had immersed herself into a world of fantasy.

Silently the girl's eyes flitted behind her spectacles, darting over each line upon the page with feverish intrigue, committing them almost instantly to memory. It was a fascinating story, in which the heroine, a woman by the name of Hearth Fire, was unwittingly tasked with the safe delivery of a platinum ring to a mysterious wizard's tower in a far off city of vices, a ring with which that same wizard would defeat a great foe. The protagonist awoke after being mortally wounded, yet somehow she'd survived, saved from death and pulled from a shallow grave by a golem working on behalf of the aforementioned wizard. Through sheer determination, the hero was fighting her way across a vast and dangerous desert. Gathering allies in her quest to prepare to fight a growing force of evil in the East, and recoup that which was unceremoniously looted from her not quite deceased personage...

The story was describing concepts and ideas that simply wouldn't have been acceptable in the Szafirian Empire, once again these were primarily due to themes that went against Imperial Edict and the teachings of the Vindictan church. There were other aspects, such as the hero's flagrant disregard for the authority of the state, which likewise would have earned its author a place in the Imperial prison system, or at the very least a less than friendly visit from the MIS. The most ostentatious example of such dissident material would be that of the heroines's love interest who, as it happened, was another woman. The concept of two women, or men for that matter, living together in a romantic sense was something wholly forbidden both by Imperial Law and Vindictan dogma. To willingly seek out such material, even for but a glimpse, was typically grounds for imprisonment, if not outright summary execution.

Admittedly Orzel stopped putting much stock into the teachings of the Church in the weeks following her first 'family dinner' with Luna and Celestia, though in her heart she still felt a strong sense of taboo each time the subject of two women being together was mentioned. However, she reasoned that for a leader to properly rule, they would need to view issues from all sides, not just the accepted ones. Something about that 'forbidden love' aspect of this particular story spoke to Orzel on a deeper level, yet another quandary that she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to confront, as if she even had a choice in the matter. The girl was never much of a 'true believer' like her Mother, though not for lack of trying on the part of the latter. Orzel was more partial to Maritima, Goddess of the Sea... Nonetheless, she'd been raised to view the values of the Empire and the Church as absolute and unerring truth.

Whether Orzel wholly ascribed to those beliefs impressed upon her, however, was a different matter altogether. What she felt now, in this secluded sanctum of scholarly lore, was a sense of discordant emotions hitherto unthinkable in her short life of fifteen summers... No, it was sixteen summers now, or 'years' as the Equestrians reckoned such things. In the eyes of the Empire and the Church, those damnable malcontent thoughts and feelings were most degenerate in nature... Were she still alive, Orzel's mother would surely have raised all manner of righteous tumult, as Shield Matrons of the Church were ever so want to do. That mental image only served to highlight every aspect of her Mother's faith that had seemed flawed in Orzel's eyes even prior to her coming here. Unreasonable, uncompromising, a permanently inflexible organization of dogmatic scripture devoted to the so-called 'Goddess of War'...

If she were truly the Goddess of War, where then had Vindicta been as Orzel's home burned? She was supposedly the Defender of the Faithful, said by the Priestesses to be the stalwart protector of the Empire. There existed no city in all the world more devoted to her worship than Cesarski. Orzel could still picture the monolithic statues and shrines erected in her honor, all of which now undoubtedly laid in ruins beneath a myriad of putrefying flesh and charred timber. Here Orzel sat, in the Old Realm, without so much as a sign of the supposed Goddess. In the end, for all Cesarski's posturing and prostrating, Vindicta's 'protection' turned out to be little more than a comforting lie... All the sacred scrolls, all the books and tapestries within the temples and shrines, amounted to no more than tinder against the cruel flames of fate.

Only shortly after having had that thought did Orzel realize that she'd failed to turned the page. Her eyes were simply running over the same lines of text over and over again, not once progressing any further. Silently closing the book, the girl set it upon the table beside her chair and leaned back in the plush embrace of the seat... She was tired, understandable given her continued lack of sleep over the past weeks or so. In those few hours of rest, her nightmares would invariably return to the night she'd come to Equestria. Back to the destruction of Cesarski, and her Mother's horrific demise, which raised even more unnerving questions.

What ultimately became of her Mother's soul, if all that was told of by the Sacred Scrolls was fake? It was a question she didn't necessarily want an answer to, yet one that like so many tormented her every waking moment. More and more Orzel found herself shunning the faith her mother so ardently defended, and with that came a growing anxiety that she would come to shun the memory of her own Mother by extension. These thoughts, unfortunately, weren't helped by her current choice in literature.

Within the pages of her novel, Hearth Fire was arguing with one of her confidants about the nature of 'Divine Intervention'. The words had effortlessly leaped from the paper, lancing through Orzel's soul, dismissing so many years of indoctrination with the simple turn of a page. Despite her best efforts to the contrary, for all her attempts to cling to the past, Orzel was already coming to the startling conclusion that Vindicta simply might not exist... Did any of the Gods for that matter? Maybe they did, just not in the way so explicitly explained.

Luna consistently encouraged Orzel to think for herself, to look at the evidence and draw her own conclusions. The problem was defining what was and wasn't evidence? When dealing with the theological conundrum, how could one quantify such a thing? Bad things happened, certainly, but so too did good things... If that was the sole metric of evidence, then it was wholly subjective. After all, what was bad for one could be good for another. Maybe Vindicta did exist within the Old Realm, maybe it was indeed where the souls of the Empire's honored dead came to reside, just not in a place thus far seen?

The story served only to further stir up worries of volcanic proportion, ones laying dormant in Orzel's mind since before that fateful night of tears... If there was some 'greater power', it was so nebulous and undefined that no beast, nor man, nor scholar, nor philosopher could ever hope to comprehend its plan or purpose. Perhaps Orzel's very arrival to Equestria was the doing of that strange being beyond mortal comprehension, even if the scrolls had been almost entirely wrong? They were written by people after all, and people were hardly infallible creatures. Or maybe, Orzel pondered, she was just lying to herself in thinking there was still a chance of theistic existence, because the idea of there being some enigmatic and unknowable God was more comforting than that of no God at all.

