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A Princess' Steed

Chapter Five

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Written by Arian Mabe (Amethyst Mare)

Commissioned by Chris Silverhoof

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Later that night, in Canterlot...

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The black alicorn paced down the dark alleyway, blending into the night with the hood of her cloak pulled up over her head and a good portion of her muzzle too. With the fine garment - one from Canterlot Boutique, if the tag denoted it correctly - shielding her wings from view, she looked, to all intents and appearances, just like any other unicorn. Her silvery mane was finely curled and anyone watching would have thought that she was taking a shortcut to a party. And she had her alibi in place if anyone asked.

Wilda's lips twisted as she hurried on her way and her muzzle wrinkled. There were too many puddles to dodge - and who knew what was in them - round the back of Pony Joe's Donut Shop, but it was the required location for such a meeting. It was a vile and rank part of Canterlot to traverse - the back streets, that was - but she would not run the risk of being recognised up close, even if it seemed that not a single pony in Equestria or beyond knew or cared for her existence.

She growled deep in her throat, slamming a hoof into the cobblestones and leaving a broken one behind. No, they were far more entranced with the exploits of Princess Twilight and Celestia and Luna and whatever harebrained situation they'd gotten themselves wrapped up in again. What had been the last one? Something about the Changeling queen's subjects taking the places of the princesses? Every one of them? She scoffed. _She_would never have fallen for such a trick!

But no one remembered Wilda, always in the background and never in the spotlight. Celestia told her time and time again that it would be her time soon, but she'd had her time studying, waiting and watching for the right moment to spring forth, magic at her horn. They had forgotten her - all of them. Every last pony had thought she'd curl up with her books and scrolls and be happy to just wrap herself up in her sadness while they all played pretty princess games! Didn't they know just what they'd done? Didn't they know that they'd shut her out of their coveted private circle? And where was she? What was she, Wilda, to be left with when their stars were faded and dark?

Wilda inhaled deeply, slowing her heart beat and expanding her chest. It was no matter. She should not get so wound up over the injustices afforded to herself and her family. It would all be to their detriment in the end.

A castle guard, clad in the traditional golden armour, waited by a barrel marked with the carving of a Manticore. Slowing her pace, she walked up to him regally, lifting her hooves high. She did not need to throw her hood back from her head to show him who she was, but she did so anyway, taking pleasure in how his gaze travelled up her body to her horn.

Some ponies do still understand my power... They shall be spared.

"Ah, Divide, you have come as I asked."

The white stallion glanced back over his shoulder, a tuft of grey mane protruding from his helmet and his ears pinned to his skull. If he'd been on the battlefield, his neck would have snaked out, driving him to attack a foe. But it was a very different attack when one was conversing with Wilda. And one forever had to be on the tips of their hooves, waiting and watching.

Some were simply powder kegs, waiting to be set off.

"Are the plans in motion?" She asked simply.

The guard nodded, pawing at the ground.

"All is coming into place, my queen," he murmured deferentially. "There are other ponies who feel the same way. They are coming and meeting and their numbers are growing. All unicorns, they believe that you are showing them the way, my queen, and we shall usurp the ones that sought to pin us down."

Despite herself, Wilda allowed herself a little shiver of pleasure. Ah, it was such a delight when a plan came together just so. It was even better than the touch of moonlight on a bare, groomed coat.

"That is what I expected to hear, but we need more ponies. Always more."

She paced back and forth a few steps in the alleyway, eyes frenzied as she hurried from spot to spot, never really going anywhere. Divide gulped and looked down, digging in his hooves as instinct screamed at him to run. She was a danger to all and purely ruthless on her best day. But instinct demanded that he follow the strongest leader and he had found just that.

"I shall have Canterlot," she murmured, not really speaking to Divide anymore as she took pleasure in recalling her own carefully constructed plans. "If Twilight can have her castle and Cadenza rules The Crystal Empire, it shall only be fitting that I take the one where I was raised. Is the teacher you spoke of in the magic school on board also?"

