Chapters Moonlight spread throughout the Evergreen Forest, the nocturnal creatures, predatory and prey alike coming from the shadows of the garish day did so with a slight caution to their steps. it wasn't their place to try and rule, but her's, the one with the ember wings stained with her enemies' blood.
Slowly but surely, the plants, reddening to take their place, distinguished in the night. A young Alicorn filly of a pewter coat, jumped and danced happily as her sister, straight-faced as ever, watched around even more cautiously than the creatures she ruled over in the forest, as though a young child in the aftermath of a massacre.
"Ahaha! 'Reaper, I did it," the younger mare with sapphire-tipped wings yelled happily," the plants have been raised!!! And without the sun, too. Do I have my Cutie Mark, yet?"
Night Reaper tossed her black and white mane out of her eyes' view, observing Nightshaede's small flank - still blank - and sadly shook her head. The shock from the answer caused Nightshaede's lips to tremble in sadness, her eyes filling with overly large tears as she looked at her blue-flecked flank, empty as air.
"B... But -- I did my best, 'Reaper! It should be here!!" the younger filly whinnied loudly, alarming Night Reaper to her side. Covering her mouth, the older sister shook her head at the crude display of emotion. Quickly, Nightshaede caught on, shutting her mouth and whimpering quietly as her older sister's horn glowed a bright silver, and a small, bright and sweet-looking stalk of star-shaped flowers landed on Nightshaede's left hoof.
"Will you tell me again why we can't make too much noise, 'Reaper?" the bright cornflower eyes of the young filly caused Night Reapers crimson eyes to fill with sadness, but no tears.
"Day ponies," she began with a quiet low voice that was underused," they find us, and we get caught as though we are prey, but they kill us in order to get rid of us like we are a plague. Especially the boys of our clan. Though those ponies of the day never usually come out here, deep in the forest, we must still take precautions."
Night Reaper flicked her ears down in displeasure at the imminence of their potentially gradual doom, her right ear showing where a Day Pony had caught her in a net, then cut the tip off to prove just how easy it would be to harm her. The pain wasn't excruciating, but then again, Reaper had been born a Hunter Scout, so the fact another pony had hurt her had been the main source of her fright.
"How long has it been since the Bounty Keeper had hurt you, 'Reaper?"
She felt a dizzy stun spell hit her," At least fifteen hundred years, 'Shaede. You were only just born when everything went crazy."
A loud munching resounded from Nightshaede as she began eating the indigo blossom," Hyssop again?"
Night Reaper rolled her eyes playfully," It's better than the stinging nettle. Besides, hyssop helps you to stay healthy, 'Shaede. now go home and tell Mother about your success today-"
"I can go home, but today's when Mamma has her new baby, remember, 'Reaper? So I'll go help Cobalt Winter with harvesting instead! That colt couldn't tell the difference between grass and thorns without me!! See ya'!" and with a flick of her blue, white, and black mane, Nightshaede ran through the darkness of the forest, wilder than the tiger vines that surrounded Night Reaper.
Night Reaper ruffled her feathers and flicked her ears in disappointment at forgetting about the new arrival. She would've normally remembered that their Mother was having her new child today, but duties of their declining clan had begun to weigh on her already burdened mind: if the new foal was a colt, the clan would have to be further driven into the Evergreen Forest, back past the ruins of the Ancient Equestrian Palace. It had been twelve hundred years, however, since anyone had seen a Day Pony anywhere near where they lived.
A small twig crackled slightly to her left, in a bush of waxy dark green leaves; quickly tensing for a fight, Night Reaper held her head low, a glare of blood ruby scanning the area where the noise had been heard, a faint breeze of New Equestria following another twigs crack.
"Show yourself, intruder!!!" Night Reaper lowered her voice's pitch to that of a colt's. She didn't like the idea of pretending to be a guy, bit it worked most of the time if it did happen to be an intruder.
"Intruder ?" a male voice resounded in amusement where the twig snapped, " the Evergreen Forest is owned by somepony now??? That's a surprise."
"Leave, pampered pony, or your remains will be sent to Canterlot in a small flowerpot." Night Reaper growled, feeling all of her hate for Day Ponies brew inside of the remark.
"What - ugh.. No introductions?" it was clear the pony was trying to get out of some trap," we haven't even met face-to-face yet. Isn't that considered rude to most people?"
"Not when they want to kill you first." she retorted, walking towards the bush and tree where he'd been caught. Moving the leaves out of the way, Night Reaper was surprised to see a young white Pegasus with a sea-green mane, tail, and hooves, his wings, neck, and legs caught in a complex binding of rope. Many of his flight feathers had fallen out from his struggling.
