Journey with a Batpony

Twilight blinked. Then blinked again, for the first one had been much slower than she thought it had a reason to be.

Was it her, or had the light of the Moon subsided a little? It had been pouring into the carriage most of the travel and now it… wasn’t? Or was it her imagination?

No, not really. The change in illumination had been exactly what had managed to wake her up. She realized that she must have drifted off into sleep at some point. The journey had been proceeding without issues, even if it had already taken a while.

Twilight felt like stretching her neck a little, then rubbed her eyes and looked around. She quickly spotted that Midnight was watching her with a kind and loving expression. One that she could recall from those days when they had a chance to share a bed with each other. Those evenings when the first thing she could spot had been those sharp but enticing fangs of his.

He realized that she spotted him staring, but just gave her a little nod as his smile deepened.

Rowan Berry, in the meantime, was doing some writing in a little notebook which resembled a diary, or maybe was just a selection of personal research.

The healer looked up as Twilight shifted. “Ah, fortuitous,” were the lupule’s initial words.

“Sorry, have I… have I fallen asleep?” Twilight asked, still blinking and trying to focus.

“Some time ago. But there’s nothing wrong with that,” the stallion remarked while holding that sweet smile. “The weather calmed down. And these are definitely more comfortable than whatever awaits us,” he added, patting the seating with an even wider grin.

“Probably,” Rowan Berry agreed, stashing her notes away and checking her trusted satchels. “We were about to wake you up anyway, hwalba knaze. We’re in the shadow of our destination already.“

Twilight shook her head to dispel the remnants of sleep gently caressing her mind still, and looked outside trying to ascertain herself whether the lupule’s expression wasn’t actually deliberate.

It was. That and more.

Twilight hadn’t particularly had a chance at imagining what a place like the Mountain of Sunfall looked like. Especially lately, as she had been a little preoccupied with other matters. But that had been, perhaps, for the better, as the stunning sight which she encountered before her very eyes was only the more breathtaking without preconceived notions.

Other than one, obvious one – that the Iug was a volcano. And it was one, indeed. Twilight surprised herself with just how high she had to follow the slopes that she could spot, with the very peak of the Mountain currently hidden behind a veil of clouds. But the sheer size of the stone wall she could see before her meant that the caldera, if there was an established one, was absolutely enormous and must have been responsible for creating much of the landscape around with its eruptions all that time ago.

If Twilight’s eyes weren’t deceiving her, she was actually witnessing…!

Oh, no, they actually were, perhaps still grasped slightly by slumber.

What had at first appeared as trickles and lakes of molten rock below were actually vibrant dales filled with flowers, and their hues were crimson and carnelian reds, fire and apricot oranges, honey and dandelion yellows. In a strangely alluring and evocative carpets that pretended to be pooling lava.

And yet these meadows and valleys were not just gentle carpets of flora swaying in mountain winds, but betrayed their heritage in a volatile matter that this very night. Even from this angle and height, Twilight could spot the steaming lakes, the bubbling mud and the occasional jets of geysers, reaching high and high above the ground in great displays.

It all served as a wonderful metaphor, she thought, as the region retained some of its original, turbulent spirit, but it had been cowed and now remained humble and collected when it counted. Perhaps just like the local denizens.

Twilight looked for a while longer still. The seat of the Family Sunfall was easily recognizable and towered over the rest of the landscape. A vigilant tower, an old fortress of nature and civilization, regarded as the highest peak in the land. There was something mystical to it, Twilight wouldn’t deny that. Something meaningful. The Mountain was exposed to the elements, and to the searing light of the Judging Sun, and it was withstanding it with a calm confidence while reaching up into the night’s sky. Was it a prayer of salvation, or absolute credence in its stance and convictions?

Twilight also found herself wondering about a strange connection created in her mind. Was there a specific relation between the bloodline’s ways and the batpony tradition of exchanging goods using onyx as a form of currency? If she remembered correctly, it was usually found in volcanic rock, and a place like this definitely would bear only the richest deposits of it. And yet the locals were apparently quite frugal. Had they rejected the notion of gathering it? Given the chance away? Did they see this situation as a test of virtue, provided by the Immaculate Moon…?

“From your expression I see you’re already spiritual,” Midnight’s voice ringed in Twilight’s ears with its joking tone. “I must say, if I were able to see most of our lands from my home I would be praising Neskaza Lunee… even firmer.”

“I see the point, clearly. And I also see that every corner of your lands has something going for it, Midnight,” she responded, looking back for a moment before returning to admiring the view around and underneath. And wondering just what sort of exciting forms of plant life benefited from the volcanic ground, if they created such a vibrant vision before her eyes.

“Rowan Berry?”

“Tac, hwalba knaze?”

“May I presume that, while the lands of the Sunfalls are a little too high and too cold to be converted into farmland, the soil from here is utilized in the Valleys somehow?”

“That is a very specific question. A bit too specific to be answered by me, unfortunately,” the healer admitted without shame. “Yes, I’m of the same caste, but this is not my area of expertise. I take it that, if it only helps, it is already used by the owocellatani in the orchards,” she told Twilight, pondering on the possibility. “I was never going down that road with my studies, actually… though I know of a number of herbs that very much thrive around the Iug u Soleeced, so there must be something to the ground, yes. And wasn’t there an attempt at some point to utilize the dales around here?” she asked of the stallion sitting nearby.

Midnight nodded, clearly reaching for historical knowledge he actually possessed. “During the reign of… ha, Bogine, what’s the translation – Graceful Sunfall? Lord Graceful Sunfall, that is. That was ages ago, the Rodine attempted to grow crops in one of the valleys, but even with the help of other Families it never worked. Grapes were apparently doing the best, but one rougher cold snap and no amount of warm springs around or bonfires lit could help preserve them. Not to mention…”

He paused, closed his eyes and sniffed the air. And, as much as Twilight could tell, he was both visibly enjoying sharing information and breathing freely without any bandages on him. She smiled, recognizing those little pleasures in life.

“There is something to this air,” Midnight finally remarked. “I smell something different, harsher. It’s coming from all those water jets and such. It’s tickling my nose,” he added, shaking his head.

Then his gaze fell on Twilight and loving care again manifested on his muzzle. “Speaking of air and breathing – do you feel the difference already?”

Now she was, yes. It was subtle, at first, but with Midnight pointing it out it became obvious that she had already begun taking deeper breaths.

“Altitude, yes,” she confirmed it to him. “It’s already a little like at the Mountain of Midnight, when you took me to the platform at the peak.”

Twilight spotted Rowan Berry giving the stallion a look that showed a touch of envy, but was mostly done to mock him. Did she know the place?

Midnight waved his hoof, not caring for that. Not to mention that he appeared quite happy to be reminded of that particular memory.

“The Soleecedi have dwellings throughout the place, but some of them are closer to the top. I’m afraid you will have to pace yourself, Twilight.”

“Tell that to the rest of my journey,” she remarked, giving him a slight smirk and being repaid in kind. “I will do my best to acclimatize myself fairly quickly… or I will just need slightly more time to do anything at the Mountain.”

Midnight nodded, but then gave her a weird look which she easily spotted.