Going beyond her constantly growing fears as to whether there was or wasn't some form of higher power, an already unnerving and disturbing subject in its own right, the also proposed a form of government that clashed considerably with the Empire as Orzel knew it. Father always led her to believe the Empire would never know any other way of governance, that each citizen existed to serve the greater glory of the state. While things like 'elections' sounded pretty on paper, the system of Imperial rule was far too engrained to ever be dismantled. Having an Emperor seemed to work, as far as Orzel knew, having seen Szafirian influence spread throughout the globe like never before. The Empire was built upon a constant state of war, and those that impeded that imperative by undermining the Emperor were to be considered beneath contempt.

The story that so thoroughly tortured Orzel's young and curious mind postulated that 'The People' existed not to live at the disposal of the state, but rather the opposite. It called for radical ideas, such seditious notions as 'Democracy' and 'Limited Power', all concepts openly accepted by the Equestrian Government. It still made little sense to her, how could such a country exist without an Emperor to break the otherwise unbreakable deadlock? Of course, the story also demonstrated clearly that even for as 'powerful' an Emperor might seem upon his throne, that power meant little if he lacked either the will or the intellect to use it properly.

The monarchistic government of Hearth Fire's country, for example, was weak in the face of the Eastern menace. It sought to appease the threat with trade and negotiations, rather than destroy it outright. Feeding the enemy, giving him strength whilst weakening their own positions... Hearth Fire therefore was assembling a committee of the best minds and Generals she could find, as in theory more minds communicating together would yield a smaller margin for error than a single decision maker. It was, of course, not a perfect solution... There were those with their own interests emerging, those that would seek to undermine the goals of Hearth Fire and her truest allies. Orzel wondered just how the mighty heroine of her story would be able to mend such obvious failings, if such a thing was even possible...

"Why can I not just forget these notions?" Orzel mumbled, turning her attention back to the many books that surrounded her. Within their pages she'd discovered so many new words that lacked Szafirian counterparts, and with those new words came so many new ideas. Ideas that frightened, beguiled, stupefied, and enthralled her in fascinating new ways. Most of all, with these new found ideas came yet another growing sense of anxiety. The more she learned of 'Liberty' and 'Freedom', the less she found herself agreeing with the teachings of her motherland. She'd already lost sight of her Mother's faith, now she was losing sight in her Father's country. She could hardly recognize herself through the intoxicating haze of forbidden knowledge, and through that fog a single terrifying question suddenly made itself known. "Am I a dissident...?"

"It is certainly possible, but is that so wrong?" The suddenness and softness of Luna's voice startled Orzel, and the girl quickly turned in her seat to face the Princess approaching from her left. So caught up in her own thoughts had she been that she neglected to notice the tell tale thud of the heavy doors. The look on Luna's face was a mix of modest annoyance and genuine concern, an expression Orzel was seeing more and more of in the time following their first family dinner. "Forgive me for startling you, dear. You failed to arrive for our enchanting lesson, I grew... Concerned." Orzel quietly nodded in silent sheepish apology. "Now I see the reason..."

"I simply lost track of time." Orzel explained, glancing at the book and then at the floor. Luna hummed quietly, her palms glowing faintly as she levitated a chair from a nearby table. The chair settled in front of Orzel, at which point Luna took a seat and placed her palms in her lap. The annoyance was now departed, yet Luna retained that familiar look of concern in her eyes, the one that told Orzel she likely wouldn't be free to return to her reading until the two of them 'talked'. How she cherished and despised that look... It often preceded some period of sadness and grief on Orzel's part in the immediate moment, yet once all was done, she knew giving voice to her emotions would lend itself to a better mental fortitude overall.

"Come now, you would have me believe you just 'lost track of time' when we are to begin our first lesson in enchanting? I recall a great deal of excitement on your part that says otherwise." Luna's tone was skeptical, and with a slight flourish she levitated the book Orzel was reading towards her, where upon she examined the cover. "So this is what consumes you..." A faint glimmer of recognition flashed over the woman's face, mixed with a sort of melancholy, the source of which Orzel could not rightly discern. "I am quite familiar with 'For The Republic'. In fact, your taste in literature is almost uncanny." Luna hummed softly, flipping through the pages until reaching the end. "This book was one of my favorites, I believe this is my first addition... Autographed by the author, a dear friend of mine, as it so happens."

Orzel gulped and looked at the floor, once again unable to meet Luna's gaze. The girl couldn't possibly have known it to be such a personally important piece of literature, yet she felt guilty for laying hands upon the pages all the same. Luna, as was typical of her quietly compassionate demeanor, seemed unfazed by her daughter's handling of such an old and precious text. If anything, the look Orzel could best describe her adoptive mother as displaying was one of unequivocal intrigue.

"So you are reading a book that questions the very foundations of government, faith, and Equestrian morality in general... 'For The Republic' is not a title I would recommend 'speed reading'." The Princess quietly set the book back in her lap, her wings twitching subtly, her eyes looking over Orzel with distinctly concentrated curiosity. There wasn't a hint of anger, not a smidgen of malice, only that ever growing motherly concern that Orzel was gradually coming to trust. "If I might ask, what are your conclusions so far?"

"It is... Difficult for me to say. That book could never be published in the Empire..." Orzel responded, leaning back in her seat and attempting to relax herself. Luna remained unfazed by the revelation, and so the girl cleared her throat. "I find its portrayal of the Monarchy to be rather one dimensional, the King is a glutton that seems more concerned with himself than his country. A ruler should be fair, but firm... The people should be his first priority. Ultimately he's forcing Hearth Fire to prepare for the fight against the Eastern Menace herself. Essentially requiring her to go off and form what amounts to her own country. At the same time, Hearth Fire's 'Allied Council' is interesting... Representatives from all involved parties. It seems a fine idea on paper..." The girl shook her head, looking at the book with brow furrowed. "Then it is consumed by infighting to a point where it too appears doomed to fail to act in the face of the threat to the East."

"My conclusions therefore are as follows..." Orzel continued, looking at Luna and seeing the older Princess appeared pleased. "No system is perfect, but an ineffectual government is as bad as an incompetent or self-serving one. If a ruler wants something done correctly, generally she must do so herself... If she must delegate, then it should be to someone that is not only competent, but also shares her commitment to the cause." Luna nodded, then gestured for her to continue, which helped restore Orzel's flagging confidence.