She directed the last sentence at the guard, who nodded quickly. His mane stuck to the crest of his neck, his sweat the only open testament to the nerves that swamped him in Wilda's presence. Though what pony would be relaxed around her when in the knowledge that she was concocting such evil schemes? For there was no other word for a pony planning what she was, even if it was a means to a glorious, splendid end.

Divide steadied himself.

"Yes, she has been recruited and has taken the oath," he answered her question. "But she does not have the authority to prevent all ponies from the lower classes from joining the school. She has, however, managed to put off the applications of some from less than traditional upbringings."

Wilda nodded, a short, sharp bob of her muzzle conveying her acceptance.

"This is a beginning, but there is much work to be done. The magic school is accepting far too many young ponies that do not have the skills and standing in Equestria to deserve such an education. We are truly doing them a favour by showing them that they should be better placed elsewhere."

Her expression darkened.

"And with those ponies attending less prestigious schools, wherever those are to be found, perhaps fillies such as my cousin will not suffer such great injustices in the future. We are, after all, of the old families. Do you not agree?"

"Yes, my queen. She, that is to say, Studious Quill has suspicions that there may be other teachers within the school that feel the same way. As we speak, she is working her charm to see just who else may join our ranks in the one, true way."

If she'd been anypony else, Wilda would have beamed.

"Wonderful," she said, taking evident pleasure in rolling the word around her muzzle before speaking. "The more on the inside we have to monitor their learning and ensure only the highest ranking unicorns are taken further into the elitist of studies and schooling."

"We must, after all, keep to tradition. For where would we be if we let any old riff-raff into our most prestigious schools? We have already seen where that leads us."

She waved her hoof dismissively.

"You may leave. Ensure I am updated through our usual channels. I shall bring you word of our next steps when I have our preparations in order. It should not be a great span of time away."

The alicorn smiled, showing her teeth in an abrupt, blunt smile that was more predator than pony. Divide swallowed his fear and met her gaze as squarely as anypony who was her lesser was able.

"I shall do all you ask of me, my queen. For you are our true leader of Equestria and nopony else." He took a breath and bowed deeply, curling one foreleg beneath his body. "No one may come close to your excellence, my queen. And soon every pony in Equestria shall know of your glory."

"Yes, they shall," Wilda mused, already turning her back on him. "Although I must say it is always divine to hear you say it. Find a suitable, underground location for me to meet the first of my subjects. I would have them speak so adoringly of me too."

"Yes, my queen."

He trotted away with his head hung low to the ground, every inch the image of a tired guard. Nobody would have suspected him of his place in her scheming as he made his way back to his city accommodations, blending in better than even she could, but all would come to light eventually.

Or perhaps, even, come to dark.

Wilda did not watch him go. She'd seen him often enough for his passing to hold no further interest for her. Only the information he passed to her was of any particular note. Keeping her voice low, she spoke to herself, casting a spell around her form so that her words would not reach less than friendly ears. Wilda's eyes narrowed. It never paid to be too cautious.

Celestia had taught her that one.

"Without Luna on her throne, nopony will lower the moon," she murmured, even then staring up at its white glow. "Celestia will not retain her sanity through the disappearance of her sister for a second time, not after all that broken wreck of an alicorn has gone through. She has no one left to lean on. Twilight is far too busy with that stuffy stallion and working out what went wrong with her poor spell to pay attention to anyone else at this time."

Wilda smirked, drawing her hood back up around her head with the aid of her magic.

"They couldn't have laid everything out more perfectly for me. I must commend them once I am queen."

Turning her gaze from the orb of the moon, the alicorn cast her eyes over the outline of historic buildings peeking over the rooftops outlined in a sleepy glow of street lights, magically powered throughout the city. Her hooves tingled. She'd always loved the night. It had held her best hours of studying, when she was younger and when she had blossomed with her cutie mark, spreading her wings into the darkness. Luna really should have let the night time reign eternal all those years ago. The heartbeat of Equestria would have been all the better for it.

"Equestria, my beauty," she said, lowering her voice to a sultry whisper. "You shall soon be mine."

She lifted her hoof to her lips and blew the spires of Canterlot castle a kiss, a chuckle on her lips.

"Until then, my love, I bid you adieu."