“What’s the matter? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s ‘wrong’, though when it comes to ‘the matter’… Well, I was wondering whether, like with your eyes, you could help yourself when it comes to breathing,” he mused.

Having proposed that he glanced Rowan Berry’s way. It was clearly to gauge the healer’s reaction, and she didn’t need much time to understand what he had just meant. Her gaze met his stare, and then Twilight’s.

“I… do not really have knowledge about medicine that might help with altitude sickness. We do not go through that, though I know of the issue,” she began, her tone remaining serious. “Though, from Midnight Wind’s word I recognize that this is something about… magical help? Can such a thing be done?” she asked, her instinctive apprehension mixed with curiosity.

“I would need to consider some matters, actually, as I… don’t think it would be too safe. And I would definitely not experiment with it here, in the carriage, such spells are meticulous work,” Twilight explained, taking another deep breath afterwards. “For the moment, I will pace myself and bear it, but don’t worry about me. I will mask it as constant awe or thoughtfulness or something…”

“I believe that is quite believable. But don’t ask me not to worry, that is quite unbelievable to me,” Midnight jested, and Rowan Berry rolled her eyes a little at his tone.

“Right, fine, you two have your thing. But you must not have it here. And I’m not talking ‘not too much’,” she pointed out, acting the part of the reasonable pony in the carriage. “If there’s anything that the Soleecedi won’t tolerate, it is any overt showing affection. And I don’t even mean in the case of you two. That is taboo of the highest order,” she accentuated very potently. “Here you shall have modesty, humility, silence. I would treat the whole place like a holy shrine, not just the herame proper,” was the mare’s suggestion and Twilight was going to take it very seriously.

Still, the healer had it in herself to jest. “I’m surprised Soleecedi and Kwadri even share a border. These are like two very different worlds.”

“Yet… one Noctraliya still,” Twilight pointed out, as it felt prudent to do so.

“Apparently,” Midnight commented with cheek, checking his armor. He looked outside and from his gaze it appeared that the transport was going to enter a tunnel leading to the landing cavern, as preparedness manifested in those saffron eyes. “Right. If you will see me suddenly losing my mind over something, it is my proud Midnight Family blood going stale in these ‘humble halls’.”

“Pride needs humility for balance, Maednoc Wentr, you must finally realize this. It’s healthy,” Rowan Berry pointed out like the lupule she was. “I’ll ready some smelling salts, just in case, if you faint dead away.”

Twilight giggled, even as the carriage was enveloped in darkness of the tunnel. She found it heartwarming that their little group seemed to go along much better these nights. There was hope yet, perhaps.

She took a deep breath, then another as the first one didn’t work quite as well as she wanted it to. And when the passageway opened up into the landing cavern she was greeted with the sobering sight of… almost nothing.

It’s not that the place had been left in its natural state, the way it had been done in the Mountain of Dusk, but it was instead organized and embellished in a very minimalist, almost non-existent, fashion. Actually even the term ‘embellished’ might not have been right in this instance, since the cavern barely held any sculptures and motifs that could be considered sophisticated, or grandiose, or deliberate. The most that Twilight could name as actual decorations were the two woolen draperies the color of tawny orange, like the setting sun, marked with the Family’s symbol. But even they were simple and the renditions were plain, showing not even an ounce of pride about themselves.

For the lack of a better summary they were informative. Period.

And so quickly Twilight found her attention shifting to the ponies awaiting her in the cavern, since there was not much else to focus on. Not even the other parked carriages, which were few and far between. And simple, of course.

The welcoming committee was dressed to fit the general theme of humbleness and asceticism. They were elegant, yes, as there was a certain minimalist grace to the local gowns, but nothing in comparison to some of the other Families. The sentinels, for example, had no additional markings other than the tabard, and the cloth beneath their equipment looked like it wasn’t even dyed. If anything, it looked rather rough, but in a way that had been clearly done on purpose.

Hadn’t she once read something about certain, ancient and remote communities using sackcloth? Was there such a strong spirit of self-discipline around the Mountain?

And, speaking of peculiar clothing, Twilight also spotted that the one mare among the group of six warriors had a coif on her head, also barely colored a darker red hue.

“Hwalba knaze, Neskaza Lunee… welae tueu noc illum,” came to Twilight the cold voice of the stallion leading this group, none other than Count Sunfall Decree. He was brandishing the traditional gown, as befitted his position, but one that had its buttons made out of simple metal duds, corresponding with the plain, combed style of his short russet mane. But there was something undeniably regal about the pony even now, when Twilight could see him in a more basic attire.

“I welae Neskaza Lunee… illum tuu noc tez, hwalbu hrabiy,” she replied as it was proper, giving the stallion a little curtsy. And remembering to breathe properly. “It’s a pleasure to be welcomed to the Mountain of Sunfall by you. I must say, this seat of power is remarkable already. Its imposing presence among the smaller peaks is palpable,” she offered the genuine and polite praise.

“Thank you,” was the shortest response that could be offered to that, and the Count didn’t hesitate even briefly to utilize it and say nothing more.

Instead he nodded, then pointed with his hoof for the sentinels to take care of Twilight’s luggage, which order they followed without as much as a word.

She gave this moment… a moment, actually, trying to feel out the situation. Was the hrabiy so concerned about his father’s state that he was behaving so coldly, or was it the norm in a place like this? There was an almost oppressive stillness and silence around her, Twilight thought, though she was withstanding it for the moment. Regardless, she wasn’t going to push things in any way, since the Count was obviously aware why she had arrived at the Mountain so abruptly, and was not going to dally.

The sentinels moving aside to take care of her belongings actually revealed the presence of three more ponies, who were also standing without making a sound. A trio of local antasi, two mares and a stallion, who were patiently waiting while giving Twilight quite curious, if lukewarm glances. Especially regarding her looks.

Well, she hadn’t picked her most grandiose ensemble for this travel, no, since she had been keeping in mind the reason for her arrival and had been expecting the overall ‘theme’ of the Mountain of Sunfall. And yet she still felt judged over what she was wearing. And the mares seemed even more admonishing with their opinion than their male colleague, their manes also hidden underneath simple coifs with colors matching their priestly robes.

Twilight wouldn’t call her dress daring in any shape or form, considering it was meant for travel and not show, but it seemed that the line was pushed far and held very firmly around here.

Nevertheless, the Count wasted no time as his orders had been followed, asking Twilight to join him with a simple gesture. She did so, also without a word, until they stood before the priests.

They assumed a proper array before her and uttered silent prayers while drawing circles in the air to bless her arrival and stay.

At least, that is what she believed they were doing. She would have much preferred to hear them say their blessing out loud and translate what they meant. Nothing like that happened. Still, at least Twilight wasn’t going to assume the worst this time around. Surely, despite her choice of clothing, their intentions were good and in adherence with the Immaculate Moon’s will. And Twilight had that sort of support in her corner, she thought.

The antasi soon stepped away and left, merely meeting Twilight’s gaze with their own ones. But nothing more could be read from those passing stares.

“Thank you for coming right away.”

The Count’s words seemed so sudden and loud in comparison with the omnipresent stillness and quietude that Twilight nearly flinched in surprise, even at that composed sentence.

