Prologue
Princess Cadance looked back at her home and swallowed. She was going on official business-- that was her story, wasn't it? She had left the note behind that her aunt, Princess Celestia had called her to Canterlot. But that was a lie and she knew she was selfish for leaving and not tell the whole truth. All she could think about was his blue eyes as she set down on the path towards Canterlot.
Her purple eyes darted across the silent streets. Her sister would be able to handle the Crystal Empire for a few days-- it wasn't like she was going to be gone forever. The polished stone path became a dusty dirt path once she was out of the town square. She swallowed. No one was allowed to come in and out of the Crystal Empire and the looming gate that did this stretched to the sky. She wasn't prepared to fly across it just yet, since she needed to save energy to make it to her love.
She ducked behind a house as a guard trotted along by. She walked down the slim alley to another house, where she burst into the open and broke into a sprint as the gate came into her view. Finally, she spread her winds open and jumped from the ground, soaring over the gate. Princess Cadance grinned as she realized she was actually doing it-- she was actually leaving the Empire and going to Canterlot! Her plan had worked!
As she left her beloved home, a pair of green eyes followed her. "Perfect," the figure muttered, turning to the Crystal Empire, shrouded in its mysterious veil. she could see right through their foolish trick that attempted to protect the Empire from being seen by anypony or anything. But the Empire was still protected by the gate, though the Princess had easily cleared it. Behind the gates trotted guards, armed with magic and sharp weapons. After that came the other Princess, a fierce fighter. Only then would the figure be able to feed its subjects. Perhaps the runaway Princess would make for an easier meal.
The figure stepped from the shadows and followed the shape as it raced through Luna's realm. The figure ducked behind a tree when the Princess turned around when she heard the snap of a twig. She glanced around worriedly, knowing that there were evils lurking around in the world that she had never seen before. No one had ever entered or left the Crystal Empire in over thirty decades.
The figure glanced up as the alicorn continued her journey, this time with faster speed. The princess felt the chill of Luna's realm as the hours stretched on. Exhaustion pulled at her eyelids, but she pressed on, knowing that if she stopped for more than five minutes, somepony was going to find her and bring her back. The shape of the large mountain that Canterlot perched on came into view and tears of joy filled the princess' eyes. She would get to see her gorgeous Shining Armour. She swallowed. Twilight was going to be there, too, so it would be like having her little sister. Tears wrapped around her face as she realized she had left her baby sister to run a whole empire. Her parents weren't going to be happy either. She gritted her teeth against the emotions and closed her eyes for a second.
The figure stared up at the alicorn for a little longer. It tapped its chin and an idea formed in its mind. There was only one reason why a pony would leave its home. The figure followed the alicorn from a safe distance, knowing that if things went wrong, the subjects she was supposed to feed were going to die. The figure gritted its teeth the same time Princess Cadance did and ran after her. There were so many lives hanging on a thread between both of the figures, but the one shrouded in shadow knew that if the plan went correctly, everypony would be ok in her realm.
"Revenge will be mine, Princess," the Queen of Changelings snarled as the run peeked over the horizon.
