Kingdoms (reboot)

"My deepest apologies, Empress, we'll leave to find Queen Torna's yurt," Queen Bithia said, relieved that they didn't dump the blame on Ares, but worried what Honorius- or, whomever attacked the girl, might do next.

The two Queens walked down the hall to the door, when suddenly Bithia heard voices coming from the kitchen.

Suspicious voices.

She stopped in her tracks, and quietly got closer to the door, trying to make out what the voices were saying. The voices suddenly stopped and everything was dead quiet. Thinking that it must be more assassins planning to attack somepony else, she grabbed the dagger she carried around in her formal slippers for emergencies, and ran into the kitchen, yelling her ear deafening war call.

What she found was a tattered and torn little filly eating cake with a guard.

"Aah!"

Oreo heard the war call and ran to hide somewhere. The rebels had come to kill her! she hid under the guard. She was now broken and sobbing.

"D-don't let the rebels hurt me! I-I don't want t-to die."

She was curled up a ball, only her back and some of her mane were showing. She started shaking like a leaf.

Bithia immediately realized that their weren't any spies, just a harmless little filly eating cake.

She sat down, to get on the filly's level.

"I am sorry girl if I scared you, I mean no harm, and I'm quite sure I'm not any of those "rebels" thou speakest of," she said, holding out her hoof for a shake. "My name is Queen Bithia II, ruler of the fair Kingdom of Ares,"

Spell Tome ran up to the filly and apologized for how Bithia reacted. That wasn't the best introduction. Especially to a guard and a foal in the Crystal Empire.

"My deepest apologies for my marefriend's actions. We mean absolutely no harm to you. My name is Queen Spell Tome. And who might you be, little one? Oh, she's so cute!" Spell Tome couldn't resist hugging Oreo just out of adorableness.


Brawny looked at Calla in confusion, still amazed that somepony wanted their princess dead. "What have we done to anger other leaders?"

Oreo hesitated a moment then shook the mare's hoof.
"I'm princess Oreo from the fallen kingdom of Eris. It is a pleasure to meet you Queen Bithia II."
She smiled at the mare. She seemed nice, well, now she did. Oreo giggled at the other mare who had just now hugged her.

"We have done nothing but inherited the hatred between two rival kingdoms," Calla said darkly. "You know Equestria and the Empire have hated each other for centuries. Honorius has hated you for as long as you have ruled, and I can tell you that we were brought to you only because it was voted upon by the advisors to the King. His reign is falling apart. Desperate times call for extremely desperate measures."

In Calla and Brawny's forelegs, Nikki was whimpering incomprehensibly to her parents, but the name was clear in her mind and to her ears.

"Vassago, Vas, Vassago..."

"Princess? Oh my, a thousand pardons, Your Highness," Queen Bithia said, embarrassed that she hadn't recognized the Princess of Eris.

"Now that your kingdom is fallen, Princess, where are you to go?" She asked, concerned for the little child.

Oreo also wondered where she would go.
"Well, I don't know, really whatever kingdom takes me in. I wouldn't mind staying here but the rulers have so much to deal with right now that I feel like an extra thing to add on to their stresses."
She put on a fake smile so the queen wouldn't have to see the pain she was feeling emotionally and physically. She never wanted to be rude in her entire life, so she wouldn't let the mare know what was going on.

Bithia felt sorry for the little filly, which rarely happens. Not having a place to call home was hard, especially for a filly her age.

"Well, you will always have a home at Ares, in case staying in the Crystal Empire doesn't work out, but it will. Emperor Hooves is a kind stallion, and I don't believe he would reject a little filly that wants to live in his Empire," she said to her reassuringly.

Spell Tome's face lit up when the filly said she was looking for a home. She really wanted to have a foal, and having Oreo would skip all the trouble of carrying it and raising it from a baby. She would have loved to have done that, but it must be really stressful.

"Yes, we'd love to have you in our empire! But, it's ultimately your choice. If you want to stay with the Crystal Ponies, that's fine. If you want to live with Queen Bithia and I, that would be great! Let us know when you've made your decision, Princess."

Spell nodded respectfully to Oreo. She may have been of higher rank than her, but she had to show respect to this poor little filly.

Oreo smiled a bigger and actual smile at the mare.
"I may take you up on that offer."
She giggled and ate her cake again, like the last one it had seemed to disappear. She wasn't full but she wasn't that hungry after the second piece. Oreo put her dish in the sink like she should. Even though she was royalty, she shouldn't have other ponies do what she can do on her own.