“Of course,” she responded, following him diligently. Sparing but a glance back at her entourage, who were remaining slightly behind and cautiously observing the happenings. “The weather delayed us, but we wasted no time,” she added.

She kept close attention to the Count, to learn whether they could speak plainly. She believed that to be possible when they have gained a little distance from the rest of the group, right as they exited the landing cavern.

“How are matters, if I might ask?” she presented the wary question.

“Iau haspadr i patr is weak, and his cough is tormenting him still,” the Count explained, his words barely a whisper. “But he is yet lucid and recognizes everypony.”

“That’s good to hear. Or, at least, not bad,” Twilight replied with honesty, to which she received a nod from the stallion next to her.

“His fate is in the hooves of Neskaza Lunee…” he told her with great piety and a corresponding bow of his head. “And if his wish is to see you before his time comes, I will not oppose to it,” he added.

And Twilight was somehow convinced that in any other circumstances there actually would have been opposition from the Count. Though she couldn’t quite yet pinpoint why. Was it the cultural difference and prejudice? Or something else? Even with Lord Dusk Harvest having warned her about the hrabiy’s approach to mingling with the outside world, the Count’s intentions weren’t so crystal clear here, and that by itself was curious.

Said curiosity would have to wait a while, however, as the group managed to exit the short tunnel from the landing cavern and arrive at what looked to be the main portion of the Mountain. Or, at least, something that surely could be seen as such, though no opulence was there to attest for it. Also, this thoroughfare that they reached was actually bending slightly, creating the feeling of standing at the edge of a circle? Was it spanning the caldera?

Twilight had many questions, indeed, and she didn’t know if it was prudent to ask aloud.

The place definitely seemed to actually be carved like a great circle, yes, considering that despite walking for quite a while in one direction, the curve persisted still, remaining almost ideally shaped. And what caused even more confusion from Twilight’s perspective was the general lack of embellishments, the simple architecture, and only the faintest sounds of life within the Mountain. These were all giving the impression of venturing into the last remaining city of a long lost civilization, one that had already mostly eroded away.

But this had been done very much on purpose. There was something clearly and painfully deliberate about all of this atmosphere. And the very few ponies Twilight could spot along the way fit, apparently willingly, into the general scenery. Their gazes were kept low, their steps were measured and intentionally silent, their expressions were calm, serene, yet teetering at the exceedingly thin line between solemn belief and utter despondence. They all looked like they were locked in a perpetual prayer of some sort. Almost as if they had to remain vigilant and virtuous to contain some terrifying beast inside of them, awaiting for their one, wrong move.

Where had that thought come from Twilight wasn’t sure, but it fit in a strange, worrying way.

The Count himself, despite his position, was only marginally more lively than the remaining denizens, actually. But that was also a chosen act. Which begged a question that Twilight asked of herself – she had witnessed the Honored Lord at the Seat of the Covenant. And, despite his age and frailty, Sunfall Word seemed much more lively that the rest of his bloodline. What was the deal there? Was he a noble exception or simply was in the age that spelled not having a care for how he was perceived?

“You are sightseeing and musing, hwalba knaze,” came another, sudden sentence from the Count, though this time Twilight didn’t let herself be surprised.

“I’m trying to take in the place, yes. It is unique,” she told him, hoping that she wasn’t doing it too honestly, in a way he might have taken offence with. “I’ve never witnessed a city quite like this. It is very grandiose and yet… unassuming. Does this cavern span the entire peak? It looks like it is formed like a circle.”

“It does,” he told her, and there was something about that response that was revealing the great scrutiny which he was putting her under. “Most of our citizens live here, on this level, or a bit higher in the auxiliary caves.”

“Is the Family numerous then, if… if I might ask? I do not see many ponies wandering about. And it… does not feel like it is a busy place.”

The hrabiy turned his head her way a little, then responded. “We do not really believe in ‘wandering about’. We have our duties, which we perform in the confines of our homes and workshops. Wasting time and pointless walking about we consider needless,” he told Twilight, and she could have sworn that he was a second away from calling it ‘sinful’.

“I see, of course. I presume that you possess an… ethic of silent discipline.”

“It’s a matter of respect. To each other, and to the Neskaza Lunee…” the Count explained with the solemnity of a priest. “We use our voices to praise Her. What other words than supplications and adoration are worthwhile, then? Unless they are a necessity.”

For some, rather obvious reason, Twilight felt that this conversation was also said ‘necessity’ from the hrabiy’s perspective.

It was rather intriguing, to say the least. She had already stayed in the Sanctuary a couple of times, feeling the atmosphere of a cultural and spiritual capital of the nation. Even if that place was saturated with pious devotion, it was lively and colorful, beautifully designed, a conglomeration of ideas and cultures of the Families. Here?

Grey interior, barely any light sources, and kept as simple as possible, toned clothing, silence. While in the Tuarie praise was celebrated in joy and unity, here it was shown in grim and overbearing submission to what was above, in veneration that required sacrifice of jubilation.

Or was it just her?

No, Twilight didn’t think so. More ponies were appearing about, from time to time, and they all remained busy, silent and focused. The militia was more like quiet monks, their role appearing more symbolic than anything. The local priests gave the impression of being locked in a constant state of repentance, their eyes betraying musings about the imperfect state of the world. And even the ponies transporting goods around were dragging carts almost as if in humble atonement, their lips uttering silent supplications aplenty.

Twilight could feel the Count’s gaze upon her from time to time, and she was convinced that he was trying to discern her opinion on the Sunfall spirituality. Thankfully, she was well aware of the fact, and was not going to let anything unsightly be shown, especially the fact that she was finding it most overbearing.

Unfortunately, her endurance didn’t go well with the air of this place. Her whole body was letting her know that the altitude was playing a factor already and, at some point, she had to gesture for the Count to stop for a moment.

“What is the matter, hwalba knaze?” he asked in a neutral, unperturbed tone.

“Just a short break, Honored Count, if it would be possible,” she responded, staying still and taking deep breaths. “Your Iug is quite tall and I’m… I’m a little unused to this sort of mountain air. Much too thin for me…”

“I see.”

And that was it. No further inquiry about her needs, no expressions of sympathy, not even acknowledgment of the little levity she tried to put in her voice. But this could not have been merely the stallion being impolite, right? Twilight couldn’t wrap her head around it. She wouldn’t consider the Count being unkind. Strict, yes, but without even a friendly banter?

Or had she already forgotten the way she had been treated at the start of her journey by some?

She took this moment to look back at Midnight and Rowan Berry, though they could not have given her direct aid. However, their gazes were meeting hers in a faux casual way, and she could tell that they were trying to encourage her, while also having to withstand the atmosphere themselves.

Nopony was feeling comfortable here so far. But maybe that was exactly the idea that the Sunfalls embraced.

“Very well, I think we can continue now,” Twilight finally said, feeling that she managed to get her breathing and her heart under control.

“Very well. We are getting closer to the palace,” the Count told her, beginning to trot straight away.