"Huh, weird," she sniffed the air again," you smell like a Bounty Keeper, but you look like a regular pony and hold no weapons or traps to kill us with."
The Pegasus gave her a confused stare with a hint of surprise built in," What in the name of Celestia are you talking about? Of course I'm a regular pony! So are you!! What is a Bounty Keeper?!"
His answer sent a jolt of even more surprise up her spine," So you're not here to kill off the Night Clan and enslave our young ones?"
He winced from the ropes again, removing a third of his remaining flight feathers, "Wait, you guys still exist? I thought you were just some old mare's tale my cousin made up to make us behave."
Irritation now racked Night Reaper's body, forcing her to return to its original feminine state," HOW DARE YOU CALL THE NIGHT CLAN AN OLD MARE'S TALE! WHO ARE YOU TO SAY THAT OF US?"
"Oh, so you are a girl," the young stallion gave a much more amiable smile to her now, "the name is Blood Moon. I'm Princess Celestia's and Princess Luna's youngest cousin on their father's side."
"You... realize lineage doesn't matter here, right?" she gave a stern glance at the clumsy youth. It was the first time she had a decent conversation with a normal pony without it leading to violence, but the fact it was with royalty irritated her quite a bit. Especially since her words were a bluff: the only time lineage really mattered with lost ponies, though.
Biting on the rope, he freed his left wing and loosened the grip on his other limbs, "So then, let me go back. It shouldn't be that much of an issue since ponies think you don't exist now. Or would you rather more of them Come searching for me?"
Before she could think of stopping herself, Night Reaper gave a kick at his shoulder in anger, grazing it moderately enough to leave a small bruise with no pain. "You tyrant! Your family is the reason we're in hiding! Why do you think there are no other color of Alicorns other than white and deep lavender?"
Blood Mood flinched and paused at her words, seeing her garnet eyes fill with tears. "Were you there when the banishment happened?"
"Of course! I remember everything. The older ones arguing, the cut of your name, the flames Queen Cosmos set to our village in angry spite because our dad wouldn't marry her. We don't hate you, yet you still hunted us! Why? They even had the audacity to bring the young Princesses on the day they began hunting the main line!!!"
"Well, that explains why the search was cut off, then, young...err... what's your name again?"
There was a pause between the charcoal-colored pony and the white Pegasus as she observed him ardently.
"What do you mean 'the search was cut off', Blood Moon?"
"Your name first."
"Tell me, 'Moon!"
He only gave a smirk with his own crimson eyes glowing with mischief of a younger age. "Your name or no info."
"Info or you'll never be able to move again. I decide what lives and dies every night in the forest."
"You're very brave against an unarmed pony." he spat the snide remark out with a glare. She ignored his comment, catching sight of a patch of lamb's ear a few feet away from where Blood Moon had been caught. Luckily, he failed to trample it. He backed away but quickly froze as she gently placed the young leaves over a patch of lost feathers.
"I don't really care for your kind, but the least I can do before I bring you back to Zecora's house is bandage your injuries." Night Reaper felt her face flush a slight pink color, "Sorry for kicking out at you."
"You're taking me back to the edge of the Forest? Just like that?"
"Eeyup," the rest of the lamb's ear she ran over the injury she'd given him, "Problem, Prince?"
"Why are you helping me?" Blood Moon gave a suspicious glance at her, "Don't you not like us?"
"Because you're lost. And we don't need little boys to be lost in our forest. Zecora will know what to do with you as well,: grabbing the rope around his neck, Night Reaper led him gently, "Now, tell me which way you came from. I haven't been out of the forest for quite some time."
"A fool does not always mean that the person is doing something wrong, Night Reaper. This card could stand for new beginnings, and right decision. It is when we abuse the power of the fool that we must regret what we have done." --- Meteor Knight to his oldest daughter, N.R., age 100 yrs.
The forests grew dim as the young stallion pointed out the way he'd ran into the forest. Night Reaper flicked her ears with a hint of amusement at him, but refused to show the full emotion.
"Are you sure that you came from this way, princey?" the question wasn't meant in any offense, but it wasn't meant as a joke, either.
Blood Moon nodded, motioning towards a broken bramble of what was once a briar rose bush next to a small ground-cover of Gotu Kola where she'd placed a clawed trap.
'Lucky little bastard...' she raised her ears to listen to the young pegasus, catching the sound of insects as well.
