The Death of a Prince - ACT VI

By Stormstride Cloud

The party of Canterlot ended after only a couple more days. Stormstride had paid for pretty much all the food and drink, and then paid for extra cleaning to be done to return the middle and lower class sections to a neat and tidy order before she left. As her escort returned to the train with her, they were able to still afford a private car for themselves and their Lady. Lady Stormstride had thought ahead it seemed, and brought either a very large coin purse or her name alone was worth a good deal of credit; because after a party with the local populous that lasted several days, plus cleanup afterward she was still buying things.

It was as she was boarding that she took time to speak to her friends Prince Blueblood and Psmith about the time they had together during her vacation. Blueblood was quite happy she seemed to mellow out away from the castle, and figured it was still bitter resentment over multiple imagined slights she felt wronged her in the past, though he could not be absolutely certain. Maybe it was just the fact she was with ponies she had known and was attempting to show off for them a bit, displaying her new wealth and power to ponies that once looked her and only saw the armored stallion. Having enjoyed their company through the holiday, and loving their personal touches added to it, Stormstride made note to invite them to her next celebration just because it was so much more fun to share.

"I dare say comrade Stormstride, you are a mare that enjoys a long party. We must certainly come to Kastrot to see this event again next year. I must confess I am still inclined to continue the festivities of such a revel, where the nobility are fraught with naught but a little wine and inclined to mingle with the populace of their fair cities," Psmith spoke very smoothly and happily of the event. He was always glad to partake in the festivities, being the professional social butterfly he was and yet also a very good friend of Blueblood.

"Quite. It was rather relaxing to get away from the upper duties of one's station for a few days and enjoy a bit of revelry with the common pony folk of Canterlot. I would have liked to invite Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna to join, but they declined as their duties prevent them from taking too much time away; I will be certain to bring my mare friend next time, so she can enjoy the downtime with me... err us. However, there is an occasion coming up. Is it not CaramelCream's birthday soon? Would it be terribly much to ask that you come to Canterlot and join us at the palace for a celebration of it?" He asked, as poised and proper as ever he could be around this particular mare. He had come to understand that Stormstride was as predictable as her name would suggest, attempting to walk through a raging storm in the clouds.

"I believe that would be a lovely idea. Her birthday is two months hence. When I return home, I'll gladly send word back on if she agrees. She would love to show off her cutie mark and her new skills in making treats. She has become quite the little baker, thinking up pastry ideas faster than she can get them to paper. She has been asking about you both recently as well. I'm fairly certain the chance to come see her Uncles would do wonders for her. She's become quite the lady now, and would love to show you both how skilled she has become in life, and demonstrate her new knowledge of politics," Stormstride said with pride, but what parent could not help but be proud and brag on their children a bit? With that, she said her final farewells and boarded her coach with her guards, whom seemed more relaxed now.

As the pair of stallions bid their lady friend farewell, they watched her train pulling away. Psmith was watching her movements, her sway in hip and how she seemed different now that she was in just her plain toga. He could see it, but not yet place it in his mind what about her form had changed. He had known she was originally born a stallion, and had body built to hide that mare-like body. However after fully embracing herself as she wanted to be, she found almost everything about herself she loved. Psmith would need to get an appointment with her dressmaker for Bluebelle the next available point, as his good friend here would certainly look most ravishing in something Maretonian in design. Even if she had changed in body size and apparently some shape he had not placed yet, she looked rather gorgeous; she had a glow about her that was new and most unusual.

"Is it just me or has she put on a fair bit of weight since we have seen her last? She seems to be a bit more round in her belly, or am I just imagining that?" Blueblood asked Psmith after Stromstride's train was a fair distance away. That line of query was like a lightning bolt right to Psmith's brain as he grabbed the prince and rushed back to their carriage. Fairly dragging the noble stallion inside and slamming the door, though this had become a sort of expected ritual for Blueblood, as Psmith was known to do this when something struck him, and given the near ear to ear grind Psmith must have some idea in his head now.