And it was a good thing he had remarked about that, because it was a little hard to make out the place of power in a space like this. Thankfully the banners were a most eye-catching sign of it, marking the residence that housed the leadership of this ascetic house. They were marginally more solid than those at the landing cavern, though the Family sign, shown here as the steep, dark mountain wreathed in a corona of rays of the setting Sun, was a pretty simple rendition made of black on tawny orange.

Though the simplicity and straightforwardness of the symbol was making it more imposing, somehow. As if the place had just been claimed by a disciplined religious order, and a new old way of handling things was going to be forced, whether somepony liked it or not.

Still, the façade of the palace itself was almost ‘more of the same’, Twilight’s mind suggested to her. It was separate from the rest of the dwellings, yes, carved into the mountain in slight distance from the nearest other structure, but showed the similar minimalism, expressed through simple arches and geometry that was elaborate only through sheer necessity of accessible architecture.

But the lack of embellishment was a grim embellishment in itself.

“You will have a moment to prepare and dine, hwalba knaze,” the Count told her as they crossed the threshold to this plain and orderly place, one that was filled to the brim with… mostly lack of anything. “Then I will let you know if my Lord and father can receive you.”

“Thank you,” Twilight responded, trying her hardest to find something that would capture her attention, other than the pony next to her.

It wasn’t like his presence was oppressive, no, but in a place that shunned decorations and luxury everything solid and present suddenly seemed to be too much for Twilight’s liking. Through the spacious and empty corridors she had witnessed but one rug, leading down what looked to be the main passageway, perhaps carved towards to the haspadr’s own chambers. Without any sculptures, stained glass windows, paintings, carvings. ‘Austere’ was a kind way of putting it. She was more inclined to go with “desolate”, though that particular term had been used by a pony she would prefer to forget.

Actually, she could have sworn that she had seen some sort of a doctor trotting down that one, particular corridor. That had been exactly what caused that particular thought, about it being a passageway to the Lord’s quarters. And the pony had had the sort of expression on his muzzle that seemed to suggest that it was all too late for the Lord of Sunfall Family.

But that was clearly a false assumption. She expected that somepony would have rushed to the Count to tell him otherwise.

“Your quarters, hwalba knaze.”

Another short sentence and yet another example of just how frugal things were. Twilight, of course, did her best not to show anything about herself, but the sight of her chambers caused her to feel downright perturbed. Not that the place was rundown or hadn’t been thoroughly prepared, no, but the discrepancy between it and the other Mountains, it was… glaring.

The bed at least looked solid, though the single, rather thin comforter was the bare minimum. The table was similarly sturdy, just like the wardrobe, but not even an ounce of silver was embellishing them, nor where there complex marking on those. Yes, they were carved, but only to make them look like a piece of furniture rather just some wood that somepony dropped in a quite orderly fashion and called sufficient.

Twilight nodded the Count’s way. “Thank you, once again. I will await the supper and the summons,” she spoke with humility that she thought would please her host, though he showed no signs of it other than an acknowledging bow.

He then addressed Twilight’s retinue, who had remained silent and stoic to that moment. “Your rooms are on both sides of this one.”

And… that was it. No more elaborate welcoming, no feast or reception. Cold, aloof, ascetic.

And something more, something that Twilight was informed of when the hrabiy and the sentinels had left, the luggage having been placed in her room without a sound.

“Well, look at that, two rooms. Just on the very slight off-chance that we would get any ‘silly’ ideas,” Midnight whispered to Rowan Berry, but it was very much directed at Twilight as well. “I feel like I’ve just been through training, this is exhausting.”

The lupule grinned in a very unhealthy way. “Agreed, this… This is a lot. And nothing at all at the same time,” she complained and Twilight knew exactly where she was coming from. “I would say that I am inspired by their focus on the devotion to the Goddess, but… I am unsure about it all.”

“This appears to me a little… well, overzealous,” Twilight admitted, trying not to be too loud. She had a feeling that she wouldn’t be eavesdropped upon, but caution paid in general. “I grasp frugality, there have been examples of it throughout our culture as well, but this is… much. Very much. Too much.”

“What irony – nothing is too much,” Midnight remarked, looking outside for a brief moment. “And the silence… This is exactly the sort of silence that I don’t like.” He turned back to the two mares and grimaced. “It’s too silent, like somebody’s afraid of something. And shouldn’t having faith in the Mother actually help with fear? At least somewhat?” he remarked, clearly remembering his own times of doubt.

“Well, we can reach the general consensus easily. We don’t enjoy it here. But… we have a purpose, right?” Rowan Berry asked Twilight’s way.

The lupule had the general mission in mind, obviously, but… Twilight believed that now was the time to give her entourage the right context. They would learn it at some point on their own anyway, she believed, and it was better for them to understand both the importance of this visit and her whispered discussion with the Count on the way to the palace.

“Since I don’t see food coming outright…” she began, looking at Midnight who peeked outside.

“Nye.”

“… then I can let you know what is the main reason for this abrupt travel to this Mountain,” she told the two, immediately gaining their attention. “I was tasked to keep it a secret by Honored Lord Dusk Harvest, but I believe you should know, now that we are here. Honored Lord Sunfall Word expressed the desire to see me without delay, because… well, there’s a chance that he will actually die. And soon.”

Midnight hissed under his breath and Rowan Berry’s muzzle twisted painfully with empathy.

“His dyhawica, I presume. It ultimately suffocates a pony, with the old age playing a vital factor,” she commented, clearly knowing the full extent of the illness. And feeling sad about the circumstances. “Kirwe… Oh, pardon,” she berated herself, realizing the curse that slipped her mouth.

“Warranted language,” Midnight told the lupule, squinting his eyes a little as he both participated in the hushed discussion and was keeping vigil on the corridor. “Well, that explains our abrupt leave from the Iug u Waseper. I take it that Honored Lord Dusk Harvest had been informed as a courtesy to him… and as he was somepony that could convey the message to you. And stay quiet about it for the moment,” the stallion judged, being completely right. Then he mused for a moment longer, smirking to himself out of a sudden. “Did he warn you of the hrabiy? You acted rather cautiously around him. Didn’t let your curiosity flare too much.”

“Well… yes,” Twilight admitted. She trotted over to the table and sat down on a chair which… did its purpose, though didn’t really allow anypony to enjoy the time spent on it. “I didn’t want to give the impression that I’m…” She paused, realizing that she needed to measure her breath again. “That I’m being nosy. Nor astonished. Just naturally intrigued.”

Rowan Berry nodded, agreeing with such an approach. “Prudent. You did not even ask about the tepeti, I was ready for you to say something about those outright,” she admitted with a small grimace.

“You know, I thought the same,” Midnight confirmed with an even more pleased expression.

“ ‘Tepeti’…? Oh, wait, let me guess – the coif headdresses?” Twilight managed to grasp the word somehow. “Well, you’re very right, they did catch my eye. They didn’t look like caste wear, for example, since I saw a warrior and then the priests having those. Mares, that is. So, what significance do they have?”

“Married mares, to be precise,” Rowan Berry spoke up, as Midnight transparently allowed her to take the stage, as a mare herself. “Trust me, hwalba knaze, before we meet with the haspadr, maybe even before they offer us this first meal they will try and find out if we, ourselves, have husbands. If we did, they would definitely try to get us to wear those,” she added, tossing her mane almost as a sign of protest.