"That's where I crash-landed from flying practice. The thorns kinda' hurt, but not too much. The flowers tasted okay, though"
"Just how clumsy are you, kid?" Night Reaper rolled her eyes, pressing forward to the smell of apples, something that she hadn't caught in the air for a long time, but wouldn't forget. It made her nostalgic, but mainly sick for open space to fly in.
"Hum-mm, hmm mm..." a familiar foreign lullaby's tune rang through the air as though through wooden wind chimes warmly.
"What was that?" Blood Moon tensed out of some emotion, causing her to laugh quietly at him, ceasing as immediately as she began," why did you just laugh at me?"
She gave her answer in a flat glare that was as brief as the laughter. Instead of scolding or harming Blood Moon, she simply flicked the tip of her tail in his face to show a smudge of apathy to the questions.
"She's a good zebra who taught my clan about some plants that weren't poisonous to eat for winter. Especially since zap apples don't grow year round."
"Yeah, well that doesn't tell me who she is!" the pegasus stomped his hoof in an exasperated fit. The air's scent around the couple quickly changed from the and pine-like wilderness of the forest and apples to a variety of medicinal herbs that worked wonders as the wise zebra approached them, followed by another zebra-like being.
"Reaper, this is such a surprise! And who is this young one before our eyes?" Zecora motioned towards the white stallion, who stared in confusion of the rhyme.
"It's nice to see you, too, Zecora," Night Reaper replied happily," he's a royal whose name is Blood Moon, and he landed--"
"Crashed." he corrected her, causing the male 'zebra' to snicker loudly.
"Crashed, my bad," she rolled her eyes and continued," near our trap-sets, then was caught by Altair's ensnaring net before he could go any further."
"Ah, your brother's ensnaring little nets," Zecora sighed," did you put lamb's ear on the wing area yet?"
"Yeah, but a lot of my feathers fell out before she'd found me, though. Who is your friend, Ms. Zecora?"
"Quiggy is what he likes to be called. He's a Quagga, not a Zebra at all." the sandalwood-colored Quagga bowed to the ponies whimsically, right before spotting razor-thin blades of grass, picking it, and placing it in a small burlap bag around his neck.
"Quiggy, as you can see, is much more knowledgeable about harvesting herbs than me," Zecora gave the remark proudly, beaming like a mother whose child had saved the world from disaster.
Night Reaper's ears pricked up suddenly, a metallic smell pervading the air near their location, and began to back up towards the small hut's door with her ears flattened in some sort of defense instinct. That certain smell had always meant death for somepony in the past, and in this case, it would've meant death for her since she'd forgotten her scythe in her shack back in the village.
"Night Reaper, my young filly, friend dear," Zecora's voice was a sword of calm with a sharp edge of resolve," would you please go inside and get the fennel and more lamb's ear?"
"I'll go with her!" Blood Moon added, but was quickly cut off by Zecora and Quiggy, who handed him a blade of the herbal grass he'd picked. Gratefully, Night Reaper nodded at the two, sighing with relief.
"Just wait out here and talk with us. Surely, gathering a few herbs for you won't be too much of a fuss?" Quiggy attempted to enunciate the hidden meaning behind the rhyme, and with a sincere gaze given to him, Blood Moon finally caught on. He'd forgotten that she was afraid of what she considered 'day ponies'. As soon as she was out of earshot, Blood Moon began asking his questions.
"Alright, so if Night Reaper's people hate the Royal Family so much, why didn't she just take me to their village to be butchered like animal."
Zecora's ears flicked down and back up; she could hear the soldiers coming for the white pegasus," Because even if your family has nearly killed her's, she believes peace can still be made without force. Your cousin, Celestia, believes it, as well, but forgot to send a messenger to tell. And in the past, your family has been known mainly for their lust of power."
"But she's as ruthless as Cosmos-"
"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, my friend," Quiggy interjected," Unlike your ancestor, Night Reaper does not want to hurt others, but will if she truly has to."
"She threatened that I'd never be able to move again if I didn't give her the information about how Celestia called off the search."
"But did she, is the question, young one?" Zecora was now the one on the edge of amusement at the idea of Night Reaper threatening a pony of Royal Blood, especially since she, herself had been a knight for them.
"Well, no, but-- but she could've if she wanted to!!"
"But she didn't." Quiggy concluded the debate with finality.
For a petrified moment, Blood Moon stood, surprised that someone had beaten him in an argument, but quickly gave a perplexed look, "So then it was an empty threat?"