"Most of all, a ruler cannot lead without the permission of the people. Nor can they rely on a higher power to solve their problems, no matter how much they wish to believe it exists. Worldly problems require worldly solutions..." Orzel once again trailed off, looking at the floor with a distant glimmer of fear. Once again, it seemed Luna could read her like an open book. The teen wanted to just ignore her fears again, to shove them aside and move on without confronting that dark realization, but it was doubtful Luna would relent until she knew the truth. "When you told me that my ancestors might have come from this place... This Realm..." Orzel shook her head. "In the Empire, it was said to be the realm of the Goddess of War. The place all heroes come to spend eternity. Yet I have not seen Vindicta, nor have I seen the spirits of my Family... I was never much of a believer, it has nonetheless been difficult to confront."

"My poor child..." Luna said with sudden realization. "I never intended to cause you such inner turmoil." Orzel lowered her head, looking off to the side with obvious melancholy. The Princess scooted closer on her seat, taking Orzel's hand into her own and gently squeezing it. "When I lost my own parents, I had similar doubts regarding the Gods that I had to confront..." The woman sighed quietly, looking Orzel in the eyes as best she could. "This world is just as mysterious and unknowable as your old one, who is to say with any certainty that what we see is all there is?"

"That is what I have been coming to believe as time passes, but... It is difficult to rectify with what I was told to believe, what my Mother believed." Orzel nodded, hesitating for a moment. "The story makes similar allusions, that no one can truly be certain... If this is so, then why must I worry about it so much?" The girl took a shuddering breath, suddenly overcome by her emotions. "I am afraid that this world is all there is, and if that is so... Then my Mother, Father, and anyone I ever knew in Cesarski are truly gone forever."

"Even if it is true that this is the only world, which I personally do not believe, those you care about are not gone." Luna countered, gently tapping Orzel's heart while giving a reassuring smile. "You keep them alive in your heart, in your memories. We are more than mere beings of flesh and blood, Daughter. We have impact on those we are close to, we are remembered by those that loved us, and those whom we loved." Orzel exhaled slowly, eyes falling pensively upon the floor. "As I have said, I do not believe that death is the complete and total end... I have born witness countless times to the Realm of Dreams, I have interacted with it, molded it like clay, so that visions of my wildest imagination might appear. If one such strange and magical realm exists, then surely there must be others."

"I suppose you are right..." Orzel nodded, biting her lower lip as she ruminated on Luna's words. The 'Realm of Dreams' was yet another strange reality of Equestria, a place where all the dreams of the world were made manifest. From what she'd read, Princess Luna was the warden of this bizarre plane of existence, and if that was so then perhaps there was a 'Realm of Souls', overseen by some as yet unseen warden. That small amount of hope seemed enough to set Orzel's worries at ease, at least for the moment. It did little to curtail her other rampant fears, much as she wished that was the case. "Would you care to hear more of my conclusions?"

"Only if you are comfortable." Luna responded, leaning back in her chair and folding her hands into her lap. "I would say so far your conclusions are intriguing..." Orzel smiled weakly, resting her own hands into her lap while her eyes occasionally moved between the book and the Princess before her. With her confidence gradually returning, the teen cleared her throat to once again speak.

"Love as depicted in this story is..." Orzel began again, then stopped to look at the floor. "It is confusing." Luna raised an eyebrow, appearing genuinely surprised. Orzel sighed, looking over the tome and recalling the various portions where Hearth Fire and her partner interacted... Kept apart by the rising danger, only ever catching fleeting glances, not once allowed time to speak alone. From what she'd been told growing up, it should have disgusted Orzel, it would certainly have enraged her Parents... Yet Orzel wasn't disgusted, despite all she'd heard throughout her life demanding the contrary. That spurred on a growing sense of guilt and shame, raising the question once again. Was she becoming a dissident? A traitor? Was she a degenerate? "It should not be so, and yet, here I find myself hoping for it to succeed..."

"Why should it not be so?" Asked Luna in a soft tone, sitting up straighter and taking on a more worried look. Orzel stared at Luna, then back at the book, an unfamiliar ache beginning to take hold in her chest. She took a deep breath, tried to gather her thoughts, and let her eyes drift to the floor. Desperately she wanted to force herself to be 'Normal' again, to hide her feelings, to encase herself in the armor of books... But Luna would not relent, an aspect Orzel would've admired in any other circumstance. Now, sitting under the Princess's questioning stare, the girl knew she had no choice but to speak.

"Because... Where I come from, to be like... That. It is illegal, an act that is punishable by death." The girl finally admitted, unable to meet Luna's gaze once more. A creeping sense of unease crawled across her back, flooding her mind with the furious voices of her parents. How infuriated they would be, to hear her say she wasn't appalled. No matter how hard she tried to force the thoughts away, they just wouldn't leave her alone. The genie was escaping the bottle, and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. "Mother and Father were adamant about such things. They said that to be that way undermined the Empire, because there would be no children to serve the state from such a marriage. That is why I am confused... I want them to succeed, but..."

"I see..." Luna hummed as she leaned back in her seat. "But Equestria is not the Empire, correct?" Orzel nodded her head, doing her best to calm herself as she closed her eyes and braced for the coming rant. No tirade about the 'undermining' of civilization came, nor a baleful rage about her tampering with knowledge she should not have seen. Orzel cautiously opened her eyes, finding that Luna appeared to have lost any pretense of cold command. She took Orzel's hand gently, looking into her eyes and speaking with compassionate conviction. "Such things are not illegal in Equestria, they are embraced just as anything else. Here, those who are 'that way' have nothing to be ashamed of..."

"Really?" Orzel asked, stunned, Luna wordlessly nodded. The swirling maelstrom of anxiety and guilt abated, though only temporarily, as before. Once again, the Princess demonstrated just how different Equestria was from the Empire... With that, Orzel calmed herself.

"This book covers heavy topics, especially so for someone your age... I believe it would be wise for you to finish this story, Orzel... To see how it ends." Luna added, rising from her seat and levitating the book into the girl's lap. "We will postpone our lesson until you have finished, I doubt it will take you long. Should you have any further questions, you need not hesitate to ask..." Orzel nodded hesitantly, looking at the book with trepidation. "I shall have breakfast sent up post haste... Do try to eat something, please." The girl opened the book to her last page, looking between Luna and the tome as the Princess made her way to the door. With less uncertainty than before, Orzel adjusted her glasses and returned to the realm of her imagination...