"Sir, I believe you are correct, but more so, did you noticed the manner of her dressing recently? Not the loose fitting cotton togas of her first days as Lady Stormstride, nor the brilliant frilled Satin of her wedding gown layered and fluffed until one could barely discern the shape of her body. No my lord, she had herself adorned in beautiful form fitting and tight silk and weave that a proper lady... in fact a proper mare should wear. Why the sudden change in her clothing style from very loose and casual, to a tighter, more form fitting clothing that showed off her assets as much as her wealth, and revealed to all that she was gaining weight except to make a singular profound statement that only a mare makes when she is good and ready to put it in to words and pour them forth with as if glorious ...." Psmith rambled on as he thumped the carriage wall to signal the driver to start.

"Psmith! If you would kindly make your point?" Blueblood said, rather irritated at this point as he was tired and would like to get to bed at some point in that afternoon. He was trying to process what Psmith was saying, but the stallion spoke far too quickly and with too much flare for the prince to make it out clearly.

"The Lady Cloud, my dear prince is showing off her 'foal bump' and daring some pony to speak of it so that she may properly gloat in her revel. Is it not odd for mares under the sway of soon coming motherhood to be a bit... irrational at times? And perhaps she may have been a bit moody and in need of her stallion's soothing voice to calm an irritation of her mentalities. Perhaps not taking first place in several categories, she felt offended and her mood swung." Psmith joked with the prince, as he watched the look upon his face go from a slightly tired confusion, to a wide awake realization that his friend was now not only a fully-fledged mare, but pregnant to boot! Blueblood sat in his subdued silence for a while, letting that rest in his mind and find its proper place of memory as Psmith droned on about the need to send a gift and explain it to all the other ponies that found her mannerisms in poor taste.

Blueblood nodded, though he was personally thinking more about the implications of how she did this so quickly. Such spells usually needed time to harmonize with the body of the wielder, and in cases of major and likely permanent changes as this, years. Aside from all this, she had wasted no time in baring the foals of her husband, though that was nothing new with newlyweds. Blueblood had seen it in the nobility of Canterlot as well, especially in the younger members of noble families when they took to marriage.

As he pondered how she had done this act of magic it also dawned on him the deep significance of her profound devotion to her new life. She felt not only confident enough to fully embrace becoming a mare so quickly after settling in a new country and marrying, but she also felt it was safe and stable enough to bare foals in her position. She was certainly very confident in her abilities as a minor nobility now, almost brazen as it were, in securing her bloodline and expanding her family. That may not settle as well as she hoped with other nobles, but then Stormstride had her way with words and that strange look she could cast frightened his aunts even. Blueblood had said nothing of it, however he had seen it.

Stromstride herself sat in the back of the private car, lounging on the sofa that looked out the windows at the passing world, one hoof propping her up, the other softly caressing the slight swell of her belly. She adored the thought of motherhood more and more each passing day, and knew that Lady Heart Stopper would be pleased indeed, as the first child of Feather Touch and Stormstride Cloud was to be under her tutelage once it came of age.

Stromstride cooed softly as she felt the gentle hooves of one of her guard ponies come on her shoulders and begin to massage, while another offered her a sip of cool water from a lovely silver goblet. Stromstride had certainly come to enjoy the finer things in life, and made no effort to hide the fact that she did have her own little harem. Then again, so did Feather Touch, and she knew the stallion was likely enjoying those ponies as much as she enjoyed her own when they were apart from each other; after all what pony in their position wouldn't?

However, Stormstride had never allowed another stallion to seed her womb, and not even Heart Stopper herself would be able to change that fact just yet. That was for only her husband to do. That was his place and his place alone and she made certain of that by more than one magical spell. Her stallions knew as well this single, simple fact, and adhered to it strictly. Now that she was pregnant however, they were more gentle, and slower to begin anything with her. Tending her needs was a matter of more than duty, because she always tended theirs. This was more a time where they seemed to admire her glow than just her form, and tending their lady was an act of loving devotion to her, as she cared for each of her soldiers as though they had been born together.

She gave a gentle sign and let them massage her shoulders as she sipped the water and let her stallions feed her sliced fruit dipped in honey. She loved this attention, as much as she loved being filthy rich. Her plans had been well laid before she arrived the first time in Kastrot. She needed artifacts first, and spent much time hunting them down. Once she found the sword of her ancestor Lord BlusterWind Cloud, she spent a week learning about him, and his abilities. He was magically weak, however he was a master sword's pony. He combined intense defensive ability with sudden bursts of ferocious attacks using ethereal duplicates of his blade to surround and slash his opponents, or hold them at bay with multiple menacing blades.