“I see. Is it a modesty thing? Is that the symbolism?” Twilight asked, though the healer had a more stern approach to the topic than that.

“ ‘Modesty’? More like ‘possession’ to me, Honored Princess,” she commented with no shortage of vitriol. “ ‘Look not upon her beauty, for it belongs to somepony already’, or some other explanation they are giving, but… I never could understand this insistence. It’s not like a flowing mane is driving somepony to sin.”

“The idea is that a mane worn freely or with a simple band around the forehead is denoting purity and readiness to find a husband,” Midnight spoke in an informative tone, looking outside again to see if they could continue this talk for now. “A mane hidden under a tepet is a traditional deterrent from lecherous eyes. And a symbol of the adult, mature dignity of a wife.”

“Talked with a Sunfall stallion recently?” Rowan Berry remarked in a slightly biting tone.

The warrior glanced back and shrugged a little. “You don’t like it and that is fine, Yazembe Acine. Some ponies find it rather sweet or proper. No point of denying them that.”

“And yourself?” was Twilight’s question. “How do you see this custom?”

“Honestly? I don’t like it aesthetically,” he spoke with candid intention, which easily reminded her that the warrior’s preference was more in the direction of falling manes, sometimes if they were wet from water. Alongside the entire mare. “However, if somepony agrees with it and finds honor in wearing their mane like this, believing it showcases dedication and adherence to tradition… well, I’m not going to be up in arms about it,” he pointed out, checking his claws briefly. “I take it, Twilight, that it is not something widespread in Equestria. Never saw anypony back there wearing one, actually.”

“Some rural communities have head kerchiefs or shawls for mares, but that’s a regional thing, if even,” she told him, trying to remember the nuances of said topic back home.

She took a pause. Suddenly she felt very lonely. That feeling which she had been suppressing, that of missing Equestria, returned briefly but with a vengeance. And Twilight was convinced that it had something to do with the austerity around her. She hoped everything was fine back there, and that her friends weren’t worrying too much. Maybe it was time for another message soon…?

She shook her head, finishing her answer and hiding the discomfort deep inside. “I don’t think I’ve ever given it a longer thought, actually. As long as nopony is forced to wear one of those I don’t see the harm in it, honestly.”

“Traditional, family pressure is still pressure,” Rowan Berry remarked, looking to the side.

Twilight didn’t blame her. Honestly, it would take away some of the healer’s quite appealing look to have her curtain-like mane hidden beneath something. Perhaps the lupule had something more to share, regarding the topic of expectations.

Regardless, with the way Twilight had been received, she now had a new understanding of how things were handled in this Mountain. The tale of Captain Sunfall Ordain’s situation could be considered strongly and clearly. There was definitely something harsh about Count Sunfall Decree, and Twilight could easily see him presenting an ultimatum and then a decision to his daughter, in that sort of dry, emotionless fashion.

It was a believable scenario, yes, but still grating.

Nevertheless, soon after that exchange did Midnight motion at the two mares that the supper was coming… though its ‘volume’ was to be expected. Again, the quality of the offered produce was adequate, more than that, but there were merely oranges, without any additions or variety. They were presented on plain plates, made out of wood rather than silver. And the servants that brought this offering, dressed in plain clothes, spoke not a word, especially not about what was to be done after the meal.

“I… feel a little out of my depth,” Twilight admitted before her entourage afterwards, as she finished the oranges she had grabbed for herself. At least she had managed to get her hunger out of the way. “I was expecting myself to become ‘ascetic by proxy’ to some degree, yes, but that’s not my reason for complaining. I… actually feel like I am in a completely different world from Noctraliya. The very feeling of this Mountain is different,” she explained, keeping her voice low.

“Soleecedi are… Well, we often say that they are a little out of touch with reality,” Midnight remarked with a corresponding whisper, having cleaned his muzzle and hooves. “They are staunch companions in any endeavor, and one can trust their dedication to Bogine and country. That being said, they aren’t the most fun bunch,” he remarked in a quite casual tone.

“Some of them can be. Especially if they gain a little bit of distance from the Iug,” Rowan Berry admitted, leaning back a little in her chair, though that caused her brow to furrow. The seats weren’t in any way inviting to find leisure upon them. “Still, even when you meet a Sunfall that is a bit more… ‘loose’, shall we say, they still sometimes go through with those nightly rituals of theirs. Like the lashing. I have objections as a healer, even…”

“Lashing?” Twilight latched onto the word and let her logic run its course. “Oh, wait, I know what you mean. Self-flagellation, I presume?”

Midnight tilted his head a little, possibly not understanding the term, but Rowan Berry caught onto it with ease.

“Yes, exactly,” was her unfortunate answer. “The ‘morn of suffering’, they call it. Or, at least, I think that would be the translation. A rite of penance, if one thinks they have transgressed and wishes to show contrition outright, even without speaking to an arcemandr first.”

Twilight grimaced and wanted to respond to that, but Midnight chimed in there and then, a note of curiosity in his voice.

“I don’t know about Sewira Solee as you know Her, Twilight. Also as Her pupil, I mean. I, myself, don’t think anypony would be quite pleased to see another pony’s reddened and bloodied back presented as a form of repentance, but… Is She… appreciative of such practices? Is that a thing?”

“In Equestria? No, I cannot say I have ever heard of a practice like that,” Twilight admitted. And it didn’t take her any time at all to become completely certain that Princess Celestia would not be too pleased with such an ‘offering’, however honest and pious. “As I understand, this all means that… the Sunfalls have a rite which involves showing self-inflicted wounds towards the Sun at dawn?”

“Crazy, isn’t it?” Midnight responded with a slight grin.

“Well, I try not to mark things as unreasonable just because they are uncommon, but I can safely say that—”

She was about to share the answer to the stallion’s inquiry without delay, but his expression immediately hardened and he lifted his hoof to silence her.

A sound of hoofsteps had just echoed down the corridor, and they were getting closer. So Twilight also assumed a neutral expression. She did not know who exactly was coming, but knew well that gossiping and criticizing the local ways was not a diplomatically sound idea when one could be easily overheard.

As it turned out soon enough, it was the Count who returned to let her know whether an audience could take place. His gaze, as the doors were opened for him, seemed intrigued that Twilight was sharing a meal with her entourage, but at least it didn’t look like he was appalled by the idea.

“Hwalba knaze, you can see my father,” he declared, in the same, grim and cold tone as before.

Twilight prepared herself, mostly mentally, got up from the table and nodded for the hrabiy to lead the way. As they ventured out of the room, servants came in, and Sunfall Decree waited for them to swiftly clean after the supper.

Presenting a question in the meantime. “As the ways of our Rodine are to be observed to the letter in these halls, I am first obliged to ask, hwalba knaze – are you a married mare? Please answer according to the truth.”

“No, Honored Count,” she replied, and was about to give a knowing look to Rowan Berry, but the stallion was quicker.

“Tue, lupule?”

“Iae nye habe marit,” the healer responded, calm and collected, even if Twilight had a feeling she was anything but composed.

