Lorewalker

"Have you found him?" Sky Runner from his seat at the end of the table.

The room was the Great Horselord's personal quarters during his stay at the Canterlot Palace but quickly turned it into his meeting room the moment the boy had been found inside the Canterlot Tower.

The others at the table eyed Starlight with a curious look even though they already knew the answer.

"Lore is nowhere to be found in Canterlot, Marshal." He admitted, knowing his failure would displease Sky Runner greatly.

"Must I remind you what your Mark is for?" Sky Runner said with his lips barely moving.

Despite himself, Starlight looked at his flank. "I can find find my way to anything and anyone."

"Then what's the problem?" The Marshal was known to be a goof when it came to words or speeches but behind locked doors his men quickly learned that he was nothing but strong willed.

"There is no problem," Starlight looked back into the Marshal's stern eyes. "Lore simply left the city. Give me leave to go after him with a few men and I'll have him."

"Lore has almost half a day on you. You'd be stumbling in the dark." Sky Runner dismissed the plan.

"But, that's what I'm good at and -" Objected Starlight but halted when the Marshal rose his head with a snap. "My apologies." He looked down and backed away, meekly.

"So, if the boy is truly gone, then it's an admission of his own guilt." Declared Thunder Stone, a gray pegasi and the Scout Commander of Sky Runner's Flight.

"Agreed. The boy is guilty beyond a doubt now." Nodded Cloud Dancer, one of the fastest pegasi in Equestria and hand to the Marshal.

All eyes turned to Sky Runner as he pondered, his eyes glowing with the flames that he stared into at the other side of the room.

"I say release the others, Black Hoof and his young, they have been seen all day and never once set foot inside the tower according to the guards and Wild Rose." Added Thunder Stone after a moment.

"No, they stay under guard for now." Disapproved Sky Runner. "They could accomplice to this or perhaps aided the young Lore leave the city before we caught him. Either way, it's treason."

"Will there be a trial?" Chimed someone Starlight didn't see.

"If it can't be helped." Grunted the Marshal. "The Princess and the humans have agreed that it would be best if this situation never left the palace. There would be rioting from both sides and then perhaps even war all over again."

"I thought you wanted the war to continue." Thunder Stone chimed up and the centaur seated next to him paled.

"I'd advise you to guard your tongue, Stone." The Marshal growled. "But do not tell me you think war would be a good thing if it started in the heart of our capital?"

"Of course not, Marshal." His eyes looked away and he pursed his lips. "As commanded, I've sent scouts far afield to look for Lore as well as to question every passing mare and stallion."

"And nothing?" The Marshal's gaze flashed at him.

"No, but they are under orders to not stop searching till they do find him."

"Very well." Sky Runner smacked his lips as if they left a bitter taste in his mouth. "What of the Royal Guard, Dancer?"

"They are appeased for now with you running the search, Marshal." Cloud Dancer shifted uncomfortably. "However, General Glint has already drafted his own men and paired them with the humans to lead his own search at a moments notice if we do not move fast enough."

"Glint," Sky Runner snarled the name out. "if he thinks he can one up me again, he's wrong. Starlight, find me that boy. I don't care what you have to do but find him, dead or alive, I don't care either but do it before that old fraud makes himself look like a hero."

"At once, Marshal." Starlight quickly exited the room with a sigh of relief.

General Glint was an old centaur, named for the polished armor he wore as a young stallion when he ran off to join the army. Veteran of hundreds of battles and champion to many Runs, he quickly rose the ranks and was named General a dozen years ago after his victory on top of the Crystal Mountains where the humans had tried descending the slopes. Many said the General had only a few dozen men and defeated hundreds, if not thousands, of human invaders that day. The stories varied on how it all went down but all agreed that his information of the attack was more rumor than fact and he had been refused when he asked for a small force to scout the mountains. He went ahead anyway and found himself a hero at the end.

Sky Runner, already a Marshal back then, swore Glint had not in fact had the command of the expedition but his own son, Rain Chaser, had. The boy was indeed part of the men Glint allegedly led but presumed dead during the one of the avalanches. Sky Runner accused Glint of murdering Rain Chaser and since did everything he could to prove it or take over the Equestrian army just so he could discharge Glint out of spite.

Starlight made his way toward the apartments held by Black Hoof and his children and wondered if it was worth speaking himself to any of them. He was sure they all had been questioned and that nothing came of it, but without leave to go and scout past the city walls, he had to do something before he invoked the Marshal's ire once again.

"Let me pass, I'm here to question the prisoner." The two royal guards at the door parted to let him through.

