The Fall and Rise of Prince Blueblood.

by KittyrinnAiko

4: The Archduke makes his move.

“Princess, you need to come with us,” Ordered a unicorn stepping up to Princess Cadance. With him were a dozen more, all wearing the livery of the Platinum House Guard, all had on charms allowing them to walk on clouds and had walked right into Flight Camp like they owned the place.

Cadance looked at them, “No,” Princess Celestia would not have sent them. “I’ll do no such thing.”

“Funny, you seem to be under some misconception that you have a choice.”

“And you all seem to have forgotten where you are,” Corrected a pale light grayish-blue stallion with a short-cropped rainbow main. “While she is here, she is under our protection. Now get out of my city before I pull the rug out from under you.”

“You haven't heard the last of this,” the lead unicorn declared. The others were looking somewhat apprehensive.

“Oh, something tells me I have,” Bow Hothoof Duke of Borealis replied with a smile on his face. The unicorns turned and started to walk away. Bow leaned over to another stallion standing nearby, and to be true, by the looks of them, they were all Weather Factory workers. “Have some of our more discreet pegasi tail them, and if they stray see to it they make it to their final destination.”

“Sir?”

“Archduke Blueblood has all but committed an act of treason, and declared war on us in his arrogance. He’s up to something or he never would have been so bold. If they won't take the hint do what you have to to protect our ponies.” He turned to a nearby Wonderbolt. “Lieutenant, be so kind as to tell Colonel Mustang that the fly is in the soup and that he’ll likely want to pick up his charges a bit early. On it colt, now!”

“Sir! Yes Sir!” Shouted the Wonderbolt and then launched into the sky. At the same time, several ponies around Bow Hothooff slipped away.

“The nerve of them,” Cadance said as she walked up to Bow Hothoof. “And thank you, Your Grace.”

“None of that now,” Bow offered. “Just call me Bow. And Princess Celestia let me know that you had her permission t’ be here and that I should be wary of any ponies claiming otherwise.”

“Those were the Arch Duke’s ponies. I can’t imagine what he could be thinking? When I was first brought forward by Princess Celestia he had a fit that I’d been elevated to an Alicorn Princess and demanded Aunt Celestia undo it and send me back to the gutter I’d come from. Ever since he’s waged a campaign to drive me out, and now this?”

“Well if you ask me the old stallion has gone senile,” Bow offered. “That or he had decided that he can control Princess Celestia by controlling you.”

“And you?”

“I’ve enough to do managing the weather services. No, I’ve no desire for more.” He turned to some of the other ponies nearby. “Give the word to prepare to cast off lines, we’ve made it too easy for trespassers.”

⛈

“Miss Sunshine, Miss Nova, we need to go.” Fast Clip said as he approached. “Miss Dash, you need to come too.”

“Wait, what?” Dash protested. “We’ve got a relay to race! I can’t go now!?”

“Captain?” Spitfire asked.

“You’ll need to come too. Colonel Mustang’s orders. Flight Camp may even close up early. Word is the whole garrison is mobilizing.”

“What’s going on?” Spitfire asked.

“No idea might just be a drill,” Fast Clip offered.

“My father is a volunteer at the medical tent,” Aria announced.

“You’d better come with us then.” Fast Clip suggested firmly. “All medical personnel will be required to stay on base until we stand down from alert.”

“But we are Neighponys.”

“Can’t be helped, I’m afraid. Your mother works at the consulate doesn’t she?”

“Yes, both my parents do.”

“Well then, we’ll drop you off there the first chance we get.”

“Aria, by any chance are all the Neighponies in Canterlot in Cloudsdale right now?” Nova asked.

“I wouldn't know. Seems like there are quite a few. A lot of the pegasi I know were either planning on being at flight camp or helping out in some way. There’s still the Canterlot Mission though. Why?”

“Just a hunch. Come on, I’m sure everything will be fine.” Nova offered.

“Flight camp does pull a lot of pegasi out of Canterlot.” Spitfire mused. “What about Mom?!”

“I’m sure Mom will be fine.” Sunshine offered while trying to reassure both Spitfire and herself.

Elsewhere among the gathered pegasi youth, a group of colts noticed the activity around Nova.

“Hey, look, they are escorting that fake away.”

“About time.”

“Since when do fakes get escorted by Wonderbolts and isn’t that Rainbow Dash? She’s the one who did the rainboom.”

“Seriously?”

“She’s Duke Bow Hothoof’s daughter.”