The hrabiy nodded at the answers, then spoke up again. “Your manes can remain as they are, then.” His attention became focused solely on Twilight, as if he tried to find an ounce of irritation in her. “Understand that it is a matter of modesty, hwalba knaze. We mean no insult by it, this is just our ways.”

“Oh, yes, I understand,” she responded, trying not to show that she had already had a conversation regarding the topic. “Far be it from me to go against customs. Now, please, lead the way, hwalbu hrabiy.”

He nodded, and then did so without further delay. After Twilight’s chamber had been secured, the group turned one way while the local servants quietly ventured in another direction with the tableware.

And when the moment was opportune, Twilight could again hear the noble stallion’s whisper. “The doctors allowed for this meeting, so you can venture in. But the time shall be brief, hwalba knaze. My Lord and father shouldn’t talk… but he will try to do so anyway, I presume,” the Count added, and for the first time emotion made itself audible in his voice, despite the volume.

It was just a shame that the said emotion was exasperation.

Twilight decided to play along as smoothly as she could. “I will adhere to the Honored Lord’s wishes if he expressed the desire to see me, while having in mind his state, of course. I take it that you will be translating, Honored Count? I know that Honored Lord Word of Family Sunfall prefers to talk in Noctraliyar.”

“I will, yes,” the hrabiy replied, again assuming a neutral tone, though something forced was blatant about it. “Also, let me remark – I know that your winded state is coming from the altitude, hwalba knaze, but I implore you not to let it lengthen the conversation beyond reasonable amounts. Nor to let it be known that you have difficulty breathing. My Lord and father himself is fighting for his breaths…”

In a convoluted way, Twilight felt simultaneously insulted by those words, but also amazed. Utter care and filial love for Lord Sunfall Word was blatant in his son’s tone, even if his main goal had been to make sure the meeting remained but an audience, involving the correct form behavior from Twilight. And that her, as she could read from his words, ‘inconvenient problem’ meant nothing compared to a real one.

So, despite the stallion’s cold and unkind demeanor, he was capable of expressing deeper emotions. That was something to remember for Twilight, indeed.

“I will be mindful, Honored Count. Although you must understand that my problems with mountain air are not something that I am entertaining just because I am aiming at disparaging your father’s condition,” she told the stallion in a delicate tone, though willing to stand her ground. She was well past the time of grinning and bearing some things. “I understand that you are worried, and that worry is noble. I’m not sure if you were expecting some sort of a ‘performance’ coming from me and… and my troubles with breathing, but I’m going to talk with your father shortly and candidly, and that’s that,” she stated, only once faltering due to the very issue she was referencing.

The stallion gave her a side glance that was meant to hide his feelings on her response, but it did anything but. There was annoyance in him, yes, perhaps even insult at being talked back to, but maybe also that little bit of understanding?

Was he playing a part of a grim host to appear stern and strong? Was it a fragment of himself, one that he grasped onto facing the possibility of taking the cloak and circlet sooner than anticipated?

Nevertheless, Twilight was soon walking down that carpeted corridor, towards the doorway which marked the Lord’s chambers. Midnight and Rowan Berry were asked to stay outside, to which nopony objected, even though the circumstances weren’t explained. Yet the Count clearly wanted to preserve the secret for a while longer, not knowing it had already been revealed to Twilight’s entourage.

The hrabiy knocked on the door and opened them, and the sight inside the haspadr’s room tugged at her heart.

Lord Sunfall Word was lying in a reclined position on at least three pillows, with one more by his croup and dock to stop him from slipping lower. His grey mane and beard were both neatly combed, allowing him to retain a noble look, but betrayed outright that he hadn’t left this bed in some time. His eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly agape as he was trying to take in air, and the sound coming from his throat and chest was rattling and most disturbing.

Each breath was a challenge, that much was blatant. Which was clearly why the room was occupied with a robe-clad priest, an arcemandr, remaining in the corner and keeping their forelegs up, in supplications to the Immaculate Moon… Not to mention that a whole selection of various bottles and containers was present on the table near the bed, showcasing manifold concoctions and remedies that must have been applied to ease the stallion’s condition.

Yet, despite all of those somber and distressing signs, it looked like Sunfall Word was not going to just give up and give in. The knocking and the sound of hooves made him stir, as he opened his amber eyes to see who had just arrived to visit him. And his gaze, exhausted but coherent, almost immediately focused on Twilight. He didn’t greet her, at least not with words, but the way that his stare lit up at her sight already spoke volumes.

“Honored Lord Word of Family Sunfall…” she spoke up. Maybe out of turn, but she didn’t care too much, feeling like she had to show respect outright to the ailing leader.

Their peculiar exchange was a ray of optimism in this otherwise dour chamber. Twilight took note that the haspadr’s resting place was slightly wider than just a regular bed, though lacked any features that would deem it opulent. The only reason it looked more comfortable was that it was a ‘necessity’, as the Count had mentioned.

However, softer pillows had been chosen and the Lord had clearly been granted the necessary care, despite the general feel of the Mountain and Family. Which made Twilight exhale inwardly. She had been briefly expecting that the way of tending to the haspadr would bear the same sort of minimalist austerity that the rest of the Iug was showcasing. And that was not the brightest of ideas when having an ill pony on one’s hooves.

The Count approached the bed on which his father lay and sat down by it, lowering his head briefly in a sign of respect. He then leaned in and spoke up, mindful of volume. “Patr, as per your request, the Honored Princess of Equestria has arrived.”

Sunfall Word said nothing at first, just weakly nodded his head, letting the other stallion know that he understood what was being said. He closed his eyes ever so briefly, gathering his strength, and then began muttering. Unfortunately, it was something that Twilight could not understand, both due to volume and the language barrier.

Whatever the Lord was saying, it was causing Sunfall Decree to listen closely, trying to gather all of the important information and intentions from his father.

Only after a while did the hrabiy turned. “My Lord and father welcomes you, hwalba knaze, though expresses shame that he cannot do so properly,” he translated, and it was blatant that he wanted to be as accurate as possible. While also doing his best not to screen his father from Twilight, to at least give an impression of this being a direct conversation. “He also thanks you for your quick arrival. And wishes to say that…” He paused to lean in again.

Mostly because, if Twilight had seen it right, the haspadr had just about enough strength to nudge him in a demanding way.

For a specific reason, one that made the Count furrow his brow in that typical way that showed withstanding an older pony’s whims. “He wishes to say that he is thankful that you didn’t, and still aren’t, looking at him as if he were a corpse on the pyre already.”

Twilight did her best to remain collected, though it looked like the Lord hadn’t lost his sharp sense of humor even if he was apparently getting closer to the said fate.

She decided to address the stallion directly, in a kind tone. “I’m glad that I could see you again, Honored Lord. Though it is a terrible shame that you are feeling unwell. I do hope the burden of this illness lessens yet. Your wisdom is most definitely needed in the Covenant,” she spoke outright, finding the elder looking at her intently and then cracking the smallest of smiles.

She repaid him in kind, as she could remember just how staunchly and outright he had supported the idea of peace between the two nations.

The hrabiy diligently leaned in to listen to his father’s reply, though all the time the haspadr was trying to convey something, in a way other than words, directly to Twilight. His eyes were firmly on her, rather than his son, and there was this intensity in the gaze that even the feebleness of the stallion’s body couldn’t quench.