"Oh no, young Blood Moon," Zecora shook her head, "When Night Reaper gives orders, if you don't usually follow them it leads to your doom."
"So, then, if I hadn't told her about my lineage and gave her the information, she would've killed me?"
"Not her, but you are very close. However, you were lucky to be hurt when you were found, young man." Quiggy remarked cheerfully.
"I get how Zecora knows so much about Night Reaper," the sea-green maned pegasus began again slowly," but how do you if this is your first visit?"
"Quiggy is a Magician of sorts, and can see many things. Not just those around, but of the past and fickle future. He is blessed and cursed."
"But you're a Quagga, not a Unicorn."
"In our land of birth, even Zebra have powers not of this earth." Quiggy replied calmly just as the small group of white armored pegasi reached the small open area surrounding the hut.
"Prince Blood Moon," the golden-armored captain bowed deeply," we have been searching for you since we heard that you'd crash-landed in Evergreen Forest. I apologize for not being there to protect you."
"It's... not that big of a deal, Sun Burst. Just don't tell my parents or we'll both be in trouble. Especially since I landed in the forest."
There was a pause between the two groups as Night Reaper's smell of day-lilies and violets filled the air once more, causing the young prince to stiffen as the guards sniffed curiously. Captain Sun Burst suddenly looked directly at Quiggy, who stared back at him just as confused. The captain seemed to be observing every detail, but mainly gazing at the small bag around Quiggy's neck. Abruptly, as though identifying the smell that had absorbed each of them, he gave a friendly smile.
"I say... is that lemon grass?" the tension quickly lifted like a cloud after the older stallion asked the question with the spontaneity of a young colt. It was as though he couldn't smell the floral composition of the Night Pony.
"Yes, it works wonders with sick ponies, zebra, and quaggas alike. Tastes good in salads and teas as well, so long as you remove the shell. Would you like some?" the Quagga's cheerful disposition stayed intact; apparently he was nearly immune to anger.
"My young children are sick, so if it's alright with you-"
Before the Captain could finish speaking, Quiggy slipped the small pouch onto his neck, "In the forest, there is plenty to go around, but for now, it will be more needed with your family that lives in town."
"Thank you, kind stranger," Sun Burst attempted not to show the true amount of gratitude he wished to give," young Prince Blood Moon. It's time."
As the flock of pegasi began to walk back to town, Blood Moon heard the fiery swoop of Night Reaper's wings again. Turning back, he spotted a crimson-tipped feather. Quickly, he snatched it, and followed the Castle Guards.
"Well," Zecora spoke calm and relieved once again," that went better than expected. Mayhap Fate wishes to make peace between the Two Halves?"
Quiggy let out a small, light laugh," Something much larger than fate is at hand, my cousin."
"The Magician card gives up ideas, some useful, some creative and advantageous... but when flipped, your insecurity of something may be shown, so beware of who reads your cards, Sister." -- Altair, to Nightshaede, 250
Chapter II - The High Priestess
The golden, glistening halls of the Castle echoed with young foals' laughter and play as the two Princesses strolled casually through them, conversing quietly.
"You seem a bit more cheerful today, Luna. What's put you in this disposition?" Celestia's warm voice flooded the cold marble with the light of the sun.
"We can sense happiness and content from the Evergreen Forest, 'Tia. Maybe this time-"
"Big Brother!!" a high-pitched whine echoed behind the two elder Alicorns as a young pink filly chased her Pegasus sibling," tell me where you got the pretty feather now!!!"
"No way, Cherry Blossom! Find your own feathers to keep!" the young white stallion glided swiftly above his cousins, only to crash face-first into a pillar and falling a foot from the ground.
" 'Moon," Celestia began," your younger sister wants to know where you came across the feather. Why not tell her?"
Blood Moon flattened his ears, his few flight feathers ruffling as he replied," Because I promised the other pony that I wouldn't tell anyone about them, not even you. Sorry."
"Is this 'friend' a girl?" Cherry Blossom's older baby blue sister, Lily, giggled with mischief. Blood Moon blinked , unfazed by her, simply picking himself up and checking the feather in his own small pouch around his neck. Lily had a gift for turning words around to haunt the speaker, and so he knew not to tell her anything.
"He's not going to tell, you two, if he's promised. Then he has to honor his word to that pony." Luna quickly concluded and attempted to finalize the conversation before an argument broke out. Celestia observed the younger foals; as she stared ardently at the ruby-tipped feather, old memories that had faded like paper photographs flooded back with the force of tidal waves from a full moon. Ayoung mare with identical feathers struggled in a net of sharp cords, her eyes blazing like wildfire, staring with the fright of a thousand dying souls. The smell of flowers that had died off from the rest of the land that day surrounded the net in her mind and the feather that rested in Blood Moon's neck pouch. Celestia began to feel the fear that the Knight rogue felt, knowing that the filly's predicament, if it were the other way around, would be her own.