The apartments were in disorder from the search but all their accommodations and richness remained and the prisoners had been unmolested. Sky Runner had known better than to offend the Great Horselord of Earth Centaurs and his children by throwing them in some dark cell. There was already enough enmity between the two of them without giving them any cause to really despite one another. If Black Hoof decided to no longer give food the Flights, then many would go hungry and fighting would surely break out between outlying Runs and Flights.

"Belle Bloom, I hope you're being well treated." He said as he made his way toward the green beauty. Far too young for him to ever hope courting but her long green mane and round freckled breasts had always left him with a stirring inside of him.

"Oh, Starlight, it's you." She approached and hugged him. "I haven't seen you in years."

"Has it really been that long?" He chuckled as he broke the embrace. "I wish this were better circumstances."

"Lore didn't it, I swear." She crossed her arms and stamped the ground, her warm voices turning harsh. "My brother is not a killer."

"I find it hard to believe as well." Admitted Starlight. "I last saw him a few years before I last saw you. A scrawny boy, kind, but nose always in some book or telling stories to the little ones. I would never have thought he'd be capable of such a thing but I suppose I've seen much harmless looking creatures do even worse."

"It wasn't him." She repeated as she made her way to her window. "How is my father and my little brother?"

"They are well, I assume." He shrugged. "They're all locked in their rooms as well as the Marshal closes the matter."

"But they had nothing to do with it." She argued. "Fortune was with Wild Rose the whole day and father was with the other Horselords preparing for the signing."

"We know all of this, my dear." Starlight took a seat at the small table in the center of the room and poured himself some cider. "Is it the sweet stuff, Belle?" He sipped before she could answer and grimaced.

"So how long must we be locked in our rooms?" She asked once more.

"My dear, please see it our way." He sighed and passed a hand over his weary jaw. "Lore was the only one to enter and leave Canterlot Tower all day, the guards agree on that and Wild Rose detected that wards that very few knew how to pass had been unlocked, ones that Lore was known to have access to, and the boy's body was found beyond them."

"Yes, but -"

"And Lore was late for the signing ceremony as well." Continued Starlight. "The reports state that the boy must have been killed sometime during that time and his body was found without any evidence of having been moved. Only Lore could have done it."

"Then how did Lore get young Logan into the tower without the guards knowing and why didn't he try hiding the body? Surely he would have known a patrolling guard would eventually notice and why didn't Lore run?"

"Lore did run." Pointed out Starlight.

"Yes but after the feast. I remember him drinking and getting drunk." She looked out the window. "My brother is many things but stupidity is not one of those things. No killer leaves a body behind, stays and gets roaring drunk and waits for the guards to put two and two together."

"So, you believe you're brother is being framed."

"Yes, that's why I hurried to his room and told him to run." She turned and looked at Starlight's surprised face.

"You're the one who helped him escape?" He rubbed his temple with his fingers. "I can't say I'm surprised but you certainly caught me off guard, dear."

"Now, arrest me and let my family go. They had nothing to do with it." She sat on the ground beside Starlight and pleaded. "It was me not them. I overheard what the guard's whispered to Celestia during the dinner and I slipped out before anyone could get to him. I got him to leave and came here and waited until an older stallion, Thunder Stone, told me I was under arrest and had his men rummage through my things."

"Where did Lore go?" He took her hand and held it lovingly. "Please, tell me before any of this gets worse than it already is."

"I don't know. I just told him to run." Tears were welling up in her eyes and she buried her face in his arm; her shoulders heaving softly as she sobbed. "I don't know where my brother is."

"There, there," He whispered as he passed a hand over her long green mane. "Everything will be alright, you'll see."

Starlight was glad Belle Bloom had told him she had been the one that got Lore out of Canterlot. If it had been Sky Runner or the royal guard, she could have easily been beheaded or perhaps exiled due to her high birth. King Logan would surely demand her beheading but with enough pleas to spare her, the Queen and Celestia would surely concede to sending the poor girl far away where she could be forgotten. He would not have forgotten, however.

"What's going to happen to me?" She finally asked, as her sobs slowly stopped.

"Your family will be let go; though I do not doubt people will still whisper at their backs." He lifted her back to her feet. "But you committed treason, not only to Equestria, but to the royals as well. I'm afraid you will be punished harshly, my dear."

"I'm going to be executed, won't I?" Tears began welling up again and Starlight did the best to hush them away.

"I promise you, it won't come to that. You're the daughter of a Great Horselord and Queen Mary has shown herself to be kind and sympathetic and we all know how merciful Princess Celestia is; surely you'll be punished but I doubt it'll be your death."

"Then what? Prison for life? Banishment to the Everfree Forest?" She sniffled as she looked into his eyes, terrified and helpless and him her only beacon of safety.