Another colt came running over, “Guys, guys, a bunch of Archduke Blueblood’s private security just tried to make Princess Cadance go with them and Bow Hothoof sent them packing! She’s been escorted away by Wonderbolts!”

“Guys, why do I get the feeling we screwed up, and that little filly that just left with Rainbow Dash is the real thing?”

“So who’s the little cutie that kind of looks like that Shimmer mare?

“I think someone said she was Lieutenant Spitfire’s little sister.”

“Wasn’t there a rumor that Shimmer was Princess Celestia’s daughter?”

“You are not seriously suggesting Princess Celestia has a family on the side no pony knows about?”

“So, what’s going on?” Sunshine asked as they were brought to a hanger where an airship by the name of HMAS Magnus was waiting. Colonel Mustang, Wintry, and Doctor Showers were there along with Bow Hot Hoof and Windy Whistles.

“Sir, it’s as you suspected.” Called a stallion rushing in. “They tried to double back.”

“I got a message from Princess Celestia.” Wintry offered. “She didn’t say why but she told me to get out of the house. I sent Seakite to fetch Gilda and told her to go to a friend's home and stay there”

“A dozen of Archduke Blueblood’s Hench-ponies were caught trying to get on post. And Princess Celestia sent me a message telling me to get the fillies to safety.” Colonel Mustang explained.

“Then at least I won’t have to feel bad about what we did.” Offered the pegasi who provided the news about the unicorns. The instructions he’d been given bothered him, but he trusted Bow Hothoof to the point that he’d do anything he asked. Never before had he asked so much. “Seems they got turned around, they gave us some trouble when we tried to redirect them, so we showed them the shortcut back to land.”

“What you did?” Aria asked. “Short cut?!”

“I fear there may be a coup attempt in the process.” Bow Hothoof announced. “I knew he was up to something. Didn’t think he’d go so far as to try to Make Princess Celestia herself impotent within the government.”

“But, how would that even be possible. It’s not like they can just overthrow Princess Celestia?” Spitfire asked.

“They went after Cadance.” Bow informed her. “Only it hadn't occurred to them we might be prepared and she’d say no.”

“If I had gone with them like the dutiful child they’d hope I’d be, I would have played right into their hooves.” Cadance offered. “And maybe if I’d been in Canterlot I wouldn't have had a choice.”

“Except you were here.” Ray Mustang stated. “They probably planned it figuring the guard force in Canterlot would be lower because of the presence of Cloudsdale but discovering that you’d gone to flight camp threw a monkey wrench in their plans. Without you or the others, they have no leverage to use against Princess Celestia.”

“Others?” Spitfire asked and then a feeling of horror overtook her. “You don’t think they found out about Sunshine and I do you?”

“If they ever recognized the Changeling Amulet they might well have put two and two together,” Sunshine offered just as two more pegasi guards flew in. Bow Hothoof gave her a puzzled look, but Mustang had that I 'know what she’s talking about look' on his face.

“All lines cut, we are underway!” Reported the first pegasus guard. “We should be out of teleportation range shortly.”

“Sir, the government buildings and the castle have been taken. All save the Keep itself which still has Royal guards on the heights.”

“So they made their move without knowing if they even had their bargaining chips in place. How typical. The arrogance of that pony is beyond the pale.” Bow Hothoof said in nearly a growl.

“So now what?” Windy asked.

“One moment first. Doctor, I have an escort for you and your daughter. Nova, activate your ring and go with them. You are going to the consulate. That way we don’t have all our eggs in one nest. If things go bad claim to be a Neighpony. So long as they think you aren’t connected to Princess Celestia I doubt they’ll go after you. I doubt they’ll risk violating treaties.”

“Yes sir.” Nova offered, activated the ring on her horn, and went over to join the doctor and Aria who was then escorted to a waiting bus that was to take them to the consulate. After they’d gone Sunshine and Spitfire were loaded onto the airship in the hanger along with a sizable escort.

“Sir, I feel like I’m running away when I should be fighting.” Spitfire protested.

“I’m well aware that this is not what you trained for, but if the Archduke gets his hooves on you two he’ll be able to force Princess Celestia to do whatever he wants. Keep your sister safe.”

“And me?” Cadance asked.

“You and Rainbow Dash are going out on a different transport.” Colonel Mustang replied. “It will be that much harder for them if they don’t know which transport to go after, and I’ve no doubt they have transports of their own. I’ve sweep fliers out right now to find them. Though I suspect that they had hoped for a swift takeover of the government and control of Princess Celestia in order to avoid a protracted civil war.”

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[KittyrinnAiko]