The response took a longer while, during which the Lord needed a momentary break, too. His chest and muzzle shuddered, as he focused solely on taking his breaths and fighting a cough that risked to erupt deep from within his throat.

Twilight did her best, as well, not to grimace. She found it remarkably hard to look upon the frailty of a pony life, especially one wrecked by a sickness, and not found herself moved by the sight.

Sunfall Decree finally spoke up, after staying silent briefly even as he father stopped conveying the message.

“My Lord and father thanks you for your wishes. And remarks that he’s not that wise, just old,” the stallion earnestly conveyed, though in his tone there was a note of… something. Impatience, yes, as he clearly wasn’t appreciating his father attempting banter when his condition was so severe. But something more hid in the melody of his voice, though Twilight didn’t understand what exactly yet. “He also hopes that, even if his time shall be upon him soon, the Covenant will have the wisdom it needs. He believes in the, ultimately, good intentions of his other Lords, though he wouldn’t call himself a naïve fool. Thankfully, he is convinced that he has a solution to the problem of his bad health.”

Twilight nodded, understanding that the Lord meant having a successor, one that she could see right before her eyes. And that was all fine, until she heard the next sentence which came from the Count’s pursed lips.

“My Lord and father hopes that, if what might happen happens, you will assure that I follow the right path, for the sake of our Family and our country.”

Now Twilight could fully grasp what that strange tone about Sunfall Decree’s voice had been. And why his eyes right now shone in a very dangerous way.

Because he clearly thought the idea absurd and, more so, insulting to him.

Twilight tried to, initially, fight her surprise and try to understand the concept that she had just been informed of. Yet even taking deeper breaths would not help in these sort of circumstances. Her attention span and her reason were not affected by the mountain air. So, had the Honored Lord…

What had he just done, exactly? Entrusted the Family in her care? Suggested that she would become an unlikely advisor to his successor? How? Was that even possible? What was this idea?

It was definitely a shocking and troubling scenario, especially for the hrabiy. He had already, without delay, locked eyes with that one arcemandr holding vigil, and just like that had sworn them to absolute silence and secrecy. Twilight herself could attest that the Count’s focused gaze could cause harm by itself to lesser ponies, so piercing and furious it was. Even as she met the batpony’s eyes she could feel just how searing they were, though withstood that with gallantry.

Sunfall Word, for all of his current struggle, looked undeterred when Twilight’s stare returned to him. He was looking at her with clear intent, one that showed that his son hadn’t misinterpreted his request and translated it just as the elder had meant it.

Still, the Lord’s idea required additional questions and explanations. No – it demanded them. “Honored Lord, I’m… I’m uncertain what you mean. I understand that the next Covenant meeting shall be crucial,” Twilight spoke, looking at the hrabiy to at least wordlessly let him know that she couldn’t delve into the delicate details yet, “but I am certain that your son, the Honored Count, grasps your stance on the matter of future relations between us. My help is unnecessary, why would you request it? What could I do in these circumstances?”

The hrabiy’s stare lingered on her even as he leaned to learn of his father’s reply. Still, his focus was singularly aimed at listening, as he surely hoped for some clarification for his own sake.

And so soon came the response. And it was rather brief.

“My Lord and father disagrees that your aid isn’t required. And insists that you have the tools to help our Rodine.”

Yes, that was much too brief to count as a response to this dilemma. “But… why? I’m just a diplomat. I don’t hold any position of authority in the lands of Noctraliya. I’ve never aimed to do so, that would be preposterous of me,” she assured the elder, and the pony before her, and the arcemandr behind her. And also herself, confident in her lack of such ambition. “I am willing… willing to discuss the diplomatic matters, and perhaps some extent of my peaceful proposals with the Honored Count, but I definitely am not looking to do so from an… well, an advisory place.”

Having said that, Twilight needed a moment to breathe, as the emotions were not helping her lung capacity. Fortunately, the pause for the Lord’s reply allowed her to steady herself before the hrabiy translated the old stallion’s mutterings once again.

“My Lord and father asks whether you would deny him a request like that,” Sunfall Decree conveyed. “He wants what is best for the Rodine and Noctraliya. And believes that your insight would grant me the necessary perspective I sadly lack.”

Those last words were spoken with true regret by the Count, and that made it equally blatant that he was sharing everything he was hearing, without any censorship. Besides, he looked offended enough for that to be proved without a shadow of doubt.

Twilight tried to stop herself from making a face. “I… I would not deny you, Honored Lord, no, but I would also not wish to place anypony in a difficult spot. Especially the Honored Count,” she insisted, pointing at the other stallion and understanding what all of this meant for him and his sense of self-worth. “Nor would I think that anypony would be happy by me being granted whatever authority on the matter. I’m a soleerane, after all, and but an envoy. It would be most undesirable from Noctraliya’s perspective, and I recognize that without prejudice or affront.”

Another pause, another moment of impatient waiting for the Lord to utter a reply, though at this point it was becoming clear that the old stallion’s strength was waning with the continuous conversation. His eyelids were fluttering and his breathing was a bit more labored still.

Twilight could only pray that she wasn’t witnessing the haspadr’s passing right before her very eyes.

The Count was visibly worried too as he leaned back to speak up once again. “My Lord and father then asks, would you be willing to speak with me on matters of relations between our countries? So that we could try and reach an understanding of some sort before his time comes?”

“That I can do, of course, without delay,” Twilight assured, and the Honored Lord managed to nod before he closed his eyes and focused solely on breathing, that rattling in his chest causing her mane to stand on end.

And that marked the end of the audience, obviously. It didn’t look like Sunfall Word was capable of holding it for longer anyway, and the Count seemed most concerned, but also relieved that his father was not trying to strain himself more. Without a word the hrabiy got up, giving the Lord a customary bow, then motioned for Twilight to leave the room alongside him.

And just before they did so, the stallion once again sent a most dangerous look the priest’s way.

Twilight’s loyal companions were standing near the doorway, outright giving her curious, if covert looks. She wouldn’t mind sharing what had happened, but the two were immediately forced to vacate their position. The Count gestured for them to grant a bit of free space, for the sake of a quiet but important conversation.

Tension was palpable and the stallion’s noble gaze still held to the remnants of insult and humiliation as he turned to Twilight.

“As you can see, hwalba knaze, my Lord and father’s health situation is most serious. And yet even while almost being able to see the blessed light of the Argentee, the Goddess’ domain, his thoughts nobly and diligently remain with our Rodine.”

That was an unexpected praise, though Twilight was ready for anything happening after this display of filial loyalty and a subject’s fealty alike.

She wasn’t wrong to anticipate a follow-up, a more somber and irate one. “As you could also see, he is lucid, and yet I find such a suggestion coming from him… unreasonable. Especially considering my position.” He lifted his hoof before Twilight could reply. “I will not stand against my Lord and father’s wishes, nye. But I do reserve for myself the right to call those as I see them, mindful of the repercussions. Making you in any way involved in guiding our Rodine from any authorized position… it is absurd.”

“I agree.”

