A Symphony of Frost and Flame

Canterlot Castle

The one pony who I had come to know as "Pinkie Pie" was still asking me dozens of questions despite her friends' interference. I had almost tripped twice due to Pinkie Pie crawling in between my legs as we made our way to the train station.

"Hey Arthas? Do you like parties? Why is your hair white? Are you really old?? My dad has white hair and he is old! How come you walk on two legs? Could I call you Artie? Or do you prefer Arthas? Personally, I like Artie!"

"There will be a train waiting to take you straight to Canterlot when we get there." Cadence spoke over Pinkie Pie’s constant questions.

"You're not coming with us?" Twilight asked.

"I wish I could, But I have to stay here and watch over the Crystal Empire."

Twilight and her friends shared looks of understanding when Princess Cadence glared at me.

"You'd better not cause any trouble Arthas."

"You have my word." I promised.

Cadence nodded as we reached the train station.

"Farewell Twilight, have a safe journey."

"Thanks Cadence, good luck."

"Bye Twilight," Shining Armor said.

Twilight slyly smiled at her brother. "Be good to Cadence, alright BBBFF?"

Shining Armor grinned, "That I will."

We boarded the vacant train and it departed shortly after we arrived. I sat alone while the mane six were sitting together occasionally sparing me a glance. The silence was a bit awkward as none of the ponies trusted me wholeheartedly - even when I had given them my word. Though I suppose I couldn’t blame them…

The train ride was long; it stretched into the night as various cities passed by through the windows. My eyelids grew heavy and I was out shortly afterwards.

*

Luna was traveling through her subjects’ dreams, easing their nightmares and keeping all of them safe from their fears. She was met with gratitude from her everypony whenever she quelled a nightmare or improved a dream.

"If we had known of this method 1000 years ago we would have never been so selfish." She smiled.

Then she felt a nightmare darker then the others.

"What’s this?" She said as her eyes narrowed.

Luna traced the source of the nightmare to a speeding train. It wasn't even a pony having the nightmare, but a strange creature. The creature looked bipedal and its rest was uneasy. The mane six were traveling with it on their way back from the Crystal Empire.

"What is it?" Luna inquired.

Luna took a deep breath and everything went black as she entered the creature’s dream.

Luna's vision returned to her but it was not her own. She had entered the biped’s consciousness silently and undetected and now found herself sharing another’s vision.  'Luna' was walking towards a huge drawbridge with the mighty sound of bells chiming loudly as if to announce her arrival.

The drawbridge lowered and collided with the ground with a deep thud. Luna watched as her host crossed the bridge with hundreds of other similar looking creatures cheering and hollering at his arrival.

The biped stood in the middle of the street for a moment and caught one of the rose petals being showered upon him. The rose petal died in his hand and he tossed it aside. He began walking briskly towards a large door decorated lavishly by markings and insignias.

The hooded creature did not slow down and he barged into the throne room with a menacing boom when the heavy doors collided with the walls. His heavy plate boots thudded loudly with each step as he approached what must have been the ruler of this castle.

"Ah my son, I knew that you-“

"You no longer need to sacrifice for your people... You no longer need to bear the weight of your crown... I've taken care, Of Everything.

Luna watched with growing horror as her host approached the older creature with his sword firmly in his grasp.

"What is this?! What are you doing my son?"

Luna felt the creature grin. “Succeeding you, Father.”

Luna could do nothing but watch as the sword was plunged into the chest of her host’s very own father. His crown fell and rolled across the throne room breaking one of the tips.

“This Kingdom shall fall. And from the ashes shall arise a new order that will shake the very foundations of the world.”

To say Luna was disturbed at the creature’s nightmare would be a massive understatement.

She exited the plane of the dreams and rushed to Celestia's chambers.

*

"-ey has wa- p"

"Artie wake up!"

I shot up and looked around quickly. When I saw where I was I sighed in relief.

"Just another nightmare," I thought.

"Arthas, are you okay? We're here."

I nodded and stretched my limbs. We exited the train only to be met with a detachment of what looked to be like guards. Twilight spoke up.

"Gentlecolts, please escort us to Princess Celestia immediately."

"Yes, Miss Sparkle," they responded.

I received disgusted and terrified glances as I walked through the city of Canterlot. I could pick up bits of conversations.

"Ugh. What is a ghastly animal doing in our beloved city?"

"Somepony should put it in chains."

The insults continued all the way to the palace and stopped when we entered the courtyard.

"Princess Celestia hasn't heard the whole story so you will be the one to tell her what happened."

I nodded grimly and continued forward. When we stepped into the palace doors what I saw surprised me. I had much practice in reading the faces of royalty for I had once been a prince, however Princess Celestia sat upon her lavish throne and her mane seemed to blow in an invisible wind that only added to the serene look of the Princess.

"Princess Celestia!"

"Twilight Sparkle; I am very proud of you."

Twilight rushed forward and hugged her mentor. Twilight seemed to be relishing the Princesses approval until she turned to me. For the tiniest of moments she looked at me accusingly. Her face changed to an impassive look that I wondered if it had been there in the first place.

"Ah, you must be Arthas. I have received word that you helped save the Crystal Empire. Please tell me how this was done."