"Aw, c'mon, please tell us?" Cherry Blossom begged her older brother," please, please, please????
Celestia looked down at the pink filly and began nervously," Now, Cherry Blossom, shouldn't you be helping your mother with her new arrival?"
"We're allowed to help?" Lily looked as confused as her younger sister," no one really said we could."
"Even mothers need help, you two." Luna seconded Celestia's notion, unknowing of her sister's secrets. Before the older ponies could blink, the pink and blue Alicorns sped off in the other direction, towards a silver-spire tower.
Blood Moon sat down with a concentrated look," You only use that as an excuse to speak with other people in private, Celestia. What's going on?"
The pure white alicorn began pacing, as though waiting for something," There are some things that I haven't been honest with you two about, and I intend to tell them to you right now."
Luna gave a concerned gaze to her sister," 'Tia?"
"I know whose feather you have there, Blood Moon. She was once my personal bodyguard and best friend. Luna, you were just newly born at the time before our Mother had them banished and their village burnt."
"Our mother did what ?!" the lavender princess stared in a horrified shock at her older sister.
Blood moon gazed silently; since he knew most of the story from his past, Celestia had told him, the child who could possibly be the only male ever actually born into the Royal family, seeing as Blue Blood had been adopted. The stories made him want to be a part of the Knight Clan, to be as strong as they had been through the banishment and through their fights.
"At a time before we were born, Mother had an unnatural infatuation with the leader of the Guards. His name was Meteor Knight at the time, and he was already married to a young Alicorn Mare who allowed many different colored Alicorns to be borne to our families. Without her, Cherry and Lily would be White or lavender like us, as would Cadance, and there would be no true way to distinguish any of us from the other."
"What did Mother do?"
"When she confronted Meteor about her feelings, he knew he didn't feel the same way, and he told her as much. Stunned at being rejected, our Mother used her power and stripped the entire Knight Clan of their rank, changing their name to that of Night. A few centuries later, after our Grandparents forced her to marry our father, Sol, Scythe Knight and I were born, not at the same time, but at least two centuries apart. Mother became too proud, attempting to mask her jealousy and hate for Night Opal and Night Meteor with the excessive broken pride. They'd already had a son and a daughter, Altair and Scythe Knight, both of whom were immediately taught a survival course in life and then made into guards. Altair became head of the castle guards, and Scythe Knight, my own."
'That might explain why she didn't really hurt me,' Blood moon sat on his haunches, but continued to listen. Luna looked ready to burst into tears by the story.
"We got along well, as though we were both sisters ourselves. Helping each other at every turn, but mother hated her. She looked a near spitting image of her father, making her even more angry. In her rage, our mother used her power again, placing a trap for Scythe Knight, attempting to tell me that Scythe was only trying to gain the Royal Family's trust in order to assassinate us. Many parts of her story didn't fit, and before she could think of the complete cover story, Meteor Knight retaliated in defense vocally, revealing the whole of it since she'd attacked his only daughter."
"How could he if he hadn't been there?" Blood Moon asked the question as though it were an interrogation.
"On the contrary, Blood Moon," Celestia remarked quite boldly," Meteor had been watching each of us in the shadows the whole time, waiting for Mother to strike at young Scythe."
"What did Mother do when this happened, 'Tia?" Luna's voice was a shred of a whisper, her blue eyes becoming sadder with the tale. It wasn't because Celestia hadn't told her, but because many of their servants had said that she was a striking image of their mother, and she might turn out just like her. Luna never got to know their mother since she'd died a few years after her birth.
"To the outrage of the commoners, Mother used her power for the last time, but this time to get rid of the Nights. She'd trained a group of soldiers led by our Captain Sun Burst's father, Sun Storm, to hunt the former guards down. Cosmos, our mother, had Sun Storm's soldiers burn the village down, and kill many of their sons, brothers, and fathers, which is why there are so few Alicorn stallions now. So far of what we know, Altair and Meteor Knight are the only two left."
Blood Moon explained the ponies' anger to Luna," The Knight Clan wasn't just known for their warriors, but for their herbalists, healers, and artisans. The entire Castles that our families lived in, the gardens, even the furniture was designed by the Knight Clan, and made by them. Nearly all of the Herbalist and healers in the Canterlot's villages were Knights, and they never gave their secrets away."