Practicing this technique alone took Stormstride almost a month of time to grasp how to cast the spell, followed by another month of learning how to control it. Satisfied that she knew what she was doing now, she made first for the castle of another Maretonian Noble, taking advantage of his utter lack of concern in the fact she was coming to claim something his family had stolen ages ago. She challenged him to combat in the old way, and he selected a rather impressive brute of a unicorn to battle her. Stormstride tried not to pull the blade against this foe, as it was not her target however his physical prowess and strength proved greater than her own as she stopped bulking her body. She was forced to draw her blade, which only seemed to rile him more.

In the end, she summoned the spell, and left the stallion minus his horn, and his front legs. Turning her blades upon the noble, she advanced but no pony came to his aid. Stormstride had the look of blood in her eyes and was ready to have it, had the noble not given into her demands and granted her the Cloud family fortunes and tomes. With those now in her possession, she returned to Fet Loch to her post and began her studies. It was there she used modern maps of Maretonia to place, land, and learn of everything she could. All the burials of her ancestors, her kin that had died in battle or been stolen and murdered secretly were uncovered for her by the near perfect records kept by her forefathers.

Further still, she now had the vast bulk of the family fortune returned to her and storing it in a Maretonian bank to prevent drawing undue Equestrian attention was prudent. She had her armor sent off for repairs as she spent time learning new spells, and dabbling in secrets of her family past. It was only then when she herself felt more confident and had added more power and training to her arsenal of spells and secret weapons, she took another trip to Maretonia, this time to Kastrot and stood before Heart Stopper herself. Heart Stopper was no fool it seemed, as the mare pushed for a deal and never once motioned to any of the guards around her.

Stromstride was relieved, but also now curious. Feather Touch had met her in the market there, and shared only part of his story with her as to his reason for appearing there. The rest of his sad tale she found out after they were betrothed as part of Heart Stopper's solution to the events. At first, both had only accepted it as a marriage of convenience and figured on divorce at a later date. However, the heart will do as it will, either by some spell Heart Stopper put on them or by the natural course of those which are fated to be together they found love in each other.

With that love, they found strength and family was bonded tight as the forged chains that held the gates of her castle wall closed. Though now her mind turned from the wealth and beauty of her home, to the darker thoughts of revenge. That had been the whole point of this venture in her life, to establish herself with the means and knowledge to break any pony that had wronged her. She just needed one thing first. As she had poured over resources, she found one indication of an ancestor of her own with no recorded name, and that he had died around the same time as her namesake, Lady Stormstride Cloud the Greater.

However, Stromstride the Greater's own journals made no mention of his name. Just that he was her brother and they went to battle the great wendigo together, however that she ended up facing it alone. She vanished and not long after her brother was dead. Following all leads, any clue she could find, the mare found her way into a dark, ancient chamber well below the surface of the land. Inside she found a tomb that was carved with cursed marks of sealing. Was this the tomb of her ancestor?

As she broke the seals, she felt the place grow cold and began to grow more nervous; however the tomb only contained a journal and nothing more. She paced out with the book in hoof, irritated at the false lead until she began to actually read it. Now this journal had become her obsession, as the writer was indeed a pony of great power. She could learn much from him, and had already as he detailed spells he used most often to control undesirable ponies that meddled in his affairs.

That was where she first learned dark magic. A far darker kind than she thought possible, and yet it felt oh so familiar to her. Among the spells the seemingly infinite journal contained, were spells to change oneself into anything one could imagine. Stormstride found little application for transforming herself into a stone statue to escape notice or protect herself from harm, however she did feel that permanent transformations of the body were more useful. It was with such a spell that she and several of her hoof maidens turned her into a proper mare.