The throne room seldom found itself quite so empty, with even the guards having been dismissed from the cavernous chamber. Princess Luna paced before her sister, mind racing with thoughts, ideas that may as well have been traveling faster than the speed of light. Princess Celestia meanwhile sat upon her throne, evidently unperturbed as her sister repeatedly retraced her steps, the very visage of unceasing worry. How could she be anything but worried, given the nature of the conversation she'd just had with her daughter? Moreover, how could Celestia remain so calm? Why did Celestia's calmness make her angry? All of these questions and more were just the tip of the iceberg

The entire exchange was looping over and over again in her head, contributing to a growing sense of anxiety that now threatened to boil over. The trials of motherhood were by comparison a virtual cake walk up to that point, and only now did the Mistress of Dreams truly realize the enormity of her own responsibilities. It was fairly obvious from early on that Orzel's homeland was considerably lagging behind Equestria technologically, that gap in education was easily remedied between Orzel's thirst for reading and an equal abundance of books.

The Empire's societal evolution, however, was clearly less advanced than previously thought. Though there was really little question of this fact both with Orzel's explanation of the 'Castes' and a brief primer on something called the 'Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego', or 'Ministry of Internal Security' in Equestrian. Still, the gulf of ideological differences between the Empire and Equestria was only just becoming truly apparent. Equestria never had a caste system or anything approximating the MIS, which Orzel tended to describe as the ruthless enforcement arm of the extremely militaristic, autocratic, mono-party state, though not in so many words.

The nation itself was built around a fanatical devotion to the Emperor, who's various ministers and other 'political officers' espoused 'unity' and 'solidarity'. They would further claim that all citizens of the Empire were 'Comrades' who needed to work together in glorious labor, all for the continued 'Glory of the State'. Those that dissented, or who could not serve the state, were seen as the enemy, and therefore beneath contempt. Depending on the infraction, these MIS-termed 'defectives' would be sent off for 're-education', arrested and made an example of via public execution, or hunted down by MIS 'Enforcement Squads' to meet an unknown but likely grisly fate...

The Vindictan Church likewise existed to ingrain the Empire's ideals in proverbial stone, legitimizing it's brutal practices as the divine decree of heaven itself. Any measures taken for the greater glory and survival of the State were justified, and citizens were encouraged to 'keep their fellows honest' as a matter of faith. Growing up in that environment and then transferring to Equestria would, understandably, take a good deal of work to overcome...

Add to the mix that Orzel was at an age where she would start to ask a great number of questions about herself and her place in the world, and it was enough to drive Luna to the brink of screaming. Indeed, if what they'd discussed in the library was any indication, Orzel was already starting to ask those questions.

Rather than let her worry fester until she exploded, possibly alerting Orzel and by extension giving her daughter the wrong impression, Luna wound up doing what she thought the most responsible thing. She'd come before the wisest person she knew. In a way, Luna was glad that it was her that would have the chance to guide Orzel at this age, and not her birth parents... At least, if what the Princess suspected about her adoptive daughter was true. That in turn made Luna feel all the more guilty, she wasn't pleased at the death of Orzel's family by any stretch, yet at the same time...

"Be careful with your pacing, Luna. I've just had the floors waxed..." Celestia mumbled whilst Luna rounded from another bout of steps, her elder sister's nonplussed words interrupting Luna's last train of thought. "So, tell me from the beginning, what happened...?"

Luna did precisely that, not once stopping in her bid to wear a rut into the floor. Celestia remained seated upon the plush supportive cushions of the Solar Throne for the entire time, intently listening to Luna as she recounted what happened in the library, only speaking to ask for the occasional clarification. Then she went almost completely silent, letting Luna wander back and forth without the slightest interference. The younger Princess's wings twitched with irritation, it seemed to her that Celestia wasn't taking things as seriously she would've liked.

"You are going to give yourself a migraine if you keep at it like this. I've tried letting you tire yourself out, but... Just take a deep breath through the nose." Celestia suddenly chided. Luna stopped, then inhaled as instructed. "And exhale through the mouth..." Once again, Luna followed her sister's lead. "Better...?"

"No." Luna muttered, her wings flattening against her back. "I may very well have inadvertently said something back there that could permanently damage Orzel's mental health more than it already is! How can you expect me to be calm!?" Luna returned to her pacing, bringing a hand to her chin and shaking her head. "She is questioning her faith, a difficult topic in its own right, but made all the more challenging by her upbringing. She has been raised to think that same sex couples are traitors, and I can see how conflicted that makes her feel! I tried explaining it is nothing to be ashamed of, but what if she does not believe me?"

"You forget that I've raised a teenager before, a particularly angsty one at that." Celestia stated with a bit of mirth, likely to try and lightening the mood. Luna, unfortunately, was in too frantic a state to appreciate that immediately. "While I admit Orzel's situation is a tad different, things could be a lot worse." Luna stopped pacing, taking a few more deep breaths before walking to the Obsidian Throne and sitting beside her sister. The cold volcanic glass embraced her, its black leather cushions contouring to ease the stress on Luna's joints. "From what I've read on the subject, and my own personal observations, she's at an age where she probably has a vague sense of herself. Even if she doesn't fully realize it yet, as she grows up it'll be more obvious. What's vital is that we show her we love and accept her, no matter where she stands."

"I was attempting to do precisely that..." Luna muttered with a sigh, rubbing at her temples. "Her parents undoubtedly loved her, but they were products of their environment, and she is smart enough to realize what that implies... If Orzel is different, I do not want her to end up thinking there is something wrong with her, or that her own parents would shun her were they still alive..." The woman added in frustration, staring at the distant door on the other side of the throne room. She could recall the night she'd been seated right in that very spot, thinking about making a nightly meal before heading off to watch over the world the dreams, only to have her life change so dramatically in a matter of minutes. "Of course, we do not know for certain whether that is the case or not. This is the first time I have spoken to her about this, but the look I saw in her eyes when she it said was a capital offense to think that way...?" She shook her head. "How could someone say that to a child?"