"They also grew some of the most beautiful flowers in their village. No matter where they were living, day lilies and violets followed them, seeming to grow like the wind blows wherever the Knights are." Celestia added dreamily, staring at the red and white flower in her mind's memory," our halls used to be filled with bouquets of them in many vases."
"Day lilies growing among a Night Clan? Isn't that contradictory?"
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Night Reaper didn't flinch a muscle as she felt a pressured speeding hoof impact with her face, sending her flying into a pile of firewood and rocks. Warm, crimson blood flowed from her haunch and mouth as she struggled to rise. As her trembling, bruised body did, however, the same hoof met with her flesh once again, making her grit her teeth to keep a pained howl within her soul.
"You little bitch !!" Glacial Spear, Cobalt Winter's mother, screamed shrilly at the younger mare," you spared that accursed Royal whelp knowing from personal experience what they've don to us?! Are you stupid or do you think yourself a guide to lead the Day ponies to us?!!"
Night Reaper didn't answer or even look at all at the angry eyes gleaming with burning anger. She was just happy that Nightshaede didn't have to see this. She knew her father wouldn't stop the maiming unless it got out of hand. Mentally, however, she cut Glacial Spear's horn off and shoved it into her right back haunch.
"Maybe she still thinks herself equal to the Royal Whelp."
"That's enough!" the loud and ever authority-filled voice of Meteor Sky filled the village clearing, frightening the lesser ponies into submission, to drop their hooves, as though they'd never meant any harm.
"But they-"
"Night Reaper followed our orders to never harm a Royal unless they meant any harm back. And Glacial Spear, you will watch your tongue when addressing my family members. Or it will be YOUR body maimed by an angry crowd."
"You will be the death of us, Meteor." the mother growled at the clan leader madly. Night Reaper's eyes shot open, almost turned insane by the hostile emotion in the mare. Lunging faster than lightning could strike, the gray filly twisted her body, her left leg contacting with Glacial's chest, allowing Night Reaper to pin her down and crush her ankle bone into powder mixed with coagulated blood. Before she could strike with her front hooves, a black hoof gloved with an iridescent white found its place on Reaper's right shoulder.
"Calm down, Reaper," Altair's low and gentle voice matched her stern, angry look," you've taught her to stop hurting for quite a while this time."
"We are all equal, 'Spear," tears fell softly from Reaper's eyes as she crumpled next to her older brother," Royal, or Knight. Alicorn or Earth. Mare or Stallion. Leader or follower. We are all the same. And you are no different."
"And what about you , Reaper of Foals and Creatures?!" Glacial Spear sneered with pain," do you think yourself to be God, Almighty?"
Night Reaper's crimson eyes began to glow like rubies lit up in sunlight, bathing the aquamarine mare in a bloody vermilion light of its own. The gravely injured mare struggled defiantly to get up, trying to get out of the light that shone from the young filly's eyes, frightened of her now; feeling dizziness from the lack of air that was shut out by the crimson barrier, Glacial Spear simply lay down now, as her vision began to fade to black.
"Reaper, stop!" Altair's voice filled itself with their father's authority now, but Night Reaper had already closed her eyes, turning away. She knew when to stop.
"Instead of fighting with us, take care of your children , Cobalt Winter and Snow Lancet. They need you." Night Reaper looked down gently at the mother, who had suddenly lifted her head as her lungs filled with air once again," you will not be ready to reap for a while. And I will not make two young foals into orphans. You've taught your children wonderfully, Glacial Spear, but you need to raise them, now."
With a depressed sigh, Reaper walked away from the scene, towards her small, flower-laden house. Altair turned away from the injured mare for a second.
"Why did you let the Royal go, 'Night? After all, you and Father were the ones to suffer the most."
She turned to him," So did you, Altair. You just never realized it."
Altair stared at her, perplexed, at his younger sister, who simply continued on to her home.
Meteor Knight, who'd been silent, finally spoke to his eldest child," Night Reaper has been able to read other ponies' feelings far better than her own since she was born."
"Then why did she, Father? She knows that almost everypony who can remember the Exodus hates the Royals, and they frame the deaths of the the lost ones on the other Day Ponies as cleverly as possible."
Meteor looked at his son with a hint of sympathy," Because... She can see this story of Cosmos because of her Reaping. With the power she has, she's afraid she will crack as Cosmos did with her own Power."