Stormstride wasted no time in presenting her new form before Heart Stopper for approval, and much to her own liking, Heart Stopper approved. A strong, powerful body with the frame of an ample mare of decent proportions, and the lust for power she herself possessed, but in a subservient way that Heart Stopper found pleasing to the ears and eyes. In all things that Stormstride had become, Heart Stopper was delighted to see the former Equestrian mare turn on her fellow ponies so easily and embrace her Patron's point of view for the most part. Stromstride played her part well, keeping a healthy sized workforce of unpaid labor, though they were provided everything they needed and more than Heart Stopper felt they deserved.

Stromstride explained it away as just a way to get better work from the same horse. Tricking them into believing they had it great, she could coax so much from then with only sweet words; however the truth was so dark it might offend even Heart Stopper herself. Stormstride had learned to twist the minds of others and burn their former passions to ash. She had many under her hoof that were prisoners of the Heart clan, now serving as basic slaves of whim to Stormstride in her house. Two of which proved very fruitful as street cleaners under the spells she placed on them. Still others were Equestrians she had at one time called her fellow soldiers. That thought made a cruel smile grace the mare's lips as she felt her stallions tending her needs on the train ride to Manehattan.

Looking to her little harem as her mind came back to the present, she cooed out a smile with a soft sigh and gently pushed the food aside, laying back as she closed her eyes and felt them gently cover her and align the pillows around her to make her comfortable. Her mind drifted as she began to fall asleep, and she let the peaceful dreams take her to that magical place where she could be happy. She could hear them speaking softly, probably preparing to play cards and take shifts on watch for the duration of the train ride home. They had not book an express ride, as the bumpy stress would likely to disturb their mistress in her relaxation; instead they opted for the slower trip with a few stops along the way to allow them all a stretch of the legs after being in the private coach for a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feather Touch was indeed enjoying his own harem at his leisure, taking time to surrender to the gentle caress of his wings as they tended massaging his body with a warm massage. Feather was a stallion of simpler pleasures than that of his wife. Only a few mares made up his entire harem, all of them quietly tending his wants with gentle hooves and soft whispers, and all of them were average mares of a similar age to himself.

This was what he craved, not the lavishness of a minor noble, nor the greater power he had over other ponies; it was the quiet comfort of being desirable and having his ego stroked as any stallion his age would want. His harem was less a harem and more his apprentices under the craft of spa and aroma therapy, each demonstrating their ability to their teacher as they worked together to lull his body into a fully relaxed state upon the table. The warm, full scent of fruit scented steam mixed with a floral lotion being gently worked into his body brought him a very wonderful sense of nirvana he had rarely found back home in Equestria. He was always working, having passed up late nights with the mares of his neighborhood for the desire to keep working.

It was therefore with a rather simple smile that the simpler stallion looked up to greet his friend Earth Writer when the reporter came to see him; the gentle knock up on the ajar door before it swung open was their call sign to each other, letting them both know it who it was without need to have a servant dispatched just to announce that an expected friend had arrived. Earth Writer smiled back, almost chuckling at having caught his friend in such a compromising position, if he had not taken part in such little flings with Heart Stopper's personal massage ponies himself a few times.

"Well, well... The lady of the manor is out and the lord busies himself with the hoof maidens of the castle. Glad to see you embrace the joys of your new position in life my friend," Earth joked, as he took a seat in a chair. He soon found his hooves in a soak and one of the mares tending his shoulders and back, which pleased him very much. There was much to be said for a freely given massage when it came from the apprentice of a master masseur well known for his talent with scent and hoof. Though Feather Touch had schooled many ponies in technique alone, these girls were the ones he taught all his trade secrets too; and these would be the mares that would be called upon by Heart Stopper when she felt the need arise for new masseur ponies in her palaces.

"I spotted CaramelCream in the gardens with Thunderbuck when I arrived. I must say he seems rather different. No mask, sporting his own breast plate and having a full tea party complete with some of her latest cakes, all in broad daylight no less. He has either gained nerve or lost his mind. Though, given it is his niece with him and she is becoming quite the young maiden herself. Proper, poised and yet still maintaining that friendly air about herself. I dare say she has something of a way with whipped gooseberry cream too. Delicious, and the way she worked it into the Maretonian pastry is by far some of the best I have had in a long time," The earth pony said as he began to relax.