"She comes from a world far harsher than our own, Luna..." Celestia said with a bit more seriousness. "What she said, about people needing to have children so they could 'serve the state'..." The Princess sighed, slouching in her chair and looking to one of the nearby windows. "It seems to me the 'Szafirian Empire' was a highly regimented society, with strict social codes, and even stricture punishments for breaking those codes. Those that couldn't or 'wouldn't' contribute would be seen as a drain on resources. I'm not saying it's right, Luna, but it is important to understand the reasoning behind such beliefs if we are to counter their effects."

"I know..." Luna admitted quietly, rubbing her forehead and closing her eyes. She hated to admit it, but Celestia was right, she could feel a migraine coming on. "I would not be so utterly frustrated were these the only issues I am concerned over." The woman leaned her head back, keeping her eyes closed as she tried to calm the throbbing in her head. There were numerous other issues on her mind, many of which pertained to Orzel. "There is talk among my contacts within the National Council... The Noble Party may demand Orzel attend a hearing to determine her precise origins, among other things. I fear this is only so they may spite me, by inflicting more trauma upon my daughter..."

"Were I certain their motives were entirely in the interest of the people, I would be inclined to agree with the Noble Party... They have a right to know more about who may lead them one day." Celestia started, trailing off with a shake of her head. "That being said... I wish I could say I didn't believe you were right about them purposefully seeking to hurt you through Orzel... Or that they would stoop so low as to harm a child's mental health at all." The woman sighed with annoyance, slouching in her throne and gently clenching and unclenching a fist. This struck Luna as odd, typically her sister was far better at hiding her anger. As if to answer the unspoken question, the Princess continued. "Blueblood told me of a plot to bar her from the throne." Luna arched an angry eyebrow, there was no feasible way for the National Council to overrule a member of the Crown's chosen successor, only other members of the Crown could do so. "Not officially, mind you, but by refusing to vote on any further laws until she is replaced."

"They intend to do what...?" Luna stated with a coldness even she hadn't expected, all the previous anxiety had coalesced into a sudden and frigid fury. She was quite used to being infuriated by Nobles, but this anger felt... Different. She couldn't detach herself as she typically did, there was no feasible way for her to compartmentalize the new found sense of outrage that flooded over her. "This is beyond the pale, Celestia! They would hold Equestria's government hostage and refute Our right as Princess to name Our own successor!? It is an outrage! It is treason!" Before Luna could launch into a tirade, however, Celestia leaned forward in her seat to meet her sister's eyes.

"Sister... If you allow your anger to subside for a moment, you will see that this plays to our advantage." Celestia explained coolly, Luna forced herself to close her eyes and take several deep breaths. It wasn't easy, but as she took a minute to set her mind at ease, the truth of Celestia's words emerged. "I have obtained signed statements from a half dozen witnesses sympathetic to our cause, including Blueblood." The Princess added, further quelling the anger in Luna's heart.

As Princess of the Night, Luna was used to dealing with matters of law and order, as many of her petitioners were seeking legal remedies or some form of arbitration. To willfully act in a manner that interfered with the peaceful transfer of the throne was a good way for a Councilor to quickly end their career, both in the eyes of the public and the eyes of the law. The Noble Party was able to pull countless stunts in the past to get around laws intended to keep their power in check, but none quite so brazen... Oddly, it was Prince Blueblood of all people to bring it to Celestia's attention, though Luna supposed even Blueblood had limits as to just what he would and wouldn't do in the great game of politics.

"There will be no hearing. If they aim to harm my daughter to get to me, I shall not hesitate to go for their throats. Ensure they know that." Luna stated bluntly, reclining as much as she could in the Obsidian Throne, stewing in frozen silent ire. "Such cowardice, such unmitigated dishonor..." The woman shook her head, drumming her fingers on the arm of the throne. "I fear it shall taint Orzel's view of our government in ways we cannot hope to counter... Perhaps it was unwise of me to have her continue reading, 'For The Republic' does not paint the 'Allied Council' in the best light at its conclusion."

"Forbid a person from knowledge and they'll go out of their way to learn, wondering what warrants its censure in the first place, especially considering the state of censorship in the Empire." Celestia shook her head, her palm glowing faintly as a cup of tea appeared with a flash of golden light. "She may surprise you... After all, you are still a strong supporter of a republic, correct?" Luna sighed, nodding in agreement while Celestia took a sip from her cup. Celestia was have correct, Luna did like the idea of a republic, in theory... In practice, well... She needed only to look to the National Council to dash any hopes she had of one day establishing such a state. Better Equestria remain a monarchy, with a strong, but fair, leader at its helm. "Hopefully she won't stumble onto Statesman's later works, like 'Empire' or 'Rogue State', until she's a bit older... As much as I loved his work, his dim, cynical view of politics could be rather... Slanted."

"Slanted by your modern standards, perhaps. For all the failings of the National Council, they cannot compare to the unequivocal nightmare that was our first 'Tribal Council'." Luna responded with a slight hint of sadness, sighing as she recalled the author known as 'Statesman'. That was his pen name, at least. The only name much of the world knew him by... In actuality, his real name was Observos the Watchful, once a student of Starswirl the Bearded. He was a sweet boy from the Spell-Caster Tribe, someone whom at one point meant a great deal to Luna, and in a way... He still did. She hadn't thought of him in some time, and hearing tell of his various written works stirred that ancient longing back to life. "You would not think him so cynical if you knew him as I did, Sister..."

"Regardless, in the hands of a young mind, without proper context... His later works could be troublesome." Celestia stated diplomatically, taking another sip from her cup. If only she knew just how true her statement actually was, as the story 'Rogue State' followed a tale of a heroine much as Luna fancied herself during the Nightmare War. Someone that did what was necessary to break up a corrupt government, knowing full well she'd be painted as a villain in her own time, only to be vindicated by history... Of course, reality hadn't transpired nearly as well as within the novel. "I can't tell you how many times Twilight Sparkle has gotten her nose into a book about magic she wasn't quite ready for... I think it's why she's so anxious all the time."

