Wizard_in_Equestria Chapter 14

Chapter 14
>Nice ass.
>You’re being led through the halls of the castle by a lieutenant of the royal guard.
>Her name is Valorous Heart.
>She was reluctant to let you inside the castle when you first approached the gates but after you told her who, and what, you are she opened the big gates.
>She had insisted on leading you to the throne room.
>You know you should be looking at the beauty of this place but you can’t get your eyes off the white pegasus walking in front of you.
>You and Derpy had said goodbye to each other early in the morning, she had gone to her muffin convention and you to the castle.
>Val: “So how long have you been in here? In Equestria I mean.”
>You snap out of it.
“Umm…” How long have you actually been here? You lost count of the days after your coma.
>Let’s see. One month then you fought that demon, another month in coma, two weeks with Rainbow Dash.
“Just over two and a half months.”
>Valorous Heart eyes you for a moment before giving you a small smile. “I’m glad you can cope with us p0nies.” She pauses. “Some of us are a bit… annoying.”
>You can only think of a few.
 “It’s not that bad.”
>It was worth back on Earth.
>???: “Lieutenant Heart, why are you not on your post?”
>You turn your head towards the voice.
>A large blue unicorn in heavy armour is looking very angry.
>Val: “Sorry sir.” She points at you. “I was just showing Anonymous here to the throne room.”
>The stallion reminds you of somep0ny, you’re not sure who.
>???: “I will do that, get back to your post Lieutenant.”
>Val: “Will do Shining Armour.”
>Ahhh.
>He’s Twilight’s brother.

>SA: “I’m sorry for the behaviour of my lieutenant she should have stayed at the gates and called for me.”
>You don’t really understand why he is apologising.
>Probably a military thing.
“It’s alright.”
>He leads you through the hallways leading to the throne room.
>You liked the view better when Valorous Heart was walking in front of you.
>You look at your surroundings and take in all the beauty of the decorations of the place.
>You approach a huge door made of oak and decorated with gold, silver and gemstones.
>SA: “Here we are, you may enter when ready ambassador.”
>You don’t really like that title.
“Call me Anonymous or Anon I don’t like formalities.”
>He nods, wishes you a good day and leaves.
>You take a deep breath and open the doors.
>The light emanating from the room is so strong it blinds you.
>When your eyes adjust to the lighting you take a quick glance around the room taking in all scenery in a couple of seconds.
>You turn your gaze to the princess sitting on a large throne in the far end of the throne room.
>Cel: “Anonymous! What a pleasure to see you.” She gets up and walks down to greet you.
“Hello Celestia.”
>Cel: “What are you doing here the changeling delegation doesn’t arrive until the end of the week?”
>Your smile drops.
“I needed to get away from P0nyville for a while.”
>She gives you an assuring smile and motions for you to walk with her.
>You walk around the castle just small talking but when you reach the gardens Celestia sits down on a bench and asks you a question you would rather have avoided. “Tell me, Anonymous, what is troubling you?”
>Do you tell her you had sex with Rainbow Dash and that she left?
>As if.
“Rainbow Dash moved out and I felt like I needed a vacation.”
>Vague much?
>Actually you long a bit for P0nyville now.
>But being away from it all will be good for you.
>Cel: “Are her wings healed? How great.”
“Her wings are still broken…”
>Oh no, now she’ll start asking questions.
>Cel: “She just left her friend? That is very unlike her.”
>You give her a half-hearted laugh. “Yeah… I don’t know why.”
>She looks really sceptical.
>Better change the subject.
“So about last time we talked.”
>Celestia blushes. “My behaviour was… improper, I’m sorry.”
>She’s sorry?
“I’m not mad. I was thinking that we could have a little fun one of these days.”
>You hear Luna’s voice in the back of your head: ´Molestiaaaa~`
“But with less alcohol though.”

>You are shown your room not long after by Valorous Heart.
>You asked Celestia to have her as your personal guard while you are staying at the castle.
>It’s big and luxurious, the tapestry is red and orange with delicately crafted complicated patterns, from the balcony you have a view over the gardens, there is a desk of mahogany and a matching cupboard, in the middle of the room is a large round bed with silk sheets and pillows.
“Hmm… that will suffice.”
>Inside you are screaming like a little filly.
>You have never lived in a place so luxurious in your life.
>Val: “I’ll stand guard outside your door for the next couple of hours. I’ll be there if you need me.”
>You nods and smile.
>After unpacking you throw yourself in bed, grab the nearest pillow and take a powernap.
>Something you have needed since this morning.
>You slept like shit with Derpy snoring into your ear.
>Not as pleasant as sleeping Twilight.
>Sleep finds you in less than five minutes.
>You have the same dream as last night only Twilight is changed subtly so she becomes a little more equine.
>You wake up not long after.
>You wonder what it is Twilight wants to tell you at the end of your dream.
>You have an idea.
>It’s only a dream though.
>You look at the time.
>You’ve only slept for an hour but you are a lot less tired than before.
>After putting on some clothes and washing your face you open your door and invite Valorous Heart in.