"Indeed, Thunderbuck has gotten a fair bit of confidence since he got home from his last trip. He keeps to the castle for now, but he has taken to spending more time without his mask. I think his trip to the Crystal Empire made him feel more empowered, given he has more magical power than he thinks. He's starting to test the waters on his own now, learning new spells and practicing them privately to get a better feel for his depths and limits. And our little Caramel has grown up a fair bit. She has been taking lessons and is now enjoying spending private time in the kitchens when she is finished with her lessons to try her own creations under the guidance of our chef. Soon enough she may be ready to attend a college and display her skills. But for now she stays here in the castle, or takes a pair of guards into town. Darling young mare isn't she? Though, still a foal at heart.

"Speaking of which, Stormstride will be heading home soon. She said she had quite the party in Canterlot, using a recent lesser observed holiday as an excuse to have all the common ponies come up and enjoy the wine she took, and hopefully start business trade with some of the vendors." Feather groaned out as the mares tending him worked his back.

Earth Writer chuckled as he relaxed himself, his pad coming up as his pencil came out from behind his ear. He had come here for a follow up interview to the wedding. Having given the couple a length of time to settle into their life and grow accustomed to their titles. He also noticed how after mentioning that CaramelCream was still a bit like a foal at her age, he said 'speaking of which' indicating that something about Stormstride was foal like in some way; though there was already a question he had been wanting to ask about that as his lips curled into a smile.

"So, are the rumors of her pregnancy true?" he asked quite bluntly after a bit. Earth Writer felt there was no real need to dance around the issue since the pair were friends and had known each other long enough. Both were stallions of close age and had more than once shared drinks in the lounge on the ground floor; so there was no real need to mince words just to ask if his friend's wife was expecting.

"Oh. They are true indeed. But what Stormy doesn't want any pony to know just yet is that its triplets. She wants to plan an announcement party so please don't print this detail just yet; just put that she is about a third of the way to term. Stormy hasn't decided on nursemaids nor has she selected her midwife yet. She wants a natural birth here at home," Feather smiled at his friend and winked.

Earth nodded and made a note, knowing he was going to tell Heart Stopper this juicy detail anyway; though it was the party she held in Canterlot that made him most interested. He gasped as the mare tending him popped his neck. He shuddered as she giggled in his ear and teased him with a little nibble. Oh this was going to be a saucy massage was it? He smiled a bit coy-like before continuing.

"So this party she held? Can you describe it for me?" He asked Feather Touch as he watched the Pegasus' face for clues, and there were plenty to choose from on Feather Touch's face at the moment.

"I believe you are familiar with the recent worker's holiday that no pony pays attention too? We do. That particular day, we let the staff have the day off and Stromstride and I take to the kitchen to make a pack lunch for our family. Since most of the shops here in town are closed, we bypass the town and take the day to head out the back wall entry way. We head to the hills in the West and have a picnic lunch. Of course we take a few guards with us, and Stormy always has her armor ready, but we have never had issues. We take the day to just relax and let our minds be at ease, forgetting our responsibilities for a day unlike most of our fellow nobles.

"Stormy decided that it was proper to demonstrate to Canterlot the great pleasures we in Maretonia enjoy so often. That and I honestly think she wanted an excuse to party and see if there were more ponies that wanted to join us here in our little patch of paradise. You and I both know she got her revenge on most of the ponies that hurt her by now, and the rest are not worth her time now. We don't exactly have need of more toilet scrubbers. Though, we always have need for more guards to protect and enforce Heart Stopper's interests in our part of the land. Especially with the aggressive expansion of our vineyards and the disputes with Lord Ironhoof. Speaking of him, he has grown rather daring lately, demanding tribute as if he were our patron and not Lady Heart Stopper. We bought the land near him, fairly from what I understand, and while yes it is on another island we have yet to post guards there so not to raise tensions higher. Stromstride does not yet want to post them there, in the hopes that Ironhoof will calm down and leave that new vineyard alone. It is not wine grapes we are growing there, but food grapes to provide a healthy snack for the school to give out freely, and make a place for the foals to take trips to that can help them learn about natural sciences."

