The next day, I wake to the sound of the wind whistling past the window and the rain hammering down outside, as if the spell keeping out the storms of the Frozen North were nonexistent. Sombra is already up and probably eating breakfast, but I’m reluctant to join him. Today feels like the sort of day the Lunar Guards used to call a Rise at Midnight, where you feel like staying asleep for as long as possible without getting told off for not being on your shift on time. Although, considering I’m no longer nocturnal, it would probably be a Rise at Noon.

I look at the tiara on the bedside table for a few moments, wondering whether or not to put it on. Sombra keeps telling me that the more I wear it the more comfortable I’ll feel, but I don’t feel as though I should today. I don’t want to be the Queen of the Crystal Empire today. I just want to be me.

I trudge down the flights of stairs and the corridors, and eventually find myself in the dining room. Today, it’s just me, Sombra, Cozy, Wishbone and Hope. Good. I can be myself around these ponies. I don’t have to constantly try to impress them.

“And what, may I ask, is wrong with my little bat today?” Sombra inquires.

“The wind is too loud. It’s raining outside. I can’t hear the birds singing. It’s too early to be getting up.”

“Visitor ponies use bad magic near Crystal Town,” Wish says in the bat pony language we were both taught as foals. Rather than actual words, it’s more of a series of clicks and squeaks that other ponies usually have a lot of difficulty in decoding. When I first returned from my trip into outer space with Luna, I was surprised to hear how little it had changed compared to regular Ponish: most of the words are the same, although a few have faded into history and been replaced by other terms. As usual, she’s using terrible grammar on purpose, which makes it even harder for eavesdroppers to work out what anypony using the old language really means.

“Bad weather means bad mood?” I ask.

“Yes. Wind shouting little pony’s name.” She nods in Hope’s direction. “Rain means tears and sadness.”

“Oh. The visitor ponies are Umbrum, not Friendship Ponies. Thought you meant the ‘Magic of Friendship’ herd for a moment.”

“No Friendship Ponies yet. Princess Luna would say something.”

“Gee, you two, speak proper Ponish please,” Cozy groans.

Wish grins. “It still works then,” she says in Ponish.

“You mean, I still understand you but nopony else does.”

“Exactly.”

“Gee, we still have no idea what you’re going on about,” Cozy interrupts us again.

“Wish was just telling me that the bad weather is probably because of the Umbrum, and that there’s no sign of the Element Bearers yet.”

“Oh, so that’s what all the EEEEEE’s meant. Gee, you could’ve just said all of that in Ponish.”

“That defies the point of having a secret code.”

“Well, if you’re going to have a secret code, at least teach it to me. Please?” She pulls the cutest puppy eyes face I could ever imagine, and it tugs at my heartstrings a little.

Wish and I share a look. “Sorry, but we can’t. You still won’t understand everything because regular ponies can’t hear some of the higher frequencies.”

“Awwww.”

I grab a slice of toast, a butter knife and a pot of strawberry jam with my magic before dipping the knife into the jam and covering the toast with it. Jam on toast. Every bat pony’s idea of a perfect breakfast. After swallowing the first mouthful, I say to Sombra and Hope, “So when are we going to talk to the Umbrum about all of this?”

“After breakfast,” Sombra replies. “The leader of the Umbrum is Queen Rabia. Not a particularly nice pony if you ask me. However, Hope is on her nice side, so if she goes to talk to Rabia first things are more likely to work out in our favour.”

“Right. Then what?”

“We introduce ourselves, compliment her a lot, hope she likes us and try not to give her any reason to do what we did to Princess Amoré and Cadenza.”

“That sounds simple.”

“It is far easier said than done. Among the Umbrum, you and I would be considered tame. These ponies are brilliant at using dark magic, completely ruthless in battle, and once they say they’re going to do something, they do it.”

"And what about the Element Bearers?"

“Blueblood sent a letter.”

I groan to myself. Prince Blueblood and I have only met each other once, and although he promised to help us, he and I aren’t exactly best friends. Seriously, he tried to flirt with me and convince me to leave Sombra, which isn’t going to happen any time soon. “What is it?”

“The Elements of Harmony are being sent here on a ‘stealth mission’ to infiltrate the castle and kick us out. Of course, they haven’t yet realised that they have lost the Element of Surprise.”

“That’s a terrible joke.”

“Forgive me for trying.”

“I know, I know. You tried your best.”

“Have a cup of coffee. You’re tired.”

“Am I?”

“It is the only possible explanation for your grumpiness. Unfortunately, we haven’t got enough time to sit around doing nothing today. We need to-”

I say monotonously, “Speak to Rabia, sort out the new Crystal Army that Skywalker was talking about, prepare for the Element Bearers to arrive, talk to Chrysalis, wait for the new shipment of food from Yakyakistan and maybe then we can go on a honeymoon to Starlight’s village.”