Luna faintly chuckled, but her mind remained on Observos... Orzel's earlier talk of 'forbidden love' and the conflict it brought was unearthing memories and feelings long buried beneath the sands of time. Luna's thoughts were awash with a wellspring of a simpler time, a time when the world seemed so innocent and quaint. Warm summer nights spent beneath the stars, listening intently while her ever anxious suitor recited writ and verse. All the joy was made bitter by the memory of the day Luna's faithful scribe attempted a new form of magic in a bid to prove himself worthy of her affection... Not to her, but to the world. What followed was Luna's fault as much as it was his own, if only she hadn't given him insight into the machinations of Dream Magic... It was a field far too complicated, even for a mage of Observos' talent, to safely graft into other spells without extensive preparation.

"Forgive me, Celestia... I find it difficult to remain focused at the moment." Luna shook her head free of the wretched memory, wiping at her eyes which were now noticeably damp. Looking at her sister, Luna could see all too well the concern that creeping in. "I have not thought of Observos in centuries... I was not ready for certain emotions to resurface." Luna rose from her throne, adjusting the fabric of her gown and straightening her posture. "I must make ready for Orzel's afternoon lesson... Thank you for your counsel, Sister."

"Luna..." Celestia began, but the younger sister leveled a hand to signal that there was no more to be discussed. Luna's features hardened, she took a long deep breath through her nose, then exhaled and began her descent of the steps.

It was best that she not speak her mind to Celestia, lest she say something she would come to regret. Observos was one of the many reasons Luna became Nightmare Moon, though not by his own doing. Celestia was ultimately forced by the ancient tribal leaders to forbid Luna from seeing, and by extension courting, Observos, as it was feared a Princess marrying a member of the Spell-Caster Tribe would give that tribe an unfair advantage politically. The reasoning was admittedly solid, at the time Equestria was unified for less than a quarter century. Even so, Celestia easily could've stood up for Luna's happiness, she could've taken a stand for her sister... Just one time, would that have been too much to ask?

As Luna made her way through the throne room, she had to remind herself not to linger on the feeling of betrayal. Luna knew those involved were all long dead, save Celestia and herself, and Celestia wouldn't make that same sacrifice twice... Would she? Best to let the past remain in the past, especially as there were plenty of things that needed doing in the present. Orzel's first foray into enchanting, something it was believed she'd have an innate gift for, would likely require all of Luna's attention if she were to properly teach her daughter. Whether she was or wasn't capable of magic mattered little to Luna, so long as her daughter was happy. Hopefully, her lesson would open yet another field for Orzel to study, one where she would be free to create all sorts of wondrous items and effects. Enchanting was a field where art and intellect mingled to do wondrous things, and it was one that Luna hoped Orzel could use to find a healthy outlet...

At one time a well traveled portion of the Castle, the great 'Enchantatarium' was quite considerable in its size, even by modern standards. The subterranean chamber was the sight of many discoveries in the field of enchanting, first built by Celestia to study and better understand the Elements of Harmony. Buried beneath the Castle Gardens, illuminated by a small darkly tinted skylight through which dim sunlight streamed inwards, few but the Castle Staff knew of its continued existence. The domed cavern was at least a hundred feet in diameter, and a quarter of that in height. Where much of the castle was constructed with marble and gold, the Enchantatarium was instead widely built from basalt, its walls inset with decorative nodules of polished obsidian and moonstone.

It was unfortunate, at least in Orzel's view, that such a hallowed place of knowledge would fall into disuse. The so called 'scholars' of the past so closed-mindedly viewed field of enchanting was seen as overly 'restrictive', while at the same time suffering the false delusions that it had fewer 'practical' applications than 'Active magic'. Over time, those mages seeking to use the Enchantatarium gradually dwindled, and so the once respected alcove found itself all but abandoned to a fate of little more than another storage closet. Recently the chamber found itself cleared of unnecessary junk, at the behest of Princess Luna, to see that it was restored in part to its former glory.

Besides the main entrance by way of an underground tunnel from the Castle, a second heavy wooden door resided at the opposite side of the room, though where it led was unknown to Orzel. At the center of the chamber, situated directly beneath the skylight, a great stone table resolutely occupied a vast amount of space. The blackish-blue surface was painstakingly polished to a mirror finish, inset with milky white lines of an as yet unknown material. They gracefully formed runic symbols which glowed faintly in the gloom, emanating with pure arcane energy. The rounded walls were lined mostly with storage cabinets and drawers, each of which having only recently been restocked in full. Within their aged embrace resided everything from Arcanium and Alicornium powder to rare Lodestar Gems, recovered from the inhospitable Frozen North. All materials were carefully categorized and cataloged for ease of access. After all, a tidy Enchantatarium was a safe Enchantatarium.

With every conceivable piece of equipment at the ready, Orzel could hardly contain her excitement in the lead up to her first lesson. Of course, that excitement was briefly overridden by other things on her mind. The remainder of 'For The Republic' had given her much to think about, but in a way that was actually rather beneficial. Hearth Fire and her partner had finally gotten together, becoming the rulers of a new country founded on the principles of freedom, honor, and honesty. In the face of adversity and doubt, they had stayed the course and weathered the storm. It was only after she'd met Luna in that great chamber that it fully returned. In her own small way, Orzel hoped that taking up the Enchanter's craft might become her means of 'weathering the storm'.

That wasn't the sole reason that brought her and Princess Luna to be seated upon a set of simple wooden stools beside the Enchanting Table, merely the most recent of several. Another reason had to do with an inexplicable, almost primal, urge to take up the craft, and ultimately that was what had her eyes pouring over several textbooks while Luna idly observed in the dim gloom. The textbooks contained the basics of rune scribing, connecting, and fortification, information Orzel already read through three times before on her own.

Luna insisted, however, that Orzel reread the material at least one more time, just to be safe. It was all fairly straight forward, but the girl supposed practice made perfect. First, she would need an item to enchant, typically beginners started with something simple like a piece of silverware or jewelery. Next, she'd need an enchantment... There were several 'beginner' level runes provided in the book. Finally, she would need a medium with which to create the runes, at which point all that would remain would be to give them energy...

"I am finished." Orzel finally declared, closing the last of the books and looking expectantly at Luna. The Princess hummed with satisfaction, levitating the books with her glowing palm and setting them upon the rough stone floor, each stone of which took on roughly hexagonal pattern. Snapping her fingers, the Princess produced a small flash of light, allowing a metal spoon to materialize on the table before Orzel. It was simple enough, with no major design embellishments. "Must I use an enchantment from the books? I have read of several others."