I took a deep breath,

"Your majesty, this is not a short story so please get comfortable."

I retold the story of how I had arrived in Equestria, how Shining Armor and Princess Cadence found me and what I had eventually done to King Sombra. At the mention of his death Celestias' grin vanished and was replaced by a solemn look.

"It seems there was no other way. I had hoped he would see reason and surrender." The Princess sighed and Twilight glared at me slightly.

I cleared my throat, "That’s not the whole story..."

Princess Celestias' eyes focused on me again and I told her the part of how I had ignored his pleas for surrender and the manner in which I killed him.

Celestias' expression turned cold.

"I have never heard of such a violent act for a millennia."

"There was no other way Princess." Twilight quickly said.

"Very well. Since you helped save the Crystal Empire I will not hold your actions against you. And as long as you do not bring harm to any of my subjects, I will allow your stay in Equestria to be as one of its own inhabitants.

I sighed in relief.

"However, I recommend that you do not return to the Crystal Empire."

I looked up and smiled slightly.

"Agreed, you have my word that I will not return to the Crystal Empire as that was nearly a given anyway."

Celestia nodded and smiled.

"I'm glad we could come to this understanding.” She turned to the lavender mare. “Twilight I do hope you don't mind if he stays with you in Ponyville, do you?"

"Oh… Uhm, no, of course not Princess," Twilight smiled, barely disguising her skepticism.

"Make sure you send me reports on his behavior in Ponyville, I fear that there is more to this individual then meets the eye." Celestia whispered to her.

Twilight nodded in understanding.

"I just hope he takes this as a chance to forget about his past and that none of this was really necessary."

Twilight and Celestia shared one last look at each other when Twilight turned to leave the throne room. I bowed to Celestia once again and turned to follow Twilight.

"I'm glad that I have been given a chance to mend my ways."

Twilight looked up at me hopefully, I saw her friends waiting for us when we left the throne room. Twilight spoke to her friends.

"Arthas is going to stay with me at the Golden Oaks Library. He has been given another chance by Princess Celestia."

Pinkie Pie instantly brightened up at the news.

"Woo hoo! Now I get to throw him a welcome to Equestria party!"

Pinkie Pie dashed almost comically through the streets of Canterlot, quickly vanishing from sight.

"What... just happened?" I hesitantly inquired.

Twilight chuckled. "That’s just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie."

I only grew more confused at this point but continued walking with Twilight and her remaining friends without giving the matter anymore thought. I was receiving even more looks then when I had arrived. Word must have spread throughout the city that I was here. I noticed a mob seemed to be forming in front of us by a particularly disgusted purely white unicorn with a blonde mane.

"Oh no," muttered Rarity.

"The most grand and prosperous city in Equestria was not built for filth like this… creature to walk around in freely."

Typical nobles, always thinking they are above everyone else less fortunate or different than themselves.

"And what have I done to become this 'filth' of which you speak of?"

"Why, by walking among us. Just because you walk with the Elements of Harmony does not make you part of Equestrian society!"

"Please Blueblood, just let us go. We were just leaving Canterlot." Twilight said.

"Not until this beast is dealt with! I refuse to let him go, however you five may go if you wish."

"We would never leave one of our friends behind!” I blinked at her referring to me as a friend. “Something you would not know about true friends!" Rainbow yelled.

"Oh please,-"

"We’re leaving Prince Blueblood, and Arthas is coming with us."

Twilight stepped forward when Blueblood pushed her slightly back.

"I don't think you realize-"

All the noise was cut off followed by a loud gasp seeing as I now had Bluebloods horn in a tight grip.

"Not one more step, or the horn comes off."

"Do you have any idea who I am! I will have you arrested for-"

My grip around his horn tightened and he fell to his knees.

"I don't think you know who I am."

"Arthas stop!"

I immediately let go of him and faced Twilight. The look on her face was indifferent.

"You have proved your point. Let’s go..."

Twilights' horn started to glow and a bright flash surrounded Twlight her friends and I.

The next thing I knew we were at the train station.

"Teleportation - very impressive," I said with a smile.

Twilight said nothing as we boarded the train to Ponyville; even here I received a few awkward stares but nothing too serious as in Canterlot. I hope that I had not just blown it by hurting Prince Blueblood. I sat down and the mane six, excluding Pinkie were also finding places to sit next to Twilight.

The train ride back was short and quiet until Rainbow broke the silence.

"I don't think any of us are that mad about it, Arthas. If I were you I would have done the same thing to protect one of my friends." I blinked in slight confusion at the use of the word ‘friend’.

Eventually the other three ponies mumbled in agreement. Twilight had remained silent and I looked at her. Twilight glanced at me and nodded slowly. I was forgiven.

"Rainbow, I am glad that I have you and your friends support in this world, For if I didn't I would have surely gone mad."

"It's nothing..." Rainbow said modestly.

A short while later we had arrived in Ponyville.

"Welcome Arthas: this is your new home." Twilight said.

The town looked peaceful and spacious. A nice quiet place to live; at least from the looks of it.

"I think I'm going to like it here." I said with a satisfied grin.