“Honeymoon? That last one is news to me.”

“What? We have to do something to celebrate finally getting married, and I want to talk to Starlight again. Face-to-face, not in the dream world. The risk of being caught by Solar Guards makes it more interesting.”

“Fair enough. But let’s give it a few days, and give her a little bit of warning too.”

“Fine by me.”

“Ick, I’m staying,” Cozy grumbles. “No need for all that sappy hugging and kissing nonsense.”

“But then there’ll be nopony here to look after you,” says Hope.

I raise an eyebrow at her.

“Wish and I would like to meet Starlight too,” she insists. Or maybe she wants to spend more time with… Never mind. I need more coffee.

I fill a mug with a teaspoon of ground coffee and some boiling water before taking a sip. Completely unadulterated. The hot, bitter liquid wakes me up quickly. Better.

We finish our breakfast in silence, then Hope prepares to travel outside of the Crystal Empire and into the Frozen North. She says she has an idea of where they might be waiting for her, and that she’s going to send a signal when she finds them. If she finds them. She’s mad, I swear. How does she just forget to tell the ponies she’s lived with for a millennia that she’s alive? Fine, I didn’t tell Luna what had happened to me after I left, but that was because I didn’t want to, not because I forgot she existed!

Not that some of the nightmares I had afterwards would let me forget, but oh well. I have more important things to worry about right now.

Sombra, Wish, Cozy and I watch her leave from the balcony adjoining the throne room. She walks a little way, then teleports off to Celestia-knows-where to find out whether or not we’re going to be invaded today. If it turns out she’s been helping them all along, I’m going to be very, very annoyed. Something isn’t right, and I want to find out what it is.

“Gee, that stare could freeze Tartarus,” Cozy remarks. “Somepony needs more coffee.”

“It’s fine,” I tell her firmly. “I’m fine. Everything is fine, Cozy.” She doesn’t say anything else.

We wait for about ten minutes in silence before a shower of blue and purple sparks rockets into the sky and explodes like a firework. That would be the signal, then.

“Wishbone, could you stay here and make sure that nopony follows us?” Sombra asks her, eyeing Cozy with suspicion.

“That’s fine, as long as the two of you don’t get hurt. Are you taking any guards with you?”

“It is... dubious how helpful they would be if the worst situation were to arise.” Thank you for restoring my faith in the pony race, Sombra. You deserve a gold medal for that.

Manners, he tells me. What is wrong with you today?

How am I supposed to know?

He sighs, then his magic envelopes the two of us and we are teleported to Radiant Hope’s side. How he knew exactly where to go, I have no idea.

Before us stands a mare with a mint-coloured coat, a frizzy dark green mane and tail, blue eyes and translucent green wings, like those of a butterfly. I wouldn't think she was an Umbrum if I didn't know better.

"Queen Rabia, how good to see you," Sombra says, bowing. I follow suit. Rather than accepting us, she glares. I can feel her eyes staring into my soul. This must be how other ponies feel when Luna glares at them.

"So, these are the new leaders of the Crystal Empire," she hisses at Hope, who nods silently. "King Sombra, the unicorn turned Umbrum, the killer of Our captor, Amoré. The one who betrayed all ponies, yet did not visit Our home, the realm of the Umbrum, when given the opportunity. And the other..." she teleports straight behind me, "Moonlight Amethyst Shade, the newly crowned Queen. Also an Equestrian princess, the sweet little Daughter of the Night. Now known as the Queen of the Stars. Also carries the legacy of a traitor, but the past is less important and indeed unfortunate than the future."

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. She’s rude, able to read minds like an open book - how else would she know my middle name and my life story without me telling her?! - and clearly a very dislikable pony.

"And what does that have to do with anything, if I may ask, Queen Rabia?" Sombra inquires.

She teleports in front of him. “She is dangerous to ponies and Umbrum alike, neither a creature of light nor dark. We refuse to deal with her.”

“Excuse me?” I say, annoyed.

“Speak only when you are spoken to, child.”

Oh my Celestia. She just called me a child. Who on Equis does this mare think she is, for Sunbutt’s sake? I mutter, “I might be a child, but I’m known for misbehaving. Don’t think you can boss me about.”

“Do not make Us fight thee. Thou art one of Us. Thou hath been chosen by Grogar himself to fight for the darkness, not against it. It is his will for thee to fight on Our side.” So, she speaks Old Ponish, and in the Royal We.

“I always fight for my own side. If that’s a problem, then leave.”

“We cannot. We have a proposition to make first.”

“I’m not inter-”

“And what is this proposition?” Sombra asks, cutting me off mid-sentence.