"One has to accept all parts of themselves, my daughter, before they can fully understand the High Priestess card, including all magick and all limits." - Meteor Knight to N.R., 300,
Chapter III - The Empress
The mother mare lie down, sweating and weak with pain from birth. She knew her child lived, she'd heard its cries as it'd came into the world. Her vision was blurred from exhaustion, and silence overtook her hearing aside from birds chirping and the wind blowing through the clinging vines of Passiflora that distinguished her house from the others.
"'Opal..." a deep, gentle voice came from outside of her door as her silver-grey husband walked in, concern and care for her showing from the depths of his heart. In a small basket he'd attached to his side, the smell of hyssop, lemon grass, and bell pepper filled the air now. The light seeming to surround them, flowing through the room abundantly now.
"Meteor," her voice grew a bit stronger as he came closer," is our child a filly or a colt?"
"You need your rest, Opal--"
"Where is my child?" her voice gained a Motherly power, causing Meteor Knight to look her in the eyes.
"You -we- have a new filly and colt, both bright like the New Equestrian ponies. The little girl," he chuckled happily, hiding his own tears of joy," She resembles you very much, Opal, But her coat is light green and her mane is evergreen with black instead of white."
"And what of the boy, Meteor?" her voice resounded some hints of hope," what does he look like?"
"He..." Meteor trailed off nervously, but began speaking once more," he has a bright yellow, almost golden coat, with a few specks of vermilion that will probably fade with time. His mane and tail are a deep violet contrast with his complexion very well. Have your hopes returned for our return to New Equestria come back along with your colorful children?"
Night Opal laughed hoarsely," Yes, my love, we may soon return to Canterlot without being attacked by guards. Or by the young princesses for that matter."
Meteor looked down with a sincere stare," Scythe Knight helped a Royal leave the Forest today."
"You sound disappointed in her for some reason," Opal replied fretfully," did she harm him?"
"No, it's nothing like that," Meteor's answer was quiet," It's just... Ever since that incident in the Castle Gardens, she's been usually afraid of guards and other colts, especially males who aren't related to her."
"It's natural for her to be afraid. She's known this village for most of her life."
"But what if she ends up alone? She knows that the rest of the ponies can have normal lives. They don't have to fear killing their loved ones with their power. Opal, I--... I just don't want to see our oldest daughter grow old alone. Being alone is what drove Cosmos to her madness." Meteor sighed, his eyes now brimming with sadness instead of happiness.
"We can't force it on her either, though," the emerald mother snorted," so an arranged marriage is out of it either way since we all might object."
"I hope she can at least make friends with ponies from outside of her clan, though." Meteor handed her a bright red bell pepper; Night Opal graciously grabbed the vegetable, biting into it. They were the closest thing to the apples that actually grew within the Forest when they were in season, tasting nothing like fruit, but seemed to help with eyesight drastically. If the ponies had cut any more limbs from the trees in the past, they could the sweeter foods, yes, but if a Day Pegasus had seen the village, they might have told others.
"Mrs. Opal?" a young filly with a dark metallic coat opened the door," we would like to know the names of our two newest arrivals."
"Snow Lancet," an older colt behind her mumbled, but caught her attention," we shouldn't bother the Mother-"
"It's quite alright, Obsidian," Night Opal replied, giving both of them warm smiles," but have you seen Night Reaper? I need to talk with her."
The two young ponies shuffled their hooves, looking away from both of their leaders.
"Lancet, Scimitar," Meteor's voice was testy like a parent who'd caught their child stealing from the cookie jar," where is she?"
Snow Lancet's white irises hid now as she closed her eyes," Well after the altercation with my mom two days ago, she stayed in her house for a few hours, silent as death as she sharpened and maintained all of her scythes. When nighttime hit, Cobalt told me he could hear her crying for some reason. I went over to her house, and she was tending her garden, as though nothing had happened. She told me she simply had some allergy issues and needed to bring in fresh flowers for her vase. and when I went to her house this morning, Nightshaede had been there, and said that Night Reaper had gone to gather more food for the village. She hasn't been back since that time."
"That's not like Reaper at all," Opal muttered worriedly, lying her head down and contemplating.
"She's right," Meteor Knight added," Reaper doesn't have allergy issues and Cobalt and 'Shaede went gathering yesterday and the day before."
"Maybe she just went to see Zecora," Obsidian suggested lightly,"she usually disappears to there from time to time. Learning about herbs, she says she's doing, to help us during winters."
"I hope you're correct, Lancet," Meteor answered with concern of ten fathers.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Night Reaper tied her rope trap with a fiery determination that almost made her eyes accidentally glow again, the aquamarine mare's words playing through her mind over and over again.