At that Earth burst out with a loud and hearty 'HA!' before making some notes. His eyes dipping down to his notes as he looked over what he had heard so far. Nothing new to report there, given that the last time he had seen Ironhoof in the courts, the stallion had made it very clear he did not respect any 'Equestrian muddy blooded half mare that fancied herself well with a sword.' He pondered using that quote a second time.

Though the addition of teaching natural sciences in addition to the required rhetoric surprised him; that would mean Stormstride hired in a teacher specifically for that subject and teacher wages were not in expensive by any means. Even poorly rated teachers were costly to import in and provide housing and food for. How was Stormstride able to pay for all of this? She had cornered the wine business on Kastrot, and become a strong competition across a fair portion of Maretonia. Though, as far as Earth Writer knew, she was not in serious business of pushing into other businesses. Her farmlands were still just a bit more than she needed to feed her town, and she kept the extra in stores for times of shortage. She had a lumber mill constructed and received shipments of fresh timber from up river, though she paid for that wood in coin.

Perhaps she had challenged and defeated other nobles in open combat as she had before, taking wealth as her prize rather than dealing with the messy business of stripping another nobility of title and transferring all their property to herself. Then again, looking at the size of her town and the number of shops, she did have plenty to tax and her taxes were a bit higher. Though from what he understood, the majority of the tax went to Heart Stopper as tribute, and she only kept enough to pay her troops. Perhaps she was making coin hiring her soldiers out as mercenaries? That was an angle he would love to dig into. Stormstride the Gentle, a secret general of a mercenary fighting force that could break the back of an unwarranted uprising before it got momentum.

"What do you think about Stormstride collecting ponies like things for humiliating work because she feels they wronged her?" Feather Touch suddenly asked, breaking the reporter's train of thought and moving his tongue into action before his brain fully processed the question. Earth Writer blurted out his answer.

"You know it's all too easy for a strong pony to turn a weaker pony into a pawn. All it takes is the right words to turn a pony against themselves, and then one can feel that pony begin to put themselves in a box. Once done, I suppose that pony would be at the beck and call of the pony that was stronger. If the one that was stronger was inclined to feel this lesser pony had wronged them, I suppose it could be considered a justice, though I see no real need to drag it out as humiliation through demeaning work. Just mince words, get a round of hoofing out and be done with the matter if that's what needs be done," the reporter said. He was about to put that down when he caught himself. It would never do to put one's own opinions in an unbiased article. Shaking his head he looked at Feather Touch and saw it on his face that the Pegasus had his own thoughts.

Earth saw it in his friend's eyes, there was something wrong in his castle and it scared the Pegasus. Stormstride was deeply loyal to those that were loyal to her, and the moment that loyalty was broken, he felt it was possible that Stromstride might make a judgement that was far less than fair and far meaner than it was ever possible for even Ironhoof to be. Ironhoof came very close the last time he crossed Stormstride's path in the courts to finding out first hoof how well she could wield that blade she carried with her at all times. Then again, perhaps she was just a talented mage that could just see the weakness in a pony while fighting and exploit it to near lethal extent. It was no secret in the courts that Ironhoof knew how his rapier worked, and how to turn a pony inside out with it in a few swings.

It was as Earth was putting his pad and pencil away that he saw Feather was still looking at him. This was a matter not for the papers, and maybe... not for the ears of Lady Heart Stopper just yet. Feather stood and the girls left them as the pair of stallions went down to the lounge and shut the door. Once Feather locked it, Earth spoke plainly.

"What is this about Feather? Politics and judgement policies of nobility have never been your bit. You were always a pony of the people and a helping hoof to those in pain of the spirit. What has you so worried you would want to speak off the record like this? Especially locked away from your house staff and your own family like this matter is a murder you are trying to cover up; what gives?" The reporter took his usual seat, and was surprised to see Feather go right for the brandy. Usually they chatted first, and this was most out of character for Feather Touch.

"I think... I think my wife was dabbling in black magic. I've seen it myself. A dark violet, purple glow rather than the gray-blue color. Just the sight of it made me sick, and my stomach knotted up when she aimed it at a pony that couldn't have defended himself against her words, let alone her actions. He was blind, weak with hunger and fatigued from travel. He was surrounded by guards in heavy armor and they held weapons on him. He came here under her invitation and at first, he resisted the spell because he was a proud pony, and felt he had some worth left in himself even with the loss of his sight. And she twisted his mind like it was some toy and made him feel pain that was not his own. Maybe it was the pain he made her feel, through intentional or accidental means. But I watched his face begin to sink slowly as if he could see some great...terrible pain and could not look away.