“We have heard of a mysterious six ponies. They are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, one of the most dangerous weapons that ponykind has at its disposal against Umbrum. We are unwilling to let them use these Elements on Us. Thou art also at war with Equestria, and We are willing to help thee seek and destroy these Elements.

“However, if thou art unwilling to help Us in Our mission to find these Elements before they are used, We shall redirect Our forces upon the Empire of Crystals. Tell Us, what is thy choice?”

I take a few moments to process the complete nonsense pouring out of this mare’s mouth. “So, let me get this straight. You’re saying that we have to help you find the Elements of Harmony and destroy them, or you’re going to kick us out of the Crystal Empire? I don’t think so.” I take a few steps towards her. “Rabia, my guess is that the Umbrum have been in hiding for a number of years, and haven’t left this magical realm you were talking about in more than a thousand years. A lot has changed since then. Believe it or not, you can’t do that now. You could do it when Celestia was in charge of the Crystal Empire, but now Sombra and I are in charge, it’s unacceptable. Don’t think you can get away with threatening us like that.”

She slaps me in the face, and I recoil slightly. “Hither, child. It is also unacceptable for thee to treat thy elders in such a fashion. Shall We just allow Our brothers and sisters to take your kingdom as We speak? Shall We take everything thou lovest and crush thy spirit? We-” She stops speaking, and looks down at her front hooves. Sombra’s black crystals freeze her in place, surrounding all four of her legs and trapping her butterfly wings by her sides.

“That,” he whispers, “is for threatening me and my kingdom.” He storms up to her and hits her much harder than she hit me. A loud crack echoes through the frozen wasteland: probably the sound of her jaw breaking. “And that is for hurting my wife.”

She remains speechless for a few moments, glaring at him. I decide to do a little experiment, and act as though I am about to use dark magic on her. Her eyes widen and she stares at me in fear. Incredulous, she asks, “Who art thee?” Her voice shakes slightly as she speaks.

“I am Moonlight Amethyst Shade, daughter of Princess Luna of Equestria, wife of King Sombra of the Crystal Empire. I am the pony who dances with light and darkness, the pony who questions everything. The pony whom all other ponies hate for one reason or another, yet stands proudly on her own and dares to challenge those who think they’re in charge. Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria for nearly fifteen hundred years, shakes with fear at the mere thought of facing me in battle. And yet all I want is to live peacefully and to bring peace into the lives of others. I’m not here to fight, but I’m not afraid to defend myself either. Don’t make me.”

We lock eyes and I can see the mixture of fear and awe in hers. I don’t know why, but I get the feeling that she’s been an Umbrum for a very long time, and that her fear of me is instinctual. Maybe she’s even as old as Celestia and Luna.

“Thou art a skilled speech writer. However, more skills are needed to defend a kingdom. We art satisfied that young Radiant Hope is in fine hooves, and we shall speak again before the birth of the seventh month. Should thee need to speak before then, return to this place and Hope shall know what to do.” Rabia nods at her, before casting a spell that surrounds her in shadows. She flies off into the distance and disappears behind a mountain.

“Well, that was a waste of time,” I sigh.

“That’s Rabia,” Hope giggles. “She likes pretending she’s at the top of the tree, but she’s like a little filly really.” Which would explain why Hope is the way she is. But never mind.

Sombra takes the three of us back to the Crystal Empire, but I don’t go back into the castle with them. I decide to go on a short walk, just to the barracks to check in on everypony there. It gives me a chance to clear my head and think about something other than my terrible leadership skills and that Rabia mare and these sudden visions. Oh, and my regular nightmares. Just last night I was being chased by timberwolves in the Everfree Forest in the direction of the Everfree Castle. At least there weren’t any rainbow lasers, I guess.

As I reach the building, Skywalker leaves, an annoyed expression plastered on his face.

“Your Majesty?”

“Hey, how are you?” I say.

“You… might want to go back to the castle.”

Dread builds inside me. “What’s wrong?”

“The Elements of Harmony… they’re on their way.”

“How far away?”

He shifts uncomfortably on the spot. “One or two hours from arriving. Give or take, it depends on how fast they travel towards here.”

I sigh. “It just gets better and better, doesn’t it? All I want to do is sit down and relax for one moment.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling too well.” Skywalker responds with a sigh. Then, he looks back at me. “I suggest both you and Sombra enter the castle, leave the throne room for me and my guards... let's say we’ve got a… surprise ready for them.”

“Ok. Talk to you soon?”

He nods silently and returns inside the barracks. I fly back to the castle, tell Sombra the news, and find myself in the lounge sprawled out on a sofa. Sunbutt forbid anypony coming in here, because I need to sleep.

Author's Note

Guess who else needs to sleep? Yours truly.

Uploading this to make up for forgetting about last week's chapter. After this, it should go back to the normal schedule.

~ Angel