"If you feel up to the task, I do not see why not..." Luna said with an uncharacteristic shrug, though this didn't deter Orzel from picking up the spoon and making her way to one of the nearby cupboards. "Pretend I am not even here, I wish to observe how well you perform on your first attempt unaided." The woman added as she watched the teen open a cabinet and grab a small leather pouch, pulled closed and tied shut with a light blue length of twine.

It was Arcanium Powder, if Orzel remembered her Enchanting symbolism correctly, which of course she did. Closing the cabinet, she made her way to another storage drawer and pulled it open. There were dozens of Enchanter styluses stored within, finely carved shards of solid Alicornium crystals that looked like the handles of her model paint brushes. The one she picked up was smooth to the touch and glowed faintly in her hand at the points where her skin came into contact. Smiling at the apparent indication that the stylus was fully intact, Orzel closed the drawer and made her way back to the enchanting table. Sitting down upon her wooden stool, she set her materials out before her and looked to Luna for some sort of direction, but the woman merely stared blankly back at her.

"Right..." Orzel mumbled with a hint of nervousness, undoing the pouch of Arcanium Powder. The immediate area was suddenly bathed in a soft blue glow, the light pouring forth from the open the mouth of the bag. She'd read that Arcanium Powder was luminescent, but she hadn't expected it to be quite so... Beautiful. There seemed to be an ocean of miniaturized glittering stars contained within that simple leather pouch, the tiny particles magnifying and reflecting the dim light by seemingly a hundred fold. Taking hold of the Enchanting stylus, Orzel gently dipped one end into the pouch and brought it towards the metal spoon.

Holding the utensil steady with one hand, Orzel's tongue gradually slid between her lips as she concentrated on scribing the first rune upon the metal. Her selected enchantment came from one of the few cook books she'd found in the Castle Library, oddly enough. It would theoretically cool whatever liquid came in contact with the spoon to the perfect temperature for consumption, essentially eliminating the need to blow on hot soup before hand. Hot soup didn't really bother Orzel to begin with, as recently it seemed she'd built a better tolerance to heat, but that didn't really matter... What mattered was getting the Enchantment right. Meanwhile Luna watched her, not so much as interjecting or offering a word of critique.

At first Orzel thought maybe it was because she was doing so poorly that Luna couldn't hope to help her. Then she thought maybe Luna was saying nothing because, actually, she'd yet to make a mistake. That seemed too arrogant, however, so Orzel discounted it. Overall she couldn't figure out what Luna was thinking, and that was starting to mess with her head. The aspiring enchantress once again tried to focus back at the task at hand, that being making the next rune and connecting it to the first. As the minutes continued on in uneasy silence, Orzel's hand began to shake, resulting in a few errant lines that she feared would ruin the peace. These were easily corrected by rubbing the offending powder from the metal with her thumb, though she only had a few seconds to do so. Thankfully, it seemed she managed to salvage her work.

All in all, it took perhaps an hour and half to finish transcribing the runes. Luna had spent the time silently observing Orzel's work, occasionally clearing her throat but otherwise allowing the teen to work on her own. After the first twenty minutes of silence Orzel's uneasiness began to fade, and at that point her mind began to wander... Once again she thought on the matter of Vindicta and the Old Realm, but this time it didn't scare her as much. Just getting it off of her chest was doing wonders for her sense of calm. Those thoughts that still troubled her became mercifully distant, as her mind was far too focused on creating the proper runes. When all was said and done the finished symbols weren't particularly pretty, nor were they perfect, but they were as close as Orzel could get them from memory.

"Okay..." Orzel said hesitantly, looking at Luna while setting down the stylus. "The runes are done, how am I to infuse them with magic?" Thankfully, the woman was no longer content to leave her daughter in silence. Clearing her throat one final time, Luna took the spoon from Orzel and examined it with a bit more scrutiny. "Did they come out well?"

"We shall have to see." Luna said cryptically, handing the spoon back to Orzel. "Are you certain you are ready?" The girl nodded, looking at the glowing outlines set within the glimmering stone surface. "Place the object at the center of one of the intersections upon the table." Orzel nodded, eagerly placing the spoon on one of the points where several of the milky white lines came together. "Your people channeled magic by speaking, and that is what you shall need to do. The words to be spoken fall to the enchantress. Close your eyes, speak from your heart, and the words should flow freely."

"I will try..." Orzel stated, looking at the unassuming spoon. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared to speak. "Wait!" The girl's eyes snapped open, her hands frantically flying to the pouch of Arcanium Powder, which she quickly tied shut and moved away from the spoon. The stylus likewise was placed a healthy distance away. There was remote a chance the entire pouch could've ignited if they'd been in close proximity when the enchantment was cast. It wouldn't have been enough to cause serious injury, though it would certainly singe some eyebrows.

"Astute observation." Luna smiled with a pleased expression, crossing her arms. Orzel had to wonder just why the woman would let her continue if there was a risk she could've gotten hurt. As if sensing this question, Luna patted Orzel on the shoulder and scooted a little closer, now that the risk of burned eyebrows had been contained. "Mistakes will happen from time to time when learning magic, but that is not always a bad thing. You will often learn twice as much from a mistake than you do a success. For now, I will only interfere if you are at risk of seriously hurting yourself. You are otherwise free to make as many mistakes as necessary, so experiment without fear." The woman gestured to the spoon. "Shall we continue."

"Have I made any other mistakes?" Orzel asked, eying the offending utensil carefully. Once again, Luna gave a noncommittal shrug. Slightly annoyed, the girl picked up the spoon and eyed it carefully, checking and rechecking each rune in careful detail before abruptly setting it down. Much to her annoyance it seemed she'd made another mistake, though it had nothing to do with the runes. Orzel groaned in frustration while face-palming, hit particularly hard by the realization of just how fundamental her screw up actually was. "If the spoon was created with magic, then Arcanium will not bind to it..." Luna hummed in agreement. "I should have used Alicornium... I have just wasted an hour and a half of our lives."