"I'll do everything I can but I fear exile is the best you can hope for." She began to wail. "It won't be so bad. There are lands beyond the sea filled with people and centaurs and other races. You'll find yourself a new home, with friends and -"

"But my family!" She burrowed herself in his chest. "I've lost everything."

Starlight left Belle Bloom as the sun began to set and she had finally fallen asleep between her fits of tears that came and went in moments.

To his surprise, Sky Runner had been waiting for him at the other end of the hall as still as if made of stone. He only showed signs of life when Starlight approached him.

"What did the girl say?" The admiral cleared his throat as Starlight approached.

"She admits to warning Lore to run but no more than that. She overheard the guards reporting to Celestia of the young Logan's murder and went out to help her brother. The other members had nothing to do with it."

"According to a traitor." Pointed out the admiral, his lips twisted in disgust.

"Traitor is a strong word for a young girl who only told her brother to run, admiral." Starlight didn't dare keep eye contact as he argued back, even politely, to Sky Runner. "Even so, I believe it would be best to release the others and keep her under guard until Princess Celestia gives a verdict. If we keep them locked up, Black Hoof's Run will have an outcry and if we give the human's no one to blame this on, they might begin mistrusting us even more than they do now. Remember, Princess Celestia is adamant about this peace and her future plans hinge on this peace to last."

"Hmm," Sky Runner smacked his lips, as he stared straight at Starlight. "I suppose, you're right. Good council as always." He sighed.

"I'm glad to have been of service, admiral." Starlight thumped a fist against his heart.

"Yes, you are quite valuable." The admiral gave him a squinting look as if it was his first time inspecting Starlight. "I'll have a small team of our stallions and the Royal Guard seek out this boy."

"Sir, I was hoping I could -"

"No, no. There's no need for that. So long as the search continues, it gives both centaur and humans something to work together for. If anything, this might strengthen the peace in the long run."

"Yes, sir." Starlight was a bit surprised to hear that Sky Runner planned on supporting the peace despite his own desire for fighting. There had to be more to it.

"You, however, can be of more use elsewhere." Sky Runner moved beside Starlight and pointed ahead so they both began moving down the hall. "I assume you know of Luna's sudden disappearance."

"So the rumors are true?" He had thought they were true but Luna was known to be reclusive and he had hoped she had been simply hiding in the palace all this time despite her absence at the signing and feast more than strange.

"I'm afraid so," Sky Runner nodded, "she had been missing for nearly a week now, a bit before we set out to meet the human royals at the Lord's Pass."

"And you wish me to find her?" Why else would Sky Runner be wanting telling me this?

"A man of your talent should have little problem. Speak with Dancer, he'll have a purse of bits and some supplies for you. You leave at once.

"Yes, sir." Starlight had been wishing for some rest but a life in the army gave little repose he found.

"Starlight," The admiral placed an arm on his shoulder, "don't come back without her."

Starlight blinked in surprise as the admiral left his side and continued down the way alone until he was out of sight.

If Celestia can't find her own sister, what chance do I have? Even with my uncanny talent at finding others... Why would the admiral want me gone should I fail? I'm the head of all the Flights, I lead them through darkness, rain, and fog. He can't wish to get rid of me, could he? He shook his made and his pale yellow mane whipped in the air. Such thoughts were of no use to him.

I promised I'd speak on Belle Bloom's behalf. At that thought, he had stepped atop of the grand staircase that lead from the entrance to the throne room and saw Thunder Stone smiling at him, a saddlebag loosely hanging from his back.

"Admiral filled you in?" He threw the bags at him. "Remember, don't come back without her." He laughed and Starlight could how pleased the man was with himself.

What have I ever done to him? "Yes, I've been given my orders, Stone." He strapped the saddlebag across his own bag and wiggled to make sure it was nice and tight. "Is the Princess inside? I was hoping to have a word with her."

"She's in the Queen Mary's chambers as far as I know. Comforting the poor thing. She lost a son, you know." He smiled devilishly. "What have you to say to our loving princess?"

"Matters for her ears only." He gritted his teeth. He could no go plead for Belle Bloom in front of the distressed queen. That would cause all sorts of issues on its own.

"Have it your way." Stone shrugged and moved off but not before calling out, "Don't come back, you here?"

Without the princess, you mean. Starlight did not fail to hear the threat in that.

The noon sun had already begun its decent, the entire night having been panic and fighting instead of the promised feasting and revelry. He had no excuse to stay any longer and he it tore at his heart.

"I'm so sorry Belle Bloom." He whispered as he begun his descent out of Canterlot Palace.