"And then she berated him to the point he was in tears and begging her to end him for what he did to her. After that she came to him and lifted his head and let him know that she was satisfied that he felt her pain now. She had him treated by the best doctor in our town, and set him to work scrubbing the floors in the kitchen for no pay. He has a small room down there, and he acts like he has the most luxurious room in the castle. He lives with a bed, and a desk he cannot even see to use! His room has no lights in it because he's blind and doesn't need them as he says. He finds his way around by a spell that lets his mind see what is directly around him a few feet. He works more hours than the cooks and toilet scrubbers combined and he believes it's a great honor that Stormstride gave him a job in her home, that he can do and get free room and board out of it....what is she becoming?"

Earth Writer watched the Pegasus' hoof shaking as he tipped the glass to his lips and took it all in one gulp. Feather Touch was genuinely scared, and the reporter felt that his mistress would be as well, at least to some degree having seen first hoof how effectively quick Stormy could stop issues at the docks or in the slums with just a few troops and her commanding presence; not even mentioning the type and look of that dreadfully terrifying armor when it was being used for its intended purpose.

Stormstride has troops on par with her patron's own, and while Lady Heart Stopper could call for other nobles to back her up, this castle was a fortress on the high ground. It had catapults on the upper roof, and more than enough food stores to last a long siege. Add to that that Stormstride could and likely would conscript all the ponies in this town and they would do it willingly. She was a gentle noble to them, tending them with a kind hoof and loving words. She walked among her ponies and spoke to them.

She bought things in her town and invested in new stores. She promoted commerce with other nobles and especially the other Minor Nobles. If it came to a battle, she had plenty of other back up she could call for. As well as all that, then the lady herself, a hardened warrior with ample tricks up her armored sleeves and pregnant to boot, could likely take that dark magic and turn it into a weapon against any attack, sending them on themselves and their own leaders. So far, Stormstride had proven herself a wonderful asset to his mistress, and Earth Writer wanted it to stay that way. For now, he felt that maybe a little bias in his journalism was better. He had already sent many articles back to Equestria detailing how well Stormstride provided for the new Equestrian immigrants and set them up to not only survive, but become true Maretonians and fully thrive in this brave new land.

Earth Writer now began to see that he had helped Stormstride further her goals. She was made out to be a rags to riches story, and while mostly it was true he had still pointed out how her guest list at the wedding included the Prince of Equestria himself. 'How high had she risen?' was a thought that must have crossed the minds of ponies reading it that had once known her. Add to that following articles about her brother, the masked musician that Earth Writer had discovered in some small zebra themed inn and diner. Looking back now, it was like some fairytale, and she had been inviting others to share in that fairytale with her. Ponies back home must have looked at it and pondered how a pony of low standing and what was considered to be a poor guard suddenly became a wealthy heiress to a lost family fortune and now a competing pony in the economical standing here on Kastrot?

Earth sat to a drink that Feather passed him, as the pegasus was getting another for himself. Earth needed a moment to think and organize these thoughts before he took off on a wild flight of fancy. Stormstride was a well-trained guard pony. She had a family, had reclaimed her ancestral home and fortune, and worked it into a sizable business by savvy use of tongue and a bit of brute force when called for. She was not afraid to throw her weight around at all, as he could tell; add to that she had ample means of coercing the cooperation of her competitors into joining with her. She was a lovely mare to look at and likely had charmed a few with seduction and a mare's natural magic to see things her way, though Heart Stopper had her beat in spades. She had all but cornered the wine market on the island, and yet she made no move to push for more power.

She was nearly always at the beck and call of Mistress Heart Stopper, which meant she was a loyalist to her patron through and through. Earth Writer had even sent out an article of how fast and effective Stormstride had been in stopping a fight at the docks without so much as being called. She had apparently been arriving to oversee the arrival of some specific cargo for one of her own reasons, when some dock workers decided it was time to go on strike. They rallied against the space guards until Stromstride brandished her blade and they backed off. They had not taken it kindly either, as a few tried her and found she was agile and light on her hooves in that armor.