>It’s time to work.
>You have no idea how to save Equestria from potential disaster so you need a place to start.
“Valorous Heart, I have a few questions, would you like to answer them for me?”
>Val: “Shoot. And call me Heart.”
>Heart… Got it.
“Okay Heart, I need some information on the changelings, what is Equestria’s relationship with the Changeling Empire?”
>She looks at you as if you had fallen down from the moon or something.
>Val: “Right you just got here. Just over a year ago the changelings tried to invade Canterlot. They were beaten and the treaty of Canterlot was signed.”
>Treaty? You might be able to use that.
“What treaty? What does it entitle?”
>She sighs and explains.
>Apparently the Treaty of Canterlot is an agreement between the p0nies and the changelings creating peace between them for a year.
>It also created a ´no-man’s-land` in a small three miles wide stripe composed of the borderland of the Changeling Empire and Equestria.
>You might be able to use that.
“What happened after?”
>Heart sighs and continues. “Soon after Kardarad, the ambassador you are meeting, rose in power and gained much support from many of the less prominent changeling clans.”
>With a very weird and exaggerated hand movement a quill and a piece of paper takes shape in your hand.
“What clans are ´pro` Kardarad and who are con?”
>Val: “Well I don’t all of the clan names, but the ones I know are supporting his rise in power are: Nebur, Icniv, Olegnalehcim…”
“Hold on a second.” You say as you scribble down notes about changeling society and politics. “How do you spell Oleg… something?”
>Val: Olegnalehcim. O-l-e-g-n-a-l-e-h-c-i-m. Got it?”
>You nod.
>Val: “Ossacip and Tenom support him as well. And those are some of the big clans they all have a hive of their own. Though they have lost power in the last couple of centuries they are still a force to be feared.”
>You did not expect her to know so much about them.
>Or maybe that is just common knowledge.
“Are there any clans that are openly against him?”
>Valorous Heart nods and continues. “Clan Leahpar often criticises Kardarad for his obsession with the occult and changelings listen to that clan. Leahpar owns the second biggest hive in the Empire.”
>You write the last few things down and ask her, out of curiosity, why she knows so much about changelings.
>Heart blushes for a moment before regaining her composure. “I used to date a changeling back when there was peace between us.”
>That still doesn’t explain why she knows so much about current af…
“I still have contact with her even though we live far away from each other.”
>Ahh. That explains it.
>Wait a second… She’s a lesbian.
>You take her off of your mental ´buck list`.
“Dismissed.” You say with a small amount of disappointment in your voice.
>She rises and goes for the door before stopping and inviting you to some after work fun with her and some of the other guards.
>Tonight is poker night.

>You arrive at the barracks later after taking a short bath and getting some food.
>There was a wide array of exotic vegetarian courses you had never imagined existed.
>You ended up eating some hay fritters and a dandelion sandwich.
>At first you hated the bitter taste of dandelion but you had grown to love them living with Twilight, she really likes dandelion sandwiches.
>The hay fritters are only for the fibres as your stomach can’t digest cellulose.
>You brought a bottle of water so you can show of later.
>A guardsp0ny notably younger than Valorous Heart beckons you inside one of the barracks.
>Steadfast as you would later know him by is a real party animal, much like Pinkie Pie.
>He seats you next to Heart and an old black lunar guard with a large scar on the right side of his face.
>Val: “This is Steadfast, Moonshine” what a silly name. “and Dawnwing.” She points to a golden-maned pegasus at the other end of the table.
>He is shuffling the cards, he looks a little uneasy having you around.
>Stead: “Let’s get this party started.”
>Moonshine looks over at you, takes a sip of a small bottle to his left side and asks you if you know the rules of poker.
>You know the rules but you suck so hard that only with the direct intervention of the goddess Fortuna would you be able to win.
>You lie through your teeth and tell him you’re a total pro.

>An hour and two bottles of hard liquor later and you are given a new hand.
>Here you can’t win bits.
>Instead you can get rid of some of your duties as the losers will get to do your dirty work.
>You already have to scrub the barrack floor with your toothbrush.
>Twice.
>Good thing you’ve watched Fantasia.
>These cards are actually really good.
>Let’s see if you can manage to no screw up like you did at that royal flush.
>You agree on the duties.
>Moonshine folds.
>For the past four rounds you have been trying to decipher the facial expressions of the p0nies you are playing with.
>Steadfast’s is the easiest to read, his poker face is worse than yours.
>Dawnwing is a little harder to read but in the millisecond he sees the cards his face makes very clear expressions.
>Moonshine’s and Heart’s poker faces are bulletproof.
>Steadfast is going to bluff his way through this, Dawnwing’s cards are good, you don’t know about Valorous Heart.
>You really try your hardest to win this time which you succeed in.
>For once.
>Not long after you call it a night and you are walked back to your room by Moonshine who lives in the East wing. Apparently he’s some veteran officer from some forgotten war against the griffons.
>You strip down completely and dump your drunken ass in your bed.
>You dream about Twilight again this time she has a more purplish hue though.
>You are going to have to find out what this dream means one of these days.