That short and honest response seemingly broke through the hrabiy’s stern look. Had he been expecting her to use this opportunity anyway, despite what she had told the Lord just before?

Twilight was prepared to explain it all further, of course. “You must understand, Honored Count, that I am not at the liberty to divulge information from my meeting with the Covenant. I was sworn to secrecy, before the Bloodletter, and I shall take it as seriously as the need demands. That… That being said,” she tried to continue without becoming short of breath once again, “the situation is dire, considering the extent of the talks I have been a part of. And I think that is moving the Honored Lord to consider drastic steps, if only they would help the Family.”

“Judiciously said,” the Count agreed, though that did not yet mean that they were on the same page.

How fortunate it was that Twilight had experience dealing with books, even ones with complex contents. “However, I am more than willing to present my mission as it stands, and answer at least some of the uncertainties that you might have, Honored Count. I’ve always been upfront with my quest and goals. Should you possess doubts, I… I will be honest to the utmost.”

There was a moment of silence, which was beneficial. It meant that Twilight could level her breathing just before the stallion spoke up, still mindful of the volume. “That was my Lord and father’s wish, and so it shall be followed. I am expecting an honest conversation, Honored Princess. Would you prefer to have it outright?”

“If that is something that fits your schedule, Honored Count. I see no reason to delay, though I understand… that with your father’s condition you must be busy administering the Mountain to some degree.”

“As per my Lord and father’s wishes and decrees,” the stallion remarked.

And Twilight had to commend his tone. The pony before her, for all of his stern gazes and sterner beliefs, was clearly devoid of any ambition that might have gripped somepony else upon learning that they could soon assume a position of power. For some reason Twilight was willing to believe that until the moment that his father’s circlet would touch his brow, Sunfall Decree would not allow himself to entertain but one thought of usurping a Lord’s power.

Which was beneficial. A dutiful and loyal pony could mean a reasonable one as well, despite views held onto.

“Should we, then, converse in an opportune place, Honored Count?” she inquired.

“Very well, that shall happen. Although I will let myself inform you in a while, Honored Princess. There are matters I must attend to before the morn comes,” he remarked, looking down the corridor. “Await my summons,” he dryly told her, giving her a nod that signaled that the conversation was over.

For now. “I shall await that patiently,” Twilight responded, giving the Count a little nod back.

Twilight was ready to share what had happened with her entourage now, but the hrabiy stopped just as he was turning away from her. He looked at her, slightly askance, and it seemed like he wanted to ask about something more. Yet something forbade him from doing so, and it resulted in him moving on as if nothing happened.

That was something to consider, and Twilight didn’t mind considering it alongside her entourage, perhaps. She did give them a more or less detailed retelling of what had happened as they were venturing back to her chambers. Being, of course, cautious about bumping into anypony who could overhear them in this remarkably quiet residence.

“… madness.”

Midnight’s opinion felt rather harsh to Twilight. And loud, but they were back at her chambers, at least. She gave him a glance as she sat down by the table, hoping that he could give her a bit more insight into his judgment.

He wasn’t reluctant to do so. “How does the Honored Lord expect this idea to work? He would pass a decree over it? Demand it with his dying breath, hoping the circumstances would make it respected by the populace?” the warrior asked the open questions. “With all due respect, Twilight, this suggestion makes no sense. He has his Family’s interests in mind, allegedly, but going through with that plan would be a terrible breach of tradition. A potent one at that.”

Twilight listened attentively, trying to grasp the magnitude of the issue herself. “I hear what you are saying. And I want to have in mind what you have once told me, too, considering the nature of internal relations between the Mountains and the Lords…” she remarked.

Without going into details, because Rowan Berry was sitting right there. Thankfully, Midnight didn’t need to hear more to know what Twilight was referencing and why she was so vague about it.

“An outside influence providing counsel to a haspadr – that’s pretty much how it can be summed up from our side of things. Which means that while not a blasphemous decision, and perhaps one that could be considered an inside matter of the Rodine, it would be all too easy to interpret it as a blatant attack on our Motherland’s interest. Regardless of your intentions, Twilight. Which is why it doesn’t make sense, I think we both agree here,” he added, turning to Rowan Berry and expecting support.

“It does not make sense, no…” the healer agreed, though her expression was quizzical as she leaned against one of the chairs instead of sitting on it. Apparently she had decided not to utilize those again for some time, for the sake of her comfort. “Ha. Clever stallion, the Honored Lord. I would not see him trying to pull a gambit like this on his deathbed.”

“A gambit? What gambit?” Twilight asked, trying to understand where lay the intrigue, and from a pony like Sunfall Word.

Midnight zeroed in on the suggestion himself, though it looked like he wasn’t going to interrupt Rowan Berry’s thought process even when his own eyes shone with a sudden realization.

The lupule’s voice, as she talked, was growing more and more deferential towards the elder stallion. “If there is one pony that both knows the hwalbu hrabiy best and has the necessary influence on him, it is the Honored Lord. He must have realized that his son’s approach to the matter of diplomacy with Ekwestriya is… hesitant. So he is presenting a solution that is causing protest, just like you planned to do with Honored Lord Dusk Harvest, Honored Princess. And then, as the audience progressed, he offered an alternative scenario, which both you and the hwalbu hrabiy latched onto, as it seemed easier to stomach.”

“So that Sunfall Decree is aware that he’ll be put in a difficult situation unless he actually gives Twilight the chance at presenting her point, instead of just assuming the input to be without worth, just because it is coming from somepony not of our blood…” Midnight finished the thought to Rowan Berry’s approving nod. “Ha, very clever, indeed! Bogine blesses the Lord’s mind even when his body falters…”

Twilight recognized the haspadr’s intentions now, and was thankful for the chance he was apparently giving her. That was an opening she required when dealing with somepony that had isolationist tendencies. But an opening wasn’t a victory, not yet. That was on her.

But… perhaps she could at least show appreciation to the elder’s little intrigue. And fulfill a promise she had granted.

“I am to wait for the summons to talk with the Count once again. Likely tonight still, but he told me that he has some business to attend to first,” Twilight stated, looking at the two batponies. “So… I think I am willing to head to the local shrine and offer a prayer for the Honored Lord in the meantime. If he’s being so helpful even now, then let me repay him. So, could I ask you, Rowan Berry, to remain behind, just in case the call comes from Sunfall Decree? I don’t think he shall mind where I have gone to for the moment…”

“Of course, hwalba knaze, I can do that,” the healer promised with a small smile.

So then came the other part of Twilight’s idea. “Midnight, would you accompany me… and ask on the way where exactly is the herame?” Twilight inquired of her companion, who had already understood the full extent of her request. “I couldn’t well tell it apart from the rest of the cavern if we passed it.”

“Of course,” he replied, and one listening for the right tone could hear that he braced himself for what was to come.

And so it looked like Twilight would have her chance to hear the stallion out. Yes, he had warned her about it, and that he wouldn’t want to interfere with her mission, but she felt that she was ready to take the matter upon herself.

If a frail pony, inching towards his end, could go such lengths to help Twilight’s cause and his country’s future, then she could find it within herself to hear her closest companion out.

In such a unique way had Honored Lord Sunfall Word instilled strength within her. And it would surely prove beneficial.