Spell Tome was excited to hear Oreo's response. She'd love to have a foal, even though she was still only fifteen. Ares was a very military place, and Bithia influenced that. They could use something sweet like a filly to lighten the tension in the palace. Spell knew what Ares would have been like if she hadn't arrived. An unstable kingdom hell bent on war with absolutely no economy.

"We happily await your answer, Princess. Maybe you'd like to take a stroll with us? If that's okay, dear Bithia."


Brawny Hooves thought for a moment. It was likely that Vassago had something to do with it. But it could have just been coincidence. There were many suspects. Vassago was just a very likely one. He did mess with Nikki's mind when they first met.

"It is very likely, yes. But there are many ponies who could want her out of the way. Maybe one of our nobles?"

"This evening has been a bit... trying. Tensions in the capitol of the crystal empire have escalated a tad since a certain princess was almost killed. If you hadn't heard."

OzyManedias III grimaced as he felt his back. "I appear to have a couple knots. In Eremus we usually have Meretrix to... help." He paused for a moment before stammering an apology. "N-not to imply anything suggestive! A mare of your station deserves the utmost respect. I would not ask any other." OzyManedias gave her a winning smile. "May I join you?"

"Of course" she says, giving a somewhat gentle smile. She laughed inwardly at the stallion's stammering. She finishes removing her breastplate and lights a few candles and a bit of incense. "But, may I ask, in what do you wish to join?"

OzyManedias let out a little chuckle as Torna removed the last of her armor. "It is funny. I don't think in all my memory I have not seen you without some bit of armor on."


Vassago stormed through the streets with a surly expression.
"Shut up." He said. His annoyed expression worsened as he rounded a corner. "No I am not mad at you." His eyes rolled. "No. I am fine. Now If you excuse me. I have a ruined social life that may need to be ruined some more."

He paused for a moment, and a little smile crept across his face. "No I am not smiling." He scowled and continued towards the castle.

"Well, that's odd" she said, waving out the match she had lit the candles and incense with. She slipped on her robe from before, including the shawl, and tied a rope around her waist. "Come in," she said, and gestured for him to take a step further in. Doing so would get a better look at the inside of the yurt. There were small piles of gold, a pot of swords or two, some furniture, tapestries, and a shield upon the wall bearing Torna's family crest.

OzyManedias meandered into the inner chamber. He observed everything, taking it all in.
"Quite the spoils." He said, slightly impressed. "Thank you." He nodded gratefully for the invitation.

He looked at the many treasures in the room curiously.

"Do you like what you see, Shahanshah?" Torna inquired, approaching the stallion.

"Mmm." OzyManedias smiled at the monarch. "I do, in fact."

He met the Queen Torna and his smile turned into a clever grin. "Now tell me, with all these treasures in this room..." He passed by Torna and let his tail slide under her chin. "What would I have to do to borrow one? Just for one night?" He let out a quick exhalation of breath through his nose. "I promise not to break it."

"Well, 'tis the festival of love. I suppose I could let you borrow a jewel for a night..." Torna says, a bit of suggestion in her voice. "So Shahanshah, what do you plan to do with your treasure?" Torna questions curiously.

"Well, Regina." OzyManedias said, putting a hoof to his chin in contemplation. "Normally I just enjoy basking in the beautify of the thing. But tonight seems like just as good a night for a more hooves on approach to the appreciation of art." His hoof slowly wrapped itself around the midriff of the monarch.

"Is that so, Shahanshah?" Torna said. She was blushing a little now. "Well then, if it was to be any time, you picked the right time." She said this, motioning towards the bed. "It is the festival of love."

"Yes, as you are so fond of reminding me." OzyManedias III chuckled he grabbed the queen and threw her onto the bed. "Now, lets get on with it shall we?"

"Indeed" Torna said.

Kissing the queen on the nape of her neck, he took off his crown and set it on the mantle near the bed. OzyManedias let his tail caress her ear playfully as he passed her to the open door, taking a moment to close and lock it.

click

The morning rays peeked through a crack in the yurt and lay on his eyes, waking the sleeping king. OzyManedias rose up and stared admirably at the sleeping form of Queen Torna. He quietly rose and walked to a nearby water basin, splashing his face to clear it of morning fog and grogginess.