Then her own guards arrived, and not just unicorns but a whole platoon. They seemed to have a magical means of teleportation via homing stones attached to the armor that needed only a slight bit of magic from some of the unicorns in the group to activate. These had transported the troops Stormstride needed right to her side and she used them to coral the upset ponies until words were sufficient to get things moving again. A show of force that was both fast and effective impressed Heart Stopper, as the docks were only disrupted and nothing valuable was lost in a fight.

A few ponies needed stitches or a broken bone set, however nothing was fatal and Stormstride even denied that it was a grand feat, simply stating in her interview that it was her duty to defend the property and prosperity of Kastrot in the name of Lady Heart Stopper. Earth had loved that, and the readers had apparently eaten it up. A pony so loyal to the Lady that had risen her from the gutter to a palace life was a magical tale few lived to see.

Earth Writer was rubbing his chin still when he noticed Feather Touch was looking to him for answers. With a heavy sigh, the stallion reporter stood and moved to his friend. Gently patting his shoulder he spoke.

"I think you may need to sit and relax alright? Just set the glass down and let's talk about this like we always do. You think she is using dark magic? Well, in Equestria there are laws against it. But as far as I am aware, there are no laws like that here. It is up to each Patron Noble how to handle that. And so far, Heart Stopper is very pleased with how Stormstride handles things. She has avoided major damage to multiple places, quelled two incidents that would have become bloody if the local guards had needed to call for back up, and let's not forget, Ironhoof the Stuck Up needed to learn to respect Heart Stopper in her land. All of that, Stormstride did without causing much more than bloody noses and broken legs. That is a feat of both strength and magical might, but also of strong character. She doesn't hurt a pony until she has too. So she bruised a few egos and crushed a few overly prideful hearts, but who are we to say they did not deserve it? Maybe they had done something too her that caused her great pain, or hardship in her life to the point she felt the unrelenting need to show them that before they did it to some pony else." Here he paused to take a deep slow breath and let Feather Touch process a bit before continuing to speak.

"Maybe she is using Dark Magic, but look at the lives she has saved doing that. Look at your town my friend. These ponies look at you with respect and not begrudgingly. They respect you because you are her husband and she has given them a second chance to learn and grow as proper citizens of Maretonia. Think about that. If you still think there is something wrong, then.... Let's go to Heart Stopper together and seek her advice ok? She has always been fair about this sort of thing. Especially with ponies that serve her so well. She will take your words to heart and she will help you the best way she can," Earth Writer said.

The words seemed to work, as Feather Touch nodded and took a few breaths to calm himself down. He nodded after a bit, agreeing that it was best to seek out Heart Stopper's advice on this matter before going off the deep end. She was a wise mare to listen too, and Feather Touch knew you had to be to keep a tight rein on all the ponies on the island. He nodded and asked his friend to get a private council with her on this matter. Earth Writer nodded and moved to the desk in the lounge, penning out a request on behalf of his friend and folding it up. Sealing it with his own little seal that Heart Stopper had made for him, he gave it to a servant to have it sent off. It would only take two days to get there and get a reply back. Heart Stopper never failed to answer her pet reporter in a timely manner when he sent her a correspondence like this.

With that matter done, Earth suggested they get back to something more pleasant, and asked Feather if he had a favorite in his little collection of pretty mares. As the lord of the manor blushed deeply and admitted it the pair began a more light hearted conversation over drinks as a servant brought them a tray just in time for the clock to chime it was an hour past tea. Buck had noticed they had not taken tea yet and sent them something light to nibble on with the usual tea that Feather Touch enjoyed at mid-afternoon. The food, tea, and lighter conversation about which of those pretty mares Feather fancied the most got the Pegasus feeling much better, and that was satisfactory enough for Earth Writer to keep it a private matter until it was tended too by the Lady of Kastrot. Earth always took a few days when he came to see Feather Touch, catching up with a friend always netted juicy stories and Stormstride and Feather always seemed to enjoy the attention they got from it.