"I am not a guide. I am a Knight. I am not a guide. I am a Knight," she seemed to chant the words as though they were a prayer. Around the young alicorn mare, the dark forest felt like a prison, with only enough light filtered through for everypony to see each other and the color of the plants. The prison always seemed to darken more with each passing century, never even a small ray of sunlight leaking through. Night Reaper longed, desired the bright sun and the young princess who looked to her as an equal, not just as a simple guard. She dreamt of the open skies, the beautiful feel of the wind against her wings, the light, the bright green of soft grasses and softer plants-
"Night Reaper...?" Blood Moon's voice halted her incessant chanting, making her notice the tears on her face and her body trembling. Swallowing the lump in her throat that allowed her tears to stop, and regain most of her cool composure.
"Y-you're back. Why?" her voice didn't falter as she'd expected, allowing her to breathe more relaxed and stronger. Reaper turned to the Pegasus with no fear of tears, forgetting about the bruise that rested on her left cheek.
His own eyes showed no regret for returning to the forest,"Why did you help me last time, Night Reaper?"
"You're a... Royal," Her answer hid most of everything she knew," we, as guards of the Knight clan, are still also your guards despite--"
Blood Moon came closer," That's not your truth. What you just said was your Father's truth, but what is your's? Your own reason for helping me?"
"I don't have a reason." she replied to him, moving her hand near the scythe by the trap that had been laid out perfectly, the gleaming silver blade shining fiercely. He could see her grabbing for it, maybe in defense, or a bluff, bet he didn't want to take any kind of risk, and quickly backed away a tad bit.
"You don't have a reason for what exactly?" he sat three feet away from the dark silver Alicorn female, who gave a confused look for a second, still bringing her scythe closer to her, her sharpening stone in her other hand. Night Reaper ran the rock harshly across the blade, watching sparks fly and listening to the sliding noise that echoed around them both.
"I don't have a reason to hate you or to not help you. If anypony is in trouble, wouldn't you try to help them, even if they were cruel to you? You.. you weren't even born when any of this happened, so I can't exactly say that you yourself were cruel to any of us."
The replies sent a dizzying stun spell on Blood Moon. Despite the short time that they even knew the other had existed, Night Reaper's answers seemed completely true, with very little left out. It wasn't just that, but the amount of care she felt towards the ponies didn't come from the Forest would astound the rest of the Royals.
"You probably think that I'm a pretty stupid Knight if I show compassion, don't you?" her voice became flat with a sense of self-ridicule, hiding her eyes away.
"Actually," he felt his face flush pink with heat as the answer was given," I kinda wish I could be that way."
"What way?" Night Reaper gave another confused glance, which looked like somewhat of a death-glare. Quickly remembering her iris pigmentation, she looked up completely. Blood Moon nearly flinched, but knew his own eyes gave off the effect almost as well as her own.
"The way you can still want to help people despite what they've done to you."
"Just because one or two ponies in an area are cruel doesn't mean you should be judging the rest." Night Reaper lowered her voice, feeling another's presence nearby," that's why I sent everypony that wasn't a Knight back to the Forest's edge after giving them a potion with amnesiac effects, and told them to tell Cosmos that there was no trace to be found."
"Really?" his voice showed no mockery," then why did you put on that menacing act when we first met?"
"Because males are prone to acting their real selves when they're not around other ponies they know." lashing he tail as she stood, putting her scythe in its sheath and her clawed trap (that had been peeking out because of excess rope) deeper into her large side pack.
Blood Moon stared intently at the rusty, yet well maintained trap that Night Reaper had quickly hidden from sight," Your people seem more like hunters that you do Knights, what with all these traps you lay out."
Night Reaper felt her feathers burn redder than ever," How do you think the castle stayed safe from Unicorns and Earth Ponies when a revolt would begin? When my family and other friends were fighting the Pegasi like yourself?"
He flicked his ears back, discomposed," Not all ponies were against your clan, 'Reaper. Many of us were actually against Cosmos, since her first mistake of trying to back-stab your dad into marrying her. So get off of your anger sled."
"Reaper?" Nightshaede's voice came from the veil of tiger vines where the presence had been felt. The young filly stared at her sister with a sense of being dazed by the white Pegasus," Who is he ?"
"Unconditional love and Creation at its fullest is what fills the Empress card, meaning that no matter how terrible something you make turns out, you will love and cherish it nevertheless." - N.R. to Nightshaede, 120 & 325