"Did you really?" Luna asked cryptically, snapping her fingers and evaporating the spoon from existence. "In the future, will you commit to a medium without first double checking what the object is made out of?" She asked with honest intrigue, of course Orzel shook her head. "Then I would say this was a valuable learning experience, even if it did not go as you hoped." Once again Luna snapped her fingers, this time prompting a fork to appear before Orzel on the enchanting table. "Would you care to try again, daughter?"

"Yes..." Orzel nodded, picking up the fork and looking it over. "Is this a magically created fork or did you teleport it from the kitchen?" As Orzel half-expected, however, Luna merely shrugged. With that, Orzel quietly turned in her seat and grabbed one of the books from the floor, it seemed there was actually a point to reading them again after all. She had by this point memorized the page numbers, so it took little time to find the proper page. "It says I must use magic to tell..."

"Indeed, you must. Recall what I told you? Close your eyes, speak with your heart." Luna explained, lacing her fingers together. Orzel slid the fork to a set of intersecting lines on the table, gulping and pursing her lips together as she stared at the page again. What Luna had suggested, that she 'speak with her heart', went against everything she'd come to believe about magic... How could someone as smart as Luna be suckered in by the intangible like so many other mages? Then again what choice did the girl have, other than 'speak' as her ancestors had? Here she'd thought of Enchanting as an absolute science, yet even it relied on a concept as amorphous as her 'heart'. Maybe there was some room for the intangible after all... Could it be so simple as to close her eyes and say whatever just popped into her head? "There is no alternative but to try."

Orzel closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose, but no 'words' came to her mind. Maybe too much time had passed between her birth and the departure of her ancestors from the Old Realm, that had to be it... Her ancestors might have had the gift of magic, but certainly not her. Luna may have made her nobility within Equestria, but in the eyes of the Empire she was still of the 'Warrior Caste'. Warriors did not become mages, it simply didn't happen.

"I cannot do it..." She mumbled, opening her eyes and looking dejectedly at the fork. "It is impossible, even here in the Old Realm." The words stung to hear, even as they left her own lips. What was more, she'd likely wasted Luna's time, and a great deal of money preparing the Enchantatarium... Her thoughts spiraled downwards and downwards, any gains made gradually ebbing away as the enormity of her failure overwhelmed her. In a squeaking voice, she quietly managed three words, unable to meet Luna's eyes. "I am sorry."

"Orzel..." Luna said with renewed resolve, her expression becoming more serious while she lifted Orzel's chin to look her directly in the eyes. "Magic is by its very nature a matter of making possible the impossible. If you say it cannot be done, than it will not be done... Push forward, never allow yourself to be defeated. These words apply to life, just as they do magic. This is only your first attempt, do not give up so easily. You have the intellect to become a great Enchantress, if only you give yourself the chance." Luna pointed at the table. "Now, come on. Call upon your instincts, do not let yourself be denied. You are Princess Orzel, you will one day be sovereign! Your ancestors were powerful enchanters, will you be denied that which is your birthright?"

"No... No I will not be denied!" Orzel's voice was more confident now, and she went about setting her jaw and taking another deep breath. Resetting the fork on the intersecting lines, she closed her eyes and summoned whatever will she could muster to make the impossible possible. At first there was nothing, but from that great darkness came an inkling of one word, then another, then just like a river they poured forth. She couldn't make them out, not at first, yet they compelled her to speak. When she opened her mouth a sense of strange tingling washed over her, and in a voice familiar yet foreign to her own ears, the incantation poured forth. "Item before me upon the stone, let me make your secrets known... Be you real or arcane light, your nature will not evade my sight!"

Quickly opening her eyes, Orzel's jaw dropped open in astonishment. There before her, hovering some six inches off the table, was the fork. Slowly it spun in circles, suspended in a faint aura of indigo much like that of Princess Luna's, and yet Orzel knew it was her own. She could 'feel' the fork as it tumbled before her, its cold prongs and smooth surface laden with tiny imperfections, imperfections that would not be present on any spoon conjured from magic. It was a real fork, summoned from the castle's kitchen. Watching from her stool at Orzel's side, Luna sported the largest smile the girl had ever seen, beaming at the teen with a clear glimmer of pride. In spite of all her negative thinking, disregarding her own doubt and dismay, Orzel had done it... She'd actually done it!

"Yes!" Orzel suddenly shouted, tapping the fork and sending it spinning wildly in the aura. "It is a real fork that you summoned from the kitchen! I can use Arcanium powder without worry!" The girl began giggling excitedly, watching the helpless salad impaler continue its unceasing dance within her magic. "Wait... Wait..." The girl narrowed her eyes on the fork, once again the words forced their way into her mind. "Tumbling fork up in the air, move thyself from here to there!" To her growing excitement, the aura carried the fork from the intersection of lines beneath it to a point a few feet away at the center of the table. "Do I have to rhyme every time?"

"Most likely so, at least as you are learning to channel your magic. I would view it as an opportunity to expand your vocabulary even further. The force that controls magic is much like a muscle... The more exact your incantation, the more powerful an enchantment you can create, the more power you can draw upon in the future." Luna explained, patting Orzel on the back. "Exercise it regularly, and it shall become easier with each passing day. Eventually the need to rhyme will go away." She paused. "The Zebricans have a similar means of controlling their potion magic, though I suspect they are functionally quite different." The woman grabbed the pouch of Arcanium Powder and the Enchanter's stylus, then set them out before Orzel. "Now that you have ascertained the object's origins, you are ready to begin again."

"Hear my voice and pay it heed, return to me with modest speed." Orzel stated a bit more confidently, holding out her palm and catching the fork as it hovered quickly towards her. With every new use of her power it seemed easier to control, the words weren't forcing their way in as much, more and more she could chose what she wanted to say.

It was a rush the likes of which Orzel had never felt before, a sensation that she suspected only the few wizards of the Empire could ever know. Just like that, with some coaching and a few choice words, she'd opened herself to yet another field of knowledge... Her birthright... Her's to master, her's to explore as she saw fit. It felt so natural, so right, so... Intoxicatingly powerful. For the first time since her arrival here she actually looked forward to tomorrow, whether that lasted or not remained to be seen, but... She was actually optimistic. Now all that remained was to begin practicing actual enchantments. She eagerly set to work, driven by a hunger for greater knowledge which she doubted would ever truly be sated. She wanted more...